Stories from Monday, August 2, 1993

VICKSBURG, Miss. - Like humans, all levees are not built the same way. Some are designed and built to protect only rural farmland and small concentrations of population behind those levees. Others, such as the concrete floodwall and earthen levee in downtown Cape Girardeau, or the concrete floodwall in downtown St. Louis, are designed to protect highly populated urban areas...

STE. GENEVIEVE Hours after residents in the southern section of town cleared out under an emergency evacuation order, flood relief workers were scrambling Sunday afternoon and evening to contain the first serious levee breach in this town's long-running battle against the Mississippi River...

A sign hanging on the street clock at the corner of Main and Themis in downtown Cape Girardeau proclaims the feelings of downtown merchants: "We love our floodwall." "The water would be covering about four feet at the base of the clock at the 49-foot crest," said Hershey. ...

STE. GENEVIEVE Hundreds of people were filling sandbags on the Valle High School parking lot Sunday afternoon when the first sign appeared that something was wrong. National Guard troops who methodically had been loading pallets packed with sandbags onto the backs of trucks suddenly began throwing the bags ferociously into the business ends of front-end loaders...

WARE, Ill. -- About 200 residents of Union County assembled Sunday at the Shawnee High School north of Ware to be briefed on among other things the state of their levees. Lee Roy Rendlemann, chairman of the Union County Board of Commissioners, called the meeting to urge people to evacuate their homes until the Mississippi River level drops to about 35 feet...

The Southeast Missourian asked people what is the craziest story they had heard in relation to the Flood of '93? Merlin Taber of Cape Girardeau: "The railroad tressle they thought was going to give way. They've hauled gravel and sandbags up there, but the tressle is just fine. It's hard to believe that anyone sandbagged for 20 hours straight. In all this heat you must be in good physical shape to do that."...

JACKSON -- Rain put a damper on a sandbagging effort over the weekend, and emergency workers say sandbags are still desperately needed. Starting today at 6 p.m. "The Sandbag Factory" will be "open for business" at the intersection of Highways 25-61, and at the intersection of Highways 72-34 in Jackson...

Once again the Area United Way, which helps fund 25 local human-care organizations, is asking for donations. It hopes to raise $500,000 during its 1993-'94 campaign that began this month and runs through October. The campaign is a worthwhile one. The programs offered by the organizations that get United Way money are varied and comprehensive. ...

Aside from construction of the arterial route itself, connections with the new Highway 74 bridge route through south Cape Girardeau are a top priority for city officials. Mount Auburn Road, a business-lined, north-south arterial on the city's west end, will connect with the planned bridge route just east of Interstate 55...

VENTURA, Calif. Adeby Coury, 85, of Ventura, Calif., and formerly of Cairo, Ill., died July 31, 1993, at her home. Graveside funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Cemetery in Villa Ridge, Ill. Arrangements are under the direction of the Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo...

Ida Marie Hite, 67, of 2703 Leroy Drive, died Saturday, July 31, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Jan. 21, 1926, at Birmingham, Ala., daughter of Clint Thomas and Marie Moss Parrott. She married Elston Hite, Aug. 4, 1946. Hite was a 1944 graduate of Calvert City High School in Calvert City, Ky. She moved to Cape Girardeau in 1961...

Paul E. Krigbaum, 46, of 2016 New Madrid, died Saturday, July 31, 1993, from injuries sustained a car accident. He was born Feb. 24, 1947, at Doniphan, Mo., son of A.B. and Zetta Krigbaum. He was the co-owner of the Sweet Stop Bakery for the past nine years...

SIKESTON -- William A. Kitchen, 82, of Morehouse, Mo., died Saturday, July 31, 1993, at his residence. He was born Oct. 22, 1910, at Portageville, Mo., son of William Dolphus and Oma Jane Blevins Kitchen. He married Laura M. Brown, May 21, 1929. She died July 3, 1984...

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- Jimmy Lee Busby, 45, died July 31, 1993, at the family home in Sedgewickville following a lengthy illness. He was born in Sikeston Oct. 11, 1947, to James H. Busby and Maude Evelyn Johnson Busby. He is survived by his father and stepmother, Jim and Kathy Busby of Sedgewickville; his mother, Maude Hatcher of Woodriver, Ill.; one son, Kenny Busby of East Alton, Ill.; one daughter, Tina Busby of East Alton; one brother, Mike Busby of Granite City, Ill.; two stepbrothers, Mickey Brown of Marble Hill and Phil Brown of Patton; and one stepsister, Kathy Webb of Cape Girardeau.. ...

Wanda L. Boxdorfer, 50, of 1620 Scivally Drive, died Sunday, Aug. 1, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Aug. 5, 1942, at Perry County, daughter of Edgar and Virginia Blessing Bohnert. She married Ervin Boxdorfer, Oct. 27, 1962, at Perryville...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. James D. Rainey Jr., Advance Route 2, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 2:38 a.m. Saturday, July 10, 1993. Name, Tess Jordyn. Weight, 8 pounds 7 ounces. First child. Mrs. Rainey is the former Caryn Nall, daughter of Jay and Judy Nall of Advance. She is a cosmetologist. Rainey is employed at Erlbacher Gear and Machine in Cape Girardeau, and is the son of Jim and Regina Rainey of Glen Allen...

Jerry Zikmund is excited about his move to Cape Girardeau. John McClain is excited about his entry into the retirement mode. "I am just absolutely elated," said Zikmund, who has assumed the manager's position at Kmart in Cape Girardeau. "I've been in Southeast Missouri since 1986 and am familiar with the Cape Girardeau operation."...

A speculation building can be an asset in attracting new industrial prospects. "The spec building is one of the best tools for attracting new industry to an area," says Bob Hendrix, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. "It furthers economic development efforts," said JoAnn Sumner, executive director of the Perry County Industrial Development Authority...

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...

Dr. Raymond August Ritter III has joined Orthopaedic Associates PC, 48 Doctors Park, in the practice of orthopaedic surgery. Ritter represents the third generation to practice with the group in Cape Girardeau. Ritter, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Medicine-Kansas City, completed his internship at Blodgett Memorial Medical Center in Grand Rapids, Mich. ...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: John Kent and Jean A. Gibbs to Charles L. Thurman Jr. and Deborah L. Thurman; Donald Gus Witzel et al. to William E. and Sharon A. Pinkerton; Ivan A. and Yvonne C. Brewer to the Brewer Family Revocable Living Trust...

The Small Business Development Center will conduct counseling sessions in three areas this month. The counselor, Gil Degenhardt, will be available Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office. The counseling sessions (about one hour) are free. Call 335-3312 for an appointment...