VOTE OF CONFIDENCE -- FOR ONE MORE YEAR

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Column (5/4/24)

A look at sales, property taxes in Cape Girardeau

Stacy Kinder
The City of Cape�s fiscal year begins every July, and our administration is very busy preparing the FY25 budget for city council approval. This process will be before the public numerous times in June, which is important as our city budget lays out...
Column (5/3/24)

Trusting China in inviting another pandemic

Betsy McCaughey
It�s one thing to die from natural causes. Worse, to die from a disease leaked by Chinese scientists in a lab and allowed to wipe out millions. That is now almost certainly the explanation for the origins of COVID-19. And even worse? U.S....
Editorial (5/3/24)

To our law enforcement officers: Stay safe out there

When most people prepare for their workday, they focus on completing daily tasks, attending meetings on the calendar, hoping someone remembered to bring snacks. They don�t have to think about losing their life. Dying in the line of duty isn�t a...
Column (5/2/24)

What we keep getting wrong about campus protests

Jonah Goldberg
The current campus demonstrations are a reminder that of all the mossy cliches and puffed-up pieties of polite (and impolite) American discourse, the sanctity of protest is the hardest to question.
Letter (5/2/24)

Why supporting Ukraine matters

Recently the Senate and the House of Representatives voted to provide approximately $61 billion of aid for Ukraine. There are a number of good reasons why our country should support Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia�s invasion of its...
Column (5/1/24)

No, don�t rush the Trump J6 case

Rich Lowry
When the Supreme Court said it would hear Donald Trump�s immunity claim in the Jan. 6 case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, the former president�s enemies erupted in anger. It was delay for delay�s sake. It was a rank political favor for an...
Column (5/1/24)

Education wins the week

Holly Thompson Rehder
Hey y�all! It�s hard to believe, but we are truly in the home stretch in Jefferson City as there is now officially less than a month until the last day of the legislative session. Last week, a resounding statement was made that, for all the...
Editorial (5/1/24)

Zonta event to highlight men�s role in preventing sexual violence

As of Tuesday morning, there were nearly 30 men in custody at Cape Girardeau County jail facing charges involving sex crimes. Twice that many were being held over alleged domestic assaults. These numbers are not outliers. We have a problem in...
Column (4/30/24)

The evil of antisemitism

Karthyn Lopez
Eva Weintraubova and her older brother Pavel. Marthe Suzanne Tepfer. Rosa Henriette de Vries-Gersons. Petr Haim. Eva Neuova. Those are just a few of the names of children at Auschwitz who were recently remembered in an online memorial. The...
Editorial (4/29/24)

Semoball Awards winter sports finalists announced

Finalists for several winter sports categories were recently announced for this year�s Semoball Awards. The event, which is set to take place Friday, July 12, at La Croix Church in Cape Girardeau, continues a tradition of recognizing the best in...
Column (4/29/24)

Stop the �emergency spending� charade already

Last week, Congress moved closer to passing four separate bills with $95 billion in funding for Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific allies and the domestic submarine industrial base. This funding has been debated for months, with much of it intended for...
Column (4/29/24)

Ultraprocessed foods are everywhere

In my quest to eat healthier as an adult, I�ve encountered a lot of meat and dairy alternatives along with low-fat and sugar-free treat options that claim to be better choices. Many of these products are also marketed as organic. Like the almond...
Column (4/27/24)

House Speaker Mike Johnson is a hero

Star Parker
Author Herman Wouk captured well how to understand heroism. "Heroes are not supermen; they are good men who embody � by the cast of destiny � the virtue of their whole people in a great hour," observed Wouk.
Column (4/27/24)

There should be no right to sleep in all public places

Betsy McCaughey
In a Supreme Court showdown Monday over whether the homeless have a "right" to camp in public, almost no one mentioned the actual victims of that crazy idea. Homeless advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, told the court that...
Editorial (4/26/24)

Take advantage of prescription drug take back day

Any of these scenarios sound familiar? A doctor prescribed a three-week medication regimen, but the problem went away in 10 days. So, there was no need to take the remaining pills.
Editorial (4/24/24)

Southeast Missouri shined brightly during solar eclipse

For months, Southeast Missourians had been planning for the April 8 solar eclipse. In the coveted path of "totality", the region was set to receive visitors from near and far. And, wow, did they show up!
Editorial (4/22/24)

Cape County mourns the loss of Public Administrator Lisa Reitzel

Lisa Reitzel, the dedicated Cape Girardeau County public administrator, died unexpectedly from a heart attack April 13 at the age of 55. Serving in her role for over a decade, Reitzel�s sudden departure marks a significant loss for the community she...
Letter (4/20/24)

Access to crop protection

For more than 50 years, glyphosate, the world�s most widely used herbicide, has enabled American farmers to implement smart farming practices that use fewer resources, saving farmers time and money. Glyphosate is essential to keeping crop yields...
Editorial (4/19/24)

LifeHouse will fill needs in Southeast Missouri

Needs come in all shapes and sizes, and when a need comes in the form of a baby, it is Priority 1. LifeHouse Crisis Maternity House in Cape Girardeau will soon satisfy various needs of pregnant women and new mothers experiencing or at risk of...
Letter (4/18/24)

Cape should prioritize funds

Gary Hill
In today�s economy, it�s understandable why the majority of voters were reluctant to support a tax increase to fund public safety wage increases. So, what�s next? ...
Editorial (4/17/24)

UWSEMO tours to showcase volunteer opportunities

Ever thought about volunteering with a local not-for-profit organization but don�t know how or where to start? United Way of Southeast Missouri can help. April is National Volunteer Month, and UWSEMO has scheduled two Get on the Bus tours that...
Editorial (4/15/24)

Cape Girardeau Heritage Museum unveils exhibits on old bridge, Truman and American quilting

The Cape Girardeau Heritage Museum is set to unveil three new exhibits this week that promise to enrich our understanding of both local and national heritage. These exhibits, focusing on the construction of the old Cape Girardeau bridge, President...
Editorial (4/12/24)

SE MO Redi preparing to hire leader

SE MO Redi is preparing to make an important hire. The economic development organization based in Cape Girardeau � formerly Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET � will be hiring a president/chief executive officer to guide its efforts.
Letter (4/11/24)

Overcoming Missouri�s opioid epidemic

T. Robin Cole III
Bad news: Missouri�s opioid epidemic emerged as our most serious public health problem with drug overdose Missouri�s no. 1 leading cause of death among adults aged 18-44. Overcoming this crisis will be difficult, yet not insurmountable. Accidental...
Letter (4/9/24)

From local meetings to DNC

Chuck Banks
The presidential primary went well. The next step will be the local county mass meetings. Each county will elect delegates to go to the congressional meetings. The eighth congressional meeting will be held in Wayne County this cycle. That�s the only...
Letter (4/4/24)

Stop voting roadblocks

On April 2, my son was denied his right to vote by the Missouri Legislature through Missouri Revised Statute 115.135. He had recently turned 18 and wanted to vote for a friend�s parent running for a school board position. My son drove to the correct...