Community digest 2/11

Historical society plans Benton meeting

The Scott County Historical and Genealogy Society will meet Feb. 19 at the courthouse in Benton, Mo.

Guest speaker Terrell Weaver will discuss the care and preservation of cemeteries and tombstones.

The society is a group of about 100 people and meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

Non-members are welcome at the meetings. For additional information, or to join the society, call Margaret Cline Harmon, 335-0939, or Caryl M. Hairston, 471-7381.

Free car seat checkup offered

The Cape Girardeau Area SAFE KIDS Coalition and Ford Groves will offer a free car seat checkup Feb. 23 at Ford Groves Motor Co., 1501 N. Kingshighway, between 9 a.m. and noon.

Car seats will be inspected by trained technicians, and parents will receive hands-on instruction about the proper use of car seats and safety belts.

"Most parents believe they are taking all the right steps to protect their children in the car. They are shocked to learn how complex the process really is," said Heidi Crowden, Area SAFE KIDS coordinator.

The Cape Girardeau Area SAFE KIDS Coalition is sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center along with many other community organizations, agencies and individuals who are interested in the prevention of unintentional childhood injury -- the No. 1 killer of children ages 14 and under.

For more information, contact the Area SAFE KIDS Coalition at 651-5815.

Local NRA banquet slated for March 23

The Cape Area Friends of the National Rifle Association will hold its ninth annual banquet March 23 at the Bavarian Halle, located near Exit 105 of Interstate 55 in Fruitland, Mo.

A social hour will start at 5:30 p.m., followed with dinner at 7 p.m. A silent and live auction will follow.

Ticket information is available by calling Dale Vogelsang, 243-3404, or Leon Dickerson, 243-4133.

'Great Decisions' workshops scheduled

"Great Decisions 2002" will kick off Wednesday in the Hirsch Community Room of the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

The library and the Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University are co-sponsoring the program weekly through April 10.

Current issues of concern will be discussed at the sessions from 2 to 4 p.m. each Wednesday.

The first topic is "The Modern Presidency: George Bush, Prospects and Promises," to be followed Feb. 20 by "Terrorism and the New National Defense." Other topics include "Korean Security Issues," the "Middle East Peace Process" and "Colombia Drug Trafficking."

Presenters for the program will be from the Center for Regional History, but the public will be involved in the discussion.

More information is available by calling Regional History Center, 651-2555, or the Adult Services Department at the library, 334-5279.

Top area corn growers recognized in contest

Jerry Cox of J and J Farms, Delta, Mo., recently captured first place in the ridge-till irrigated division of the 2001 National Corn Growers Association's corn yield contest in Missouri. He planted the winning entry on April 19, 2001. It was harvested Sept. 11, 2001, and yielded 239 bushels per acre, good for first in national and state contests.

Cox Farms of Delta won first in Missouri in Class AA ridge-till, non-irrigated division, with 234.3 bushels per acre. The corn was planted April 19, 2001, harvested Sept. 10, 2001. The Cox Farms entry finished second nationally.

Other state corn contest winners were:

Ashley Hinkebein of Chaffee, Mo., first in state, second nationally, in an irrigated division, 245.4 bushels an acre.

C & G Farms, first in state, second in national in ridge-till irrigated divisions, 236.5 bushes an acre.

M & N Farms, Chaffee, first in state, third nationally, in a ridge-till irrigated division, 221.7 bushels an acre.

Matthew Cox of J & M Farms, Scott City, Mo., first in state and third nationally, in Class AA no-till/strip-till, non-irrigated division, 238.2 bushes an acre; and Nancy Reiminger, Reiminger Farms, Chaffee, first in state and third nationally, in a no-till/strip-till, irrigated division, 228.3 bushels an acre.

--From staff reports