Stories from Monday, September 28, 1998

Residue from an inkless pad rubs off easily. Check fraud costs banks, retail businesses and customers, billions of dollars each year. The Federal Reserve estimates that check fraud costs at banks reached $615 million in 1996 -- more than 10 times the losses from bank robberies nationwide during the same period...

When Mary Wade joined LeeRowan almost 35 years ago, the company, with 25 employees, operated out of 49,000-square-foot building, producing wire hangers, wire shoe racks and storage systems. LeeRowan has come a long ways since then. When Wade announced her retirement recently, it was from a company that manufactures wood, metal and plastic hangers, door and wall shoe racks, bath furniture, furniture and organizers, bulk shelving and a number of storage systems...

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. Time can be our best friend. It can make good things better and unpleasant things fade away. Historically, time has also rewarded investors...

Dr. Bob Briner, director of the SEMO Crime Lab, will be guest speaker at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee at 7:30 a.m. Friday at the Show Me Center.

Industrial Appreciation Week will be observed in Cape Girardeau Oct. 5 to 9. Highlights of the week include the Industrial Appreciation Golf Tournament, to be held at Bent Creek Golf Course Oct. 5, and the annual Industrial Dinner, which will feature the presentation of the Commitment to Excellence Award to the Industry of the Year Oct. 7 at the Show Me Center...

The Missouri Real Estate Commission has approved the Missouri Housing Development Commission's (MHDC) first-time homebuyer program training for real estate agents, which will include continuing education credits. Real estate agents attending the free classes will receive three hours of education credits...

The Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) will sponsor a luncheon seminar on "Retirement Plan Investing" at four sites within the next two months, including Cape Girardeau Oct. 15. Topics include basic investing, investing for different types of retirement plans, communicating retirement plan investments to employees and reducing employee liabilities...

Spartech Corp., headquartered in St. Louis, has announced it will buy the capital stock of Anjac-Doron Plastics Inc., a custom profile extruder based in El Monte, Calif. "We're enthusiastic about the prospect of adding Anjac-Doron's West Coast manufacturing facility, with annual sales of 49 million, to Spartech's molded and profile products segment," said Bradley B. Buechler, Spartech president and chief executive officer...

Noranda Aluminum Inc. of New Madrid, has presented its annual Quality Through Improved Performance "Carrier of the Year" award to a Jackson, Tenn., trucking company. J.T. Express Inc. received the award last week during a ceremony at Noranda's New Madrid facility...

LONDON -- American Airlines and British Airways teamed up Monday with three partners in the industry's second super alliance, saying it will be able to fly virtually anywhere in the world. The alliance also includes Canadian Airlines, Australia's Qantas and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways -- and it hopes to expand soon with partners from continental Europe and Japan...

A.G. Edwards Inc. has announced earnings and sales results for the second quarter and the first half of fiscal 1999, which ended Aug. 31. Net earnings for the quarter were reported at $72.3 million on revenues of $551,196,000, or 74 cents diluted and 76 cents basic earnings per share. These totals were up from the $69.2 million on revenues of $509 million a year ago...

C.P.U. Inc. has added Solomon Software to its list of products. S. Frank Jones, president of C.P.U., 320 S. Plaza Way, announced recently that his firm had been appointed as an authorized reseller of Solomon Software's accounting solutions. Solomon Software, founded in 1980, is a leading developer of SQL-based accounting information systems for middle-market businesses. Solomon has more than 45,000 client sites in 89 countries...

Greg Cook has joined Zickfield Jewelry Store, 29 N. Main, in downtown Cape Girardeau, as a sales associate. Cook of Cape Girardeau has more than five years experience in jewelry sales. Jean Kelpe, a registered nurse at Southeast Missouri Hospital, is winner of the "Name the Whale" contest, during the "Wailing in the Woods" Festival, sponsored by Southeast Hospice, a service of Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Foutz's Fishing Shop has opened in Cape Girardeau. The new business at 59 Plaza Way offers a full line of bait and tackle, including rods and reels. "We offer live baits and lures," said Danny Foutz, owner of the new business. Store hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 6 to 9 a.m. Sunday...

Quality Trailer Sales of Milan, Ill., has opened a branch office in the Nash Road Industrial Park. The company, which now has seven sales offices in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, sells trailers for over-the-road tractors. "We have a wide variety of over-the-road trailers -- vans trailers, flat beds, refrigerated trailers, aluminum dump trailers and tankers," said Greg Winingar, branch manager...

KANSAS CITY -- Hallmark Cards Inc. will move 50 jobs out of its Kansas City headquarters and eliminate 100 others to streamline its operations, the greeting card giant said. The 50 production jobs will move from the company's headquarters south of downtown Kansas City to facilities in Kansas at Topeka and Lawrence. The other positions will be eliminated by the end of next year through retraining, redeployment or attrition, company spokesman Dean Rodenbough said Thursday...

WATERLOO, Iowa -- Union leaders are telling 3,800 workers to brace for cutbacks as John Deere and Co. prepares for a cut in agriculture equipment sales next year. Deere has started to adjust to a sagging agriculture economy through "temporary inventory adjustment shutdowns," said Dennis Kinard, shop chairman for United Auto Workers Local 838...

Isaac Egbuka picked up more nails from the yard than he could count, but he didn't mind because the nails were being used to help build his family's new home. Regina Egbuka and her three children, Isaac, Joshua and Kimberly, received the keys to their newly constructed, three-bedroom house Sunday during a dedication service with First Baptist Church and the Cape Area Habitat for Humanity...

For national award winner Hazel Williams Canny of Houston, Texas, quilts are more than blankets. They are works of arts. Canny, who was born in Parma and grew up in the Chaffee area, was the featured guest quilt artist for the weekend quilt show sponsored by the River Heritage Quilters' Guild. The show ended Sunday afternoon...

Dr. Adelaide Heyde Parsons has her work cut out for her. The Southeast Missouri State University English professor was named in August to head up the school's revamped international program. Parsons is running the program on a part-time basis from her fourth-floor office in Pacific Hall, a converted apartment building. She also has her share of English classes to teach this semester...

The other day I got to hear a man talk about walking around the world all by himself. The man, Steve Newman of Ohio, walked from his hometown east until he'd crossed five continents. He'd always wanted to make the trip, and one day, he just did, even though it took him four years...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "Why did you ride in the Cape Shrine Club Poker Run?" Larry Slinkard, Scott City "Because I enjoy riding a Harley. It's for a good cause. It's for children who can't afford when they're sick to go to this (Shriners') hospital. It's all free."...

Four developments on the local business front thus far in September provide further evidence that Cape Girardeau County continues to enjoy a dynamic economy. The developments: -- Lee-Rowan Co. announced it will expand its Jackson plant by incorporating production from its Memphis Systems Works plant, which will close. ...

In keeping with its efforts to provide higher-education centers across its service region, Southeast Missouri State University is considering a center in St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary buildings at Perryville. The university president has discussed the matter with Perry County civic leaders and the Congregation of the Mission, the Catholic organization that owns the seminary buildings. ...

To the editor:This is a list of Bill Clinton's friends.James McDougal was convicted in Whitewater and died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Kenneth Starr's investigation. Mary Mahoney, a former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks coffee shop in Georgetown. The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's cross country team tied host Vanderbilt Saturday for the Commodore Classic title. The Otahkians' 48 points equaled Vanderbilt. Belmont, which placed third, was well behind with 120 points...

Southeast Missouri State University tailback Corey Williams received a couple of doses of good news Sunday. First, X-rays showed that the dislocated left elbow Williams suffered Saturday night against Tennessee-Martin does not contain as much damage as had been previously feared, meaning Williams could return to action relatively soon...

NORMAL, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's golf team is in first place after Sunday's opening 36 holes of the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate being hosted by Illinois State. The Indians have a 1-under 567 total. Arkansas State is two shots back. Fifteen teams are competing. The final 18 holes will be today...

Cape Girardeau Central High's junior varsity football team is now 3-1 after routing Oakville 42-7 Saturday...

ADVANCE -- Dixie Taylor, 62, of Advance died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998. Arrangements are incomplete at Morgan Funeral Home in Advance.

IRONTON -- Verba E. Wigger, 88, of Ironton died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, at the Baptist Home in Ironton. She was born April 9, 1910, at Hartville, daughter of George R. and Florence M. "Todd" Hoff. She was a retired inspector for a film processing company. She was a member of First Baptist Church of De Soto...

SIKESTON -- Hazel Thompson, 83, of Sikeston died Friday, Sept. 25, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Dec. 15, 1914, at McMullin, daughter of Willie Sanford and Donnie Lillie Merrell Thompson. She worked for the International shoe factory for more than 50 years...

Wayne Owen Snell, 86, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Union County, Ill., died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998 at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services of Cape Girardeau. He was born March 15, 1912, at Anna, Ill., son of James and Grace Keller Snell. He married Velma Elizabeth Knupp in Sanger, Calif...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Elsie Dale, 89, of Dongola died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born July 18, 1909, at Dongola, daughter of James A. and Della Jane Hoffner Holshouser. She and Elmer "Pete" Dale were married May 26, 1932. He died Aug. 28, 1992...

Della Deevers Besher, 51, of Town and Country, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 30, 1947, at Cape Girardeau, the daughter of Gale W. and Della Deevers Heise. Her father preceded her in death on Nov. 11, 1996. She and James Besher were married on April 6, 1968, at Cape Girardeau...

Jimmy Wayne Davis, 58, of Cape Girardeau passed away Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, at his home. He was born Aug. 30, 1940, in Scott City, the son of Cletus and Sadie Nance Davis. He married the former Sharon Kay Hanf on June 15, 1963, in Cape Girardeau...

BERNIE -- Mike Wayne Mason, 37, of Bernie died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 14, 1961, at Malden, son of Delmar L. and Laura Jo Allen Mason. Mason was a farmer and worked at I X L Handle Factory in Bernie before ill health forced his retirement...

BUNCOMBE, Ill. -- George O. Barringer, 85, of Buncombe died Sunday, Sept. 27, 1998, at the City Care Center in Cobden. He was born Oct. 22, 1912, at Buncombe, son of Wesley and Mary Ellis Jenkins Barringer. He and Lorene Thornton were married on Feb. 17, 1936, at Buncombe...

PERRYVILLE -- Charles S. LaRose Sr., 70, of Perryville died Sunday, Sept. 27, 1998, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born May 24, 1928, at Perry County, son of Peter Charles and Cecelia Balsman LaRose. He and Lucille K. Brayfield were married on May 23, 1953, at St. Louis...

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Barbara Marie Ballard, 66, of Park Ridge died Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998, at her home. She was born Aug. 14, 1932, at Owensboro, Ky., daughter of Everette E. and Ruby Stout Ballard. Survivors include a brother, Dean Ballard of LaFarge, Wis...