Community digest 2/19/07

City offices closed for Presidents Day today

Cape Girardeau's city offices will be closed today in observance of the Presidents Day holiday. Normal business hours will resume Tuesday. The city council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the city council chambers at city hall. Monday's trash and recycling collection routes will be picked up Tuesday. Tuesday collection routes will be picked up Wednesday. There will be no special Wednesday pickups. Thursday and Friday trash and recycling routes will be picked up as normal. Emergency services will function as normal during the closure.

Meeting held to discuss downtown Sikeston

The Historic Midtown Development Group will hold the second annual town hall meeting at 6 p. m. Tuesday at St. Francis Xavier Parish Center, 245 W. Front St. in Sikeston, Mo. Achievements over the past year and discussion of future plans and projects in historic downtown will be the focus of the meeting. Representatives from the Main Street organization will discuss beneficial downtown programs. For more information, call (573) 380-3801.

Modern Woodmen hold monthly camp dinners

Modern Woodmen of America Camp 4902 will hold its monthly camp dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 27 at Frontier at Fruitland, 5841 U.S. 61 in Jackson. Contact Betty Jones at 243-3261 or 651-0030 or 243-5868. Modern Woodmen Camp 8116 will hold its monthly camp dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Ponderosa, 1301 S. Perryville Blvd. in Perryville, Mo. Contact Ginger McCloud at (573) 547-1605, 651-0030 or 243-5868.

National jumping event to be held in two areas

Jump Rope for Heart, a family day to raise donations to fight heart disease and obesity, will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the National Guard Armory in Jackson. It will be also be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sikeston, Mo., YMCA, 602 Tanner St. For more information, visit www.americanheart.org/jump.

Meetings to discuss boll weevil eradication

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Cotton Growers Organization will be holding meetings to discuss the current boll weevil eradication program and upcoming referendum for post-eradication of the boll weevil. A meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 at the Clinton Building in Sikeston, Mo. Representatives from the Missouri Cotton Growers Organization Board, the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Southeastern Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation will share program highlights, outline the referendum process, explain operation of the post-eradication program and answer questions. For more information, contact Judy Grundler with the Missouri Department of Agriculture at (573) 526-0837.

Zalma church seeks items for dinner auction

People wishing to contribute to Zalma General Baptist Church's donated auction items may call Patti Shelby, member of the needy fund committee, at (573) 722-5751 after 3 p.m. or church secretary Linda Shirrell at (573) 722-3997. The church has helped people in needy situations in the past and aims to help more people with proceeds from the event.

Diocesan CCW to hold spring assembly

The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women for the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese will have its spring assembly April 27 to 28 in Springfield, Mo., at the Hawthorn-Park Hotel. Interested individuals may call the hotel at (417) 831-3131 and mention their affiliation with the council for a discounted rate.

SEMO fair foundation announces scholarship

A nonrenewable $600 scholarship from the SEMO District Fair Foundation is available for agriculture or agriculture related majors who meet particular requirements. For more information, contact Edwin Peetz at 243-5856. The deadline is April 30.

-- From staff reports