A ballot measure to impose a use tax in Jackson will be on the April 2 ballot, after action by the Board of Aldermen on Monday. Before the meeting, Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs said the use tax is important to help fund city projects, especially because sales tax revenue is flat and has been flat...

The Cape Girardeau City Council unanimously voted Monday to build and operate an indoor aquatic center near Jefferson Elementary School in partnership with the local school district. The city has pledged $6 million toward building the facility. That money would come from a parks and stormwater tax approved by voters last April...

The filing period for April 2, 2019, local elections opened Tuesday, and some candidates have already filed, including incumbent Mayor Dwain Hahs in Jackson. Jackson will have a contested race for the Ward 4 seat: incumbent Tom Kimbel faces a challenge from Steven Lee, who filed Tuesday, said city clerk Liza Walker...

Election results in Cape Girardeau County and surrounding counties did not mirror the statewide outcome Tuesday on some of Missouri’s ballot issues. A measure to gradually increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour won voter approval statewide by a 62 percent to 38 percent margin. But voters in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties rejected the issue, final vote totals show...

Republican Josh Hawley handily defeated two-term, Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in Missouri's U.S. Senate race Tuesday. His victory helped the GOP maintain control of the Senate. Republicans were able to expand their narrow Senate majority in the midterm elections even as Democrats took control of the House for the first time in eight years...

A ballot measure that would have raised Missouri's fuel tax to improve transportation and fund the state highway patrol appeared headed for defeat Tuesday night, With 64 percent of precincts reporting, Proposition D, the fuel tax measure, was losing by a margin of 55 to 45 percent out of more than 1.5 million votes cast, according to the Missouri Secretary of State's Office...

Republican challengers won big in Scott County Tuesday, ousting Democratic incumbents in all four contested races. In the race for presiding commissioner, Jim Glueck unseated Jamie Burger, while Amanda Oesch beat out four-time incumbent Paul Boyd to become Scott County prosecuting attorney. Scott County assistant prosecutor Zac Horack defeated Scott Horman to become associate circuit judge, and Joe Bill Davis beat Glenda Enderle to become treasurer...

Strong voter turnout made for busy days at polling places in Southeast Missouri. For Cape Girardeau County, unofficial results indicated nearly 61 percent voter turnout, with all precincts reporting Tuesday night. Also in Cape Girardeau County, absentee ballots brought in 2,381 voters, according to unofficial results...

Missouri House Representative election victors Tuesday included incumbents Rick Francis and Kathy Swan, and newcomer Barry Hovis. District 146 Republican Barry Hovis replaced term-limited state Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, with 15,264 votes — nearly 82 percent. Gayla Dace received 3,373 votes...

President Donald Trump rallied thousands of cheering supporters Monday night in Cape Girardeau, offering closing arguments for the Republican Party before today's crucial midterm elections to decide the balance of power in Congress. More than 7,000 people, many of them standing, crammed into the Show Me Center for Trump's "Make America Great Again" rally...

"I think it's exciting. This is my second time to see President Trump. My husband came with me today, and he wanted to make sure that even though we had the VIP pass, he wanted to make sure that he was sitting close enough to get a good view." Chris Dinkins, Iron County, Missouri...

Nationally syndicated radio talk show host and Cape Girardeau native Rush Limbaugh introduced President Donald Trump at Monday night's rally at the Show Me Center. Limbaugh took the stage at 9:10 p.m., and thanked the crowd. "It's the night of a lifetime. It's electric in here, folks," Limbaugh said...

A fiercely contested U.S. Senate race tops the statewide ballot in Missouri as voters prepare to go to the polls Tuesday. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill is challenged by Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley. Polls suggest the race is a tossup...

Those attending President Donald Trump’s rally Monday night will not be able to park in the Show Me Center lot or adjacent lots around the facility, an official with Southeast Missouri State University said Friday. The Secret Service has imposed the parking restrictions, university spokeswoman Ann Hayes said Friday...

Area election officials expect higher voter turnout for this midterm election than the one four years ago, spurred in part by a hotly contested U.S. Senate race. A crowded ballot, including seven constitutional amendments and propositions, will greet voters who go to the polls Tuesday...

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith believes the economy has improved in Southeast Missouri under President Donald Trump’s administration. His Democratic opponent, Kathy Ellis, strongly disagrees. Smith, a Republican from Salem, Missouri, and a staunch supporter of Trump, is seeking re-election to another two-year term...

President Donald Trump will visit Cape Girardeau on Monday, Nov. 5, as he seeks to rally GOP supporters on the eve of crucial midterm elections. The rally will be at 9 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m. As with other rallies, tickets will be available from the Trump campaign at www.donaldjtrump.com/rallies...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- As the sun rose Saturday, the line of cars waiting to get into Southern Illinois Airport was already stretching deep on Airport Road -- all anxiously awaiting one hour of stumping from President Donald Trump. Trump announced last week a visit to drum up support for U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, who is competing for re-election in a tight race for Illinois' 12th Congressional seat...

Missouri’s minimum wage would grow to $12 an hour by 2023 if voters approve a measure on the November ballot. Proposition B would increase the minimum wage by 85 cents per hour each year for the next five years, starting Jan. 1. The minimum wage now stands at $7.85 an hour...

Both Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Boyd and Republican challenger Amanda Oesch have proposed changes to the county’s criminal-justice system. Oesch said she wants to provide “more effective and efficient prosecution.” Boyd wants the county to implement a “pre-trial diversion” program that would allow minor and non-violent offenders to remain at home under an ankle-monitoring system...