PARK, CITY BEING READIED FOR PRESIDENT

Organizers say Cape Girardeau will be ready for the president when he arrives Friday for his campaign visit.

Members of President Clinton's campaign and the Secret Service met Monday at Capaha Park with local law enforcement representatives and city officials to discuss some of the specifics.

Those attending the rally will enter the park on either side of the Capaha Park Lagoon. Water and portable bathrooms will be provided.

According to campaign officials, the stage for the speakers is expected to be built today and Thursday in the grassy island directly in the middle of the circular drive southeast of the Lagoon.

The stage will be decorated, organizers said, but other than a banner or two the park will not be elaborately dressed up.

The circular drive around the stage will be the crowd area, a member of the Clinton-Gore campaign said. Obviously, he said, the anticipated crowd of about 20,000 people will extend as far beyond that as is needed.

Crews will be setting up lights and a sound system for the rally.

Security concerns were addressed Monday by the Secret Service and local law enforcement officials.

A fence will be built around most of the park. Before entering, people must walk through a metal detector.

A route for Clinton and his party has been selected, extending from the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport to the park. For security reasons, the route will not be disclosed and no traffic will be allowed on the route.

Southwestern Bell has set up 96 phone lines for members of the press and Clinton's staff.

Cape Girardeau Public Works Department personnel are mowing, street sweeping and building barricades. They are cleaning up many areas in Cape Girardeau, said Doug Leslie, director of the department.

As might be expected, parks workers have been a little busier than usual the past couple of days.

"We are doing a little extra to spruce up," said Dan Muser, director of the parks department. "But we like to think we keep our parks pretty clean anyway."

Traffic, always a problem at such events, will be handled by various law enforcement agencies. Traffic should be diminished by a shuttle system that will transport people from the West Park Mall to the park.

Parking also will be available at the Show Me Center but people will have to walk to the park from there.

A protest area will be provided, an aide said. He said protesting is not unusual when any president is concerned.

"They have the right to protest," he said. "But they don't have the right to disrupt."

Organizers said much of the plans remain tentative and are subject to change.