Stories from Friday, June 26, 1992

To the Editor: I fought the Germans in World War II. Now is it time to fight a few Americans. Maybe you think it was fun to sleep with a pistol under your pillow for eight months. You try it for eight months on a thin pillow. Look around: progress is getting worse. We spend most of our time making money to buy things that are not repairable but good looking...

SCOTT CITY -- Jami Carol Kluesner of Scott City has been accepted as a state finalist and will be competing in the American Coed Pageant to be held July 4-5 in Kansas City. Jami, 5, is the daughter of DeWayne and Tori Green Kluesner of Scott city. Contestants are judged on poise, personality, stage appearance, personal interview and achievement...

Five senior Girl Scouts have been presented the Gold Award by the Otahki Council. Girls who received the award are Jennifer Brase, Jennifer Edwards, Stacey Cranmer and Jaime Wendel Schremp, all of Jackson; and Kim Caraker Duckworth of Anna, Ill. The Gold Award, the highest recognition in girl scouting, is awarded to those senior Girl Scouts who earn the Leadership Award, the Career Exploration pin, and do service to their community by planning and carrying out a project...

Three Cape Girardeau residents are among 895 high school seniors chosen to receive academic scholarships at Texas Christian University. The honorees successfully competed in an initial group of scholarship applicants from across the nation. Kathryn Francis Ford received a dean's scholarship and has indicated a preference for studies as an arts and science pre-major. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Ford and a graduate of Central high School...

Tania Morris of Cape Girardeau has been selected to study this summer at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. The intensive, six-week session of ballet and dance training is one of the most prestigious programs in the nation. Each spring auditions are held in cities across the country...

Joseph Uzoaru, a sixth-grade student at Alma Schrader Elementary School, is attending the 12th annual Prairie Scholars Program at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. The program runs June 14-27 and is designed for students who have proven to be academic achievers...

Byron and Nik Karathanos of Cape Girardeau are participating in an eight-week program of intensive language and culture study in Cordoba, Spain. The study session is sponsored by William Jewell College, where Byron Karathanos is a junior. Students participating in the trip will attend class in Spanish language and visit museums, churches, cathedrals and other places of interest...

Is Missouri reaching its economic potential, and if not, then why not? Our state is not unique in experiencing the effects of a nationwide recession, as witness last month's revenue report indicating a 3 percent decline in Department of Revenue collections. Even if tax revenues meet their expected goal of 3.2 percent for the year, this is hardly the sign of a robust economy in the Show-Me State, given a collection rate of more than twice this amount in more prosperous periods...

The Supreme Court's ban on prayer at school graduations upsets a long-standing tradition at many area schools. The Wednesday ruling strengthened the high court's 30-year ban on officially sponsored worship in public schools. But these graduation prayers are more ceremonial than they are an attempt to promote organized religion. The ruling carries the notion of church and state separation too far...

State and local leaders praised the SEMO Community Treatment Center Thursday as representative of a push to put more emphasis on traditional family values. The center, located in Cape Girardeau, treats troubled youths. About 20 live in the facility, and 15 more receive counseling there...

A longstanding debate over whether to elect Cape Girardeau City Council members from wards rather than at large has resurfaced. Larry Godfrey, an unsuccessful council candidate earlier this year, has initiated a petition drive asking that the council change to ward elections...

The conversion of Cape Girardeau County's rural addresses for its county-wide 911 emergency response system could begin early next month. A member of the county's enhanced 911 advisory committee, Allen Moss Jr., said Thursday that panel is awaiting approval of a contract by an Overland Park, Kan., engineering firm, ETG...

After only two months on the job, Jaycee Municipal Golf Course Manager Robert Casey this week was dismissed by the city. Casey, 27, was hired April 19. He previously worked as an assistant manager of a golf course in Kansas City. Dan Muser, director of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, said Thursday Casey "just didn't work out...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -Strong winds and heavy rains the night before left members of this Illinois community cleaning up extensive tree and limb damage Thursday. There was minor damage to gutters and roofs on several homes in the village. Part of the roof was blown off a church building, but none of the four people inside at the time were injured...

Reservations to the Illmo-Fornfelt School Reunion are being accepted through Sept. 10. The reunion will be held Oct. 10 at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Elsie Eifert and Charles Spradlin of Scott City are chairmen of the event. The project of collecting Fornfelt High School graduation pictures is continuing by Maxine Sanford of Scott City. Plans call for framing and hanging the pictures in the present school as a memorial to the old Fornfelt School system...

WHITEWATER -- Construction of a 200-foot bridge across the Diversion Channel west of Whitewater should start around mid-July and be complete by November or December, Associate Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Leonard Sander said Thursday. Sander, who oversees bridges and roads for the commission, made the comment shortly after the county governing body opened eight bids for the project. ...

The Cape Girardeau Public Library is operating as usual in the absence of a director thanks to a well-trained staff, said Mary Robertson, president of the library's board of directors. In fact, she said, the board is in no hurry to replace Terry Risko, library director who resigned last week...

The K103/KZIM West Park Mall summer blood drive will be held July 1-2 near center court. On July 1, the drive will be held from 2-7 p.m. and on July 2 the drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. K103-FM radio personalities will be broadcasting live from the blood drive on both days...

JACKSON -- A memorial service for Glen E. "Bo" Wilson of Lake Oswego, Ore., will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. W. Walter Keisker officiating. Wilson, 65, died Thursday, June 18, 1992, in a hospital in Portland, Ore...

More than 9,000 voters in the 8th Congressional District have signed petitions to place the name of Texas billionaire Ross Perot on the presidential ballot in Missouri. Gil Degenhardt, 8th District coordinator for Perot, said Thursday that petitions containing 9,006 voter signatures had been received at the district headquarters in Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Milo Carden of East Prairie will be held at 4 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Ted Wimberley will officiate, with burial in East Prairie Memorial Park. Carden, 58, died Wednesday, June 24, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

FARRAR -- Walter E. "Pete" Lorenz, 80, of Farrar, died Wednesday, June 24, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 22, 1912, at Farrar, daughter of John G. and Martha G. Mangels Lorenz. Lorenz was a retired farmer, and member of Salem Lutheran Church here...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Frank Hamblett, 90, of Ullin, died Sunday, June 21, 1992, at his home. He was born Feb. 15, 1902, in Charleston, Miss., son of John and Inetta Clark Hamblett. He and Ida O'Neal were married in 1937 in Charleston, Miss. Hamblett was a retired construction worker, and member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Pulaski...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Funeral service for Vernon E. "Turkey" Curtis of Mounds will be held at 1 p.m. today at Barkett Funeral Chapel in Cairo. The Rev. Larry L. Potts will officiate, with burial in Roselawn Cemetery in Bardwell, Ky. Curtis, 72, died suddenly Wednesday, June 24, 1992, while fishing...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. David House, Cape Girardeau Route 2, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:23 a.m. Friday, June 19, 1992. Name, Lindsey Nicole. Weight, 5 pounds 12 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. House is the former Joan Wright, daughter of William Wright and Bernice Wright of Farmington. She is employed at Thorngate Ltd. House is employed by Taco John's, and is the son of Ken and Martha House of Mounds, and Alan and Ann Bowling of Fulton...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston High School class of 1962 will hold a 30-year reunion in Sikeston on July 4. All graduates are encouraged to attend. Coordinators of the reunion are Charlotte Boyce Craig of Cape Girardeau and Tom Nunnelee of Sikeston. An afternoon get-reacquainted gathering for graduates and their spouses will be hosted from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Nunnelee home at 1107 N. Kingshighway. Sandwiches and refreshments will be served, and everyone is invited to attend...

ADVANCE -- Benny Webb, 64, of Advance died Thursday, June 25, 1992 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Morgan Funeral Home in Advance.