Stories from Wednesday, February 26, 1997

To the editor: I must take exception to recent letters in your paper regarding the EPA, ozone layer and Freon. There is no independent scientific evidence that Freon affects or ever had affected the breach in the ozonosphere, the ultraviolet screening, upper layer of Earth's atmosphere. ...

To the editor: Within the past two weeks, there have been approximately six articles and one editorial on Senate Bill 363, the lake project. I have also received a survey conducted by state Rep. David Schwab requesting my opinion on this bill. I'm news here in Bollinger County (two years), so I'm just starting to put the political puzzle together. ...

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport will lose its manned weather station on March 5. Weather observers have been pretty much a fixture at the airport for nearly 40 years. Now pilots will receive weather reports from an automated system. The switch to automation isn't unexpected. The Federal Aviation Administration has determined the level of airport traffic here doesn't warrant a manned station open...

The following are some additional miscellaneous notes and comments from my recent trip to Jefferson City: The 35-member Governor's Total Transportation Committee has been having monthly meetings for almost a year. It has held a series of public forums to date and said to expect more this spring. The original schedule for a December 1996 report to the governor has been extended to this May...

JEFFERSON CITY -- A Missouri Senate committee Tuesday held a 20-minute hearing on a bill supporters hope will refloat the Cape Girardeau-Bollinger counties lake project. State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, told the Senate Local Government and Economic Development Committee that voters in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties should be given the chance to decide the fate of the lake project...

Nearly a year after voters approved the creation of a city Ethics Commission, the deadline for applying for charter membership is near. But as of Tuesday afternoon, no one had applied, said Gayle Conrad, deputy city clerk. The deadline is Saturday. Anyone who wants to be on the seven-member commission must pick up an application by 5 p.m. Friday and mail it with a postmark no later than midnight Saturday, Conrad said...

Cape Girardeau Central High School students were honored Tuesday for excelling in academics, attendance and good attitude during the second annual Academic Pep Rally. The Renaissance Club recognized 332 students during the assembly, which was attended by faculty, the student body, parents, corporate sponsors and sixth-graders from Franklin Elementary School. A parade of academic clubs opened the program and several organizations performed...

Some historic changes are about to take place in the cigarette and smokeless tobacco business. Most notable changes are a requirement that tobacco-buyers younger than 27 present identification and that tobacco be sold only in face-to-face exchanges, not through vending machines and self-service displays...

I had my first ballet experience this month, and it wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be. In fact, some of it was downright entertaining. I think it was appropriate that my first experience with the ballet should be an adaptation of a play by William Shakespeare, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I didn't really understand the play when I first read it so I wasn't too upset about not really understanding the ballet...

A kickoff meal of beans and rice will be served at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Wesley House at Southeast Missouri State University in celebration of World Food Day. Mike Perry, coordinator of World Food Day events at Southeast, said, "We wanted to have some forum to experience a poor man's meal and discuss hunger issues."...

JACKSON -- Two experimental education programs were approved by the Jackson Board of Education Monday night. The board voted to pilot an all-day kindergarten class and a new alternative school program for students in grades nine through 12. Both programs will be expanded after a year if they are successful...

The Southeast Missourian asked people about the March 19 union election for Jackson city public works and utilities workers. If approved by a simple majority of 26 votes, then 51 of Jackson's 104 city workers would become members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 702 based in West Frankfort, Ill...

The Notre Dame Bulldogs proved Tuesday night in their final home game of the season against Malden it's nice to have a "go to" player, even if you possess a variety of weapons. The Bulldogs (8-16) rode the inside scoring of senior Dirk Dirnberger in the first half, then got contributions from a host of players in the second half to squeeze past Malden (12-12) for a 68-64 Senior Night victory...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- It was revenge time for Middle Tennessee State University's Blue Raiders Tuesday night. MTSU had lost twice to Southeast Missouri State University during the regular season, including a buzzer defeat at home. Tuesday, the Raiders got another crack at Southeast on their home court. And this time, it was the most important game of the three...

FARMINGTON -- Cape Central's girls saw their season end at thje hands of Poplar Bluff for the second straight year as the Lady Mules set up a district championship showdown with top-seeded Jackson. Jackson, which seeks to return to the state championship game, defeated Farmington 73-41 to reach the title game. Poplar Bluff mounted a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Cape Central for a third straight time this season...

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team got to experience the power first-hand of one of the elite programs in the country on Tuesday. Mississippi State didnt' disappoint, demonstrating its might with a 13-3 victory over the Indians...

SIKESTON -- Maxie M. West, 78, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born April 2, 1918, at Morehouse, son of Willie Washington and Ellen Rose Fitts West. He and Martha Lucille Tate were married Nov. 18, 1951, in Piggott, Ark...

SIKESTON -- R.C. Wilson, 89, of Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at Clearview Nursing Center. He was born July 13, 1907, in Ardmore, Okla., son of John Martin and Matilda Foy Wilson. He and Eula Chapman were married Jan. 17, 1927. She died Dec. 12, 1991...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Myrtle Malone Alband of Sikeston will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Ponder Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Ted Wimberley will officiate. Graveside service will be at 3 p.m. in Trigg Memorial Acres in Cadiz, Ky. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-7 p.m. today...

SIKESTON -- Graveside service for William "Spencer" Williams will be held at 2 p.m. today at Garden of Memories Cemetery. Friends may call at Ponder Funeral Home from 1 p.m. to service time. Williams, 82, died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997, at Clearview Nursing Center...

Malone O. "Pete" Penrod, 75, 930 W. Cape Rock Drive, died Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He was born March 26, 1921, at Indian Creek, son of Lee and Wanda Young Penrod. He and Marjorie Lange were married Nov. 8, 1942, at Union...

MORLEY -- Walter F. Herb, 83, of Morley died Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at Miner Nursing Center. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Oran is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE -- Von Haney, 61, of Chaffee died Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 6, 1935, in Plant City, Fla., son of Virgil Lee and Elvirdia Ditto Haney Sr. Haney was a retired executive manager with Xerox Corp. in Rochester, N.Y. He was a member of Chaffee Elks Lodge 1810. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps...

CHAFFEE -- Irene Martha Halter, 82, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997, at Heritage Gardens Nursing Center in Jackson. She was born May 28, 1914, at Randles, daughter of William and Katherine Uhrhan Gosche. She and John M. Halter were married Oct. 15, 1935. He died March 13, 1991...

CARUTHERSVILLE -- An early morning fire at the Caruthersville Cotton Warehouse Monday may have caused more than $1.3 million in damage. Three warehouses were destroyed and a fourth was damaged despite the efforts of nearly 50 firefighters from seven different departments, Caruthersville Fire Lt. Lynn Moss said...

SIKESTON -- Enoria Woodson, 64, of rural Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Jan. 17, 1933, in Philadelphia, Miss., daughter of Henry and Daisy Campbell Brown. She and James Woodson were married Feb. 20, 1952, in Gulfport, Miss...

Daughter to Paul Joseph and Diana Rose Valleroy, 1419 Bertling, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:23 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, 1997. Name, Tessa Rose. Weight, 4 pounds 9 ounces. First child. Mrs. Valleroy is the former Diana Fritsch, daughter of Bill and Rosella Fritsch of Ste. Genevieve. She is a teacher with Cape Girardeau Public Schools. Valleroy is the son of Myron and Charlotte Valleroy of Ste. Genevieve. He is employed at Dana Corp...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Funeral Mass for Lawrence E. "Beans" Morgan Jr. of Cairo will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The Rev. Charles Prass will officiate, with burial in U.S. National Cemetery in Mound City. There is no visitation...

One of the methods to hold smaller pieces of glass together is the copper foil method. Eddie Bierschwal worked on a window to be installed in a log cabin near Cape Girardeau. Bierschwal has been working with stained glass for 15 years. Choose man-made products in your favorite colors and textures, cut to desired shapes, fit pieces together and add light -- natural light is advised...