Local News

"Be sure to take your instrument home with you after school today. It might be awhile until we see each other again." That was the announcement I gave to all of my classes on Friday, March 13, 2020. It was indeed our last day, and even after hopeful goals of returning to school were announced, 163 days would pass before school would once again be in session...

Count Bonnie Coy-Svenson among those residents who want to see an urban deer hunt conducted within the city limits of Cape Girardeau. Coy-Svenson, at the most recent meeting of the Cape Girardeau City Council, demonstrated her advocacy for the idea by sporting a COVID-19 mask featuring the imprint of a deer with a red slash through it...

In 1920, a grotto in honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal was dedicated in Perryville, Missouri, after two years of construction amid a World War and worldwide illness. Next month, the 100th anniversary celebration will take place on the grounds...

Jackson School District superintendent John Link has worked for the past six years to build community within the school buildings and the district, and to reach out to the community to build trust and move forward as a partnership. “My leadership style has always been that of a servant leader,” Link said. He has preferred to be guiding from behind, rather than trying to drag people along, he said...

Cape Girardeau County’s 911 system phone bill will be cut by about half starting next month. “Our bill is probably going to go from 11 grand a month down to five or six thousand a month,” said Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Charlie Herbst, who, along with other members of the County Commission, approved a new three-year 911 telephone service contract with AT&T during Thursday’s commission meeting...

A new online property mapping system promises to be faster and more user friendly than the previous system provided by the Cape Girardeau County Assessor’s Office. The public can access the new system through the assessor’s web portal, capegirardeau.missouriassessors.com. From there, users can begin a property inquiry by clicking “Real Estate Search” or they can go directly to property maps by clicking the link labeled “GIS Maps.” Both links may be found on the portal’s home page...

A group composed of judges from across the state honored Judge Frank E. Miller of Cape Girardeau for his work in a program filling judicial needs around Missouri. Miller’s award stemmed from his participation in the state’s judicial transfer program, which assigns judges to preside over cases anywhere in the state for various reasons and came at the annual meeting of the Judicial Conference of Missouri. A typical reason for such a need involves judges who recuse from hearing a case...

This year’s approach to holiday services will be different, said Lt. Matt DeGonia, corps officer of The Salvation Army of Cape Girardeau County, but the traditional holiday meals and toy and food drives will go on — with an eye toward safety and service...

Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse project, is now offering a curbside drop-off option in Southeast Missouri during its national collection week, Nov. 16 through 23. For more than two decades, the project has been collecting and delivering gifts in shoeboxes to children worldwide, including include school supplies, hygiene items and toys...

Kara Clark Summers remains convinced 82% to 85% of Cape Girardeau County’s registered voters will cast a ballot in Tuesday’s general election. Summers, who has been county clerk and election authority since 2007, says 738 ballots were returned to absentee ballot sites in Cape Girardeau and Jackson on Wednesday, the largest single-day return of votes so far...

Gov. Mike Parson held a rally inside the Plaza Tire Service Warehouse and Distribution Center in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday filled with supporters and other Republican state and local officials as part of a campaign stop on his “Mike Works Bus Tour.”...

Rising COVID-19 cases in the student body and among staff has prompted Cape Girardeau Central High School administrators to shut down in-person learning for a week, beginning Monday. Kristen Tallent, communications director for the district, said Wednesday afternoon the decision was out of an “abundance of caution.”...

Missouri’s 8th Congressional District voters will choose from among three candidates — Republican incumbent Jason Smith, Democrat Kathy Ellis and Libertarian Tom Schmitz. Rep. Smith, a native of Salem, Missouri, has held the seat since June 4, 2013, when he was elected to finish former congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson’s term following her resignation. ...

June Seabaugh, former teacher and onetime columnist for the Southeast Missourian, is also a missionary who took her travel hiatus brought on by COVID-19 to write a book about her experiences. In "Adventures of a Missionary Grandma," Seabaugh describes the journey God took her on, which took her to unfamiliar lands where she didn't speak the language or practice the religion, but she still saw miracles and learned more than she'd ever expected to...

A Cape Girardeau coalition focused on preventing youth substance abuse while promoting healthy lifestyles is receiving some “epic” funding from the federal government. EPIC, short for Early Prevention Impacts Communities, announced this week it has been awarded two grants valued at more than $1.4 million, which will help the organization continue existing programs while providing additional community resources...

The Nell Holcomb School District in eastern Cape Girardeau County is lengthening its fall break by three days due to COVID-19 concerns. The kindergarten-through- eighth-grade district was scheduled to be on break through Tuesday but school officials now have extended the downtime through Nov. 6...

Terry Cole and Dennis Ziegenhorn are candidates for 1st District Scott County commissioner on the Nov. 3 ballot. Cole is a Republican, while Ziegenhorn is a Democrat. The candidates answered several questions posed by the Standard Democrat. ...

Seven area residents died of COVID-19 on Tuesday, officials reported Scott County officials reported five virus-related deaths Tuesday, bringing the total number of county residents who have died because of the virus to 26. The county has tallied 1,488 total cases of the virus, while 1,215 county residents have recovered from it. New cases totaled 10 each on Saturday and Sunday, 13 Monday and 20 Tuesday...

Aside from state and national races, some Perry County, Missouri, voters will have two locally contested races to consider Tuesday. Republican Rick Francis is facing Democrat Mike Lindley for the District 145 seat in the State House, and Republican Keith Hoehn is facing independent Rocky Schumer for the District 2 seat on the Perry County Commission...

Remember to practice social distancing, wear face coverings and wash hands frequently this Halloween! n 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at Liberty Apartments, 1145 Walnut St. in Cape Girardeau, and Coffee with a Cop event n 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau — enter at Normal Avenue/West End Boulevard...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minute n Minutes for the June 15 and 25 meetings 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. ...

More women are turning to entrepreneurship, according to a 2018 report that looked at the rise in female entrepreneurs. The "State of Women-Owned Businesses Report," commissioned by American Express, says between 1972 and 2018, women-owned businesses increased from 402,000 firms in 1972 to 12.3 million in 2018...

Historic architecture in Jackson is about to get surveyed. Unlike traditional surveys, which measure property and locate property boundaries, this survey is a visual evaluation to determine the number of historically significant buildings and properties in the uptown area, according to a city news release...

The interim director of Southeast Missouri State University’s Center for Behavioral Health and Accessibility doesn’t mince words when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s no end in sight and we’re tired of it,” said Millicent Odhiambo. Much of the world went into novel coronavirus lockdown in greater or lesser degrees by mid-March...

With less than a week before Election Day, and with polls showing her trailing by several percentage points, Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway believes she "has the momentum" in her campaign to unseat Gov. Mike Parson. "We are within the margin of error," she told a room full of supporters Tuesday night in Cape Girardeau during a final campaign swing through Southeast Missouri. "This is not over. We can close this gap, but we need to sprint to the finish line over the next several days."...

The emergency face mask mandate in Cape Girardeau County will continue, but not without criteria for easing it. Members of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to continue the countywide face mask order to help control the spread of COVID-19...

The Cape Girardeau School District launched the JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) initiative this fall at Central Academy, the 145-student program for students struggling academically in grades five through 12 and who find themselves in need of more one-on-one attention from teachers...

Scouting for Food, the Boy Scouts’ annual food drive, will be held in November as usual, the Greater St. Louis Area Council of Boy Scouts of America announced. Nov. 14, thousands of Scouts will deliver blue Scouting for Food bags throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois...

Old Town Cape Inc. announced Tuesday that fundraising event Revivify exceeded the organization’s goal of $40,000, bringing in $42,300, and those funds will go toward Old Town Cape’s mission to revitalize downtown Cape Girardeau. This year’s fundraising event was held both in-person at Century Casino Cape Girardeau and online. ...

A two-vehicle crash Sunday on Interstate 55 in Ste. Genevieve County claimed the life of an 81-year-old Perryville, Missouri, woman. At about 4:45 a.m. Sunday, a 1989 Chevrolet pickup was northbound on the interstate near the 157 mile marker. Lori Rollette, 57, of Perryville was driving the vehicle when it was struck from behind by a 2010 Ford Fusion, driven by an unknown person. The impact caused Rollette’s vehicle to travel off the right side of the highway and into a guardrail...

A 39-year-old Perryville, Missouri, woman died Friday night after the utility vehicle she was riding in overturned after its driver made a sharp turn, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report. Jacqueline Miller was pronounced dead at Perry County Memorial Hospital shortly after midnight Saturday morning. The crash happened at about 11 p.m...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is asking the public to forward information of any crimes possibly perpetrated by a deceased murderer. Richard William Davis — who used several aliases, including “Dick,” “Nash” and “William Davis” — died in 2012 at the age of 70. Authorities linked him to the 1974 homicide of a young girl in Missoula, Montana, and the 1973 attempted abduction of an 8-year-old girl in New York...

In a unanimous vote, and despite a public challenge from a competing firm, the Cape Girardeau School Board voted Monday to authorize negotiation of a contract with Essential Benefit Offerings (EBO MD) for what school superintendent Neil Glass called "an add-on health benefits package" for district employees...

Southeast Missouri Food Bank in Sikeston, Missouri, has received a grant from Feeding America that will cover the cost of monthly mobile food distributions in Scott County and other nearby counties through April, a study on how well the food bank’s services are doing, a new staff member, and a pilot program to improve access to healthy foods, according to a news release sent Monday...

Health officials reported three COVID-19-related deaths Monday, two in Bollinger County, Missouri, and one in Cape Girardeau County. Bollinger County reported two deaths because of the virus, bringing the county’s total to four. As of Monday, the county reported 661 total cases (up 31 from its previous report) and 526 recoveries...

With just over two months left in 2020, Cape Girardeau County officials say the calendar and the county’s $9.2 million coronavirus relief fund should both run out at about the same time. “It will be awfully close,” commented First District County Commissioner Paul Koeper, who has been keeping tabs on fund allocation requests and passing them on to the other commissioners for consideration...

Christmas parade plans are underway in Jackson and Scott City. In Jackson, the Dec. 6 parade will likely look different this year. Santa will be riding in this year’s parade but will not be available for photos, and uptown shops will not be open for shopping, said Steve Turner, Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization director...

Mike Backfisch Jr. and Donnie Kiefer are both candidates for 2nd District Scott County commissioner on the Nov. 3 ballot. Backfisch is a Republican while Kiefer is a Democrat. The following is a Q&A with each candidate. Backfisch: I have worked as a mechanic and an equipment operator for over 25 years. I think my experience in road, bridge and snow removal will be an asset to the county...

Poll workers Valeria Klaproth, left, and Jeff Poole collect an ballot from a motorist Monday, the first day of a weeklong curbside-voting and absentee ballot dropoff event at the Cape Girardeau County Administration Building in Jackson. ...

A U.S. Navy veteran, former prosecutor and retired federal judge will speak at Thursday’s Respect for Law event sponsored by Cape Girardeau’s Evening Optimist Club. Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. will provide remarks at the event, and the club will honor personnel with area law enforcement organizations...

He’s been Bo Duke on “The Dukes of Hazzard,” Jonathan Kent on “Smallville,” a musician and an independent filmmaker, and next weekend, John Schneider will be the headliner at Rock ’N’ Roll Drive-In in Blomeyer. Schneider’s event will include both a concert and a movie Sunday, said Sarah Estes, executive marketing director for the drive in...

The Ohio River bridge connecting Cairo, Illinois, to Wickliffe, Kentucky, was reopened to normal two-way traffic flow Friday, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). The span, commonly known as the Cairo Bridge, had been limited to one lane of traffic since late August while work crews replaced bridge joints and sections of pavement...

The river has been on my mind a lot lately, maybe because it offers a respite from the virus and politics of much else in the world. Maybe because I'm walking it more frequently -- along with dozens of other people -- as a great place for exercise.

No COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the region Friday, though health officials reported about 100 new cases of the disease. Nearly half of the new cases -- 40 -- came from Cape Girardeau County, which is nearing 3,000 total cases of the disease associated with coronavirus. ...

A sitting state senator and a man who has never held public office are vying for the state House seat that virtually covers Cape Girardeau. Democrat Andy Leighton, 58, and Republican Wayne Wallingford, 74, are running for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Kathy Swan, who could not seek re-election because of term limits...

Cape Girardeau Fire Department conducted a live-burn exercise on North Middle Street on Friday. Firefighters razed a house slated for demolition to practice techniques and test their equipment.

According to the director of Southeast Missouri State University's Newman Center, Deacon Tom Schumer, the construction for the new Catholic campus ministry building is ahead of schedule. After beginning demolition and construction on the site this past spring, the building is starting to take form with masonry work. Schumer said their goal is to have the roof on the structure before Christmas to allow interior construction to continue through the winter...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minute n Minutes for the Oct. 19 and 22 meetings 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. ...

The City of Cape Girardeau announced Randy Morris Jr. has become the city’s interim fire chief, succeeding Travis Hollis, according to a statement from city manager Scott Meyer on Thursday. “Chief Hollis and the city have mutually agreed to separate employment,” Meyer said, ending Hollis’ brief 13-month tenure as head of the city’s fire and emergency medical services...

Local youth mentorship program the Honorable Young Men Club is looking to take its initiative to another level. The organization was founded in 2016 by four former Southeast Missouri State University football players — Kweku Arkorful, Wyky Jean, Cantrell Andrews and Aaron Adeoye — and they’ve just established HYMC Empowerment Inc., a new foundation created to help the program grow into its next chapter...