Stories from Thursday, April 23, 2020

A Jackson respiratory therapist who recently spent 14 days caring for COVID-19 patients in New York City has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In a Facebook post by her husband, the couple asked for prayers as she quarantines at home for 14 days...

Approval of minutes n Minutes for April 20 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n COVID-19 Update: In an effort to keep Cape Girardeau County residents safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director Mark Winkler will be issuing an update at County Commission meetings. ...

Spring time usually makes me think of fresh salads and the ingredients that we will enjoy all summer. Of course now with large supermarkets, we can purchase almost anything we want year-'round and not have to wait for garden produce to ripen and be in season. As I went looking for salad recipes, I was quickly reminded of the delicious flavor combinations and salad dressings that make them so tasty...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Two people appeared in court Tuesday after recently being charged with the January death of Robert L. Hardwood, who was killed during an alleged burglary and robbery at his home. Joshua Richard Herron, 41, of Advance and 15-year-old Zalma resident, Evan Schrader, appeared Tuesday before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield for arraignment in their cases...

Bids for Jackson's underground facilities locating and marking services program will be opened online today rather than during a traditional bid opening process due to access limitations to Jackson's City Hall caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The bid opening will take place at 10 a.m. ...

Several street construction and roadway maintenance projects in Jackson are either about to begin or will start earlier than expected, according to Jackson administrative director Rodney Bollinger. In a Facebook post earlier this week, Bollinger said "there's no better time than right now" to begin the list of projects, which includes repairs and overlay of North Missouri Street, concrete street repairs, re-striping of existing roadways, tree trimming, roadside mowing, sign replacements and an assessment of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) needs along streets and sidewalks throughout the city.. ...

Two more inmates at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, Missouri, have tested positive for COVID-19, according to data released Wednesday by the Missouri Department of Corrections. A total of six positive cases of COVID-19 have now been linked to the men’s state prison — three inmates and three staff member cases...

United Way of Southeast Missouri is planning a big thank-you to front line workers and volunteers helping others during COVID-19: a car parade on May 5, designated as Giving Tuesday Now, according to a news release. Giving Tuesday is held in early December, following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday Now will be celebrated globally May 5 "as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19," according to the release...

Updates! Updates! I have updates! I've been waiting to write that for what feels like forever but has actually been closer to "a little more than a month." I don't know about you, but time has lost all meaning for me. Is it Wednesday as I write this? Is it last week, or October? I'm pretty sure it's spring time, judging by the warmer temperatures and greener leaves. Pretty sure...

I have been forced to search out new places for carry-out in the wake of current events. I haven't really wanted to leave my county, and that has limited me in ways that I really loathe. I will be so glad when I can roam afar again, but for this week, I did find a meaty gem that I have driven by many times. This time, I stopped, in the drive-thru at least, and I'm so glad that I did...

"What we have seen thus far is Southeast Missouri is trending very differently than the rest of the state," said Maria Davis. "The state of Missouri is trending down right now, and Southeast Missouri is trending up. People need to understand we will have to make decisions based on what is going on in our area."

The Missouri National Guard will join volunteers on the front lines, distributing meals to Cape Girardeau families served by the school district, thanks to a partnership through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or DESE. Superintendent Neil Glass said that since March 18, more than 70,000 meals have been prepared by cafeteria staff, then packaged and distributed in a drive-through line at the school buildings...

Cape Girardeau and Scott counties reported small spikes in COVID-19 cases Wednesday. Cases in Scott County grew by seven, bringing that county’s total to 59, according to the county Health Department. Thirteen residents of the county have recovered from the virus, and one death has been attributed to COVID-19...

In an effort to confront rumors and misinformation, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement on social media Tuesday. “The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office does not have nor have we had inmates that have tested positive for COVID-19,” the post stated...

You are finally at the time in your life that you’ve long heard about, read about and maybe even dreamt about … You’re an empty nester! Now is the time when you can be a little selfish to make the updates you’ve always wanted and redesign your home fit your new lifestyle...

Today is Thursday, April 23, the 114th day of 2020. There are 252 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 23, 1616 (Old Style calendar), English poet and dramatist William Shakespeare died in Stratford-upon-Avon on what has traditionally been regarded as the 52nd anniversary of his birth in 1564...

O Lord Jesus, each day may our love for one another grow. Amen.

The world was a dangerous place before -- and will be after -- the coronavirus pandemic. While Americans debate the proper ongoing response to the virus and argue over the infection's origins, nature and trajectory, they may have tuned out other, often just as scary, news...

When our nation was paralyzed by the Great Depression, the federal government launched and managed massive programs to bring relief. After Pearl Harbor, our federal government mobilized industry to make America the great arsenal of democracy, with miracles of production becoming the norm overnight. When we were threatened by a Soviet dominance in space, our federal government mobilized the scientific community and created NASA which met the threat with dazzling scientific achievement...

RIO RANCHO, N.M. -- You can eat one with carne asada and corn tortillas in East Los Angeles, or one with flour and pit-grilled pork known as al pastor in Dallas. Travelers can pick a few up outside of Berlin's Schonefeld Airport before boarding a flight, or grab one with albondigas and collard greens in Memphis, Tennessee...

NEW YORK -- "Tell us about Vikings; tell us about shipwrecks; tells us about pirates and ancient myths." Sara Herlevsen nods, smiles and answers these questions from students via video conferencing. Or this 31-year-old massage therapist and tutor from Calgary helps them with their math homework, a science quiz or an art project...

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Facebook said it will label some election-related posts with their geographic origin in an attempt to curb political misinformation by foreign-based pages that mimic legitimate groups and political parties. The new policy will apply to popular election-related pages, and will stamp every post they make on Facebook and Instagram with its origin. ...

WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration announced a plan Wednesday to start paying hospitals and doctors who care for uninsured COVID-19 patients, but Democratic lawmakers and health industry groups are likely to press for more. Under the approach detailed by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, hospitals and doctors would submit their bills directly to the government and they would get paid at Medicare rates...

WASHINGTON -- Tensions between Washington and Tehran flared anew Wednesday as Iran's Revolutionary Guard conducted a space launch that could advance the country's long-range missile program and President Donald Trump threatened to "shoot down and destroy" any Iranian gunboats that harass Navy ships...

NEW YORK -- Stock rose on Wednesday, and the S&P 500 recovered a chunk of this week's sharp losses as a bit of oxygen pumped through markets around the world. Even oil gained ground, pulling further away from zero after earlier getting turned upside down amid a collapse in demand. Stocks rose from Seoul to Spain, and winners outnumbered losers in New York by more than two to one. Treasury yields also pushed higher in a sign of a bit less pessimism among investors...

Carol Ann Baylor Sneed, 38, formerly of Jackson, died Thursday, April 16, 2020, at her home in St. Louis. Born March 4, 1982, in Cape Girardeau to Monte Baylor and Shelley Johnson Baylor, who survive of Jackson, she considered her hometown McAllen, Texas. ...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- John Everett Slinkard, 70, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, April 22, 2020, at his home. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Carmel Cemetery near Patton, Missouri. The Rev. David Coon will officiate. Hutchings Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Nicholas David Schaaf, 25, of Perryville died Monday, April 20, 2020, in Perryville. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date. Ford and Young Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

LITHIUM, Mo. -- Theresa Huffstetler, 62, of Lithium died Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at her home. Service will be private for the family. Ford and Young Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Jeffrey William Bohnert, 56, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, April 20, 2020. He was born Oct. 26, 1963, in Cape Girardeau to William C. and Carolyn F. Heisserer Bohnert. He and Tammy J. Poe were married Sept. 19, 1987, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Cape Girardeau...

Son to Mason Patrick and Taylor Paige Noe of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 5:56 a.m. Sunday, March 22, 2020. Name, Makai Patrick. Weight, 8 pounds, 7 ounces. First child. Mrs. Noe is the former Taylor Bollinger, daughter of Scott and Saundra Bollinger of Jackson and Mindy Clay of Jackson. She is a registered nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center. Noe is the son of Jonas and Jo Noe of Dexter, Missouri. He is a registered nurse...

BEIJING -- China on Wednesday slammed a lawsuit brought against it by Missouri over the coronavirus pandemic as "very absurd." Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the legal action has "no factual and legal basis at all" and repeated China's defense of its response to the outbreak, which has largely subsided in the country where it was first detected...

O'FALLON, Mo. -- Two rural Missouri counties are seeing huge spikes in coronavirus cases, including many connected to meatpacking and food plants. Saline County on Wednesday reported 96 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Moniteau County reported 55 cases, citing 29 as confirmed and 26 as "probable." Neither county has reported a death...

How can someone be so partisan as to blame Trump for a worldwide pandemic? He had no control over anything but the US. Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the rest of the Americas followed their own plans. If you are blaming Trump you need to have your bias reset to something less extreme...

A federal civil rights team will visit Cape Girardeau public schools this week to investigate a complaint students are being discriminated against on the basis of race and disability; the complaint was filed in February by members of the Cape Girardeau National Association for the Advancement of Colored People...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Assault n Assault was reported in the 500 block of South Sprigg Street. Thefts n Shoplifting was reported in the 500 block of Siemers Drive. n Theft was reported in the 1700 block of North Sprigg Street...

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks awarded seven new COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund grants and the first Pitt Technology Group Access and Assistance grant today for pandemic-related needs. Among the recipients is the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation, which received $10,000 to support summer food services for students, including mobile food pantries. The school foundation is a nonprofit partner of the Cape Area Community Foundation...