Region briefs 6/4

Mississippi Queen plans stop in Cape Girardeau

The Mississippi Queen will make its first stop in downtown Cape Girardeau from noon to 5 Wednesday.

This is an added docking, said a representative of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

The Mississippi Queen will return here Saturday, docking at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Queen will have about 150 passengers aboard for each docking.

When organizers started making up tour dates, the larger Mississippi Queen was set for four visits, with the first docking June 9.

The Delta Queen is set for four visits, with the first one on Sept. 8.

The River Explorer, a 730-foot-long hotel barge headquarters in New Orleans, La., will make 13 stops here, three of them overnight visits.

The River Explorer has already made two stops and will be here again Sunday, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DNR crews continue cleanup of gas leak

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agency crews continued their cleanup Monday of gasoline seeping from the Mississippi River levee.

Furg Hunter, New Madrid city administrator, said he received calls late Saturday and early Sunday from residents along Line and Water streets reporting an odor of gasoline.

Investigating officials discovered gasoline on the riverside of the levee near the Sinclair Oil Co.

"Apparently as the water was receding, the gasoline had seeped out of the soil causing quite an odor," said Hunter.

Department of Natural Resources officials arrived at 3 a.m. Sunday and began their investigation, confirming a gasoline seepage. Recovery and cleanup crews arrived Sunday to begin the containment and cleanup.

Once the cleanup is complete, officials will try to assess the exact source of the gasoline.

Hunter emphasized there is no danger to the citizens for the gasoline.

New Madrid man killed in three-vehicle crash

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A New Madrid man died Sunday in a three-vehicle accident, reported at 12:38 a.m. near New Madrid.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the victim as Roger Scheffler, 45, of New Madrid.

The patrol's report said Scheffler's vehicle was traveling eastbound on New Madrid County Road U near New Madrid when he was thrown from his vehicle after it was struck by a vehicle driven by Marcus Burrow, 23, of Lilbourn, Mo. A third vehicle driven by David Cobb, 49, of New Madrid then struck Scheffler's vehicle and Scheffler.

Scheffler was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dorena ferry reopens after floodwaters recede

DORENA, Mo. -- After almost a month of high Mississippi River floodwaters, the Dorena-Hickman Ferry is back in service. The ferry landings are finally exposed enough to load and unload vehicles, according to ferry officials.

-- From staff and Southeast News Service reports