Overcast ~ 36°F   River stage: 18.76 ft. Rising Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012

Stories Blogs Comments Photos Events Classifieds Marketplace Real Estate Everything Archive since 1918

Editorials Aktion Club (02/08/12) Numerous individuals in Southeast Missouri volunteer for worthy causes, giving invaluable support locally and throughout the world. Now a local Aktion Club is providing an avenue for those with developmental disabilities to help others. Aktion Clubs are a service organization through Kiwanis International. Last year the local chapter started thanks to the Cape Girardeau and Jackson Kiwanis clubs and the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence... Primary election (02/07/12) Today is Missouri's primary election. Voters across the state, particularly Republican voters, will head to the polls to select their pick for president of the United States. Some may feel today's vote is an exercise in futility -- further supported by the fact that one major candidate on the Republican side will not appear on the ballot... Jefferson Elementary (02/06/12) It's a time of transition at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. Mark Cook, who served 32 years as an educator in public schools here -- including 14 years as principal -- is retiring at the end of the school year. Cook won several recognition awards as principal, including the Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year award and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Educator of the Year award in 2010... Hope Children's Home (02/05/12) Imagine what these children must think. Some have watched their parents abuse drugs. Some have been abused. They have seen and endured things that no child should. Two Jackson residents, Kevin and Lisa Moore, and a handful of other generous people are helping these children in a special way... Talent showcase (02/03/12) Cape Girardeau might not boast the big lights of New York and Los Angeles, but there's still plenty of talent in the area. Tomorrow the Heartland Talent Showcase will host its first talent competition in the area. The show will include three age groups: Junior, ages 6 to 11; Senior B, ages 12 to 16; and Senior A, ages 17 to 22. Sikeston native and 2008 winner of "America's Got Talent" Neal E. Boyd will serve as the master of ceremonies and perform as a guest singer... Stroke prevention (02/02/12) We've all heard that time is money. But when it comes to strokes, it's not just money that's an issue. In a story that appeared in Tuesday's Southeast Missourian, a local doctor said that brain cells start to die in minutes without blood or oxygen. If you think that you are someone near you has suffered from a stroke, symptoms to watch for can be summarized through the FAST acronym. ... Chamber awards (02/01/12) Friday night members of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce gathered at the Show Me Center for the organization's annual dinner. The event is an opportunity for business leaders to socialize, recall major milestones, look forward to year ahead, and recognize individuals who have made a difference in the community. ... Poetry contest (01/31/12) We've seen presidential candidates debate and give speeches. Some are better than others at effectively communicating a message. After all, public speaking is an art. Recently four area high school students had a chance to practice this art in the annual Poetry Out Loud Competition. The competition, part of a national contest for ninth- through 12th-grade students, was held locally at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri... Safe House (01/30/12) Oftentimes when a woman reaches the Safe House for Women offices in Cape Girardeau, she is beyond desperate. Broke, in terms of her body. In terms of her finances. In terms of her spirit. The people who work at the Safe House must deal with some of the worst circumstances of life, but they also can help start fostering a feeling of hope for women who don't know where to go or how to get there... Thank you, Lynwood (01/29/12) If you haven't yet done so, we highly suggest you check out the photo gallery of the 30-foot-long banana split being served up to the Blanchard students last week. The photos, which can be found at semissourian.com, were quite a treat as the children indulged in something of a goodbye party to their temporary classrooms. Twenty-five volunteers from the church served up the ice cream treats... SEMO basketball (01/27/12) After last year's dismal season, the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team is looking much improved this year. Coming into last night's game against Austin Peay at the Show Me Center the Redhawks had a record of 10-9 overall and 5-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference... Ken Medema (01/26/12) Those who have taken piano lessons likely remember their first session. First learning the notes on the staff, then playing the right-hand melody, and eventually playing with both hands together. Now imagine playing piano without the ability to see. For musician and songwriter Ken Medema, this is all he's ever known... Jackson Chamber (01/25/12) A city's quality of life is in part due to the volunteers, leaders and businesses who step forward to make a difference. Each year the Jackson Chamber of Commerce recognizes several of these individuals for their efforts. David Hitt was the recipient of the R.A. Fulenwider Meritorious Community Service Award, an honor voted on by past recipients of the award... Riverfront market (01/24/12) Downtown Cape Girardeau is undergoing a number of changes. The owners of some of the area's dilapidated buildings have announced, and begun work on, their properties. Construction on a $3.25 million Broadway corridor project will start soon. Along with these changes, a local group is proposing an open-air market near the Cape Girardeau riverfront... Ritter award (01/23/12) Many gathered last week to honor the life and legacy of Dr, Martin Luther King Jr. Though King is remembered by most as a civil-rights leader, his life's work is an example of how we should all take an active role in improving our communities. Monday the annual Dr. ... Poised for growth (01/22/12) The Southeast Missourian recently reported some positive news that should mean for a stronger local economy this year. Among the factors highlighted were an increase in sales tax revenue, continued construction growth and a falling unemployment rate. The latter was 6.1 percent for Cape Girardeau County in November, as compared to a 7.6 percent rate statewide and a national rate of 8.2 percent... Messiah Choir (01/20/12) There may be no other composition more divinely inspired than George Frederic Handel's "Messiah" oratorio, a project he remarkably completed within one month. Last Sunday the Messiah Choir, a local group of singers representing several church denominations, performed selections from Handel's masterpiece at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. This Sunday the group will perform at 3 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau... Boys and Girls Club (01/19/12) An increasing number of students are participating in the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Girardeau. This school year 172 students are enrolled in the club and participate in its after-school activities and academic support efforts. Student participation in the program is up by 70 since last year, despite the closing of one of its facilities. ... Storytelling festival (01/18/12) It's been said that laughter is the best medicine. In that case, we're in store for a good dose of it Friday when two nationally acclaimed humorous storytellers visit Cape Girardeau. Storytellers Bil Lepp and Kevin Kling will headline Friday's humorous storytelling event, the first of its kind for Cape Girardeau... Seat-belt challenge (01/17/12) It's 6 a.m. You wake up, get dressed and grab a bite to eat before you head out to your car. What comes next? If you're a student at an area high school your next step is to buckle your seat belt. Recently the students of Notre Dame Regional High School won the regional award for Southeast Missouri as part of the Missouri Department of Transportation's Battle of the Belt Challenge. Across the state 155 schools participated in the challenge, including 38 schools in Southeast Missouri... Remembering King (01/16/12) Today the nation remembers a pioneer in the civil rights movement, a man who led with vision, conviction and courage: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Some students see the day as a break from school in mid-January. But for many the day's significance is more than a break from school or work. It's a day we remember the legacy of Dr. King and his nonviolent approach to helping ensure civil rights for all... Dress code forum (01/15/12) On Monday the Cape Girardeau School District held its first of two public forums on a proposed dress code. About 100 people attended the forum to learn more about the issue and give their opinion. Three members from the dress code committee gave an abbreviated presentation on the proposal, noting the suggested positive benefits of a new uniform policy. Following their presentation, 29 individuals spoke for about 90 minutes on the issue, the majority voicing their opposition to the proposal... H. Weldon Macke (01/13/12) Cape Girardeau County recently lost a dedicated public servant and active member of the community. H. Weldon Macke, the county's longtime former auditor, died last Friday. Macke, 81, served the county from 1968 to 2002 in the auditor's office. But the always-friendly Macke did more than track taxpayer dollars. ... Haiti earthquake (01/12/12) Two years ago today a magnitude-7 earthquake struck Haiti, devastating the area, killing thousands of people and leaving many homeless. The earthquake, which was centered about 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince, was said at the time to be the strongest since 1770... Musical volunteers (01/11/12) Mike Dumey has led musical productions for students in Cape Girardeau for more than 20 years. Each year the musicals, which have up to 150 student performers, are an incredible display of talent and professionalism. Pulling off these grand productions is a major feat. ... Art reception (01/10/12) Those who follow local art are well aware of the impressive exhibits on display in Cape Girardeau's art galleries. But good artwork can be more than a thing of beauty. It can inspire or bring attention to important issues. This Saturday Cape Girardeau's Community Caring Council and the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will join forces to host an event that will put a spotlight on the issue of homelessness. ...

Campaign blogging