Week to honor crime victims

At 9 a.m. Monday church bells will toll in Cape Girar-deau, Jackson and Perryville honoring victims of crime and kicking off National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

Victim advocates, criminal and justice officials, allied professionals and community volunteers will observe the week by wearing red, white and blue ribbons.

On Tuesday, St. Francis Medical Center will host a luncheon for agencies that work with crime victims.

A free self-defense class will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday on the lower level of 63 Doctors Park. The class will be repeated Friday in the same place.

At 6 p.m. Wednesday, a candlelight vigil will be held on the steps of the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau and a victim of a violent crime will speak on behalf of victims everywhere.

Thursday, members of the Cape Girardeau Police Association will fingerprint children from 2 to 4 p.m. at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

Also at the mall, a clothesline holding T-shirts designed by crime victims will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.

Finally, a tree dedication ceremony will held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Common Pleas Courthouse.