Photos of the Month: Dec. 2019

Santa Claus reacts with surprise as Glenda Quinn gives him a peck on the cheek during the annual Seniors and Lawmen Together Christmas Party on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Kristin Tallent, communications director for Cape Public Schools, takes her two rescued miniature horses, Finley and Fiona, for a walk Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at Tallent's family farm near Patton, Missouri. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Martez Johnson distributes yellow balloons to demonstrators during a demonstration expressing disappointment in Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney's office for dropping charges against a suspect in the August shooting death of 15-year-old Madison Robinson on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, outside the Cape Girardeau City Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. Johnson, who is Robinson's aunt, raised the teen from birth. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Brianna Venson carries a sign during a demonstration expressing disappointment in Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney's office for dropping charges against a suspect in the August shooting death of 15-year-old Madison Robinson on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, outside the Cape Girardeau City Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. Venson was a friend of Madison Robinson. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Friends of Madison Robinson Amaya and Brianna Venson hold back tears during a demonstration expressing disappointment in Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney's office for dropping charges against a suspect in the August shooting death of 15-year-old Madison Robinson on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, outside the Cape Girardeau City Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Randi Jones is seen with yellow highlights braided into her hair in honor of Madison Robinson during a demonstration expressing disappointment in Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney's office for dropping charges against a suspect in the August shooting death of 15-year-old Madison Robinson on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, outside the Cape Girardeau City Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Ginger Jaco, business office manager for the Monticello House in Jackson, works to untangle two snowflakes before the start of the 28th annual Parade of Lights on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Dave Pfanstiel of Cape Girardeau, left, and Wayne Shockley of Jackson haul a Christmas tree from Pollock Landscaping on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, at a parking lot along South Kingshighway near Schnucks in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Hunter Platz of Coast to Coast Signs grinds a threaded rod before hanging the final pieces of polished aluminum lettering on the recently renamed Terry W. Kitchen Central Junior High School on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Bruce Blankenship of Cape Girardeau indicates he has won a game of bingo Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at the Knights of Columbus in Scott City, Missouri. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Sharon Sink cheers as Jackson football players take part in a procession through Jackson High School shortly before departing for the Class 5 state championship Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, in Jackson. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Fans wave as the Jackson Indians' football team departs for the Class 5 state championship Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, in Jackson.  (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Jackson fans including Jackson senior Carson Childers, center in blanket, cheer before kickoff of the Indians' 27-21 overtime loss to Carthage in the MSHSAA Class 5 state championship Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Jackson's Cael Welker (6) and Cole Amelunke (99), holding the Indians' second place trophy, hug following the team's 27-21 overtime loss to Carthage in the MSHSAA Class 5 state championship Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Spectators cheer as children crawl in the annual Elf Races sponsored by River Radio on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Kyle Fields plays an electric guitar and sends remotely amplified notes ringing throughout South High Street while walking alongside the Jackson Audio & Music Supply float during the city's Christmas parade on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in Jackson. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Vehicle debris lays mixed in with hundreds of 24-ounce beer cans and other cargo where a 2016 Freightliner semi-truck came to a stop during a fatal crash Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in Scott County, Missouri.  (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Jasmine Massey, left, is adorned with her Kente stole by advisor Tamara Zellars Buck during the inaugural "Donning of the Kente" ceremony Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, at Rust Center for Media, which recognized graduating members of the National Association of Black Journalists at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Ada Buersmeyer, dressed in a mouse costume, laughs backstage while playing with other dancers portraying mice before performing with the Moscow Ballet on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019, at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Performers stretch backstage while others, dressed as snowflakes, practice math problems before performing with the Moscow Ballet on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019, at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Performers portraying snowflakes dance together before performing with the Moscow Ballet on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019, at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Halle Beard, 3, covers her ears briefly during rehearsal for a Christmas Cantata on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, at Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Natalie Arbuckle, 16, and Sam Bonney, 17, both of Cape Girardeau, portray Mary and Joseph as Christopher Hinman II, 2, of Cape Girardeau looks inside the manger during a living nativity Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Kierston, far left, smiles as, from left, Kendall, Kinley and other bible study colleagues spontaneously lay hands on and pray over her ankle, which was hurting, during FBI (Fabulous Bible Investigators) bible study Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, at Bethany Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. The girls' surnames were withheld at the request of the group's organizers. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Five-year-old Sadie Bengston sports a personalized message on her Santa hat while making crafts at Cape Bible Chapel on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Jackson players react as Dexter junior Andrew Ellinghouse crashes into the bench while diving for a loose ball during a game Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, at Jackson High School in Jackson. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Cakes Reanimated owner Becky Brown, originally of Jackson and now Cape Girardeau, poses for a portrait Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, at Cakes Reanimated at 720 Themis St. in Cape Girardeau. Brown said she has had a business license for seven years, but she said Dec. 18 was the soft opening of Cakes Reanimated's physical location. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

From left, St. Louis Cardinals organist Dwayne Hilton and Cathy McReynolds entertain guests at Marlena Dudley's home Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Jackson. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Oran's Katie Webb (40), Oran's Kaylee Payne (23) and Notre Dame's Riley Burger (22) go after the ball during Notre Dame's 49-39 win over Oran in the semifinals of the 2019 First State Community Bank Holiday Classic Girls Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Todd Tumminia, dressed as Santa Claus, rides in the back of a van with sacks of presents to be distributed to area residents during the Cape Jaycees' annual Toybox delivery program Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Rylee Gorton cradles the neck of a donkey during a live nativity Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Saxony Lutheran cheerleader Sydney Turner is seen framed by fellow cheerleaders' pom-poms during the First State Community Bank Holiday Classic tournament Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Jennifer McDonald portrays the Virgin Mary and holds her 2-year-old son Ben, dressed as a shepherd, as he reaches for the halo atop the head of her 3-year-old daughter Courtney, dressed as an angel, on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, at Harvest Missionary Baptist Church during a performance of the church's annual Christmas play "From the Cradle to the Cross" in Jackson. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Oak Ridge's Kyran Newell (3) is partially obscured by a cheerleader's pom-pom while shooting a free-throw during the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Newell's strong shooting performance helped lift Oak Ridge over Advance when senior David Layton got into foul trouble early. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Bell City junior Luke Nichols (3) jumps to shoot between Jackson defenders Clayton Ernst (33) and Luke Reynolds (23) during the first day of the 75th annual Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Charleston's Blessin Kimble is seen in this double-exposure image during a game against Scott City during the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Kimble, who had 10 points in this game, would later be named to the all-tournament team along with teammates Terridean Bogan and Samuel Bledsoe and the Bluejays would go on to win the championship title. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Members of the Jackson bench, including junior Rhet Liley (42), cheer during Charleston's 61-48 win over Jackson in the semifinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Cape Central senior Olivia Hukel makes a face toward the court during the Notre Dame Bulldogs' 70-54 win over the Cape Central Tigers in the semifinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Notre Dame junior Chase Logel (22) high fives a fan following the Bulldogs' 70-54 win over Cape Central Tigers in the semifinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Southeast Missouri State senior Jocelyn Taylor (23) is brushed by the hair of Harris-Stowe senior Sebit Gatluak (1) during a women's basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Southeast Missouri State's Nygal Russell (25) attempts to dunk over Missouri Baptist defender John Yaeger (32) during the second half of a men's basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

Notre Dame senior Tanner Peters watches during Notre Dame and Charleston's matchup in the championship game of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Charleston fans including Tyler Meeks, in "350" sweatshirt, cheer during Charleston's 64-41 win over Notre Dame in the championship game of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)

Charleston senior Terridean Bogan (12) holds up the team's trophy while teammates celebrate their 64-41 win over Notre Dame in the championship game of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian)