Region/state digest 03/19/05

School's annual open house set for Tuesday

Cape Christian School will hold its annual showcase/open house from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The open house is for prospective students and parents to learn more about the school -- meet teachers, view curriculum and tour the school. For more information, call 335-8333.

Illinois Highway 3 being resurfaced

WARE, Ill. -- Construction work is underway to resurface Illinois Highway 3 from Ware to south of McClure and replace a bridge at a cost of $4.2 million, Illinois Department of Transportation officials said Friday. "It should be done by late fall," said IDOT engineer Joe Zdankiewicz said. The contract was awarded last summer, but noticeable construction work on the project only began recently, officials said.

Another dog found hanged in St. Louis area

HILLSDALE, Mo. -- For the third time since last month, a dog has been found hanged in St. Louis County. Hillsdale police said Friday the bodies of two pit bulls were discovered in Greenwood Cemetery. One of the dogs was found hanging from a tree, the other stuffed into a trash bag. Both were found Thursday in the north St. Louis County cemetery. It was not clear how the animals were killed.

Rail plan over budget and behind schedule

ST. LOUIS -- The MetroLink light rail extension project is behind schedule and perhaps more than $100 million over budget, Metro president and chief executive officer Larry Salci said Friday. Salci's comments came a day after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch report said the project was over budget, but by as much as $50 million. Salci said the project extending the light rail system to the west was flawed from the beginning, with a design that was "not buildable." The project was supposed to be finished later this year, but officials now say it won't be ready until the fall of 2006. The cross-county extension was initially expected to cost $550 million. Now, officials say it is expected to cost up to $676 million.

Two Mississippi County jailers face sex charges

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Two Mississippi County jailers face charges of sexual misconduct with inmates following a two-month investigation. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, Stephens P. Moore, 59, was arrested and charged Monday with felony sexual contact with an inmate. Two days later, another jailer, Donald Ray Evans, 57, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor sexual misconduct. Their arraignment is Wednesday.

-- From staff, wire reports