Stories from Monday, October 18, 1999

The Regional Commerce & Growth Association (RCGA) banquet has been postponed until Nov. 18. The annual event was originally scheduled Thursday. "We hope this unavoidable change is not to inconvenient for everyone," said Gregory William, RCGA executive director...

You What???" If that parental "What???" involved piercing a body part, not to worry. Gary Kellmann has devised a unique way for adolescents to express their individuality without running afoul of the folks. Kellmann's latest, and hottest, invention/product is "Belly Buttons," which can be displayed without piercing...

Nancy Kohl and David Ludwig have joined US Office Products, 835 Broadway, in Cape Girardeau as sales representatives. Kohl, of Jackson, has experience in newspaper advertising and real estate sales. Ludwig, of Jackson, has sales experience in the national business forms industry...

Jill Walther, daughter of Ronald and Pam Walther of Jackson, was winner of a "Kids Month" drawing, held at Dr. Greg Leet's office. She received a Star Wars Edition Nintendo 64 from Dr. Laura Evans.

Harold Pruitt has been named new building inspector for the City of Cape Girardeau. Pruitt, a native of Sikeston, has 18 years of construction experience. He worked six years for the City of Sikeston, two of them as building maintenance supervisor. In his new position, he will be inspecting new and renovated structures in Cape Girardeau. He will also do property maintenance inspection...

Paul W. Meier of Jackson has been selected as a delegate to attend the 116th annual meeting of the American Angus Association, to be held next month at Louisville, Ky. Meier, a member of the Angus group, headquartered in St. Joseph, is one of 336 Angus breeders were elected by fellow Angus members to attend the annual meeting as a Missouri representative. The American Angus Association has more than 33,000 active members...

Greg Temperly and Chuck Holbrook have received promotions at LeeRowan at Jackson. Temperly, of Jackson, is new materials manager. He joined LeeRowan from Newell Window Furnishings of Freeport, Ill., in 1994 and has served as production supervisor, inventory control manager and most recently purchasing manager. In his new position, he will be responsible for purchasing, production inventory control and distribution...

Christopher Cobb recently completed national board examinations and has received certification as an orthotist by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics. An orthotist provides care to patients with disabling conditions of the limbs and spine, designing, fabricating, fitting and aligning devices known as orthoses...

Shawn Christian Seabaugh has been named worksite specialist by the Missouri Mentoring Partnership (MMP) for Cape Girardeau and Scott counties. Marge Sullivan, MMP coordinator, announced the appointment recently. Seabaugh works with youths and employers in the mentoring program, which offers youths opportunity for employment, as well as in corporate recruitment and placement...

Tuesday Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours, 5 p.m., Drury Lodge. Wednesday Internal Revenue Service/Missouri Department of Revenue tax "problem solving" seminar, IRS office, 137 N. Broadview, Cape Girardeau.

A. G. Edwards & Sons Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, has earned the top ranking in a national survey of full-service brokerage firms. A.G. Edwards was ranked number one in Kiplinger's Magazine, which recently released its special "Stocks 2000" issue...

Withers Broadcasting Stations has announced the launch of Internet broadcasts in the tri-state area -- Cape Girardeau in Missouri, Carbondale in Illinois and Paducah in Kentucky. Withers Broadcasting has teamed with Broadcast Music.com of Portland, Maine, to provide live streaming audio, featuring a variety of format changes, including classic rock, adult, contemporary and country...

A small business seminar, sponsored by the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be held at Robert A. Dempster Hall, Southeast Missouri State University, Tuesday. Topics include Assistance for Small Business, Obtaining Small Business Capital and Empowering Employees...

Spartech Corp., headquartered in St. Louis, has purchased the net assets of OS Plastics, a manufacturer of polypropylene sheet. OS Plastics, based in Cornwall, Ontario, had annual sales of $7 million during its most recent fiscal year. The cash purchase price for the acquisition was approximately $5 million...

The Southern Illinois Technology Expo will be held Jan. 14-15 at the Carbondale Civic Center. Business and organizations that provide technology-related products and services are invited to exhibit at the Expo. More than 60 exhibit spaces are available...

The Walton family occupies the numbers 6 through 10 slots in The Forbes 400, Forbes Magazines' annual listing of the riches people in the world. Jim C. Walton's wealth is estimated to be $17.3 billion; Helen R. Walton, $17 billion; Alice L. Walton, $16.8 billion; John T. Walton, $16.8 billion; and S. Robson Walton, $16.8 billion...

Maverick Tube, headquartered in Chesterfield, will build a third plant at Blytheville, Ark. Maverick makes steel tubes and pipes, largely for use in drilling wells and transporting fuel. The newest plant is expected to cost $35 million. The newest plant, expected to be operational within a year, will give Maverick a new product -- steel tubes that range in diameter from 9 to 16 inches. Until now, the company had specialized in smaller tubes...

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're like many people, you get an annual physical checkup. After all, it's your health -- and you want to do whatever you can to maintain it...

John Lombard is manager of the Cape Girardeau Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. Buying tires is a lot like buying shoes. You don't buy slippers with thin soles for hiking in the woods, or for play on a golf course. And you don't buy cleat-spike shoes for dancing...

Missouri Farm Bureau president Charles Kruse, a farmer from Dexter, has been appointed to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in China. Kruse's appointment to the committee, which will provide information and advice related to U.S. agricultural trade policy, was announced recently by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman...

JACKSON -- A new cleaning and restoration company has opened in Jackson. Steamatic Total Cleaning and Restoration, a worldwide company that specializes in water and fire restoration, air duct cleaning and carpet, furniture and drapery cleaning, opened recently at 1130 Jackson Blvd...

An environmental planning seminar will be held Nov. 5 at Lake of the Ozarks. The one-day event, entitled Local Government for the 21st Century, will focus on environmental issues facing local governments. Speakers will describe the Environmental Master Planning process and highlight efforts to achieve Community-Based Environmental Protection...

Camel racing is to Mideast countries what horse racing is to the United States. "We'll be talking a lot about camel racing and how to prepare the camels during the second annual North American Camel Conference next month," said Jim Hale. The camel conference and training school will be held in Cape Girardeau, Nov. 1 through 6...

Shoppers browsed through rows of tables filled with a variety of antiques and collectibles Sunday at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. Sunday's show was sponsored by the Community Counseling Center Foundation. Gate receipts and proceeds from booth space rental will go toward networking the computer system in the main office with the outlying county systems...

JACKSON -- Rates of juvenile gun violations are low in this region, and Jennifer Rhodes wants to keep it that way. "It's not really a problem, but there's always a chance somebody will do it," said Rhodes, 14, a ninth-grader at R.O. Hawkins Junior High...

This week Debra Rau of Cape Girardeau will mail 80 packages. Each package will contain 80 plastic bags filled with 25 three-inch squares of different fabrics. A little calculating reveals that's 160,000 squares of fabric Rau is sending out as she coordinates a quilt square exchange among 80 people so all will be able to make a millennium quilt...

A Friday night accident in Perry County resulted in the death of Charles Maes, 83, of Chester, Ill. Maes was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Alma Maes, 80, also of Chester. The Maes vehicle was reportedly stopped in the left turn lane of Route 51 at North Main Street in Perry County. The driver then made a right-hand turn into the path of a tractor-trailer truck driven by Lavelle Cross of Mason, Tenn...

Monday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Council chambers, 401 Independence Study session at 5 p.m. Agenda Public hearings -- A hearing to consider vacating the city's interest in a 20 foot gas and water easement running across property at 2122 Woodhaven, on lots 2 and 3 of Woodhaven Subdivision...

Monday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Agenda Public hearings -- Hearing to consider the request for voluntary annexation of property owned by Donald L. and Rebecca A. Heuer. -- Hearing to consider proposed revisions for traffic flow and parking along 100 block of S. High St...

Monday, Oct. 18, 1999 -- 6 p.m. Central Junior High Cafeteria Action Items: - Fund transfer - Approval of employment of construction management firm - Approval of health insurance consultant - Closed session to discuss items, as permitted in Section 610.021, Revised Statutes of Missouri, as amended...

Which of Cape Girardeau's city buildings is in most need of expansion or relocation? In which part of the city should a new fire station be built? What is the best design for a new aquatic center or park development plan in Cape Girardeau? All those questions, and more, have been plaguing city staff for more than a year now. But the answers might come soon if the Cape Girardeau City Council decides to hire Horner and Shifrin, Inc., to help develop a future facilities plan...

Construction on Bloomfield Road continues and that means more sections of the road have to close for repaving and repairs. Bloomfield Road will be closed today for reconstruction from Edgewood Drive to the Lutheran Home Drive. It will remain closed until the work is complete...

Teresa Birk, left, presented the October Yard of the Month Award to Kathy and Robert Devevan, 1749 Themis. Teresa Birk, left, and Al Phillips, right, presented the non-residential Yard of the Month Award for October to Pauline Davault on behalf of Grace United Methodist Church, Broadway and Caruthers. The landscape awards will resume in April...

To the editor: As a former state police officer, a former law clerk to a federal judge and an attorney, I read with much interest Sheriff Kenny Jones' letter to the editor regarding the failed nomination of Judge Ronnie White to the U.S. District Court. I have also read similar articles and letters concerning Judge White's nomination...

The Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education delivered some interesting news to public higher education when it brought its meeting to Cape Girardeau this month. The board decided to recommend to the governor and Legislature that the state spend $1.23 billion next fiscal year to finance public colleges and higher-education programs in the state. ...

Advice for yearbook staff I HAVE a suggestion for the yearbook staff at Jackson High School. Maybe if some of you would feature yourselves a few less times than did last year's staff, then whoever does the layout for the band this year won't have to tell the band members that there simply wasn't room to list their names even once...

Like it or not, cold weather soon will be upon us, and with it will come the flu season. Influenza in an average year kills 20,000 Americans, but preliminary data suggest many more people died last year, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of additional concern, influenza has started causing unusual outbreaks during the summer in Alaska, Louisiana, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas...

To the editor: Though the news of Peter Warricks arrest is now old news, the sadness of what might have been still lingers with me. Warrick is a college athlete and was favored for the coveted Heisman trophy. Though he is talented and gifted, a childish prank at a department store cost him his future...

Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner believes the key to any successful season is strong senior leadership -- both on and off the court. "Senior leadership is very important to any basketball team," said Garner, whose squad began practice for the 1999-2000 campaign Saturday. "We're going to be counting on our seniors to provide us that leadership and I really believe they will."...

Kimbeland Country Club of Jackson used a sudden-death victory Sunday to slip past Cape Girardeau Country Club in the first annual Cape County Challenge Cup. The clubs were tied 8-8 following various Ryder Cup-style matches played between the eight-man teams Saturday and Sunday...

Raymond Irving Mehner, 68, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died on Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999, in Pensacola, Fla. Arrangements are pending at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel in Cape Girardeau.

COMMERCE -- Cleo B. Wilkinson, 89, of Commerce died Saturday, Oct. 16, 1999, at the Marymont Nursing Home at Eureka. She was born, May 12, 1910, at Henderson, Ky., daughter of Andrew and Ruth Jones Bom. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW of Scott City, Eastern Star and White Shrine. She had worked as a secretary at Southeast Missouri State University...

Larry Uptmor, 70, of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, Oct. 16, 1999, at his home. He was born May 24, 1929, in Chicago, Ill., son of Urban Lawrence and Edna Kiefer Uptmor. He and Lucy Hemmen were married July 8, 1950, in Lilleyville, Ill. He and Cynthia Fuelle were married May 26, 1985, in Rockford, Ill...