Stories from Tuesday, August 18, 1998

JACKSON -- Entering what City Administrator Steve Wilson called "new territory for the city," the Board of Aldermen Monday night authorized the creation of a Tax Increment Financing Commission. The city intends to establish a TIF district along either side of Center Junction at Interstate 55 and stretching to the proposed East Main Street interchange...

RISCO -- Sarah Crouthers spent a large part of her summer sitting on steps, filling glasses of water and giving out telephone messages. She wasn't a waitress or a secretary; she was a page for U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., in Washington from June 15 to July 10...

The 425-acre historic site is surrounded on three sides by development. A painting at the museum depicts what life in Missouri might have looked like more than 10,000 years ago. IMPERIAL -- Ten thousand years ago, elephant-like mastodons roamed the region. The huge beasts with their long, curved tusks thrived during the ice age...

The Alumni Association of Southeast Missouri State University has selected six alumni and a Southeast professor to receive the school's annual Alumni and Faculty Merit awards. Alumni to be honored are Eugene Munger of Flagstaff, Ariz.; Dr. Sue Barry of Auburn, Ala.; Michael Braun of Alexandria, Va.; Dr. Edward Janosik of Cape May, N.J.; Donald LaFerla of Carthage; and Dr. Arnold Bell of Sikeston. Music professor Dr. Gary Miller will receive the Faculty Merit Award...

The Cape Area Personnel Association has donated $1,000 to the Southeast Missouri University Foundation to support two scholarship funds. The organization's donation will be divided between the Restricted CAPA Human Resource Scholarship and the Endowed CAPA Human Resource Scholarship...

Southeast biology professor Dr. Christina Frazier has helped the university step up its HIV and AIDS education efforts. With funding from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Frazier will integrate HIV/AIDS education into the University Studies program...

In Bollinger County, one person's vote made a big difference in the Republican race for presiding commissioner, with incumbent Elwood Mouser polling 453 votes to Bill Fulton's 452. Bill Nitsch polled 184. Fulton requested a recount election night. In Mississippi County, the margin was five votes between Democratic candidates for presiding commissioner as incumbent Jim Blumenberg lost to former commissioner Steve Ledbetter 1,180 to 1,185. Blumenberg has asked for a recount...

Notre Dame High School students will get two extra days of summer this week while construction and maintenance crews put the finishing touches on the new building. Classes will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, two days later than originally scheduled, said business manager Robert McGahan. Delivery problems for some furniture and equipment and several unfinished construction projects are blamed for the delayed opening...

Cape Girardeau public schools will open three school days later than originally scheduled to let construction workers complete renovations at Jefferson Elementary School. Students were to report to classes Aug. 26, but the Cape Girardeau Board of Education voted to reschedule the first day for Aug. 31. Robert Blank, school board grounds and maintenance committee chairman, recommended the later opening to ensure workers to complete projects...

Cape Girardeau voters will decide whether to increase and extend the city's hotel-motel tax to help pay for Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus project. The City Council voted 6-1 to place on the Nov. 3 ballot the proposal to increase the hotel-motel tax from 3 percent to 4 percent and extend the tax from 2004 until 2030...

Southeast Missouri State University wants to set up shop in outlying towns to reach out to the region. The effort could expand the school's reach as far south as Kennett and as far north as Festus, Southeast President Dr. Dale Nitzschke said. The university already is involved in higher education center operations in Malden, Sikeston and Perryville...

Although it's a place I'm comfortable in, my new house doesn't yet feel like home. I drove by my home the other day without stopping. Although I finally closed on a deal and bought a house I'd been renting for about six months, it wasn't this house I call home. At least not yet...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education has selected members of two ad hoc committees to consider the school district's finances and teacher preparation periods. In June, board members approved mission statements for two ad hoc citizen-based committees of administrators, teachers and district patrons...

Speaking of Saddam Hussein and nuclear weapons: The United States nearly went to war -- again -- with Iraq over the issue of weapons inspections by a U.N. team appointed after the 1991 Gulf War. When it looked like all negotiations would fail, the Iraqi president backed down and allowed the UNSCOM inspectors to go wherever they wanted...

One of the achievements of the Jimmy Carter presidency was the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the Soviet Union at a time when both the United States and the Soviets had enough nuclear firepower in their arsenals not only to wipe out each other, but the rest of the world as well. Several times...

Jon Younghouse's swimming career is getting so good, sometimes he says he almost has to pinch himself to make sure it's all real. The 1996 Cape Girardeau Central High School graduate, who first burst on to the national swimming scene last summer, continues to climb the charts and the performance he had last week was a real eye-opener...

Edgewater Glass recently finished second in the ASA Class A State Tournament held in Rolla. Edgewater went 6-2 in tournament play with both its losses to Davault of Marble Hill. Edgewater pulled off several exciting wins in the tournament, including a 25-24 victory over Ozark Cultured Marble in its opener. ...

Signups for the SEMO Youth Hockey League will take place Sept. 26 from noon-2 p.m. and Oct. 3 from 2-4 p.m. at Plaza Galleria. Players up to age 20 are eligible to participate. For more information, call Terry Bass at 833-6137.

Signups for the 1998 Cape Girardeau Youth Tackle Football League season will be held Aug. 29 and Sept. 5 from 8 a.m.-noon at Capaha Park (corner of Perry and Broadway). The cost of $65 per player includes supplemental insurance coverage, all equipment and a game jersey that players keep...

The Missouri Youth Soccer Association has scheduled tryouts for the Girls Olympic Development Program. For girls born in 1982 through 1986, tryouts will be held at the Mueller Sports Complex in St. Charles Aug. 23 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. and Aug. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m. For the 1985 and 1986 age groups only, an additional tryout will be held Aug. 31 from 6:30-8 p.m...

For the Friese clan of Cape Girardeau, motocross racing has become a family affair. And never was that more evident than recently, when Doug and Lisa Friese packed up their two children, 11-year-old Max and 7-year-old Vince -- along with plenty of belongings -- and took off for a two-week jaunt in the family's motorhome...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Sada M. Perkins of Sikeston will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Dan Richardson will officiate, with burial in Mt. Zion Cemetery at Steele. Perkins, 89, died Sunday, Aug. 16, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Graveside service for Eugene Edward Miller, formerly of Scott County, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park. Waynesville Memorial Chapel in Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. Miller, 89, died Sunday, Aug. 2, 1998, at Missouri Veterans Home in St. James...

DEXTER -- Ruth Webb, 74, of Dexter died Sunday, Aug. 16, 1998, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. She was born Dec. 31, 1923, in Bicknell, Ind., daughter of Benjamin and Ethel Qualls Green. She and Darrell Isaac Webb were married Dec. 9, 1952. He died July 17, 1983...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Mabel M. Pribble, 85, of Jonesboro died Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 14, 1913, in Union County, daughter of Harry and Clara America Batson Morgan. She and James C. Pribble were married March 15, 1935, in Jonesboro. He died Oct. 13, 1984...

Lucille Howard, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 16, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 16, 1923, in Michigan Valley, Kan., daughter of Frank and Loretta Pottorf Barbee. She and Henry Byrd Howard were married July 26, 1948. He died Dec. 21, 1979...

SCOTT CITY -- Dwayne Eugene Biggs, 32, of Scott City died Sunday, Aug. 16, 1998, at St. Louis University Hospital. He was born Jan. 16, 1966, at Chaffee, son of Allen and Imogene Gendron Biggs. He and Sherry Snider were married March 20, 1991, at Piedmont...

ANNA, Ill. -- Mae Schumacher, 86, died Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at Carbondale Healthcare. She was born May 20, 1912, in Union County, daughter of James and Amy Hess Davis. She and Carl Schumacher were married Oct. 18, 1936, in Anna. He died July 5, 1974...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Jeff Rundles, 40, of Cairo died Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at his home. He was born June 10, 1958, in Cairo, son of Donald and Cynthia Joyner Rundles. Rundles was a member of Labor Local 733. He attended Cairo United Pentecostal Church. Survivors include his parents of Cairo; seven brothers, Donald Rundles Jr., Michael, Wesley, Jonathan, Don and Anthony Rundles, all of Cairo, and Mark Rundles of Mound City...

ANNA, Ill. -- Edith Edna Dillon, 82, of Anna died Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Sept. 7, 1915, in Etherton, daughter of William and Rose Belle Younkins Lacy. She and Paul Dillon were married Sept. 19, 1931, in Jonesboro...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Paula Marie Lynn Browning, 41, of Olive Branch died Friday, Aug. 14, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 7, 1957, at Cape Girardeau, the daughter of William Earl and Mary Margaret Pascal Lynn. She married Loren "Wayne" Browning. He died Oct. 6, 1997...

CHAFFEE -- Ralph Lape Sr., 76, of Chaffee died Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

SIKESTON -- LeRoy Parmenter, 81, died Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at his home after an extended illness. He was born Aug. 10, 1917, at Bloomfield, son of Ellis and Lina Davis Parmenter. He and Patricia Glass were married May 22, 1943, at Bloomfield. Parmenter had served as a corporal in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Daughter to Joseph Paul and Kathryn Ann Grass of Scott City, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:08 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, 1998. Name, Caitlin Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 1 ounce. Second daughter. Mrs. Grass is the former Caitlin Moll, daughter of Henry and Anna Moll of Perryville. She is employed by Advertising Specialty Consultants. Grass is the son of Robert and Mary Grass of St. Marys. He is employed at Tower Rock Stone Co...

Funeral for Elizabeth "Boots" Schrader of Cape Girardeau will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Robert Kriete will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston. Schrader, 85, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 1998, at the Lutheran Home...