LAWMAKERS APPROVE AREA SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS

The Missouri legislature Friday agreed to spend $5 million for three Southeast Missouri educational building projects.

Lawmakers appropriated $2 million for a new technology center at Southeast Missouri State University, $1.5 million for a new Cape Girardeau vocational-technical school and a similar amount for a Sikeston education center.

The funding provides only part of the money needed for all three projects. Both the vocational-technical school and the Sikeston center alsoinvolve local funding.

The university's technology center is expected to cost about $5 million. Some of that money could come from private sources, school officials have said.

State Rep. Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston, took credit for putting together the funding package.

"I am the guy who protected the money," he said Friday night.

The money for the Sikeston center will be funneled through a consortium involving Southeast, two community colleges and the region's vocational-technical schools.

The projects will help attract new industry to the region, reduce unemployment and increase educational opportunities for area students, Heckemeyer said.

Southeast Missouri is the poorest region in the state, with high rates of illiteracy, teen pregnancy, crime and unemployment, he said.

Heckemeyer said all three education buildings will focus on providing vocational-technical education.

The Sikeston center will emphasize post-secondary technical educaiton and assisting area businesses in job training.

Ultimately, the center is expected to offer regular college courses similar to those offered by the Bootheel Education Center at Malden.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president, said Heckemeyer's efforts helped secure funding for the projects.

Nitzschke said the university would proceed to develop plans for the technology center, which will serve as the cornerstone for a polytechnic institute.

Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau also expressed happiness over the funding.

State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, said the capital projects will help the entire region.

But the funding fell short of the $3 million that the Cape Girardeau School District wanted from the state to help pay for the $6 million vo-tech school.

"We've got to redouble our effort for next year for an additional $1.5 million for the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School," he said.