I see that talking about coronavirus mask mania triggers some passionate responses, and I knew it would, of course, when I wrote last week's column. In light of some things I've heard, I'm compelled to follow up. So let's get to it. I'm no politician, and I don't give a flying flip about what politicians say about most things, so my thoughts about masks have nothing to do with politicians. ...

America is in crisis. Her destiny is on the line, and she will survive only if we still love her. A battle rages in the streets, in academia, in the culture, and in the hearts and minds of the American people over whether America was and remains a good and great nation...

Despite national upheaval around law enforcement, there's a more positive story to be told in Cape Girardeau where officers have developed good relationships in the community. Wes Blair, the city's police chief since 2013, spoke with me this week in a wide-ranging interview. A two-part column begins today with the second half to publish later this week...

Dear Mayor Fox and Members of the Cape Girardeau City Council: I write on behalf of the Kellerman Foundation to offer a suggestion concerning the proposed removal of the Confederate monument from Ivers Square. According to our bylaws, the Kellerman Foundation is organized to preserve the history and culture of southeast Missouri, especially through the protection, preservation and maintenance of architectural structures and historical artifacts in our region. ...

This Fourth of July we celebrate America's 244th birthday. Not quite a Sestercentennial but close. If you were to have taken a poll back in 1776 you would be hard pressed to find many around the globe who would have thought that this fledgling upstart of a nation would have made it to 244 candles on its birthday cake. ...

When mobs tore down a statue of Ulysses S. Grant and defaced a monument to African American veterans of the Civil War, many people wondered whether the protesters had ever learned anything in high school or college. Did any of these iconoclasts know the difference between Grant and Robert E. Lee? Could they recognize the name "Gettysburg?" Could they even identify the decade in which the Civil War was fought?...

Cape's Historic Preservation Commission, which recently voted unanimously to remove the monument to Southeast Missouri's Confederate soldiers has proven that it is not interested in history or preserving it. Charges made by the commission and some very visible left-wing activists that the monument was placed as a warning to African-Americans is unfounded...

The following was sent to the Cape Girardeau city clerk with a request that it be shared with our city's leaders, as well as submitted as a letter to the editor. Honorable Mayor Fox, city council members, and city manager Meyer: This letter is written in favor of the city's Historic Preservation Commission recommendation for immediate removal of the Confederate States of America monument presently located in Ivers Square...

Great photo on front page of July 2nd paper showing barge salvage, but where is the rest of the story? Whose barge, how did it sink, etc.? Trump said "masks are good." And he claimed he wears masks when around people who aren't tested and within 6 feet of him. Now it's OK for you holdouts to get a mask on...

The story of David and Goliath is not a story of racism, white fragility or while privilege. Instead, it teaches us that, "it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's." 1 Samuel 17:47. Youthful David trusted in the Lord when he went to fight against a powerful, seasoned warrior who defied and insulted the true and living God of Israel. ...

Some quick comments about hot current events. The problem of Black shooting deaths in Cape is certainly not because of excessive use of force by law enforcement, and to their credit, some local protesters have identified Cape PD's positive and sustained outreach over the years. But there is a shooting problem in our town, and it is drug- and gang-related. It is also mainly Black-on-Black. This scourge costs more Black lives than what BLM is protesting.

The Historic Preservation Commission is a volunteer board that encourages and engages in activities pertaining to the preservation of the city's historic resources. The commission welcomed the mayor's request to review the C.S.A. Monument and provide a recommendation to the city council. It was a unique meeting but aligned with our purpose as a commission...

If you test positive for the coronavirus, it is your responsibility to notify everyone that you've had contact with. It's cowardly to do otherwise. What is going on in the city of Cape? There is a sewer running over in the west side, it has been doing this since September 2019. The city manager, water and street department, and the county health departments all know this but will not correct it. If you want to know where, call any of these three. They can tell you. Have the rules changed?...

As we near Independence Day, it's important to consider the things that make America exceptional. The American experiment focuses on freedom, the inalienable rights endowed by our Creator. Preserving that freedom takes men and women of courage. Yes, those individuals who defend the nation in the armed services. But also those who get involved in their community through service and others who lead through business enterprise...

I am one very unhappy grandmother! My grandson, in the army for eight years, just recently came home. They have three children. They took time to come and look for a home, and applied for a loan. They were staying with her sister while the loan was being waited on. After doing all they thought they had to do, they have been told he hasn't been on his job long enough! Do they not make loans to veterans anymore? Meanwhile they have lost the home they thought would be theirs! What a shame!...

We live in a society gripped by a quasi-religious fervor and obsessed with symbols and irrational fears. Anything that is thought to have the slightest association with racism, no matter how attenuated the connection or how innocent the explanation, must be crushed and expunged. ...

BEALLSVILLE, Pa. If you are driving too fast, you'll miss her. It often happens at the pitch of the rolling Appalachian Mountain, where she has stood for nearly 100 years: the statue of a sturdy frontier woman holding a rifle in one arm and an infant in another, with another child clinging to her long skirt...

The state and nation continue to reopen under a new normal due to the coronavirus pandemic, but many people seem to think COVID-19 is in the rearview mirror as evidenced by the lack of social distancing and refusal to wear masks in public places. On today's Opinion page, columnist Adrienne Ross writes about her experience traveling to New York and being reminded to bring her mask everywhere she goes. ...

I hadn't worn a mask until then, and I hadn't planned on it -- as long as I was in my neck of the woods. But then came the stop in Pennsylvania as I made the road trek to New York. The Keystone State gas station store was one thing: my first experience facing a sign denying me entry without a mask. New York is something else altogether. I'm still here, and I'm still suffocating...

"Here is the truth ... From us there is nothing except ingratitude." Those words come from a sermon from Saint Junipero Serra, founder of the California missions. Statues of Serra are currently being expunged from the state. Watching the scenes around the Golden State and the country, I'm thinking he was a prophet. The ingratitude seems to capture what we're watching, as a stubborn, violent ignorance seems to reign as the likes of Serra, Abraham Lincoln and even Jesus himself are being targeted...

The August and November elections will have a new twist. Because of the coronavirus, Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation allowing those concerned about going to the polls the option of voting absentee or by a new mail-in option. “Normally, we receive between 700 to 800 absentee requests for an August election,” Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers told the Southeast Missourian. “I anticipate three to four times that many (requests) this time.”...

In response to the people who want to tear down or rename anything they deem to be offensive, I give you this quote — and remember, cliches become cliches because they are true! — “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — George Santanyana ...

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden agree on one thing — the other side is trying to steal the election. Trump told a gathering of students in Phoenix that this “will be, in my opinion, the most corrupt election in the history of our country.”...

Nestled behind Academic Hall and facing Memorial Hall at Southeast Missouri State University is the new Veterans' Plaza, a tribute to military members -- past, present and future. While significant in tribute, it's also a reminder of the university's commitment to America's returning veterans...

How long can this nation survive when its main cultural and educational institutions preach a relentless, unchallenged stream of anti-Americanism to young people (and others) who lack the background to resist this toxicity? Along with others, I have long argued that the American left has a major problem with America as founded. Yet Democrats are outraged by the suggestion, and too many Republicans seem insufficiently concerned about it. They better wake up...

Mayor Fox, There are wounds in this city that run deep -- they are the very same wounds that have been highlighted this past year in light of the murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many more black Americans. We have all had to take a step back in these past few months and reconsider our understanding of how race, inequity, power and authority shape our daily lives and the lives of those around us...

I am sickened by people who will not wear a mask in public. I see how rude they can be. A store may make more money if they would not let a person in their door without a mask and knowing they need to keep social distancing. They should respect others. ...

Senator Kamala Harris couldn't cut it as a presidential candidate, but now Democrats are falling all over themselves to make her Joe Biden's VP. Trump's "silent majority" didn't show up to his Tulsa rally because of one small thing -- it doesn't exist! That is a figment of his sick mind. He can talk about it all he wants but the majority isn't silent and it's not on his side. It's extremely vocal and it's speaking out against him...

They're coming for Thomas Jefferson. This was always obvious, but now it's even more plain. Protesters in Portland, Oregon used axes and ropes to topple a statue of President Thomas Jefferson. The New York City Council is agitating to remove a statue of the author of the Declaration of Independence from its chambers...

Fireworks will go on sale Saturday in Cape Girardeau. Some towns have already started selling the Independence Day staple, though individuals must adhere to local rules and regulations regarding when they can be deployed. Both Cape Girardeau and Jackson will host professional fireworks displays on the Fourth. These are great opportunities to enjoy tremendous displays while maintaining proper social distance as we continue to battle the coronavirus...

Jackson High School did a very nice job with their graduation ceremony. It's a real shame that the school board members presenting diplomas didn't wear masks, especially since the school required families to socially distance themselves from each other and the graduates. I guess it's "do as I say, not as I do. "...

The old 2020 election was supposed to be about many familiar issues. It is not any more. Up until now, the candidates themselves would supposedly be the story in November. The left had cited Trump's tweets and erratic firings as windows into his dark soul...

The Payroll Protection Program, or the PPP, is the crown jewel of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act's attempt to rescue small businesses from effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, the program has been a mess in its implementation and its results. This predictable failure is likely to distort and delay our economic recovery...

We are living in a time of tension and profound moral corruption that has caused unfathomable feelings of detest against unity. Recently, in cities across this country, we have experienced blatant acts of racism. It is during these times of economic deprivation and expendability of black lives that we must be candid in our conversation concerning race and equality. We must clearly state our motives and remain steadfast to the purpose of our statements...

Defunding the police will lead to more crime. No one will be safe, gun sales will skyrocket. People will have to protect themselves. The answer is simple: don't commit crimes. The world will be a better place. The officer in Atlanta will not get a fair trial. ...

Adoption made the news in recent days because of a Republican congressman unveiling the surprise news that he has been raising an adopted son from Cuba. Though the reaction on the hyperpartisan internet has been shrill and unpleasant, perhaps this can nudge us toward a radical shift in our thinking -- one where adoption is more commonplace, because we are more welcoming...

JUMONVILLE, Pennsylvania What happened here 266 years ago had repercussions so profound they changed the course of world history abruptly and irreversibly. A disputed moment occurred that led to the French and Indian War, the first true world war that would drag on for seven years, draw blood on five continents and have costs that would directly lead to a colonial uprising...

It's not often that government bodies reduce costs to customers, but the Jackson Board of Alderman did just that recently when it reduced electric rates by 11.5% on average. The reduction was based on a recommendation by 1898 & Co., a subsidiary of Burns & McDonnell Engineering in Kansas City. The city's wholesale price of electricity has decreased, and the reduction takes into account cash reserves built up for maintaining the electrical distribution system...

I have found a certain level of peace in remaining out of the thick of things while still maintaining awareness of goings-on. What's going on now that I cannot turn a blind eye to is this movement to defund police departments. Who suffers? The most vulnerable, of course...