Stories from Tuesday, November 10, 2020

A ribbon-cutting in observance of the new roof on the American Legion building at the Fort D historical site in Cape Girardeau is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. today. Fort D is located at 920 Fort St. on Cape Girardeau’s south side. The site is Missouri’s only surviving “V-shaped” Civil War-era earthworks fort and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019...

Chaffee, Missouri, police chief James O. Chambers died Sunday morning, according to social media reports posted on the Chaffee Police Department’s Facebook page and the social media accounts of several other area law enforcement agencies. “Jim had been suffering from ill health for the last few years,” former Scott County Sheriff Bill Ferrell said on his Facebook page. ...

Seven COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the region Sunday and Monday. Six of the fatalities were Cape Girardeau County residents, and the seventh was a resident of Stoddard County, Missouri. Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center reported 83 new virus cases Sunday and 112 Monday, pushing the county’s total number of cases to 3,758. ...

President-elect Joe Biden’s Monday statement urging Americans to wear face coverings to slow the spread of coronavirus was cheered by Cape Girardeau’s Patriot Medical Devices — which began producing masks in earnest in late August. “The bottom line is, I agree with Biden that you’re better off with a mask,” said Rick Needham, Patriot’s CEO, whose firm established a factory Aug. 26 in Cape Girardeau...

Ballots from last week’s general election have been counted, winners have been declared, and partisan residents have started removing hundreds of campaign signs from their yards. But if you’re wondering whether election yard signs can be recycled, the answer is “no,” according to the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department...

Due to a COVID-19 issue, some Southeast Missourian customers in Cape Girardeau who receive the newspaper at their front yard will be receiving it by U.S. mail this week. According to Southeast Missourian circulation director Mark Kneer, “This is a temporary inconvenience, and we hope to have a solution by this weekend. We thank our customers for their understanding.”...

Growing up, I remember hearing Missouri was a political bellwether state, that sometimes it went blue and other times red in the presidential election. Though Missouri hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential ticket since Bill Clinton in 1996, many state offices remained with the party until 2016...

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 10, the 315th day of 2020. There are 51 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 10, 1775, the U.S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress. On this date: In 1766, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, had its beginnings as William Franklin, the Royal Governor of New Jersey, signed a charter establishing Queen's College in New Brunswick...

Today we lost Alex Trebek, a man of great character and everything good in the world. He will be greatly missed. I'll take "Beloved Game Show Hosts for $2000," please. Rest In Peace. If President Trump seeks to blame anyone or anything for his shortcomings in the election, he need look no further than the man in his mirror...

The morning after Election Day, the Supreme Court heard a case on foster care and adoption that puts a heck of a lot in perspective. I listened with some frustration and bewilderment as a few of the justices talked with some hostility about the idea that Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia would dare to expect to be able to contract with the city to certify and provide ongoing support for foster and adoptive families...

Thank you, O God, for our veterans, and protect those in harm's way. Amen.

What an interesting seven days it has been, wouldn't you say? I could stop right here and everyone would know exactly what I mean. And I do mean "everyone" -- in your house, your city, your state, the country, the globe. And, 'xcuse my bad English, but it's 'bouts to get int'resting-er. The Trump-Biden showdown is just heating up...

Leonard "Len" Morton Swan, 75, of Jackson passed away Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 30, 1945, in Cape Girardeau to Leonard "Lefty" and Louise Morton Swan. He married Gaye Williams on Jan. 28, 1967, at First Baptist Church in Jackson...

GRASSY, Mo. -- Donald Lee Rouggly, 89, of Grassy passed away Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 1, 1931 in French Village, Missouri, son of Roscoe and Myrtle Carrow Rouggly. He and Wilma Gaines were united in marriage on Jan. 1, 1955...

Cecil D. "Dillon" Rhymer, 70, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at his home. He was born May 4, 1950, in Cape Girardeau to Cecil Raymond and Betty L. Kelley Rhymer. He and Karen Sander were married Aug. 2, 1997, at Cape Girardeau. He was a member of the Eagles for over 40 years, where he was acting secretary and president...

THEBES, Ill. -- Donna McNelly, 82, of Thebes passed away Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at home with her family by her side. She was born Aug. 19, 1938, in Stamford, Nebraska, the daughter of Dallas and Lila Bell Fletcher. She was married on Feb. 13, 1957, to Harold McNelly...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Elzie Duane "Wayne" Long, 65, of Marble Hill died Saturday, Nov.7, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. today at Hurricane Fork Baptist Church near Patton, Missouri. Funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. today at the church. Burial will follow in the Hurricane Fork Cemetery...

Bernice M. Kagle, 97, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Irma Paula Keller, 100, died Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 16, 1919, in Tilsit daughter of Henry George and Matilda Werner Voss. Her family moved to Cape Girardeau, where she attended Trinity Lutheran School and was the salutatorian of her eighth-grade class. She graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School in 1938 and attended Southeast Missouri State University and completed a teaching certificate...

James Ferrell "Jim" Kellett was born to the late Ferrell and Clara Lanell Jamieson Kellett Dec. 22, 1939, and passed from this earthly life into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Jim was united in marriage with Sue Rowland on April 2, 1965. To their union were born two children, Christi Kellett (Nate) Crowden and James Patrick Kellett...

Ralph Leo Hendrickson, 65, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Sept. 29, 1955, in Egypt Mills to the late Benson and Rosemary Halter Hendrickson. He excelled in his career as a commercial real estate agent...

Albert "Felix" Edward Enderle, loving husband, father and grandfather of New Hamburg, Missouri went to Heaven on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. He was surrounded by the love of his family at home. Felix was born Dec. 7, 1928, to Ben and Dora Heuring Enderle. He married the love of his life Georgiann "Boob" Glastetter on Feb. 16, 1946...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Strengthened by the Holy Sacraments, Agatha DeBrock passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. Born Agatha Bernadine Tenholder to Martin and JoHannah Tenholder April 7, 1927, she was the third of six children. As a child, she loved singing in the barn swing, the outdoors and her family...

Movidene Cutler, daughter of the late Ulysses Palmer Montgomery and Frances Myrtle Pinkston was born on June 7, 1929, in Swifton, Arkansas, and departed this life on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau at the age of 91. She was a resident of Chaffee and was of the Baptist faith. She was a retired cashier and clerk for Missouri Utilities...

Loomis H. "Jock" Brown, 94, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 14, 1926, in Millersville, son of Burette Oliver and Addie Mae Robins Brown. He and Olline Alfreda Abernathy were married August 24, 1953 in Crump. She survives...

Jerry "Bondzo" Bond, son of the late Veda Bond, was born March 19, 1945, in Cape Girardeau and departed this life Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau at the age of 75. Jerry enjoyed going to basketball games and rodeos, working out at the farm, and especially spending time with his grandchildren. He drove for Valley Steel for 25 years. His CB handle was "Blue Goose."...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Eugene H. Aurich, age 86, of Perryville died Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Thursday at Ford and Young Funeral Home in Perryville...

CAPE GIRARDEAU Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Assaults n Assault was reported in the 1000 block of Bloomfield Street. n Assault was reported in the 3400 block of William Street. n Assault was reported. n Assault was reported in the 1900 block of Broadway...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls: Nov. 6 n Medical assists were made at 4:37 a.m. on Earleen Drive; 4:38 a.m. on South West End Boulevard; 5:11 a.m. on Longview Drive; 7:49 a.m. on Rivercrest Drive; 8:12 a.m. on South Sprigg Street; 9:26 a.m. on Lacey Street; 12:39 p.m. on Bloomfield and Christine streets...

Pfizer Inc. said Monday its COVID-19 vaccine may be a remarkable 90% effective, based on early and incomplete test results nevertheless brought a big burst of optimism to a world desperate for the means to finally bring the catastrophic outbreak under control...

WASHINGTON -- When the Supreme Court weighs the fate of "Obamacare" today, arguments will revolve around arcane points of law like severability -- whether the justices can surgically snip out part of the law and leave the rest. But what's at stake has real-world consequences for just about every American, as well as the health care industry, a major source of jobs and tax revenue. ...

WILMINGTON, Del. -- President-elect Joe Biden on Monday cheered news about the promising development of a coronavirus vaccine but cautioned Americans need to be aggressive about mask wearing and social distancing as infections continue to surge around the country...

Cape Girardeau students considering dropping out of high school have another choice: an alternative school program; the new program, aimed at keeping students in school, could start next week if all goes as planned; applications are available for students at the high school office...

Ordinarily, it's not possible for a party to win the presidency and have a bad election night, but the Democrats managed it. Pending the outcome of two Senate runoffs in Georgia, Joe Biden looks set to become a caretaker president who won't be signing any legislation that doesn't pass muster in Mitch McConnell's Senate first...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri has less than two months to spend roughly $1 billion in federal coronavirus aid, the state budget director told lawmakers during a special session Monday. Budget director Dan Haug outlined the huge sum of unspent federal funding during the special legislative session called by Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who asked lawmakers to give his administration the authority to spend another roughly $1.1 billion in federal aid...