Stories from Saturday, August 3, 1996

GORDONVILLE -- The third reunion of the descendants of Heinrich Conrad and Doretta Greten Siemers is planned Aug. 10. The event will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, Highway 25 South in Gordonville, beginning at 11 a.m. A potluck meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. Table service and beverages will be provided...

BLOOMFIELD -- Stoddard County Assessor Wayne Millington faces Democratic challengers Jody Lemmons and Terry Bates in Tuesday's primary. Millington, of Advance, thinks his experience, education and ability enable him to do the job well. "We will continue to follow state guidelines and run the office as efficiently as possible," he said. "I should be re-elected because of my past performance, and the job is a challenge, and I still look forward to doing my job."...

Southeast Missouri State University has postponed a wreath-laying ceremony scheduled for Sunday for three victims of TWA Flight 800. It will be rescheduled. Southeast graduate Joe Lychner's wife and two daughters were among the 230 people killed when TWA Flight 800 exploded last month over the Atlantic...

Seventeen couples participated in the Lamaze class that was taught by Terri Kahle at Southeast Missouri Hospital. The two-hour classes are held once a week for four weeks. Amy Yamnitz, left, and her husband, Greg, took Lamaze classes. Their baby is due Sunday...

Missourians could save the state more than $328,000 each year by receiving their benefit or payroll checks electronically. Holden announced the paperless check plan Friday during a visit to Southeast Missouri. "It makes sense," Holden said. "It's cost-saving and more efficient. I'm trying to push us into the 21st century."...

Cities and counties around the state got an unpleasant jolt in March when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the local portion of a state use tax unconstitutional. On Tuesday, voters in 86 Missouri counties -- including Cape Girardeau, Scott and Perry -- will be asked to approve local use taxes to replace those the high court threw out...

JACKSON -- Much like creeks and rivers overflow their banks, the Jackson R-2 school district has overflowed its building space. Rising enrollment has prompted the district to propose building a new elementary school, an addition to North Elementary School and a new math and science wing at the high school...

Earlier this week during a speech at a film studio, Republican presidential hopeful Bob "Grumpy" Dole gave a speech lambasting the quality of movies which come out of Tinsel Town. He must have recently been forced to sit through a Jim Carey film festival or something...

The Cape Girardeau County Christian Women's Club luncheon and meeting will be Aug. 12 from noon to 2 p.m. at Holiday Inn. The theme is "A Learning Experience." A special feature will be a program on "Wallpaper for Less" by Wendy Hayes. Speaker will be author Pat Baker of Bolivar. Her topic is "Life's Learning Experiences."...

JACKSON -- Although the two school districts are about the same size in enrollment, that's where the comparison of Jackson and Cape Girardeau schools ends. Cape Girardeau has about four times the population of Jackson, but Jackson R-2 Schools draw students from a large geographic area in the county...

To the editor: This is an open letter to the good people of the Jackson School District. Tuesday is another important day for our children and grandchildren of the Jackson School District. They are too young to vote, so they depend on us to help plat their future and assure them of a good start in life's adventures...

"SAT Scores Rise Strongly After Test Is Overhauled" read a recent Wall Street Journal headline. The continuation of the article carried the title "SAT Scores Post Strong Increase." Good news? Hardly. The "higher" scores came from a "dumbed-down" test. ...

It has been nearly 30 years since the Cape Girardeau School District has constructed a building. The last was the vocational-technical school in 1967. Times have changed considerably in the last three decades, and the district's building needs must keep pace...

The Cape Girardeau School District may get some help on updating vocational-technical education from Southeast Missouri State University. The university wants join with the public schools to build a $5.5 million vocational-technical center that would provide training in advanced manufacturing technology...

Son to Brad and Leslee Urhahn of Liberty, St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, 7:10 a.m. Monday, July 22, 1996. Name, Jackson Scott. Weight, 7 pounds. Mrs. Urhahn is the former Leslee Blake, daughter of Lee and Joyce Blake of Kansas City. She is association manager with Applied Measurement Professionals. Urhahn is the son of Gilbert and Elvira Urhahn of Jackson. He is senior instructural engineer with Burns-McDonald Engineering Co...

GRAND TOWER, Ill. -- Ralph L. Anderson, 80, of Grand Tower, died Friday, Aug. 2, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 5, 1915, in Missouri, son of Hiram W. and Abagail Neace Anderson. He first married Mary Fay Dillow, who died June 30, 1970. He later married the former Margaret P. Hicks...

SIKESTON -- Thelma Lea Ivie, 80, of Sikeston, died Friday, Aug. 2, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Dec. 21, 1915, in Gibson, daughter of William Henry and Minnie May Black Hamm. She first married Bert Starr July 9, 1935. He preceded her in death. She later married Raymond Ivie April 22, 1960. He died June 20, 1980...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Funeral service for Cora Wilson of Decatur, formerly of Tamms, will be held at 1 p.m. today at J.J. Moran and Sons Funeral Home in Decatur. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery at Decatur. Friends may call at the funeral home from noon to service time...

Douglas Koch, 67, 1414 Jefferson, died Friday, Aug. 2, 1996, at his home. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Raymond W. Popp of Jackson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. David Johnson will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. Sunday...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Lena Maude Lewis of O'Fallon, Ill., formerly of Sikeston, will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Lee Fansler will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Lewis, 79, died Wednesday, July 31, 1996, at O'Fallon Health Care Center...

ANNA, Ill. -- Judy Ann Rushing Houseman, 34, died Friday, Aug. 2, 1996, at Union County. She was born July 30, 1962, at Anna, daughter of Russell and Juanita Fisher Rushing. She was employed by the Peach Tree Estates Nursing Home in Jonesboro, Ill. Survivors include a son, Nathan Houseman of Anna; two brothers, David and Joe Rushing, both of Anna; and a niece, Sarah Rushing...