Region digest 07/07/02

Committee OKs funding for Cape courthouse

The U.S. Senate appropriations committee approved a general government spending bill on Tuesday that includes $49.3 million to construct a new federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

The fiscal 2003 spending plan still must be approved by the full Senate and House and signed by President Bush before the money can be spent.

The General Services Administration plans to build a 155,000-square-foot courthouse at the corner of Independence and Frederick. Construction could begin next year and be completed by February 2006 at the latest, officials have said.

Judicial offices will be relocated from the Federal Building on Broadway once the new courthouse is completed.

Streets to close as city starts overlay program

The city of Cape Girardeau will begin the 2002 Street Overlay Project today, a plan that will provide a 2-inch asphalt overlay on selected streets in the city.

West End Boulevard from Broadway to Normal; and Howell Street from Erna Street to High Water Crossing will be paved today, while milling -- the process of scraping off about one inch of asphalt -- will occur on Henderson Street from Broadway to Dunklin.

As a result, the streets will be closed and motorists should prepare for a delay and possibly to use alternate routes.

Task force meetings slated for today

The Cape Girardeau Citizen Financial Task Force will hold its second meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Osage Community Centre.

The task force, assembled by the city council to look into the city's financial matters to determine of the city needs to increase taxes, will meet with city finance director John Richbourg and also a team of city employees that was assembled earlier this year to assess the city's financial woes.

After the task force hears the presentations, it will then relay the information and seek comments from the public at three meetings next week. The meetings will be held at noon Tuesday at the Osage Community Centre, at 7 p.m. Thursday at Red Star Baptist Church and at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Salvation Army.

"We really want the people to come out next week and really be a part of this," said Melvin Gateley, task force co-chair.

Sikeston man found shot in his home

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was found shot early Tuesday, the victim of an apparent homicide.

According to police, a call came in at 12:27 a.m. stating that Terikaa Patterson came home to 315 E. Murray Lane and discovered the body of her boyfriend, Steven White, lying in the living room.

White, 21, of Sikeston was found shot lying close to the front door of his residence. An autopsy was scheduled for later Tuesday in Farmington, Mo.

Police officers were on the scene about four hours. No motive has yet been determined.

-- From staff, wire reports