Region digest 04/19/06

Gunman opens fire on South Ellis Street

A man opened fire near a Cape Girardeau intersection Tuesday afternoon, but no one was shot. At least two shots were fired after noon in the 1000 block of South Ellis Street, said police Sgt. Barry Hovis. Witnesses reported seeing two to four men with handguns, one of whom fired shots at another man, he said. The apparent target of the shooting ran behind a home at 1005 S. Ellis St., where a bullet shattered a window, Hovis said. The only injury in the shooting was from a woman inside the home who was struck by glass shards, according to Hovis. She declined medical attention. The gunmen, who were in their late teens to early 20s, fled the scene in a white vehicle resembling a Pontiac Grand Am, Hovis said. Some of the witnesses to the shooting provided names of suspects to the police department. Officers were searching for the suspects, but none was in custody Tuesday night, Hovis said.

DNR holding public meeting on mill site

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will present plans for the future development of Bollinger Mill State Historic Site in Burfordville at a public meeting Thursday. The meeting will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bollinger Mill, located off Highway 34 and Route OO on Route HH in Cape Girardeau County. DNR staff members will be available to answer questions and receive public input regarding the future of Bollinger Mill. The meeting is part of an effort by DNR to ensure the public has input on facilities offered in state parks and historic sites. For more information, call 243-4591 or (800) 334-6946.

I-55 ramps being worked on this week

Paving will begin this week on the northbound lane on and off ramps of local Interstate 55 interchanges. Work will begin each day at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. The work is part of MoDOT's Smooth Roads Initiative. This week's schedule is Route K (Exit 96) and new Highway 74 (Exit 95) on Thursday, Route AB (Exit 91) and U.S. 61/74 (Exit 93A) on Friday.

-- From staff reports