Editorials

It's not uncommon for the Southeast Missouri State University football team to hit the field each spring. But until this year, doing so was for intrasquad scrimmages only and not regular season competition. Due to COVID-19, the fall schedule, other than one game SEMO lost to SIU, was postponed until spring. And the schedule is entirely made up of Ohio Valley Conference opponents...

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri is raising money to develop a residential transitional housing facility in downtown Cape Girardeau for homeless pregnant women. Referred to as LifeHouse-Cape Girardeau, the project is based on a similar $4 million facility in Springfield, Missouri. ...

In the Bible, the parable of the good Samaritan tells the story of a traveler (a resident of Samaria) who stopped to help a man who had been beaten, robbed and left on the side of the road, while others passed him by. The term “good Samaritan” has come to be defined as a compassionate person who unselfishly helps others, especially strangers, in times of distress. ...

Leadership for Cape Girardeau's behavioral health hospital, joined by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and 100 community members, gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony this week to celebrate the opening of the new $33-million facility. The 102-bed Southeast Behavioral Hospital is expected to admit its first patients the week of March 8...

There have been many moving parts as medical partners, state and local public health officials work to get Missourians vaccinated. But some of the unsung heroes have been volunteers. The Southeast Missourian recently reported that local efforts have been supported by volunteers -- some with medical backgrounds and others not -- who have helped streamline the process for those seeking COVID-19 vaccinations. ...

Southeast Missouri turned into a winter wonderland as Old Man Winter swept through the region last week. Although it was beautiful to watch snowflakes drift to the ground from inside a warm home, the rapid snowfall made it problematic for those needing to be out and about...

Seven students from Cape Girardeau Central High School recently won the Cyberpatriot XIII Challenge. The students, all members of the school's Air Force Junior ROTC "Flying Tigers" unit, won the All-Service Division of the cybersecurity competition -- the second such win in school history...

Jane Wernsman, director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, was recently reappointed as the county's health officer. Wernsman took over for Charlotte Craig in 2012 when the former director retired. She has provided a steady hand of leadership during her tenure. That's never been more appreciated than during the last 12 months as we've grappled with the coronavirus pandemic...

The Southeast Missouri Food Bank rallied quickly to meet the rising need of those facing food insecurity due to the pandemic. During a time when most of us were limiting the places we went and people we came into contact with, the food bank stepped up to the plate for those in need. They were determined to help get food to families, holding a remarkable 432 mobile distributions in 2020, compared to the 234 held in 2019...

On Sunday we'll celebrate Valentine's Day, a day many set aside to show their love to a significant other. We've pointed out in this space many times that this holiday is centered on marriage. In response to a decree by Emperor Claudius II that marriage would be outlawed, Valentine, a priest in Rome, defied the ruling and continued to marry couples in secrecy. Eventually, Saint Valentine, as we've come to know him, was found out and sentenced to death Feb. 14 around A.D. 270...

Capping off an impressive high school and college basketball career at Cape Central and Southeast Missouri State University, Pat Colon was recently inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. The first woman to have her number retired by SEMO, Colon helped the school reach four NCAA Division II Tournaments. She set personal records along the way, among them scoring 2,034 career points...

Last week, the State of Missouri added a COVID-19 vaccine dashboard to its online resources regarding the virus, and the numbers showed Cape Girardeau County leading the state in vaccinations. Of Missouri's 114 counties, Cape Girardeau County continues to rank in the top three week after week, according to the information outlining where vaccine recipients live...

Ask football fans about Super Bowl V -- played Jan. 17, 1971, in Miami -- and they will tell you it was the first NFL championship game as we know it today after the National Football League and the American Football League merged. In front of nearly 80,000 fans, the Baltimore Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys by the score of 16-13 on a field goal by Jim O'Brien with seconds remaining. The game had plenty of star power -- Johnny Unitas, Walt Garrison, Dan Reeves, to name a few...

Elijah Jones, a senior at Jackson High School, recently made news as one of 300 students to be selected by the Society for Science in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021, a prestigious science and math competition designed for high school seniors...

Jackson native Janna Clifton has been named the new executive director of the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization. Clifton, who replaces recently retired Steve Turner, is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and has retail management experience from stores in Cape Girardeau and Paducah, Kentucky. She’s also been active with the Jackson North Elementary PTO and church committees, among other community involvement...

Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus has weathered the pandemic by continuing to safely host patrons and performers both virtually and in-person over the last year, providing a much-needed respite from the stresses of COVID-19. For in-person supporters, River Campus seating has been modified to provide a safe environment for those attending and performing, with each venue ticketed at 25% of normal capacity...

American farmers are the most productive in the world, and some of the most productive in the group are right here in Missouri. Jerry Cox and his son, Matthew, are third- and fourth-generation farmers who work 1,500 acres of soybean and corn ground just outside Cape Girardeau's city limits. ...

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School social worker Carolyn Thomas and school nurse Dana Deisher answered this plea by forming Intelligent Female, an after-school program for young women dedicated to teaching the next generation of young women how to love themselves and be impactful in their communities...

Public rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has begun in our area. With strong interest, several area organizations are working to get individuals scheduled and vaccinated as soon as possible. And by most accounts, the local process has been smooth. Health care workers and nursing home residents were first in line as part of Phase 1A. ...

On Wednesday, Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. His vice president, Kamala Harris, was sworn in as well: the first woman to serve in this role. Campaigns for president are expected to be vigorous. And debate is a hallmark of our republic. This year was no exception. But like elections before, it's time to move forward with our new leadership...

The Jackson R-2 School District recently received an impressive statewide recognition. The district ranked 23rd out of 554 public school districts in the state with an "A" grade. The ranking was done by Niche, a Pennsylvania-based research firm, and looked at the following categories: academics, college preparation, resources and facilities, food service, health and safety, teachers, clubs and activities, administration, sports and diversity. ...

As the third-largest employer in the area, and the manufacturer of some of the most essential goods, Procter & Gamble (P&G) hustled to develop protocols to keep employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring production could carry on. With toilet paper and paper towels flying off store shelves, manufacturing workers were adjusting to different work schedules, daily temperature checks and short-handed departments at times, due to workers in quarantine, while steadily meeting the demand for the supplies our communities and nation depended on.. ...

On Monday, we'll celebrate the life and legacy of the great civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King is probably most remembered for his "I Have a Dream" speech delivered at the March On Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial. A preacher, King's words struck a chord not only for those in attendance but for many others ever since. He pursued nonviolent efforts to advance equality for all Americans, regardless of their skin color...

Cape Girardeau firefighters recently rescued two people trapped in an apartment that was on fire. The individuals, unable to exit due to smoke in the hallway, were hanging out of a window of the William Street house that had been converted to apartments...

“It sure is great to live in Cape!” is a phrase Doug Austin, an active volunteer in Cape Girardeau, proclaims regularly. Austin and his wife, Fran, chose to retire in Cape Girardeau after living here twice during his career. This sentiment was echoed numerous times recently in the December issue of B Magazine, a Southeast Missourian publication, by individuals who decided to reside in the Cape Girardeau region for a variety of reasons. ...

Jefferson Elementary has a new principal, but she's a familiar face with Cape public schools. Tracy Haggerty, previously an assistant principal at Cape Girardeau Central High School, is taking over at the helm of the elementary school. Haggerty follows Kara Jokerst, who recently submitted her resignation to pursue other opportunities outside the state. ...

Cape Girardeau Central High was the No. 1 seed coming into the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. The expectations were high. But entering Day 1 of the tournament, the Tigers were 0-3 to begin their season. That would soon change. Central defeated Bell City, Woodland and Charleston to make it to the championship game of the annual tournament at the Show Me Center. ...