Stories from Friday, June 25, 1993

CHARLESTON -- James L. "Paul" Craig, 76, of Charleston, died Tuesday, June 22, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Aug. 31, 1916, in Little Rock, Ark., son of Steve and Willie Lee Hightower Craig. He and Annie Canady were married March 9, 1945...

The region received a first-hand glimpse of a man who could be a real player in the next presidential election. Former secretary of defense Dick Cheney came across quick-witted, plainspoken and well informed as he spoke to about 200 people in Cape Girardeau Tuesday...

A free performance of "Cinderella" will be held twice today, featuring students of Keyboards and Kindermusik. The musical will be presented at 2 p.m. for area day cares and again at 7 p.m. for the public. The program will be held at Bethel Assembly of God Church, 1855 Perryville Road...

"Short Stuff," an exhibition of art especially for children, will be held from July 6 to Aug. 13 in the Southeast Missouri University Museum. The exhibit will feature paintings hung low on the gallery walls, providing easy access for young people to view. Visitors to the gallery also will be invited to touch sculpture, which is on loan from local artists who are interested in encouraging children to feel as well as see art...

"Summer Safety" will be the topic of Dr. S. Kent Griffith on the "Ask Your Doctor" program Thursday at 8 p.m. on cable channel 5. "Ask Your Doctor" is a one-on-one medical show with local doctors answering questions of viewers who call in. It is sponsored jointly by St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau County Medical Society and channel 5...

Today is moving day for patrons of the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Jo Nell Lingo, administrator at the center, said senior citizens will have a final meal today at the Cape Civic Center on Broadway before workers begin moving equipment and supplies to the new $400,000 facility at 921 N. Clark...

Wearing your seat belt not only could save your life, it could land you some freebies Saturday afternoon. The Cape Girardeau Police Department and Community Traffic Safety Program will conduct a safety check and awareness fair from 1-4 p.m. at Mount Auburn Road near Boatman's Bank...

FROHNA -- Edwin J. "Ebs" Vogel, 68, of Frohna, died Wednesday, June 23, 1993, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 19, 1925, at Frohna, son of Carl and Emma Bergt Vogel. He and Vera Petzoldt were married Aug. 27, 1949. Vogel was a lumber inspector at East Perry Lumber Co. He was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church, its Men's Club and choir; American Legion Post 133, VFW Post 4282, and Frohna Recreation Club. He was a veteran of World War II...

Geraldine Elizabeth Harmon, 79, 539 S. Spring, died Wednesday, June 23, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Sept. 19, 1913, in Memphis, Tenn., daughter of Daniel B. and Laura Lee Norton Smith. She and Chester Harmon were married Feb. 21, 1935, in Blytheville, Ark...

Funeral service for Viola "Vickie" Pfeil of Irving, Texas, was held Monday at St. Dominick Catholic Church in St. Louis. The Rev. Edward Feuerbacher officiated, with burial in Jefferson Barracks Cemetery Hoffmeister Funeral Home in St. Louis was in charge of arrangements...

ADVANCE -- James L. Neal, 72, Advance Route 1, died Thursday, June 24, 1993, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Morgan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tom Dillon is one of two trainmasters for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He directs the Blue Unit. Like other trainmasters, Tom Dillon is responsible for making sure his train gets from one city to the next - on time and safely. But that's where the similarities end. Instead of transporting freight, Dillon's train carries over 300 men, women and children, plus an assortment of exotic animals...

City officials are hoping a $1.1 million renovated terminal building at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport will be a catalyst for increased boardings and, eventually, airline service to additional cities. Representatives of Trans World Express, the airport's commercial airline, met Thursday with travel agents and city leaders to tour the new terminal facility and to discuss the future of the municipal airport...

The Charlie Daniels Band headlines grandstand entertainment for the 1993 SEMO District Fair Sept. 12-18. Fair officials unveiled plans for this year's entertainment Thursday. The SEMO District Fair is the oldest fair in Missouri and the fourth largest in the state. The 1993 fair is the 138th edition...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- A Medon, Tenn., man was seriously injured Thursday when his car ran off Interstate 57 and overturned. James E. Tyson, 33, was transported to Union County Hospital, after losing control of his car at about 10 a.m. A spokesman for the Illinois State Police said that Tyson lost control of his pickup truck while heading southbound on Interstate 57, about a half-mile south of the Dongola interchange. ...

From the end of the 1920s until they disbanded in the mid-'50s (with a few years off for World War II), the Golden Troopers of Cape Girardeau ranked among the nation's finest drum and bugle corps. Named for their gold-colored uniforms, they won the Missouri American Legion drum and bugle corps championship eight times, and often placed high in national contests, with a best finish of fifth in Los Angeles in 1950...

A link between railroads and circuses goes back to the early 1800s, says a "History of Railroads and Circuses" provided by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus transportation department. By the 1830s, both circuses and railroads began to appear in the Eastern United States. ...

CIRCUS NINJA: Teenaged masters of the ancient marial art of Wushu will perform during the circus this weekend. Some kids still dream of running away from home to join the circus, one of its youngest performers confirms. The circus is home to Jessica Adams...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Little Texas and Steve Wariner will be the headline performers at Portageville's first Homecoming Celebration July 3. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. at the Portageville High School football stadium. Gates will open at 6:30. The celebration will begin with a patriotic ceremony at 10 a.m., to be followed by tennis tournaments, rod and reel casting tournaments, bingo, a basketball shoot, a dunking booth, mules rides, pillow fights, a "Gladiators wall" and a barbecue...

The two millionth customer to attend an event at the Show Me Center will win a prize during Saturday's 3:30 p.m. performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The patron will win two tickets to all entertainments events at the center during the next year...