Longer tourism hours

Chuck Martin, the director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, believes higher fuel prices may help make Cape Girardeau a regional destination. We tend to agree that many folks in a gas-tank radius might consider visiting Cape Girardeau and nearby attractions more now than in years past.

It seems like good planning, then, that the publicly funded CVB is helping some of our area's tourism spots to stay open longer.

Many places, like the River Heritage Museum, the Red House Interpretive Center, Old St. Vincent's Church and the Glenn House will be able to afford to keep their doors open longer during the summer.

Martin said he hopes the sponsorship -- 75 percent of the cost will be paid for from the city's hotel/motel/restarant sales tax -- takes the tourism stops "to the next level." During this first year, the CVB will pay $23,000.

Martin said the program will be analyzed annually. It's something worth trying.