NEW ON THE BUSINESS SCENE: POPEYE EXPRESS MOVING WORKERS DURING THE FLOOD

Before the record-breaking Mississippi River flood hit, about 500 Illinois workers crossed the Chester, Ill., bridge each day en route to TG-USA, Solar Express, Gilster-Mary Lee and other industries in the Perryville area.

About 100 Missouri workers crossed the bridge into Chester.

When the bridge was closed recently due to flooding, workers and their jobs were separated.

Enter the Popeye Express, a shuttle-bus service that runs from both sides of the Mississippi through Southern Illinois and Cape Girardeau transporting workers to and from their jobs at a cost of $2 for each one-way trip.

Chester is the home of Elzie Segar, the creator of the "Popeye" cartoon more than six decades ago.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing 74 percent of funding for the emergency worker shuttle while the Chester bridge is out of commission.

The shuttle service consists of two air-conditioned charter buses, each with a capacity of 47 passengers, and the one-way trip takes about two hours and 15 minutes, said Ed Crow, director of economic extension for Randolph County, Ill.

The buses make two stops in the Perryville area, at the town's industrial park, and at the Perryville IGA. The pickup and departure stop at Chester is the Wal-Mart store.

"Some workers on both sides of the river have been idled by the flood," said Crow. "We want to provide workers an opportunity to keep working. We know there are some people who have not been able to get to their jobs."

Crow said the Popeye Express will run as long as needed.

Three busses depart from Chester Wal-Mart each day at 12:05 a.m., 4:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m.

A "whistle stop" is scheduled at Campbell Hill Cupboard in Illinois.

"We're asking industries not to be upset with us concerning the schedule," said Crow. "We're trying to do the greatest good for the greatest number with the resources that we have."

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Ground work is under for an expansion project at West Park Village.

Spokesmen for Drury Development Corp. say about 19,000 square feet will be added on the west side of the shopping and office complex, which is alongside Route K between Broadview and West Drive.

One business, to be named later, has already indicated an interest in a portion of the new space.

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Consumer traffic is holding up well at West Park Mall despite flood conditions in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.

"Our traffic is good in comparison to last year at this time," said Tony Stephens, manager of the mall. "Business is about where we expected it to be."

Meanwhile, consumer traffic has slowed in downtown Cape Girardeau, which is protected by a floodwall.

"The traffic count is down from a year ago," said Evelyn Boardman, who keeps up with the pulse of downtown business.

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Total construction activity is up in Missouri, reported the F.W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill, an authority on the construction market.

Overall construction for the first six months of the year was reported at $2.4 billion, up from the $2.2 billion of a year ago.

Nonresidential construction in the state through June was reported at $919,246,000, 35 percent above the $680,237,000 total for the same period a year ago. Residential construction in the state was at $1,133,771,000, a 7 percent increase.

Nonbuilding construction, which includes streets, highways, bridges, river and harbor developments, airports and a few other projects, was reported at $331,495,000, down about 30 percent from last year's figures of $489,278,000.

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Aztar Corp., which has been selected by Caruthersville city officials to develop a riverboat gambling casino on the Mississippi River at Caruthersville, reportedly has a site under option in the Chesterfield area for a gaming casino on the Missouri River.

The firm, headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., has also talked with St. Louis County officials about operating a riverboat casino on the Mississippi River in the South County Lemay neighborhood.

Aztar operates Trop World in Atlantic City, N.J.; the Tropicana in Las Vegas; and the Ramada Express in Laughlin, Nev.

Gambling companies are tying up land along seven miles of riverfront, from the Chesterfield Mall area west to the other side of Daniel Boone bridge.

A vote by Chesterfield citizens would be required before any casino operation could be granted. The Chesterfield City Council will decide next month whether to place the issue on the November ballot.

More than a half-dozen groups have contacted Chesterfield officials concerning a riverboat casino. Only one would be allowed in Chesterfield.

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At Your Service, a commercial and residential professional cleaning service, is adding a new agency to its service the LBW Tradespeople Referral Agency Inc.

"We will have quick access to dependable contractors," said Lori Wheeler-Bodenschatz, who announced the new service, which will be available by early September.

"We'll screen and schedule tradespeople to do whatever work you need," she said. "That includes carpenters, painters, electricians, roofers, plumbing, et cetera. No job is too big or too small."

The service is free of charge.

Wheeler-Bodenschatz said her firm will be working closely with a number of contractors and tradepersons in the area. "These workmen will be bonded and insured," she said.

Additional information is available by calling 339-1368.

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The Illinois State Historical Society is looking for a business that can trace its founding date to 1818.

That's the year Illinois became a state.

The earliest known business in the state now is in Springfield the law firm of Brown, Hay and Stephens, which was established in 1828.

"A total of 500 Illinois businesses and organizations have been in operation for more than 100 years," said Karen Fyfe, of the society. "And we're always looking for more."

A dozen new century businesses will be recognized during the ninth annual Centennial Business Program Banquet Sept. 17 at the Springfield Hilton Inn.

The Centennial Business Program, sponsored by the society, honors the growing number of 100-year-old businesses in Illinois each year.

"Our program records the important commercial and industrial heritage of the state," said Fyfe. "Many of the business records of the honored firms have been donated to the Illinois State Historical Libraries. Others go to local libraries and historical societies for preservation and use by researchers."

Businesses honored receive a certificate and a one-year complimentary membership in the Illinois State Historical Society.

A half-dozen Southern Illinois businesses have been honored since the start of the program in 1984. They include:

Gazette-Democrat newspaper, Anna.

Humma's Drugstore, Metropolis.

Elliott's Furniture, Metropolis.

First National Bank, Metropolis.

McLeansboro Times-Leader, McLeansboro.

First Bank and Trust Co., Murphysboro.

Additional information concerning the program is available by contacting the Illinois State Historical Society at (217)-782-2635.

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A "Cape Girardeau Region" telephone directory, to be ready for distribution this fall, will provide expanded shopping coverage, say Southwestern Bell Telephone officials.

"The new directory will consolidate three current Southwestern Bell telephone books into one," said Craig Felzien, local manager of the company. "We will consolidate the Cape Girardeau, Advance and Marble Hill directories."

John Scoville, division manager with Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages Inc., said the decision to publish a regional directory was made following a survey of area businesses and consumers.

"We believe the expanded format is a more convenient and effective way to serve our customers," said Felzien.

Delivery of the new book is scheduled for October.

Meanwhile, another Cape Girardeau telephone directory Midwestern Telephone Directory will be delivered in August.

"We ran into some publishing problems," said Jim Newberry. "But everything is moving now, and we'll be delivering our directories this month."

This is the seventh edition of the Midwestern Telephone Directory. Newberry started printing the directory in 1987.