YELL EDITION BEING SOLD ON STREETS TODAY

Motorists on their way to work or school today will be met by volunteers on street corners in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City raising money for literacy.

Today is YELL Day. The special YELL edition newspapers include collectible and souvenir sections only available from volunteer hawkers this morning.

A $2 donation for the special edition funds literacy efforts in the community.

A souvenir, 12-page newspaper section dedicated to Cardinal slugger Mark McGwire is a highlight of this year's YELL edition. Only 10,000 copies are available, and can be obtained only by purchasing a YELL edition.

In addition to photos and stories about McGwire, the YELL edition will have a 16-page reprint of the Southeast Missourian's eight-day series on methamphetamine. The newspaper examined in-depth the drug's hold on the region and efforts to stamp it out.

The newspaper is filled with special promotions, coupons and a readers' contest.

Forty Beanie Babies will be awarded to lucky YELL purchasers. Coupons for the collectible babies have been randomly inserted in the newspapers. Among the 40 Beanie Babies to be given away are the highly sought-after Glory Bear and Fortune Bear.

The YELL edition has stories about literacy efforts under way in the community. A number of local people have written essays about the importance of reading or what they enjoy reading.

YELL stands for Youth Education Literacy and Learning. Money collected during the one-day fund raiser is used for the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper In Education program. Through that program, newspapers are delivered to area classrooms at no cost to schools. In addition, a portion of YELL proceeds will be awarded to local literacy initiatives.