Banquet, tournament among Jackson events

The Jackson Chamber of Commerce has announced several upcoming events.

The Educator of the Year banquet is scheduled for April 24. The chamber also is taking reservations for the April 11 golf tournament at Bent Creek Golf Course for teams and hole sponsors. Twelve teams are signed up already, and organizers can only accept 32 teams of four.

For more information, call the chamber at 243-8131.

Church offering faux finishes craft class

Wesley United Methodist Church, two miles east of U.S. 61 on Highway 177, is offering a craft class that teaches faux finishes with a variety of painting techniques.

The class will meet at two times: 1 to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Mondays from March 24 through April 14. All supplies will be furnished, including a project to work on and take home at the completion of the class. There is a cost of $20 to help cover some of the materials. Payment will be expected on the first day of classes.

Some of the finishes to be taught are marbling, sponging, rag rolling, tissue paper texturing, spattering and dragging. This class will be taught by Dodie Eisenhauer, owner of Village Designs.

For more information, call 243-5948, e-mail WUMC@ showme.net or write 142 Carnation Lane, Jackson, Mo., 63755.

Deadline to register is March 17.

Zonta Club to sponsor flea market April 12

The Zonta Club is sponsoring a flea market April 12 at Centenary United Methodist Church Family Life Center in Cape Girardeau.

For more information, call Dale Humphries at 290-5865.

Post M plans annual meeting Saturday

Cape Girardeau Post M of the Travelers Protective Association will hold its annual meeting at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge, 639 Elks Lane.

The members-only meeting is scheduled to consider any changes that should be made in the bylaws and to elect new officers. For more information, call Juanita Henley at 335-9308.

Charitable auction will help Stroup family

A charitable auction for the family of the late Alan Stroup will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the John Adams Auction Barn, 23500 Donze Lake Road in St. Mary, Mo.

Anyone wishing to donate items can bring them by 1953 Robin Hood Circle in Cape Girardeau or give them to Helen Payne at the auction barn prior to the auction.

The Adams family has conducted several benefit auctions for families in need. Donated items typically include tools, appliances, furniture, baked goods, live animals and services.

The proceeds from Saturday's auction will go to an education fund for Stroup's sons, Dalton and A.J. For more information on the auction, call (573) 543-2777.

Directions to the auction barn from Cape Girardeau County are: Go north on Interstate 55, take the St. Mary exit, turn left, turn right on Route N and then take the first left, which is Donze Lake Road. The auction barn is the third driveway on the left.

Second Emerson bridge show airing this month

The second in a series of television programs about the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge construction in Cape Girardeau is airing this week.

During the program, MoDOT engineer Stan Johnson takes viewers on a tour of construction and provides an update on progress. There also are interviews with the contractor.

The program will air on Cape Girardeau's cable access Channel 5 at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday in March. For more information, call (573) 472-5340.

Cape public library plans several events

The Cape Girardeau Public Library has several events lined up for the coming weeks.

At 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the library will hold an animal safari for children ages 3 through 7. Children will locate a mysterious creature and then learn more about it through stories and games, followed by a stocking-stuffing craft.

At 4 p.m. March 14, children in first through third grades will explore magical optical illusions and ask the question: Can you believe your eyes?

Children from birth through high school can participate in the Winter Reading Program, which features game boards that participants complete for a grand prize drawing for a $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificate. The boards are due by 5 p.m. March 14, with the drawing on March 17.

For more information, call 334-5279 or stop by 711 N. Clark.

Emerson's mobile office available in March

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., has announced mobile office dates and times for March.

Mobile office director Darren Lingle will be available to constituents to answer questions and pass along concerns to Emerson.

Stops include: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Marble Hill Library; 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce; 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. March 10 at the Scott County Courthouse in Benton; 10 to 11 a.m. March 10 at the Heritage House in Sikeston; 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. March 13 at Advance City Hall; 2 to 3 p.m. March 13 at Oran City Hall; 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Chaffee City Hall; and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. March 27 at the Perry County Administrative Building in Perryville.

-- From staff reports