CAPE READY FOR BUSY WEEKEND

It's the day after Christmas and all through the town, not a creature is stirring, not even ... wait just one minute. That's not the way the story goes. Almost everyone is open, even banks and governmental offices.

As shoppers expect, retailers opened today in full force offering extended hours and after-Christmas sales.

The day after Christmas rivals the day after Thanksgiving as one of the biggest shopping days of the years.

But, especially with Christmas falling on Thursday this year, some suspected local governments and other offices to declare the day a holiday.

Wrong.

It's business as usual for Cape Girardeau city government, county government and offices of the state of Missouri. Local banks are open regular hours.

Jackson city government and offices of the federal government, however, did declared a holiday today and closed their doors.

Steve Wilson, Jackson city manager, said today's holiday was a gift from the mayor and board of alderman to the city staff.

"It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated," Wilson said.

Traditionally, state offices and recently Jackson city offices have been closed the Friday after Thanksgiving.

When discussing this closing, city leaders decided to add the Friday after Christmas this year, Wilson said.

The U.S. Post Office will be delivering mail today. In fact, special delivery packages were delivered on Christmas Day.

Marsha Johnston, with the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, was in the office Wednesday along with nearly all the bureau's other employees. They will all be at their desks today, as well.

"The tourists will be here so we will be too," she said.

At Cape Girardeau City Hall, you can pay your water bill or a traffic ticket. Some offices will be manned by skeleton crews, but business will continue.

Taxpayers, hoping to beat the Dec. 31 deadline can also pay county property taxes at the County Collector's office.