Stories from Monday, March 16, 1998

This "Financial Focus" column is prepared by Edward Jones Investments, headquartered in St. Louis. Jones includes branches throughout the nation, including Cape Girardeau and Jackson. If you invest in stocks, it's simple enough to determine whether a particular stock has performed well. Measuring the performance of a group of stocks, however, is more difficult...

Some visitors to Cape Giardeau recently were pleasantly surprised. They found that the Southeast Missouri city on the banks of the Mississippi River had a large concentration of retail outlets, including Famous Barr, Sam's and Staples. Visitors also found Cape Girardeau had a favorable ratio of doctors and medical specialists and some of the big names in banking -- NationsBank, Union Planters, Mercantile. ...

Jackie Cecil has retired as manager of the Missouri Employment Security office at Cape Girardeau. Cecil joined the Division of Employment Security in 1971, serving as an employer service representative at the Sikeston Job Service Office. He joined the Cape Girardeau office as manager in 1988, serving Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties...

Century 21 Dutch Realty, Jackson, has received a quality service award from Century 21 Real Estate Corp. in recognition of exceptional achievement in customer satisfaction. "This award depicts the quality of service that we strive for with every client we serve," said Amy Jones, broker-owner of Century 21 Dutch Realty...

Kirlin's Inc., operater of Kirlin's Hallmark and Marian's Hallmark stores, is celebrating a hallmark year. The company has opened its 100th store and is observing its 50th anniversary. Kirlin has become Hallmark's largest independent distributor in the United States, operating 100 stores in 10 Midwestern states, including Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri...

The 1997 Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Membership Director has won an award of merit. The awards are presented in various categories, for entries exhibiting exemplary quality. Winners for 1997 include Cape Girardeau, Greater Houston, New Jersey and the Detroit Regional Chambers of Commerce...

Century 21 Ashland Realty of Cape Girardeau has received the quality service award from Century 21 Real Estate Corp. in recognition of exceptional achievement in customer satisfaction. The award is based on accumulative quantified results from 21 Century 21 quality service surveys received from previous clients at the conclusion of a transaction...

Stephanie Ansberry of Cape Girardeau watched her son, Stephen, 8, fill a container with rolled oats from a 50-pound bag that she bought as a member of the Food For Us Buying Club. Stephanie Ansberry says saving money isn't the end purpose in her belonging to a food co-op. The end purpose is being able to be home with her children and live within her family's means...

January construction activity in Missouri was down 6 percent from January 1997, but building of commercial and manufacturing facilities was up more than 40 percent. Totals for the month were reported at $353,780,000, compared to the $375,740,000 during the same month a year ago, according to the F.W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill, an authority on the construction market. Dodge, which issues monthly totals in its Dodge Report, also publishes Sweet's Catalog Files...

The JCPenney Styling Salon inside the JCPenney store at West Park Mall has completed its second major expansion. The local salon, ranked No. 9 among the company's 975 styling salons nationally, offers a wide range of hair and beauty products for men and women...

SCOTT CITY -- Greg's Auto Repair opened at 622 E. Second St. in Scott City today. The new business is owned and operated by Greg Gross of Scott City. The new business, which offers major and minor auto repairs, is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a..m. to 5 p.m. with Saturday hours by appointment...

The Cairo (Ill.) Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting banquet March 28. Richard Henson, who owns a broom-making shop at Hickman, Ky., will be guest speaker, with the subject, "Bootsie, Broomsticks and Me." New officers for the Cairo Chamber include Jay Manus, president of Cairo First National Bank, president; David Hells, Barkett Funeral Home, first vice president; Mike Hileman, manager of Cole Lumber, second vice president; and Bill Harrell, Harrell Electric, treasurer. ...

During a medical emergency, help could be in the cards -- Medi-Cards. The new "Medi-Card," an idea of Dean and Wendy Coleson of Sikeston, is a laminated card that provides an on-the-spot medical profile of its carrier. The card includes name, address, phone number, health history, surgeries, doctor, insurance information and any allergies to medications...

The Hecht Co. has opened its eighth store in the area at the Illinois Center Mall at Marion. The store's dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony was part of a giant mall party, held at the center Sunday night. The annual Illinois Center Mall Merchants Association Gala for tenants and employees was held Sunday, following mall store hours...

A statewide study aims to improve treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adults and ultimately devise strategies to help them improve job performance. Cape Girardeau will serve as an evaluation site in the study, which was commissioned by the Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation through the University of Missouri-Columbia...

Telephones are everywhere. The least likely places to find telephones a decade ago -- busy shopping malls, restaurants, even public auctions -- are today the most common for the high-tech communications products that characterize the 1990s. A century ago, even one telephone was a luxury. Only switchboard operators could connect telephone calls and most communication was a face-to-face experience...

Rodeo enthusiasts, decked out in their cowboy hats, boots and blue jeans, crowded into the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau Sunday for the final day of the 11th annual rodeo competition held as a part of the Longhorn World Championship Series. More than 10,000 people attended the four-day rodeo. Fans who came expecting to see champions in the series were not disappointed. Several current or former world champions competed in the events Sunday afternoon with varying levels of success...

With the close of classes Friday, many students from Southeast Missouri State University headed out to the beaches of Florida for spring break, a time often associated with raucous parties and bacchanalian excess. But not all. Because of the efforts of some of the university's campus ministers, several students will be spending their spring breaks far removed from the usual raucousness...

Science reminds us of things we'd rather not think about, like the GOP's odds of reclaiming the White House. Asteroid 1997 XF11 won't be colliding with Earth anytime soon, after all. Whew! Astronomer Brian Marsden announced last Wednesday that the asteroid would come within 30,000 miles of the Earth's center during the closest point of its orbit in 2028...

TO STEVE Mosley regarding Jim McFarland's opinion about Laura Johnston's history article" If it's true that jealousy and sarcasm are forms of angers, you must be a very angry man. I LIKE the picture of the Anna library. Looks like a beautiful building I ought to go visit sometime. And also I liked the article about Lee Rowan's shelving. They make that stuff in Jackson? Is there a factory outlet in Jackson next to the factory?...

Cape Girardeau, Jackson and the county are putting out the red carpet for visiting Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. employees and their families. Four groups of workers at P&G plants elsewhere are visiting the region this month to determine whether they want to move here and go to work at the P&G plant north of Cape Girardeau. P&G has undertaken a $350 million expansion to its huge plant. It will make towels and tissues in the new plant...

Just across the road from the Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. plant sits the Miltenberger & Willing Packaging U.S. Inc. plant, which packages products for a number of companies. M&W, as the company is called, owes its Cape Girardeau existence to P&G, because when it opened in 1990 P&G was responsible for 90 percent of its packaging business. ...

To the editor: I would like to take a moment to thank the residents of Cape Girardeau County for once again making the Cancer Gala a huge success for the American Cancer Society. Because of the generosity of the donors, attendees and sponsors, the gala netted a record $53,000...

To the editor: I would like to share with the public what wonderful veterans medical-care facilities we have here in the United States. Our government has really stood behind its agreement to see that all veterans have the best medical care possible. Our federal legislators and even President Bill Clinton ought to be very proud of making this possible...

To the editor: Just recently I was approached by a student who asked me to describe life back in my years from what it is lived today. This information she desired was for a school project on which she would receive a grade. She was informed my lifespan dates back many years...

Agenda Cape Girardeau Board of Education 6 p.m. Monday, March 16, 1998 Central Junior High School Cafeteria Action Items: -- Board policy updates -- third reading and approval. -- Approval of fund transfer. -- Approval of 1999-2000 school calendar. -- Establish date for budget study session...

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech stayed atop the Ohio Valley Conference baseball standings Sunday by claiming a 7-2 victory over visiting Southeast Missouri State University. By winning two of three games from Southeast in the weekend series, Tech improved to 10-8 overall and 5-1 in OVC play...

ST. LOUIS -- Cape Girardeau Central High's girls swimming team finished fifth out of eight squads Saturday during the Marquette Relays. Marquette won with 151 points. Central had 96. Central's lone champion was the 400 medley relay team of Jean Maguire, Grace Freeman, Mary Beth Owen and Jennifer Freeze that clocked 4:25.35...

Several St. Vincent High basketball players earned honors recently from the Jefferson County Conference Small Division. On the girls side, Fara Galati and Debbie Welker made the first team, with Galati being named the league's player of the year. Jessica Lakenan made honorable mention...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team split two games Sunday as the annual Rebel Spring Games opened here. The Otahkians lost to East Carolina 2-0 and beat Colgate 3-1. Southeast is now 5-3 on the season. Against East Carolina, Debbie Schmelz allowed just one earned run but suffered the loss. Jenny Oermann had two of Southeast's four hits...

Southeast Missouri State University's gymnastics team will take on Illinois State tonight in a 7 o'clock dual meet in Normal, Ill. The Otahkians are 7-4 on the season after finishing second in a tri-meet last Monday that marked their final home action of the season...

Southeast Missouri State University's tennis team will spend its spring break in South Carolina to take part in the Hilton Head Invitational. The Otahkians will play several matches this week, the first scheduled for 9 a.m. today when they take on American University...

ALTENBURG -- Henry A. "Heinie" Meinz, 83, of Altenburg died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at Altenburg. He was born April 12, 1914, at Altenburg, the son of Alfred C. and Theresa Hunt Meinz. He and Ruth Alida Schuessler were married Oct. 3, 1954. Meinz was a farmer and an assistant star mail carrier for 32 years...

THEBES, Ill. -- Virtus Childers, 90, of Thebes died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 13, 1907, at Thebes, the daughter of Alfred McClellan and Victoria Eugenia Michamp Light. She and Dewitt Childers were married Oct. 14, 1925. He preceded her in death Sept. 3, 1978...

PERRYVILLE -- Anita H. Dobbelare, 94, of Perryville died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at Perry County Nursing Home in Perryville. She was born July 3, 1903, at Wittenburg, the daughter of William H. and Mary Degenhardt Bodnschatz. She and Alphonse C. Dobbelare were married Sept. 29, 1928, at St. Louis. He preceded her in death on July 5, 1963...

ORAN -- Herbert Lawrence Blattel, 62, of Oran died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at the family home. He was born Oct. 13, 1935, at Chaffee, the son of Joseph Frank and Caroline Catherine Schlosser Blattel. He was a retired cutter for Thorngate in Chaffee and Cape Girardeau. He served four years in the U.S. Army...

Virden Brown, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 15, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Arrangements are under the direction of Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

PERRYVILLE -- Marlin Amberger, 54, of Perry County, died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Feb. 19, 1944, in Perry County, the son of Gilbert and Doris Perry Amberger. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army. Survivors include a half-sister, Charlotte Flentge of Perryville...

WYATT -- A Kentucky man was killed in a two-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon in Mississippi County, three miles west of Wyatt. James F. Ray, 47, of Bowling Green, Ky., was killed Sunday after he apparently lost control of his vehicle and hit another vehicle, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported...

DEXTER -- Wayne Huskey, 62, of Dexter died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at his home. He was born Oct. 16, 1935, at Kennett, the son of L. P. and Gladys Jackson Huskey. He and Faye Johnson were married Feb. 1, 1959, at Bragg City. Huskey had been a resident of Dexter since 1975, where he was assistant sales manager at Anderson Furniture. He attended Southwest Nazarene Church and served in the U. S. Army...