Artifacts 12/22/06

Arts council to host work by Varro, Irwin

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will hold exhibitions by local artist Lou Varro and nationally known artist Russell Irwin during January, starting with a First Friday opening reception at 5 p.m. Jan. 5. Varro's work consists of paintings, while Irwin's mixes paintings and his signature paper mosaic style. Irwin will also teach a workshop on creating paper mosaics Jan. 27 and 28 at the Garden Gallery. For more information, call the arts council at 334-9233.

Fund-raisers bag nearly $3,000 for charity

Two concert fund-raisers held over the weekend in Cape Girardeau netted almost $3,000 combined for charitable causes. A benefit Saturday at Pockets featuring Mary Ramsey, Ninth Life and Drivin' Rain brought in about $1,600 to help pay for medical treatments for 13-year-old Aaron Gostowski, who is battling a brain tumor. Sunday's "Christmas Hoot," held at Buckner Brewing Co., Broussard's and Port Cape Girardeau and featuring several local acts, brought in about $1,200 for Cottonwood Treatment Center. That total could rise as more donations come in, organizer Bob Camp said.

Monster trucks coming to Show Me Center

The Monster Truck Winternationals, featuring monster truck races, car crushing and motocross, will return to the Show Me Center Jan. 5 and 6. Show times are 7:30 p.m. both nights. For more information, call the Show Me Center at 651-5000 or visit www.showmecenter.biz.

'Man of La Mancha,' 'Joseph' at Carson Center

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Paducah's Carson Center will welcome two large productions in the coming months -- the Tony Award-winning "Man of La Mancha" Jan. 16 and 17 and the classic "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" Feb. 20 and 21. "Man of La Mancha" is a musical based on "The Adventures of Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes and first debuted on Broadway in 1965. "Joseph" is the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic written in 1968. For more information on these productions, call (270) 443-9932.

'Cabin Fever Days' begin Wednesday

The Missouri Department of Conservation's Conservation Campus Nature Center at Cape Girardeau County Park North will hold "Cabin Fever Days" starting Wednesday with a program from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The program continues each day through Dec. 29. "Cabin Fever Days" is designed to entertain children over winter break with stories, nature time and a hike on White Oak Trace. For more information, call (573) 290-5858.

Christmas stories to air on KRCU Sunday

Southeast Public Radio, 90.9 FM, will air a series of readings of traditional and contemporary satirical Christmas stories at 3 p.m. Sunday on its "Going Public" program. The readings are from local residents.

-- From staff reports