Stories from Thursday, December 19, 1991

This is a distinctive, almost cathartic, day for many American news organizations. This newspaper and others across the nation are using for the first time the name of the accuser in the William Kennedy Smith rape case. The decision to do so, made easy after Patricia Bowman decided to relinquish her anonymity by appearing on national television tonight, appends a sensitive debate on the interests served by a long-standing policy in the news media of not naming victims of alleged rapes. ...

CARBONDALE Ill. Southern Illinois University at Carbondale will host the 24th annual American College Theater Festival Jan. 8-12 for region 3. The festival is sponsored nationally by the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and is designed to promote excellence in college-level theater production. The region 3 festival includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin...

Brett McCallister of Gordonville graduated Dec. 8 from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. He earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and banking. He was the student marshal for this graduating class. McCallister is a graduate of Jackson High School. He completed requirements for his degree in three and a half years...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's first Holiday of Lights tour continues this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the second and final weekend of the tour. Individuals may ride a tour bus to view outside holiday decorations. Tickets, which cost $1, are available from the Fantastics in Plaza Galleria. Buses leave from Plaza Galleria at 7 p.m. each night of the tour...

JACKSON - The combined Jackson Municipal Band and the Jackson High School band will present their annual joint Christmas band concert tonight in the high school gym. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. There is no admission charge. The high school band will perform six musical numbers, including "A Canadian Brass Christmas," and "Jingle Bells in Dixie," featuring an "upfront" Dixieland band...

POPLAR BLUFF -- A collection of antique quilts and toys will be on display through Dec. 29 at the Margaret Harwell Art Museum in Poplar Bluff. "Textile Diaries: Quilts as Cultural Markers" is organized by the Kansas State Historical Society. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, and will be closed Christmas Day. There is no admission charge...

The Southeast Chamber Players will present a Christmas concert Sunday at 3 p.m. at Old St. Vincent's Church. The Chamber Players was formed one year ago by area musicians to provide the community with quality chamber music. The 14-member ensemble is comprised of music faculty from Southeast Missouri State University and area music teachers. Some commute from as far away as Mountain Grove and Corning, Ark...

At Monday's Rotary Club meeting, we had a barn-burner of a debate on the question of whether flag burning is protected free speech under the First Amendment. As we reported in Tuesday morning's edition, Cape Girardeau attorney John Cook took the affirmative; yours truly took the negative. The debate was videotaped and will be re-broadcast tonight at 7 on Channel 13. Should you tune in, I think you'll find it thought-provoking and informative on some tough First Amendment issues...

I'M A CITIZEN of Scott City and I would like to say I have seen a lot of pretty Christmas lights and nativity scenes, but the nativity scene on Seventh Street is beautiful. Anybody would love to see it. Thank you. NOW THAT THE hostages are free, please let's not forget to say a prayer for them. They endured a lot. Let's pray that they can lead a normal life like they did before they were hostages. Thank you...

Several Cape Girardeau churches will present living nativity scenes this weekend. One at Maple Avenue United Methodist Church will include sheep, donkeys and camels, in addition to Mary, Joseph and the wise men. "We've never done anything like this before," said Doris Dace, the wife of the Rev. Jimmie Dace of the church...

Santa Claus is making an early stop in Cape Girardeau tonight to deliver gifts to needy children. Santa and a large team of Cape Girardeau Jaycees will be taking toys door to door, providing children with a bonus gift a personal visit from Santa. Tonight's delivery is the culmination of hours of hard work by thousands of people, including the generous people who took time to shop for the toys they then donated to Toybox and those who took time to write a check so that warm clothing could be purchased for the children.. ...

Perry and Madison counties have been added to the 27th Senatorial District of retiring Sen. John Dennis under a Missouri Senate redistricting plan tentatively approved by a panel of six state appeals court judges. The plan also shifts New Madrid County from the present 27th District to the 25th District of Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter...

The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitor Bureau Advisory Committee has adopted an evaluation form to initiate its first round of discussions concerning more than 30 requests that have been submitted for funding from city tourism revenue. "Each member of the board will fill out an evaluation sheet for each of the 33 requests which have been received," said Narvol Randol Jr., chairman of the advisory board. ...

Two representatives of the Missouri Health Care Forum claimed Wednesday their group does not have all the answers to the complex problems of health care. They stressed, however, the importance of continuing a dialogue among all groups in the state to ensure a rational approach is taken to find solutions...

PATTON -- A Tuesday fire at a home for mentally handicapped people that claimed the life of one resident was deliberately set, state fire officials said Wednesday. The victim is identified as David Wilder, 58, of Patton. Wilder was one of 17 residents of Mary's Ranch, a private, residential-care facility for the mentally handicapped...

Students in a Southeast Missouri State University architecture class are trying to spawn interest in renovation of the Marquette Hotel on Broadway. At Wednesday night's Historic Preservation Commission meeting, several members of Southeast's History of American Architecture class presented a report the class drafted on the hotel's historical and architectural significance...

JACKSON -- A drive to raise money for a veterans memorial proposed for Brookside Park will begin after the first of the year, a spokesman for the Jackson Veterans Memorial Steering Committee said. The memorial will honor veterans of all wars, living and dead, who have served their country in time of peace and war...

Service above and beyond the call of duty were cited as reasons that Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. Carl Eakins was presented Tuesday with the first "Law Enforcement Commendation Award." The award was presented by the Southeast Missouri chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution at the police department's Christmas party Tuesday, said club member Steve L. Brown...

The Missouri House Republican Caucus this week released its 1992 legislative platform, which cites less government involvement, more efficiency, and innovative solutions to the state's most pressing problems as its goals. "We offer a change and a new direction," said Rep. John Hancock, R-St. Louis, chairman of the Policy Development Committee. "We offer something different we do not believe government can be the sole problem solver in this state."...

William S. Stehr, 86, of the Lutheran Home, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Trudie L. Nelson of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Fellowship Baptist Church. The Rev. Dolan Rogers will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery here. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Home in Sikeston after 5 p.m. today...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Simmers, 2835 Whitener, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, 1991. Name, Michael Wayne. Weight, 8 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. Simmers is the former Sharon Roach, daughter of CWO and Mrs. John Roach Sr. of Puxico. Simmers is employed at Spartech Plastics, and is the son of Betty Simmers of Sturdivant and the late Fred Simmers...

ZALMA -- Carel L. Beyatte, 75, of Zalma died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1991 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 22, 1916 in Mine LaMotte, Mo. and was employed as a pallet mill worker. He married Sylvia Goforth on Nov. 22, 1939 in St. Louis. She survives...

MARBLE HILL -- Virginia Alia Butler, 78, of Marble Hill, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1991, at her home. She was born Sept. 3, 1913, in Cantwell, daughter of Daniel and Joyce Clayborne Wahittier. She married Clifton Elexander Butler on April 9, 1938. He died May 2, 1965...

MCCLURE - Marie Burchyett, 80, of McClure, Ill., died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1991 at her son's home in Nashville, Tenn. Funeral arrangments are pending. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Emma Weaver, Cape Girardeau Route 1, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1991, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Sept. 7, 1916, in Water Valley, Miss., daughter of Isom and Vada Spurgeon Miles. She and Ernest H. Weaver were married May 28, 1971, in Downey, Calif...

PATTON -- David Wilder, 58, of Patton, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1991, in a fire at Mary's Ranch No. 2, where he resided. He was born March 1, 1933, in St. Louis, son of Harold and Eletha Hill Wilder. Wilder had lived in this area since 1970, and attended New Salem Baptist Church near Marble Hill...

Creasie M. Moore, 66, 412 Koch, died Monday, Dec. 16, 1991, at St. Paul's Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She was born June 12, 1925, in Holly Springs, Miss., daughter of Cecil and Viola Burton Nunley. She married Joseph Moore in October 1947 in Blytheville, Ark...

CHAFFEE - The Chaffee City Council Monday refrained from joining a lawsuit challenging the payment of water testing by Missouri municipalities. The lawsuit was filed by the Missouri Municipal League against the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Mayor Ron Moyers said...

Golda G. Vogelsang, 81, of Cape Girardeau, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born July 22, 1910, at Jackson, daughter of Garnett and Rispa Johnson Masters. She married Erwin Vogelsang Dec. 24, 1943, in Cape Girardeau. He died March 31, 1973...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Edward Compas, 88, of East Prairie, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1991, at the East Prairie Nursing Home after an extended illness. He was born June 25, 1903, in Kelso, son of Henry and Regina Scherer Compas. He was a member of the First Church of God in East Prairie and was retired from the Sterling Aluminum Company in St. Louis...

When Jack Grisham teaches American history to his students at Cape Girardeau Central High School, they get more than just history; they also get personal experience. "I try to bring history alive by including personal history gleaned from 28 years of military experience," Grisham said...

Amy Higgins and Hema R. Somarajan have been named Students of the Month by the Cape Girardeau Elk's Lodge 639. Higgins, 17, is a senior at Notre Dame High School. She has been active in school musical productions, concert choir and the French Club. She is the daughter of Tom and Mary Higgins of Cape Girardeau...

Ben Kight, president of the Missouri Association of Fairs and Festivals and a member of the board of directors for the Southeast Missouri District Fair, recently attended the International Association of Fairs and Expositions meeting in Las Vegas. About 4,400 people attended the convention, Kight said, representing fairs from throughout the United States and several foreign countries...