Stories from Monday, April 10, 2000

Mary Anne Farmer, president of Magna-Tel Inc. in Cape Girardeau, has been elected vice chair of Financial Services on the Board of Directors for Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Magna-Tel Inc. is a corporation specializing in promotional products...

Sandra Quigley, manager of Gulliver's Travel Agency in Jackson, recently returned from a seven-day, educational tour of Spain and Portugal. Quigley attended city tours and hotel inspections in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal. Quigley has been a travel agent six years and has traveled in more than 10 countries the past three years. She specializes in business, leisure and adventure travel worldwide...

Six Cape Girardeau Bedwell Banker Hamilton Realty agents were honored for exceptional sales performance and dedication during the Coldwell Banker's International (CBI) Business Conference, held recently at Las Vegas. Terry Penrod was named to the CBI President's Circle, for his ranking in the top 12 percent of all agents; Lovie Umfleet, Schirley Huey, David Kieffer and Martha Hamilton earned memberships in the International Diamond Society (ranking in the top 20 percent of agents) and Harriet Drusch was named to the International Sterling Society (ranking in top 27 percent of agents.).. ...

Charles Drury Sr. of Drury Development is one of 19 members named to a St. Louis Board of Directors by Firstar Corp. The board, which will help Firstar evaluate business options in St. Louis, met for the first time last week. Firstar Corp. bought Mercantile Bancorporation last year in a deal valued at $7.6 billion in September...

Jill Edmundson has joined the real-estate team at RE/MAX Realty One at 107 S. Broadview in Cape Girardeau. Edmundson, who specializes in both residential and commercial property sales, is a member of the Cape Girardeau Board of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors and the Missouri Association of Realtors...

Tuesday Jackson Chamber of Commerce's "Business After Hours," Firstar Bank. April 17-18 Missouri Industry of the Year Awards & Missouri Industry Day, Jefferson City. April 18 Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours, Drury Lodge, 5 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Membership Committee has established a goal of 150 new members for its month-long membership campaign, which gets under way April 28, with a special event to be held from 3-5 p.m. at Capaha Park Shelter 3, by the basketball court...

SBC Communications has been named the American Society on Aging (ASA) "2000 Business of the Year" for its leadership in helping older adults become technology savvy and provided services that education and empower senior adults. ASA, the largest professional association in the field of aging, recognized SBC's efforts during its 48th annual meeting, held recently in San Diego, Calif....

Caterpillar Inc. has acquired Sabre Engines Ltd., a family-owned British company that specializes in manufacturing high-performance marine diesel engines. The deal, announced last week, enables Caterpillar to offer smaller marine diesels to complement the line of 27 large marine engine models it already sells, company officials said...

With a week left before filing deadline, the Internal Revenues Service has already received a record number of computer-filed tax returns -- more than 950,000 from Missouri and Kansas, surpassing the 936,000 for all of last year. Taxpayers can get and extra four months to file, until Aug. 15, by sending Form 4868, a form of application for automatic extension of time...

It's still April and final exams are yet to be taken, but many college students are looking to the end of another chapter in their lives, and preparing for yet a new one -- of continuing their education to the next level or starting a career. If the choice is to begin a career, the student is a hot commodity. Tight labor markets across the nation are forcing employers to attract and keep good workers. This is one of the best times in decades to be entering the work force...

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've done any estate planning, you know that it's a "big picture" endeavor. After all, you're seeking to accomplish some important goals, such as ensuring spouses don't outlive their assets, reducing estate taxes, avoiding probate and supporting those charitable institutions that are important to you...

Golf clubs are made of titanium, and balls are designed by rocket scientists. The only thing low-tech about golf anymore is the pro, sitting in a chair while critiquing your backswing. That is changing. The future of golf instruction lies in equipment like his computerized swing analyzer with instantaneous video playback, says Mike Uhls, owner of the Heartland Golf Academy in Cape Girardeau...

Brad Fowler of Cameron Insurance Co. has received the professional insurance designation, chartered property casualty underwriter (CPCU), by the American Institute for CPCU. Fowler has been with Cameron Insurance since 1985, serving as the branch claim manager of the Cape Girardeau claim office and as a field claim adjuster...

Richard Aufdenberg, Cape Girardeau County Farm Bureau agent, has achieved membership in the company's Million Dollar Club. Aufdenberg, one of the company's top agents, received the award during the Farm Bureau Insurance Co.'s three-day conference held at Lodge of Four Seasons, Lake Ozark...

John Haley, a AAA sales agent in the company's Cape Girardeau office, has received AAA's Gold Seal Award for 2000. Haley, a AAA sales agent since 1995, was recognized for sales performance and insurance services.

A number of employees at Dana Corp.'s Cape Girardeau facility have received promotions. Shane Pettit has been promoted to Casting Division shift coordinator, D Shift. Pettit started with Dana in March 1994 and has received a number of promotions. He most recently served as cell leader in Department 144/145, A Shift...

The Rev. Kelly Cox was recently honored as "Person of the Year" by the Cairo, Ill. Chamber of Commerce. Cox, pastor of Tigert Memorial United Methodist Church in Cairo, received the ward ruing the chamber's 134th annual rewards dinner, held recently at the Cairo Elks Lodge...

Louie and Jeannie Mishu both love the water and want to share that with their 9 1/2-month-old son, Nicholas. And in a parent-infant swim class at Cape Girardeau's Central Municipal Swimming Pool Nicholas certainly seemed to enjoy himself as he splashed in the water as his mother held him...

JACKSON -- Despite the failure of two funding issues last week, there's no denying Jackson schools face a continuing problem: They're out of space. The district, which is growing at a rate of 3 percent annually, has an enrollment of 4,482 students. Of that number, 2,022 students are in elementary grades, 682 are enrolled in the middle school, 748 are at the junior high, and 1,030 are enrolled in high school...

It's official! Cape Girardeau County had the highest retail sales per capita of any county in the state in 1997. The retail numbers for 1997 were released earlier this year by the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau's Economic Census, revealing the county's sales per capita at $14,532...

Habits are hard to break, and that's just what Marsha Edwards and others at Cape La Croix Methodist Church are counting on. For the last month about 120 children from the church have been saying special prayers. On the receiving end of those prayers are 70 Cape Girardeau firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel...

SCOTT CITY -- It's no secret the Knights of Columbus have all the makings for a great meal. Just ask the 1,200 or so people who gather weekly for a fish fry. The menu: Catfish, hushpuppies, potato wedges, slaw and baked beans. There's coffee and tea to drink...

Whether you're a seasoned veteran of the airways, a student pilot, someone who flies for fun or if you just have an interest in aviation, the Cape Pilot's Club has something to offer. Sunday, Larry Davis, Cape Regional Airport tower chief, spoke with club members and guests on "Getting what you want from your air traffic controller."...

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter will speak on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University April 26. Carter, a former professional boxer erroneously accused of murder, will speak at the University Center Ballroom at 8 p.m. The lecture, which is sponsored by Student Activities Council, is free and open to the public...

"Communicating Across Cultures" will be the topic of the fifth annual Joseph H. Low Jr. Lecture scheduled for April 13 on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Stella Ting-Toomey will be the featured speaker at the event slated for 7 p.m. in Crisp Hall Auditorium...

The Rev. Mr. Charles Johnson returned home recently to accept an award for the work he did there before retiring. Johnson, who lives in Cape Girardeau, spent more than 30 years working for the Catholic Church in the Glenville-Hough neighborhood of Cleveland...

The Promotion of Excellence Award is presented to a person or organization who works to support academic achievement. Blue is the first recipient of this award from Chapter 260 and received a plaque to acknowledge his contributions. "Mr. Blue is an excellent recipient of the Promotion of Excellence Award because throughout his 40-plus years at the Rotary Club, he has promoted academic excellence among hundreds, if not thousands, of local high school students," said Dr. ...

One conservative scholar argues that despite their historic achievements and victories over liberalism, conservatives have unwittingly surrendered and allowed themselves to be absorbed into the liberal movement toward a Utopian society. National Review's John O'Sullivan, in a provocative article, reminds us of Lady Thatcher's observation that there are no permanent victories in politics. ...

It has taken a while since term limits were imposed on members of the Missouri General Assembly and Cape Girardeau City Council for the effects to be felt, and more than a few lawmakers and city officials are questioning whether the limits are good...

State Rep. Mary Kasten had every reason to miss the current session of the Legislature because of the serious illness that had befallen her husband, City Councilman Melvin Kasten. But he is improved, and she has returned to work in Jefferson City just in time to finish out her final term as a lawmaker...

As closely contested as the entire series was, it's perhaps only fitting that Middle Tennessee was able to finally knock off Southeast Missouri State University Sunday afternoon. The Raiders, who were swept in Saturday's doubleheader 3-2 and 2-0, avoided a weekend sweep with an 8-5 victory in front of nearly 900 fans at sunny Capaha Field...

Southeast Missouri State University's softball team got back on the winning track Sunday as the Otahkians rolled past visiting Eastern Kentucky 9-3. The Otahkians, who had lost both ends of Saturday's doubleheader to EKU, improved to 12-17 overall and 4-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play...

ST. LOUIS -- Cape Girardeau Central High's girls soccer team outshot Rolla Saturday night but encountered a 1-0 loss at the Anheuser-Busch Conference & Sports Centre. Rolla scored the lone goal four minutes into the game and then held off the Lady Tigers...

JACKSON -- Edna Mae Brugger, 86, of Jackson passed away Sunday, April 9, 2000, at the Monticello House in Jackson. Friends may call Monday between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. at the McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Parish Prayers will be at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, April 11 at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Jackson, followed by interment in Russell Heights Cemetery. Monsignor Edward Eftink will officiate...

Robert D. Ramirez, 43, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, April 6, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born July 17, 1956, at San Antonio, Texas, son of Ambrose C. and Lucy Dominguez Ramirez. He and Rhonda Susan Vinet were married Dec. 24, 1997, at San Antonio, Texas...

PERRYVILLE -- Catherine C. Besand, 83, of Perryville died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at Perry County Memorial Hospital at Perryville. She was born Oct. 15, 1916, at Biehle, daughter of Louis and Elizabeth Wirth Clements. She and Conway Besand were married July 22, 1943. He died Nov. 26, 1984...

DEXTER -- Edna Malone Handley, 77, of Dexter died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born July 12, 1922, at Dewitt, Ark., daughter of John and Lillie James Putney. She and Lester Malone were married Feb. 23, 1940. He died Feb. 26, 1978. She and Frank Handley were married in 1986...

Charlotte Ann Nenninger, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Oct. 7, 1934, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of Charles F. and Bernadine Fox Nenninger. Nenninger was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral, the Council of Catholic Women, a past member of Daughters of Isabella, a member of the Notre Dame Booster Club, St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary and Friends of St. Francis. She retired as a nursing assistant at St. Francis Medical Center...

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Funeral service for Sabina Doretta Haupt-Willer, age 104, of Tahlequah, were held Sunday, April 9, 2000, at the First Lutheran Church of Tahlequah, with Pastor Bruce Alberts and Pastor Bob Krahn officiating. Services were under the direction of Hart Funeral Home...

Anne Killian, 55, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at her home. She was born Feb. 25, 1945, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of William Vain and Betty Belle Pixley Brannock. She and William Killian were married April 30, 1965, at Bethesda, Md...

CASEYVILLE, Ill. -- Maurice Glen Rendleman Jr., 78, of Caseyville died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at the Caseyville Nursing and Rehab Center. He was born Jan. 9, 1922, at Ullin, son of Maurice G. and Lillian Lang Rendleman Sr. He and Viola F. Lynn were married Jan. 14, 1945, at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan...

ORAN -- Verneda Hahn, 83, of Oran died Sunday, April 9, 2000, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Home at Oran.

CHAFFEE -- DeWitt Wilson Harmon, 88, of Chaffee died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. He was born Jan. 4, 1912, at Chaffee, son of Homer Clarence and Lottie Adell Arnold Harmon. He and Lizette Elzina Wehling were married Sept. 29, 1938, at Fruitland. She died Sept. 7, 1955. He married Alma Louise Keller on March 27, 1976, at Fredericktown...