Stories from Saturday, September 18, 2021

No COVID-19-related deaths were reported in nearby Missouri counties Friday, but active virus case counts remained elevated. Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center officials reported 53 new confirmed virus cases, along with 36 new probable cases, for a total of 12,093 cases for the pandemic. As of Friday, there were 416 active cases in the county. Officials reported no new virus-related deaths. To date, 149 county residents have died because of the virus...

Text by Sarah Yenesel Southeast Missourian Thousands flocked to the fairgrounds at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau once again for the SEMO District Fair. The fair's slogan that occasionally echoed through loud speakers was, "Bringing back the fun in '21."...

We are in the midst of redesigning the digital platform for the Southeast Missourian, and feedback has been coming in about what people want to see. It's not too late for you to join us with your thoughts. Go to semissourian.com/thefuture to sign up...

Retired banker Danny Essner, long active in community organizations such as Old Town Cape, is taking on a new short-term challenge. Essner will gather this week with other like-minded businesspeople to game out a marketing strategy aimed at persuading Cape Girardeau voters to approve a 2.75% user tax -- a tax on internet sales -- on the Nov. 2 ballot...

At its essence, a shipyard is a place where vessels and people of the world collide. Shipyard Music Festival is no different. Shipyard set sail Friday at Century Casino Cape Girardeau, drawing a crowd mixed with area residents and travelers. Kayla Gisseman of St. Roberts, Missouri, drove to Cape Girardeau to attend Shipyard. Friday night was her first time in Cape. She came to see one of her favorite bands, Motherfolk, with her three young children...

Southeast Missouri Pachyderm installed new officers and board recently. They are Victor Gunn, president; Doug Austin, vice president; Carolyn Davis, secretary; and Fran Austin, treasurer. Additional board members are Kathy Swan, Robin Slinkard and Marnie Mitchel...

Ladonna Lynch of Cape Girardeau and Paul Lynch of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Halle Nicole Lynch of Cape Girardeau to Nicholas John LeGrand of Benton, Missouri. He is the son of Donnie and Gera LeGrand of Benton. Halle received a Bachelor of Social Work in 2018 from Southeast Missouri State University. She went on to receive her Master of Social Work in 2019 from Missouri State University. She is an elementary school teacher in St. Louis...

Monday: Hot ham and cheese on bun or chicken bratwurst with stewed apples, baked beans, steamed squash, whole-grain bun or bread slice and chilled-diced pears or cookies and cream. Tuesday: Italian beef on bun or roasted chicken thighs, spinach salad, classic-mixed vegetables, whole-grain bun or hot roll and fresh melon ow brownie...

Two centuries ago, a little band of Scotch-Irish pioneers of the Presbyterian faith came from North Carolina, through the Cumberland Gap, and crossed the Mississippi River at Moccasin Spring aboard Mr. Green's ferry. They established the Apple Creek Presbyterian Church in a shady grove, just a half-mile east of Pocahontas to launch their mission...

Submitted by Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary This sweet young female is Marriott. She is all ready for a loving, forever home. If you are ready for a rewarding experience, come see us at Safe Harbor. Call (573) 243-9823.

A man went into the woods with his chainsaw and cut down a tree. He took away the tree to make firewood or maybe sold the tree trunk as a log to be made into furniture. But he left the part of the tree that is now called a stump. In this case the stump has become a dining table for a squirrel. ...

Mark H. Bliss will sign copies of his inaugural mystery novel, "Foul Rising," at book signings over the next three weekends in Cape Girardeau. He will be at the Glenn House from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 19; from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 25 at The Book Rack; and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 2 at Cape Girardeau Public Library...

"S N I F F, S N I F F." I felt myself inhale with a purpose. What was that lovely fragrance in the air? I took another whiff, slowly this time, but with a mission. I still could not name the scent. Then I heard sounds of music in the distance -- and marching footsteps keeping time rhythmically. ...

I find myself thinking back quite often on the way things used to be. No doubt this is partially a function of age. I am Social Security eligible but not yet Medicare eligible and with that information, the reader can discern this writer's age is somewhere between 62 and 65...

Many times in the evening, I like to make a cup of coffee and just watch the sun set. So the other evening I was sipping my Sulawesi coffee and watching the sun slowly sink. The steers were grazing so I was watching them graze. You could hear them get a grip on the grass with their tongues and hear the grass get torn off. ...

A lot of us were drafted into the Army back during the Vietnam war, and when we went through basic training, we were vaccinated for about every disease known to mankind. I remember on one occasion we were told to get in line and walk between two medics, who were giving shots in both arms at the same time. They were using air guns, and if you flinched at the wrong time, the high pressure would slice your skin. Several of us came away with bloody arms...

Thank you, O Lord Jesus, that it is by grace we are saved through faith in you. Amen.

Democrats are ready to raise taxes. They want more revenue, in part to fund an out-of-this-world amount of new spending. Some simply want to soak the rich, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., plainly signaled at the Met Gala by wearing a white dress with "TAX THE RICH" scrawled across it in red paint. ...

The scientific method used to govern much of popular American thinking. In empirical fashion, scientists advised us to examine evidence and data, and then by induction come to rational hypotheses. The enemies of "science" were politics, superstition, bias and deduction...

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrest does not imply guilt. Arrests n James E. Mahurian, 49, of Desloge, Missouri, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of stealing and three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls. Sept. 15 n Medical assists were made at 10:33 a.m. on South Mount Auburn Road; 12:11 p.m. on State Highway K; 12:33 p.m. on North Pacific Street; 12:40 p.m. on William Street; 1:36 p.m. ...

Son to Christopher Samuel and Eryn Paige Davis of Sikeston, Missouri, Saint Francis Medical Center, 7:42 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Name, Kollyn Christopher. Weight, 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Davis is the former Eryn Jones, daughter of Regina Stash of Sikeston. She is a medical assistant at Cape Regional Brain and Spine. Davis is the son of Samuel Davis and Stephanie Davis of Kevil, Kentucky. He is the store manager at Lowe's...

Signal improvements slated for Scott City interchange The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to install flashing yellow arrows at the Interstate 55/Route AB interchange (Exit 91) in Scott City. According to a MoDOT news release, the improvements will include updating the signals at the northbound and southbound ramps, as well as at the I-55 outer road. ...

ABERDEEN, Wash. -- Ronald L. "Bishop" Smith was born Nov. 9, 1943, in Cape Girardeau. God took him home to his reward at the age of 77 on Sept. 11, 2021, after fighting a battle with cancer. His faith never wavered, and his words were always, "God is so good." He was surrounded by his wife and five children at the time of his death in Aberdeen...

Mary Jewell "Judy" Sams, 98, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, at Ratliff Care Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

FENTON, Mo. -- Bill Ross of Fenton was born Dec. 3, 1938, in Albany, Missouri, to Thornton and Golda Siddens Ross and entered into rest Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in St. Louis at the age of 82 years, 8 months and 28 days. He was preceded in death by his parents and his prior wives, Carol Sue Ross and Betty Jo Ross...

Bobby G. Roloff, 90, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021. He was born Jan. 21, 1931, in Jackson, the son of Julius W. and Lucille Jones Roloff. He and the former Velma C. Nothdurft were married Aug. 28, 1954, at Evangelical United Church of Christ in Cape Girardeau...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Carrie Lynn Puig, 49, of Leopold died Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill, Missouri. Burial will follow later in Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield...

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- Allyn Dale Penny, 68, formerly of Jackson, passed away Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, at Levering Regional Health Care in Hannibal. Allyn was born Aug. 15, 1953, to Patty J. Brooks in Oregon. Allyn's childhood nickname was "Smiley," and his sweet smile will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him...

Ralph Lyndell Pender of Cape Girardeau, 82, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Sept. 7, 1939, to Lindel and June Moore Pender. Ralph married Judith Burlbaugh in 1985, and she preceded him in death in 2001...

Daisy Moore, 97, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 25 at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. Funeral will follow at noon Sept. 25 at the funeral home...

On Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, Tarl E. Luhring, 29, of Cape Girardeau passed away in an automobile accident near Paducah, Kentucky. He was born March 26, 1992, in Gainesville, Florida, to Mark and Darla Jo Poston Luhring. He and Amanda Burnett were united in marriage Oct. 15, 2015, on a destination wedding in Ruskin, Florida...

Virginia Lee Hutson, 93, of Jackson passed away Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, at Lutheran Home. She was born April 28, 1928, in Burfordville, daughter of Arbon and Opal Rhodes Slinkard. She and Robert Odney "Bob" Hutson were married April 27, 1949. They were married 56 years when he passed away July 11, 2005...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Dorene Orva Grebing, 89, of Perryville died Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, and 8 to 10 a.m. Monday at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna, Missouri...

William Michael Freeman, the first child of Sarah and Ross Freeman, and grandson to Cindy and Michael Lamb, and Susan Sheets and Michael Freeman, was brought into the loving embrace of our Lord and Savior Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. Deeply loved from his conception, his life on earth was brought short due to an umbilical cord tragedy at 37 weeks, 1 day gestation. ...

VIENNA, Ill. -- Richard "Rick" Bigham, 61, a resident of rural Vienna, passed away Thursday evening, Sept. 16, 2021, at Ascension St. Vincent in Evansville, Indiana. Rick was born July 22, 1960, in Chicago, the son of William R. and Anna Faye Wilson Bigham...

Missouri Highway and Transportation Department district engineer Scott A. Meyer told a gathering of Scott City Chamber of Commerce members last night that once riverboat gambling comes to Scott City, the department will start building roads; many at the meeting expressed some skepticism that Meyer would be able to meet his promise of speedy road improvements to coincide with a gambling boat...

When Bill Clinton and Bob Dole square off in presidential debate, Cape Girardeau's opinion of their performances will count; Cape Girardeau is among 18 national research sites participating in Debate Watch '96, a project of the Commission on Presidential Debates; Jay Goff and Tom Harte, both of Cape Girardeau, are state coordinators for Debate Watch '96 and will help collect personal opinions of the debates...