Stories from Friday, September 11, 1992

While other fairs across the country have been forced to scale back, the SEMO District Fair has expanded its 137th annual edition. For the first time, festivities will begin on Saturday. The carnival midway will also open for business tomorrow. No admission or parking fees will be charged on Saturday or Sunday, the traditional sneak-a-peek day. A parade will mark the official fair opening Monday night, led by the only dromedary hitch in North America...

The next meeting of the Ileitis Colitis Support Group will be in the Friend's Lounge of the Health and Education Centre at St. Francis Medical Center on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. A tape will be shown on colitis. Call Sue Nauert at the St. Francis Digestive Disease Center, 339-6270, for more invormation...

"Hats! Hats! Hats!" is the theme of the Cape Girardeau Christian Women's Club meeting to be held Monday. The meeting is from noon to 2 p.m. in the Jackson room at Holiday Inn. Cost is $6.50 per person. Speaker will be Marilyn Gosk of St. Louis, and vocalist will be Lana Cook of Cape Girardeau. A special feature will be a parade of hats...

Charles H. Schwepker Jr. of Cape Girardeau received a doctor of philosophy degree from the department of marketing at Memphis State University during commencement ceremonies Aug. 9. He received the Humko Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student in Marketing and has had articles published in several publications...

Cape Girardeau native Rush Limbaugh, host of the most-listened to radio talk show in the nation, apparently is destined to also be a best-selling author. His book, "The Way Things Ought To Be," is available at Waldenbooks and Metro News bookstore in Cape Girardeau, where it's selling quite well...

A Cape Girardeau Police officer has filed a lawsuit accusing the city of discrimination, saying he was suspended and unfairly disciplined because he is black. Officer Freddie Ford is asking for $2 million in damages in the suit, which was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis...

Guardsmen with the Missouri Army National Guard's 1140th Combat Engineer Battalion have erected a temporary 80-foot pedestrian bridge over Cape LaCroix Creek in Arena Park for the SEMO District Fair. The bridge was completed late Thursday and should be open by Sunday...

The countdown is on for the start of the SEMO District Fair. Carnival rides and parking policies are in place and contestants are being sought for games. The midway and carnival rides will open Saturday. Also, a 4-H horse show will be held Saturday afternoon in the grandstand area...

Preliminary plans are being made for First Lady Barbara Bush to attend the Southeast Missouri District Fair Wednesday. Cape Girardeau Police Chief Howard Boyd said Thursday he had been alerted by the Secret Service on Tuesday that Barbara Bush might visit the fair...

About 25 to 30 local women have been enrolled so far in a nationwide breast cancer prevention study. The research will investigate whether the drug tamoxifen will prevent breast cancer. Dr. Jonathan Foley of Cape Girardeau, a general surgeon, is among local physicians serving as an investigator in the research...

A Mounds, Ill. man was seriously injured Thursday morning in a one-vehicle accident near Trail of Tears State Park. The Missouri Highway Patrol said Michael Hollis, 23, was thrown from his car after he lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Pearl Lela Stiff, 92, of Cairo, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 1992 at her home. She was born in Alexander County on Aug. 18, 1900, the daughter of George and Ella Davis. She married Ed Stiff, who preceded her in death. She was a member of the Baptist Church...

Hannah Lavinia Smith, 85, of Cape Girardeau, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1992, at the Lutheran Home. She was born April 5, 1907, in Johnston City, Ill., daughter of George and Eliza Jane Dangerfield Hope. She married Edward Franklin Smith July 15, 1928, in Benton, Ill. He died in January 1964...

Riley T. Bray, 84, 3006 Wisteria, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1992, at the Missouri Veterans Home. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

CAIRO, Ill. -- John H. Ryan, 85, of Cairo, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 1992 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was the owner of the Plaza Hotel in Cairo before his retirement. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and a veteran of World War II...

John T. Spencer, 68, 610 Cordova, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Aug. 25, 1924, at Senath, son of William and Vita L. Ivitt Spencer. He and Laverne Howard were married May 1, 1947, at Chaffee. Spencer was a conductor and brakeman with Burlington-Northern Railroad, retiring in 1986. He was a member of the Church of Christ, Chaffee VFW Post, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II...

SCOTT CITY -- Lavon Tessie Wooten, 66, of Scott City, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Dec. 13, 1925, in Wayne County, Tenn., daughter of Sam and Oma Taylor Linville. She married Glenn V. Wooten Jan. 29, 1946, in Florence, Ala...

BENTON -- Rex Lambert, 75, of Benton, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Lula B. Higgerson, 86, of Sikeston, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Jan. 5, 1906, at New Madrid, daughter of John Wesley and Ida Belle Joiner Keene. She and Harold Higgerson were married Dec. 20, 1924, in New Madrid County. He died Sept. 6, 1973...

Jon Hensley, who plays Holden Snyder on the daytime drama "As The World Turns," has canceled his appearance at the Heartland Women's Show this weekend. In his place, Michael David Morrison, who plays Caleb Snyder on the same program, will appear to answer questions and sign autographs at 1 p.m. Sunday...