Fair ~ 60°F   River stage: 36.64 Falling Saturday, November 7, 2009

Editorials Annexation rules (11/06/09) The planning commissions of Cape Girardeau and Jackson recently held a joint meeting to discuss issues of mutual concern. Among those issues was how subdivisions are developed outside each of the two cities. Jackson and Cape Girardeau both have subdivisions requirements. ... Arts awards (11/05/09) Two deserving individuals have been honored with awards from the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. Mike Dumey received the Otto Dingeldein Award for outstanding achievement in the arts, and Utahna Hancock received the Jeff Maguire Award for her special contributions to the arts council... Zonta honorees (11/04/09) Dealing with victims of sexual assault in a way that is compassionate while providing forensic evidence that will hold up in court is service provided by the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence, based in Cape Girardeau and serving counties throughout the region. At the Zonta Club's recent Women of Achievement luncheon, the co-founder of the NASV, Kathy Blevins, was honored with this year's award. The special recognition is a tribute both to Blevins and NASV... City leadership (11/03/09) One of the most important decisions Cape Girardeau voters will make next April is their choice for mayor. The current mayor, Jay Knudtson, is nearing the end of this eight years as mayor, a term limited by the city charter. Individuals interest in becoming a candidate for mayor have until Nov. 17 to complete the filing process... Deer and driving (11/02/09) Fewer daylight hours means more of us will be driving after dark. And this is the mating season for the plentiful deer in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois. This combination means motorists needs to be on the lookout for deer darting onto highways... Getting together (11/01/09) One of the best things about living in Cape Girardeau is the connection many residents have with each other. They see each other at church, while volunteering, on their jobs and at the schools attended by their children. Organized events also bring neighbors together. Last month, several of these get-togethers occurred on the same weekend:... Avoiding the flu (10/30/09) Flu -- its various strains, its vaccines, its impact -- continues to be a major news topic. Of particular concern is the way the H1N1 variety seems to zero in on certain individuals, particularly children, causing serious illnesses that have resulted in more than 1,000 deaths... Holiday shopping (10/29/09) National and statewide forecasts see another dip in holiday sales this year, the second year in a row as the economy moves through a recession. But retailers in the Cape Girardeau area are more optimistic. Some early sales -- holiday merchandise goes on sale earlier than ever -- indicate more spending at the cash register... Health care Rx (10/28/09) Anyone interested in current efforts to "reform" health care in the U.S. has a special opportunity tonight to be informed. Howard Dean and Newt Gingrich are scheduled to debate the issue at 7:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center. The debate is part of Southeast Missouri State University's speaker series. A wellness fair will start at 6:15 p.m. prior to the debate... Empty Bowl 11/8, 11/11 (10/27/09) Due to a reporting error, the date for one of the Empty Bowl Project events was incorrect in Sunday's editorial. The Empty Bowls banquet will be from noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Salvation Army. Another banquet for Southeast Missouri State University students, faculty and staff will be Nov. 11 at Dearmont Hall. This important project raises money for hunger-fighting organizations... River potential (10/27/09) The importance of the Mississippi River to the middle of the nation has existed since humans first settled here. The river was a source of food, water, trade goods and transportation. Now river tourism is seen as a market ready for expansion. Already, says Dr. ... Using the library (10/26/09) If you haven't been to the public library in a few years, you would be surprised. No longer is a library just for checking out books. The new Cape Girardeau Public Library, more than double the size of the old library on Clark Avenue, is a hub of diverse activities... Empty bowls (10/25/09) Once again, the Empty Bowls Project is raising awareness of hunger while raising money for local hunger-fighting organizations. More than 800 bowls have been created for this year's project. Last Sunday an Empty Bowls banquet was held at the Salvation Army. Participants purchased bowls for $12 and had a meal of soup. Another Empty Bowls banquet will be Nov. 11 for Southeast Missouri State University students, staff and faculty at Dearmont Hall... Cape PD: 150 (10/23/09) One hundred fifty years ago, city officials created the Cape Girardeau Police Department, several decades after the town was settled. Special events are marking the anniversary. Thursday night's celebration at the River Campus reviewed the department's history, honored officers killed in the line of duty, provided personal reflections from former and current police chiefs and reflected on the notorious serial killings committed by Timothy Kracjir... Avoiding rabies (10/22/09) With cold season, seasonal flu and H1N1 flu to worry about, there's no need to panic over the increase in rabies cases across Missouri. But an ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure. Missouri's public health veterinarian, Dr. Howard Pue, said there have been 55 cases of rabies in the state through September, a number that usually equals the total for an entire year... DWI offenders (10/21/09) When a motorist gets behind the wheel after drinking too much, he or she risks injury or death. And he or she puts all other motorists on the road and their passengers at risk. Following an in-depth story earlier this month in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about how repeat DWI offenders escape serious charges and convictions, Gov. ... Playing for fun (10/20/09) There are plenty of folks around who remember, in the early 1950s, when wiffleball sets showed up in stores. As the sport's official website says, the game could be played with fewer participants in confined spaces without having to worry about breaking any windows... Signing petitions (10/19/09) Missouri has a long tradition of direct participation by voters in making state laws and changing the state's constitution. These initiatives are placed on the ballot by petitions, which require from 90,000 to 150,000 signatures. As of Oct 9, a record 71 initiatives had been proposed, with 24 approved for the signature-gathering process. ... Saving energy (10/16/09) Heating costs will be lower this winter, according to a nationwide forecast. Users of propane and natural gas -- both widely used in Southeast Missouri -- will see the biggest drop in fuel costs. Also affecting fuel expenses this year are predictions of a mild winter... Preparing for TTF 4 (10/15/09) It has been nearly 15 years since Cape Girardeau voters first approved a half-cent sales tax to pay for street improvements. Over those years, residents have seen an large number of key projects completed. Now city officials are gearing up to ask voters to renew the sales tax for another five years. A subcommittee of the Planning and Zoning Commission is putting together a list of projects. A vote is expected sometime next year... Tour de Cape (10/14/09) The 10th annual Tour de Cape bicycle ride for charity was held earlier this month, and more than 300 riders took advantage of the beautiful day to help raise money for Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship. This is an organization that helps children with disabilities and helps form strong bonds between small children and large horses... A winning tour (10/13/09) For three years, the Tour of Missouri bicycle race has drawn statewide, national and international attention. Each year, an international company has estimated the economic impact the race has on the state's economy. This year that impact grew to over $38 million. The race expenses are covered by corporate sponsorships and $2 million from the state's tourism budget... Walking to school (10/12/09) Once upon a time, walking was how most students got to school. As school districts consolidated, students lived farther and farther away from their schools. The answer was school buses. Before World War II, each family was lucky to have one automobile. ... Safe House vigils (10/11/09) Safe House for Women in Cape Girardeau provides both a refuge and resource for victims of domestic violence. Because privacy is so crucial to the mission of the Safe House, the public doesn't often have an opportunity to learn many details of how lives are saved and changed through this community asset... SEMO Homecoming (10/09/09) Southeast Missouri State University's Homecoming is Saturday with a full day of scheduled events. One of the highlights will be the parade on Broadway starting at 9:30 a.m. and featuring eight bands and 130 floats. This year's theme is "Get in the Game." Student crews started painting shop windows along the parade route this week. The Homecoming football game against Austin Peay is set for 1 p.m. at Houck Stadium... Steeple restored (10/09/09) Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg, Mo., one of the oldest Lutheran parishes in Missouri, lost its steeple in a storm last May. That steeple had weathered the wind since the 1850s. Parishioners immediately began making plans to restore the steeple. Their efforts were rewarded last week when crews used tall cranes to hoist the newly reinforced steeple back to where it belong...