VOTERS PASS LEVY IN WHITEWATER

WHITEWATER -- Voters of the 55-square-mile area of southwest of Cape Girardeau County served by the Whitewater Rural Fire Department approved a 30-cent tax levy Tuesday to be used to upgrade the level of fire protection service.

The vote creates the Whitewater Fire Protection District, and establishes a five-member board of directors to govern the district.

The tax levy is projected to increase the volunteer fire department's annual budget from about $12,900 to about $16,300. The district plans to use the extra money to begin replacing firefighting vehicles and equipment and to build a new fire station at Allenville.

Vote totals were unavailable Tuesday night.