Stories from Saturday, April 17, 2021

Cape Girardeau City Council 5 p.m. Monday City Hall 401 Independence St. Study session n No action will be taken during the study session Presentation n Update from the Cape Girardeau Airport Board Communications/reports n City Council staff Items for discussion...

The Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (CPSEMO) held its 32nd annual breakfast Friday at the Osage Center to highlight its work in the previous year and those who helped achieve it. According to the 2020 CPSEMO Annual Report, through its programs, 162 families avoided eviction and potential homelessness, 27 people experiencing homelessness transitioned to being housed, over 4,900 volunteer hours were contributed and 10,298 people were served...

A Ste. Genevieve police officer was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital after being attacked with a Molotov cocktail overnight. According to a social media post made by Ste. Genevieve police chief Eric Bennett, the officer was responding to a peace disturbance call, something Bennett wrote is typically low-risk. ...

Wearing a face covering is now completely optional for students at Saxony Lutheran High School. Saxony principal Mark Ruark said the school had made the decision to relax its mask policy Friday. "We haven't had a student quarantined for COVID since we returned from Christmas vacation," Ruark said. ...

Cape Girardeau County health officials reported the county's 134 COVID-19 death Friday. The patient was in the 80-89 age bracket, according to the county's public health center. The virus-related death was the first since early March. County officials reported six new virus cases, pushing the county's total number of cases to 9,407. As of Friday, there were 19 active cases in the county...

A person was pulled Friday afternoon from a vehicle that had submerged in a pond near the intersection of Prospect Drive and Scenic Drive. According to fire chief Randy Morris, Cape Girardeau Fire and Police Departments responded at approximately 1:40 p.m. to a report of a vehicle submerged in the lake. Divers extracted a person from the vehicle who was transported by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center...

Jackson's Odie Lingle has been preparing income tax returns for most of his adult life and said Friday the vast majority of his office's clients have already filed -- despite the federal government and State of Missouri extending the deadline to do so by a month, to May 17...

Cape Girardeau police arrested two suspects following an alleged altercation and shots fired behind Subway on Broadway Street. According to officer Rich McCall, Cape Girardeau police responded to a call of a fight in progress with shots fired. Upon arrival, officers were given a vehicle and suspect description...

City of Jackson mayor and Board of Aldermen Regular meeting 6 p.m. Monday Approval of minutes n Minutes of Regular Meeting of 4/5/2021 Financial affairs n City collector's report n City clerk's and treasurer's reports Action items Power, Light, and Water Committee...

Ken and Eva Abernathy of Jackson celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary April 14. Abernathy and the former Eva Flores were married April 14, 1956, in Illinois. The couple has four children, Mike Abernathy of Jackson, Glen Abernathy of California, Rob Abernathy of Jackson and Elisa Ptachick of Florida...

Gary and Sue Wibbenmeyer of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Kaitlin, to Lance Myer of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Gary Myer of Old Appleton and Dana Park of Lake St. Louis, Missouri. Kaitlin is a 2009 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School. She received a Bachelor of Child Care and Guidance from Southeast Missouri State University. She works for Dr. Stan Williams...

Early April is a good time to go looking for a woodland wildflower called toadshade trillium. The first three letters in the word trillium (tri) means three. This flower knows the number three. Atop a single sturdy stem, the toadshade trillium breaks out with three green, beautifully mottled oblong leaves...

His commanding presence transformed rowdy classes into disciplined learning experiences. Though not the first teacher of Black students of Cape Girardeau, John Solomon Cobb became a foremost educator of his generation, a Missouri pioneer for Black education. "An ardent student, conversant with the classics" with an outstanding personal library, his undisputed standard for excellence developed and improved the education and the educators of the region...

Submitted by Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary This kitty is Super Fluffy. He is a 7-year-old declawed male and is super sweet. He just needs a loving forever home. If you are ready for a rewarding experience, come see us at Safe Harbor. Call (573) 243-9823...

Learn how inflammation in the body is attributed to many chronic diseases at "Healthy Cooking: reducing Inflammation" at 6 p.m. Monday at HealthPoint Fitness in Cape Girardeau. Healthy eating, along with adequate sleep, stress management and exercise can reduce this risk...

The Town & Country FCE Club met April 8 at the home of Judy Niswonger. The devotion was given by the hostess by playing a CD titled "Just As I Am." Darlene McCain had a game that was a spring word search. The roll call and minutes were given by Sue Jones, secretary/reporter. The minutes were approved as read...

Senior centers are open for carryout and delivery only. Monday: Spaghetti with meat sauce or chicken country casserole, Italian-blend veggies, tossed lettuce salad, garlic bread and chilled peaches or assorted cookies. Tuesday: Tuna salad or chicken pasta salad, three-bean salad, sliced tomatoes, whole-wheat crackers and chilled grapes or apple-streusel cake...

I will confess to being something of a fan of Albert Einstein. The legendary German-born scientist died in New Jersey 66 years ago this weekend, on April 18, 1955. His views on faith matters are deferred to later in this column because the reader should, in my mind, be appreciative of Einstein's utter uniqueness...

Does letting go of the unpleasant mean we are weak, practice avoidance or we're cowards? Are we afraid to face things head on, so we pretend that all is well, while cowering in the corner and brooding, secretly? Are we stopped in our tracks and feeling too sorry for ourselves to move forward? "What's the point?" we say, and we accomplish nothing...

James Welker was recently honored by the Missouri Association of School Administrators for his service to public education. He was one of eight former educators to receive the association's Outstanding Emritus Educator Award. This special recognition was made during the awards banquet at the MASA Spring Conference on March 24 at Lake Ozark, Missouri...

I always enjoy spring and the beginnings of summer even though spring is kind of fickle in a way. We can have a couple weeks of nice weather and then, whamo, we get a few days of cold, if not frost. But that's spring. Here in Missouri where we live, we can begin planting about mid-April. ...

O Lord Jesus, we sing your praises, for you are worthy to be praised. Amen.

I am a Scout with Troop 5 in Cape Girardeau. I would like to tell you why kids should consider joining Scouts BSA. Earning merit badges helps you learn important skills such as cooking, swimming, and first aid. You make a lot of friends and meet interesting people you might not otherwise get to meet...

Jason Smith: Our country is struggling with multitudinous problems which our current administration is addressing. You suggest that President Biden cannot attend to border issues if he is responding to the proliferation of guns in American and the related killings. ...

Wars often arise from uncertainty. When strong countries appear weak, truly weaker ones take risks they otherwise would not. Sloppy braggadocio and serial promises of restraint can trigger wars, too. Empty tough talk can needlessly egg on aggressors. But mouthing utopian bromides convinces bullies that their targets are too sophisticated to counter aggression...

Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas raised ire from conservatives for vetoing legislation passed by the Arkansas state legislature that would have banned "gender-affirming" medical treatment for transgender minors. This includes treatment such as hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgery associated with gender identity...

GLEN ALLEN, Mo. -- Ola Jean Treweek, 96, of Glen Allen, died March 31, 2021, at her home. Visitation will be fron 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill, Missouri. A memorial service will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday with the Rev. Kenneth Shoemaker officiating. Inurnment will be later at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery...

Arvie Odom Jr., 78, formerly of Cape Girardeau passed away to his heavenly home on Thursday, April 15, 2021. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was born May 8, 1942, in Dyess, Arkansas, to Arvie E. and Hettie V. Mabry Odom. He and JoAnn McMahan were married June 17, 1961 in St. Louis...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Mary Ruth Maddock, 76, of Marble Hill, died April 16, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at Plainview Cemetery near Patton, Missouri. Hutchings Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements...

HOUSTON, Texas -- Art Henry Keller, 92, passed peacefully from the world into heaven Sunday, March 11, 2021, with his wife, Patty, and his son, Bryan, at his bedside in Houston. Art was born Nov. 9, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, the youngest son of Fred and Rose Keller. Art married Patricia "Patty" Ann Keller from Cape Girardeau on July 1, 1951...

Gary Wayne Gerecke, 64, of Gordonville passed away Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at his home. He was born Nov. 4, 1956, in Cape Girardeau, son of the late Leeman Earl and Elsie Borgfield Gerecke. He and Carolyn Ahrens were married on July 22, 1978, in Tilsit...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls. April 15 n Medical assists were made at 9:46 a.m. on Deevers Crossing; 11:04 a.m. on North Street; 2:25 p.m. on Cape Meadows Circle; 2:43 p.m. on Linden Street; 4:34 p.m. on William Street; 5:59 p.m. on Country Club Drive; 6:19 p.m. on South West End Boulevard; 6:21 p.m. on South Sprigg Street; n At 9:24 p.m., fire alarm on Rusmar Street.

CAPE GIRARDEAU Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Assaults n Assault was reported in the 1200 block of William Street. n Assault was reported. n Assault was reported in the 600 block of Locust Street...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran began enriching uranium Friday to its highest-ever purity that edges Tehran close to weapons-grade levels, attempting to pressure negotiators in Vienna amid talks on restoring its nuclear deal with world powers after an attack on its main enrichment site...

MOSCOW -- Russia on Friday responded to a barrage of new U.S. sanctions by saying it would expel 10 U.S. diplomats and take other retaliatory moves in a tense showdown with Washington. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also said Moscow will add eight U.S. officials to its sanctions list and move to shut down those U.S. nongovernment organizations that remain in Russia to end what he described as their meddling in Russia's politics...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome coronavirus mutations whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday. White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six "centers of excellence" partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyze information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.. ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Police scoured a Fedex facility in Indianapolis and searched the suspected gunman's home Friday looking for a motive for the latest mass shooting to rock the U.S., as family members of the eight victims spent agonizing hours awaiting word on their loved ones...

A collection of local food trucks can be found outside of the St Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway in Jackson every Wednesday starting in the spring though the fall for the Jackson Food Truck Rally. Two of the organizers that were part of its creation are Kristen and Billy Lewis, owners of Molon Latte. Kristen said they started the rally last year, mostly because with the pandemic, there wasn't a lot to do, but they wanted to bring the community together in a safe way...

PATTON, Mo. -- Despite petition drives and new faces on the Meadow Heights Board of Education, an earlier decision not to rehire former high school principal Rick Chastain will stand; the board voted 4-3 last night not to renew Chastain's contract as high school principal; Chastain maintains he was fired because he blew the whistle on the district's former superintendent, who added fictitious names to attendance records...

JEFFERSON CITY -- A bill that would allow Cape Girardeau County to retain a county coroner instead of hiring a medical examiner when it becomes first class next year won legislative approval yesterday and awaits the governor's signature; a medical examiner costs more than $100,000 a year while a coroner is paid about $20,000...