Crash kills Sikeston man on County Road 333

A 20-year-old Sikeston, Mo., man was killed Thursday in a single-vehicle accident on County Road 333, three miles east of Benton, Mo. Alex M. Johnson was northbound on County Road 333 when the 2001 Dodge truck he was driving left the roadway, went airborne, returned onto the road and ran off the left side of the road before overturning and coming to rest in a ditch, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dewey Heppe said Friday. Heppe said Johnson was alone in the vehicle. He was ejected through the driver's side window and pronounced dead at the scene 6:10 p.m. by Scott County Coroner Scott Amick.

Vickery joins CVB as sales marketing director

Sarah Vickery joined the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau as director of sales marketing this week. Vickery replaces former director Kara Clark, who left the CVB for the elected position of Cape Girardeau County clerk. Vickery is a Cape Girardeau native and previously worked as an advertising sales executive for the Southeast Missourian's Targeted Publications.

Nominations sought for preservation award

Old Town Cape is seeking nominations for its annual John Boardman Excellence in Rehabilitation Award. The award honors preservation projects within the 130-square-block district between Water Street and West End Boulevard and from Highway 74 to North Street in downtown Cape Girardeau. Nominated projects will be judged on community impact, degree of difficulty and the capacity in which the project is pioneering or sets an example for others. Projects must also meet the federal guidelines for historic preservation. Properties for consideration must be at least 50 years old and have undergone rehabilitation within the last five years. Past award winners were Buckner Brewing Company, The Rose Bed Inn and Renaissance Gifts. Those interested in nominating a property can contact the Old Town Cape Office, 334-8085, for details and application information. The award will be announced at the Old Town Cape annual meeting.

Frozen pipes shut down power at hospital

Frozen pipes burst at Southeast Missouri Hospital causing a power shutdown and gift shop closure. At around 2:30 p.m., one of the louvers in the mechanical room failed to close. This caused the sprinkler piping controlled by these louvers to freeze and break, affecting the gift shop, a portion of medical records and a portion of patient registration, said hospital vice president Pat Bira. All are on the first floor of the hospital near the main lobby. There was water on the floor in these areas, and there are wet ceiling tiles in the gift shop. Shortly after the incident, all fire safety was restored. Power in the affected areas was turned off for a brief period as a precaution. Within an hour, these areas were operational again with the exception of the gift shop, which will reopen next week.

-- From staff reports