Region/state briefs 03/28/03

Highway 72 reopens ahead of schedule

Highway 72 about three miles west of Jackson was reopened Thursday, more than a day ahead of the expected completion of repairs to the Byrd Creek bridge.

Large signs warned motorists that the highway would be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week, but Missouri Department of Transportation area engineer Stan Johnson said the work went better than expected.

"In one word, luck," he said when asked why the repairs were completed ahead of schedule. "You go into something like this and figure you're going to find something wrong that you didn't plan on. This time we didn't."

Johnson said the bridge will still be reduced to one lane during daytime hours next week while the bridge truss is painted.

The bridge was damaged about two weeks ago when a large vehicle struck the bridge. The accident was not reported.

Cape Central students receive science awards

Jennifer Troutman and Megan Ladd, seniors at Central High School in Cape Girardeau, received the highest rating awarded at the Missouri Junior Academy of Sciences district competition at Southeast Missouri State University on Thursday.

The girls were the only participants who rated high enough to proceed to state competition on April 19 at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg.

Their project was titled "A Temporal Study of the Effects of Flowering on Arundinaria gigantea." They were able to find an unusual patch of flowering on the plant and show its effects on the plant as a whole.

Central science teacher Mark Hahn said Troutman and Ladd's study site was in the Cape Woods Conservation Area.

Jackson art students' work to be featured

An opening reception for Jackson High School students' art exhibit, Basement Studio Art Gala, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Gallery 127, located at 127 W. Main in Jackson.

The exhibit features art work by Jackson High School art students and will run through April 20. The public is invited to attend the reception. For more information, contact Wanda Jackson at 243-9513.

Cape to hold police, fire open house on Saturday

The public will have an opportunity to tour Cape Girardeau's four city fire stations and its police station during the "Health and Safety Day" open house on Saturday.

Tours will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at all five stations, city officials said. Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center staff will be at the Sprigg Street and Mount Auburn Road fire stations to conduct lead screenings for children, ages 1-6. The screenings, which detect lead levels in the blood, are free.

The police station is at 40 S. Sprigg. Fire Station No. 1 is at 1 S. Sprigg, No. 2 at 378 S. Mount Auburn Rd., No. 3 at 429 Emerald St. and No. 4 at 1429 Kurre Lane. The Emerald Street station is the oldest of the city's fire stations. It was built in 1951.

State reps to discuss budget crisis at forum

State Reps. Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau and Scott Lipke of Jackson will discuss the budget crisis in state government at a forum April 4 at Southeast Missouri State University.

The forum, sponsored by Student Government at Southeast and the Student Association of Missouri, will be held from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the University Center Program Lounge.

Organizers said Crowell and Lipke will discuss the impact of the state budget crunch on higher education.

The forum is open to Southeast students, faculty and staff, as well as the general public.

-- From staff reports