Stories from Wednesday, June 18, 1997

The Cape Girardeau City Council made a sensible choice Monday night in giving preliminary approval to plans for a double-wide mobile home in a residential area of conventionally built houses. The City Council has long exercised its option to issue special-use permits in such cases. ...

Three communities in Southeast Missouri were among the seven finalists for a major new prison who made their last presentations yesterday to the Joint Committee on Correctional Institutions and Problems in Jefferson City. Soon the committee will narrow the options to two towns, and Gov. Mel Carnahan will have the task of making the final decision...

Time marches on. Sunday was FATHER'S DAY. My father's dead ... I'm alive ... and four of my six children are either fathers or mothers blessing Wendy and me with 11 grandchildren. All of them will be visiting us this week to be with their brother GARY II, family and friends who will be visiting us from their home in OSAKA, JAPAN...

THANK YOU, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson. I have voted and observed politicians and elected officials since 1952. You have displayed a new hope by giving us a light in the darkness and a breath of fresh air from party tunnel vision. Most Americans are sick and tired of political posturing by both parties and especially presidents, senators and representatives. ...

Marine Equipment Towing Corp., METCO, will hold an open house Friday at its offices at 2097 Corporate Circle, next to Dana Corp. The public is invited between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. METCO was established in 1991, and moved to its new building in October...

The 1997-98 edition of Missouri's official state manual will include the winning entries in a photography contest being held this summer. The theme is "Missourians at Work and Play -- In a Land of Beauty." Entries must be postmarked by July 15. Secretary of State Bekki Cook said the theme should give photographers an opportunity to submit a variety of photos showing Missourians at work and play, as well as scenic shots...

Jackson needs to get its own channel if it wants to put messages on cable television, the Cape Girardeau Cable Television Advisory Committee says. A few months ago, Jackson Mayor Paul Sander asked Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III if the Cape Girardeau would grant Jackson space on TCI Channel 5 for announcements from his city and its not-for-profit groups. Jackson would foot a proportionate amount of the bill, Sander said...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson earned more than $146,000 in 1996 as a senior official with the American Insurance Association before quitting in mid-year to run for Congress, financial statements show. The Cape Girardeau Republican also earned over $15,000 as a member of Congress last year after being elected in November to the 8th District seat...

Over the next 60 days, city officials plan to inspect the old Boatmen's Bank building at Main Street and Broadway in an effort to determine whether the city should buy it. If the deal goes through, the city could move the Convention and Visitors Bureau there, use the old drive-up windows for accepting payments of city bills and use the vaults for storing city records, said City Manager Michael Miller...

Eighty summer school students at Richland High School executed a tornado drill for more than an hour Tuesday when they returned from lunch. But it wasn't practice. Within a 30-minute timeframe, Principal Troy Bollinger witnessed three weather systems near the school...

There is a theory going around that birds evolved from dinosaurs. It's hard to believe that a cute little sparrow or a precocious robin could be swimming in the same gene pool as the velociraptor from "Jurassic Park." It's hard to believe until nesting season comes along...

The Southeast Missourian asked patrons at Riverside Regional Library about their summer reading choices. Susan Riley: "I've been enjoying the Better Homes and Gardens flower book. I enjoy gardening and finding out what helps things to grow and the best place to plant things. I read for information mostly."...

SCOTT CITY -- Members of the Scott City Chamber of Commerce gathered over lunch Tuesday to quiz a representative of U.S. senators Kit Bond's and John Ashcroft's office. Tom Schulte, district office director for both Missouri senators, gave chamber members an overview of some of the topics Bond and Ashcroft have been addressing in the 105th Congress...

The sun isn't setting at Southeast Missouri State University. But it isn't rising either. A Southeast Missouri State University committee recommended last month that the school adopt a sun figure as its mascot. The committee made its recommendations in a report to Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Municipal Band will perform at 8 p.m., Thursday, at the Jackson City Park. Special guest will be fiddler Bob King. King is one of Southeast Missouri's premier country fiddlers. He has performed throughout the Midwest for over 60 years...

Regular Meeting Monday, June 16 Agenda Action Items Power and Light Committee -- Accepted dedication of easement for the construction, maintenance and repair of sanitary sewer lines from Paul and Joretta Allee was approved. -- Accepted dedication of easement for the construction, maintenance and repair of lift station access road from Johannes Real Estate, L.L.C...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Chamber of Commerce is planning for two of its biggest events. On Monday the chamber will have its annual installation banquet and featured speaker. Patty Reisenbichler, executive secretary, said the banquet is the highlight of the chamber's year...

Southwest Baptist University will assume operation of Sterling College's program in Poplar Bluff effective July 1. The transfer was approved recently by the governing boards of both institutions. Southwest Baptist, based in Bolivar, will operate the Poplar Bluff center on a "teach-out" basis for up to two years to allow students to complete degrees...

Monday, June 16 The Cape Girardeau City Council acted on the following liquor licenses at its meeting June 16, 1997: Placed Chester D. Casey d/b/a Peppy's Sports Bar & Dance Club, 823 S. Kingshighway, on probation for six months. NEW: Tommy L. and Barbara N. Sander, d/b/a The Sand Box, 1611 Independence...

Southeast Missouri State University will hold a football camp June 27-29 (the dates recently appeared incorrectly in the Southeast Missourian). The camp, to be directed by Southeast's football coaching staff, is for boys entering grades 4-12. High school graduates are not eligible...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Funeral service for Maggie A. DeWitt of Tamms will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms. The Rev. Billy Don Heady will officiate, with burial in St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 9 a.m. Thursday...

Funeral service for Chester Eugene Ivester of Cape Girardeau was held Sunday at Rainey Chapel in Bernie. The Rev. Joe Masters officiated, with burial in Armstead Dowdy Cemetery at Dexter. Ivester, 79, died Friday, June 13, 1997, at Missouri Veterans Home...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Everett Richard Yates, 59, of Cobden died Monday, June 16, 1997, at Herrin Hospital. He was born Oct. 28, 1937, in Cobden, son of Alonzo and Zelma M. Caraker Yates. He married the former Geraldine Smith. Yates was a retired truck driver...

SIKESTON -- Private memorial service for William Hamelmann of Coral Springs, Fla., was held Monday at the home of a daughter. The Rev. Ed Pangburn officiated. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Hamelmann, 75, died Monday, June 16, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Those of us who still hold on to favorite things from childhood will immediately remember this famous line from "The Little Engine That Could" followed at the end of a successful trip up the mountain by the powerful conclusion, "I thought I could. I thought I could!" The pride that the listener/reader feels for all of that positive effort, can also be felt as newcomers to the habit of reusing and recycling feel success for their efforts...