'Where is it?' photo cinch for some, not others

Last week's "Where is it?" photo was more of a puzzler than the previous week's scene at the Marquette Hotel on our community page.

Perhaps the clue of "look up as you go in" may have stumped some people.

Only three people identified the intriguing mural that graces the ceiling of the entrance to Hecht's store in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"I knew immediately what it was," said Thomas M. Meyer, a downtown Realtor.

"But I'm familiar with a lot of property in Cape Girardeau."

Melba R. Lewis also knew about the Hecht's mural.

Renee Bowerman said she first noticed the mural as a young girl.

The artwork was intriguing "and a little risqué," said Bowerman.

Meanwhile, Charles Hopkins missed his guess.

"I've seen the mural," said Hopkins. "But I really thought it may have been the Glenn House."

Hecht's opened in 1917. Architect Tom P. Barnett of St. Louis designed the store to be the era's most elegant in Cape Girardeau. The decorative mural added to that elegance.

This week's photo may be even more of a puzzler.

New shade for M&M's

Seven years after blue became part of its chocolate rainbow, the maker of M&M's wants the world to decide on a new color: purple, pink or aqua.

The company's market research shows that purple, pink and aqua are consumers' top choices to add to the red, green, blue, yellow, brown and orange candies already in the bags. Votes will be taken from March 6 to May 31, and the winning colors will be announced June 19.

The original colors of M&M's were red, yellow, green, brown, orange and violet when they were introduced in 1941. In 1949, the color tan replaced violet and blue replaced tan in 1995. This time, all the existing colors will remain, the company said.

Local residents have their own preferences.

"I like orange," said Debbie Hamilton. "But aqua sounds good. If they happen to pick aqua, I may switch to that."

Gerald Brian, agronomist with the Missouri Extension Service in Jackson, Mo., has no preference.

"They all have chocolate, and I like that," he said. "On the new color, I'd vote pink."

Evelyn Boardman's favorite is brown.

"There shouldn't be any other color," said the Cape Girardeau businesswoman. "They're chocolate, they should be chocolate color."

The color blue, since it was added in 1995, has become the favorite color, a recent survey revealed. An easy way to vote on the new shade is through the company's Web site: www.m-ms.com.

Whistler on the way

Mary Frances Herndon whistles and also plays the auto harp, the harmonica and ragtime piano.

Herndon, of Sedalia, Mo., will be whistling in Cape Girardeau next week.

The 1996 and 1997 International Women's Whistling Grand Champion will be featured guest at the Cape Girardeau Executive Club meeting to be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

"She will present a musical interlude," said Judith Anne Lang, Executive Club secretary.

Herndon has been soloist with the Sedalia Symphony and the Sedalia Chorale.

Herndon has whistled by telephone on radio stations in several states, New Zealand and Canada.

The Executive Club, formed in 1951, is seeking new members. The club meets six times a year for a meal and entertainment.

People interested in joining the club or making a reservation for next week's meeting should contact Judith Anne Lang at 334-9509.

Fireworks fiesta

The count of people in downtown Cape Girardeau at the Fourth of July fireworks display last year was estimated at between 5,000 and 10,000.

Most likely the actual count was between those two numbers, said Marsha Toll, a co-chairman for this year's fireworks on the river.

Toll, operator of Bellevue Bed and Breakfast in Cape Girardeau, and Catherine Dunlap, executive director of Old Town Cape, will be co-chairpersons for the event.

Terri Clark-Bauer, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, coordinated the river fireworks last year and will serve as a consultant for the 2002 event.