Stories from Monday, July 10, 2000

David Rudert of Perryville, a district representative for Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL), a fraternal benefit society for insurance, education and volunteer opportunities, headquartered at Appleton, Wis., has qualified for membership in the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), an association of leading life insurance producers...

New orders to U.S. factories in May took their biggest jump in more than seven years. But a more up-to-date report showed many of the nation's largest retailers had sluggish sales in June, adding to signs the economy's pace is slowing. A big burst in demand for electronics helped push factory orders up by a larger-than-expected 4.1 percent in May to a seasonally adjusted $385.8 billion, the Commerce Department said Thursday. ...

Michael Wells has joined the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce as communications director. Wells, a graduate of Murray State University with a Bachelors degree in radio-television and organization communication and Master's degree in journalism, will start at the chamber in mid-July...

Chris Vetter has joined the Missouri State Auditor's office as an audit assistant. Vetter's appointment was announced recently by Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill. Vetter, of New Hamburg, is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in accounting...

On a certain day in late June, a downtown retailer reported one of its best sales day. Another downtown merchant was swamped, with as many as 200 shoppers at one point. A lot of people have swarmed to the downtown area over the past few weeks, drawn by boat traffic on the Mississippi River...

William Wells recently received a promotion at Dana Corp.'s Light Vehicle Axle Division, 2075 Corporate Circle in Cape Girardeau. Wells, who joined Dana in October of 1999 in Department 200, was promoted to Shift D Cell Leader in the department.

Metabolife, which provides products for weight loss, has opened in a kiosk at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park. Reginald Kennedy, a long-time resident of the Cape Girardeau area, is manager of the local Metabolife operation. The product includes natural vitamins, minerals, and herbs, and requires no special diet or exercise for weight loss...

A new infant and toddler day care center will open at 318 Plaza Way in Cape Girardeau in the near future. A permit has been issued for remodeling the building in preparation for the Toddle Around Infant and Toddler Development Center,. The building previously housed the Cape Girardeau Easter Seals Center...

Progressive Realty & Insurance has opened at 9004, Westfield Shoppingtown West Park. The new company will offer "quick quotes" on auto insurance, and provide displays of digital print-outs of properties for sale in the area. Steve Ball is owner of the new business, which is located in a kiosk at the shopping center...

Stan and Debbie Wicks, owners of Helpers Moving and Storage, 1545 Independence, recently added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to the company's service. The Wicks have operated Helpers Moving and Storage since 1997. The company offers a wide selection of equipment, designed for moving household furnishing, including vans from 10 feet to 26 feet; trailers, trailer-hitches, along with furniture pads, furniture dollies and heavy-duty packing boxes...

Tractor maker Deere & Co. has obtained permission to operate a federally insured savings bank that will take over the company's credit card business. The Office of Thrift Supervision announced Thursday its approval for Deere to open the bank, to be named FPC Financial and based in Madison, Wis...

A new soy-based wood adhesive is expected to help increase domestic U.S. soybean use and assist U.S. lumber companies in producing environmentally friendly finger-joined lumber more efficiency. Soy-based wood adhesives have the potential to use 23 million bushels of soybeans by the year 2005. ...

Fur sales increased by more than 15 percent 1999, reaching $1.4 billion, up from $1.2 billion in 1998, according to the Fur Information Council of America. "This is the largest percentage increase of the decade for our industry," said Carol Wynne, executive of the Fur Information of America...

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. A hurricane or tornado is headed your way. What should you do? Obviously, you and your family need to head for safety. ...

NEW HAMBURG, Mo. -- "Buck" Schott's quest to be a better golfer led him to a business opportunity he calls Buck's Backyard Putting Greens. Schott, who has been a golfer for 2 1/2 years, was looking for a way to improve his game around the greens. In the back of Golf Magazine, he found an ad for All-Pro Putting Greens, a product that sounded interesting enough to him that he drove to Ringold, Ga., to check out the manufacturer...

Tuesday Jackson Chamber of Commerce "Business After Hours," 5-6:30 p.m., at Jones & Kennon Development, L.L.C. 1210 Greenway Drive, Jackson. July 18 Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's "Business After Hours," 5-6:30 p.m., at Drury Lodge. July 19 Business counseling sessions, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's month-long membership drive resulted in 45 new members, keeping it above the 1,200 mark. The chamber had ten teams of five members each working o the campaign. Top individual recruiters were Ross Austin, Janet Varnon and Cathi Schlosser, in one-two-three order...

Dexter has been added to the list of communities hosting Small Business Development Center counseling sessions. The counselor, Gil Degenhardt, will be available July 18 , from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Dexter Chamber of Commerce, located on the west side of Southern Missouri Bank & Trust Building, on Business Highway 60. The counseling sessions (about one hour) are free. Call (573)-624-7458 for appointment...

Westvaco Corp., a major manufacturer of paper, packaging and chemicals, reported second-quarter sales and earnings. The company, headquartered in New York, reported sales of $904.7 million in the quarter ending April 30, up 33 percent from a year ago. Net earnings were $61.4 million, or 61 cents a share, up from the $27.3 million and 27 cents a share for the same period in 1999...

Sikeston Electrical Supply is in a new location. The company, one of 14 Cape Electrical Supply branches, received move into new quarters at the intersect of Highway 61 and Parcel Drive in Sikeston. The business is located in the building which previously housed Missouri Radiator Repair. The building was purchased and completely remodeled by Cape Electrical Supply. The new location also features a decorative lighting showroom...

Thousands once again braved the heat to attend the final day of the 2000 Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival. Ear plugs were in great demand as Navy and Air Force jets thundered through the skies and the 69th Battalion recreated strafing, bombing and napalm runs. Youngsters held their ears and adults shaded their eyes from the afternoon sun to witness this aerial spectacular...

What's in a name? If it's Hudson, it could be Hutson. Or Hudtson. Or Huetson. Or Hudston, Huettson, Hudsan, Hudsen or Huteson. There are a lot of similar Hudson names out there, and a number of them will be in Cape Girardeau later this month for the annual National History Hudson Family Association Reunion. The four-day event will be at the Holiday Inn July 27-30...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau Wood & Huston Bank and Jackson will square off here today for the championship of the District 14 Junior American Legion baseball tournament. Jackson, the lone undefeated squad in the tourney, beat Chaffee 4-2 Sunday in the winner's bracket final...

Perryville, Mo. -- Leslie Lee (Spider) Schindler, 52, of Perryville died Saturday, July 8, 2000, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Feb. 12, 1948, in Perry County, son of Leslie Jiles and Iva Lee Elder Schindler. He and Erline Duvall were married Jan. 17, 1970, at Perryville...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Alvin S. Pettit, 68, of Marble Hill died Saturday, July 8, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Aug. 21, 1931, at Lansing, Mich., son of Syrles Edward and Dorothy Ione Thomas Pettit. He and Joan Nenninger were married April 13, 1996...

Carl Edward Wulfers, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, July 9, 2000, at the Missouri Veterans Home. He was born Jan. 5, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, the son of Edward and Clotilda Seib Wulfers. He and Dorothy G. Bruenig were married June 7, 1958, in Carbondale, Ill...

HERRIN, Ill. -- Ossie Pearl Bonds Enders, 54, of Herrin died Friday, July 7, 2000, at St. John's Mercy Medical Center at St. Louis. She was born Oct. 15, 1945, at Randles, Ill., daughter of John and Rosie Breese Bonds. She and Richard Paul Enders were married July 10, 1974. He died June 29, 1998...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Raymond Junior Gray, 67, of Scott City died Sunday, July 9, 2000, at his home. He was born June 3, 1933, at Portageville, son of James Robert and Sarah Melissa Ford Gray. He and Josephine Biggs were married April 15, 1952, at Parma...

WHITEWATER, Mo. -- Mary E. Miller, 69, of Whitewater died Saturday, July 8, 2000, at her home. She was born March 1, 1931, at Franklin, Ky., daughter of Willie and Mary Mazanec Nesvarba. She and Robert E. Miller were married Jan. 10, 1988, at Chaffee...

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission's decision to issue up to $2.25 billion in bonds to build roads and bridges without additional revenue to pay for them can lead only to increased taxes in the not-too-distant future. The commission has approved 58 road projects that will be funded with the first $250 million of bonds. Another $500 million could be issued next year and possibly $500 million the following three years...

Anyone who might think Crime Stoppers doesn't work need only look at its results for the first three years of operation in Cape Girardeau. Crime Stoppers has received 224 tips, has paid out $6,250 in reward money and has cleared 63 cases. In its first six months, Crime Stoppers was responsible for clearing a rash of home burglaries, including 16 that involved elderly victims. Just recently, tips led to the arrests of two people accused of vandalizing the old Notre Dame High School...

To the editor: The current controversy about gun-control legislation prompts me to recount the following experience taken from the memoir I have been working on for my grandchildren During the last few weeks of World War II in Germany, the group of POWs of which I was a part was marched through the rural countryside from Nuremberg to Moosburg. ...

To the editor: I watched the movie, "The Patriot," and it reminded me of what countless millions of Americans gave up for us to live in a free society. What would they think of how our country has turned out? Would they be happy with a prosperous nation that has a Supreme Court that upholds infanticide and bans public-school prayers that are student led and student initiated?...