Semoball Awards highlight busy summer schedule

On Saturday more than 150 athletic finalists in 25 categories -- football, basketball, baseball, track, swimming, etc. -- will be honored at the Semoball Awards banquet.

The winners in each category will be announced, and former St. Louis Cardinal and All-Star Ozzie Smith will give the keynote speech. More than 700 people are expected at the dinner event.

The winners were selected by the sports editors of the five daily newspapers who contribute to semoball.com (Southeast Missourian, Sikeston Standard, Kennett Daily Dunklin Democrat, Dexter Daily Statesman and Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic) and broadcast staff from SEMO ESPN Radio.

Tickets are $40 and a limited number are available online at semoball.com/awards or by phone at 388-2761. If you have questions, call Lucas Presson at 388-3649 or email lpresson@semissourian.com.

---

The Fourth of July is going to sneak up on us, but I'm glad they moved the fireworks and festivities to the Mississippi River front. This is the event during which the Southeast Missourian will present its Spirit of America Award.

---

Some of the best original commentary on government, politics and partisanship comes from Rush Limbaugh's radio program and his newsletter interviews.

I thought his analysis of the Eric Cantor defeat was the best of more than 15 people I viewed on TV, Internet or in columns.

He's been the No. 1 radio talk show host for many years for a reason.

And to hear his multi-talent, pick up one of his two (best children's author) Rush Revere CDs. You will enjoy his narration along with our kids or grandkids.

---

Everyone should be upset about the takeover of Iraq and Afghanistan by local rebels, especially those in the military who served over there and their families. (4,500 Americans died in Iraq.)

Every immigrant who entered the U.S. legally should be upset about the wave of illegal immigrants who are crossing our southern border with the help of the Obama administration.

---

The first River Campus Summer Arts Festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Art, dance, music, etc. Wow! What a schedule to be printed later. Thursday is the first public showing of the family-oriented musical "Nunsense," headed by Cape Girardeau's music star Judith Farris.

She brought standing applause to "Grease" and is sharing her time and talents to help this first River Campus Summer Arts Festival to become an annual feature, as we would hope. "Nunsense" has an eight-performance run in the Wendy K. Rust black box theater; seating capacity about 200.

Summer dance and theater learning camps help serve the young of this area, one of the blessings of the performing arts campus. Incidentally, the new studio, classroom and dorm facility will open sometime this summer and is booking for this fall.

Gary Rust is chairman of the board of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian, as well as a member of the editorial board.