Region briefs 8/21/03

Portion of Broadway closed until Aug. 29

Traffic will be closed on Broadway between Lorimier and Fountain beginning today at 6:30 a.m. through Friday, and again on Monday through Aug. 29. The closing is due to Probst Builders operating a large crane to work on the Marquette Hotel. No parking will be allowed at that location during this time.

Clifton announces run for Cape coroner

John Clifton of Cape Girardeau announced his candidacy this week for Cape Girardeau County coroner in the Aug. 3, 2004, primary election.

Candidates can register for the election from Feb. 24 to March 30, 2004.

Clifton, a Republican, was deputy coroner for a number of years under John Carpenter and was acting coroner when Carpenter died in 2000, a month after he was re-elected. Gov. Bob Holden later appointed Mike Hurst, a Democrat, to that post.

A former area law enforcement officer, Clifton owns and operates Investigative Associates Inc., a private investigation service.

He said his goals as coroner would be to establish a county morgue or perhaps a regional morgue, develop an emergency plan for dealing with multiple deaths and get to death scenes faster so law enforcement officers won't have to wait for a coroner.

Sikeston reaching out through e-newsletter

SIKESTON -- Area residents can now keep abreast of what's going on in city government via the Internet.

"We live in a digital age of rapid access to news and information," said Sikeston Mayor Michael Marshall.

Recognizing this trend, city staff developed an electronic newsletter that will be delivered to residents via e-mail.

The first issue of the "Sikeston Scanner" is scheduled for release in early September. With its two-page format, it will provide monthly schedules of government meetings, dates for city services (such as trash pick-ups and compost site openings) and offer briefs on current municipal issues and topics.-- From staff, wire reports

"Our ultimate goal is to keep the public informed," Friend added. "With a great number of our residents using e-mail on a daily basis, monthly updates on local municipal issues are only a keystroke away."

Friend said many of the topics summarized in the newsletter will also be available, in full text, on the city's Website at www.sikeston.org

The newsletter will be available to local residents free of charge. To receive the Sikeston Scanner, call city hall at 471-2512 or e-mail cityhall@sikeston.org with your name and e-mail address.