Stories from Friday, July 10, 1992

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education will retreat this weekend for a concentrated and comprehensive examination of district priorities. Board members and administrators hope to formulate a five-year strategic plan for the district. The retreat begins tonight and continues through Sunday. We support the board's strategic planning goal...

Federal legislation that would establish a new direct loan program for college students is meeting with skepticism from some of those who deal with the existing guaranteed student loan program in Missouri. Financial-aid officials at Southeast Missouri State University, a Cape Girardeau bank and at the state level question if the pilot program, approved by Congress as part of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, will work...

Several Southeast Missouri Democrats said Thursday they were excited by the choice of Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. by Gov. Bill Clinton as his running mate on the party's presidential ticket. They labeled Gore as a strong senator who will be a credit to the Democratic ticket. Also, several noted that with Gore and Clinton both being from neighboring states, they should run well in Missouri this fall and provide a boost to other Democratic candidates...

JACKSON -- City officials said Thursday a concrete slab that was poured last month in the eastbound lane of West Main Street does not meet engineering specifications. However, the city has offered the paving contractor, SIS Corp. of Creal Springs, Ill., a way to correct the paving defect without any additional delay in completing the $225,000 West Main Street improvement by the start of Jackson Homecomers on Aug. 11...

Georgia Burgfeld has watched the telephone industry expand from the "cord-board" operators of the 1940s and 1950s to today's modern switchboards that electronically connect calls. After nearly 44 years of dedication and service to Southwestern Bell Telephone, the Cape Girardeau resident retires today...

Boardings at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, which dipped well below 10,000 last year, have rebounded slightly this year but still lag behind the pace needed to secure federal airport improvement funds. Total boardings through June totalled 4,142, which were 244 ahead of last year's pace. But they're still nearly 900 short of the pace needed to reach 10,000 by January...

JACKSON -- The 85th edition of Jackson Homecomers is less than a month away. This year's Homecomers, sponsored by Altenthal-Joerns Post 158, American Legion, will held Tuesday through Saturday, Aug. 11-15. One of the most popular events each year at Homecomers are the talent shows that are held each night, except Wednesday when the Homecomers Queen will be chosen...

SIKESTON -- Maxine Scott, 78, of Sikeston, died Tuesday, July 7, 1992, at Cedars-Sanai Hospital in Los Angeles, Calif. She was born Dec. 20, 1913, in McMillin, daughter of Robert C. and Susie Layton Finley. Scott worked at KSIM Radio in Sikeston 33 years, and prior to that was society editor at the Daily Standard Newspaper. She was a member of First United Methodist Church...

PERRYVILLE -- Ulva Clair Phillips, 97, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Wednesday, July 7, 1992 in Fort Worth. She was born July 5, 1895 in St. Marys, the daughter of William Difani and Mary Francis Cissell Difani. She married Dr. Leo Phillips Sr., who preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by one son...

Alma "Billie" Hubbard, 85, of Chateau Girardeau, 3120 Independence, died Thursday, July 9, 1992 at the Chateau Girardeau Health Center. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Funeral service for Maggie Clemons Lewis of Mound City was held Thursday at Algee Memorial Chapel in Cairo. The Rev. Albert Ingram officiated, with burial in Spencer Heights Memorial Park in Mounds. Lewis, 103, died Sunday, July 5, 1992...

Funeral service for Thomas M. "Tom" Cotner, 404 McKenna, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Red Star Baptist Church. The Rev. Cy Smith will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Glenn Cummings. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

PATTON -- Jesse O. Yount, 91, of DeSoto, died Thursday, July 9, 1992, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Festus. He was born April 19, 1901, at Marquand, son of Thomas J. and Alice Gromer Yount. He and Avis Evans were married Feb. 7, 1925. She died April 19, 1992...

Robert L. Cook, 68, of 2550 Marvin, died Thursday, July 9, 1992. Survivors include his wife, Iva Dell Cook. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and are being handled by Ford & Sons.

Bernice Hope, 79, 654 S. Spring, died Wednesday, July 8, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Nov. 16, 1912, at Kennett, daughter of Ed and Ruth Curd Mosley. She and Oliver Hope were married Dec. 27, 1930, in Anna, Ill. He died Nov. 22, 1979...

Major General Russell Boyt, 82, of Columbia, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Tuesday, July 7, 1992, at Boone Hospital. He was born Aug. 15, 1909, at Essex, son of John Henry and Marie Linneman Boyt. He and Florence E. Stone were married in 1934. Boyt served in Missouri National Guard 42 years, retiring in April 1969...

BELL CITY -- Funeral service for the Rev. Jerry Thomas Coleman of Bell City will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Morgan Funeral Chapel in Advance. The Revs. Junior and Elijah Bennett will officiate, with burial in Oak Ridge General Baptist Church Cemetery near Advance...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral service for Thomas Allen Clifton of Perryville will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Young and Sons Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Ed Hankinson will officiate, with burial in Home Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-9 p.m. today, and from 6:30-10 a.m. Saturday...

"Ask Your Doctor," a medical show with local doctors answering questions from local viewers, will air July 16. The speaker this week is Dr. Paul D. Thompson and the topic is "Current Developments in Prostate Treatment." The medical show can be seen every Thursday at 8 p.m. on Cable Channel 13. Hosts Martha Muench and Dr. Jean A. Chapman interview doctors...

COLUMBIA -- Giant Canada geese are thriving in Missouri. So well, in fact, that the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is considering an experimental goose hunting season in Central Missouri. While North American duck populations have dwindled in recent years, Canada goose numbers have posted significant gains. Restoration of giant Canada geese that stay in Missouri year-round has bolstered the overall population gains...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Once you've seen an Ozark hellbender, you never forget what it looks like. That's good news for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), because it's asking residents to report sightings of hellbenders, and encouraging anglers to release any they catch accidentally...

There's good news and bad news in the unfolding story of the zebra mussel's invasion of Missouri. The bad news is that it appears there may be several species of zebra mussels on their way to the Show-Me State. The good news is that the new species don't pose any added threat. The zebra mussels already in Missouri waters can live just about anywhere in the state...