Stories from Wednesday, November 6, 1996

To the editor: Anti-communist nitwits who helped fan the reaction here in the United States -- including the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow -- against the Soviet Union's sending of troops to Afghanistan ought to hang their brainless heads in shame at what the pullout of that Soviet force, which they so ardently desired, has meant for that unfortunate country. ...

Readers may recall our review of Mrs. Wilder's enchanting first novel "Out to Pasture (But Not Over the Hill)," published by Peachtree Press a year ago. So many readers the country over begged for a sequel that Mrs. Wilder, now 66, responded with Over What Hill. No one, not even those who missed Pasture, will be disappointed in the author's delightful response...

The human environmental studies department at Southeast Missouri State University has received the Missouri Outstanding Community Education Organization Award. Harry Kujath of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education presented the award Oct. 29 to Dr. Paula King, who heads the human environmental studies department...

Southeast Missouri State University's Harrison College of Business and the Campus Assistance Center have set up a partnership with the international business programs and master of business administration office to advise international students and promote the MBA program...

LET'S HAVE a sales tax for the school. That way everybody pays. I am not for the property owners to pay the whole bill. I'll vote for a sales tax, but never will I vote for a property-tax increase. I'D LIKE to make a comment about the Cape Central Band in the SEMO homecoming parade. ...

Vocational education is more than just a passing fancy. In a society that is advancing technologically by leaps and bounds, vo-tech will become an increasing necessity for many high school graduates. It will also provide essential training for those long-out-of-school who want to better their current jobs or find new ones...

During the recent campaign season, many ideas and programs were floated before voters. Some seemed well-founded, others sounded downright silly. In the silly category was the notion to eliminate Missouri's annual vehicle inspections. This is a valid program that should remain in place...

Voters elected Independent/Republican Jo Ann Emerson to Congress Tuesday. Emerson defeated Democrat Emily Firebaugh and three other candidates to win the 8th District general election. She also won in a three-way race in the special election to fill the unexpired term of her late husband, Bill Emerson...

With 86 percent of the Cape Girardeau precincts reporting, it was clear the city scored a win with its water system bond issue Tuesday. The city asked voters to approve the sale of $26.5 million in bonds to increase water treatment capacity. The bonds will be financed by a new quarter-cent sales tax voters also approved...

Forget the movie. I'm writing my own personal toy story. Is it just me, or are toys getting a bit weird these days? Even before the endless string of irritating political ads left the airwaves, the irritating string of new toy ads started. And don't expect any relief from these bizarre toys until after Christmas...

BENTON -- Democrat Dewaine Shaffer said losing the Scott County Commission seat in 1988 taught him a lesson in listening to everyone. Shaffer, 49, defeated Republican Kelley Swain 4,834 to 3,442 in Tuesday's general election. He said it was the smaller towns, those he ignored in his earlier bids to claim the seat, that put him over the top...

DEXTER -- Democratic incumbent Jerry Howard was leading his third-party opponent Ray Rowland in the race for the 25th District Senate seat Tuesday night. Howard of Dexter is seeking re-election. A former state representative, Howard was first elected to the state Senate in 1990...

In the race for Missouri's 27th Senatorial District, incumbent Peter Kinder said voters responded to his message of "common-sense conservatism." He won over challenger Rick Althaus Tuesday, 40,412 to 22,999. Kinder, a Cape Girardeau Republican, was seeking re-election to a second term in the Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in 1992...

In a surprise upset against Republican incumbent Joe Gambill, Max Stovall, a Democrat, took the lead in the election for 2nd District county commissioner in Cape Girardeau County, winning by 468 votes. Stovall had 6,384 votes, and Gambill received 5,916. The race had been close in the last election in 1994 between the same two candidates, with Gambill winning by just 39 votes...

Three incumbents have won re-election in contested state representative races in Southeast Missouri, and a fourth appeared headed for victory Tuesday night. Republican Patrick Naeger of Perryville easily won re-election to a second term in the 155th District, defeating Democratic labor union leader Joe Fallert Jr. of Ste. Genevieve, 7,603 to 5,136...

MORLEY -- It might have been a lack of information that killed a half-cent sales tax in Morley that would have provided enough revenue to maintain the city's 30-year-old fire equipment. The measure failed in Tuesday's general election by 177 to 111, or 63 percent of the vote...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Incumbents were winners in Alexander County races Tuesday. Incumbent Circuit Clerk Susan C. Hileman, who has served 12 years, received 2,311 votes to defeat Republican Teresa S. Martin, who had 1,398 votes. In the only other contested county race, incumbent Alexander County Commissioner Rollie S. Matlock of McClure defeated Republican challenger Mike Caldwell of Thebes, 1,958 to 1,712...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Republicans were winners in two local races in Pulaski County Tuesday. Republican Harold D. Hargan received 1,439 votes to defeat his Democratic opponent, Gene Koen, by 257 ballots in unofficial returns in the race for Pulaski County commissioner. Koen received 1,182 votes...

MARION, Ill. -- Glenn Poshard has won his fifth and final campaign. Poshard, D-Marion, has been declared a winner over Brent Winters in the sprawling 19th District that includes portions of 27 counties in Southern Illinois. With a third of the votes in, Poshard held a 69 to 31 percent lead, his widest margin in five congressional campaigns...

Bollinger County voters returned only one incumbent to office in three races decided Tuesday. Public Administrator Winford Brown was the only candidate re-elected by voters. Brown received 2,579 votes, while his Republican opponent, Larry Welker, received 2,234. With this win, Brown begins his 17th year in office...

PERRYVILLE -- Perry County residents opted to let those with the jobs keep them. The three Republican incumbents were re-elected to their offices during Tuesday's election, and another Republican replaced the public administrator who resigned. Republicans Sheriff Gary Schaaf and county commissioners Mike Yamnitz and Dennis Lohman defeated their opponents...

PERRYVILLE -- Perry County voters decided Tuesday to foot the bill for the proposed $9.5 multipurpose building. The simple majority required was narrowly met with 3,521 people voting yes to 3,153 no votes. The project, which will include an indoor swimming pool, library, gymnasium, exercise facility and performing arts center, will be financed through a half-cent sales tax, which will end in 20 years when the debt is retired...

HARRISBURG, Ill. -- David Phelps, who has been involved in Illinois state politics more than a dozen years, was declared a winner in 118th District representative's race late Tuesday night. With more than 60 percent of the vote in, Phelps led newcomer Republican Jack Hill of Vienna by almost 4,000 votes -- 16,884 to 12,959...

The special election proposal was rejected by district residents in a 260-185 vote. This was the second appearance for the proposal on the ballot this year. It failed in the April elections. If the measure had passed, residents in the Sedgewickville Fire Protection District would have been assessed a tax levy of 30 cents per $100 assessment. The funds raised would have been used to support the fire district...

ANNA, Ill. -- Democrat Jimmy L. Watkins was the big winner in the only contested race in Union County. With 18 of 20 precincts reporting, Watkins garners 3,140 votes to defeat two other candidates for Union County commissioner. Independent candidate Darryl Harvell had 1,842 votes and Republican candidate Jimmy F. Wilson had 1,542 votes...

Dr. Rebecca Palmer Oliphant, 45, of Canberra, Australia, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 1996, at her home. She was born Aug. 27, 1951, at Scott City, daughter of Alexander Blair and Ruth Craig Gibson. She first married Jim Palmer in Scott City. She and the Rev. David Oliphant were married Sept. 1, 1995, in Canberra...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Alfred H. "Chick" Bishop, 79, of Jonesboro died Monday, Nov. 4, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 27, 1917, in Dongola, son of Hess E. and Jennie Manning Bishop. He and Leota Karraker were married May 2, 1937, in Alto Pass...

Maple D. Masters, 91, 601 S. Minnesota, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1996, at Beverly Health and Rehab Center. He was born Sept. 7, 1905, in Cape Girardeau, son of John and Sadie Newell Masters. He and Alma Corse were married June 30, 1934, in Cape Girardeau...

Memorial service for Cladia Mae Reilly of Cape Girardeau will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Park Mausoleum. Entombment will follow. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Reilly, 57, died Monday, Nov. 4, 1996, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Crystal City...

MARBLE HILL -- Dickey G. Mouser, 59, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1996, at his home. Hutchings Funeral Chapel (formerly Baker Funeral Home) is in charge of arrangements.

CHARLESTON -- Joe Farries, 84, of Charleston died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1996, at his home. He was born April 7, 1912, in Water Valley, Miss., son of Theo and Daisy Mae Reed Farries. He and Maebell Kelley were married Dec. 7, 1936. Farries was a retired farmer. He was a member of St. Matthew Baptist Church and served on the deacon and trustee boards. He was a member of Rough Ash Lodge AF&AM, member of Mississippi County Community Churches, and chaplain of the Ten Tall Ones Civic Club...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Gertrude Manning, 84, of Dongola died Monday, Nov. 4, 1996, at City Care Center of Cobden. She was born Feb. 2, 1912, in Champaign, daughter of Edward and Dolly Mae Wilbur Hodge. She married Austin Manning on March 19, 1964. He died Nov. 8, 1980...

ALTENBURG -- Wilbert "Pete" Lueders, 81, of Altenburg died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 28, 1915, in Frohna, the son of Henry and Helen Weber Lueders. He married Eileen Emmendorfer on June 22, 1946...

ULLIN, Ill. -- William Dean Julen, 64, of Bunker Hill died Monday, Nov. 4, 1996, at Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was born Oct. 8, 1932, in Ullin, son of George and Stella Julen. Survivors include his wife, Virginia; four daughters, Teresa, Pam, Sandra and Debbie; a son, Jeff Julen; his mother, Stella Severs of Dongola; and stepmother, Velma Julen of Herrin...

The Southeast Missourian asked students at North Elementary School about their preference for candy with their stockpiles replenished last week. Mark Musselman: "I like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Also, I like Payday. I got lots of Snickers at Halloween. It will last about three or four weeks."...

JACKSON -- American Business Women Association Jacksonian Charter Chapter will present the Miss Jackson Scholarship Pageant Saturday, Nov. 16. Also presented will be Miss Christmas, Miss Junior Christmas, Miss Holly, Little Miss Snowball and Little Miss Snowflake...

Many thanks to everyone who helped make our K-9 drug dog unit a reality in Jackson. The dog "Stadt," meaning city, and his handler Officer Shawn Davis are now on full-time duty. This K-9 unit will be successful in decreasing any drug traffic in Jackson. We welcome "Stadt" as our newest member of the Jackson Police force...

Exotic cowboy boots from left, boa constrictor, ostrich, rattlesnake and alligator. In barnyards and in board rooms, boots tread successfully in both worlds. Proving that function need not preclude flair as boots of many makes have become wardrobe standouts...