Stories from Thursday, November 7, 1996

In an era when voter apathy is too often taken for granted, the voters who went to the polls Tuesday in Southeast Missouri and across the state showed they still are capable of making sound decisions on taxes and other issues. Look at some of the ballot results:...

I'd like to thank our news staff for the outstanding job it did on putting out the election results (still coming in at press time Tuesday night) in our Wednesday morning newspaper. It took a lot of coordination by editor JOE SULLIVAN, managing editor JONI ADAMS and the entire staff who started early (with layouts, graphs etc.) and stayed late...

I HAVE a solution for the water problem in Cape. Make all public restrooms coin operated. That way everyone pays their fair share, even the outsiders. ON HALLOWEEN night and in the Westfield Subdivision the city had street cleaners out working the streets. Obviously the person in charge is not a parent, because a parent would not have someone out there doing that with the children out on the streets. Please consider that the next time you send the street sweepers out at 7 o'clock at night...

"Theatre in the Round" is colored pencil on illustration board. "Dream Houses" was painted with acrylic on muslin. You've seen Craig Thomas' artwork even if you don't know it. He painted the murals inside Franklin and Washington schools and has three more in Perryville. ...

David Barklage, a local businessman and former member of the Cape Girardeau City Council, and Mark Bliss, who covers the political beat for the Southeast Missourian newspaper, will provide a post-election wrap-up Sunday on KRCU Radio's "Going Public" program...

The Marching Tigers of Cape Girardeau Central High School finished up another winning season with Saturday's performance at the Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival. This was the 25th anniversary of the event, which was held at the Trans World Dome, with more than 14,000 attending the daylong competition...

BENTON -- Scott County voters fell in line with the state and nation in Tuesday's election, although President Bill Clinton defeat of Bob Dole was hardly a landslide -- only 400 votes or 3 percent of the total. Clinton took Chaffee, Scott City, Haywood City and Commerce while Dole claimed Kelso, Oran and Miner. Sikeston was close but also went Republican by eight votes...

Across Missouri, more than 400 children wait to be adopted, about 65 percent of them minorities. Because of the relatively few families who wish to adopt minorities, many children age in foster care. Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri hopes to place some of them through a special event planned for Sunday at Southeast Missouri State University. The organization is asking potential adoptive parents representing minorities to attend...

The lives of Missouri children are improving, according to the 1996 Kids Count report. However, youngsters living in the Bootheel aren't sharing the same good fortune. Several Southeast Missouri counties are among the worst places in the state for children, according to the fourth annual report, produced by Citizens for Missouri's Children...

Making two actors on stage look like they're in love is easy. Making the audience believe they're trying to chop, pummel or club each other to death is what one actor calls "the rawest form of acting." Stage combat, the art of two actors pretending to fight, is part of good storytelling, said Robert W. Dillon Jr., an associate professor of theater at Southeast Missouri State University...

Cape Girardeau residents will get curb service for their leaves again this fall. The city begins its annual leaf program on Monday, vacuuming leaves from the edges of lawns until Dec. 20. Last year, workers collected more than 820 tons of leaves from local lawns...

SIKESTON -- To people in Sikeston, it is important that their children understand and utilize one phrase. Just say no. That's why the Sikeston Elks Lodge #2319 is teaming up with other businesses in the community to get the word out through their Just Say No Club...

Nov. 7, 1996 Dear Leslie, DC is threatening an increase in our menagerie, which is now at four birds, two dogs and holding. The prospects are two puppies caged in a yard near her clinic. She thinks they're starved for attention and only half-kiddingly says thievery may be the only solution...

JACKSON -- In Cape Girardeau County, 28,343 voters went to the polls Tuesday. That represented 69 percent of voters, which county officials termed a new record. Most county voters cast a split ticket: 24,347. Another 2,930 voted a straight Democratic party ticket and 1,033 voted a straight Republican party ticket...

Son to Mark E. and Magdalene Vogel, 132 Iroquois, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:43 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, 1996. Name, Joshua Stephen. Weight, 7 pounds 3 ounces. Mrs. Vogel is the former Magdalene Mueller, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Adam Mueller of Cape Girardeau. She is a medical technologist at St. Francis Medical Center. Vogel is the son of Vera Vogel of Frohna, and the late Edwin Vogel. He is a real estate agent with Wunderlich Realty Co...

CHARLESTON -- Ozie Marie Reeves, 91, of Charleston died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 1996, at Charleston Manor. She was born April 4, 1905, at Silent Run, Ky., daughter of Dura and Dora Utley Franklin. She and James J. Reeves were married June 30, 1932. He died April 4, 1971...

MARBLE HILL -- Funeral service for Dickey Gene Mouser of Marble Hill will be held at 2 p.m. today at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill. The Rev. Bob Porter will officiate, with burial in Baker Cemetery. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Mouser, 59, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1996, at his home...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Funeral services for Gertrude Manning of Dongola will be at 1:30 p.m. today at Crain Funeral Home in Dongola. The Rev. Paul Sadler will officiate, with burial in Friendship Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a.m...