MEMORIAL EVENTS PLANNED

The Le Fete Francaise will be celebrated for a second year and will highlight local Memorial Day observances.

The French heritage festival begins in St. Louis Saturday, moves to Ste. Genevieve Sunday and concludes in Cape Girardeau Monday.

The local celebration offers a mix of French history, food and music.

The activities will be centered around the gazebo at Common Pleas Courthouse. Lectures will be held in a nearby facility.

In addition to lectures, musical performances, re-enactments and tours, organizers hope to fill the downtown with street performers and venders selling traditional French pastries and food along with flowers. The day will begin at 10 a.m.

A traditional Memorial Day ceremony will be held by the Joint Veterans Council at 11 a.m. at the North County Park. Prior to the ceremony, beginning at 10:30 a.m., the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band will perform patriotic selections.

Guest speaker will be Navy Cmdr. Thomas Gunnell. Colors will be posted by VFW Post 3838, and the honor guard will be furnished by the Missouri National Guard.

Among guests at the event will be U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors at the Osage Centre.

In Jackson, the Memorial Day service begins at 9 a.m. at the entrance to the Jackson City Cemetery on South High Street.

The American Legion Althenthal-Joerns Post 158 and the American Legion Auxiliary hold the event, which will begin with the Jackson Municipal Band. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Conway Briscoe of Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville. Charles Hutson, chaplain at American Legion Post 158. will give the invocation and benediction. Jack Latimer, post commander, will also speak during the service.

The service will conclude with the American Legion Honor Guard retiring of colors. In case of rain, the service will be held at the American Legion Hall in Jackson.

Every year since World War II, the Kelso TWP Memorial Post 6407 and its auxiliary have sponsored a Memorial Day service.

This year's event will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Lightener Memorial Cemetery east of Scott City.

Speaker will be Post Commander Gary Ziegler, a Marine veteran of Vietnam.

Flags will be placed on all known veterans' graves in the cemetery and other cemeteries in the area by the local VFW post.

In Thebes, Ill., the annual Memorial Day picnic and barbecue will be held Saturday and Sunday. The historic courthouse will be open to guests both days.

In addition to observances, the Memorial Day weekend marks the official opening of municipal swimming pools. The Jackson Municipal Pool opens Saturday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. In Cape Girardeau, Capaha Pool opens Saturday at 11 a.m., but Central Pool remains closed until June 1.