Stories from Tuesday, September 7, 1993

Two years ago, Clara and James Probst lost their two daughters in a fire that badly burned James as he ran upstairs to try to save them. His tracheotomy scar is a result of all the smoke he inhaled. Monday, he spoke in a customary wheeze about the losses the latest disaster the flood has visited upon Clara and him...

Tents and carnival rides arrive today. Fences and ticket booths went up over the weekend. The transformation of Arena Park to the SEMO District Fairgrounds has begun. The 138th annual fair begins Sunday. Volunteers began preparing the grounds Saturday, said Bob Nitsch, president of the fair board...

JACKSON - Implementation of a countywide 911 emergency telephone system, approved by voters of Cape Girardeau County in November 1991, is still on target for Nov. 2. "It all seems to be coming together," said Brian Miller, emergency operations center director for the county and chairman of the seven-member committee appointed by the county commission to implement the system...

After closure for the last year and a half because of terminal renovation, the restaurant at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport is set to reopen. The Runway Restaurant and Lounge will open Wednesday, according to Airport Manager Randy Holdman. Mary Bergen will operate the restaurant, which will carry a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner and be open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m...

The Southeast Missourian asked those involved in cleanup of the Flood of '93 what they felt about the effectiveness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Ron Probst of Cape Girardeau: "I personally think it's a big joke! Instead of coming into the community to help, they want you to go through all this paper work, when people are at their wit's end. The hell with them, I say!"...

Back in 1979, Andrew Young was the American ambassador to the United Nations. Without telling his superiors, he had some off-the-cuff discussions in the corridor with PLO delegates in New York. Official American policy forbade any talks by U.S. officials with the Palestinians. Young was fired...

Labor Day, the traditional end of summer, brought with it another tradition this year: the Jerry Lewis telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. As an unfortunate spinoff of this, there is one more tradition: protests aimed at Lewis and the telethon. Adversaries of the telethon say the entertainer resorts to "pity-mongering" to raise money for MDA research, robbing the disabled of their dignity. We don't see it. These protests are misguided...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. - A Scott County man was seriously injured early Monday morning when the car he was driving ran off Illinois Route 146 and came to rest in a flooded farm field, one mile east of here. Illinois State Police at Ullin identified the driver as Floyd K. Benson, 61, of Scott City. Benson was listed in serious condition in the surgical intensive care unit at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Alvin Bock, 84, of 424 W. Madison in Jackson died at Perry County Memorial Hospital Saturday, Sept. 4, 1993. He was born Oct. 28, 1909 near Gordonville, the son of August Bock and Minnie Ristig. On Nov. 6, 1932, he married the former Ruby Willa. She survives...

Lawrence Fuhrmann, 83, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, Sept. 6, 1993, at Cape LaCroix Nursing Center. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, which ware incomplete at this time.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Verna Elizabeth Brunson, 87, of Wood River, formerly of Cairo, died Monday, Sept. 6, 1993, at St. Anthony's Hospital in Alton. She was born Sept. 5, 1906, in Carlisle County, Ky., daughter of William and Della Day Willis. She married Milton B. Brunson, who died Jan. 19, 1990...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Myrtle Masterson of Jackson will be held at 2 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Chapel. The Revs. O. Otto Steinhaus and Nancy Woods will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park at Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at the funeral home from 8:30 a.m. to service time...

William J. Hink, 55, of Florissant, died Saturday, Sept. 4, 1993, at Christian Hospital Northeast in Florissant, following a lengthy illness. He was born Oct. 22, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, son of Theodore V. and Cordelia Hink. He married the former Betty Morton...

James J. "Jim" Hopen, 70, 1738 Luce, died Sunday, Sept. 5, 1993, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born April 13, 1923, at Jefferson City, son of Emil and Minnie Hoelscher Hopen. He and Betty Sue Johnson were married Oct. 10, 1944, in Jefferson City...

PERRYVILLE -- Bessie Rose LaHomme, 88, of Perryville, died Sunday, Sept. 5, 1993, at St. Joseph Hospital in Kirkwood, Mo. She was born July 11, 1905, at Perry County, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Moonier DeClue. She married Leo J. LaHomme, Aug. 3, 1929. He died April 5, 1954...

More than 40 Illinois communities have expressed an interest in a proposed new $60 million super-maximum prison. Sept. 15 is the deadline for counties, cities, coalitions and other agencies to apply for the facility. The Illinois Department of Corrections expects to begin holding regional meetings by month's end to give applicants a chance to present their cases...

Gabriel C. Mayfield of Cape Girardeau was recently awarded a $500 scholarship to attend Terra Technical College in Fremont, Ohio, by the American Welding Society. The 18 year old is the son of Barbara Mayfield and Joe Mayfield. The scholarship pays for tuition, books and materials in the welding curriculum...

Dr. Richard Kies will discuss kerato refractive surgery, on this Thursday's "Ask Your Doctor" show on Cable Channel 5 at 8 p.m. It is a microsurgical procedure to correct nearsightedness and astigmatism. The one-on-one medical show features local doctors answering questions from local viewers who call in...

JACKSON - The Jackson High School Cheerleaders recently returned from a National Cheerleaders association summer camp workshop. There, squad member Kari Ann Hayden received top recognition. She was selected a member of the NCA All American Team. Hayden is a senior at Jackson High School. She is the daughter of Mike and Lori Hayden of Jackson and Ed and Sharon Meadows of Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON - Today's meeting of the Cape Girardeau Life Member Club of Telephone Pioneers of America will be a breakfast at Jer's Restaurant in Jackson. It will begin at 9 a.m. with Sharon Smith presiding. Jo Ann Fee, a nurse from Southeast Missouri Hospital, will be the guest speaker...

Young people who have given time and service to Southeast Missouri Hospital patients and employees were honored recently at a luncheon hosted by the hospital. The luncheon included the recognition of junior and student volunteers by Volunteer Services Director Charlotte Sargent and her associate Carole Limbach as well as a program by nurse Barb McKeon...

More than two years ago, Tom Wetzel and Al Wright moved their manufacturing business into a small business incubator in Southeast Missouri. "We've outgrown our facility at the incubator and we're looking at outside facilities now," said Wetzel. "We need a building of about 15,000 to 20,000 square feet."...

There are four basic routes to hairless skin shaving, depilating, waxing and electrolysis. Shaving is the least expensive and most popular, but hair grows back quickly because it is cut above the skin. The latter, electrolysis, may be most costly, but it is also most permanent...

Limited job opportunities are expected in Southeast Missouri this fall, according to one survey. But, right now, there are some jobs available in Cape Girardeau County. "Sixty-seven of local executives questioned about work force operations for October, November and December indicated they expected to maintain current levels," said Barbara Larkins of Manpower Inc., which conducts quarterly employment polls. "Only 20 percent of those polled say they will increase personnel."...

Coming up: Sept. 9 AIM workshop on Family and Medical Leave Act, Holiday Inn, Cape Girardeau, 9 a.m. to noon. Sept. 17 Education-Business/Industry Summit, Show Me Center, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 21 Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce "Business After Hours," Show Me Center...

G. Rives Neblett, chairman and chief executive officer of Shelby Die Casting Co. of Shelby, Miss., will address participants at the Education Business/Industry Summit scheduled Sept. 17 at Southeast Missouri State University. The summit, which is being hosted by Southeast President Kala M. Stroup and 8th District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, will be held at the Show Me Center, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m...

Doris Jean Arnold, a sales associate with Century 21 Ashland Realty Co., will be honored for sales accomplishments during a special conference to be held at Corpus Christi, Texas in October. Arnold is among the top one percent of Century 21 sales associates in the South Central States St. Louis Region. She is also among the top four percent of listing associates...