Local News

The Perryville (Missouri) Police Department was notified Wednesday night, March 29, of a possible bomb threat by a Perry County School District middle school student. The juvenile allegedly told several students Wednesday not to come to school Thursday, March 30, because he planned to bring a bomb, according to a news release from the Perryville Police Department...

The Jefferson Elementary Aquatic Center in Cape Girardeau will open to the public Monday, April 3, with a ribbon-cutting to follow later in the week. The grand opening event for the pool will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 6. The ceremony will include presentations from Cape Girardeau Public Schools and City of Cape Girardeau staff, as well as facility tours and refreshments...

The long life of 1945 Cape Girardeau Central graduate Ruth Rueseler Knote, who died Monday, March 27, at age 95, seems to fit Merriam-Webster Dictionary's definition of a "renaissance woman." To wit: a woman interested in and knowledgeable about many things...

A quartet of candidates seek to fill two four-year terms on the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center (PHC) Board of Trustees in the Tuesday, April 4, election. n Diane Howard, attorney (incumbent) n Nancy Johnson, semi- retired nurse practitioner...

Cape's Brooker tries out on 'America's Got Talent' Cape Girardeau singing telegram extraordinaire and social media sensation Joy Brooker is stepping onto America's TV stage. Brooker recently performed in front of the judges and crowd on NBC's "America's Got Talent"...

Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau has scheduled a congregation vote Sunday, April 23, for a possible split from the United Methodist denomination. ...

Students prepare for their production of "The Addams Family" musical Wednesday, March 29, in Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Girardeau Central High School in Cape Girardeau. ...

Libby Buchheit, center, sings as Flounder during rehearsal for "The Little Mermaid" on Wednesday, March 29, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau. ...

A bulldozer from Vern Bauman Contracting of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, was employed Wednesday, March 29, in site preparation for the future Jackson ALDI supermarket at 2502 E. Jackson Blvd. ...

A Cape Girardeau Fire Department engine and a passenger vehicle collided late Wednesday morning, March 29, near the intersection of South Sprigg and Independence streets in Cape Girardeau. The accident happened at the entrance to a parking lot for Fire Station No. 1, located at 1 South Sprigg St. The lot exits onto Independence Street. ...

Guest pianist Robert Watson will perform a concert this weekend at Shuck Recital Hall at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in Cape Girardeau. The performance is free and will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1. Watson will play selections from such composers as Frederic Chopin, Sergei Prokofiev and Manos Hadjidakis...

HContractor crews will install roadside lights along Highway 25 in Cape Girardeau County, according to a Missouri Department of Transportation news release. This section of highway is at the roundabout in Blomeyer. Work will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Wednesday, April 12, through Friday, April 21...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. Thursday, March 30, 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Approval of minutes of the Monday, March. 27, meeting Communications/reports -- other selected officials/department heads n Updates on new jail and 1908 courthouse project...

Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist denomination March 19 adding to the droves of churches leaving the second largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. The congregation of the rural church voted 110 to 28 in favor of disaffiliation, easily clearing the required two-thirds threshold. Zion has 234 members...

At a regular meeting, Monday, March 27, the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education authorized negotiations with multiple contractors in the construction of the first phase of an athletic complex to be built on the Central High School campus...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Kelsey Johnson received the key to her new home at a dedication ceremony Sunday, March 26, in Marble Hill. This is the 62nd home Habitat for Humanity -- Cape Area has dedicated in the 36 years it has been in operation. The location serves Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry and Stoddard counties...

Cape Central Academy won't be able to move into its new home until at least January. The initial hope had been for the Academy to transition into the former Red Star Baptist Church by the beginning of the next school year in August. However, Josh Crowell, assistant superintendent of Support Services, reported to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education on Monday, March 27, that delays in the renovation schedule, due in part to equipment availability, meant the date had to be pushed back.. ...

Howard Benyon, the newly appointed superintendent for Cape Girardeau Public Schools, announced plans for leadership changes ahead of the upcoming school year. A news release, sent by CGPS on Tuesday, March 28, stated Benyon's current position as deputy superintendent of elementary education will be eliminated. ...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- A Chaffee school teacher faces two felonies and one misdemeanor charge for allegedly attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with a 16-year-old girl. Mitchell John Dirnberger, an industrial technology shop teacher at Chaffee Junior and Senior High School, was charged Friday, March 24, with the Class C felony of promoting a sexual performance by a child, a Class D felony of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree and the class C misdemeanor of sexual misconduct in the second degree. ...

Mirroring a sharp decline seen nationally, cases of influenza dropped dramatically between January and February in Cape Girardeau County. According to statistics released by the county's public health center, cases of Influenza A and B combined dropped 93% from 75 reported occurrences to five...

Federal warrant information has been released on the suspect who evaded Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's deputies during a chase Monday, March 27. Deputies located Austin Burton, 26, around 2 p.m. Monday southbound on U.S. 61 near Fruitland. Burton is wanted on a federal warrant...

The Pig's Hiney bar and grill in Scott City will hold an Adult Prom from 7 p.m. until the bar closes Saturday, April 1. Owner Beth Fugate said there is no theme for the prom but she and her husband, Paul, will be wearing their best 1980s prom attire...

The following are contested races and tax initiatives in the upcoming Tuesday, April 4, general municipal election broken down by county. n Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees (two seats available, four-year terms): *Diane Howard, Nancy K. Johnson, *William Lewis, Richard J. Swartz...

Four area House Republicans are on record supporting Senate Bill 49 — the Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, which passed Thursday, March 23, by a strict party line vote, 24-8, in the upper chamber of the General Assembly. Missouri's legislation, which was sponsored by Sen. ...

Gov. Mike Parson said 70 projects across Missouri have been awarded more than $94 million in community revitalization grants — including a trio of initiatives in Southeast Missouri. The funding comes from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies Parson said is "focused on investing in communities of all sizes to support local priorities, encourage economic recovery and build resilience for the future."...

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri received a sizable grant that will help the organization complete its Lifehouse Crisis Maternity Home in Cape Girardeau. The religious organization received $2.5 million from the Community Revitalization Grant Program from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, according to a news release from Catholic Charities...

Gratitude was the order of the evening as donors to Southeast Missouri State University were recognized during the President's Council dinner Friday, March 24, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. The event honored members of the President's Council and Horizon Club, as well as the 2023 Friends of the University, Harold and Hermena Holigan...

The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office is looking for a suspect after he was able to evade law enforcement during a chase Monday afternoon, March 27. Deputies located Austin Burton, 26, at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, southbound on U.S. 61 near Fruitland. Burton is wanted on a federal warrant...

A Harviell, Missouri, man died of a heart attack while driving near Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on Saturday night, March 25, according to the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Rodney Ray was driving a gray Dodge Durango westbound on Business 60 near Route B when he evidently suffered a heart attack and lost consciousness, according to reports. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Four projects in Sikeston were awarded more than $3 million in grants Thursday, March 23, through the Community Revitalization Grant Program, the City of Sikeston announced Friday, March 24. The City of Sikeston along with the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. (DAEOC), Grace Community Center and the Southeast Missouri Food Bank were all awarded grants totaling $3,317,353...

A Lowndes, Missouri, woman was found dead in a water recovery incident Saturday night, March 25, in Bollinger County. Debbie Barks, 70, was driving home on Route H, north of Zalma, Missouri, and did not see the road was covered with water, according to Bollinger County Coroner Calvin Troxell...

Three seniors from Cape Girardeau and Notre Dame Regional high schools have been selected as Missouri Scholars 100 for 2023, a statewide program honoring Missouri's top 100 academic students in the graduating class of 2023. Henry Rusten and Samuel Cairns of Cape Girardeau Central and William Dodson of Notre Dame, as well as their parents and principals, have been invited to a luncheon Sunday, April 30, at Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri, to celebrate their achievements...

Sikeston Jaycee Ethan Vasquez speaks to the crowd during the first public Rodeo Kickoff event Friday, March 24 at the Sponsor Building at the rodeo grounds. ...

A news release from Cape Girardeau Police Department says officers responded just before noon Sunday, March 26, to a shots-fired incident in the 500 block of South Middle Street. Officers found several shell casings at the scene and located a vehicle with possible damage from gunfire. The vehicle was taken from the scene as evidence...

Steve Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, remembers when he couldn’t wait to graduate high school and leave Poplar Bluff for “bigger and better things.” Sticking around to start a career and raise a family in his hometown wasn’t something he considered. He wanted job opportunities, recreation and an overall fulfilling life. It turns out, Halter had a chance at everything he wanted out of life, and it was right in front of him.

It's been a rough March for the financial community. The Federal Reserve Board Wednesday raised interest rates for a ninth time in the latest attempt to curb inflation. Just two weeks ago, the nation received news of the failure of two banks: Santa Clara, California's Silicon Valley Bank, with $209 million in assets, on March 10; and New York City-headquartered Signature Bank, with assets of $110 million on March 12...

Cape Girardeau neurosurgeon Sonjay Fonn and Deborah Seeger, also of Cape, have released a statement via their attorney detailing why they settled a years-long lawsuit with federal officials. On Wednesday, March 22, U.S. Justice Department announced it had come to terms on a $825,000 settlement with Fonn and Seeger and their companies, Midwest Neurosurgeons LLC and DS Medical LLC...

One Cape Girardeau man was taken into custody Thursday night, March 23, for alleged felony unlawful use of a firearm related to a shots fire incident in Cape Girardeau that evening. Cape Girardeau Police Department officers responded at 11 p.m. Thursday to the 1100 block of South Ellis Street in reference to shots fired, according to a CGPD news release...

No arrests were made and no injuries were reported in connection with a shots-fired incident Thursday night, March 23 at the 500 block on North Silver Springs Road near Themis Street in Cape Girardeau. Robert Newton, public information officer for Cape Girardeau Police Department, said officers responded to the scene around 8 p.m. Thursday and collected several pieces of evidence. The incident is currently under investigation...

A Cape Girardeau man was taken into custody for unlawful use of a weapon after allegedly threatening a woman with a handgun during an argument March 18. Cape Girardeau Police officer William Sammut responded around 2 a.m., March 18, to a Woodlawn Avenue residence in Cape because of a reported "man with a gun," according to the probable cause statement...

A Cape Girardeau Police car was temporarily stolen during an incident investigation Thursday, March 23. According to a CGPD Facebook post, around 11 p.m. officers responded to the 1100 block of South Ellis Street for a report of shots fired in the area...

Cape Girardeau police respond Thursday night, March 23, to the 2800 block of Themis Street to a shots fired call.

There’s a reason we use the word “spend” when talking about time. Just like currency, we choose what time to save and give away; we make trades and sacrifices to fulfill the ultimate dream we have for our lives. And for many, living downtown sounds like an exciting dream, full of opportunities for experience and entertainment. But what about the comfort and qualities that make a place into a home? Are those also present in the downtown scene?...

GOP state House Rep. Herman Morse, whose District 151 takes in southwestern Cape Girardeau County, voted with the minority Wednesday, March 22, on an approved bill sponsored by Warrensburg Republican Dan Houx legalizing sports betting in the Show Me State...

The new Catholic Social Ministries Food Pantry in Cape Girardeau, which opened in October, has been named for Sister Lucille M. Zerr, who died Oct. 19, 2015. Edward M. Rice, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese since 2016, will be present for a 2 p.m. Sunday, March 26, dedication and blessing of the pantry in Zerr's memory at 141 S. Frederick St., across from St. Mary's Cathedral. An open house of the facility will follow...

Cape Girardeau City Council members directed city staff at their Monday, March 20, meeting to proceed in working with a private developer on a potential police substation in midtown Cape Girardeau. Council members and the developer said they believe the substation could help revitalize the area...

It doesn't hurt to celebrate the piano and everything around it. So said German pianist and composer Nils Frahm, who founded World Piano Day in 2015. In that spirit, and in honor of the 150th anniversary of Southeast Missouri State University, SEMO's Department of Music is hosting a piano concert Wednesday, March 29, at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau...

An appeal review on the suspension of Hotshots Bar and Grill's liquor license in Cape Girardeau will be held next week. The city moved to suspend the license of the downtown bar in the wake of a March 4 shooting that left five injured and three in custody...

Perryville Mayfest will be back in town Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13. This year's theme is a special one, 1923 -- A Perryville Origin Story. This will help celebrate the Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce's 100th anniversary and will highlight a western style theme...

This year, Old Town Cape will host its 31st annual Downtown Christmas Parade of Lights at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, in Cape Girardeau. The theme this year will be "Gnome Place Like Home For the Holidays!" Parade of Light chairpersons Kent and Vicki Zickfield said in a newsletter from Old Town Cape that with a theme like this they are expecting multiple sightings of the elusive mythical character along the parade route...