Briefly

Sikeston school board president gets DWI

Paul H. Boyd, school board president for the Sikeston School District, was issued two summonses Thursday in connection with driving while intoxicated and unlawful use of a weapon. Boyd, 42, of Sikeston, Mo., was pulled over at the intersection of Kingsway and Leroy drives in Cape Girardeau for swerving within his lane and crossing over the center lane, said Cpl. Jason Selzer, spokesman for the Cape Girardeau Police Department. The officer asked Boyd to perform a series of field sobriety tests and felt he failed, Selzer said. After being taken to the police station, Boyd tested above the legal limit on a breathalyzer test, police said. A search of Boyd's vehicle revealed two loaded handguns, a 9 mm Kel-Tec and a .32-caliber Kel-Tec pistol. A hearing was scheduled for Nov. 15. Boyd served as a detective, sergeant and lieutenant with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety for nine years, and since 1995 has been a senior probation officer with the state of Missouri.

Cape County Dems hold fall festival today

The Cape County Democrats are having their fall festival dinner and fundraiser at 6 p.m. today at the lower level of Elks Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Those attending are asked to bring auction items, donations. For more information, call Evelyn Wiethop at 335-3529. To get tickets and ads, call Brenda Woemmel at 334-5147.

Anti-drug documentary available for schools

The anti-drug documentary "No More Sunsets" is available for presentations at schools or other locations. "No More Sunsets" tells the story of Cape Girardeau native Shawn Bridges and his death due to a meth addiction. Following the documentary, recovering addicts are available to give speeches or answer questions. For more information, call Jack Bridges at 573-587-9157, e-mail jack@michaeljasonenterprises.com or visit www.nomoresunsets.net.

Cape conservation group wins EPA grant

The Cape Girardeau-based Youth Conservation Corps was recently awarded with an EPA grant from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation for habitat improvements and restoration at the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in Stoddard County, Mo. The project was one of several throughout Missouri funded by the $15,677 grant. Other projects occurred in the Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis areas. Workers with the Youth Conservation Corps completed the project. The corps employs youth in conservation jobs, and started in Cape Girardeau, now with programs in 42 states, said Phil Helfrich, one of the corps' administrators.

Ribbon-cutting date set for Rotary Lake trail

Now that work to widen and resurface Rotary Lake recreation trail, the city of Jackson will host a grand opening in Jackson City Park. The city committed $72,077 to widening the existing 5-foot-wide path by one foot and resurface it with an asphalt overlay. Jokerst Inc. of Ste. Genevieve, Mo., was hired to work on the 6,413-foot-long Rotary Lake recreation trail, which included the paving, grading seeding and mulching. Jackson's parks department added some landscaping. In a joint statement released by Jackson's parks and recreation director Shane Anderson and public works director Rodney Bollinger said "bicycle and pedestrian trail systems are an important component of Jackson's transportation plan. The focus of our Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan is intracity facilities that link major origins and destinations, such as schools, parks and other public areas. The plan is to provide safe, clearly marked and well-maintained recreation routes to encourage nonmotorized transportation modes." The public ribbon-cutting ceremony is 10:30 a.m. Friday at Jackson City Park. The park's boundaries are North High Street, Main Street, Farmington Road and Route D. The gathering takes place in the parking lot at the north end of the municipal swimming pool.

-- From staff reports