Missouri Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Josh Hawley may be the strongest defender of conservatism to appear on the statewide ballot. The 38-year-old Constitutional lawyer represented Hobby Lobby at the Supreme Court when the Christian, family owned company objected to Obamacare's mandate that health insurance plans cover abortifacients...

Nicknames can be amusing. Or not. President Trump, among his many other accomplishments, has established himself as the chief name caller. One of his targets is a U.S. senator from Massachusetts. Elizabeth Warren is no wallflower. The Democrat uses some of the over-the-top techniques favored by our president. The two have clashed on just about every issue imaginable...

Missourians will review many measures on the Nov. 6 ballot and one of the easiest decisions is No on Amendment 1. While proponents claim it is a "cure" for what's wrong with politics, it will actually make politics worse by injecting raw partisanship into our non-partisan redistricting process...

The arrested anti-Kavanaugh protesters well deserve a large dose of their own antics. That is, as they rise to face a judge, they should be found guilty as charged, even before they offer an opening statement. The judge should inform them it is his biased opinion and no facts or witness will change his uncorroborated conclusion. The result is to apply their own mindset to the disrespect they have generated...

I had already decided to do something I have never done before and that is to vote a straight Republican ticket in the upcoming election. I have always voted for the "person" but when you have a party that is filled with so much hate, I have to assume that anyone running as a Democrat shares in their hateful thoughts and actions. ...

Dr. Doris Kearns Goodwin is a historian, professor at Harvard, and an award-winning author. Her writings have, for the most part, been biographical about several presidents. Perhaps the most famous of her books is "A Team of Rivals" about Lincoln and his cabinet. ...

Is it humanly possible for the street department of the City of Cape to patch a concrete crack across the width of a street without making a speed bump? There is another new one on Silver Springs Road near the bowling ally. The trash left behind after the SEMO Homecoming parade was terrible. The university and students should do a better job of cleaning up afterward...

One of the neat things about downtown Cape Girardeau is the variety of people who are attracted to it. For those who enjoy high level, cultural entertainment, downtown Cape is a place for you. For those who enjoy local flavors and restaurants, downtown Cape is a place for you...

Started 30 years ago with services at a movie theater in the mall, La Croix Church celebrated its anniversary earlier this month. Pastor Ron Watts shared how as a young man he felt called to start a new church -- but in his hometown of St. Louis. God, however, kept directing him to Cape. Thank you, Ron and wife Linda, for following that call...

I suspect we're all guilty of clinging to things long past their expiration date. A shirt in the closet that no longer fits and is woefully out of style. Well worn shoes that may well conjure past memories but should have been relegated to the trash heap long ago...

Clean Missouri will be on the Nov. 6 ballot as Amendment 1. With a name like that you would think it would be a bipartisan bill with pure intentions. But, what we have is a Wolf in Sheep's clothing. Clean Missouri is being promoted as ethics reform and includes changes to the state's laws relating to lobbyists and campaign contribution limits. This part of Amendment 1 I agree with. However, it's what is in the weeds that has to be spotlighted...

"Hurting people hurt people." I first heard this years ago in the church. It was true then, and it is no less true today. I've seen it play out often, and the political upheaval we see today highlights it. Unless you are completely disengaged from what is going on in the nation (and if you were, you wouldn't be reading this right now), you see the ongoing shenanigans surrounding the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department continues rolling out proactive and innovative programs to help deter crime, rather than just react to it. The latest program is called The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program. It's a three-phase, international initiative that engages apartment owners and residents, police and other agencies, according to a recent report by Mark Bliss...

Is there any chance that Cape County could get the Iron Mountain R.R. right of way for a rails-to-trails hiking and biking trail. So Hillary says “you can’t be civil with a political party (Republican) that wants to destroy what you stand for.” Wow, how divisive is that? Hillary is the gift that keeps on giving to the Republicans. Keep talking, Hillary!...

A lot of work is being done these days to prepare students for just that: work. Two recent Southeast Missourian stories highlighted the efforts. The first example was the Youth Entrepreneurs program, a national organization being instituted at Central High School. ...

It's easy to focus on results, particularly in sports. It's not to say winning isn't important, because it is. We root for our favorite team to score the most points or make a big defensive play. But winning is the result, not the driver. Last week the Southeast Missouri State football team faced conference foe Tennessee Tech and scored a school record 70 points in their lopsided win. ...

This weekend is Homecoming weekend at Southeast Missouri State University and as usual there are lots of activities scheduled, beginning Friday with the reservation-only Copper Dome Society/Alumni Awards Dinner at 6 p.m. On Saturday, activities are scheduled all day, beginning with coffee and doughnuts at the Alumni Center at 8 a.m., followed by the parade at 9:30...

(This week's column was dictated by Missy Kitty, who is plenty smart but can't type worth a whit.) Sometimes it's hard to figure out what makes humans tick. Take my humans, for example. They're smart enough to keep my food bowl full with ample sides of no-fat milk. But why would they spend hours and hours watching something called a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that went on and on and on?...

This fall, for the first time in 12 years, I do not have a child in the Cape public school system. Before too much more of life gets by, I want to express gratitude to this community for building, nurturing and supporting a great public school system. Great educational systems are not built overnight, and our system stands over the heads and shoulders of many others who have worked and lived here...

Back in 1998 I had a dream of implementing an organized and sustainable youth mentoring organization in our community. There were many mentoring programs and groups in our community at that time all with a purpose of helping our youth succeed. But that was the problem. They were all programs. Programs have a beginning and an end. We needed a better way of doing things...

Do you love the men in your life? Sons, brothers, nephews, husband, male friends, dad -- according to the new Democrat party all men are guilty until proven innocent. A lady can make any claim and he will be guilty although all of HER witnesses swear (under oath) that they cannot remember any such event ever happening...

On Sunday, Sept. 16, the River City Rodders, in conjunction with Old Town Cape, hosted their 41st Annual Car Show. This was the 12th year for our show to be located in downtown Cape, and the feedback that we continue to receive, from both participants and spectators, regarding the downtown location is very positive. ...

A recent caller incorrectly claimed that all the polls show a blue wave. As is often the case with Democrats, the caller suffers from MSNBCitus. Because, in fact, nearly every major news outlet recognizes that while the House may turn left, the GOP is going to extend its majority in the Senate and the majority of governors and state legislatures will remain solidly red. MAGA...

Over the weekend about 300 people turned out for the American Cancer Society gala in Cape Girardeau at the River Campus. ACS, according to the gala's website, is the largest private, not-for-profit funder of cancer research in the country. This was the 32nd year for the gala, but the first held at the River Campus...

When President Lincoln and Congress decided to draft young men for military service during the Civil War the public reaction produced riots in several cities. Despite public opposition, the need for men to replace those killed or wounded meant that conscription would last as long as combat continued. The military draft ended when the Civil War ended...

My wife hasn't been a runner since high school, which makes it remarkable that this fall she became a middle and junior high school cross-country coach. Impressively, like all that she does, she poured herself into her responsibilities with gusto: searching online for best practices and coaching tips, and querying friends who competitively race for their insights. ...

Why do Democrats resort to mob rule? In the wake of the national disgrace following the confirmation of a new Supreme Court Justice, that seems a legitimate question to ask. Those gathering in protest, be it Ferguson, Planned Parenthood, immigration or a Supreme Court nominee, are not just exercising their First Amendment rights...

When is a modern spin on a classic piece a bad idea? After watching Jesus Christ Superstar performed at the River Campus, I believe reinventing a long cherished musical should be handled with respect and good taste, both of which were lacking in this performance. ...

The Senate confirmed Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday. What a process it was, though. Sexual assault, gang rape and perjury allegations were all part of a process that resembled something of a soap opera, rather than a call to serve on the highest court of the land. ...

Jerry Ford has been involved in public or civic service for nearly all his life. He's been involved in politics and music, among many other community activities. He's earned many awards and recognitions and this week he'll earn another, having been selected for this year's Distinguished Service Award at Southeast Missouri State University...

Well, since our distinguished U.S. Senate members seem to be so squeaky clean, there "might" be something that they did to someone 30 to 40 years ago that really caused another person a lot of pain. So in all fairness I suggest we do a full FBI investigation of Diane Feinstein and many of the others who have turned our due process and innocent until found guilty into a mockery of justice...

Julian Watkins did what he thought he should do after college. The Cairo, Illinois native went to law school and started his career in corporate law. This path, paved with expectations of success and financial enrichment, failed to fulfill him. He later took a job as a janitor, opened up his own legal practice, coached basketball and then became a prosecutor...

After seeing the production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," I feel the director set out to deliberately mock Christianity! I know we were told in advance that this was not a "religious " play, but with Jesus Christ as a central character, it becomes about religion. ...

If more is better, this year's Oktoberfest in Jackson should be the best yet. Oktoberfest has become, next to Homecomers, the biggest event in Jackson every year. For the first time, it will be a two-day event this year. It begins Friday with a "pre-party" which will encompass the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse square lawn and High Street in the Uptown district...

If you find yourself in a situation where conversation comes to an awkward standstill, what do you do? More than likely you will, at some point, talk about the weather. "The weather" is a universal icebreaker. I can't say for sure, but I bet it's the same just about everywhere, even if you're in another part of the world...