BUSINESSES, OFFICES ALTER SCHEDULES FOR HOLIDAY

Celebrants of this Fourth of July holiday can enjoy the weekend without worrying about uncooperative weather.

The National Weather Service says there is little or no precipitation in the forecast for Friday through Sunday.

The temperatures for this holiday weekend will range from highs in the 80s to lows in the 60s, according to the weather service.

The observance of the 216th birthday of the United States will fall on Saturday this year, and many area businesses, offices and institutions will be closed.

Some offices and businesses also will be closed on either Friday or Monday in observance of the holiday.

All area banks and financial institutions will be closed Saturday, but will be open for regular hours on Friday and Monday.

License fee offices in Cape Girardeau and Jackson will be closed Friday and Saturday, but will resume a regular schedule on Monday. The license fee office in Chaffee will be open Friday and closed Saturday.

No Missouri driver's license examinations will be given in Cape Girardeau on Friday. Testing at the Naval Training Center will resume next Thursday.

Offices will be closed on Monday at Southeast Missouri State University. The offices will be open and students will attend classes on Friday.

City offices in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City will be closed Friday and Saturday, but will resume their regular schedule on Monday. The city offices in Chaffee will be open Friday and closed Monday.

In observance of the holiday, the City of Cape Girardeau Solid Waste Division of Public Works, including the Transfer Station, will be closed Friday. The Transfer Station will resume normal business hours on Saturday.

Friday's residential solid waste and recycling routes in Cape Girardeau will be picked up on Thursday.

In Jackson, the trash and solid wastes will be picked up on Monday instead of Friday.

The trash and solid waste pickup regular route will be run in Scott City on Friday.

Chaffee residents will have no disruption in their trash pickup because of the holiday. Trash will be picked up Friday and Monday.

The Avenue of Flags will be on display Saturday from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. at the War Memorial in the Cape County North Park.

Park Superintendent Chet McCain said, "People who haven't seen the display don't know what they're missing."

This year the holiday officially begins at 6 p.m. Thursday and ends at midnight on Sunday.

The Missouri Highway Patrol is concerned about the upcoming 78-hour holiday weekend due to the large number of drivers on the highways.

Last year, Missouri recorded 1,646 traffic accidents during the long 102-hour extended holiday weekend. During this time, 12 fatalities and 819 injuries were reported.

Sgt. J.W. Burford of the Missouri Highway Patrol said, "We're going to try to (reduce) that figure this year."

He said the bottom line for reduced highway fatalities and injuries is that all drivers must refrain from driving while intoxicated, obey all speed limits, wear safety belts and "watch out for the other guy."

The Missouri Highway Patrol will participate in Operation CARE (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) during the holiday weekend, Burford said.

Interstate 70 is the major highway designated to be patrolled by all available troopers who will watch for drunk driving, speeding and careless driving.

Burford said all motorists should be very cautious because many drivers will be traveling long distances on unfamiliar highways this holiday weekend.