Area briefs 7/11/06

Date set for accused drug dealer's jury trial

A trial date was set Monday for a man accused of selling crack cocaine to an undercover police officer in Cape Girardeau. Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Lewis scheduled Evan D. Johnson, 22, of 419 S. Sprigg St., for jury trial Nov. 16. Johnson, charged with felony drug trafficking, is accused of selling 7 grams of crack cocaine to an undercover Bootheel Drug Task Force officer for $500 on Oct. 30, 2003, at the intersection of Bloomfield and Pacific streets.

I-55 getting shoulder repairs this week

Missouri Transportation Department maintenance crews began repairing the shoulders of Interstate 55 on Monday from the Scott City exit to the Fruitland exit. Northbound and southbound traffic was reduced to one lane each, state highway officials said. The highway work and the lane reductions are scheduled to last through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting.

Cape woman pleads innocent to forgery

A Cape Girardeau woman pleaded innocent Monday to charges of bilking more than $22,500 from a faith-based mentoring program. Sherma Wilks, 38, of 3916 Hopper Drive, waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to three counts of felony forgery. She is accused of forging $22,582 worth in checks from Project Hope, her former employer. Wilks was next scheduled to appear in court Aug. 14.

-- From staff reports