Region briefs 2/6

Sikeston woman named Teacher of the Year

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Gay French, orchestra teacher for the Sikeston School District, has been named 2002 Orchestra Teacher of the Year by the state's music educators group and the American String Teacher's Association.

It's been 16 years since she first began teaching orchestra in the Sikeston school system.

French said her interests in music at a young age were geared toward orchestra rather than band because her family "had a violin, we didn't have anything else and we couldn't afford anything else, so it was violin or nothing."

She is a 1969 graduate of Sikeston High School and a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in music education.

Bluff council budgets no funds for drug program

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Poplar Bluff City Council agreed this week that it might keep its participation in the Weed and Seed program, but it isn't going to donate $10,000 to it.

On Jan. 24, Lisa Lane, executive director of the SEMO Weed and Seed, sent a letter to the city requesting approval of a contract for services and the $10,000 payment for services.

"We do not have that included in our budget for this year, and neither does the Poplar Bluff Police Department," said city manager Tom Lawson.

He recalled that the city council has in the past recommended payment to Weed and Seed after the budget had been approved and suggested that the city council might want to consider that option after it gets a report from Weed and Seed about its past activities in the area.

IRS tax teams to visit Poplar Bluff, Sikeston

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Internal Revenue Service has begun its Tax Tour 2002 in Kennett. For the fourth-straight year, IRS tax help teams will travel throughout the state, bringing personalized assistance to 13 communities in Missouri, including Kennett.

"You don't need to come to us; we're coming to you," IRS representative Janice Lawrence said. "Taxpayers want convenient services. That's what we are trying to offer -- the right service at the right times in the right locations."

The mobile unit will be visit Poplar Bluff today and Sikeston on Thursday.

Help includes tax forms, answers to tax questions, face-to-face help solving federal tax problems and courtesy basic return preparation for lower-income taxpayers, generally those with incomes of $33,000 and less.

Sikeston gives Falcon 60-day extension

SIKESTON, Mo. -- With a long-term cable television franchise agreement yet to be reached, Sikeston City Council members have approved a 60-day extension of the current franchise agreement with Falcon Telecable, doing business as Charter Communications.

The agreement was extended through April 2 during this week's council meeting.

Yearly extensions of the franchise agreement have been used for nearly 10 years, but Dave Huntsman, general manager for Charter Communications in Sikeston, has said on previous occasions that his company was hoping to reach a 10-year franchise agreement.

The current franchise agreement, which is nearly 20 years old, needs to be updated, according to Huntsman.

Charter Communications bought Falcon Cable in 1999.

-- From news service reports