Stories from Saturday, July 12, 1997

To the editor: In recent weeks, there has been some discussion of concerns regarding the Vincentians' decision to co-develop their Perryville property. As a community leader and your state representative, I have given my support to the overall concept, because I see this development as a quality-of-life issue for the people of Perryville and of Perry County. ...

The workplace is becoming dangerous, especially considering that murder is the top cause of death for women in the office, said Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel. With that in mind, Hetzel and the Cape Girardeau Police Department have been conducting personal safety seminars at area businesses...

Members of the NAACP are working with parents, educators and business owners to improve attendance and excellence in Cape Girardeau public schools. The Cape Girardeau chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has joined the organization's national campaign to "educate, agitate and motivate" youths to stay in school. ...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education lacked the two members needed for a quorum at a meeting Thursday, which means teachers will have to wait at least another week before they receive their contracts. Board members Bob Blank, Steve Wright and Dr. Bob Fox are ineligible to vote on teachers' salaries because each has a relative who works for the district. ...

Parry hung, from left, lamb's ear, lemon balm and spearment herbs to dry. At right, Parry has planted 25 varieties of herbs in her back yard herb garden. Parry sells a variety of herbs in capsule form for the immune system. Grace Parry's driveway and front walk are lined with an array of beautiful and unique plants that visitors rarely recognize as being more than just decorative accents...

TO ALL the people involved in the fireworks display at Benton, I want to say excellent, well done. It was 30 to 40 minutes of the best planned and executed display in Southeast Missouri. I WOULD like to say Random Acts of Kindness days are over, but I would like to say something about an act of kindness. ...

A quality college education still remains within reach to most Southeast Missouri residents. Although the costs at Missouri's institutions of higher learning have increased significantly, so has the availability of financial aid. Today, students at Missouri's public colleges and universities pay about a third of the cost of their college education. The state or federal governments foot the remainder of the bill...

The National Education Association -- the nation's largest teacher's union -- has had a welcomed change of heart. NEA membership now allows that teachers should be able to rate the performance of fellow instructors. It is a marked change for an organization concerned chiefly with wages and benefits, as opposed to quality education in the classroom...

To the editor: This letter is in response to Gov. Mel Carnahan's veto of the bill that would have banned partial-birth abortions. Not being very politically astute, I sometimes have difficulty discerning between cheap political double talk and legitimate legal issues, but when the governor of our state cannot, or will not, sign a bill that would stop the killing of babies because, he says, it would be unconstitutional, it seems painfully evident that something is wrong. ...

Today is the day someone in the future will long to go back to, Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel told about 80 Chamber of Commerce members Friday. "These are our children's good old days," Hetzel said. "We have a responsibility to make them secure."...

"I heard a loud scream, and Julian came running toward me with blood in her face," described Hope Welker. Seconds earlier Welker, who was barbecuing with friends, said she saw her 3 1/2-year-old daughter, Julian Yenicek, riding her bicycle down the sidewalk past the neighboring Cape Meadows apartments...

Timmy should know that Lassie isn't always man's best friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., estimates that nearly 2 percent of the U.S. population, or 4.5 million people, are bitten by a dog each year. And 10 to 20 people -- the majority children -- die annually in the United States as a result of dog bites...

Spurred by the Oklahoma City bombing, the government has beefed up security at Cape Girardeau's Federal Building and hundreds of others across the country in the past two years. The security comes at a cost: The government has spent more than $158 million to bolster security at federal facilities...

The only discussion during Friday's five-minute City Council special session came from Brian Strickland of the city engineer's office. "We have a good bid and a good contractor, and they are ready to get to work within the week," he reported before the council approved plans for the Henderson Avenue-New Madrid Street intersection project...

It's odd how easily we can beautify the past and yet have such a hard time focusing on the positive in our daily lives. It's odd how a little perspective can make once-hated activities seem like good times and fun things to do. Living under financial strain and performing childhood chores was not the best way to spend your time back in the day, but as we get older, those become the "good old days."...

JACKSON -- Jackson officials said improvements to the city's sanitary sewer system are not only needed; most are required by the Department of Natural Resources. Jackson residents will vote Aug. 5 on a bond issue to make those sewer repairs. If the bond issue passes, it will provide $10.5 million to buy, build, extend and improve the city's combined waterworks and sewage system...

The Kohlfeld Capahas received some help early but they did the late damage on their own as they romped Friday night in the opening round of the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional at Capaha Field. Kohlfeld improved its record to 23-2 by routing Goreville (Ill.) 13-1 in a contest shortened to seven innings by the 10-run rule...

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball program recently signed two more players for next season. Joining the Indians for the 1998 campaign will be their second California recruit in the past several weeks, lefthander Allan Landgren from El Camino Junior College...

CHAFFEE -- Chaffee will automatically be in next month's Midwest Regional Junior American Legion Tournament because it is hosting the event. But the talented Chaffee squad doesn't just want to back into that prestigious tourney, it wants to earn its way in...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Kevin G. Lang, 33, Cairo Route 1, died Friday, July 11, 1997, of an apparent heart attack. He was born Aug. 5, 1963, in Cairo, son of Denver and Barbara Lang. Lang was a member of Cairo Baptist Church. Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Barbara and Jack Sneed of Cairo; his father of Beaumont, Texas; and a brother, Allan Lang of America, Ill...

Kenneth H. Goodman, 74, 334 N. Sprigg, died Thursday, July 10, 1997, at Baptist Memorial East Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born July 5, 1923, in Cobden, Ill., son of Arthur F. and Gladys Grace Goodman. He and Linda L. Gilliam were married Jan. 31, 1976, in Cape Girardeau...

MARBLE HILL -- Gladys M. Haynes, 69, of St. Louis died Thursday, July 10, 1997, at Alexian Brothers Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Feb. 28, 1928, at Lutesville, daughter of Clarence and Stella Ramsey Null. She married John W. Page, who preceded her in death. She later married Donald Haynes, who also preceded her in death...

NEW WELLS -- Leo E. Reisenbichler, 99, formerly of New Wells, died Friday, July 11, 1997, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 11, 1897, at New Wells, son of August and Christina Lindner Reisenbichler. He and Alma Boehme were married Oct. 29, 1922. She died Aug. 23, 1993...

BENTON -- Funeral Mass for Denis Joseph LeGrand of Benton will be held at 10 a.m. today at St. Denis Catholic Church. The Rev. James Seyer and Msgr. Joseph Gosche will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery, with graveside rites by VFW Post 3838 of Cape Girardeau...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Larry Joe Abney, 58, of Putnam, Okla., died Thursday, July 10, 1997, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was born Feb. 2, 1939, in Tuscola, Okla., son of Sherman L. and Elsie Viola Ford Abney. He and Vernita Pitts were married Feb. 5, 1967, in Tuscola...

Clay Van Wagner, 17, of Miami, Fla., died Thursday, July 10, 1997, in a go-cart and automobile accident in Miami. Survivors include his parents, John and Becky Bender Van Wagner of Miami; a sister; and maternal grandparents, Kenneth and Martha Bender of Cape Girardeau...

NEW MADRID -- Larry Dale Waters Jr., 9, of New Madrid drowned Wednesday, July 9, 1997. He was born March 10, 1988, at Sikeston, son of Felicia Riggins and Larry Dale Waters Sr. He was a fourth grade student at New Madrid Elementary School. Survivors include his mother of New Madrid; his father of Parma; three brothers, Dijuan, Sevuan and Bryan Waters, all of New Madrid; a sister, Shanterra Waters of Parma; maternal grandparents, Elmer and Bobbie Gray of New Madrid; and paternal grandparents, Artlee and Margaret Waters Sr. ...

Son to David W. and Jill B. Spriggs, 3002 Aspen, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:20 p.m. Saturday, July 5, 1997. Name, Austin Aaron David. Weight, 8 pounds 7 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Spriggs is the former Jill Bain, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bain of Dexter, and the late Shirley Shaw. She is employed at Cape Girardeau Physicians Associates. Spriggs is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wright of Scott City. He is employed at Sodexho Corp...

WYATT -- Wilmer Eugene Black, 55, of Wyatt died Thursday, July 10, 1997, at his home. He was born Dec. 7, 1941, in Lexey, Ala., son of James Carl Leo and Ella Mae Mosley Black. He and Virginia Wilson were married Sept. 6, 1988. Black had lived in Mississippi County since 1986. He was a station attendant at Wyatt Junction Truck Stop. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War...