Community digest 7/2/07

City of Cape Girardeau offices closed July 4

The city of Cape Girardeau offices will be closed Wednesday in observance of Independence Day. City offices will resume normal business hours Thursday. The city council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. July 9 in the city council chambers at city hall. There will be no trash pickup Wednesday due to the holiday. Wednesday's trash and recycling collection routes will be picked up Thursday. There will be no special pickups for the week. All other trash and recycling routes will resume as normal Thursday. Emergency services will function as normal during the closures.

AARP No. 4041 meets today at Grace UMC

The Cape Girardeau County Chapter of AARP No. 4041 meets at 1:30 p.m. today at Grace United Methodist Church, Broadway and Caruthers Avenue. The program will be "Between Fences" by Dr. Frank Nickell of the Regional History Center at Southeast Missouri State University. There will be a drawing for a door prize.

Cape Senior Center dance will be Friday

The Cape Girardeau Senior Center will hold a dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at 921 N. Clark St. Music will be provided by Irene Reynolds' "Let's Dance" sound system. Proceeds will benefit the building fund. Discounted admission for couples, snacks and drinks will be available.

Fun in the Sun Poker Run set for Saturday

All proceeds from Saturday's Fun in the Sun Poker Run, sponsored by the War Child Riding Group of Chaffee, Mo., will benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. The run begins at the Cape Girardeau VFW on Kingshighway with the last bike out at 11 a.m. First stop is at Last Call in Marble Hill, Mo., then on to Jax in Delta, Lefty's in Kelso, Mo., The Boar's Nest in Scott City, Schindler's in New Hamburg, Mo., and Frisco's in Chaffee. The last bike is due in by 4 p.m. Best and worst poker hands are awarded and there will be a 50/50 drawing.

Clingingsmith-Craft family reunion is Sunday

The annual Clingingsmith-Craft reunion will begin at noon Sunday with a basket dinner at Knights of Columbus Hall, lower level, U.S. 61 North in Jackson. All relatives and friends are invited.

Ludwig family reunion scheduled for July 14

The Charles F. and Josephine Ludwig family reunion will begin at noon July 14 at St. John's United Church of Christ, west of Fruitland. The meal will be catered. Local families should bring a dessert to share. For more information, call 243-5522 or 335-6878.

Contra dance with live music planned for July 14

A contra dance and summer watermelon seed spitting contest will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. July 14 at Christ Episcopal Church, 101 N. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau. Live music will be provided by Banjovi. All moves are taught and the dances walked through. Everyone is welcome. No partner, costume or experience is necessary. Spitting contest winners will be awarded based on distance, accuracy and artistic form. Donations are requested, with a discount for young dancers to age 16. For more information, call John or Kathy Coffman at 334-4706, Judy Bradley at 334-5289 or John Boyd at 335-7315.

-- From staff reports