THE PUBLIC MIND: READER: SPEAK OUT BREATH OF FRESH AIR

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Column (4/24/24)

Alvin Bragg makes history -- preposterously

Rich Lowry
Alvin Bragg is to be commended for getting to trial on the Trump hush-payments case. Lesser prosecutors would have been daunted by the prospect of creating a national melodrama and a norm-breaking prosecution of a former president over what is,...
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!
Column (4/23/24)

Are Iran�s nine lives nearing an end?

Victor Davis Hanson
The theocracy of Iran has been the world�s arch-embassy attacker over the last half century. So it has zero credibility in crying foul over Israel�s April 1 attacks on its "consulate" in Damascus and the killing of Iran�s kingpin terrorists of...
Column (4/23/24)

The power of forgiveness

Kathryn Lopez
"Is forgiveness and being forgiven an important part of gratitude?" I was asked this question around the same time that Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, an Iraqi-born Assyrian bishop in Sydney, released a statement from a hospital, forgiving a teenager...
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...
Column (4/22/24)

Happiness is a home to tinker with

My husband and I have never bought a home we didn�t tinker with. And by "tinker", I don�t mean a coat of fresh paint and new shelving. I mean the knock out a wall, rip up the flooring and till the backyard for a new garden kind of tinkering. Real...
Column (4/20/24)

Trump is right � more violence, turmoil under Biden

Star Parker
Former President Donald Trump�s statement that the attack on Israel by Iran "would not have happened if we were in office," has drawn derision, including from his former National Security Adviser John Bolton. Bolton called the remark...
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...
Column (4/20/24)

The anti-Israel delusion

Rich Lowry
Surely, you�ve heard of the brutal conflict that has displaced millions of people and killed more than 14,000, while aid convoys have trouble getting where they need to go? No, the Sudanese civil war hasn�t been on your radar screen?
Column (4/20/24)

Tax time myths and truths

Veronique de Rugy
Another Tax Day has come and gone, and most Americans believe they pay too much. One recent poll revealed that 56% say they pay more than their fair share. Unfortunately, I fear this is just the beginning considering the insane level of debt...
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...
Column (4/19/24)

Paying top dollar and getting bupkis

If you pay New York state taxes, you�re paying top dollar and getting bupkis. Nothing in the budget deal announced in Albany on Tuesday changes that. State tax money is supposed to provide services and improve the state�s economic outlook. But a...
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? ...
Column (4/18/24)

US support for Israel, Ukraine proving inadequate

Jonah Goldberg
After Iran�s massive drone and missile attack on Israel on Saturday, President Joe Biden reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "You got a win. Take the win." Most of the weapons, the first Iran had ever fired on Israel from its...
Column (4/17/24)

The human cost of IVF

Kathryn Lopez
The New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury and her husband recently put some of their hard-earned resources into getting a movie based on one of her novels, "Someone Like You," into theaters. It was an act of courage and faith, and it...
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...
Editorial (4/10/24)

Nominations open for Difference Makers 2024

Many people who work to improve lives, communities and societies have one thing in common: They don�t do what they do for a pat on the back. Instead of looking for a congratulatory spotlight, they are heads-down, shoulder-to-the-wheel helping...
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...
Editorial (4/8/24)

Cape Chamber celebrates local innovators at annual dinner

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce�s annual dinner is always an inspiring evening recognizing the achievements of business innovators in our region who are leading industries, championing new ideas, and taking leadership roles that propel...
Editorial (4/4/24)

Solar eclipse 2024 is on the horizon

A solar eclipse will bring four minutes of midday darkness to Southeast Missouri on Monday, April 8. This celestial oddity is revisting the region only seven years after its last appearance, though another won�t reveal itself until Aug. 12, 2045....
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...
Editorial (4/3/24)

Adult and Teen Challenge Mid-America banquet set this month

Have a good meal. Enjoy fellowship with friends and neighbors. Maybe go home with a football helmet signed by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. And help support a men�s substance abuse recovery program at the same time. Adult and...
Letter (3/30/24)

Don't increase property tax

Regarding April 2 ballot for Cape Girardeau tax increase: From 2010 to 2022 my property tax ranged from $1,756 to $1,773, same house. It increased just under 1% in those 13 years. Suddenly, it went to $1,922 for 2023 � an increase of 8.4%! Now they...
Letter (3/30/24)

I'm voting no on Cape tax

Most people I know favor robust police and fire departments with employees being well paid. They feel as well they deserve more pay. Raising taxes on the citizens of Cape seems to be the only remedy the council can come up with.
Letter (3/30/24)

Tough to support Jackson tax

The Jackson School Board needs a tax increase to fund salaries and other district needs. I would gladly vote for this if the county would freeze property tax rates like the Missouri legislature granted counties to do.
Letter (3/26/24)

Don't eliminate income tax

At the moment the three leading Republican Candidates for Missouri governor are Jay Ashcroft, Bill Engel and Mike Kehoe. All three indicate that they would be willing to repeal Missouri's income tax. This would reduce the state's revenue by about...
Letter (3/26/24)

Smith's vote on budget deal

To Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri's 8th Congressional District, Your vote in favor of the latest budget deal, of over $1.2 trillion, is disheartening. You have betrayed your district, you have betrayed those who have voted for you, and once again...