Stories from Saturday, September 9, 1995

A more than usual number of cases of intestinal illness have come to the attention of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. The center has identified the bacterial illnesses as shigellosis and giardiasis. "It's not what we would call an outbreak of the two bacterial illnesses," said Jonell McNeely, environmental sanitary supervisor at the health center. "But we have had more cases than normal over the past four weeks."...

Finding day care for a child can be tough. A new Child Care Resource and Referral Agency might make it easier. Southeast Missouri State University will run the agency with federal block grant money provided by the Missouri Department of Health. University and state child-care officials announced the service at a campus press conference Friday...

A group of Cape Girardeau leaders gathered Friday to hear Mid-America Teen Challenge announce a three-year building fund campaign to raise over $500,000 from the area, part of a $3 million statewide goal. About 25 people representing several area businesses and professions were treated to lunch at Drury Lodge and told that Mid-America Teen Challenge needs their leadership to reach its local goal...

It's amazing, the difference between a child's view of the SEMO District Fair and an adult's view. My family traveled from Sikeston to the fair for one glorious night every year. Each of us had a set amount of money to spend on rides, but Mom and Dad pretty much went bonkers on the food. They gave in almost every time we asked for it...

The 140th edition of the SEMO District Fair opens tomorrow at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. It is a massive undertaking, spanning seven days and offering entertainment for the whole family. The fair represents Cape Girardeau's most popular short-term tourist attraction. More than 90,000 fair-goers are expected to pass through the gates next week. It has earned a stellar statewide reputation as well and is considered the fourth-largest outdoor event in Missouri...

Reimann Son to Blyn and Amy Reimann, 119 Albert, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:12 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1, 1995. Name, Blake Alexander. Weight, 7 pounds, 3 ounces. First son. Mrs. Reimann is the former Amy Hurst, daughter of Janet Bell of Millersville and Gary Hurst of Cape Girardeau. She is employed at World of Honda-Yamaha. Reimann is employed by Reimann Farms. He is the son of Brenda Werkheiser of Fort Worth, Texas, and Donald Reimann of Sikeston...

Each year at this time, it happens. People arrive at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau to clean out buildings, put up tents and fences, set up the livestock pens and gates, install carnival midway rides and, in general, prepare for the annual Southeast Missouri District Fair...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- The Rev. George Pitts, 81, of Wolf Lake died Friday, Sept. 8, 1995, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Hileman and Parr Funeral Services in Jonesboro, Ill.

DIEHLSTADT -- Beulah Mae Norman, 79, of Diehlstadt died Friday, Sept. 8, 1995, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Dec. 25, 1915, in Scott City, daughter of Thomas J. and Sarah Elizabeth Rodgers Sneed. She was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church in Diehlstadt. She attended First Baptist Church in Diehlstadt and was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 122...

MARBLE HILL -- Frank H. Yount, 67, of Marble Hill, died Friday, Sept. 8, 1995, at his home. He was born Sept. 8, 1928, at Morley, son of George and Ada Wright Yount. He married Ruby Hughes June 19, 1948. She survives. Yount was a truck driver for the Danny Gilder Trucking Co. He was a member of the Lively Hope Full Gospel Church of Oran...

A funeral service for Oma E. Anderson of Cape Girardeau will be at 1 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Funeral Home on Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau. Burial will follow in the Dongola Baptist Church Cemetery, north of Advance. Anderson, 87, died Thursday, Sept. 7, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Merit pay has been debated on the Southeast Missouri State University campus for a number of years. A revised plan has moved a step closer to implementation in 1996. While some have embraced the notion, others at the university are worried that merit pay may give the administration the means to fire tenured professors...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Dathel V. Woodard, 70, of East Prairie died Thursday, Sept. 7, 1995, in the Bertrand Nursing Home after an extended illness. She was born Dec. 31, 1924, near Wolf Island, daughter of Harve and Cleo E. Lindsey Ivie Allen. On Aug. 8, 1942, she married Otis R. Woodard, who preceded her in death Oct. 22, 1988...

SIKESTON -- Robert "Robbie" Poley, 24, of Sikeston died Friday, Sept. 8, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete with the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

Leonard Clyde Duley, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 8, 1995, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Ford and Sons Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

THEBES, Ill. -- Ina Sue Lesar, 57, of Thebes, Ill., died Thursday, Sept. 7, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 24, 1938, at Gale, Ill., daughter of Floyd Parmer and Wanda Prater Parmer. She married John Lesar Aug. 21, 1955, at Cairo, Ill. He survives...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- William "Bill" Parker, 67, of East Cape Girardeau, formerly of Grand Tower, Ill., died Friday, Sept. 8, 1995, at his residence. Friends may call Sunday after 5 p.m. at the Meredith Funeral Chapel in Grand Tower. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral chapel, with the Rev. Larry Schacklee officiating...

The action-adventure Super Nintendo video game, "Captain Novolin," has been donated to the Diabetic Buddies Support Group. It can be checked out free of charge at one of three locations, Blockbuster Video in Cape Girardeau; Video Specialties in Scott City; and Jackson Super Video...

A free program on the importance of exercise for people with diabetes will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, in Conference Rooms A and B at St. Francis Medical Center. The program is jointly sponsored by The American Diabetes Association-Southeast Missouri Chapter, St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Most people in most jobs are susceptible to contracting carpal tunnel syndrome during their careers. But people who routinely perform repetitive tasks are more prone to contracting it than others. "Anybody's prone to it," physical therapist Robert Sherrill said, adding that it's not always a job-related illness...

St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital, in cooperation with Cape Girardeau Urology Associates, will sponsor a free prostate screening program Saturday, Sept. 16, as part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. This is the sixth consecutive year that Cape Girardeau has participated in the national program. Cape Girardeau is one of 800 sites around the country to offer the screenings...