Local News

In the days following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes during an arrest, demonstrations and protests mourning his death spread across the nation. On Sunday, local demonstrators gathered at Freedom Corner, in Capaha Park near the intersection of Broadway and North West End Boulevard in Cape Girardeau, to express their emotions and show support for the Black Lives Matter movement...

Pat Thompson-McBride, Cape Girardeau’s NAACP president, knows what it means to lose a loved one to violence. Thompson-McBride lost her 39-year old son Damion nearly three years ago when he was shot to death while he slept in Jefferson City, Missouri...

During the past spring semester, Southeast Missouri State University students were given the opportunity to explore real-life challenges, reaching creative solutions to restore and redevelop historic buildings. Steven Hoffman’s Historic Preservation-Based Economic Revitalization class created feasibility assessments of a one-story brick building at 101 William St. in downtown Cape Girardeau as part of a semester-long group project...

Cape Girardeau City Council 5 p.m. Monday City Hall 401 Independence St. Study session n No action will be taken during the study session Presentation n Beautiful Business Property of the Month presentation n Recognition of Service — council member Ryan Essex...

In the June 2 election, candidates are running for three-year school board terms in eight local school districts. There are four candidates running for three positions on the board of the 4,287-pupil district. Incumbent and Cape Central graduate Jared Ritter said he believes his experience as a student will be helpful to his service on the school board. A realtor, Ritter has served one term so far and said he enjoys contributing to the positive atmosphere of the school...

Cape Girardeau voters will have two tax initiatives to vote on Tuesday. The proposed would renew, for five years, a half-cent sales tax to fund the city's transportation projects. The Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) was first approved by voters in 1995, and has since been extended multiple times by voters over the past 25 years and helped the city complete several phases of Bloomfield Road, Veterans Memorial Drive, Silver Springs Road, Broadway, the widening of Mount Auburn, multiple maintenance projects and more.. ...

The contra dance series at Christ Episcopal Church has been cancelled until the end of 2020, organizer John Coffman said, one of the latest victims of COVID-19. Judy Bradley brought the contra style of dancing to Cape Girardeau in the early 1980s, when she said she moved back home after living in Maine. She said she was first introduced to the dance style while there, and missed the contra dance community after returning to Cape Girardeau...

A suspect is dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound sustained while in police custody, Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann said in a release Friday. At approximately 12:20 a.m. Friday, Cape Girardeau police officers responded to a report of a robbery in the 100 block of Cape West Parkway. ...

More people filed for unemployment benefits in Cape Girardeau County during March and April than in all of 2019. And all of 2018. And all of 2017. And part of 2016. Combined. Data released Friday by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations revealed 5,011 Cape Girardeau County residents filed for unemployment benefits in April, the first full month of Missouri's state of emergency and "stay at home" directive during the COVID-19 pandemic...

Repair work on the approach to the Ohio River bridge on U.S. 51 between Cairo, Illinois, and Wickliffe, Kentucky, is slated to start this week and will last for several months, according to the Kentucky Transporation Cabinet. The initial work zone on the Kentucky side of the bridge approach will include levee maintenance and roadway improvements from mile point 4.873 at the end of the Willow Slough "Mile Long" Bridge, extending westward to mile point 6.658 near the Minor Slough Bridge. ...

Four school districts are seeking to variously improve safety and repair structures, each with a proposition on the ballot for Tuesday's municipal election. In Oak Ridge, Supt. Adrian Eftink said the proposed 65-cent tax increase is necessary to remain competitive with neighboring districts, both for teacher salaries and educational support costs...

On Monday, two of Riverside Regional Library's branches will reopen their doors to a limited number of patrons and services, and summer programming will be primarily online or off-site, said library director Jeff Trinkle. Children's librarian Alynda Smithey has been hard at work with her staff, finding ways to deliver summer programs for children and teens in the cities served by the library system...

Cape Girardeau County residents in the Brown Owl Precinct who typically vote at the Missouri Conservation Department office and those in Cape Girardeau's 4C Precinct who vote at St. Andrew Lutheran Church should note changes in their polling places for Tuesday's municipal election...

Jackson Board of Aldermen 6 p.m. Monday City Hall 101 Court St. Public Hearing n Hearing to consider the voluntary annexation of the property addressed as 357 Timber Lane, as submitted by Todd Johnson and Kaci Jo Sparkman. Approval of minutes n Minutes of special meeting of 5/18/20...

Five deaths attributed to COVID-19 were reported in the region Friday. A third Cape Girardeau County resident died of the disease associated with coronavirus. The person was a 70-something-yeard-old person. No further details were provided by the county's Public Health Center...

On Tuesday, voters will choose to elect either Brad Deken, a Southeast Missouri State University department chairman and professor of Engineering and Technology, or Brad Johnston for a six-year term as director of the Fruitland Fire Protection District...

Located in the heart of the City of Cape Girardeau, about 5% of registered Ward 3 voters participated in the Feb. 4 primary election which set the stage for Tuesday's race between Nathan Thomas and Renita Green for a Ward 3 City Council seat. Thomas was appointed to serve on the Cape Girardeau City Council in August after previous Ward 3 Councilman Victor Gunn moved to another ward...

When voters in Perryville, Missouri, take to the polls on Tuesday, they will find a mayoral election on the ballot between the incumbent candidate Ken Baer and newcomer candidate Thomas Handrick Sr. -- both of whom are in their 70s. Handrick, a now-retired Lutheran pastor with 39 years experience in full-time parish ministry, has been a Perryville resident since 2005 and currently serves as a part-time pastor. ...

When voters in northeastern Jackson take to the polls Tuesday, they will see two familiar names on the ballot for the Ward 4 Alderman seat -- the incumbent candidate Joe Bob Baker and his challenger Steven Lee. Baker retired from his position as the president and owner of B & B Auto Salvage in 2017, but seeks to continue serving the city as an elected official if re-elected to represent Ward 4 since being first elected in August 1999...

During the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muslims around the world practice a heightened devotion to God through fasting. From dawn to sunset, fasting is practiced by refraining from eating, drinking and sexual interactions of any kind while also striving to increase charitable acts and control bad habits such as foul language, gossip and anger...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Minutes for May 28 meeting n COVID-19 Update: In an effort to keep Cape Girardeau County residents safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director Mark Winkler will be issuing an update at County Commission meetings. ...

Excessive rainfall upriver has led to a revised forecast of a higher Mississippi River crest at Cape Girardeau. The National Weather Service raised its crest prediction by 2 feet Thursday from 34.5 feet by Tuesday morning to 36.5 feet, more than four feet above flood stage, by Wednesday...

Old Cape Road East temporarily closed Old Cape Road East in Jackson, between Matthew Street (County Road 316) and Wedekind Road, will be closed temporarily for the installation of a sanitary sewer and a water distribution tap at 4861 Old Cape Road East. ...

Popular local band Grand Opening will bring their eclectic mix of rock and country hits to a social-distancing-friendly concert to benefit Life360, which provides lunches to children who need them especially while school is out. The concert begins at 2 p.m. Sunday in Circle Park's gazebo in Chaffee, Missouri...

After several weeks of speculation about its future, J.C. Penney has announced its store in Cape Girardeau's West Park Mall will reopen next week. The store and the J.C. Penney salon will open Wednesday while the Sephora outlet inside the store will reopen Friday...

City of Cape Girardeau water crews will close North Fountain Street between Pearl and Mason streets Monday to repair water mains. According to a city news release, the closure will begin at 8 a.m. and could extend one or two weeks, depending upon the work and weather conditions. Detours will be posted for motorists...

Three separate shootings occurred over a span of eight hours in Cape Girardeau from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann. According to Hann, the three separate shootings do not appear to be related to one another...

Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau has reported a case of COVID-19. According to the facility’s website, one employee has tested positive. The facility’s website states it has an average of 389 employees. The website states 15 employees have tested negative. ...

The director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center is “a little surprised” at new guidance this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about coronavirus antibody testing. “(CDC) recommendations of two weeks ago can change,” said Jane Wernsman, director of the center...

Today, all trials held at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson will be moved to the new courthouse across the street. The old location will no longer be in use, Circuit Court Division III Judge Frank Miller said. Miller said the biggest improvement in the new courthouse is the addition of better security to protect all individuals who enter the courthouse. ...

The 2020 Shipyard Music Festival, a rustmedia celebration of up-and-coming musical artists from across the United States, has been canceled, organizers announced in a social media post Thursday. The festival was originally slated for Sept. 25 and 26...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A former Sikeston police officer charged in a deadly crash that occurred Feb. 29 has pleaded not guilty. Andrew Cooper, who is charged with one Class B felony count of driving while intoxicated and causing a death, one unclassified felony count of armed criminal action and three Class D felony counts of driving while intoxicated and causing serious physical injury, waived a formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty Tuesday...

Firefighters respond to a structure fire Thursday on County Road 432 near Oak Ridge. Fruitland fire chief Rob Francis said the structure was a total loss and as "far as we know" no one lived in the building. ...

Three people are now facing felony and misdemeanor charges for their alleged involvement in a Saturday burglary at Diebold Orchards in Benton, Missouri. In a Thursday news release, Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury stated deputies were called to Diebold Orchards for a possible burglary in progress and found 26-year-old Allie Halfacre on the property...

A man was shot and transported by ambulance Wednesday night, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann. He was unable to provide further information about the victim's status or injuries at this time. "Officers are busy actively working the scene and [the] ambulance just arrived," Hann stated...

The Beef ‘O’ Brady’s restaurant in Cape Girardeau will permanently shut its doors at the close of business Sunday due, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. Owners Lee and Angel Hillman informed their staff Wednesday of their decision to close the family sports restaurant, which opened in 2008 at 1812 Carondalet Ave...

A fifth Stoddard County, Missouri, nursing home resident has died because of COVID-19. Crowley Ridge Nursing Home in Dexter experienced an outbreak of coronavirus cases in recent weeks, pushing the county’s total patient count to 76. Two new cases were reported in the county Wednesday. ...

After months without the structure and regularity of school, area experts say children and teenagers may be dealing with challenges that could affect their mental, emotional and social health. Jennifer Gadberry, instructor of psychology at Southeast Missouri State University’s Sikeston Regional Campus, said one of her earliest concerns for children’s’ mental well-being had to do with the televised coverage of the virus...

Passengers flying out of the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport on SkyWest Airlines these days are having no problem maintaining “social distancing” between themselves and others on their flights. That’s because Cape Girardeau is averaging only three passengers a day this month on SkyWest’s daily flights to and from Chicago as most would-be business and leisure travelers are staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic...

Inspired by the Lift Up Lou project in Louisville, Kentucky, Elevate Cape aims to bring people and projects together who are already working toward a common goal: betterment. "I thought it was a really interesting approach," Downes said of the Kentucky project...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Planning is still on schedule for the 2020 Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. Despite the recent coronavirus pandemic occurrences, rodeo chairman Travis Deere said he still plans on everyone showing up and putting on a quality show in August. He did add there will be guidelines...

Three people were injured Wednesday afternoon in a no-passing zone on Highway 177 after a vehicle struck an oncoming car about one-quarter mile south of Nell Holcomb School. The head-on collision occurred at 2:19 p.m. 3 miles north of Cape Girardeau when a southbound 2008 Ford Focus driven by 27-year-old Coby N. McHughs passed a vehicle and struck a northbound 2019 Nissan Altima driven by 58-year-old Dara L. Drury, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report...

Tanner Mendoza, 17, of Cape Girardeau goes fishing Wednesday at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. ...

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP, is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program designed to help farmers, ranchers and other food producers negatively affected by COVID-19, and is taking applications through Aug. 28. Eligible producers (a person or legal entity) of certain, specified agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5% or greater price decline as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and who face substantial costs for inventories, could be eligible for CFAP payments...

The Illinois Natural History Survey needs help identifying bat roost locations and bat population counts for the Illinois Bat Conservation Program. The nine-question roost form and emergence count is at ow.ly/8Ezc50zRBzU. Anyone can participate. The Illinois Bat Conservation Program is a collaborative project among University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Prairie Research Institute, Eastern Illinois University and Illinois Department of Natural Resources...

Approval of minutes n Minutes for May 21 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n COVID-19 Update: In an effort to keep Cape Girardeau County residents safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director Mark Winkler will be issuing an update at County Commission meetings. ...

Route W between County Road 413 and Greer Street in Scott County will be closed as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway. A MoDOT news release says the work will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The road will be open to local traffic only...

Fans of live music at wineries, you are in luck. At Apple Creek Winery, 1930 County Road 401 in Friedheim, Missouri, not one but two musical acts are set to take the stage. Mudpuppy plays from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, and from 1:30 to 4:30, blues musician Ivas John will appear. You might remember Ivas from the Cross Rivers Blues Fest in downtown Cape Girardeau, among many other appearances...

A retired Cape Girardeau County pastor contends bee venom may hold promise for fighting COVID-19. The Rev. Grant Gillard, who retired as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson in September 2018, kept bees locally for 25 years. Gillard takes hope from a recent article in “Bee Culture,” a trade publication for U.S. beekeepers, suggesting people stung by bees may build up a tolerance that effectively keeps the coronavirus away...

After 20 years in the former Cape Girardeau County Courthouse and months of postponed proceedings due to the coronavirus, Division II Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis held his first docket day of in-person, non-emergency proceedings Tuesday in the newly-built chambers of Courtroom 301...