Buh-bye, Big Sky ...

Today is the last day scheduled for Big Sky Airline flights at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. Departure times are set for 5:45 a.m., 12:35 p.m. and 4:25 p.m.

The airport advisory board moved its Tuesday meeting to Jan. 15. Airport manager Bruce Loy said the board made the decision late last week to accommodate incoming proposals for new commercial passenger air service. The U.S. Department of Transportation issued an emergency request for proposals just before Christmas and immediately after Big Sky announced it was folding. Great Lakes Airlines, the carrier that proposed service to St. Louis but lost out to Big Sky last year, is expected to renew its bid for local service.

The advisory board's public meeting is 5 p.m. Jan. 15, at the airport's Drop Zone restaurant. For details, call 334-6230.

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Tonight's Cape Girardeau City Council meeting includes some appointments. The council will chose from among no fewer than 14 applicants for two open positions on the city's Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course advisory board.

City clerk Gayle Conrad answered a recurrent question posed by readers about how advisory board members are compensated. She said each member of any city advisory board receives an individual pass to use municipal facilities, such as the golf course or the Osage Community Centre.

John Richbourg, the city's finance director, said the dollar value of the pass depends on where and how often it is used. An individual season pass for the golf course costs $407; those older than 60 pay $262. City employees also receive individual passes; Richbourg said he does not golf.

In Jackson, the 8:15 p.m. study session agenda for the board of aldermen includes time for Mitch Robinson, executive director of Cape Girardeau Area Magnet. He's scheduled to tell the board what he's done over the last year to lure businesses to Jackson, so aldermen can decide whether to renew Magnet's $24,269 annual contract.

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Among those heading to class as school gets back in session are city of Cape Girardeau employees Lt. Jack Wimp, police officer; Mike Ramsey, battalion chief for the fire department; Michelle Hahn, the city's public information coordinator; and Ken Eftink, director of development services.

They join the 2008 Leadership Cape Girardeau class, a seven-month program run by the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. Since the training started, 28 city workers have participated; 14 still work for the city, according to Hahn.

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Wednesday is the last day for Missourians to register if they want to vote in the Feb. 5 presidential preference primary. That ballot includes three people vying to replace former state representative Nathan Cooper: Democrat Mike Keefe, Libertarian Steve Kinder and Republican Mary Kasten. Illinois voters must register by Jan. 8 for a Feb. 5 primary, which includes elections ranging from county to U.S. Senate seats.

What, me nag? Nah, just a little fired up after reading this Abraham Lincoln quote:

"Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters."

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Sunday's story on a state-of-the-city address, by Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner, stirred a lively online discussion. Check out the story, the reaction and the eight-minute video at www.semissourian.com or join the discussion on my blog, "Cape: state of the city," at www.semissourian.com/blogs/mcnichol.

~Questions, suggestions or tips for Lost on Main Street? E-mail me at pmcnichol@semissourian.com or call 335-6611, extension 127