Stories from Saturday, December 16, 1995

Cape Girardeau city officials on Monday night will review the city's water service disconnection policy. The evaluation comes on the heels of complaints from some residents that water service was cut off without prior notice. A southside church had its water disconnected over a $11.35 bill that was late. The pastor of the church says he was never notified of the looming cut-off. The city says it sent the church a disconnect notice -- the fourth in the past 16 months...

Thrust between a rock and a hard place, so to speak, Ste. Genevieve was faced with an ultimatum following the devastating flooding of 1993 and 1995: You can have your new, rock levee downstream to protect farmland, or you can have a promised $48 million levee to protect your historic town. You can't have both...

Juanita Spicer hopes young people will be so inspired by tonight's Kwanzaa demonstration at St. James AME Church that they'll want to celebrate the African-American festival when it starts Dec. 26. The demonstration starts at 6 p.m. at the church, 516 North St. in Cape Girardeau...

A group of Cape Girardeau area businessmen will have an opportunity to learn more about European Community business and marketing under a "Business Potential in Western Europe" program being developed by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. "We're looking at the possibility of an international business program to be held at Maastricht, The Netherlands," said John Mehner, chamber president. "The EC has become the largest market in the world and has profound economic implications."...

Area law enforcement officers helped by Southeast coaches Ed Arnzen and Ron Shumate once again are offering basketball camps to youngsters age 14-16 who are out of school on Christmas break. The "Hoopin' With 5-0" camps Dec. 27 for girls and Dec. 29 for boys will last from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Recreation Center at Southeast Missouri State university...

Within the competing plans in Washington to balance the budget is a single component that is crucial to boosting the economy while supporting working families. The White House has compromised this component, lumping it in with so-called tax cuts for the rich. Republicans vow they won't abandon the proposal. Let's hope they don't...

One Cape Girardeau family will be starting over this Christmas, and Toy Box donors will have a chance to help. A woman requested gifts for her 10-year-old daughter, including a bean bag, Barbie dolls, Teddy bears and "just about anything."This could be a very lean Christmas for the family, the woman indicated."Our house burned this past summer, and she lost all her toys and everything else," she wrote...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri's efforts to make major changes in its Medicaid program and reduce its annual $2 billion costs are progressing better than originally expected. That's the view of officials in the Missouri Department of Social Services, the huge Jefferson City agency that administers the bulk of the state's welfare programs...

You readers will be seeing a lot more of me these days. I'll be the shriveled, bitter person squatting on the corner of Broadway and Main selling pencils. Please buy one so I can make my car payment. No, I'm not driving a new car; I'm still driving the tiny white sardine can with my knees on either side of the steering wheel. ...

Trans World Express will reinstate a round-trip Sunday flight between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau Feb. 4. TWE officials said Friday they would reinstate Sunday flight service for Cape Girardeau even though weekend flights are no longer covered by the Essential Air Service federal subsidy program...

COMMERCE -- Funeral service for Sister Anna Rose Bles of Wheaton, Ill., was held Wednesday at Our Lady of Angels Convent Chapel in Wheaton. The Rev. Samuel Pusateri officiated, with burial in Assumption Cemetery at Winfield, Ill. Bles, 78, died Sunday, Dec. 10, 1995, at the convent...

SCOTT CITY -- Norman Otto Holder, 56, of Scott City died Friday at St.. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 7, 1939, in Fornfelt, son of the late Archie Leroy and Ada Mae Rainey Holder. He married Martha Lou O'Bryant April 11, 1959, in Newark, Calif...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Rich Masterson, 32, of Olive Branch died Friday morning at his home as the result of a house fire. He was born Aug. 12, 1963 at Belleville, the son of Donald and Lucille Carner Masterson. He is survived by his parents; three brothers: Greg Masterson and Kevin Masterson, both of Olive Branch, and Scott Masterson of Cape Girardeau; and his grandmother, Estella Masterson of Olive Branch...

PUXICO -- John Henry Baker, 92, died Friday at his home near Puxico. He was born March 25, 1903, in Bloomfield. He lived most of his life in Bloomfield, moving to Puxico six months ago. He was a retired farmer and logger and never married. He is survived by three brothers: William Franklin Baker of Chaffee, Willie Eugene Baker of Vanduser and Billie Jo Baker of Sikeston; and four sisters: Mary Juanita Surface of Bell City, Aline Hess of Delta, Hazel Carroll of Sikeston and Wilma Pennington of Puxico.. ...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- James R. Moon, 83, of Carbondale, Ill., died Thursday at the Rosewood Health Care Center in East Peoria. Funeral arrangements were pending at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Cobden.

MARBLE HILL -- Funeral service for Cora Magnolia Beckman of Marble Hill will be held at 11 a.m. today at Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill. The Rev. Lloyd R. Green will officiate, with burial in Bollinger County Memorial Park. Beckman, 87, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 1995, at Bond Nursing Care Center...

BENTON -- Funeral service for Hartsil R. Russell of Benton, formerly of East Prairie, will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel in East Prairie. Hal Greene will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery at Sikeston. Russell, 59, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, following an extended illness...

MARBLE HILL -- Grace E. Gaines, 73, of Woodstock, Ga., died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 1995, at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Ga. Friends may call at Baker Funeral Home in Marble Hill from 3-8 p.m. Sunday. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with burial in Baker Cemetery...

Daughter to Mark and Joni Bliss, 2020 Concord Place, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:42 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, 1995. Name, Bailey Caitlin. Weight, 8 pounds 9 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Bliss is the former Joni Adams, daughter of Joan and Larry Brunson of St. Charles and George and Irene Adams of Ferguson. She is managing editor at the Southeast Missourian Newspaper. Bliss is a reporter at the newspaper. He is the son of Richard and Nancy Bliss of Kirkwood...

ANNA, Ill. -- Pearl C. Clayton, 86, of Anna died Friday, Dec. 15, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 25, 1908, in Union County, Ill., the daughter of Thomas J. and Viola Vaughn Smith. She married Everett Clayton on Aug. 14, 1927. He died July 1, 1947...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Edith Mae Cooper of Sikeston will be held at 3 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. George Alsup will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Cooper, 79, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

DEXTER -- Funeral service for Rebecca Lea "Becky" Snider of Dexter will be held at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Caston Countz will officiate, with burial in Forest Hills Cemetery at Morley. Friends may call at the chapel after 11 a.m...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- An Olive Branch man died early Friday in a fire that damaged his mobile home on the Miller City blacktop road near here. Rick Masterson, 32, died from smoke inhalation, said Alexander County Coroner David Barkett, who pronounced Masterson dead at the scene at 4:34 a.m...

A program about the organ transplant team and its function will be presented at the Monday's meeting of Explorer Post 4077 at Southeast Missouri Hospital. The program begins at 7 p.m. in Classrooms A and B of the Regional Cancer Center. Gary Anderson, coordinator for Mid-America Transplant Services in this region, will be the speaker...

St. Francis Medical Center's Health and Rehabilitation Center plans an Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program at 11:30 on Tuesday and on Dec. 26. The class is designed to help people with arthritis exercise effectively. Physician permission is required. The fee is $25 per month. For more information, contact Virginia Heston at 339-6983...

The holidays are an exciting time for youngsters, but without a few simple precautions they can also dangerous. Holiday hazards are abundant, "especially with the plants and things that people bring into their homes, all the small ornaments that we get out that young children can put into their mouths," said Kathy Leimer...

St. Francis Hospital is sponsoring PACE exercise classes from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and 28 at the Health and Rehabilitation Center. PACE, which stands for People with Arthritis Can Exercise, can help relieve pain and stiffness associated with various forms of arthritis. Class is led by a certified PACE instructor. Physician permission IS required for participation. For more details, call Virginia Heston at 339-6983...