Sometimes, everyone gets a little lost

"OK, Miss Lost-on-Main-Street, where is Ranney Park?"

The stern voice behind me belonged to editorial-page editor Joe Sullivan. I knew by his tone that "Frederick and Willow streets" would be the wrong answer -- even though it's what I wrote in a story filed last week about the Dec. 6 community-building march scheduled to start at the park Saturday.

We looked at a map. I looked online. Later, he sent me an e-mail with his research, showing Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau placed it on Ranney and William streets; www.visitcape.com put it at Ranney and College streets and the city's website -- which I'd used as a source -- said the park is on Frederick and Willow streets. We were all more wrong than right.

At least everyone agrees Ranney Park has one shelter and six picnic tables on its 1.2 acres.

I drove over to Ranney Park, which, by the way is defined by a triangle of streets: Ranney, Willow and Maple, just south of Highway 74. To get there, take South Sprigg Street to Maple and head toward the river (east, in other words).

Hopefully, a map I created and posted on my blog will help people who may want to join Saturday's event, organized by pastors of three small churches. They want to see 1,000 people join the walk -- a visible reminder that good people who care about South Cape outnumber those who sell drugs and settle disputes with guns. The pastors, who held a similar march Oct. 18, are looking for ways to draw people into their respective folds, but say the march is non-denominational, though they will be praying as they go and anointing each street with oil. They say now is the time to build community, to band together and create safety in numbers.

But at least one Southeast Missourian reader, going by the name Megalomania, responded to last week's stories on South Hanover Street by suggesting the neighborhood should be bulldozed and turned into farmland. And the reader known as Rick Scaggs had what must be the most creative suggestion, "loud opera music runs off the riffraff, they can't stand it..."

And, to answer a question posed by Megalomania under a story related to the walk, who wondered why the walk is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday rather than at night, organizers wanted to be visible and avoid the potential hazard of tripping in the dark.

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"You're as popular as you're ever gonna get the night after your first election," said Gerald Jones, Cape Girardeau's presiding commissioner, in a recent phone interview. I'd called to check on a rumor circulating, predicting he would retire before the end of the year.

"I guarantee you, I'm not retiring," said Jones, 68. "I will fulfill that [term of office, which ends on Dec. 31, 2010] and take care of county business."

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Kathy Swan, District 7 governor for Zonta International, responded to last week's column with an e-mail pointing out an error in a comment Tower Club member Joe Gambill made about Zonta membership.

"Zonta International is NOT a 'women only' club. Membership is open to men and women who support the mission of Zonta International: To advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy," Swan wrote. "In fact, the Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau did actually have a man as a member within the past [four or five] years.

"P. S. ... Peg, please forward this to Joe since I don't have his e-mail address -- 'So... Joe, how about inviting me to join the Tower Club (ha ha).'"

While we're on the subject of corrections, a public apology to Moe Sandfort, whose name was unfortunately misspelled in this space a week ago.

Questions, suggestions or tips for Lost on Main Street? E-mail pmcnichol@semissourian.com or call 573-388-3646.