Stories from Monday, February 22, 1999

Some of the nation's small businesses have scored success partly on the advice of volunteer business counselors. The counselors are part of a group called SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives. The 13,000-member volunteer association is sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration...

It's no surprise that the Cape Girardeau retail market is attracting large numbers of "out-of-area" residents to town. The city, home to a large shopping mall and numerous other large retail stores -- Lowes, Sam's, Wal Mart, Kmart, Sears, Target -- has long been known as a "hub" in Southeast Missouri...

Construction delays on the new elementary school and shifts in attendance boundaries are items on tonight's agenda for the Cape Girardeau Board of Education meeting. The school board will meet at 6 o'clock at Central Junior High School cafeteria, following a special meeting at 5:30 in the cafeteria...

Funding for a low-income housing unit for the elderly in Cape Girardeau was approved recently by the Missouri Housing Development Commission, as part of an effort to create affordable housing in rural areas of the state. In 1998, the housing commission made an effort to seek more proposals from developers in rural areas, said David Bryan, the commission's public information officer...

Lights out. It was common for the lights to be turned off at night in the women's dormitories at Southeast Missouri State University during 1949 and 1950. It was a major complaint of those living in the dorms, the lack of electricity 24 hours a day...

Southeast Missouri State University's power play has generated plenty of electricity. University officials said the $7 million spent over the past few years on improvements to the campus power plant and electrical distribution system has been well worth it...

GORDONVILLE -- The Rev. David Butler knows that God's timing doesn't always coincide with human plans, and he knows that with God all things are possible. But Butler's Abundant Life Church congregation and an area children's home are slowly running out of time...

To the editor: This is in response to W.T. Woods' recent letter: Less than half of the voting-age American citizens voted in the last election. That in itself is disgraceful. I could reach back in time and tell you of some deals put forth by Democrats. ...

I WOULD like to make a comment where these people the news media are showing who are burning themselves up by pouring gasoline over themselves in this foreign country where they supposedly took over these other cities. Record that on the VCR, rewind it and watch it slowly. You can tell that it's made up...

An effort to educate store clerks on how to comply with a federal law that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 18 will go a long way to assure that Missouri retailers do their best not to sell tobacco to underage users. A coalition of retail and grocer associations last week conducted meetings around the state to educate clerks on the law and how to go about asking for identification and handling people who don't like being asked. ...

The local Shawnee Council of Boy Scouts of America has kicked off its annual Friends of Scouting fund-raising campaign, a major fund raiser for Scout organizations around Southeast Missouri. Scouting has proved over many years to get young people off on the right foot by instilling moral character and responsible behavior, traits they will carry throughout life and be better off by it. ...

ANNA, Ill. -- Mayor Steve Hartline will be challenged by two opponents in Tuesday's primary election in Anna, Ill. Hartline, an executive with the Illinois Department of Human Services, is completing his first four years as mayor. His challengers are attorney Allen W. James and Rodney Plott, a technician at Choate Mental Health and Development Center at Anna...

Things were as crazy as expected Saturday night on the final date of the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season basketball schedule. The pairings for the OVC Tournament weren't decided until all the final buzzers had sounded around the league. When the dust had cleared, Middle Tennessee State and Austin Peay had joined league champion Murray State and runnerup Southeast Missouri State University as teams earning first-round tourney home games...

After helping Southeast Missouri State University open its baseball season with two thrilling one-run games Saturday, Creighton took all of the suspense out of Sunday's rubber contest of the weekend series. The Blue Jays banged out 16 hits, made several dazzling defensive plays and rolled to an 11-1 victory in front of 250 chilled fans at Capaha Field...

Though she hails from Hawaii and likely isn't so concerned with the rivalries state schools outside Boone County harbor with the University of Missouri, something about competing against the Tigers brings out the best in Malia Roberts. After capturing the Juliet Award for posting the best all-around score in the Shakespeare's Festival on Jan. 17 in Columbia, Roberts broke new ground Sunday in Southeast Missouri State University's meet against Mizzou and Illinois...

The surging Notre Dame High boys basketball team continued its late-season charge Sunday afternoon. Notre Dame, hosting the final day of the Catholic Classic, rolled past St. Vincent 69-39. That came one day after the Bulldogs had mauled Sedalia Sacred Heart 79-50...

JACKSON -- Steve Manley of Cape Girardeau shot his first hole-in-one recently while competing at Kimbeland Country Club. Manley used a 7-iron to ace the 140-yard No. 6 hole. He was playing with Bob Brosey, Delbert Walter and Randy Bohn.

DEXTER -- John H. Null, 82, of Dexter and formerly of Chaffee, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born March 13, 1916, in Lutesville, son of Lee Andrew and Louisa Beel Harrison. He and Carrie McMillon were married Dec. 17, 1953, in Chaffee...

PUXICO -- James Dwight Dew Jr., 45, of Puxico died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, in Osceola, Ark. He was born Jan. 12, 1954, at Luxora, Ark., son of James Dwight Sr. and Dorris M. Williamson Dew. He and Regina R. Lasters were married Dec. 13, 1985, in Sikeston...

PERRYVILLE -- -- Herbert L. Hennemann, 85, of Perryville, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Oct. 12, 1913 in Milheim, Mo., son of Joseph and Anna Behrle Hennemann. He married Ida Mae Lancaster June 27, 1934...

Milton W. Ueleke, 83, of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

WICKLIFFE, Ky. -- Kristina Nichole Hawkins, 19, of Wickliffe, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at Paducah, Ky. She was born Feb. 7, 1980, in Sikeston, daughter of Kathy Luann Hawkins Dunaway and Terry Milton Dockins. She was a member of Cairo Baptist Church in Cairo, Ill., and was a 1998 graduate of Ballard Memorial High School...

EAST PRAIRIE -- William Hunt Wellborn, 86, of East Prairie died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. He was born Nov. 11, 1912, at Monticello, Miss., son of William R. and Rena Steen Wellborn. He and Willie Hinchey were married in June 1937. She preceded him in death. He later married Cecil Morgan Dodge...

JACKSON -- Peggy A. Barr, 41, died Sunday, Feb. 21, 1999, at her home in Jackson. Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

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. Most people have their own ideas of what constitutes a dream home -- the perfect location, just the right features and a decor to suit their tastes. Building that dream home requires thorough planning...

Kathy Swan, president of JCS/TEL-LINK, was elected to a four-year term on the board of directors of Great Lakes Motorola Service Station (GLMSS) Association, during the group's spring meeting at Orlando, Fla. GLMSS is a professional organization with more than 120 members from 26 states. Membership to the association, founded in 1985, is limited to people, firms or corporations with Motorola Service Station (MSS) designations...

The Better Business Bureau, serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, was busy last year. Overall, the bureau responded to 308,767 calls for services, an average of 1,320 a working day. More consumers requested information about companies' customers experience records, with 242,115 inquiries, up 13 percent from a year ago...

Fabick Brothers, which provides a full line of construction and heavy equipment -- dozers, backhoes, high-lifts -- and agriculture equipment, will hold a grand opening at its new facility in Nash Road Industrial Park early next month. "We're in the process of remodeling and equipping the new store," says Jim Below, who will serve as branch manager of both the Sikeston and Cape Girardeau stores...

USA Floral Products of Washington D.C., the world's largest distributor of flowers, will open a distribution center at the Blytheville, Ark., Aeroplex. The company will use the former Blytheville Air Force Base as a central destination hub for hard goods and fresh cut flowers...

The Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism will be held Feb. 28 to March 2, at the Springfield Hilton Hotel. New markets, new programs, new ideas, a new Millennium and tourism grants are among topics for the three-day event, Speakers include Ann Donovan, deputy director of the White House Millennium office, and Donna Shaw, director of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, who will discuss the Illinois Millennium program. ...

Westfield America Inc., announced its financial results for 1998 recently. Total mall space sales per square foot increased, 6.5 percent for the year, from $310 to $330. Funds from operations for the year was $140.8 million, or $1.63 per share, compared to $111.3 million, or $1.53, the previous year...

The Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission will meet March 18, at Becky Sharp's Restaurant in New Madrid. A number of state legislators have been invited to attend the meeting to discuss state legislation concerning the Bootheel area...

The Missouri Governor's Conference on Tourism will be held March 10 to 12, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City. The 31st annual event is sponsored by the Missouri Division of Tourism and Missouri Travel Council. Speakers include nationally known futurist Richard Worzel, who will provide insight into the new Millennium, and screenwriter Dayton Duncan, who will discuss heritage tourism...

The new Buchheit Store in Perryville will hold a "Silent" opening Tuesday. The new Buchheit's operation is in the former Wal-Mart building, at 1011 S. Highway 51. Wal-Mart has relocated. Mike Smith is store manager of the new Buchheit store.

A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., a stock brokerage firm, has earned the No. 1 ranking for one-year results of its asset allocation strategy for 1998, according to an investment study conducted by Wilshire Associates and Carpenter Analytical Services. Asset allocation refers to an investment firm's recommended blend of stocks, bonds and cash...