Editorials

Progress continues on the Center Junction diverging diamond interchange between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Crews recently began Phase 2 of the project, which means another adjustment in traffic flow. But it wasn't that long ago that city leaders voiced concerns the project would cause major disruption to businesses and those who use this route between the county's two largest towns...

The first of the 2020 presidential debates will be held Tuesday evening at Case Western Reserve and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. Chris Wallace of Fox News will moderate the debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Topics listed for discussion, according to the Commission on Presidential Debates, include: “The Trump and Biden Records,” “The Supreme Court,” “COVID-19,” “The Economy,” “Race and Violence in our Cities,” and “The Integrity of the Election.”...

The coronavirus pandemic has required many of us to conduct business in new ways. This has especially applied to schools and not just with Zoom calls and remote learning. The Southeast Missourian recently reported that with about one-third of its school quarantined due to the pandemic, Shawnee School District in Wolf Lake, Illinois moved all instruction online. Part of the quarantined group was the entire kitchen staff. That's when the school district in Jonesboro, Illinois, stepped up...

In in the midst of a pandemic -- maybe especially during a pandemic -- there are opportunities to do good and show love to our neighbors. Lynwood Baptist Church recently held its City2City ministry, though it functioned a bit differently than last year's inaugural event...

The National Merit Scholarship Program is one of the top academic recognitions nationally for high school students. Recently, four local students were named semifinalists. Emma McDougal of Cape Girardeau Central High School, Claire Southard of Notre Dame Regional High School, Noah Sparks of Jackson High School and Megan Benkendorf of Saxony Lutheran High School were all recognized by the organization as semifinalists. ...

Charles Drury, the business trailblazer behind Drury Hotels, among other ventures, died earlier this month in St. Louis. He was 92. Those of us in Southeast Missouri and St. Louis are well aware of Drury's business success and leadership. He was a visionary, and the hotel chain he founded with his brothers has been a national leader in hospitality with more than 150 locations in 27 states...

Danny Rees and team at the Christian Boxing Academy are doing more than teach kids the fundamentals of boxing. They're teaching life lessons. The program, which is offered to any sixth- through 12-grade student in Cape Girardeau, meets from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, unless Cape Central is not holding classes. This is the seventh year for the program...

A Perry County Sheriff’s Office detective was recently awarded the Michael Woody/Michele Saunders CIT Coordinator of the Year Award by CIT International. Jason Klaus, who has served as Missouri Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) state coordinator for two years in addition to his duties with the Perry County law enforcement department, spoke with the newspaper recently about the importance of CIT training...

Many Americans will pause today to reflect on the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. We remember the two planes that crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, another that struck the Pentagon, and a fourth that brave passengers prevented from striking a fourth building -- instead crashing in an open Pennsylvania field...

Nate Gautier and Shelia King recently took home the mirror ball trophy in Dancing with the Show Me Stars. If you missed the live event, there's an opportunity this week to watch the show through a Pay Per View style airing on Thursday. The event raises money for the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri. ...

Perfection at anything is rare -- including on the ACT college entrance exam. Claire Southard, a senior at Notre Dame Regional High School, is among this elite group of students to score a perfect 36 on the exam, a test used by all major four-year universities to admit students and allocate scholarships. A story in the Southeast Missourian by Marybeth Niederkorn noted that fewer than 1% of students who take the ACT earn a 36...

On Monday, many Americans will have the day off in observance of Labor Day -- a day where we celebrate the American worker. As we write in this space each year, the first Labor Day celebration was in 1882 in New York City. It was organized by the Central Labor Union. Other cities followed over the years. By 1894, 31 states established the first Monday in September as Labor Day, and Congress established the holiday in the District of Columbia and U.S. territories...

Other than president of the United States, the biggest ticket on the Missouri ballot in November is the race between Republican Mike Parson and Democrat Nicole Galloway for governor. Both Parson, the current governor, and Galloway, the state auditor, have made appearances in Southeast Missouri in recent weeks. ...

Coaches have a tough task on their hands right now — both at the high school and college level. Southeast Missourian sports editor Tom Davis recently spoke with SEMO football coach Tom Matukewicz about the postponed fall sports seasons in the Ohio Valley Conference. Coach Tuke talked about how he and his players were excited to get on the field this summer, only having to shut things down because one of the players was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19...

It's not just adults in our communities doing impressive things. The kids are also pretty incredible. The Scout, a daily digital newsletter produced by rustmedia, recently launched The Next Project. The idea is to highlight younger folks from age 7 to 17 who are making a difference...

As area teachers and students returned to classrooms this week, one local educator will soon be leaving town after making a big difference at Jefferson Elementary -- or JE, as she affectionately calls it. Leigh Ragsdale, the high energy and always positive principal at Jefferson Elementary, submitted her resignation to the Cape Girardeau School Board earlier this month. ...

The PulsePoint app was launched recently as a joint effort between the Cape Girardeau Fire Department and Saint Francis Medical Center. It’s a tool to help community members perform hands-only compressions, otherwise known as “sidewalk CPR,” for 7 to 8 minutes...

Southeast Missouri State University students have been returning to Cape Girardeau over the last couple weeks in preparation for the start of the fall semester. Classes begin Monday, and the university is taking prudent steps to mitigate risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19...

Ever since the coronavirus emerged, the Southeast Missourian editorial pages have been publishing a broader range of political cartoons, from 6 to 13 different images each print edition. The newspaper editorial section is not endorsing the opinions. It is showing a range of what is being discussed nationally, and, as much as possible, seeking to provoke thought (and not merely ideological confirmation).

There was good news recently from Cape Girardeau County officials on local sales tax numbers. County treasurer Roger Hudson reported this month's sales tax receipts were nearly 31% higher than August 2019. The county received $603,401.28 this month, much of it attributed to retail sales in July. In the previous year, the figure was $460,997.58. Year to date, the county's sales tax receipts are up about 4.1% compared to the same period in 2019...

Has the pandemic affected how much you exercise? According to one study, the average Missourian is exercising 30% less than before the pandemic began. While some gyms closed during the Missouri lockdown, many have reopened. We’re big fans of the local fitness centers, but even if you don’t have a membership to one of these facilities, there are plenty of things to do outside. ...

The Charleston Fighting Squirrels capped off another successful season, winning the Southern Invitational Series, in Mobile, Alabama, earlier this month. Led by longtime coach Michael Minner, the Squirrels defeated Mid County, Texas by a score of 5-4 with former Sikeston High School player Payton Howard getting the hit to score the go-ahead run...

Drury Hotels took home a prestigious recognition recently for the 15th consecutive year. The national hotel chain, with its roots in Cape Girardeau, was recognized with the highest rating for guest satisfaction in the "Upper Midscale Hotel Chains" category by the J.D. Power 2020 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study...

Those in law enforcement positions have some of the most challenging occupations -- especially so in today's environment when there are groups looking to defund them or otherwise provide opposition. There are some who shouldn't be in this line of work. But many, and certainly the vast majority of our local officials, do extraordinary work in otherwise challenging situations...

This weekend is the annual Back to School Sales Tax Holiday in Missouri. Through Sunday, certain school items, clothing, computer software, personal computers, computer peripheral devices and graphic calculators will be exempt from Missouri's 4.225% sales tax...

An event that normally draws thousands for free food and a demolition derby is taking on a new look this year. Cape First Church hosts its Family Day in Arena Park each summer. This year, however, with a pandemic and its related challenges, the church is reshaping the event to be more service focused...

Today is Election Day in Missouri with primaries for state and local positions on the ballot along with a constitutional amendment that, if passed, would expand Medicaid eligibility in the state. This is a different kind of election. Because of COVID-19, there's a spike in mail-in and absentee ballots. ...