Local News

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A southeast Missouri woman has been sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $7.5 million in restitution in a Medicaid and Medicare fraud case. A federal judge in St. Louis on Tuesday sentenced 42-year-old Brandy McKay of Cape Girardeau. She had earlier pleaded guilty...

COVID-19 cases have begun to rise in local schools as case counts throughout the region have climbed rapidly in the past month. Since the Southeast Missourian's last COVID-19 update on Saturday, total confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in Cape Girardeau County jumped from 608 to 1,065...

In a wide-ranging, 51-minute speech Wednesday from the Missouri House chamber in Jefferson City, Gov. Mike Parson touched on a host of topics during his State of the State address -- including workforce development, infrastructure, education, community development, agriculture, health care and public safety...

Henry M. Sessoms Sr. is being remembered by former Southeast Missouri State University colleagues for his longtime steady chairmanship of the school's English department and for his enthusiasm. "He was in his element as department chair, was a good administrator and ran the department smoothly," said John Bierk, who taught modern American literature at SEMO in his 30-year tenure, adding a fast friendship developed between them once Sessoms arrived on campus to teach in the early 1960s...

When the first snow of the year begins to drop, so does Cape Girardeau School District superintendent Neil Glass's latest parody video. Wednesday night, Glass continued his tradition of announcing the school year's first snow day with a parody video...

"The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas." -- Miles Davis On Jan. 6, Joseph L. Jefferson was awarded the 2022 Jazz Education Network (JEN) -- Ellis Marsalis Jr. Jazz educator of the year award at the 13th annual JEN conference in Dallas. The award is named in honor of the famous jazz educator and pianist who passed away in 2020 at the age of 85 because of pneumonia brought on by the COVID-19 virus...

The Jackson School District will be closed Friday and Monday because of illness-related absences. ...

A motorist led Cape Girardeau police on a high-speed chase Tuesday night. According to police Sgt. Joey Hann, an officer attempted to stop a vehicle for alleged traffic violations about 9:30 p.m. near South Sprigg Street and Highway 74. The driver did not yield and fled into Illinois, Hann said...

Cape Girardeau police responded to reports of gunshots at approximately 2 p.m. Tuesday at Legends apartment complex. According to Sgt. Joey Hann, when officers arrived at the complex at 2070 N. Sprigg St., they located a male with abrasions from a physical altercation. After searching the area, the officers found an unoccupied vehicle with damage from gunshots. The vehicle was seized by the Cape Girardeau Police Department as evidence in the case...

Lawyer Michael Moroni of Advance, Southeast Missouri's only representative on the House Independent Bipartisan Citizens Commission, said the 20-member panel came to unanimous agreement Wednesday on final boundaries for all 163 seats in the General Assembly's lower chamber...

Tuesday's decision by AT&T and Verizon to delay temporarily their 5G rollouts near certain airports amid concerns over possible flight disruptions will not impact Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, at least for now. The giant telecom companies suspended implementing 5G wireless service near some airports. ...

After a public hearing to consider a special-use permit for a residential day care, the Jackson Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to take the matter to study session. The owner of the day care, Little Buttercups LLC., requested the use permit for four acres of residential property located off East Main Street...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Minutes of stated meeting of Jan. 10 n Minutes of stated meeting of Jan. 13 n The closed session minutes for the slated meeting of Jan. 10 Appointments and possible action items...

Gov. Mike Parson announced this week the concluding report of his Show Me Recovery Task Force has been received. The task force was charged with studying the ongoing impact of the pandemic on small - business owners and coming up with actionable solutions...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- An Emmy-Award-winning documentary about Missouri's sharecropper protest of 1939 will be available for viewing later this month at Charleston High School. The community is invited to a free showing of the hour-long film, "Oh Freedom After While," at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at Charleston High School's Clara Drinkwater Newnam Auditorium...

A former Southeast Missouri State University Department of Public Safety officer has been fired after law enforcement arrested him on child molestation charges. John Reyna, 36, faces two charges of first-degree child molestation and one charge of statutory sodomy for deviate sexual intercourse with a victim who was younger than 12 at the time of the alleged crime...

An early morning structure fire in Cape Girardeau destroyed one building and left approximately 100 residents without internet Tuesday. Cape Girardeau Fire Department received a call at 5:35 a.m. of a fire in the 2100 block of Big Bend Road. Fire units remained on scene for four hours...

Safe House of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau served a total of 146 individuals in its last fiscal year, including 142 women and four men. Its previous fiscal year the agency served 84 and in 2018 it served 119 according to its fiscal year annual report...

B.J. Tanksley has been tapped by the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) to direct the state's Office of Broadband Development -- replacing Tim Arbeiter, who left the role earlier this month to take a job in the private sector. Both men are graduates of Cape Girardeau Central High School and are alumni of Southeast Missouri State University...

Efforts to improve drainage in Scott City will soon be underway. On Tuesday, the Scott City Council unanimously voted to approve a bid from Roper Excavating Inc. to carry out a project to clear drainage ditches in certain parts of the City of Scott City...

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had no plan to become a civil rights leader. Why, then, did he endure police brutality, acts of violence, and all the acts of hate directed toward him, asked Pastor Ben Porter on Monday. "I would go out on a limb to say he knew something that most still have not come to realize," Porter said...

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded several multimillion-dollar contracts for road projects this month in the state's Department of Transportation Southeast District. The contracts are for resurfacing, adding turn lanes, culvert and bridge replacements and sidewalk improvements...

Where to find COVID-19 tests in the Cape Girardeau area? The short answer: It’s not always easy. COVID-19 tests have become increasingly hard to come by because of a national shortage and surge in COVID-19 cases. Several local pharmacies reported a steep demand but short supply. ...

Saturday night, shortly before 11 p.m., a Cape Girardeau Police officer was patrolling the downtown area when a citizen flagged him down near William and Main streets to report recent property damage. Officers responded and located shattered glass on multiple doors and windows at 101 William St. ...

Midwest Sterilization recently donated $25,000 to Southeast Missouri Food Bank to help feed children, senior citizens, veterans and families who face hunger in Southeast Missouri. "This is our third year for supporting Southeast Missouri Food Bank, and we do it because food is the most basic, foundational need," said Karen Eldridge, Midwest Sterilization president and CEO. ...

Southeast Missouri Pets, formerly the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, noted the 100th birthday of the late actress and animal activist Betty White with a party Monday at the organization's new 12,000-square-foot pet adoption shelter at 180 Weston St. in Cape Girardeau. ...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission, by unanimous vote Thursday, has agreed to provide up to $150 reimbursement per calendar year for work boots to employees in the buildings and grounds, highway and parks departments, retroactive to Jan. 1. The boots must be up to American Society for Testing and Materials standards in order to qualify for repayment...

City of Jackson mayor and Board of Aldermen Regular meeting 6 p.m. today Adoption of agenda n Motion adopting the regular meeting agenda Public hearings n Hearing to consider the voluntary annexation of 4.0 acres at 2336 South Old Orchard Road, as submitted by KB413 LLC...

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce recognized business leaders, volunteers and organizations at its annual banquet Friday, held once again at Jackson Civic Center, its normal venue. A year ago, impacted by the pandemic, the chamber shelved its usual banquet-style program, opting to move to Chaffee's Rock 'N Roll Drive-In, where attendees could be socially distanced and enjoy a pre-produced video presentation on the big screen...

A lot can change during the span of 100 years, but Cape Girardeau Public Library has remained a constant for the community. The library will reach its 100th year of service June 15. To celebrate, the library will host centennial-themed programs and events for visitors throughout the year...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Former Sikeston resident Terry Teachout, a theater critic and writer for The Wall Street Journal and Commentary magazine, died Thursday in Smithtown, New York. He was 65. "Terry always considered Sikeston home and that never changed," David Teachout of Sikeston said Friday about his brother...

COVID-19 cases have grown at four times their recent rate in Cape Girardeau County in the last month. The latest data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services shows 608 probable and confirmed cases in the county for the seven-day period ending Jan. 11. The county totaled 151 cases as of the Cape Girardeau County Health Center's COVID-19 update ending Dec. 15...

As Southeast Missouri State University prepares for its spring semester, officials are continuing face-covering requirements as COVID-19 cases have surged in recent weeks. Masks will still be required in classrooms, shuttles, the University School for Young Children and the Campus Health Clinic, similar to the Fall 2021 plan. Face-covering policies will be reviewed Feb. 18, a campuswide email states...

A Wayne County, Missouri, man's 2018 convictions on charges of manslaughter and armed criminal action were vacated Tuesday by the Missouri Supreme Court, sending the case back to circuit court. Samuel J. Whitaker was convicted in Wayne County in the 2013 shooting death of his stepson-in-law, Carl Streeval. He was sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter and 13 years for armed criminal action...

NB I-55 in Scott County reduced for pavement work Northbound Interstate 55 in Scott County from mile marker 66 to mile marker 81 will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction as contractor crews perform pavement repairs. According to a Missouri Department of Transportation news release, the work will be done from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Monday through Feb. 28...

New facility. New name. Officials with Southeast Missouri Pets -- formerly Humane Society of Southeast Missouri -- unveiled the organization's new facility and new name at a Thursday morning ceremony. Charlotte Craig, president of the organization's board, said the name change will clear confusion that the group falls under the umbrella of Humane Society of the United States, which it does not. She said such confusion had hindered fundraising over the years...

By long tradition, Jan. 15 is the date fourth-quarter estimated taxes are due to the U.S. Treasury and the Missouri Department of Revenue for individual filers. This year, the 15th falls on a Saturday when government offices are closed. Normally, the deadline rolls over to the next business day, which is Monday -- but Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. ...

For Debra Mitchell-Braxton, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than just a national holiday. It's a time for service and "a day on, not a day off." That's why Mitchell-Braxton has organized events to honor the late civil rights hero for the past 40 years...

Assessor Bob Adams said Thursday on a percentage basis Cape Girardeau County saw 36.77% of its personal property tax filings submitted online last year -- the highest rate among Missouri's 114 counties. Chief deputy assessor Linda Biri said the county is now in its sixth year of offering the online option to residents and for the most part, the increase in cyberspace submission has been on a steady uptick since the first year of availability in 2017...

Northbound Interstate 55 in Scott County from mile marker 66 to mile marker 81 will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction as contractor crews perform pavement repairs. According to a Missouri Department of Transportation news release, the work will be done from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Monday through Feb. 28...

Lawyer Michael Moroni of Advance, Missouri, the only area representative on the 20-member panel charged with establishing new legislative boundaries for the General Assembly's lower chamber, said Wednesday he is optimistic of a successful conclusion to its work by the Jan. 23 deadline...

United Way of Southeast Missouri this week officially opened its grant application process for the 2022-2025 funding cycle. Grant applications will be accepted through 4 p.m. Feb. 4. United Way of Southeast Missouri (UWSEMO) has conducted surveys to find ways "that help move families and individuals away from need to self-sufficiency," the organization announced in a news release...

Allen Seabaugh of Oran, Missouri, the current chief deputy county clerk and supervisor of elections for Cape Girardeau County, announced Wednesday he will run for the GOP nomination for Scott County Clerk in the Aug. 2 primary. Long-time Democratic incumbent Rita Milam, who has been the Benton, Missouri-based chief election official since January 1995 and employed by the clerk's office for 38 years, will retire Dec. 31...

A Perry County, Missouri, man is facing two felony charges in an alleged drug overdose involving a 1-year-old. A release from Prosecuting Attorney Kaitlin Pistorio said Dustin Diemert, no age given, arrived at Perry County Memorial Hospital with the child Monday. He told medical personnel he found a capsule in the unresponsive child's mouth...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Appointments and possible action items n None at this time Discussion and possible action n Revise work boot policy n Agreement with Omnia Partners n Approve vacation carryover n Approve disbursement of Domestic Violence Authority Board funds...

The Jackson School Board unanimously approved changes to the district's COVID-19 procedures at the board's meeting Tuesday night. Changes to the district's procedures were made in part to reflect recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, superintendent Scott Smith said at the meeting...

In a 23-page ruling released Tuesday, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the case of a title company employee injured in an Aug. 29, 2013, fall in the former Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse -- now part of the new City Hall complex at 44 N. Lorimier St. -- be remanded, or sent back, to the original trial court...

Attorneys Mark and Patricia McCloskey garnered global news attention after the couple pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters as they traveled down the McCloskeys' private street in an affluent St. Louis neighborhood. The McCloskeys' actions on June 28, 2020, were met with both praise and scorn...