Photos of the Month - January 2016

A Robin sits on a patch of grass poking up from the floodwater in the Red Star District of Cape Girardeau, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. (Laura Simon)

Scott Miller shines a flashlight into the back of a tractor trailer while helping family evacuate their home in McLure, Illinois, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. (Laura Simon)

Homes in the Red Star District are reflected in the floodwater behind 83-year-old John "Jiggs" Dietiker as he walks along Big Bend Road to his home, Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. Dietiker moved to Cape Girardeau on New Year's Day 76 years ago, and has lived in the same home at the corner of Big Bend and Olive streets for 57 years. While he was serving in Japan and Korea from 1950-52, his mother would send him newspaper clippings from the flooding in Cape Girardeau. Dietiker and his wife, Minnie Mae were married for 60 years and nine months, and she would have been 82-years-old on Monday, Jan. 4. Dietiker took out a newspaper add with a really nice photo of her on it in Monday's paper to wish her a happy birthday. "I miss her a lot" he said. (Laura Simon)

Flooded homes in the Red Star District are reflected in the rising Mississippi River floodwater Friday evening, Jan. 1, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is reflected in the swollen Mississippi River, Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

The swollen Mississippi River is seen flowing under the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge in Cape Girardeau, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (Laura Simon)

People flood to the old Cape Girardeau bridge overlook to catch a glimpse of the swollen Mississippi River, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Chael Keesee, 4, and his brother Benson hold hands while walking along the old Cape Girardeau Bridge overlook, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2015, in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

The sunset is reflected in the floodwater near the Red Star Food Pantry on North Main Street Friday evening, Jan. 1, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Four-year-old volunteer Zeke Sumner waits, shovel in tow, for more sand to be dropped off to fill sandbags outside the Red Star Baptist Church Friday evening, Jan. 1, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. Sumner brought his own shovel Friday because the shovels that were there Thursday were too big for him to use properly. (Laura Simon)

Lathen Austin, 4, and his sister Lily, 5, roll around in the grass as American Red Cross make the children peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in the Red Star District of Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Lori Goodmanson cuddles Sarge as he laps up water from a syringe given to him by Bridget Jackson at the emergency pet shelter in the 4-H Building at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. Sarge has been staying at the shelter since Friday afternoon, and he would not eat or drink anything until Sunday. The emergency shelter is open from 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. everyday, and will remain open as long as animals are staying there. Volunteers let the animals out for on last bathroom back at 10 p.m. each night before returning in the morning. Many of the pet owners have been stopping by throughout the day to visit with their pets. The shelter is a partnership between the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Department, Humane Society of Southeast Missouri and City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. (Laura Simon)

A bird takes a bath in the receding floodwater sitting on Water Street in the Red Star District, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (Laura Simon)

The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is reflected in receding floodwater along the train tracks near the Missouri Dry Dock in Cape Girardeau, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Equipment and a small boat are reflected in receding floodwater at the Missouri Dry Dock in Cape Girardeau, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (Laura Simon)

A man walking under the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is reflected in receding floodwater along the train tracks near the Missouri Dry Dock in Cape Girardeau, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Sky Smith demonstrates his fire poi skills in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Sky Smith demonstrates his LED poi skills in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Sky Smith demonstrates his LED poi skills in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Adam Hellman, left, and Evan Webb, members of Evan Webb and the Rural Route Ramblers, pose for a photo inside Blue Creek Production in Patton, Missouri, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. Hellman and Webb were putting the finishing touches on the band's new album, which includes the song, 'Dry up or Drown' that went viral during the recent flooding in the area. (Laura Simon)

Evan Webb, of Evan Webb and the Rural Route Ramblers, strums a tune on his guitar at Blue Creek Production in Patton, Missouri, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. Webb and bandmate Adam Hellman were putting the finishing touches on the band's new album, which includes the song, 'Dry up or Drown' that went viral during the recent flooding in the area. (Laura Simon)

Professional Elvis impersonator and Cape Girardeau native, Robert Washington, performs at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Professional Elvis impersonator and Cape Girardeau native, Robert Washington, performs at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Professional Elvis impersonator and Cape Girardeau native, Robert Washington, performs at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. (Laura Simon)

An Elvis fan poses for a photo with professional Elvis impersonators Robert Washington, left, and David Allen after their performances at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. The Elvis fan, who wished to remain anonymous, had tickets to see the real Elvis Presley twice, but missed each concert due to an illness and then a snow storm. (Laura Simon)

Rev. Byron Bonner (Laura Simon)

Jill Young (Laura Simon)

Steve Williams (Laura Simon)

A colorful sunset stretches across the sky as a towboat pushes barges south on the Mississippi River, Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, in downtown Cape Girardeau. The river recently broke its record crest of 48.49 feet in 1993 when it crested at 48.86 feet about 10 p.m. New Year's Day. According to the National Weather Service out of Paducah, the river stage Monday evening was 24.13 feet. (Laura Simon)

Ryan Walthers measure the gap left behind by a sedan that crashed through the wall of an equipment shed at the Shawnee Park Sports Complex, Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. The vehicle crashed through the wall Sunday night, coming to rest on its nose. Members of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department were working on a placing a temporary wall over the hole. (Laura Simon)

Elvin Stone looks over debris stretched across a gap left behind by a sedan that crashed through the wall of an equipment shed at the Shawnee Park Sports Complex, Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. The vehicle crashed through the wall Sunday night, coming to rest on its nose. Members of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department were working on a placing a temporary wall over the hole. (Laura Simon)

Coach Terry Kitchen sits on the bleachers inside the Central Junior High School gymansium Tuesday morning, Jan. 26, 2016, in Cape Girardeau. Kitchen, a Cape Central class of 1970 alumni, has also been an employee of Cape Girardeau Public Schools for 38 years, and if full of memories from the old gymnasium. (Laura Simon)

Tevontay Hulbert, left, and Garrett Jones plant cilantro seed inside the greenhouse at Central High School in Cape Girardeau, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. (Laura Simon)

A worker sets beams for the truck pit diverter at the City of Cape Girardeau's new transfer station, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. Construction on the new $3.8 million station began in August, and is expected to open in April. The new station will replace the current transfer station that was built in the 1980s and the city has since outgrown it. With the revenue from the solid waste processed by the city from Republic's hauling operation as well as the lease payment for the city-owned facilities will provide enough revenue to pay for the new facility without increasing user fees. (Laura Simon)

A worker sets beams for the truck pit diverter at the City of Cape Girardeau's new transfer station, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. Construction on the new $3.8 million station began in August, and is expected to open in April. The new station will replace the current transfer station that was built in the 1980s and the city has since outgrown it. With the revenue from the solid waste processed by the city from Republic's hauling operation as well as the lease payment for the city-owned facilities will provide enough revenue to pay for the new facility without increasing user fees. (Laura Simon)

A visitor waits in the warming tent as members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department put on a demonstration to compare and test different fire suppression techniques at Drury Lodge, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Firefighter EMT Paul James with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department waits outside during the department's demonstration to compare and test different fire suppression techniques at Drury Lodge, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Nik " Niko Scarpy" Scarpaci, left, Angelo "Gelo" Wilson, center, and Amir "Amirical" Waters of hip hop group Imaginary Friends, pose for a photo, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Nik " Niko Scarpy" Scarpaci, left, Angelo "Gelo" Wilson, center, and Amir "Amirical" Waters of hip hop group Imaginary Friends, pose for a photo, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. (Laura Simon)

August W. Birk poses for a photo, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. Birk's chainsaw carvings, such as the Ben Franklin at Franklin Elementary, have been local landmarks for years. (Laura Simon)

August W. Birk poses for a photo with his chainsaw carving of Jesus inside Trinity Lutheran Church, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. (Laura Simon)

Light is reflected in waves crashes on the Mississippi River riverfront, Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, in downtown Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Close to 60 inmates with the Impact Incarceration Program of the Illinois Department of Corrections work to fill sandbags at the Alexander County Highway Department office in Olive Branch, Illinois Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. The inmates averaged 800 sandbags an hour. (Glenn Landberg)

Floodwaters continue to rise in Olive Branch, Illinois Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Floodwaters continue to rise in Olive Branch, Illinois Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Dale Schultz, right, rests after loading a freezer into the bed of a truck as he evacuates his home in McClure, Illinois with help from John Schultz and Clint Nale, Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

A group of bucks feed in a field off N. Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau Tuesday evening, Jan. 5, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Neighbors watch as members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department work alongside McClure-East Cape Girardeau Fire Protection District and Horseshoe Lake Fire Department to extinguish a blaze that broke out at a vacant house on Reiman Rd. in McClure, Illinois Tuesday evening, Jan. 5, 2016. The house, that was part of a flood buyout in 2011, was a total loss in the fire. (Glenn Landberg)

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department work alongside McClure-East Cape Girardeau Fire Protection District and Horseshoe Lake Fire Department to extinguish a blaze that broke out at a vacant house on Reiman Rd. in McClure, Illinois Tuesday evening, Jan. 5, 2016. The house, that was part of a flood buyout in 2011, was a total loss in the fire. (Glenn Landberg)

Helen Wolters spends a moment with Rosie Thursday afternoon, Jan. 14, 2016 at The Arbors at Auburn Creek by Americare in Cape Girardeau. Dogs dressed in their finest clothing visited with residents during National Dress Up Your Pet Day. (Glenn Landberg)

Carol Drummond (Glenn Landberg)

Scott McMullen, principal of Central Academy, poses for a photo Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Nita DuBose, a counselor at Cape Central High School poses for a photo Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Corlin Turner marches with Sikeston community members to rally support to change the name of the city's Main Street to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 in Sikeston, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

Raymond Patterson marches with Sikeston community members to rally support to change the name of the city's Main Street to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 in Sikeston, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

Andrew Bailey waves the American flag after the 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. youth gala Monday, January 18, 2016 at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau. (Glenn Landberg)

Robert Pickens with Southeast Missouri State University's Facilities Management dispenses salt along a sidewalk in front of Kent Library Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Jason Heeter poses for a photo Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

A group of Notre Dame High School students from Christine Ostendorf's junior theology class pray the Rosary as they march around campus on the 43rd anniversary of the Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. (Glenn Landberg)

Southeast Missouri State players cheer from the bench after a score against Tennessee State late in the fourth quarter Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Saxony Lutheran's Masyn McWilliams tries to shoot against Woodland's Heidi Green, left, Krista Rhodes, Hannah Scott and Cheyenne Wells during the second quarter of a semifinal game in the Delta New Year's Tournament Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 in Delta, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Kelly's Mallory Urhahn tries to shoot as Charleston's Connor Watkins defends during the first quarter of a first-round game in the Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 in Chaffee, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Jake Mayfield of Jackson practices vertical welding Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 in a welding class at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. (Fred Lynch)

Oran's Hannah Scherer gets tangled between Scott City's Hannah Shemonia, left, and Bella Bowers during the first quarter of a first-round game in the Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016 in Chaffee, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Ashlyn Brown, center, along with Wade Pecord, right, and Randy Brown, view on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 the farm shed that floated away from her house off Miller City Road two weeks ago. Floodwaters had receded enough to permit traffic on the road which is within sight of the Len Small levee that was breached on Jan. 2 by the rising river. (Fred Lynch)

Central Bend Road damaged by floodwaters to the west of Miller City Road is seen Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 in Alexander County, Illinois. (Fred Lynch)

The Mississippi River flooding damaged the historic marker next to the boardwalk at Thebes, Illinois as seen Jan. 16, 2016 along Highway 3 in Alexander County. (Fred Lynch)

Parker Lipke of Jackson decorated his dresser with graffiti that's dear to his heart, seen Jan. 16, 2016, including Swaziland which he visited on two mission trips. (Fred Lynch)

An offering for academic scholarships is received at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016 at St. James AME Church.

2015 All-Missourian Cross Country - Cheyenne Wells - Woodland High School (Jan. 17, 2016) (Fred Lynch)

Jingshi Yao walks down Broadway dressed for the 15-degree temperature Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 in Cape Girardeau. With classes out at Southeast Missouri State University for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the student from China decided to get out for some light shopping. (Fred Lynch)

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams speaks during the Cardinals Caravan on Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 at the Osage Centre. (Fred Lynch)

Asher Campbell of Cape Girardeau gets an autograph from St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams during the Cardinals Caravan on Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 at the Osage Centre. (Fred Lynch)

Dean Kiekhefer autographs a Mickey Mouse toy for Alex Wybert and his mother, Stephanie Wybert of Cape Girardeau, during the Cardinals Caravan on Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 at the Osage Centre. (Fred Lynch)

Notre Dame's Evan Dowdy gets lifted by Poplar Bluff's Kade Richardson in the 113-pound fifth-place match of the SEMO Conference Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 at Cape Central High School. Richardson won the match. (Fred Lynch)

Jackson fans cheer after Jake Byrd defeated Ste. Genevieve's Wade Dickens in the 126-pound championship match of the SEMO Conference Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 at Cape Central High School. (Fred Lynch)

Alex Shrimplin throws a ball to Lorri Rothert at Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016 near Old Appleton, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Alex Shrimplin enjoys his ride on Promise at Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016 near Old Appleton, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Southeast Missouri State's Trey Kellum drives against Austin Peay's Chris Horton during the first half Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Southeast Missouri State coach Rick Ray and assistant coach Chris Moore react with Jaylin Stewart and Tony Anderson on the bench as Antonius Cleveland is fouled by Austin Peay's Tre' Ivory during the second half Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Firefighters attack a fire at a mobile home Saturday night, Jan. 30, 2016, near Fruitland that killed a woman who lived there. (Fred Lynch)