Fair ~ 63°F   River stage: 35.1 Rising Thursday, Mar. 18, 2010

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Editorials Thwarting meth (03/18/10) For the ninth consecutive year, Missouri in 2009 had the most methamphetamine lab incidents in the nation. Since 2005, anyone purchasing over-the-counter drugs containing ingredients used to make meth has been listed on logs kept by retailers. This meant law enforcement had to go from pharmacy to pharmacy to see if meth makers were making purchases at multiple locations... Delivering mail (03/17/10) As the nation's reliance on electronic communications expands, the U.S. Postal Service's revenue is plummeting. One result: a proposal to drop Saturday mail deliveries to offset a projected deficit this year of $7 billion and the potential for losses of $238 billion over the next decade... Church safety (03/16/10) Sometimes the burdens of the world are difficult to bear. For many individuals, some solace could be found as close as a neighborhood church whose quiet precincts offered a peaceful haven for prayer and reflection. While many churches strive to find ways to keep their doors open, they also are having to face the realities of safety issues. ... County planning (03/15/10) At a joint meeting of planning commissions from Jackson and Cape Girardeau in October, it was suggested that subdivision regulations in Cape Girardeau County would be useful, especially when those subdivisions are voluntarily annexed into either of the cities. A committee has been formed to develop proposed regulations, a process that could take a year and a half and that will include public hearings... Major anniversaries (03/14/10) Anniversaries help us mark the important milestones in our personal lives and in the organizations and institutions that provide the durable fabric of our society. In addition to last week's 50th anniversary celebration at Alma Schrader Elementary School in Cape Girardeau, our communities have had occasion recently to mark the 175th anniversary of Cape Girardeau's First Presbyterian Church and the 50th anniversary of the merger of the Scott County towns of Ancell and Fornfelt into Scott City... Troubled teens (03/12/10) School shootings, particularly when those pulling the trigger are teenagers, are horrific news. These tragedies have, in recent years, occurred as close as Paducah, Ky., and Jonesboro, Ark. Now authorities in Stoddard County believe a Puxico High School student recently threatened to kill her classmates. Guns and a list of intended victims were found in the girl's home... Alma Schrader (03/11/10) One of the schools that would be upgraded if a proposed $40 million Cape Girardeau School District bond issue is approved next month is Alma Schrader Elementary School. This evening at 6:30 p.m. the school will have an open house marking its 50-year anniversary... City pay (03/10/10) Since Cape Girardeau voters approved a city charter in the 1980s, council members have received $100 a month and the mayor has received $150 a month. In 2005 the council voted to suspend those stipends for one year as they asked voters to approve a tax increase. The city charter requires the council to review pay for council members and the mayor every five years. Earlier this month, the council held the mandatory discussion but took no action to change the stipends... Donations needed (03/09/10) Communities show off their best sides when they promote and support projects to benefit those among us who need special attention. Two current projects fit the bill. The Jackson Jaycees recently contributed $10,000 for an all-accessible playground. Melaina's Magical Playground is to be built at Cape County Park North. ... Heroes Way (03/08/10) Generous donors have responded to efforts to raise money for special signs along Interstate 55 in Southeast Missouri honoring soldiers who lost their lives while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001. As a result, four of the signs are scheduled to be up by Memorial Day, and donations for other signs around the state are being accepted... Quake prep (03/07/10) Deadly and devastating earthquakes around the globe have raised our awareness of what could happen in the U.S., particularly along major faults on the West Coast and within the quake zone of most concern to Southeast Missouri: the New Madrid Fault. Earthquake science has found ways to track shifts in Earth's crust, and the scientific understanding of these changes continues to improve. ... Rocket science (03/05/10) It has been 40 years since many of watched the blurry -- and amazing -- live TV images of the first man on the moon. Since them, the U.S. space program has focused on an orbiting space station, shuttle trips and unmanned exploration of nearby planets and asteroids... Police academy (03/04/10) Tonight about a dozen Cape Girardeau residents will have the first of eight weekly two-hour sessions as part of the police department's citizens police academy. Over the next few weeks these interested citizens will learn not only what police officers do and how, they will learn why as well... Bollinger highways (03/03/10) Bollinger County residents who met recently with state and federal officials regarding highway issues were told help is on the way. But many of the residents say they've been told that for the past 20 years while major needs go unmet. The good news is that the residents, state highway officials -- including district engineer Mark Shelton from the Missouri Department of Transportation -- and U.S. ... Gone phishing (03/02/10) Crooks who use the Internet to scam unsuspecting victims are finding creative ways to bilk you. Customers of one Cape Girardeau bank recently received automated messages on their cell phones. The phony messages said there were problems with the recipients' debit or credit-card accounts. The messages asked for detailed account information to clear up the problem... Highway spending (03/01/10) Among the many spending priorities being considered during Missouri's budget crunch is the construction and maintenance of highways. Contributing to overall shortfalls in state revenue is the fact that fuel consumption dropped 5 percent in 2009 from 2007 levels. The main source of highway funding is a 17-cent-a-gallon state tax on fuel. The less fuel purchased, the less revenue for highways... County speeding (02/28/10) The speed limit on county roads in Cape Girardeau County -- and most other counties in Missouri -- is 60 mph. Some first-class counties have adopted ordinances that establish lower speed limits. Now Cape Girardeau County is considering reduced speed limits on two busy county roads: County Road 205, better known as Bloomfield Road, and Singing Hills Drive... Political convictions (02/26/10) These are curious political times. In Washington, there is a clamor for compromise and a middle ground: We have a new "bipartisan" fiscal commission. The president held a "bipartisan" summit on health care. At the same time, Americans are expressing their frustration with polarized political parties by attending tea-party rallies. And some key moderates in Congress say they are so fed up with the political games that they are choosing to leave office... Looking out (02/25/10) The worst of the winter weather -- we hope -- is behind us. But there still may be a few days of subfreezing temperatures left. For some of our family, friends and neighbors, extreme cold weather can be a real threat. Olwen Riehn of Cape Girardeau can thank Bess Staple for finding her after she fell outside her home in freezing weather. If help hadn't come along, she might not be recovering from a broken hip... A healthier life (02/24/10) Most of us have common sense and are capable of thinking logically. Sometimes, however, we need to be reminded of the obvious. Take, for example, a couple of recent health studies -- by medical doctors, no less -- pointing to the obvious fatal potential of boredom and sitting... Juvenile center (02/23/10) Over a two-year period culminating in early 2003, the Cape Girardeau County Commission heard from juvenile authorities and judges about a need for a new juvenile center, purchased land for a new center, authorized a $61,000 study that emphasized the necessity of a new center and ultimately concluded that a new center wasn't needed... Special elections (02/22/10) Legislation under consideration in the Missouri General assembly would require special elections to fill long-term vacancies in federal and most state executive offices. The thinking behind these legislative efforts is that voters ought to decide who holds elective office, not the governor... UW funding push (02/21/10) There are many reasons the United Way of Southeast Missouri is $100,000 short of its annual campaign goal of $1.2 million. And most of those reasons are why demands for services provided by United Way-supported organizations have shown significant increases in the past year... Marital endurance (02/19/10) The durability of marriage was honored at a special Valentine's Day party in Cape Girardeau, and 230 couples -- all married 50 years or more -- took part in the festivities. This annual event started when many of this year's honored couples had been married about 20 years. The party's sponsors are Schnucks and KZIM... Homeless shelter (02/18/10) Meeting the needs of the homeless in Cape Girardeau has taken a step in a positive direction with the formation of Shelter of Hope, a facility that will offer temporary accommodations for those in need. This effort has several things in its favor:n The project is scaled to the community's need. The shelter will house as many as eight homeless individuals at one time... Freedom's price (02/17/10) A year ago, Joshua Kezer was released from prison after serving nearly 15 years for a Scott County murder he always maintained he did not commit. A judge set Kezer free after finding prosecutors withheld key evidence. But life after prison hasn't been easy for Kezer. He works in Columbia, Mo., as a painter but spends much of his time speaking to groups about his experience and about the lack of compensation or social services for inmates like himself who are exonerated...