Photo Gallery archive

On June 2 members of the Cape Girardeau area Chamber of Commerce and the public were invited to sign the final beam that will be placed in the Century Casino's hotel.

SEMO Moms Demand Action and S.N.A.P gathered at Peace Park June 2 to honor victims and survivors of gun violence.

The Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony is an annual sponsored event held by the Seniors and Lawmen Together (S.A.L.T.). It was held at 6pm on May 11 at the Cape Bible Chapel.

A musical comedy about cave-people and the discovery of fire will open Thursday, May 4, at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

The Missouri Cattleman's Association hosted Farm Day for around 800 area elementary students on Wednesday, April 26, at Flickerwood Arena in Jackson, Missouri.

"The SpongeBob Musical" recently was stage in Bedell Performance Hall at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus.

These images show damage caused by a tornado that went through Glen Allen, Missouri, between 3 and 4 a.m Wednesday, April 5.

Care to Learn held a Woodstock themed fundraiser on March 31 at the Drury Plaza Hotel Conference center.

Theatre students rehearse the play "The Little Mermaid," on Wednesday, March 29 at Notre Dame High School. The play debuts through the weekend at the school, with showtimes at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Notre Dame held there first ever egg hunt. Guests were able to get their face painted,take photos with both the Easter bunny and Notre Dame bulldog, and participate in an egg hunt.

Southeast Missouri State University kicked off its sesquicentennial inside the University Center on Wednesday, March 22. There were booths for students and alumni to see and learn about different parts of the college.

Taste of Cape Restaurant hop was held March 21. Cape Girardeau restaurants and business showcased their signature items for participants to enjoy. The event benefited The Jeanine Larson Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance Senior Showcases that will be held in New York and Los Angeles.

The "Be Rad 4 Brad" benefit concert and auction sought to raise funds for Brad Moore, a local who was diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Bands performed all evening on Saturday, Mar. 18 at Port Cape in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Mutt Madness returns for 2023. Over 250 doggies have entered for their chance to be Top Dog. Take a look at all the fun-loving, furry faces and find your favorites. All photos were submitted by their owners.

Wings Etc held a watch party March 14 for SEMO men's basketball during SEMO's game in the first four of March Madness.

Old Town Cape hosted its annual dinner to celebrate downtown Thursday, March 9, where major accomplishments and outstanding contributions from the past year were recognized.

There’s a reason we use the word “spend” when talking about time. Just like currency, we choose what time to save and give away; we make trades and sacrifices to fulfill the ultimate dream we have for our lives. And for many, living downtown sounds like an exciting dream, full of opportunities for experience and entertainment. But what about the comfort and qualities that make a place into a home? Are those also present in the downtown scene? Thanks to local residential developers, Cape Girardeau’s downtown landscape is becoming a place to both experience and call home. Newly constructed Main Street townhouses and Broadway-facing apartments are setting the scene for a full life. Complete with rich, detailed finishes and amenities like expansive windows, elevators, private garages, hardwood floors and top-of-the-line appliances, these spaces offer the luxuries people seek without compromising on location.

On Feb 24., Discover Life Church, previously known as Cape First, held its 19th Annual Ladies Tea Party event at the church's Cape Girardeau location. The event included shopping, tea and food, music and guest speaker Sarah Wehrli.

The Cape Girardeau Community Counseling Center hosted a luncheon to raise awareness and funs for children's mental health services on Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Drury Conference Center.

Ground was broken for a new Saint Francis Medical Center 50 years ago, on Feb. 17, 1973.

Bite-sized chefs is a program put on by the Cape Girardeau Public Library where children ages 6 -11 explore creative culinary techniques. Children get to create and enjoy a sample at the library then get to take home the new recipe to add to their cookbook. This month they made fortune cookies out of tortilla shells.

Cape Girardeau Public Library hosts toddler time for children to come and listen to a book being read. Toddler time is where toddlers can be introduced to reading, silly songs and activities. This week they learned about animals by dancing, reading and learning the rhyme Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.

The Southeast Center for Integrated Health Services is SoutheastHEALTH's newest expansion. The facility houses the Women's Integrated Health Center and the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center. Community members attended ribbon cutting ceremony followed by tours of the new facility on Thursday, Jan. 12 in Cape Girardeau.

Lynwood Baptist Church held its annual Trunk or Treat event on Monday night. Nearly 2,000 people came out for the event which featured food vendors, a line of cars with decorated trunks, and plenty of candy.

This year's Saint Francis Foundation Color Dash 5K and Fun Walk included 274 walkers and runners and raised $31,000 to provide free cancer screenings to area residents.

An annual tradition in Jackson brings together high school marching bands from Southeast Missouri. This year's non-judged festival was Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.

LaCroix Church members gathered Sunday for an afternoon of food, fun and fellowship.

The annual Highway 61 yard sale ran from September 1-3. The sale stretched along 61 from Jackson to Bloomsdale, MO and beyond with houses, businesses and churches hosting booths and events along the highway.

Students in Mrs. Rhonda Young's fourth grade class learn about and bond with their classroom pet — ball python, Monty, in her 23rd year with Young on Thursday, Sept. 8 at Alma Schrader Elementary School.

Southeast Missouri State University and Ameren Missouri partnered on a project to bring 3,500 solar panels to parking lots on campus in an effort to promote renewable energy. Officials cut the ribbon on the project Thursday. The panels, on covered parking at the Show Me Center, will generate the equivalent of the power necessary for 130 homes.

Cape Girardeau Public Schools staff gathered Friday for a welcome-back event in advance of the new school year. Superintendent Neil Glass — in accustomed theatrical flair — encouraged staff to find the "magic" that drew them to teaching and working in a school district.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department held their first Firefighter Friday on Aug. 5 at House of Hope located at 1000 Ranney Ave. in Cape Girardeau. Adults and children could stay cool in a shower of water and free ice cream provided by the fire department. Upcoming events will be held, more information can be found on the department's Facebook page.

Local artist and recent Southeast Missouri State University graduate Melanie Reichert displayed her work on Friday at The Glenn House located at 325 S. Spanish St. in Cape Girardeau. The artist previously sculpted a piece titled "Little St. Louis," which was installed at Eden Spa in Cape Girardeau. The metal artwork is the largest sculpture created by a SEMO student. Some pieces from the exhibit are available for purchase and Reichert can be contacted via email at mnreichert2s@semo.edu.

The annual Dancing with the Show Me Stars fundraiser brought music and fun to Cape Girardeau on July 30, 2022.

Heartless, a Heart tribute band, played in front of a packed crowd July 2 at Jackson’s municipal band shell. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department sponsored the concert and has planned another for September.

Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department held its annual Great American Fourth of July Celebration Monday at Arena Park. Patriotic music performances, fireworks and the Southeast Missourian's annual Spirit of America Award highlighted the event attended by thousands.

Virginia Fowlkes of Charleston, Missouri, a State College junior, worked as a "ground hostess" for Cape Central Airways at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport in the spring of 1972. The photos were taken by Southeast Missourian photographer Gordon McBride.

On Friday, TRACTION, teens taking action to prevent traffic crashes, presented a mock DWI crash to high school students from six schools including Oran, Lesterville, Leopold, Jackson, Twin Rivers and New Madrid. TRACTION is a state-wide program sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Department of Transportation and the Cape Girardeau Police Department. The students present were a part of the youth traffic safety leadership training conference held at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center. The event is held to inform and prevent youth from driving impaired after 55 fatal crashes occurred from 2019 to 2021, ending the lives the 63 people. The program is "committed to empowering youth to promote safe driving habits, while preventing underage drinking, impaired driving and driver inattention."

Capaha Park's fish will find a new home before the pond's dredging will start on June 13. Missouri Conservation department went through the process of electrofishing in the Capaha Park pond in order to gather up fish for relocation on Tuesday, June 7.

Cape Girardeau Central High School conducted its 2022 graduation ceremony Friday, May 20 at Tiger Stadium.

Rappellers, or Edgers, went Over the Edge of the Towers South building on SEMO's campus, descending 200 feet after raising money for the organization through donations. Participants each raised $1,000 from friends and family to donate to the United Way of Southeast Missouri to fund not-for-profits in Southeast Missouri.

On Monday the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) held its annual history walking tour and showcased Cape Girardeau's Common Pleas Courthouse, Carnegie Library and the new city hall building. The tour was led by Southeast Missouri State University historic preservation professor and historic preservation program coordinator Steven Hoffman and SEMO professor of history and anthropology Adam Criblez. Around 50 people were in attendance and learned about the design of the buildings and some history about the grounds.

On Sunday, May 8th, the Civil Air Patrol's Trail of Tears Organizing Squadron offered flights to Cape Central high school JROTC cadets.

Cape Girardeau Public Library is observing 100 years of operation. This gallery contains Southeast Missourian photographs taken through the years. To purchase reprints, contact either Renda Eggimann or Sharon Sanders at 573-388-3620.

Members of Cape Girardeau's Adult Education and Literacy program held a high school equivalency ceremony recognizing their approximately 330 graduates with certificates. The ceremony took place at 7 p.m. at the Cape Career and Technology Center and former Missouri Representative and current Director of the Missouri Department of Revenue Wayne Wallingford presented the keynote address to the graduates.

On Wednesday the Missouri Cattlemen's Association hosted its annual Farm Day at Flickerwood Arena in Jackson. Third graders and teachers from local schools attended the event to learn about aspects of farming including, forestry, animals, soil conservation and plants. Chairman of the Cattlemen's Association Farm Day event Butch Meier said the organization holds the event to educate young students on where their food comes from and the different types of farming.

The Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International (FGBMFI) organization went down to the river to pray on Saturday in Cape Girardeau. Members of the group carried a cross from Capaha Park down Broadway Street to the riverwalk, stopping along the way to share the Gospel. According to the organization's website "We believe in intensive world-evangelism and missionary work in accordance with The Great Commission."

Fibers, Fun and Food. Ed and Terri Crowley hosted their annual Fiber Festival at Mesta Meadows farms on March 26-27. Guests could pet Highland cows, Pyrenean Mountain dogs, Rambouillet sheep and goats the Crowley's own. Multiple vendors were on site for the fiber event including KISS Looms, Green Dirt Farm, and 1 Up Catering food truck. Visitors could also view sheep shearing demonstrations throughout the day on Saturday to learn about fiber microns of wool.

On Tuesday, the Works of Women (WOW) event was held at the Oliver Family 'Flag House' at 740 North St. in Cape Girardeau. The event honored Marie Watkins Oliver for creating the Missouri state flag and Lavetta Rhinehart for creating the bronze sculpture of Oliver for the Kellerman Foundation. Descendants of the Oliver family were in attendance.

This is the best ever turn out for Mutt Madness! Take a look at the 330+ doggies that entered. We hope that you had as much fun as we did. All photos were submitted by their owners.

The annual Lions Club Pancake Day is a big hit as it draws a huge crowd and raises funds for the club's charitable efforts.

Baking bread, sipping wine, enjoying others' company. A fun night was had at Bon Bons of Cape on Friday. Christine Mueller led the class.

Old Town Cape hosted a dinner and award ceremony on Thursday evening at Century Casino in Cape Girardeau to recognize individuals and organizations from the local area who have contributed to the preservation and restoration of historic downtown Cape.

On Feb. 25, Cape First held its 18th Annual Ladies Tea Party event at the church's Silver Springs location. The event included food and tea, music performance by singer/songwriter Stephanie Haavik and a speech from Pam Tebow.

LifeHouse — an organization associated with Catholic Charities of Southeast Missouri — hosted its inaugural Mardi gras ball. The ball featured a live band, silent auction and dinner. At the end of the night it was announced the event had raised a little more than $152,000.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's updated production of "Cinderella" has been performed at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus this week.

The popular production Disney on Ice returned to Cape Girardeau this week, featuring characters from a number of Disney favorites.

The 2022 polar plunge took place on Saturday, Feb. 11 and organizations from across the area to endure cold to raise money for a cause.

Notre Dame's Winter Extravaganza on Jan. 29 celebrated with a dinner, an auction and music from the band Shade's of Soul.

The Cape Girardeau Conservation center hosted their duck decoy painting session from 8-12 on Saturday, Jan. 29th.

On Saturday, Jan. 29, kids were introduced to the concept of the different animals and what tracks they make out in the woods. Babes in the Woods: Making Tracks took place at 10:00 am at the Cape Girardeau Conservation center.

Jackson Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet Friday night, honoring individuals and businesses for their work in the community.

A drama unfolded Dec. 16, 1971, in Uniontown as workers from Miners Lumber Co., Perryville, and Penzel Construction Co., Jackson, struggled to remove the steeple of the Grace Lutheran Church from its roof, after the church was struck by a tornado the day before. The interior was not damaged in the early morning storm, but it was feared the steeple might crash through the ceiling. Workers attached a heavy cable to the steeple and, using 25-ton crane, lifted it from the roof and placed it safely on the ground. These photographs were not published in 1971, and the persons pictured in them are unidentified.

For 47 years, Cape Jaycees Toybox programs has spread the holiday spirit to thousands of Cape Girardeau-area children and seniors. Volunteers deployed throughout the city in 20 vans packed with gifts to deliver to children Tuesday night. In total, 207 families and 489 children within the city limits of Cape Girardeau received toys.

Saint Francis Healthcare System recreated the scene of Jesus’ birth with it’s outdoor Live Nativity Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at the Saint Francis Cancer Institute in Cape Girardeau. Healthcare System colleagues, board members and volunteers took on the roles of angels, Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, and the event featured live animals including cows, camels, horn sheep and a donkey.

Southeast Missouri State University celebrated the graduation of 626 fall graduates in two ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. PIctured are scenes from the 2 p.m. ceremony, which included graduates from the College of Education, Health and Human Studies, and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The three Republican Auxiliaries in Cape Girardeau County gathered for the annual Christmas party Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, at the Concourse at 429 Broadview Street in Cape Girardeau. Area Republicans honored elected officials from the 1980s and 1990s during the celebration, including Mary Kasten, David Schwab, Mark Richardson, Jim Graham, Patrick Naeger and Bill Foster, as well as Peter Kinder, former state lieutenant governor and state senator.

Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau held Lynwood’s Christmas Playlist - A Christmas Concert Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, and Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, at the church in Cape Girardeau. The annual Christmas concert featured a variety of classic holiday songs performed by volunteers, Lynwood’s student, kid’s and adult choir, and a live nativity scene. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization held the annual Christmas Parade Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in uptown Jackson, with this year’s theme being “Peace on Earth.”

Area first responders honor Ivan LaGrand, captain with Cape Girardeau Fire Department, with a funeral procession through the city Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021.

Old Town Cape, Inc. held the third annual Holiday Bazaar Saturday, Dec. 5, 2021, on Frederick Street in downtown Cape Girardeau. The all-day event featuring vendors that offered locally-grown, handcrafted and homemade products, was held during day two of the 18th annual Downtown Christmas Open House.

Old Town Cape hosted the 19th Annual Downtown Holiday Open House, a two day event that began Friday night. People took pictures with Santa and experienced Santa's Workshop with children's activities by Discovery Playhouse. There was also window displays and downtown businesses were open for business. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

Attendees of the Seniors and Lawmen Together (SALT) Senior Christmas Party were given sweet treats, listened to Christmas carols sung by the Lynwood Christian Academy choir, took pictures with Santa Claus and received raffle prizes. Cape Girardeau county sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson was recognized for her service as SALT president for the past three years and Cape Girardeau chief of police Wes Blair stepped up as the next president.

The 29th Parade of Lights was held Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, through downtown Cape Girardeau. Part of Old Town Cape Inc.’s Christmas in Downtown, this year's theme was 'Ringing in the Holidays with Old Town Cape!' Winners of this year’s Parade of Lights include: Best Theme - Cape Shrine Club; Best Appearance Business/Organization: Plants Plus; Best Appearance Nonprofit: The Bridge Church; Best Music: Steve and Eric Dueling Pianos; Best Lighting: The Dream Factory; Best Marching Band: Meadow Heights; Chairman’s Award: In Memory of Eric Uhrhan and Memory of Dominik.

Before the tree was lit, people gathered for the food trucks, hot chocolate and free s'mores stations provided by Banterra Bank. Live Christmas music was played by the Jerry Ford Ensemble and Christmas carolers. Santa and Mrs. Claus paid a special visit, and they lit the 30 foot tall tree for the first time this season.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri held the 51st annual Christmas Craft Fair and Extravaganza all-day Saturday, Nov. 20, and Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, at the Osage Center and Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. The annual craft fair is one of the largest holiday craft fairs in the region, with over 300 different vendor booths offering a variety of unique, handmade items across two venues. All proceeds from ticket sales go to the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and it’s mission. Pictured are scenes from the Osage Center Saturday, Nov. 20, and scenes from the Show Me Center Sunday, Nov. 21. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

The Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau held the annual Women of Achievement Luncheon and Awards Ceremony Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. The club presented annual awards and recognized local scholarship recipients at the annual fundraiser, with all proceeds benefitting the Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau's principal event for local and international service projects and scholarships to support and improve the lives of women in the Cape Girardeau area and Haiti. This year’s honorees include: Carolyn Bohnert, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Randa Rawlins, who received the Celebration Award; And Women of Achievement Award nominees Sarah Bradshaw, Tamara Zellars Buck and Gwen Maloney. This is the first year all three Women of Achievement Award nominees tied and were declared co-winners of the award, and each received an award and plaque. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

On Friday, Nov. 12, the Step Into The Light Tour made its way to Cape Girardeau featuring Christian music bands Newsboys, Mandisa, We are Messengers, Adam Agee and Cade Thompson.

Alumni and current students of Southeast Missouri State University's Historic Preservation major celebrated the 40th anniversary of the program at the Historic Preservation Association's annual banquet Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in the Wehking Alumni Center. The evening included dinner and the presentation of annual awards: the Spirit Award and the Dr. Mattingly Award. To mark this year's milestone, a variety of events were held Friday, Nov. 12, through Sunday, Nov. 14, for alumni and current students. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

Those in Cape Girardeau county celebrated veterans in many ways on Thursday for the official Veterans Day holiday. Jackson High School hosted their annual coral concert and assembly to honor local veterans. The Joint Veterans Council conducted their annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Freedom Corner in Capaha Park. The Cape Central High School Marching Tigers and local VFW members held a parade at the Missouri Veteran's Home in honor of the veterans. Back in Jackson, the annual Veteran's Day parade commenced uptown.

Old Town Cape, Inc. held the annual Revivify fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, at Century Casino in Cape Girardeau. The evening included dinner, raffles, live entertainment and a silent auction, with all proceeds supporting the downtown Cape Girardeau organization's revitalization efforts.

The Stars and Stripes Museum based in Bloomfield, Missouri, celebrated the newspaper's 160th anniversary through the second annual Spirit of Democracy Celebration and Dinner and Silent Auction in Cape Girardeau at the Osage Centre on Nov. 6. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

The Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Foundation’s annual Spaghetti Day served up spaghetti, mostaccoli, garlic bread, salad, drink and dessert on Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Arena Building. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau held the annual Halloween Trunk or Treat Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in the church parking lot.

Southeast Missouri State University held the homecoming parade Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Cape Girardeau.

Members of the Southeast Missouri State University and Cape Girardeau community tailgate prior to the start of the homecoming football game Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Cape Girardeau.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri annually presents the Otto F. Dingeldein Award. Dingeldein was a longtime Cape Girardeau silversmith and founder of the Arts Council.

Attendees of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce 2021 Annual Cape Chamber Dinner gathered to recognize accomplishments of the Chamber's members at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call 573-388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

Sponsors, Bishop Edward M. Rice, mayor Bob Fox, representatives from both state senators, board members and others were in attendance on Wednesday of the groundbreaking ceremony for the LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home in Cape Girardeau at the new site along Main Street. The new LifeHouse is estimated to be completed by December 2022. A program of Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri, LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home is a housing program for homeless pregnant women that also provides healthcare and social services.

Saxony Lutheran High School in Jackson held the 2nd annual Saxony Sunday Brunch Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, as a part of their annual Crusader Challenge Fundraising Week. Students and faculty served all-you-can-eat brunch consisting of an assortment of breakfast casseroles, biscuits and gravy, ham, chicken and dumplings, fruit, pastries, coffee, juice and more. Crusader Challenge Fundraising Week began Friday, Oct. 15, and students will be selling Cardinal calendars, Papa Murphy's Peel-A-Deal Cards, magazines, trash bags and more throughout the week. To purchase photos from this gallery for personal use, call (573)388-3620 and ask for Sharon or Renda.

Members of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce gathered at The Library on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, to celebrate the career of John Mehner who has served as the organization's president and CEO. Mehner will step down from his position with the Chamber later this year.

The fourth annual Scott Wright Memorial Cornhole Classic benefitting Special Olympics Missouri was held Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, at Knights of Columbus Hall, 318 Spanish Street in Cape Girardeau. The cornhole tournament included an adult and youth division for children 12 and younger, with cash and other prizes awarded to top performers in each category. Wright participated in Special Olympics starting when he was 8-years-old, and died Jan. 18, 2018, at age 38 after a battle with cancer. Funds generated from the tournament go toward Special Olympics Missouri programming in Wright’s honor.

The Safe House of Southeast Missouri held the 11th annual VintageNOW fashion show Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. This year’s theme was “A Tale of Time: 1920 to 2021,” featuring fashion, music, world news and entertainment from the past 100 years, and guests were encouraged to dress in attire from their favorite decade. VintageNOW is an annual interactive fashion show and fundraising event aiming to bring awareness to domestic violence while raising money for the Safe House of Southeast Missouri, and each year, women from the Southeast Missouri community are selected as the models for the show. This year's show raised $115,000 in net proceeds for Safe House.

By Aaron Palmer ~ special to the Southeast Missourian Dozens of area residents gathered Saturday morning for an annual event to heighten awareness of Alzheimer's.

The 2021 B Magazine Difference Makers. To order photos from this gallery, call (573) 388-3620 and ask for Renda or Sharon.

Saint Francis Foundation held the 3rd annual Color Dash 5k and Fun Walk Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The race began at 10 a.m., with all proceeds benefitting the Dig for Life program at Saint Francis, which provides free cancer screenings for the four major cancers in the area: lung, prostate, colon and breast.

Cape Comic Con 2021 was held Friday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 3, at Drury Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. This year's convention featured professional comic book artists, publishers and over 100 booths of comics and merchandise across a variety of genres, and also included panels, workshops, gaming and a costume contest. Pictured are scenes from Saturday.

The Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri held Project Hope Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Osage Center in Cape Girardeau. The event provided access to birth certificates, driver’s licenses and social security cards, as well as legal assistance, housing, education, employment resources, dental and medical assessments and more. Free haircuts, showers, hygiene kits, groceries and lunch were also provided.

The East Perry Community Fair returned to Altenburg, Missouri, following last year’s absence Friday, Sept. 24, and Saturday, Sept. 25. The traditional agriculture fair, commonly known as the “Best Little Fair in the Land,” offered free parking, free admission and a variety of free entertainment and spectator events, such as: livestock and crop judging, 4-H and FFA sales and shows, tractor pulls, live music, outside vendors, and fair food, rides and games. Pictured are scenes from Saturday.

The third Shipyard Music Festival continued Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at Century Casino in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The third Shipyard Music Festival set sail for Century Casino in downtown Cape Girardeau Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, and brought with it a large crowd of area residents and travelers with performances from five national and local music acts. The first night of the festival kicked off with Roanoke, followed by locals Ivas John and Jason Heeter, then Motherfolk and Son Volt finished off the night. The event features two stages, one sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University and one by the casino, and continues all-day Saturday.

Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau held Paint Wars Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, for the second year. The outreach event was held at the church, located at 2935 Lynwood Hills Drive in Cape Girardeau, for students grades 7 through 12.

Zach Williams performed during the SEMO district fair Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021 at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri held the annual Otto F. Dingeldein Gala Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, to celebrate the arts and contributions of artists in the region. The Arts Council presented two annual awards during the gala: the Otto F. Dingeldein and Friend of the Arts Awards to members of the community who are committed to developing the arts. The gala was held at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, located at 16 North Spanish Street in Cape Girardeau, with a theme of Paris in the 1920’s, and also included food, music, drinks and a live auction.

Jackson Fire Rescue held a memorial march and service Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, to honor those who died in the terrorist attacks 20 years ago. Members of Jackson Fire Rescue marched 3.43 miles from Kohlfeld Distributing to Fire Station 1 in Jackson, where firefighters read the names of the victims of Sept. 11, 2001.

The SEMO District Fair kicked-off Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, with a parade from Capaha Park to the fairgrounds at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. Marching bands, regional not-for-profits, law enforcement and more participated in the parade.

The SEMO District Fair returned to Arena Park in Cape Girardeau Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. The fair includes carnival rides and games, food, live entertainment, agricultural exhibits and more, and will continue on through Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. The Demolotion Derby was held as the Grandstand event Saturday night.

The Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club held its annual Lincoln Day celebration and dinner Friday, Sept. 10, 2021.

Recipients and their guests gathered on Thursday at One City in Cape Girardeau to receive recognition as Difference Makers. Some of the Difference Makers could not attend. Representatives from the sponsors of the Difference Makers issue, Edward Jones and Executive Property Management were present.

Fort D Historic Site in Cape Girardeau celebrated it’s 160th Fall Muster Labor Day weekend. The celebration at Fort D, located at 920 West Fort Street in Cape Girardeau, was held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, through Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, and included a variety of demonstrations from volunteers and reenactors from the Turner Brigade Association. Pictured are scenes from Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021.

Old Town Cape, Inc. continued it’s fall concert series Friday evening with a performance from Carl Banks, a blues, roots and folk rock musician from New York, New York. The live musical performance was held at River Campus Park, located at the intersection of South Spanish and Morgan Oak streets, with food trucks lined up on-site. The final performance of the 2021 Tunes at Twilight season will be held Friday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at River Campus Park.

Marble Hill Optimist held the final monthly horse show of the summer Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at the Marble Hill Horse Arena, located at 204 North First Street in Marble Hill. The show included poles and barrel races for riders in the peewee league, eight years and under, all the way up to adults.

Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy No. 4014 made a brief stop in Scott City Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at the Oak Street crossing along Main Street near the Scott City Museum. A large crowd of spectators gathered to see the locomotive, which is one of 25 “Big Boys” built between 1941 and 1944 by American Locomotive Co. and is said to be the largest and most powerful steam locomotive in the world weighing 1.2 million pounds. Big Boy’s 30-minute stop in Scott City was part of a month-long tour of 10 states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Texas and more.

The 69th annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo continued Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021

The Cape Girardeau police and fire departments held Active Shooter Training Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, at Clippard Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. Members of the CGPD and CGFD participated in the two-hour training session, which involved faculty and staff at Clippard Elementary role-playing through several different scenarios that could occur during a school shooting.

The 69th annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo continued Friday, Aug. 13, 2021.

The 69th annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo kicked off Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021.

The 69th annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo continued Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021.

Drums Corps International visited Cape Girardeau Tuesday evening, Aug. 10, 2021 as their last stop on the Drums Along the Mississippi tour. The event was hosted by different highs schools from the region. The lineup included bands by the name of Gold from San Diego, California, Genesis from Austin, Texas, Troopers from Casper, Wyoming, Crossmen from San Antonio, Texas, Mandarins from Sacramento, California and Blue Knights from Denver, Colorado.

Bald Knob Cross hosted a sunset concert Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, with nationally recognized, award-winning Christian band Sidewalk Prophets as a part of their Great Big Family Reunion Tour. The outdoor concert brought more than 2,000 people from Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and more to Bald Knob Cross, located at 3630 Bald Knob Road in Alto Pass, Illinois. A group prayer was held following the concert, and food trucks were available on-site.

Cape First Church partnered with more than a dozen vendors to provide the Cape Girardeau community with free services, food and supplies Friday, Aug. 6, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The event also offered fun festivities for children and families, such bouncy houses and other inflatables. Vendors included the Boys and Girls Club, Community Counseling Center, Cape Girardeau police and fire departments and more. A variety of services were offered, including bike tuneups for kids from Cyclewerx bicycle store, hot dogs, chips and soda donated by Pepsi and more. In addition, Cape First handed-out 600 backpacks filled with school supplies.

Old Town Cape’s Tunes at Twilight returned for its fall series on Aug. 6 with Anne McCue at Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus.

On July 11, 1971, Southeast Missouri was struck by a severe electrical storm that damaged the historic covered bridge at Burfordville, flipped mobile homes, toppled trees and utility poles, and caused the destruction of the main hangar at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport.

Cape County Youth held the Prospect Steer and Heifer Show at Arena Park in the livestock show arena on Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Cape Girardeau. The show was open to all youth under 21 in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Stoddard, Scott and Perry counties. All competitors received cash or prizes for participating in the show.

Night four of the annual Homecomers celebration was sponsored by Jackson Senior Center.

The second night of Jackson Homecomers continued on with Montgomery Bank Night Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in uptown Jackson. Montgomery Bank Night included bingo and a performance on the main stage by the Bob Dolle Band. The annual event returned to Uptown Jackson after a year hiatus due to the pandemic, and also features carnival rides, food trucks, a beer garden and various vendor tents.

Homecomers continued in Uptown Jackson on Thursday, July 29, 2021. It was Wristband night, sponsored by Jackson Lanes Bowling Alley.

The annual event returned to Uptown Jackson after a year hiatus due to the pandemic. It featured carnival rides, food trucks, a beer garden, various tents and entertainment on the main stage.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department and Cape Girardeau Fire Department held a grappling tournament to benefit Special Olympics Missouri on Saturday, July 24. Around 400 people attended the first Grappling for Good fundraising tournament, held Saturday, July 24, in the Eagles Banquet Hall at 321 N. Spring Ave. in Cape Girardeau. Police department Sgt. and organizer of the tournament Joey Hann said the blue team, CGPD, won the overall tournament, and around $8,000 was raised for Special Olympics Missouri.

In honor of National Hot Dog month, Rufus Red Hots hosted its first Hog Dog Eating Contest Saturday, July 24, 2021, at its restaurant at 600 Broadway Street in Cape Girardeau. In the competition, 10 contestants took on the challenge of eating as many hot dogs as they could in seven minutes. Kyle "The Hitman" Hall took home the win by eating 14 hot dogs in the provided time. Dozens of people were also on-hand cheering on the contestants, and raffle prizes including free hot dogs and Vienna Beef merchandise were announced throughout the event.

The Early Prevention Impacts Community (EPIC) hosted "EPIC Fun," an event with the Missouri Department of Conservation to teach the public about reptiles and amphibians. A naturalist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, Alex Holmes, showed the audience a salamander, frogs, a toad, snakes and a snapping turtle. Holmes said the goal of the event is to connect the community with local wildlife, especially animals they might fear, to teach them how to interact with and appreciate the animals. Community services coordinator for EPIC, Shelly Woods, said that the mission of this event is to help maintain a healthy and safe community. She said it is the first of its kind and there will be many to come.

The Cape Broadway Theatre Festival was held Saturday, July 18, 2021, to help raise funds for remodeling the Broadway Theatre, in the parking lot on the northeast corner of Broadway and Pacific Street in Cape Girardeau. Cape Broadway Theatre, a not-for-profit dedicated to rebuilding the theater after a fire damaged the building, hosted the event, which included bounce houses, mini golf, cornhole, food vendors, live music, raffle prizes and more.

Whitewater Bluegrass Band joined the Jackson Municipal Band for a Summer Concert Series performance at the Nick Leist Memorial Bandshell in Jackson City Park on Thursday, July 15, 2021, in Jackson. Several Southeast Missouri residents brought their lawn chairs or a blanket to the park to enjoy the performance of upbeat tunes, consisting of a mix of old traditional and new music.

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band played songs part of their "Time Travel" theme during the Summer Concert Series at the Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Central High School on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. It included special guests "Those Two."

Competitors in the 2021 Cross Country Chase came roaring into downtown Cape Girardeau for the Grand Finale of the five-day race on Saturday, July 10, crossing the finish line at Independence Street and Main Street. The Grand Finale Event consisted of mini-chase bikes, a local bike show brought to Cape Girardeau by Garret’s Custom Bikes, and food trucks and beer for purchase by the Knights of Columbus. The 2021 chase, called, “Mini Chase: Secrets of the Ozarks,” consisted of a 1,340 mile route where riders traveled an average of 250 miles per day over the five-day period.

Hundreds of people, mostly families, gathered at the Osage Center to take part in Parks and Rec Day on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. It marks the nationwide Parks and Recreation Month of July and Playmo's birthday.

The Great American Fourth of July celebration was held at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 4, 2021. The all-day event included food trucks, bicentennial murals on display inside the A.C. Brase Arena, chalk art with the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and free t-shirts. The Missouri Bicentennial mural reveal was also included in the annual celebration. Special guests and dignitaries discussed the history of Missouri and the celebration of the state’s bicentennial, including Frank Nickell, who gave a speech on “why Missouri matters.” Following a performance of patriotic music by the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band in the evening, the Southeast Missourian presented the 19th Spirit of America Award to Stephen Limbaugh Sr. The event concluded with a fireworks display at 9 p.m.

Friends of Fort D Historic Site celebrated the nation’s birthday with cannon and rifle fire at Fort D Historic Site, located at 920 Fort Street in Cape Girardeau. The renovated stone building known as the ‘blockhouse’ was open for visitors, and volunteers held cannon and rifle demonstrations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 3, through Monday, July 5, 2021. Pictured are scenes from demonstrations held Sunday, July 4.

After a year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jackson's annual Independence Day activities commenced in and around City Park. It began with the 5K Walk/Run and Children's Fun Run at 7:04 a.m. with over 300 runners and walkers that started and ended at Healthpoint Fitness. The mud volleyball began throughout the morning into the afternoon. Players stumbled, splashed and dove into the mud. Not too far from the courts, the car show commenced with unique vehicles new and old on display throughout the day. Food stands and Beer Garden also provided a wide array of drink and food - mostly an americana fair of hamburgers, hot dogs, fried foods, lemonade, sweet tea and more. Those interested in seeing things from above could also book a short helicopter ride over the Jackson area that took off and landed on a softball field.

Fourteen new flags were added to the Avenue of Flags on July 4, 2021. Dozens gathered to observe and speak about their veteran. Three out of the five times a year that the flags fly, new ones are added. Each flag represents a deceased Cape Girardeau County veteran. The current total is 819 flags. The names on the 14 new flags are Kennith E. Whitlock, Sr., Harry C. Vogt, Arthur L. Eldridge, Charles F. Thrower, Jr., Robert N. Dougan, Paul A. Rollins, Russel E. Farrow, Edward M. Kaiser, Arnold L. Edwards, Ronald L. Woodruff, William A. McCann, Walter J. Meinz, Harold E. Jones and Billie F. Edwards.

About 65 campers gathered at City Park in Jackson this week to take part in the Shawnee District Cub Scout Day Camp. It is open to all children in grades one to five, some of which are cub scouts. The Boy Scout's Shawnee District manages the program. "We hope what they're learning will help them throughout life. And most importantly, they're having fun," senior district executive Ashley Metelski said. Activities vary by day. On Wednesday, campers learned about dutch oven cooking, utilized BB-gun safety and procedure, practiced archery and learned more about firefighting and fire safety.

Gov. Warren E. Hearnes, a Democrat, and State Rep. A. Robert Pierce Jr., R-Cape Girardeau, argued their differing views on Missouri's money woes in a taped debate aired by KFVS-TV on June 9, 1971. KFVS's Donald T. McNeely moderated the debate

The Bill Emerson Reunion was held this past weekend to honor the 25th anniversary of his death from lung cancer June 25. Around 45 family members and former employees of Bill's from both the federal and campaign staffs from 1980 to 1996 attended the weekend of festivities, including gatherings at Top of the Marq in Cape Girardeau, River House Winery in Scott City, Celebrations Restaurant in downtown Cape Girardeau and group photos on Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in front of the Bill Emerson bridge. Throughout the weekend, the group shared stories about Bill, memories and photos, with the theme for the reunion being, "In the Arena," based on Emerson's love of the famous Theodore Roosevelt quote from his 1910 speech in Paris. Pictured are scenes from gatherings at River House Winery and Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus on Saturday, June 26, 2021.

In the third part of the series on Kylee Lukefahr, 15, and Jade the mustang, they complete their final entry for the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition at Evans Equestrians in Perryville. Lukefahr spent about 100 days training a two year-old wild mustang she named Jade that had no training and little exposure to humans before they met. The two must complete three portions of the virtual competition. The final part is their freestyle routine, which was completely created by Lukefahr with the help of her mother, Misty Abbott.

Over 100 cars made it past the Great Race checkpoint on Main Street in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, June 22, 2021. The race is a 3,000-mile journey across the country, with various stops across seven states. Three natives from Cape Girardeau took part in the race this year - Kenny Foeste, Ted McClellan and Thom Hopen. Race participants only drove cars built in or prior to 1974. The challenge of the race is for drivers to stay on course with as few repairs, break-downs or delays as possible. The last time Cape Girardeau hosted the race was in 2013.

This year marks the 156th anniversary of the end of slavey, commonly known as Juneteenth, but only the first year it’s being recognized as a national holiday. One City, a not-for-profit organization in Cape Girardeau, hosted the second annual Juneteenth Celebration Saturday, June 19, in the One City parking lot, located at 610 Independence Street. The celebration featured family-friendly music, games, educational activities and over 28 vendor booths, including TruQue, 1 Legacy Photography, Dolls Boutique, Snaps by Sasha and more. Several other Juneteenth Celebrations were held in the area this past weekend, including festivities at 20 N. Pacific and Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The Summer Arts Festival returned to River Campus to bring entertainment and activities for all ages.

In recent weeks, the Southeast Missourian traveled to 18 high schools in the region to interview and photograph their valedictorians.

In honor of Fathers Day, La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau held it’s first Dadfest on Friday, June 18. Dadfest consisted of a variety of activities dedicated to dads, including: strong man competitions, corn hole tournaments, balloon animals, wiffle ball, food trucks and more. Josh Reeves, creative arts director at La Croix, said around 250 people attended the celebration in the parking lot of the church, located at 3102 Lexington Avenue in Cape Girardeau.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) rounded up Canada geese at Cape Girardeau County Park and Capaha Park on Thursday to catch, inspect, record, tag and release the animals. Wildlife management biologist at the MDC, Nicole Walker, said they tend to do this roundup every year in June to record data about the animals to monitor their migratory patterns and population numbers, which can effect the hunting season. The department plans to travel throughout the region to do this work. Walker said Cape Girardeau's geese population looks healthy, and they counted a total of 416 in Cape Girardeau.

For the first time, the Big BAM (Bicycle Across Missouri) stopped in Cape Girardeau. More than a hundred cyclists set up camp at Arena Park after cycling from Sikeston earlier on Tuesday. The entire trip encompasses 300-miles in Southeast Missouri, from Poplar Bluff to St. Genevieve, over five days. Pork Belly Adventures provided tents, showers and a portable motel. There were two local food trucks and bicycle services from Cape Bicycle. There was also a shuttle that provided transportation to downtown Cape Girardeau.

The City of Jackson Community Outreach Board is holding the monthly Cruisin Uptown Car Show in the Jackson Courthouse Square this summer. The Cruisin Uptown Car Show features antique cars, hot rods, customs and bikes. The monthly ‘cruise in’ is free to attend, and will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month through October. Pictured are scenes from the car show held Saturday, June 13.

Cape Pride Inc. hosted the 2nd Cape Pride Festival on Sunday, June 13, at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. The all-day festival included drag show performances by the ‘Girls of Independence Place’ in Cape Girardeau, vendor booths with items and activities such as face painting, and food trucks.

Local models wore a combination of luxury and vintage pieces during the first Aesthete Luxury Resale fashion show at Le Bistro at The Bar in Cape Girardeau on June 8, 2021. There were four categories of outfits - beach wear, sophisticated day wear, edgy and evening wear. The outfits modeled included pieces by Narciso Rodriguez, Givenchy, Zimmermann, Vika Gazinskaya, Gucci, Channel, Valentino and more. According to lead stylist Alejandra Humphrey, some of the pieces came from Russia, Italy, France and Belgium.

The Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri welcomed visitors to their new two-story, 13,800-square-foot headquarters space at 40 S. Sprigg St that was the former Cape Girardeau Police Department building. Guests were given tours by the staff and volunteers to see the new, re-done space.

The Avenue of Flags added 30 new flags to the streets of Cape County Park on Saturday, May 29. The flags were added around 7 a.m. by members of the VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau, volunteers from Teen Challenge and other members of the community Saturday morning following R.E.D Friday. R.E.D Friday, often observed the Friday prior to Memorial Day, stands for 'Remember Everyone Deployed.' The 30 new flags joined the existing 800 along the Avenue of Flags, each representing a deceased Cape County veteran. The new flags will be dedicated in a ceremony on Monday morning.

The annual Memorial Day March to the River was held in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, March 29. Around 100 people joined in the 6-mile walk, beginning at the Avenue of Flags in Cape County Park and ending at the river in downtown Cape Girardeau, to celebrate the lives of those who died in the line of duty. The march included a stop at the VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau for water, and afterwards, a Celebration of Life was held at the John Boardman pavilion in downtown Cape Girardeau with food, drinks and music. The annual Memorial Day March to the River in Cape Girardeau is held by SEMO Vets.

The 45th annual Scott City Summerfest is being held once again this year with amusement park rides and games, cornhole tournaments, a beer stand, fish fry, live music and more. The festival began Thursday, May 27, at Scott City Park and will continue through Saturday, May 29. Pictured are scenes from Friday, May 28, at Scott City Summerfest, held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with Fault Line Band offering the evening’s live music entertainment. The last day of the annual festival is Saturday, May 29, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Rust Media's ‘Flourish’ magazine held the annual Flourish Downtown Day Out on Saturday, May 22, in downtown Cape Girardeau. The all-day event included live music, poetry readings, art and gardening demonstrations, Make and Take projects at Board and Brush, and more family-friendly activities from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Cape Girardeau at the corner of Spanish and Broadway Street. A vendor market and food truck rally was held from 4 to 8 p.m. in the parking lots behind 301 and 325 Broadway Street.

Cape Central High School held it's annual graduation ceremony for high school seniors on Sunday, May 23, in Cape Girardeau. The ceremony was held outdoors on the football field at Cape Central High School from 3 to 5 p.m.

About 400 seniors in the class of 2021 became graduates of Jackson Senior High School during a commencement ceremony at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau on Friday, May 21, 2021.

Southeast Missouri State University celebrated the graduation of 1,446 spring and summer graduates in five ceremonies on May 14 and 15, 2021. Ceremonies were held in the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, and approximately 225 graduates participated in each ceremony. Pictured are scenes from SEMO's Commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 15, at 6 p.m. for graduates in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Scott City High School held their annual graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 16, 2021, at 2 p.m. in the high school gym in Scott City.

Cape Area Hockey held the 3rd annual Pucks 4 Paws event with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri on Sunday, May 16, 2021, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The annual adoption event and roller hockey tournament was held at the Arena Building in Arena Park in Cape Girardeau, and included a large raffle, with all proceeds benefitting the Humane Society. Multiple dogs were also onsite and available for adoption from the Humane Society.

One hundred fourteen seniors from Notre Dame Regional High School graduated in the ninety third graduating class commencement program on Sunday, May 16, 2021.

On Sunday, May 16, Saxony Lutheran High School held graduation for its nineteenth class. Eighty-five percent of graduates earned scholarships to colleges, the most in Saxony Lutheran High School's history, principal Mark Ruark said.

The annual Respect For Law banquet was held at the Cape Girardeau VFW on Thursday, May 13, 2021, and is sponsored by The Evening Optimist Club of Cape Girardeau. Many awards were given out and the guest speaker of the night was United States marshal of the eastern district of Missouri John Jordan.

Southeast Missouri State University began their commencement with one of five ceremonies to recognize the almost 1,400 total spring and summer graduates. To social distance inside the Show Me Center, multiple ceremonies will honor about 225 graduates each. The first ceremony was of graduates part of the College of Education, Health and Human Studies.

Tunes at Twilight returned after being canceled in 2020. Dennis Stroughmatt et L'Esprit Creole opened the first show of the spring season at Old Mississippi River Bridge Park by the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus on Friday, May 14, 2021.

Cape Central students attend the Cape Central High School prom held at the school's cafeteria on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Some students got together beforehand to take pre-prom pictures, as custom.

About 130 bikers braved the morning cold to meet at Arena Park to bike to work and school on Friday, May 7, 2021. The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department hosted the event to promote physical activity outdoors. A majority of the bikers were Charles C. Clippard Elementary School students, who were escorted by the Cape Girardeau Police Department as they made their way on the trail.

In a socially distant and mostly masked ceremony, graduates of the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center Adult Education and Literacy high school equivalency program took part in a recognition ceremony for finishing their schooling.

Gordon L. McBride shot a number of photographs of former big league pitcher Elam Vangilder during a 1974 interview with Missourian sports writer Sam Blackwell.

More than 15 agencies and schools from 14 counties participated in the Cape Spring Games hosted by Special Olympics Missouri at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau on Monday, May 3, 2021. Events included track and field competitions such as running, jumping and throwing.

Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization’s annual spring event, Jackson in Bloom, was held Saturday, May 1, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Uptown Jackson. The Jackson High School held a plant sale, as well as numerous other vendors, food and merchant specials. Each year, Jackson in Bloom encourages all local businesses and residents to plant colorful flowers and trees throughout Jackson.

Junior and senior students from Notre Dame Regional High School attended the prom, which was a "rustic prom" theme, at the Bavarian Halle in Jackson on Friday, April 30, 2021.

Jackson High School held its prom Saturday, May 1, 2021.

The first Muddy River Marathon race was held Saturday, May 1, 2021, in Cape Girardeau. Races included a full marathon, half marathon, competitive team and half marathon relay. The course highlighted many landmarks in Cape Girardeau, including the Bill Emerson Bridge, Common Pleas Courthouse, Dalhousie Golf Course, Old St. Vincent’s Church, and more, as well as finishing along the Missouri Wall of Fame Mural. Some of the proceeds from the race went to the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri. The mission of the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri is to maximize resources to develop and deliver a wide range of services that improve the lives of individuals, children and families, and to build strong neighborhoods and communities.

Saxony Lutheran students celebrated prom 2021 Saturday, April 24 at the Cape Elks Lodge.

Scott City High School held their prom at the Front Porch in Scott City on Saturday, April 24, 2021.

Members of various surrounding area fire departments, the Cape Girardeau Water Division/Alliance Water Resources and the Homeland Security Response Team practiced a response to a chlorine gas leak at the Cape Rock Water Treatment Plant in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. There was no actual leak, but it was simulated visually by a fog machine. Departments worked together to practice and learn this type of work in case a situation like this ever occurs.

These images, provided courtesy of Lindsey Limbaugh, were taken by Kelly High School principal Dan Hecht and parent Terri Stuckey at Kelly High School's 2021 prom. This year's theme for the annual end-of-the-semester formal was Rustic Romance, held at Kelly High School in Benton, Missouri.

Fire departments from the surrounding area responded to a third alarm fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cape Girardeau on Sunday night. According to stake president at the church Kevin Dickson, he was told no one was hurt and no one was in the building at the time of the fire. “We are being told that no one was hurt, that there was no one in the building, and that’s what we’re grateful for, because we can rebuild a building, but we didn’t want anybody to be hurt,” Dickson said.. “It’s a special building to us. It’s an important place where we can worship, but it can be re-built.”

Cape Central High School Air Force JROTC cadets walked seven miles on Saturday, April 17, 2021, to commemorate the Bataan Death March that took place during World War II, and plans to walk the same seven miles on Sunday. This is their first year doing the commemorative march. According to Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at Central, Colonel Michael Goodin, cadets voluntarily signed-up to go on the march and also collected donations for the VFW Veteran's Relief Fund. "You all are doing this as a commemoration of the Bataan Death March. So I want you to think about that. Think about the sacrifices our former soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines have given for this country," Colonel Goodin said to the cadets before they began the march. According to Colonel Goodin, The Bataan Death March was a 65 mile march to prison camps forced by the Japanese on American and Filipino troops and thousands perished because of it.

From reporting by J.C. Reeves: A person was pulled Friday afternoon from a vehicle that had submerged in a pond near the intersection of Prospect Drive and Scenic Drive. According to fire chief Randy Morris, Cape Girardeau Fire and Police Departments responded at approximately 1:40 p.m. to a report of a vehicle submerged in the lake. Divers extracted a person from the vehicle who was transported by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center. The water depth where the car sank was approximately 8 to 10 feet, according to Morris. The vehicle was pulled from the pond and towed from the scene.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and 20 N. Pacific co-hosted an afternoon tea on Saturday, April 10, at 16 N. Spanish St. in Cape Girardeau. BonBon's of Cape served tea and light fare, and live music was provided by students in the SEMO Music Academy under the direction of Steve Schaffner, and students in the SEMO Music Academy, under the direction of Sophia Han. Proceeds from the event will go to 20 N. Pacific Gallery, and The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's Collab Lab, a sensory-inclusive art classroom at 16 N. Spanish St.

Care to Learn Cape Girardeau hosted an evening of fundraising Friday, April 9, at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. All proceeds will benefit students at Cape Public Schools in the areas of health, hunger and hygiene. The evening included auctions and raffles, and live entertainment provided by Old Cape Road.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department held memorial services for retired Battalion Chief Robert Kembel on Saturday, April 10. The memorial began with a procession starting at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau, passed by all CGFD stations and ended at Station 1, located at 1 S. Sprigg St. in Cape Girardeau. Photos of Kembel, along with some personal items, were displayed around the room for the community to enjoy, and the Honor Guard performed memorial ceremonies.

Former members of Mike Smith and The Runaways, now known as The Runaways, finally perform after rescheduling for the second time at The Library in Cape Girardeau on Friday, April 9, 2021.

People gathered outside of the Vasterling Suites for the 2021 Cape Girardeau Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit opening reception in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Speakers from the local government, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Old Town Cape, Inc. and Southeast Missouri State University all spoke to echo the importance of art to the community and how these sculptures bring an artistic presence to downtown.

The American Duchess river cruise paddlewheeler docked on the river walk in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, April 8, 2021. It is the first ship that has stopped in Cape since the pandemic began, according to Emily Hagan of Visit Cape. She said that passengers left the boat to take a tour of Cape Girardeau on the American Queen Steamboat Company's tour buses in small groups. She added that to her knowledge, the company running the cruise highly suggests for their passengers to not explore the places they stop in to reduce the possible exposure to COVID-19. Hagan said there are currently 20 dockings scheduled for Cape Girardeau this year, most of which are set for the spring season. Cape Girardeau mayor Bob Fox was there to greet the passengers and crew. He acknowledged their precautions and efforts to keep themselves safe while having the cruise experience. "Its great for our community. Even though [the passengers] can't get up and walk around, they're here and thats what counts," Fox said.

Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Edward Rice lead the a Good Friday mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Annunciation in Cape Girardeau on Friday, April 2, 2021. During his sermon, Rice said that the religious holiday is a day of mourning in the Catholic Church. It recognizes crucifixion Jesus.

Walks With Nate hosted the first annual Lemon Drop Long Drive on Thursday, April, 1, 2021, to raise awareness of testicular cancer and raise funds for cancer patients and their families. The event was a competition between eight participants that hit golf balls as far as they could until there was an ultimate winner.

With warm and rainy weather comes the beginning of spring, which brings the blooming of trees and shrubs. Cherry blossom, magnolia and callery pear trees have been displaying an obvious pop of pink and white to Southeast Missouri’s streets and parks.

Teachers delivered senior signs to those students set to graduate in May on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The social studies department joined forces to deliver to a group of about 30 students. Some students weren't presently home, but they placed the signs in their lawns anyway. Students who were present reacted with smiles, hugs and even tears. Teachers who knew the students expressed their pride and happiness in seeing their student achieve graduation status.

Firefighters respond to a second alarm fire at the former Broadway theatre in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

After the annual event was canceled last March, the Lions Club opened the Arena Building doors to welcome back customers for their annual 83rd Pancake Day on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. The event raised money for local children’s charities for eyesight and diabetes. The club offered dine-in, carry out and curbside service options. It is the longest running Lions Club Pancake Day in the nation.

The City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation department's Play Cape event hosted booths with local community organizations, recreational classes, leagues and more at the Osage Center in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, March 13, 2021.

The 37th annual Noon Optimist Chili Day at the Arena Building looked a bit different than last year due to the ongoing pandemic. Diners were socially distant at round tables and pick-up was available inside or through a drive-through.

A limited, socially distant crowd attended the Cape Central High School annual Black History Month Event at the Kinder Performance Hall in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. The event was organized and run by students, which featured performances and speeches highlighting Black history and culture. The program concluded with a video of and by Black students in which they spoke about what Black excellence means to them. One of the organizers of the event and a performer, Te'Mariah Dorsey, said, "All the events that happened this summer, as far as the George Flyod and the Black Lives Matter movement, like all the grieving thats been happening this summer, I just wanted a time to celebrate Black excellence. And I was like, this program is just a perfect time to celebrate, and lets not mourn anymore. Let's come together, and let's celebrate the achievements of Black people."

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Rec Department held the 13th annual Father-Daughter dance at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. This year’s theme was ‘A night in Hollywood,’ and included a meal of pizza, chicken nuggets and other appetizers, and music provided by Charlie’s Music Revue. The event was for dads and daughters of all ages.

Some of the first fish fries of Lent began on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. The Knights of Columbus in Jackson and Cape Girardeau altered their service this season to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

A winter storm warning issued for Southeast Missouri on Monday, Feb, 15, 2021, called for a total accumulation of 6 to 12 inches of snow, and wind chills ranging from zero to minus 15 degrees. Roads were covered in snow, which complicated travel.

After Winter Storm Uri dropped more than half a foot of snow on Southeast Missouri, people dug out and played in the snow before the next snow storm is predicted to drop a few more inches Wednesday and Thursday.

More wintry scenes from Cape Girardeau on Tuesday.

The Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation held the 26th annual Penguin Party on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Drury Plaza Convention Center in Cape Girardeau. The Penguin Party helps support the students and staff of Cape Girardeau Public Schools. The night included a social hour with a silent auction, a dinner and live auction, and live music performed by GenX. The foundation also offered a virtual option this year.

The first March for Life day was held at the St. Vincent De Paul Parish in Perryville on Friday, Jan. 29, 2020. Vincential Marian Youth Southeast Missouri (VMY SEMO) and North Perry County Youth Group collaborated to create the event, which lasted all day, and included a march to the Perryville town square, a speaker series featuring guest speakers, a panel discussion and more. Pro-life activist and musician Tony Melendez — who was born without both of his arms and a clubbed foot — performed music on his guitar and delivered the keynote address. Almost 220 people were in attendance for the event, including students from Valle Catholic in Ste. Genevieve, St. Vincent, Vincent Marion Youth and VMY Youth Group students who attend public school or are homeschooled, as well as volunteers and members of the church.

A COVID-19 vaccine clinic aided by Missouri National Guard troops administered about 2,000 doses Friday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau with the coordination of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center and other local organizations, such as SoutheastHEALTH, John’s Pharmacy, Broadway Pharmacy, Cross Trails and Southeast Missouri State University.

Monsignor Joseph Huels was a fixture at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau from 1967 until his death in 1993. The Southeast Missourian published a feature on Huels in 1988 as he celebrated 53 years as a priest.

Social media personality Kris Rotonda of Clearwater, Florida visited the Southeast Missouri Humane Society to conduct a four hour Facebook Live program to raise money for the shelter. This is one of many stops in his 50-state tour in which he is visiting several animal shelters in each state to raise money through outlandish challenges broadcasted on Facebook Live. Rotonda’s efforts have recently been featured on the Hallmark Channel and The Dodo, a social media platform that spotlights animal-related stories and videos. Rotonda has his own charitable organization, Jordan's Way, that raises awareness and funds for animal shelters.

A mob breached the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Wednesday on the day Congress confirmed the electors of the 2020 presidential election.

With the Electoral College prepared to certify President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election, some citizens and members of Congress continue to protest the results. The March for Trump Bus Tour made a stop Saturday in Cape Girardeau.

Photojournalists at the Southeast Missourian share their best news and features images of 2020.

The Red Star Food Pantry gave out toys on Tuesday to families in need. According to the Red Star Food Pantry director, Kevin Sexton, they invited all those who had recently visited the pantry to receive toys and have a visit with Santa. Tables of over 1,000 toys donated from three local contributors were available to children.

Employees of Cape Schools Assistant Superintendent Josh Crowell as Mickey Mouse, Principal Julia Unnerstall as Elf on the Shelf, Psychological Examiner Stephanie Craft as a Christmas tree and Superintendent Dr. Neil Glass as Buddy the Elf greeted students at Alma Schrader Elementary School on Thursday for their last full day before winter break to put students in the holiday spirit. "They're hoping to put a smile on the faces of students as they push through to the winter break," communications director for Cape Girardeau Public Schools Kristin Tallent said in an email.

Toybox changed their collection and delivery process during their 46th year of delivering toys because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Santas were required to wear face masks when delivering bags of toys to the door of recipients and only went inside homes with the family’s permission. There were 22 different Santas that went to over 300 homes in the Cape Girardeau area.

Five employees from SoutheastHEALTH were the first health care workers of the organization and first in the region to receive the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020.

Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau held their annual Christmas Concert on Saturday, Dec. 12, and Sunday, Dec. 13. The concert included featured a variety of classic holiday songs, and performances from volunteers, Lynwood's student and kid's choir, and a living nativity scene. Pictured are scenes from the Sunday night performance.

During a "Joy Sparking Ceremony" on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, students, teachers and other staff gathered in the Jefferson Elementary School gymnasium to ultimately celebrate the official announcement that their own school counselor, Olivia Carter, won the 2021 School Counselor of the Year award from the American School Counselor Association.

The Downtown Christmas Open House began on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, with digital raffle tickets, performances on the street and in windows, a horse-drawn carriage ride and visits with Santa Claus.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department hosted the Cape Parks: Fall Family Festival on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, at the Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau. The festival was held in celebration of the fall season, and included hayrides, bonfires, a weenie roast, s’mores and more.

Southeast Missouri State University celebrated the graduation of 1,624 students who graduated in the spring and summer in morning and afternoon ceremonies on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Show Me Center. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Southeast’s summer and spring 2020 commencement ceremonies were postponed. The 10 a.m. ceremony was for candidates in the College of Education, Health and Human Studies, and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and the 2 p.m. ceremony was for candidates in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Harrison College of Business and Computing, and the Holland Cllege of Arts and Media. Facial coverings were required, and social distancing guidelines were in place for all attendees. Pictured are scenes from the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony on Nov. 14, 2020.

Notre Dame Regional High School presents "Clue" as its fall production on Nov. 12, 13 and 14 at Notre Dame King Hall.

Veterans Day began and ended in Cape Girardeau county with outdoor community celebrations of veterans and their service. In the morning, the loved ones of 11 different veterans gathered at the Veterans Memorial Plaza in Cape County Park North and each had the opportunity to speak about their veteran. Later in the day, Jackson held their annual Veteran’s Day parade with people lined along the sides of S. High St. and W. Main St.

Hosted by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, the public gathered to formally recognize the new roof on the American Legion building at the Fort D historic site in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Speakers included director of Parks and Recreation Julia Jones, city councilman and mayor pro tem Robbie Guard, American Legion representative Tom Giles and civil war enthusiast Scott House. After the remarks, the doors were opened for visitors to tour the inside.

Things looked a little different from years past at the 16th annual Cape Parks and Recreation Spaghetti Day on Thursday, Nov. 5 at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. Due to COVID-19, there were face coverings and social distancing measures such as marked waiting spots and separated round tables. For lunch, the options were delivery, carry-out and dine-in. For dinner, there was curbside service, carry-out and dine-in. The event is the Parks and Recreation Department’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

A #Caravan4Trump in support of President Donald Trump's reelection campaign was held Saturday morning in Marble Hill, Missouri.

Several events were held across Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, to celebrate Halloween. Lynwood Baptist Church and the Cape Girardeau VFW Post 3838 hosted Trunk or Treat events, where families in the community could dress up in their Halloween costumes and get free candy. The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri held Boo-tiful Parks: Clean Halloween at Raney Park, which included demonstrations from Discovery Playhouse and The Edge, pumpkin painting and socially distanced Halloween themed games. At all events, participants were encouraged to social distance and wear masks when social distancing was not possible.

The Southeast Missouri State University Marching Band held a free concert to a socially distanced and masked crowd at Houck Stadium on Friday night before the redhawks' football game

The 11th annual Trunk or Treat at Oak Ridge High School was held Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, sponsored by the Oak Ridge P.T.O and the Oak Ridge Jr. High Pep Club. Children of all ages were invited to put on their Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat out of participating cars, many of which were decorated. Prizes were awarded to the top three best decorated cars.

Old Town Cape, Inc. held the second annual Monster Mash Car Bash on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. Classic cars, decorated in various displays, lined the parking lot at 35 S. Spanish St. where children dressed in Halloween costumes were able to trunk-or-treat. Other activities for children, such as games and a photo booth, were also available. Prizes were awarded for the “Most Creative Vehicle Display,” “Best Costume” and the Bank of Missouri’s “Spookiest Vehicle.”

The Kellerman Foundation for Historic Preservation held WaterFest on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in the parking lot at the corner of Themis and Water St. in downtown Cape Girardeau. Volunteer for the Kellerman Foundation MJ DeGraff said more than 250 people attended the all-day event, which included a variety of exhibits on the importance of water in recreation, art, plant and animal life, and the daily life of human beings. Local fishermen, kayakers, potters, painters and others in water-related fields, including the Department of Agriculture and Clay Club at Southeast Missouri State University, created educational displays for the event. WaterFest kicks-off the arrival of the Smithsonian Institution's traveling Water/Ways exhibit, which will be hosted by the Kellerman Foundation at Heritage Hall, located at 102 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau, until mid-January.

Old Town Cape held its first-ever Revivify fundraiser on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, at Century Casino in Cape Girardeau. The Revivify fundraiser was an open house-style event held from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and attendees were able to support and learn more about the mission of Old Town Cape while partaking in: the Charles L. Hutson Virtual Auction, raffles and a wine pull featuring wines from restaurants in downtown Cape Girardeau, a radiothon featuring conversations with local leaders and community members about their experience with Old Town Cape — which also aired on 93.9 The River, a live broadcast with MediaLeaf LLC featuring live performances and demonstrations by local business owners, artists and more, and a cash bar and live music. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit Old Town Cape’s revitalization efforts in downtown Cape Girardeau, and the Revivify fundraiser was presented by The Bank of Missouri and United Express by Skywest Airlines.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department held a live burn exercise Friday morning for approximately 15 first and second year firefighters. The training exercise was held at 222 N. Middle St. in Cape Girardeau, which is scheduled for demolition in the upcoming months.

The Perry County Republicans hosted the America Truck Parade on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, in Perryville, Missouri. Tractors, cars and trucks lined up to participate in the rally, and all met for a picnic following the parade.

The SEMO Women's March was held Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, at Freedom Corner in Cape Girardeau. The event included musical performances, guest speakers and a march to celebrate women and speak out about women's rights. The march in Cape Girardeau was held in unison with national events led by Women's March to send a message of opposition to President Donald Trump and his agenda, including his attempt to fill the seat held by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court.

About 250 people gathered at Houck Stadium on the Southeast Missouri State University campus to hear testimonies from local athletes, pray and witness the Worship Band play on Wednesday night, Oct. 14, 2020. The annual event sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) saw a decrease in their usual numbers due to COVID-19.

A Blanchard Elementary teacher, Mrs. Heather Fisher, made an effort to bring the pumpkin patch to Blanchard Elementary School this year since field trips are canceled due to COVID-19. With the help of the Parent Teacher Organization, Fisher was able to bring about two-hundred and fifty pumpkins from a Perryville farm that usually hosts Blanchard field trips to a field next to the school. This week, every class is getting a chance to pick pumpkins and play with various toys. Mrs. Crystal Williams' kindergarten class and Mrs. Scarlet Winans' first grade class had their chance on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 to enjoy the pumpkin patch.

Hundreds of pancake meals were made and distributed to local frontline workers by the Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. The annual Lions Club Pancake Day event has been open to the general public in the past, but it was changed this year to exclusively serve law enforcement officers, firefighters, first-responders and health care workers carryout pancake-and-sausage meals at no charge. As meals were received, workers thanked the volunteers providing the meals, to which volunteer Gunnar Knudtson replied, "Appreciate what you do."

Photos from the Missouri Heartland Little Britches Rodeo on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, at Flickerwood Arena in Jackson.

Veterans and motorcyclists from across Missouri rode together Friday and Saturday to the Vietnam veterans wall at Missouri's National Veterans Memorial in Perryville, Missouri for the second annual Missouri Veteran Wall Run 2020. The run is held every year on the weekend of National POW/MIA Recognition Day for POW/MIAs who are still unaccounted for. Perryville also hosted a bike rally at the Perryville Town Square, "Bikers on the Square!" on Friday and Saturday, which included live music, food and drinks, and all proceeds benefited veterans organizations. Also, s a thanks to all current and past military members, Lawless Harley-Davidson in Scott City held a veterans appreciation bike show Saturday. There was a bike wash earlier in the day, live music by GenX, food and drink that evening. The bike show was put on by Garret Customs, and all proceeds are being donated to Bikers against Bullies.

Redhawk supporters took to the Cape Girardeau Country Club golf course to take part in the 37th Annual Kohlfeld Distributing Charlie Brune Classic golf tournament on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. The money raised from the event supports scholarships for Southeast Missouri State University student-athletes. There was a morning and afternoon session with 18 holes. SEMO representatives and local sponsors provided golfing tips, food, drink and prizes throughout the course.

As the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders forced local businesses to temporarily close and residents to adjust to life indoors, the atmosphere around downtown Cape Girardeau drastically changed. This series of photos, captured from mid-March to early May, shows the desolate downtown area during this time and the sporadic, everyday, human moments of relaxation, compassion and companionship which may have gone unnoticed amid the early days of the pandemic.

Southeast Missouri State University students gathered outside and wore face coverings for a stage combat class at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The class is taught by Associate Professor Bart Williams. In his seventh year of teaching the class, it is held outside this semester to prevent the spread of COVID-19, while also requiring students to wear a face covering since some moves require them to be within six feet of each other. Students used broad swords made of wood to practice their stage combat skills. According to Williams, this type of combat requires fighters to keep a four to six feet distance apart so the fight looks good to the audience. Williams said a silver lining of the six feet social distance practice is it has helped students learn proper distancing in stage combat.

More than 300 horses and riders from more than five states travelled to Cape Girardeau County to participate in Cindy's Labor Day Blast barrel racing competition at Flickerwood Arena in Jackson. The four-day event included PeeWee, youth and adult divisions; and more than $4,000 in prize money was awarded.

Those who have lost loved ones from overdose or are in recovery from it, and others who support the International Overdose Awareness Day Honor Walk gathered for the event on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, at Liberty Corner in Capaha Park. The event began with a few speakers before the group began walking along Broadway to Houck Stadium and back to Freedom Corner at North West End Boulevard and Broadway. Participants held posters that brought awareness to those who witnessed them pass by and pictures of loved ones lost.

Alex and Dustin Powell help their children Amelia, 7; Isabella, 6, and Elijah, 4, prepare for their first day of school at the newly-launched Lynnwood Christian Academy on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Cape Girardeau.

The 6th annual Cape West Rotary Duck Regatta was held Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, at Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center in Cape Girardeau.

After emptying its halls in March due to the coronavirus, students returned to classrooms for the first time Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, as the Cape Girardeau Public School system begins its academic year with modified protocols to protect against COVID-19. This year, the school district provided families with the "Tigers@Home" online education program — a new, virtual learning option which allows students to work from home. The school district provides breakfast and lunch to all of its students, including 1,200 students in the school district who opted to enroll in the "Tigers@Home" program.

New students and new transfer students begin moving onto campus as move-in week continues Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. The university developed a drive-through check-in process in the Show Me Center parking lot where students received their key, first-year t-shirt and received their parking permit, among other items before proceeding to their respective residence halls. Southeast Missouri State director of residence life Kendra Skinner said about 1200 new residents were arriving on campus for the upcoming school year.

More than 50 people participated in an all-day Standing Together Against National Discrimination (STAND) protest event co-hosted by Midwest Council for Civil Rights and Missouri Social Activism on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. The event featured multiple speakers and teaching sessions, information about voting and local budgets, and multiple sessions of protests and chants on the corner of Broadway and West End Boulevard.

"Bring It On! The Musical" premiered Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in Cape Girardeau. The performance made adjustments to include face shields for cast and crews, audience sizes were reduced to allow appropriate room for social distancing and, for the first time, the River Campus performance will be live-streamed. Performances will take place inside the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall on Saturday, Aug. 8, and Aug. 12 to 15 at 7:30 p.m. and matinee showings will take place Sunday, Aug. 9, and 16 at 2 p.m.

Cape First Church hosted its annual Family Day on Friday at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. Free food was served and several service vendors were on hand for the free event.

St. Louis native Nelly performs Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020 at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo.

For more than two hours, the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center board of trustees heard public dissent and support regarding the county's mandatory mask mandate during a meeting Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Following the emergency face mask order issued by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center which went into effect on Monday, almost all Cape Farmers Market customers and vendors abided by the local health guidelines and wore masks while shopping Thursday, July 16, 2020, at the open-air market in the West Park Mall parking lot. Market manager Marilyn Peters said masks were offered to customers who arrived without a mask and exceptions were allowed for people with health complications.

A ceremony was held in front of the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. Federal Courthouse in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, July 9, 2020, to honor seven officers involved in the July 2018 arrest of James O’Dell Johnson in Poplar Bluff. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen presented recognitions to SEMO Drug Task Force officer Michael Alford, Poplar Bluff police officer Austin Lemonds, Deputy U.S. Marshal Michael Miller, Perry County Sheriff deputy Delbert Riehn and Deputy U.S. Marshal H. Cameron Thuirer; and also recognized SEMO Drug Task Force officers Corey Mitchell and Jason Morgan who were unable to attend. U.S. Marshal John Jordan and U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. also spoke at the ceremony and praised the officers for their honor and service.

A handful of bystanders and pedestrians stopped to watch a crew of construction workers as they erected a wooden box around a Confederate States of America monument in Ivers Square on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Members of Cape Girardeau City Council voted 6-1 in favor of a motion for “the immediate removal to storage” of the 14-1/2 foot tall white slab marker.

The City of Jackson celebrates Independence Day on Saturday, July 4, 2020, with a Shades of Soul concert at the Jackson Municipal Band Shell followed by a fireworks show.

On July 4 weekend, 741 flags were displayed in Cape County Park North. Twenty-three flags were added to these during the Avenue of Flags annual ceremony, which dedicated the flags to local veterans of foreign wars.

Members of the Cape Girardeau police and fire departments responded to the 300 block of South Benton Street where a gunshot victim was located. The victim was transported by Cape County Private Ambulance service to a local hospital, and an investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith visits Cape Girardeau on Friday, June 26, 2020, for a round of golf at the Cape Girardeau Country Club as part of a private event.

Members of the NBC Fire Protection District receive mutual aid from the Oran Fire Protection District, the Scott City Fire Department, the Scott County Rural Fire Protection District and the Scott County Sheriff's Office during a working fire Thursday, June 25, 2020, at a residence in the 300 block of Lake Road in Scott County between U.S. Highway 61 and Interstate 55. Family members at the scene said the owners of the home were away from the residence at the time of the fire and a dog died as a result of the incident.

Members of the Cape Girardeau Police Department surrounded a residence in the 1300 block of Vantage Drive shortly after Wednesday, June 24, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Officers set up a perimeter around the residence after a subject with a misdemeanor warrant ran into the house during an attempted arrest and refused to come out, according to Cape Girardeau police officer Richard McCall. More than 10 police cars were observed on adjacent streets as officers surrounded the residence and made contact with the subject via telephone. After about 45 minutes, the man exited the residence with his hands behind his head and was taken into custody by police without incident.

For the fourth consecutive week, weekend demonstrations were held to raise local awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police. On Sunday, a group of a few dozen protestors gathered at Freedom Corner in Capaha Park to raise signs in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and knelt for an 8-minute, 46-second-long moment of silence in Floyd's memory.

Jackson High School's graduation ceremony is held Friday, June 19, 2020, inside the school's football stadium. Despite the ongoing concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jackson did not let that stop their students from having their moment on the stage.

Vania Johnson, Dori Hefner, Elysia King and Emily Sachs model fashions from various Southeast Missouri boutiques. The location of each photo shoot is a mystery. For hints and more information, check out the summer 2020 issue of flourish or visit flourishwomen.io.

Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation officials, City Council members, city board members and members of the public composed an audience of more than 50 people at a ceremony to mark the opening of the Capaha Park Splash Pad on Monday, June 15, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Construction on the project began in late 2018 as part of the second phase of the city’s master plan for Capaha Park, and the project is funded by a city stormwater tax passed by voters in 2008 and renewed in 2018.

Local children and young adults participate in a Children's March event organized by the St. James AME Church social justice ministry to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement and to bring justice for Madison Robinson — a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed in August. The event was comprised of a sign-making session and teach-in, a rally, a march around the Capaha Park Lagoon and a demonstration on Freedom Corner.

The Avenue of Flags was raised for display Saturday evening in Cape Girardeau County Park North ahead of Flag Day, June 14, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. During a Sunday morning ceremony, a total of 14 new flags were dedicated in memory of deceased Cape Girardeau County veterans. The new additions now join the 727 flags which had previously composed the Avenue of Flags.

Moments from the drive-through graduation ceremony Saturday, June 13, 2020, at Cape Girardeau Central High School in Cape Girardeau. Graduates were able to exit their vehicles to walk across the outdoor stage and have pictures taken.

In March, life changed for Americans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The same is true of those in and around Cape Girardeau County. These images of the pandemic were captured on Polaroid Originals instant film using vintage Polaroid 600 cameras between mid-March and the second week of June. See the photo spread in this weekend’s newspaper. Editor’s note: Given how quickly information changes during the pandemic, photo captions reflect information available at the time of the image’s creation.

Scenes from Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at the waterpark in Cape Girardeau. Sarah Wichern, City of Cape Girardeau Aquatic Coordinator, said the facility opened up Monday. She said the center is open seven days a week with sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. The hour between the two sessions is used for sanitizing of the facility, she said. Wichern said each session is being limited to 500 people plus pass holders.

As an effort to encourage local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice within local communities, the social justice ministry at St. James A.M.E. Church called faith leaders to a "Monday Mourning" event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau. The interfaith event allowed local religious leaders to express their repentance for previous inactions against social injustice and served to compel local clergy to actively confront social injustices.

Hundreds of protestors took posts around the Perry County Courthouse to express their emotions and stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday, June 7, 2020, in downtown Perryville, Missouri. More than a dozen counter-protestors sat on North Jackson Street across the street from the group of demonstrators throughout the day which ultimately concluded without violence.

After postponing its commencement ceremonies due to COVID-19, Saxony Lutheran High School held a graduation event on Sunday, June 7, 2020, at the Gerhard Birk Gymnasium in Jackson. Attendance numbers at the event were restricted to five guests per graduate, and hand sanitizer was stationed beneath the seating arrangements for each graduates' group.

The Schroeder family and Andrew Bard are just some of the people raising chickens in Cape Girardeau. Full story in this weekend's Good Times section.

More than 500 people were registered to take part in free COVID-19 testing Friday, June 5, 2020, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The drive-up testing event was scheduled for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Here's a look at the best images our photojournalists captured while covering the COVID-19 pandemic and other stories in May 2020.

Hundreds of demonstrators stand in solidarity to demand justice for George Floyd and bring awareness to what the Black Lives Matter movement means by protesting on Freedom Corner, located near the intersection of Broadway and North West End Boulevard, and marching around Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau.

While already attempting to safely celebrate Ramadan amid the pandemic, community members at the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau were targeted by a hate crime on Friday, April 24, 2020, and their mosque was destroyed. Despite the obstacles, the local Muslim community overcame the trials and celebrated the holy month with enduring faith and steadfast belief in God.

A parade was held for Jackson High School seniors Friday, May 29, 2020, in Jackson. Event organizer Mendi McDowell of Jackson, mother of Jackson senior Autumn Gragg, said the event materialized after the number of people was limited at graduation. “We just wanted the safest way that we would be able to celebrate our seniors,” McDowell said. She said the parade route was made long so people would have space to feel conformable. She said the parade started at the high school and went though the park before turning around and heading back to the school.

According to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann, a male subject was shot Wednesday night near S. West End Boulevard in Cape Girardeau. Members of the Cape Girardeau police and fire departments and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were seen investigating the area around Boulevard Apartments at 45 S. West End Blvd. shortly after 10:15 p.m., and multiple pieces of evidence were marked in the western side of the apartment complex's parking area.

Various commemorations of Memorial Day are captured Monday, May 25, 2020, in Cape Girardeau and Perryville, Missouri. In Cape Girardeau, a crew of workers from Adult and Teen Challenge Mid-America assisted in assembling the Avenue of Flags at Cape Girardeau County Park North, and the flags will remain posted until Tuesday evening. In Perryville, guests visited Missouri's National Veterans Memorial. The memorial is a full-scale replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. and features a wall of black granite panels inscribed with more than 58,000 names of those killed in battle or reported missing.

Scenes from the 100-Mile Yard Sale on Saturday, May 23, 2020, along Highway 25. The event takes place along Highway 25 from Jackson to Kennett, Missouri, and runs through Memorial Day.

Five Jackson High School 2020 seniors walked across the stage during an in-person military graduation ceremony Friday, May 22, 2020, at Jackson High School. Reasoning for the military graduation included scheduling conflicts with the graduates’ basic training and the full-class graduation which has been rescheduled for a later date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the ceremony, a parade was held outside the school in the graduates’ honor.

Complete with skates and sticks, Booch family members played hockey Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at a parking lot near Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center in Cape Girardeau. Mother Maren Booch said hockey in the parking lot has become a regular activity for the family during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were looking for a spot and as long nobody parks his car here, that’s a perfect spot so we do it almost every afternoon. Sometimes twice a day. When my husband’s home, he has to come with us too after dinner,” Booch said. “As long as it’s not raining, we’re here.”

Gardeners turned out for planting Saturday, May 16, 2020, at Washington Park and Fountain Street community gardens in Cape Girardeau. Melissa LaPlant, manager of Southeast Missouri State University's Charles Hutson Greenhouse, said peppers, red cabbage, kale, cucumber, basil and chives were some of the items planted. Brock Davis, parks division manager for the City of Cape Girardeau, said the community garden planting was part of “Friends of the Park Week” which he said includes projects conducted by people in small groups and spread out in a week or two week period. “This year’s a little different,” Davis said. “Instead of all together, we’re just spreading out. … Next year, hopefully, we won’t have this problem and we’ll be back like we usually do with 400 people running around.”

Each week, the Southeast Missourian photography staff takes readers into the lives of locals in our weekly photo story. This story now materializes on a photo spread in the Good Times section, but has until recently been located on the section’s cover page. More often than not, the Weekend Edition’s main front page image also comes from this story. We’re doing something different this week on that photo spread. We’ve decided to take a look at how these photo stories are approached, photographed and ultimately shared with readers. Here’s a look back at some moments from those recent photo stories.

On their 70th wedding anniversary, Kenneth and Martha Bender sat, surrounded by flowers and balloons, in their driveway for a parade held in their honor Friday, May 15, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Neighbor Joe McLemore had the idea for the parade and said, on the phone before the event, the Benders were to be presented with proclamations from the state and city before the procession.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson made a visit Thursday, May 14, 2020, to Cape Girardeau. Following his visit, Gov. Parson returned to Jefferson City for a briefing to give updates on COVID-19 in the state.

Shots were fired near the intersection of South West End Boulevard and William Street after multiple motor vehicle collisions occurred Thursday, May 14, 2020, according to statements from Cape Girardeau police and witnesses at the scene.

Filming of a virtual tour of public areas of the new Cape Girardeau County Courthouse took place Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in Jackson. Charlie Herbst, District 2 associate commissioner of Cape Girardeau County, said the virtual tour would be shared on the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to a house fire at 40 North Henderson Ave. on Monday, May 11, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. According to a media fact sheet prepared by deputy fire chief Randy Morris Jr., the structure was occupied at the time of the fire. One person was rescued from the structure and no injuries were reported.

Collin Stephens of Cape Girardeau was the man of the hour at his surprise-birthday parade Saturday, May 9, 2020, at Shawnee Park in Cape Girardeau. Collin marks his 10th birthday Sunday and his mother, Michaela Stephens, said she had the idea to throw him the surprise-birthday parade. “With the social distancing and everything and not being able to have a party, I figured that a parade would be pretty neat,” Michaela said on the phone before the parade. “It’s a surprise. He has no idea. … He thinks that we’re going to throw the football around in the soccer field.”

On the day their high school graduation was supposed to be held, Oak Ridge High School seniors traveled through the community in a parade held in their honor Friday, May 8, 2020, in Oak Ridge. The senior parade made its way from Cape County Cowboy Church near Interstate 55 and through the community to Oak Ridge High School. Adrian Eftink, superintendent of the Oak Ridge R-VI School District, said a group of parents who wanted to do something for the seniors approached the school district about the parade. “It just makes you proud of the community,” Eftink said. “Being an administrator and a member of the staff here, to see the community support our students, it just gives you a good warm feeling [and] pride in the Oak Ridge community.”

It's the time of year when many high school students are typically busting out the formal wear, making dinner reservations and preparing to dance the night away at prom. But prom also looks different during the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools are closed and large gatherings canceled, students will have to — at least for the time being — forego belting Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" or Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" with their friends during the special night. Since now is what would typically be prom season, here's a look back at local prom nights of recent memory featuring the work of Southeast Missourian photographers, past and present, who were on hand to document the experience.

United Way of Southeast Missouri’s #GiveUnitedCarParade took place Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Elizabeth Shelton, executive director of United Way of Southeast Missouri, said Tuesday was “‘Giving Tuesday Now’ which is being celebrated globally to help the nonprofits that are helping people impacted by COVID-19.” She said Tuesday was chosen for the parade “to give thanks to essential works who have stayed on the job and to volunteers who have also risked their own health to help others.” Shelton said those who are able can give financially to the organization’s COVID-19 fund. She said the organization supports 30 other nonprofits that are helping.

After six weeks of state-issued stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus, local business owners and their employees return to work in accordance with phase one of Gov. Mike Parson's "Show Me Strong" reopening plan which began Monday, May 4, 2020, in Cape Girardeau.

A drive-through-only version of the Cape Riverfront Market took place Saturday, May 2, 2020, at Century Casino Cape Girardeau. Market manager Emily Vines said the market always opens the first Saturday in May, but this is the first time the market has utilized a drive-through-only format and been held at the casino. Vines said there were 29 vendors at Saturday’s market.

As life continues during the COVID-19 pandemic, here's a look at the best images our photojournalists captured while covering the pandemic and other stories in April 2020.

Although held on a smaller scale than originally planned, Jenni Heisserer and Trevor Kroenung didn’t let the COVID-19 pandemic change the date they had set for their wedding. With only their parents and a few select others in physical attendance, the couple exchanged rings and entered their union April 25 at the Scott County, Missouri, home of bridesmaid Brittany Felter, who also officiated the service. “It’s just the day that we picked and we wanted one thing to stay the same really,” Jenni (Heisserer) Kroenung said. “It just was the day we picked and we were trying everything we could just to keep it on that day.” After the service, celebrating took place indoors followed by the taking of pictures outside by the hillside and nearby pond. “It was so perfect to me,” Jenni said after the wedding. “Obviously I got a little emotional. … At the end of the day, I got to marry the man of my dreams.”

Vehicles containing Notre Dame Regional High School seniors made their way around the school's campus during a “Friday night lights” senior drive-through event Friday, May 1, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Notre Dame principal Tim Garner said teachers and coaches were around the campus with signs to tell seniors “how much they’re missed” and “thanking them for everything this year.” Garner said seniors were able to pick up their caps, gowns, honor stoles and medals at the event.

Fire agencies responded to Tipton Linen in Cape Girardeau after receiving reports of black smoke above the commercial structure at 6:54 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. First responders with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, Jackson Fire Rescue and the Cape Girardeau Police Department arrived on the scene; and an investigation into the cause of the incident is being conducted by the state fire marshal's office. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident, and the scene was released after about two and a half hours.

Saxony Lutheran High School seniors received a warm welcome while picking up caps and gowns during a drive-through "senior stroll" Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at the school in Jackson. School principal Mark Ruark said seniors were able to pick up their caps and gowns along with a few other gifts during the event. Although the dates are tentative, Ruark said school’s prom and graduation are reschedule for June 6 and 7 respectively. He said the 64 students in the 2020 senior class make it the largest in the school’s history.

Members of the Missouri National Guard's 1221st Transportation Company assist with meal distributions Monday, April 27, 2020, at Blanchard Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. As of last week, Cape Girardeau Public Schools had distributed more than 70,000 meals since in-person classes were first suspended on March 18.

Employees of Fresh Healthy Cafe in Cape Girardeau packed meals through Kids Against Hunger on Friday, April 24, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Rick Hetzel, Southeast Missouri satellite director for Kids Against Hunger, said cafe employees are packing meals on a regular basis. “We anticipated there would be people that probably because of the layoffs and the economy would need food. And so about a month ago we ordered in enough for 100,000 meals with our Kids Against Hunger satellite,” Hetzel said.

With Earth Day on Wednesday and spring now in full swing in Southeast Missouri, one local spot to take in the beauty of nature is Pinecrest Azalea Gardens in Cape Girardeau County. Lisa Schamburg, who operates the gardens with her husband, Jim, said the gardens were started in 1963 by Carl and Mettie Penzel. Later, Gene and Linda Penzel ran the gardens, and the Schamburgs took over upon Gene’s death in 2018. The gardens are open March 15 to May 15. Lisa said the peak time for the azaleas to be in bloom is around April 15. The gardens are open from sunrise to sunset and those visiting are asked to drive slowly. A donation box is at the site, but Lisa said the gardens — located at 799 Torre Lane in Oak Ridge — are free and open to the public.

Scenes from Jackson's drive-through farmers market Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at St. Louis Iron Mountain train depot in Jackson. Market customers were able to do their shopping without leaving their vehicles.

Like many other aspects of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, religious observations have also been altered. Worshipers weren’t able to congregate inside local churches on Easter or other Sunday mornings, but many have been able to take part in services via the internet. People have gathered in vehicles for "park and pray" events outside local hospitals and Catholic confessions have been heard outdoors. “People want hope,” the Rev. Eric Coher, lead pastor at Cape Bible Chapel, said. “That’s the bottom line. They want something that they can latch onto that gives lasting hope.” The images seen here were captured by Southeast Missourian photojournalists who were on hand for many of the previously-mentioned happenings.

Paul L. Essner of Benton, Missouri, wasn’t able to have his 90th birthday party as planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that didn’t stop his family from throwing him a birthday parade. Paul and his wife Bert sat outside St. Denis Catholic School for the parade Saturday, April 18, 2020, in Benton. Numerous vehicles and their occupants paraded for about 15 minutes past where Paul and Bert were seated.

Scenes from a free pizza event Saturday, April 18, 2020, outside First Baptist Church in Scott City, Missouri. The Rev. Jeremy Sells, pastor at First Baptist Church, said there were 300 pizzas for the event which was held in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The main thing we’re wanting to do is to bless our community. To show them that we care. We know that times are tough. We know that things are stressful. People in our community have lost their jobs,” Sells said of the event. “Just an act of kindness is basically what it is.”

Scenes from the making of a "virtual fashion show" Thursday, April 16, 2020, at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. Families who came through the food distribution line at the school could have their picture taken there, but those who didn’t could post a picture on the school’s Facebook feed. Principal Leigh Ragsdale said all the footage would be compiled into a video to be shared. Ragsdale said the school typically does a fall and spring fashion show. “Even though we’ve been doing things every single day through the food line — crafts, academic packets — this is just something to add a little bit of flare, and a little zest and a little life, you know, because we can kind of just get so bored and stir crazy and this is just something for our kids to look forward to,” Ragsdale said. She said they were “following all the rules” and social distancing.

A drive-thru food distribution took place Tuesday, April 14, 2020, at Cape First Church in Cape Girardeau. The event was part of a “series of COVID-19 Response Mobile food distributions to respond to the increased need for food assistance following temporary layoffs and school closures due to the outbreak of COVID-19,” according to a release from the Southeast Missouri Food Bank. David Urzi, communications director at Cape First Church, said there is also food distribution for those who qualify at The House of Hope in Cape Girardeau on the third Monday of each month. The House of Hope can be reached at 573-335-4858.

Worshipers flock to Bald Knob Cross of Peace most years for the annual Easter sunrise service, but not during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there were a few people at the cross, located in Alto Pass, Illinois, to conduct the service and share it with the masses. Teresa Gilbert, executive director of Bald Knob Cross of Peace, said the experience was “very different” than normal. Gilbert said WSIL-TV live streamed and broadcast the service. "It's just been an amazing experience watching everybody pull together," Gilbert said. "Not one of us could have done it by ourselves."

More than 50 vehicles parked near the intersection of Jefferson and South High streets in Jackson for a drive-in Easter Sunday service on April 12, 2020, hosted by First Baptist Church in Jackson. Senior pastor Troy Richards preached from atop a 15-foot-tall, mechanical lift and audio of the sermon was radio broadcasted to cars using a church van fitted with radio transmitters.

People across the United States are staying home in an effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19. The same is true of many in Cape Girardeau County. The statewide “stay at home” order for Missouri went into effect Monday after being issued by Gov. Mike Parson. The Southeast Missourian decided to produce a portrait series featuring a few of those locals.

Nell Holcomb R-IV School District delivered meals to student's homes Wednesday, April 8, 2020, in Cape Girardeau County. School district superintendent Bleau Deckerd said meals, consisting of lunch for that day and breakfast for the following day, are being delivered Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He said all of the students are eligible to receive the meals.

Volunteers loaded food into vehicles during drive-through only mobile food pantry Saturday, April 4, 2020, at New McKendree United Methodist Church's south campus in Jackson. Event coordinator Sandy Hastings of Jackson said she believes there was enough food for 200 people at the pantry which was held in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. People utilizing the food pantry stayed in their vehicles and volunteers loaded the food. Justin Mann, digital media specialist with Southeast Missouri Food Bank, said the pantry was sponsored by the food bank, New McKendree United Methodist Church's south campus and SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties. “This coronavirus, COVID-19, has displaced so many workers who aren’t considered essential, so to speak. So, you know, they’re out of jobs, they’re out of money,” Mann said. “They’ve got to somehow get food on the table. And this is where we come in, where we can help…”

Photojournalists at the Southeast Missourian stayed busy in March covering everything from basketball to the changes in Southeast Missouri daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Editor's note: Photo captions reflect information reported at the time of the photo's creation.

Sports photojournalists must capture action and feats of athleticism, but sports feature images are the heart and soul of sports photography. In a time when sporting events are cancelled due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southeast Missourian decided to take a look back at those recent images capturing the spirit of our teams and their communities.

Playgrounds are intertwined with caution tape and basketball goals no longer have hoops in parks throughout Cape Girardeau on Thursday, April 2, 2020, as city employees finish closing access to Cape Girardeau parks amenities including the skate park, dog park, FitZone and the city's various athletic courts. The citywide closures were announced Wednesday and went into effect immediately. Trails and green space throughout the city will remain open, according to the announcement which advised guests to avoid groups of more than ten people and stay six feet or further away from non-household members.

One of the great joys for a photographer is capturing a random, yet beautiful, moment of everyday life. While photographers always have to produce an image for publication, finding the compelling photo can be a challenge. With that said, the pursuit of the image makes its final successful creation all the more rewarding. In the time of COVID-19, social distancing and staying at home, Southeast Missourian photo editor Jacob Wiegand thought it would be nice to explore some of those recent standalone images not tied to any sort of event, news, features or sports story. In 2019, members of our photo department produced a similarly-themed series titled “Rural Routes” exploring life in the region. Some of those images are included. The images in this gallery are some examples of when the “feature hunt” was most successful.

Faculty and staff members at Alma Schrader Elementary School did not let social distancing stop them from celebrating Alma Schrader Day on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. The event featured 1950's music and fashion in recognition of the Cape Girardeau elementary school's founding in 1959.

In accordance with federal and state regulations and suggested precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Cape Bible Chapel held its inaugural broadcast of a Sunday service March 22, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Pastor Eric Coher said the church was already in the process of acquiring a system to provide its services via a live-streamed broadcast, but recently expedited the process of installing the system.

Staff members and school administrators from Jefferson Elementary School travel through their students' various Cape Girardeau neighborhoods Sunday afternoon, March 22, 2020, for a local parade of teachers in cars. The parade began at the school going east on Jefferson Avenue and took the following turns: south onto South Sprigg Street, west onto Maple Street, south onto South Ellis Street, west onto Hackberry Street, north onto South Pacific Street, west onto Maple Street again, south onto South Benton Street, through Hackberry Apartments and continuing to LighthouseCape, then west onto Southern Expressway and north onto South West End Boulevard with one last lap through Brenda Kay Court before concluding back at the school.

For Bill Coomer aka “Wild Bill,” AM Vets Outdoors is about getting veterans together. Coomer of Cape Girardeau is the founder of the organization which takes veterans on hunting and fishing trips. On March 14, the Air Force veteran accompanied other veterans while hunting for snow geese in Ware, Illinois. “The whole premise of this is for vets to be introduced to other vets that way they can become friends with at least one of them,” Coomer said. “That way where later on, if they have depression or thoughts of suicide or whatever, at least they have somebody to talk to.”

In an effort to provide senior shoppers with easier access to groceries amid coronavirus-related supply shortages, Schnucks made its first hour of business limited to customers of ages 60 and older beginning Wednesday, March 18, 2020. The grocery store has also implemented reduced operating hours with daily closures from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. to allow staff members to restock shelves and perform additional cleaning measures.

Cape Girardeau School District started providing meals to children Wednesday, March 18, 2020, while schools are closed due to concerns over COVID-19. Kristin Tallent, communications director for Cape Girardeau Public Schools, said there are five locations (all of the elementary schools) operating from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. Tallent said the food, for any kids 18 years old and younger, consists of a hot lunch and a breakfast item to take home for the next day. “We know that so many of our families depend on us to provide meals for their children and so we want to make sure we continue that even though we’re not, you know, able to be back in school right now,” Tallent said. In an email after the first day of the service, Tallent said 636 children were served Wednesday from the five locations. Tallent said the plan is to provide the service as long as school is out. “And hopefully we’ll be able to continue to provide it,” she said. Tallent said the service is available for any children 18 and younger not just students of Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

More than 1,000 churchgoers attended Cape First Church's centennial services Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Founded in 1920, the church celebrated 100 years with a display of church artifacts from the past century and a timeline of photos documenting the church's history in the area.

Scenes from The Pie Safe Bakery & Cafe on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in Pocahontas. Housed in what used to be a bank and built in 1910, Sharon Penrod, who operates the establishment, said The Pie Safe opened June 12, 2012. “It’s cause I like to talk,” Sharon said when asked if she enjoyed her job. Although she’s had some help at times in the past, Sharon is a one-woman show at The Pie Safe. Sharon said her husband, Monte Penrod, restored the whole building.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists' best images from Feb. 2020.

Saint Francis Healthcare System hosted The Friends Gala for its fifth year on March 7, 2020, at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. All proceeds from the Gala directly benefit Saint Francis Healthcare System's CancerCare and CardiacCare patient funds which provide care to patients in financial need.

Early Wednesday morning, members of the Cape Noon Optimist Club started making the title fare for the club’s 36th annual Chili Day on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau police officers responded to a report of shots fired just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at 918 College Street in Cape Girardeau. After the scene was released, Chief Wes Blair said somewhere between three and six shots were fired, but police are unable to provide a good suspect description at this time. One victim was shot in the chin, according to Blair, but the victim did not need to go to the hospital and refused medical treatment. "We do have some witnesses that we're trying to talk to and see if they might know a little bit more, but that's all we know at this point," Blair said. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact police.

For the Hotop family, hog butchering is a decades-old tradition passed down from generation to generation. Paul Hotop said his late father, Rueben Hotop, taught him how to butcher and his father taught him. “It’s something our dad did whenever he was young, he taught us to do it and now I’m teaching my boys to do it,” Paul said. “Not many people do it anymore. We like to know where our meat comes from.” Paul’s brother Allen Hotop of Apple Creek, Missouri, said the family always picks the same weekend, the one before the Super Bowl, each year to butcher. This year was no exception as numerous family members gathered Jan. 25 to butcher seven hogs on a farm in rural Perry County, Missouri. “Back when we was going up, we kind of had to do it cause mom and dad had 13 kids so it was, you know, anything we could do to keep us from going to the meat store is probably why dad did it,” Paul said. Allen said the hog butchering was done before he was born in 1960. “I would say everybody used to do it out of necessity and now it’s done as a novelty,” Allen said of the butchering. “This is a Hotop tradition.”

The Southeast Missourian produced a portrait series of local leap day birthday celebrants, sometimes called “leaplings” or “leapers,” using Polaroid Originals and Fujifilm Instax Mini film to emulate snapshots from birthday parties. Editor's note: All uses of "today" refers to Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020.

Scenes from the Sweet 16 Ladies Tea Party on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. The 16th annual event was hosted by Cape First Church Women’s Ministry. Attendees had the chance use visit vendors, listen to music and hear bible teacher and author Alli Worthington speak.

Area residents enjoyed auction items, food and a comedy show during the Power of Pawsitivity, a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, at the Jackson Civic Center.

Old Town Cape celebrated its annual dinner and awards banquet at Century Casino's Event Center Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020.

Area women Ashlyn Baer, Caroline Thompson, Peyton Cabral and Monica Foultz modeled fashions for Flourish Magazine's Spring 2020 issue.

Students gathered for an Ash Wednesday service Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau. “It’s customary on Ash Wednesday for we, as Catholics, to receive ashes as you know kind of symbolic of our sinfulness and our need for repentance,” Sarah Strohmeyer, director of campus ministry at Notre Dame Regional High School, said. She said Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lent period before Easter.

Classes at Franklin Elementary put on a show Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, during a fundraiser chili dinner.

City officials and local leaders joined churchgoers from throughout the city for a multi-church celebration organized by the Pastoral Assembly of Cape Girardeau on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, at Second Missionary Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

From Nerf guns to inflatable obstacle courses to dodgeball, area moms and sons had an opportunity to play Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at the SportsPlex in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from a dress rehearsal for "Shrek: The Musical" on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in Cape Girardeau. The show premiered Wednesday, but there are still a few chances to catch “Shrek: The Musical” when the cast takes the stage at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus. Read more in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

Moments from the "BabyBook" event Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Renee Jackson, with the library's youth service staff, said the event regularly takes places at 11 a.m. Wednesdays. “We’re hoping, of course, a love for books,” Jackson said about what is desired for people to take away from the experience. “We're wanting them also to see the value of all that playtime together. Not just sitting there with them, but singing songs to them and reading books to them. But also fingerplays and things."

Area residents hit the dance floor during Night to Shine, an annual prom for individuals with special needs Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.

Dads and daughters took to the dance floor during the "Boots & Bling" themed father/daughter dance Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Area residents celebrated the legacy of reggae icon Bob Marley Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at the Barn in Cape Girardeau.

Kindergarteners from Jackson's East Elementary School sang Valentine's Day tunes Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, at the Jackson Senior Center. Kindergarten teacher Jana Scott said there were about 90 students, from four kindergarten classes, who sang as part of a service project to reach out to and do something kind for the community. The students gave out valentine cards, which Scott said the students made, to people at the center at the end of the program.

Kids and parents headed to Discovery Playhouse for a Kids Zumba Dance Party class, led by Ellen Gipson of Cape Girardeau, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Gipson said she wants to offer “a resource for the young parents to do something active with their kids to be a good role model and to have, I mean, a lot of fun. Everybody loves to dance.”

Southeast Missourian photojournalists' best images from Jan. 2020.

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department contain a working fire in the 1400 block of Good Hope Street on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. State investigators later arrived at the scene, and an investigation into the fire is underway according to Missouri Department of Public Safety communications director Mike O'Connell.

We spent a day with Jefferson Elementary Leigh Ragsdale to see how the school's focus on building a culture of kindness is shaping young minds.

Scenes from Museum LEGO Day on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, at The Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum at Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus in Cape Girardeau. Museum manager Jim Phillips said this is the first time for the event has been held and there are plans to hold the event again. “Everybody can relate to a LEGO brick,” Phillips said. “We’re trying to stay true to our educational mission and show that you can learn through the museum and through toys at the same time.”

The Cape Girardeau School District's annual fundraiser was held Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

Area residents hit the dance floor during the STAR Sweetheart Dance, a mixer for individuals with special needs, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, at the 4-H Exhibit Hall in Cape Girardeau

Larry Hahn and his son, Lance Hahn, tended to one-week-old triplet calves Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, at the Hahn family's farm in rural Bollinger County, Missouri. After research, Lance said there's a one in 100,000 chance of triplet calves being born. “You know we were excited about getting it anyway and then, lo and behold, we got three,” Lance said with a laugh. “It was like, ‘Boy, we started out with a bang.’”

The Harlem Globetrotters paid a visit to the Show Me Center on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. The Globetrotters defeated the Washington Generals 58-54.

Super Kids Race Day sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, at the Southeast Missouri State University Student Recreation Center.

Participants braved the icy (actually about 42-degree) lake waters during the annual Cape Girardeau Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Missouri Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at Cape County Park North in Cape Girardeau.

Five hundred Jackson supporters attended the annual Red and Black Affair to benefit the Jackson R-2 School District Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at the Jackson Civic Center in Jackson.

Some Jefferson Elementary School students had the chance to try avocado toast with quail eggs Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at the Cape Girardeau school. Inspired by the book "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi Barrett where food rains from the sky, resource reading title teacher Rachel Bentlage said students had the chance to make toast with quail eggs, taken from the quail housed at the school, or to construct a raft or house made out of food. The quail egg toast also featured fresh avocado. Bentlage said many of the kids have never tried avocado or a quail egg, and she wants the kids to have a “totally different experience.”

Scenes from a "Mornings with Moms" event, held through a local It Takes a Village group, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at STA in Cape Girardeau. Breeanna Pearl of Dongola, Illinois, who runs social media for the It Takes a Village group, said the group meets every Friday. “You can stay for two hours, you can stay for five minutes,” Pearl said. “We just talk about anything and everything that you want to talk about. Whether it be like if someone needs help like breast feeding or if you just want to talk about your everyday life, you know, like struggles at work or whatever you want to talk about.”

A tanker truck carrying approximately 44,700 pounds of mixed waste fuel overturned and injured a passenger Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, at about 7 a.m. near the Buzzi Unicem cement plant on South Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau. Nearby sections of roadway and railway were closed for over six hours as emergency crews worked to contain the hazardous materials.

Grill teams from seven states convened in Cape Girardeau for the "When Pigs Fly" indoor BBQ bash Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the Bootheel Bluegrass Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at the Bavarian Halle in Fruitland. The festival continues Saturday.

The 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. humanitarian luncheon benefit was held Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, at the Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau. The luncheon hosted featured speaker Rev. Charles Norris and garnered donations for local humanitarian relief groups.

St. Louis Cardinals fans fill the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, for the Cardinals Caravan featuring Tyler O'Neill, Ryan Helsley, Andrew Knizner and Seth Elledge, as well as Cardinals alumni Rick Ankiel and Kerry Robinson.

Scenes from the March for Life on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Jackson.

Keynote speaker Joan Lunden helped attendees celebrate during SoutheastHealth's annual Journey Gala Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. The fourth-annual gala's theme was Soiree a Paris. Lunden, who was co-host of ABC's Good Morning, America, is also a breast cancer survivor.

Cape Girardeau saw its first official women's march Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, at Capaha Park. The march was inspired by the annual similar marches which began with the of the historic demonstrations held shortly after President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017.

Firefighters from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to a house fire Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, at 600 S. Louis St. in Cape Girardeau.

Multiple generations of dairy farmers in the Schoen family participate in the evening milking of about 250 cows Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at at the family's farm near Oak Ridge, Missouri. The family began farming in Farmington, Missouri, in 1858 and has farmed in Oak Ridge since 1956, according to John Schoen.

Scenes from the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet on Friday, Jan. 10, 2019, at the Jackson Civic Center.

At Franklin Elementary, students are grouped into one of four "houses" as part of a program designed to foster leadership and teamwork among students. The "houses" convened for a special assembly to recognize outstanding achievement Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, at Franklin Elementary in Cape Girardeau.

A Scott County Rural Fire Protection District firetruck crashed into a passenger vehicle and overturned into a creek while responding to a structure fire Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, on Kona Drive in Benton, Missouri.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their best images from Dec. 2019.

After relocating from Cape Girardeau to Jackson in April of last year, St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church held its Great Blessing of the Waters ceremony at Hubble Creek on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Jackson. In past years, the annual ceremony has been held at Riverfront Park.

Scenes from the Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Department's winter garage sale Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, at Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. Recreation coordinator Cassie Dennis said there were 1064 paid attendees at the event with money raised going into the department's general fund.

Scenes from the STEM University event Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, on Southeast Missouri State University's campus in Cape Girardeau.

In those groggy days between Christmas and New Year’s, while some hit the movie theatre and others hit the snooze button, many area hoops fans turn to a local tradition for a thrill to cap off the holiday season: the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. Cheerleaders, ugly sweaters and custom outfits all contribute to a quintessential winter season fan experience.

The 10th annual St. Jude New Year’s Eve Benefit was held Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center.

Photojournalists at the Southeast Missourian share their best news and features images of 2019. Head to semoball.com for our best sports images of the year.

Southeast Missourian photojournalist Ben Matthews shares moments captured by his cameras in 2019.

Scenes from the fifth annual living nativity event Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the Ugly Sweater Run on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. Event coordinator Shari Koenig of Marble Hill, Missouri, said the 5K event was a chance to raise money for Bollinger County students to travel to Scotland, London and Paris.

Complete with camels, livestock, angels and an actual 4-month-old baby, Saint Francis Healthcare System went all out staging a live nativity scene Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Vice President of Foundation and Marketing Jimmy Wilferth said the nativity was inspired by the medical center's namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, who invented what would become the modern nativity in 1223.

Twenty-five teams of volunteers from the Cape Jaycees delivered toys to 369 families -and more than 800 children- during their annual Toybox delivery program Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photo editor Jacob Wiegand shares some of the moments captured by his cameras in 2019. The photo department will continue sharing images of the year throughout December.

After holding its holiday fundraiser over the weekend, volunteers with Happy Slapowitz's Toy Bash filled two trailers with boxes of toys for the Marine Corps League's Toys for Tots Foundation on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, at Target in Cape Girardeau. By the end of the morning, the charity organization purchased 4,365 toys for donation.

Local dancers performed parts of the Christmas classic "The Nutcracker" with professional ballerinas from the visiting Moscow Ballet this week at the Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. The 30 pint-sized performers, aged 5 to 14, had been practicing since September for the big show, and if the atmosphere backstage before the show was any indication, they were incredibly jazzed to have the opportunity to make a dance dream come true.

Scenes from the Cape Parks & Recreation Foundation’s Breakfast with Santa event Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Seven hundred and two Southeast Missouri State University graduation candidates earned their diplomas during commencement exercises Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

A selection of favorite images from the past year, curated by staff photojournalist Tyler Graef. Be sure to check back next week for the next installment as photo editor Jacob Wiegand and staff photojournalist Ben Matthews share their top moments as well.

A 49-year-old semi-truck driver from New Madrid, Missouri, was involved in a fatal crash Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, at about 5 a.m. near Interstate 55 mile marker 88.6 in Scott County. Both northbound lanes of I-55 were closed through the morning and into the afternoon as emergency crews worked to extract the totaled vehicle from a line of trees and contain debris from the crash.

Members of the Southeast Missouri State University chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists participate in a cultural achievement ceremony to celebrate its graduating members, Jasmine Massey and Alex Bargen, and to adorn them with the Kente stole during the organization's inaugural "Donning of the Kente" ceremony held Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, at the Rust Center for Media in Cape Girardeau. "Today, you join the ranks of those 44 founders who gathered on Dec. 12, 1975, to form an organization that would work to accurately reflect the lives of African Americans in mass media," Southeast Missouri State mass media professor and NABJ advisor Tamara Zellars Buck said. "Remember to follow their lead, but not by following the path. Instead, go where there is no path and begin a trail."

Members of the Cape Girardeau police and fire departments responded to the scene of a two-vehicle collision in the intersection of Mount Auburn Road and William Street in Cape Girardeau. While turning left onto South Mount Auburn Road, a Chevrolet Equinox traveling westbound on William Street was struck by a passenger car traveling eastbound and overturned. All occupants of the overturned Chevrolet Equinox were transported by ambulance with apparent injuries, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church members and Catholic clergymen walk in a Marian procession Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, to recognize the church's 170-year anniversary and mark the beginning of the church's capital campaign to build a new church building in Jackson. According to information released by the church, "the 'Building our Church, Sharing our Faith, Growing our Community' campaign will target parishioners and citizens of Jackson" in an effort to raise awareness of the growing facility needs.

The 24th annual Sounds of the Season concert was held Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, at Cape First Church in Cape Girardeau.

The annual Elf Races, sponsored by River Radio, were held Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau. Each racer received a $20 gift card to The Children's Place, and a $100 gift card was awarded to the winning racer.

The City of Jackson held its Christmas parade Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in Jackson.

Friends and family of Madison Robinson, a 15-year-old who was shot and killed in August, demonstrated in front of the Cape Girardeau city courthouse and police station Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, to call on the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's office to bring charges against a suspect in the case. In the hours after the shooting, police arrested Isaiah M. Lane, 29, and charged him with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon by shooting at a home and possession of a firearm by a felon. Last month, Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecutor Angel Woodruff dropped the charges due to "a lack of witness cooperation," according to previous reporting by the Southeast Missourian. Police said Saturday the case was still under investigation and progress is being made.

This year marks the tenth year La Croix Church has hosted meal packing events for Feed My Starving Children, a program which distributes meals to impoverished communities around the world. Event co-director Linda Watts said the volunteers performed work that is in the spirit of the Gospels - a work of ministry that will serve the less fortunate.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their best images from Nov. 2019.

Old Town Cape hosted the 28th annual Parade of Lights on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Cape Girardeau with "Christmas Lights and Winter Nights" as this year's theme. Following the parade, judges announced winners in the following categories: The Mattress Guys for best theme, SEMO Hogs for best business appearance, Dream Factory of SEMO for best nonprofit appearance, Crossroads Church for best music, Team Noah and Cyclewerx for best lighting, Meadow Heights for best marching band, and Delta Companies Inc. for the Chairman's Award. Next year's parade is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020.

Bob Blackwell gives a tour of his RV on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019, in McClure, Illinois, which he is renovating with the intention of traveling "coast-to-coast" to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer.

It rained, but local residents turned out anyway to sing Christmas carols and see Santa Claus light the enormous Christmas tree in the courtyard of the Vasterling Suites during the inaugural Christmas tree lighting ceremony hosted by Old Town Cape Friday, Nov. 29, 2019.

Cape Girardeau 11-year-old twins Matthew and Allee McKee find time to have fun in the Olson Family Garden with their parents Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, during a day of medical appointments at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Matthew was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in August and his twin sister donated the bone marrow for his Sept. 19 transplant.

Decorators with Forck's Lite Designs & Guttering construct a 30-foot Christmas tree with over 20,000 lights in the Vasterling Suites courtyard Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, at the corner of Broadway and North Fountain Streets in Cape Girardeau. For the first time this year, Old Town Cape is hosting a tree lighting event Friday beginning with Christmas caroling at 5:45 p.m. and live music from the Jerry Ford Ensemble, followed by the tree lighting ceremony at 6:20 p.m., led by Santa Claus himself. Holiday photos will be available after the ceremony, in addition to complimentary beverages and snacks at the Courtyard by Marriott. Top of the Marq and Baristas Coffee Bar.

Jefferson Elementary School fourth graders and their families were treated to a Thanksgiving meal Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau school. Employees of Red Letter Communications sponsored the meal.

After working as a local journalist for more than 32 years across four decades, the career of Southeast Missourian reporter Mark Bliss was celebrated at a retirement reception Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, inside the Bullpen at the Rust Center for Media in Cape Girardeau. Wednesday will mark Bliss's last day at the newspaper.

Area business figures were honored during a banquet hosted by the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

Emergency responders from Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Stoddard County trained Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, in deploying and deconstructing a new network of mobile medical tents at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The new emergency apparatus will allow first responders to create a sheltered medical facility in minutes.

Local fire departments and emergency personnel respond to 179 Rushing Road for a fire inside a bin at Midwest Grain and Barge on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in Scott City. The fire is the second to occur at the location in two weeks, with the first occurring Nov. 6.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department hosted a Fall Family Festival featuring hay rides, s'mores, martial arts demonstrations, yard games, a hay maze and more Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, at the Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau.

Alma Schrader Elementary School fourth graders sang holiday songs for patrons of West Park Mall in a "Santa Parade" on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, at the mall in Cape Girardeau. Children and families were already lined up to meet with Santa Claus following the procession.

Area residents came together for a good cause - cancer awareness - at Rusted Route Farms in Cape Girardeau during a gala to benefit the American Cancer Society Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019.

Nearly 500 people braved the cold to honor military veterans and the Stars and Stripes National Museum in Bloomfield, Missouri, at the inaugural Spirit of Democracy celebration Saturday at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. Proceeds from the event benefit the museum, which is devoted to the history of the nation's Stars and Stripes military newspaper.

Scenes from the Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau's 2019 Zonta Women of Achievement luncheon Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center.

Cape Girardeau Central High School's Air Force Junior ROTC program now has a competitive air rifle marksmanship team. Full story in the Good Times section of this weekend's newspaper.

Scenes from Southeast Missouri State University's annual dance showcase featuring students at the River Campus Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019.

From the Mind + Body magazine photo sessions with this year's Zonta Women of Achievement.

A 10-week-old golden retriever pup named Narwhal set the internet ablaze this week on account of a small tail growing out from between its eyes. Rochelle Steffen, founder of Mac's Mission animal rescue in Jackson, where Narwhal currently resides, said that the sudden flurry of attention (including from national morning shows and internet heavy-hitters) has brought a wave of adoption queries. Steffen said she will hold off on adopting out the pup until she can be confident he'll be in good hands.

Members of the Jackson High School choral department and student body hosted a program honoring veterans followed by a social event with students and veterans Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, in Jackson.

Local athlete Nathan Stearns, 23, made his professional MMA debut during Cage of Honor 78 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. In the weeks leading up to the fight, he poured himself into training, often rising at 2 a.m. to get a run in before starting his day job at Hardee's. In the end, it paid off. In a literal sense, he finally received a payout for participating in the headline bout and when he won, the announcer said the words he'd waited years to hear: undefeated professional.

After inclement weather forced the postponement of the homecoming tailgating festivities, alumni and fans turned out to Houck Stadium Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, to make up for lost time and cheer on the Redhawks.

Scenes from the GROW Afterschool Kids Club on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at the SNAP Outreach Center in Cape Girardeau. The Southeast Missourian was asked to only include children's first names for identification.

Area residents enjoyed a pasta lunch during the Parks & Recreation Foundation's Spaghetti Day, a Cape Girardeau tradition, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, at the A.C. Brase Arena.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their best images of Oct. 2019.

Alyssa Phares, president of the board of directors of the James Reynolds House Foundation, gives a tour of ongoing restoration work at the Reynolds House at 623 N. Main St. on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. Phares said the project is estimated to be completed by February 2020.

St. Paul Lutheran Church hosted its 10th annual Community Choral Festival on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Jackson. The event featured choir performances from First Baptist Church, Emmanuel United Church of Christ, New McKendree Methodist Church and St. Paul Lutheran.

Whether they’re suiting up in the uniform of a popular superhero or transforming into something a little more ghoulish, Halloween night is often a busy one for kids and their families. That’s true of the Monroe family and their six children who live just north of Cape Girardeau. The Southeast Missourian spent Halloween night with the Monroe family to get a sense of what the holiday is like for a big family.

Fright lingered in the chilly air on Halloween night as plain-clothed and costumed patrons navigated through a field of fears Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at the annual Haunted Hall of Horror at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

People gathered to make bed rolls during an Ugly Quilt Weekend event Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at St. Vincent de Paul Parish's De Paul Center in Cape Girardeau. Kathy Berkbigler, volunteer coordinator for the Ugly Quilt program, said event participants were making bed rolls for the homeless. “They can crawl into it and stay warm,” she said.

The Honorable Young Men Club hosted Missouri lawmakers to discuss the positive effects of the program and explore the possibilities of implementing similar programs elsewhere.

Jackson took the title in two sets, beating the Poplar Bluff Mules to win the Semo Conference volleyball championship Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau Sportsplex.

A group of 50 fourth-grade students from Jefferson Elementary School “worked” for an hour Friday morning, Oct. 18, 2019, at a number of local businesses and earned a paycheck while learning about local career options.

A free open house was held at Crisp Museum on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, featuring build-your-own sock monsters, wooden pumpkin painting and a scavenger hunt throughout the museum in Cape Girardeau.

A family-friendly fall event to benefit the Southeast Missouri Music Academy was held Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in Cape Girardeau. The event featured appearances from local mascots and performances from multiple local acts, free horse rides, face painting and a bounce house.

Herpetology enthusiasts from across the country travelled to Wolf Lake, Illinois, for a herpetology meet-up to view the autumn migration of wildlife along Snake Road on Oct. 5, 2019, at LaRue-Pine Hills.

Scott City residents young and old celebrated the history of the railway during Railroad Heritage Day Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, at the Scott City Historical Museum in Scott City.

Local women (and men) hit the runway Saturday to raise money for the Safe House for Women during the annual Vintage Now Fashion Show Oct. 19, 2019 at the Show Me Center.

Students successfully ducked for cover during a scheduled earthquake drill Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, at Blanchard Elementary, during which Principal Barbara Kohlfeld shared with students information about the nearby New Madrid fault line.

Students at Cape Girardeau Central High School held a dress rehearsal of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall in Cape Girardeau.

Jackson Rotary Pancake Day was Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at the New McKendree United Methodist Church's south campus in Jackson. Pancake day coordinator Dana Townsend said this is the 70th holding of the event scheduled this year from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. “A couple of us have been here since about 4:30 this morning and I’ll be here until probably 9 o’clock tonight,” Townsend said. “It’s definitely an all-day affair.”

Crossroads Church in Jackson hosted a free worship night Sunday, Oct. 14, 2019, featuring music from the worship band and a selection of food trucks for guests.

A multi-denominational group of local pro-life supporters demonstrated in front of the Cemetery of the Innocent on Oct. 13, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. The local demonstration was held for National Life Chain 2019, a nationwide demonstration of pro-life support on Oct. 6, 2019, but rescheduled locally due to rain.

A selection of images from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri's events and major milestones in recent history.

Runners and walkers came out to the Saint Francis Foundation’s first Color Dash on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. Race coordinator Ashley Gentry said funds raised from the race go to the Dig for Life program which provides free screenings for the top four cancers in the area including lung, prostate, colon and breast. The dash consisted of a 5K race and a walking event.

Scenes from the Saxon Lutheran Memorial's 39th annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Frohna, Missouri. The event included crafts, food, music and 1800s demonstrations.

Area residents enjoyed carnival rides, polka music and traditional German fare at Chaffee's annual festival Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at Frisco Park in Chaffee.

The PRIDE organization at Southeast Missouri State University hosted its annual drag show Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, at the University Center Ballroom in Cape Girardeau.

The musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’” premiered Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in Cape Girardeau. Cast member Anthony Michael Shepard of St. Louis described the production, billed as “The Fats Waller Musical Show,” as artwork that “encapsulates a piece of the African-American experience.” The Southeast Missourian spent time with the cast behind-the-scenes prior to the premier. The final performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the River Campus.

Southeast Missouri native singer-songwriter Jessie Ritter performed Friday, Oct. 11, 2019, in Cape Girardeau at Larry and Jean Underberg's in-home concert venue.

For their Homecoming game, St. Vincent's hosted St. Pius X but came up short, losing to St. Pius X 30-6 Friday, Oct. 11, 2019, in Perryville.

Hundreds turned out to browse vendors, socialize and participate in cardio drumming during the TBY Active Living Expo, hosted by the Southeast Missourian and rustmedia Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at the Isle Casino in Cape Girardeau.

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri held an event Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at Laughing Gas Comedy in Cape Girardeau to announce a new capital campaign aiming to raise 3.7 million dollars for the construction of a new animal adoption center.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsored Fields of Faith at Houck Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, which brought together high school and college students from throughout the region for a night of prayer and worship.

The Young at Heart senior bowling league met Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, for scheduled play at Jackson Lanes.

Scenes from the fall 2019 Downtown Tailgate Flea Market after the market was forced to close early in the afternoon Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Retired Harlem Globetrotter Michael Douglas stopped by Elite Car Wash Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, to shoot hoops and sign autographs for fans.

Despite a brief rain shower, hundreds of area residents took to Uptown Jackson to enjoy food, music and, of course, plenty of beer during the annual Uptown Jackson Oktoberfest Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.

Services, lunch and free haircuts were available to area residents during the annual Project Homeless Connect Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

The Jackson Indians defeated Farmington 35-14 on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, in Farmington, Missouri.

Both in times of joy and in times of heartache, Southeast Missourian photojournalists strive to visually tell the stories of those in our communities. Here’s a look at some of the photography staff’s best journalism from Sept. 2019.

The River Ridge Winery's final grape pick of the year took place Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, in a vineyard at the winery in Commerce, Missouri. The winery recently marked its 25th anniversary after opening Sept. 17, 1994. “Basically you put your heart and soul into the whole thing and then you hope your heart and soul tastes like good wine,” winery co-owner Rob Bullock said.

Bands from around the region visited Jackson Tuesday to participate in a larger-than-normal Jackson Band Festival, which celebrated its 75th year this year.

Local police officers, firefighters and conservation agents took part in the Fraternal Order of Police Post 51‘s third annual Fishing Rodeo on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at Cape County Park North in Cape Girardeau. The community event provided children with free activities including fishing, food and a K-9 demonstration.

Fans packed Ivers Square Saturday for another round of the second-annual Shipyard music festival Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the first day of the Shipyard Music and Culture Festival 2019 on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Jody Burton, originally of Kelso, Missouri, and now Scott City, worked with some of his radio-controlled cars Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, in Scott City. “They are a kid at heart,” 50-year-old Burton said of those in the RC community. “You wouldn’t believe some of the people that’s into it that you wouldn’t even think. You know. We’re talking doctors, lawyers … the kid at heart.”

Jackson High School students gathered in prayer during a See You at the Pole event Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, near a flagpole at the school in Jackson.

A dress rehearsal for the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus's action-packed production of "The Three Musketeers" is held Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall in Cape Girardeau. Showings of the performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 25 to 28, and at 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 and 29.

Another East Perry Community Fair is on the books, as hundreds of attendees turned out to enjoy the food, activities and, of course, mule jumping Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019.

The first-ever motorcycle pilgrimage to Missouri's National Veterans Memorial wall took place Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Perryville. Motorcyclists drove from Springfield to Perryville to see the memorial wall.

Scenes from the final day of the inaugural Cape Anime Con on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Hundreds of congregants from Methodist churches throughout southeast Missouri and further gather Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at Old McKendree Chapel in Jackson to celebrate the church's bicentennial with food trucks, games, and a camp style worship service. The celebration commemorated the 200th anniversary of the chapel's construction, built under the leadership of Rev. John Scripps on land donated by William Williams, and the 200th anniversary of Missouri's first annual conference, held Sept. 14, 1819, in the newly constructed McKendree Chapel. Choir members from nine area churches combined voices to form the Southeast District Choir under the direction of Misty Rivers, and Bishop Robert Farr delivered the sermon for the bicentennial worship service.

Scenes from the annual Day on the River event Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, at the Mississippi River in downtown Cape Girardeau. Attendees were given the chance to take a boat ride on the river, get up close with live fish, try out bowfishing and other activities.

Tara and Dru Reeves show their collection of recused reptiles and pets during a nightly feeding on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019, at their home in Jackson. The couple operates the reptile rescue out of their home and currently house about three dozen animals.

West Lane Elementary holds a a community open house Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, in Jackson with student-guided tours of the school's newest improvements made possible with funding from Proposition J. The improvements helped the school accommodate smaller class sizes while also making the school building safer.

Joe Kirchdoerfer was 14 when he started showing jersey cattle at the SEMO District Fair, but that was 70 years ago. The dairy farmer can now boast seven decades under his belt as a jersey cattle exhibitor at the annual fair. On Monday at the fair, the Kirchdoerfer family showed in the jersey competition and celebrated Joe's achievement during a following meal.

The storied history of the Cape Central/Jackson football rivalry added another installment on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, this time with Jackson blanking the Tigers on their home turf in Jackson 35-0. Here's a few moments from the stands as supporters young and old pulled for their boys.

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer's took place Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, at Cape Girardeau County Park North in Cape Girardeau. According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, a blue flower stands for a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia; a purple flower represents a person who has lost someone to the disease; a yellow flower stands for a person who is supporting or caring for a person with Alzheimer’s; and orange is for “everyone who supports the cause and vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.”

Students and teachers at Jefferson Elementary School got a chance to show off their styles in a school fashion show Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, at the school in Cape Girardeau. Principal Leigh Ragsdale said some of Jefferson’s students “love fashion so much” and many Jefferson teachers are “inspired by fashion.” “Why not bring that to light and create a fashion show and an experience that they’ll remember?” she said.

Jefferson Elementary School kindergarteners got a chance to make apple crisp Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, at the school in Cape Girardeau.

The rumble is tremendous. It can be felt even outside the fence that rings the dirt track at the Patton Saddle Club. It looks like a half-dozen riding lawn mowers lining up, but these machines are stripped down and rebuilt for one purpose: speed. The kind of speed that can get out of hand if you're not careful. Dangerously fast. But come evening every other Saturday throughout the summer, drivers from around Southeast Missouri and beyond suit up to throw open the throttle. Many racers insist that with enough money –ten grand, maybe– and a competent driver, a lawn mower will do highway speeds. Whether that's true or not, the racers who flock to Patton certainly act like that's the goal. Here are a few scenes from a night at the dirt track with some of the fastest mowers around.

Area residents enjoyed special prices on carnival ride tickets Thursday night at the SEMO District Fair.

Scenes from the SEMO District Fair during its fourth day, including performances at the Arena Park grandstand by Christian artists Francesca Battistelli and Jason Crabb on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes of the Avenue of Flags assembly for Patriot Day on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, at Cape Girardeau County Park North in Cape Girardeau. Retired Navy Capt. David Cantrell, chairman of the Avenue of Flags, said this was the first time he has been able to be present for the assembly since the June motorcycle accident from which he lost a portion of his left leg. “Seeing what everybody did in my absence … it gave me a lot of hope and courage and inspiration when I was at some pretty low points,” Cantrell said. A First Responders Appreciation BBQ is scheduled for 3 p.m. to dusk today at Cape Girardeau County Park North. Cantrell is one of the BBQ's organizers.

In farming circles, raising and exhibiting livestock is often a rite of passage; a way for youngsters to display (or build) a sense of responsibility, while sometimes even making a little money while they're at it. A portion this year's SEMO District Fair livestock competition took place Wednesday morning and the Southeast Missourian was there to take a look behind the scenes.

Scenes from the SEMO District Fair during its third day, featuring Heartland Idol at the grandstand and a mother-daughter look alike competition.

A group of Marble Hill, Missouri, residents find entertainment Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in a pool hall attached to the back of M & J's buy-and-sell in Marble Hill.

Cyclists, runners and pedestrians travel the Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the SEMO District Fair Parade and other fair happenings Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Area residents and supporters of downtown Cape Girardeau attended the Charles L. Hutson Auction, with proceeds going to fund Old Town Cape, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at the Isle Casino in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their best images from August 2019.

The 2019 B Magazine Newsmakers awards reception was held Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau.

A collection of action photos and portraits of Kelly graduate Samantha Ratledge.

Scenes from Fawkesfest19 on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, at The Library in Cape Girardeau. The two-day event, scheduled to feature 55 bands, was held at multiple locations Friday and Saturday in downtown Cape Girardeau. Half of the profits benefit the Safe House for Women and Honorable Young Men Club.

It's hot, like, August-in-Missouri hot, and you're covered in fine, pale chalkdust from exploring the gravel backroads of Madison County with the windows down. What could feel better than a plunge into the clear waters at Amidon Memorial Conservation Area? Swimming holes are hallmark of summer in rural Missouri, and to those in the know, Amidon's secluded waters (and more well-known pink rock shut-ins) are a rare treat, often passed on from parents to children and so on. We spent some time getting to know the area and what it means to the people who visit.

For racers young and old, the mud racing tradition continued at the annual Neighbor Days festival Saturday Aug. 31, 2019 in Benton.

Emergency personnel search for the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck driven more than 20 miles north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 55 before crashing near the 111 mile marker and fleeing on foot into the woods near the Cape County Cowboy Church on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, east of Oak Ridge, Missouri. A body found near mile marker 88 was identified as Claude L. Nix, 42, of Jackson, Tennessee. Law enforcement deployed K-9 units and aerial search units, but the search was suspended in the late afternoon and the suspect was not apprehended.

Hundreds of new and classic Corvette cars filled downtown Cape Girardeau on Tuesday afternoon with a parade followed by an evening car show before continuing on their journey to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the National Corvette Museum.

Emergency personnel responded around 10:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, to the 900 block of Jefferson Avenue in Cape Girardeau. At the scene, Cape Girardeau Police Department officer Richard McCall was only able to confirm that shots were fired and two people were transported to the hospital. Injuries were not known to the Southeast Missourian as of 1:30 a.m. Sunday. McCall said the police department would send out a news release Sunday.

Moments from Egypt Fest 2019 on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, on the grounds of the Egypt Mills Antique Tractor Club in Egypt Mills. David Powers, president of the tractor club, said this is the 37th time the event has been held. “Seems like all my neighbors are here,” Powers said. “It’s just a little small-town setting and, I don’t know, it’s just simple.”

This collection of images presents scenes from various Sunday afternoons around Cape Girardeau.

Retired Navy captain David Cantrell lost the lower portion of his left leg in a motorcycle accident in June, after which he said the Avenue of Flags (of which he is a leading advocate) and the community of volunteers and veterans who help keep it running became a major source of hope in the face of depression, multiple surgeries and a long road to recovery.

Every year, area residents nominate active citizens to be recognized as Newsmakers. This year's selections represent a variety of community involvement, from patriotic memorials to mentoring the next group of community leaders. Here's to the Newsmakers!

The third annual Yak 'n Run took place Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, at Trail of Tears State Park in Cape Girardeau County. The contest began with a kayak trip on Lake Boutin followed by a trail run. Debbie Leoni, race director for the Yak 'n Run, said all proceeds go to myTEAM Triumph.

Scenes of Procter & Gamble through the years from the Southeast Missourian archives.

Students, teachers, families and alumni from Notre Dame Regional High School filled the school gymnasium Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, to send-off former principal Brother David Anthony Migliorino, OSF, to a new assignment at Saint Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, New York. The Franciscan monk served as principal at Notre Dame for over 20 years. A search for a new principal for Notre Dame has begun, and classes at the high school are scheduled to begin Thursday.

Families and friends spend an afternoon at Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Moments from the Honorable Young Men Club's “Back 2 School Jam-Munity” event Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at Indian Park in Cape Girardeau. “This is something that we don’t really see that much as far as kids having stuff to do out in the community. And, umm, what a way to just start the year off right,” Honorable Young Men Club co-founder Kweku Arkorful, originally of Ghana and now Cape Girardeau, said. “Our goal is just continue to bring that community together so that it’s not all segregated and we just have just one village.”

Scenes from the first day of the 27th annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

Moments from the first day of school Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. “I had this vision that I want our kids to dream big and I want our kids to have a sense of belonging when they are here,” principal Leigh Ragsdale said.

Groups of student volunteers welcome incoming freshman and parents to the Southeast Missouri State University campus during move-in day Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

A special dog yoga class hosted by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at the 4-H Exhibit Hall in Arena Park gave dogs and owners an opportunity to practice stretches together and learn challenging balance poses. The session began with a dog meet and greet and a group walk, followed by a "doga" session. The event also featured a display from Mac's Mission and treats from Mississippi Mutts.

Moments from opening night of the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Sikeston, Missouri.

Scenes from the “5th annual Tay Day," in reference to the late Detavian L. Richardson, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. The event was organized around the fifth anniversary of the Cape Girardeau shooting deaths of Richardson, 20, and Zatrun R. Twiggs, 28, on Aug. 3, 2014.

Harry Hatton emerged victorious after the Cape First Demolition Derby held Friday, August 9, 2019, in Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

Robert Laird and Anthony Benson play in the Mississippi River on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, at Riverfront Park in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau Public Schools host its fourth annual Back to School Fair on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, in the Tiger Field House at Terry W. Kitchen Central Junior High School. The free event provided families access to a number of resources provided by nonprofits and businesses across the area including free haircuts, immunizations, school supplies and food.

Attracting over 20,000 people over the course of three days, the St. Vincent de Paul Seminary Picnic is held the first weekend of August with traditional entertainment attractions including bingo, locally cooked food and music.

The riverboat, American Queen, docked Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019, along the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from an opening reception for Southeast Missouri State University’s Summer Art Academy exhibit Friday, Aug. 2, 2019, at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, 16 N. Spanish St., in Cape Girardeau. The work is on display until Aug. 31.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their best images from July 2019.

Moments from the efforts of three father-son pairs to become certified open water divers. Full story in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

Homecomers wrapped up festivities Saturday with more dancing, food and carnival attractions in Uptown Jackson.

Hundreds filled uptown Jackson to celebrate Homecomers, Jackson's annual festival, Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Vietnam veterans were honored during a special ceremony since, as veteran and Jackson Alderman Dave Hitt told the crowd, many veterans felt unwelcome upon their return from Vietnam to a populace whose attitude toward the war had largely soured.

Scenes from Ty’s Summer Sno on Thursday, July 18, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. On Thursday afternoon, an excessive heat warning was in effect with top heat index values ranging from around 105 to 110 degrees expected in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

On July 5, the Rev. David Dissen marked the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the Lutheran ministry. “I love the work. I love the people,” Dissen said about his profession. Read the full story in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

July 20 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing; the first time humans walked on the moon. Even after 5 decades, Neil Armstrong's photos of himself and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, standing lightly on the gray dust, set against the endless inky expanse of outer space, still inspire awe. In honor of that occasion, these are a selection of historic archival photos, as well as the front page of the Southeast Missourian from that historic weekend.

Scenes from the Oran Sesquicentennial Celebration on Saturday, July 20, 2019, at Tilles Memorial City Park in Oran, Missouri. On July 16, the community marked its 150th anniversary.

Local "celebrities" took to the dance floor to raise money to combat homelessness during the Dancing with Show Me Stars, organized by Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri.

Disney princesses, live violinists, fingernail stations, a photo booth and coloring activities were provided for entertainment at a Daddy Daughter Tea Party hosted by Chick-Fil-A on Thursday, July 18, 2019, at the Jackson Civic Center.

Scenes of former NASA astronaut and Southeast Missouri native Linda Godwin's experiences from STS-108 Shuttle Mission on which she served as mission specialist.

The remnants of Tropical Depression Barry will bring heavy rain to parts of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois from Monday morning through Tuesday evening, according to a Sunday afternoon alert from the National Weather Service. The alert said rainfall amounts are forecast to vary from 3 to 5 inches across the area with the possibility of isolated higher amounts. “To say we’re nervous is to put it mildly,” East Cape Girardeau resident Jason Tubbs said. “Our whole town is on edge right now.” On Sunday, July 14, 2019, some residents could be found installing barriers to help slow waves on the floodwaters before the waves hit sandbag walls.

The Honorable Young Men Club partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation for a camping trip near the Castor River in Bollinger County, full of fishing, archery, canoeing and other activities.

Dozens of protesters gathered in conjunction with Lights for Liberty, a worldwide demonstration Friday, July 12, 2019, at Capaha Park's Freedom Corner in Cape Girardeau. The demonstration was held to denounce controversial U.S. immigration policy as well as subpar conditions in migrant detention centers which have become a cultural flashpoint in recent weeks.

Members of the county commission, as well as some project managers from Penzel Construction, granted a tour to the Southeast Missourian to see the progress on the justice center in uptown Jackson, which they said is on schedule for completion next spring.

Scenes from the 19th annual Parks and Rec Day on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

For these three Southeast Missouri businessmen, fashion is about more than looking good at the office; it's about creating a brand for themselves, an association with a particular signature item that shows their personality not only while they're at work, but also while they're out and about in the community. In the most recent B Magazine, they share the purpose behind their iconic looks.

People heading from East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, to Cape Girardeau have been dealing with a wet commute. Many are parking vehicles along a dry area of Illinois Route 146 leading toward the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge and then finding various ways to navigate a flooded portion of Route 146 between the bridge and East Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the Movin' and Groovin' dance program Monday, July 8, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Youth Services Coordinator Sharon Anderson said singing and rhyming are early literacy skills for kids to learn. "Rhyming they learn to, you know, hear those little parts of words and put them together and take them apart," Anderson said. She said at least 60 kids were in attendance at the annual event.

McClure Illinois residents, though physically and mentally exhausted from fighting the still-creeping-upward floodwaters, remain diligent in their efforts and hopeful that another week of steady weather (and no rain) may bring the beginning of the floodwaters' slow recession. A ride-along with the sandbaggers and river-watchers of McClure:

Cape Girardeau, Jackson and the surrounding areas enjoyed annual traditions for Independence Day including mud volleyball, fireworks and more.

Dozens of area residents turned out Wednesday morning, July 3, 2019, to install flags along the Avenue of Flags at Cape County Park North.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their best images from June 2019.

Jon K. Rust, Publisher of the Southeast Missourian, spent an afternoon with Cape Girardeau County Commissioner and part-time apiarist (beekeeper) Paul Koeper to find out both how the hives work and how Koeper operates the business end of selling local raw honey.

Locals turned out for the Red Door Summer Block Party and Community Meal on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at Christ Episcopal Church in Cape Girardeau. "This Sunday, because it happens to be Pride Month, we decided at Cape Pride as well as Cape PFLAG that we were all gonna team up together and put on this block party for our community," said Amber Moyers, who works at the church and is president of Cape Pride. "We just want to bring people together."

Moments from Cape Girardeau Community Art Day on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at Ranney Park in Cape Girardeau. Local artist Malcolm McCrae said the event was a chance for people "to create and come together as a community to be able to celebrate each other.” The event also acted as a debut for the “Pollination Station” art bus. “We using Mother Nature as the blueprint,” McCrae said regarding the name of the bus. “Just like animals pollinate the world, we pollinate the world with positivity and good energy.” McCrae said at the beginning of August the bus will be leaving for Connecticut and will be making other stops, at places such as schools and community centers, across the country.

Area dancers showed off their moves on the dance floor at Fingerprint Urban Dance Studio Saturday, June 29, 2019.

Here are a few scenes from Monday, June 24, 2019, in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, as residents continue to deal with flooding.

During Friday afternoon’s storm, Cornerstone Wesleyan Church caught fire resulting in the destruction of the structure at 210 E. Outer Road in Scott City. “It was very hard to watch,” the Rev. Tommy Miller said. “It’s a building, but the church is in our hearts.” Here are scenes of the congregation in the days following the fire.

Linemen and residents alike set about clearing debris and assessing damage in the wake of a fast-moving storm that rolled through the area Friday afternoon, bringing winds of 60-70 mph.

Severe weather caused a considerable amount of damage to homes, trees, powerlines and more Friday, June 21, 2019. The storm also tore a portion of the roof off of American Legion Post 158.

Scenes from Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center on Monday, June 17, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the 2019 River Campus Summer Arts Festival on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

While most seniors spend their retirement years relaxing, Carl and Donna Holmes are spending theirs raising their great-grandson, Jayce. Across an age difference of 65 years, Carl, 70, and his wife Donna, 65, care for Jayce, 5, who lost his mother to the opioid epidemic about two years ago. Here are moments from their day Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Jackson.

Although more than 1,000 miles from where the game was physically played, locals gathered in Cape Girardeau to watch as the St. Louis Blues claimed their first Stanley Cup in franchise history with a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 7. Here are a few scenes of reaction from viewers at Dogwood Social House on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Residents of the trailer park on the northeast side of East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, evacuated the area Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in East Cape Girardeau. “We have nowhere to really turn,” trailer park resident Brandi Walters said. “I have a couple friends that is willing to open their home to us.” Walters, who lives with her daughter and boyfriend, said they are staying with friends Tuesday night. In response to area flooding, an American Red Cross shelter opened Tuesday at Spark Ministries Church at 40842 Illinois Route 3 in McClure, Illinois, according to a news release from American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas. Those coming to the shelter should bring: a few days worth of clothing, bedding including pillows and blankets, toiletries, essential medication and items for children.

Members of the Illinois National Guard helped build up existing sandbag barriers to hold back floodwaters Monday, June 10, 2019, along Brookwood Drive in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois. The Mississippi River will crest near 46.3 feet at Cape Girardeau late Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Locals watched the St. Louis Blues take on the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 9, 2019, at Dogwood Social House in Cape Girardeau. The Bruins defeated the Blues 5-1 to force a seventh and final game scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Moments from the Scott County All-Stars' experience in the championship game of the 2019 Kelso 11U Showdown on Sunday, June 2, 2019, in Kelso, Missouri. The team defeated the SEMO Cardinals 5-2. “Just trying to make kids better. That’s all we’re trying to do,” head coach Matt Asher said. “Winning obviously makes everything a little bit better, but we’re just trying to do things right."

Scenes from a Youth Catch & Release event Saturday, June 8, 2019, at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. The event was hosted by Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation and the Cape Girardeau Jaycees.

A statue of a black, Civil War-era Union Soldier was unveiled during a ceremony Saturday, June 8, 2019, at Ivers Square in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from May 2019.

Scenes from simulated “Shaken Fury” exercises, centered around a situation involving response to a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. The exercises included members of Missouri Task Force One, an urban search-and-rescue team, and local first responders who retrieved live participants and prop dummies from the simulated “structural collapse” of a building which was prepared in advance for the exercise.

Scenes of floodwaters from the view of the Southeast Missourian's drone.

Scenes from the first year of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Cape Central High School. For cadets in the program, Col. Michael Goodin, senior aerospace science instructor with the AFJROTC program, said there are opportunities for success and the chance to develop new life skills that help “prepare them to go out into the world after high school and succeed.” Read the full story in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

Scenes from the Summer Fun Day event Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the Bollinger Mill State Historic Site in Burfordville, Missouri. Attendees had to chance to explore the mill and covered bridge as well as grab a bite to eat and play lawn games.

Scenes from Memorial Day at Fort D Historic Site on Monday, May 27, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. Scott House of Cape Girardeau said he and other local reenactors at the Fort D event enjoy “keeping this place alive and bringing history to life here.”

Scenes from the annual 100-mile yard sale Sunday, May 26, 2019, along Highway 25. The sale stretches from Jackson going south to Kennett, Missouri.

Contestants took part in a cardboard boat contest during a free pool party to start off the 2019 season Saturday, May 25, 2019, at the Scott City Community Pool.

Area residents carried flags and other patriotic paraphernalia to pay tribute to service members during March to the River, an annual event organized by Semovets and Carry the Load Saturday, May 25, 2019, on city streets in Cape Girardeau.

Jackson High School Graduation 2019 at the Show Me Center Friday, May 24, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Moments from Notre Dame Regional High School's 91st graduating class commencement Sunday, May 19, 2019, at the school in Cape Girardeau. “It’s a really weird feeling and it was a lot more emotional than I expected it to be,” Notre Dame graduate and student body president Lily Parker said. “I’m just really going to miss all the amazing memories that we’ve created with my friends. And it’s just been a great four years.”

Emily Medlock graduated from Central High School on Sunday, May 12, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. It’s Mother’s Day, but that’s not the only reason it’s significant, it’s special because Emily, now 18, has a two-year-old son, Phoenix Young. While raising her son — whom she got pregnant with freshman year — Emily achieved top 10% recognition of her senior class, and received a scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State in the fall for nursing.

Moments from the grand opening of Missouri's National Veterans Memorial on Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Perryville, Missouri. The memorial features a full-scale replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The grand opening continues Sunday.

Scenes from the Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The festival continues Sunday.

Scenes from the United Way of Southeast Missouri’s Over the Edge fundraising event Friday, May 17, 2019, in Cape Girardeau. Elizabeth Shelton, executive director of United Way of Southeast Missouri, said the event raises money for all of the United Way’s 24 partners and 30 programs. “I hope next year will be even bigger and better,” she said.

Moments from the season's first Tunes at Twilight, where the U.S. Navy Blue Angels made an appearance, Friday, May 17, 2019, at Ivers Square near Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

Moments from Cape Central High School's Class of 2019 Commencement on Sunday, May 12, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. "We've worked really hard and come a long way," graduate Hannah Hansen said after the ceremony. "And it's hard to believe that this day's final come, but it's amazing. It feels so great. And I'm ready to continue with my life."

Southeast Missouri State University hosted Governor Mike Parson during their 2019 spring commencement Saturday, May 11, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

2019 Flourish Ladies Night Out at the Osage Centre Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Cape Girardeau

Chaffee High School held its graduation Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Our photography staff's curated list of top moments from April.

Cape Girardeau's first gay pride festival was held Saturday, May 4, 2019.

Scenes from the annual May Procession on Sunday, May 5, 2019, held this year at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Perryville. The procession was supposed to be held at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville, but was moved “due to recent and upcoming weather conditions," according to the Association of the Miraculous Medal website.

Moments from Jackson High School's 2019 Prom on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at the school in Jackson.

Scenes from Notre Dame Regional High School's Prom on Friday, May 3, 2019, at Bavarian Halle in Jackson.

Moments from Leopold High School's "Masquerade at Midnight" prom Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Leopold, Missouri.

Scenes from Cape Comic Con on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. The event continues Sunday.

Cape Central High School Prom was held Saturday, April 27, 2019, at Ray's Banquet Center in Cape Girardeau.

The 24th annual Farm Day sponsored by the Southeast Missouri Cattlemen's Association at Flickerwood Arena Wednesday, April 24, 2019, in Jackson. Over 800 students attended Farm Day and learned about a variety of farm-related topics from forestry to soil conservation, as well as farm animals and honey bees.

Scenes from an Easter sunrise service at Cape Girardeau County Park North in Cape Girardeau and a helicopter Easter egg drop at Connection Point Church in Jackson on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The sunrise service, hosted by Cape Bible Chapel and City Church, was a way to try to experience what it would have been like for Jesus' early followers to realize he had risen from the dead, according to City Church pastor Matt McDonald.

Moments from the 2019 Cape Girardeau Little League Wrestling program. "The main thing is we want the kids to have some fun and just get a wrestling background," Ronald Coleman Jr. said. "Our mentality is to not only change the community, but to change our program. ... It's through, you know, the kids that we could have a successful junior high and high school program." Read the full story in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

With a little bit of magic, kids -- and adults -- become royalty with the help of the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation Princess Tea.

Scenes from the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday, April 15, 2019, in Paris.

Moments from Jackson In Bloom on Saturday, April 13, 2019, in uptown Jackson. “We like to encourage people to garden and to enjoy their space they live in in a community,” Jackson In Bloom committee chairwoman Cassi Holcomb said. The event included plant sales, tours of Taylor Twins Memorial Garden, games, tractors and crafts.

Princesses and princes of all ages mingled for songs and dancing during the SoutheastHEALTH Princess Tea Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Adult and Teen Challenge Mid-America hosted it's annual spring banquet Saturday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Oak Ridge held its 2019 senior prom Saturday, April 13, at the Jackson Elks Lodge in Jackson, Missouri.

Moments from Delta High School's prom on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the Delta Community Center.

Woodland High School celebrated its rustic chic themed senior prom Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the University Center in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Central High School's spring musical production of "Mamma Mia!" during media night Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

The SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence held a formal dance for all abilities Friday, April 12, 2019.

Scenes from TBY Spring Fling on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at the Jackson Civic Center.

Kelly High School held prom Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Kelly High School in Benton. Lauren Lambert and Tyler Wolf were named Prom Queen and King respectively.

Chaffee High School held its prom Saturday, April 6, 2019, in Southeast Missouri State's University Center in Cape Girardeau. Breven Yarbro and Sara Burch were named prom king and queen at the Hollywood-themed celebration.

Athletes from across Southeast Missouri competed in the Southeast Area Special Olympics track and field meet Saturday, April 6, 2019, at the Southeast Missouri State University Student Recreation Center in Cape Girardeau.

Moments from Scott City's prom Saturday, April 6, 2019, at Deerfield Lodge in Cape Girardeau. “I guess like most of time like people always get mad at each other during school and stuff. But like here it doesn’t really matter. Everyone kind of dances with everyone like it brings everyone together,” Scott City senior Shelby Seyer said about prom.

Students earned votes for which teacher(s) would get pied in the face when they brought in donations to raise money for their end-of-the-year play day that is free to students. Through students and other donations, the school raised $550 towards their play day activities.

The Cape Girardeau Rotary celebrated its 100th anniversary Friday at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists share their favorite images of March 2019.

Scenes from election day Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Congregants sang, danced and even performed a skit to honor historic women of color during the 14th annual Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Tribute Sunday, Mar. 31, 2019 at St. James AME Church in Cape Girardeau.

Moments from the fish fry Friday, March 29, 2019, at the Scott City Knights of Columbus. David Glastetter, a Knight of Columbus originally from Kelso, Missouri, and now of Cape Girardeau, said the fish fries have been taking place at the location since the late 1980s.

Scenes from the 50th annual Lincoln Day celebration Saturday, March 23, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Wandering into the Southeast Missouri State University Baptist Student Center on Friday evenings, there's a sense of family and camaraderie among individuals sharing a few important connections: Chinese culture and faith. Nearly three years ago, Ron Winstead and his wife, Ina, connected with Chen Wu to create a community-focused Bible study that would allow Chinese students to be exposed to both English and Christianity, through ministries beginning at First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

A look inside drum lessons with Samuel Tyler, 14, who was born without hands or feet but who has found a way to play the drums for the past three years at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2019.

Scenes from the 10th annual Howard Aslinger Endurance Run on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. Race director Kim Kelpe of Cape Girardeau said the event, named for her late father, raises money for the Howard Aslinger Foundation which provides scholarships to people with disabilities. “I think he’d be really proud of all of us. It’s really a family event,” she said of her father. The 24-hour running portion of the event started at 7 p.m. Friday lasting until 7 p.m. Saturday.

The 8th annual Cross Rivers Roots and Blues Festival at Port Cape Girardeau and the 31st annual Downtown Cape Girardeau Pub Crawl took place Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from a Baby's First Food Workshop led by registered dietitian Ellen Gipson of Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at Discovery Playhouse in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the 81st annual Lions Club Pancake Day on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. Lions Club member Rhett Hendrickson, general chairman of the pancake committee, said the event is the longest continuous pancake day in the United States. “It’s an institution in Cape Girardeau,” Hendrickson said.

Grant Roseman of Jackson, 15, took the top honor in the 63rd annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. As a result of winning, Roseman now gets to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair on May 12 to 17 in Phoenix. Read the full story in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

The Friends Gala, to benefit Saint Francis Healthcare System's CancerCare and CardiacCare patient funds, was held Saturday, March 9, 2019, at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Shannon Aldridge lost his daughter, Sahara, in 2007 after a battle with brain cancer. In the years since then, he's found solace in running and this year will run the Boston Marathon as a member of the St. Jude Heroes team, which raises money for cancer research.

Scenes from Ash Wednesday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the season of Lent.

Scenes from the 10th annual Brew Movement Against Multiple Sclerosis on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers share their favorite moments of Feb. 2019.

The Old Town Cape 20th anniversary dinner celebration at the Isle Casino Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Images of Houck stadium and Southeast Missouri State University football

The Cape Noon Optimist Club hosted its annual Chili Day on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

The panelists of Living While Black pose for a portrait before the Living While Black panel discussion Monday, Feb. 25, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

With smiles and curiosity on their faces, soon-to-be big siblings enter the Harrison Room of Southeast Hospital with their parents to participate in a class to expose them to what it’s like to be a big brother or sister.

Former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and Jackson native Roy Thomas met with fans and signed autographs Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Jackson. Thomas is the co-creator of the character Wolverine and succeeded the late Stan Lee as editor-in-chief at Marvel Comics.

Moments from Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation’s 10th annual Mother Son Game Night on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex.

The Otto F. Dingeldein Award ceremony Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from a performance of “Sister Act” on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in Cape Girardeau. The musical comedy, based on the 1992 film of the same name, continues with performances through Sunday.

From jelly filled to classic glazed, from Long Johns to Apple Fritters, doughnuts are a sought-after way to feed a sweet tooth. Read the photo essay featuring the fried goodies in the Southeast Missourian's Weekend Edition.

Moments from the 11th annual Father Daughter Dance on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

A car is towed out of the Mississippi River Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2019, at the Red Star Dock in Cape Girardeau while first responders and officials watch. Witnesses called police Monday night after watching the car, which was later found to have had one male inside, drive into the river.

After 75 years of marriage, Leon and Allene Ainsworth remember the first time they met like it was yesterday. And in their first year of marriage, Jim Mullins and his bride Eva are proving every day that it's never too late to fall in love.

150 selections from 30 schools all over southeast Missouri were featured during the 41st annual Exhibiting Excellence high school art exhibit at the Crisp Museum at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019.

Scenes from the 13th annual Penguin Party on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Drury Plaza Hotel Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. The event supports Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

Moments from a "Night to Shine" on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. The event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, provided a prom-style experience for people with special needs age 14 and older.

Scenes from the "Super Heroes Have a Heart for Children" lunch Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. Mary Burton, executive director of the Community Counseling Center Foundation, said proceeds from the event benefit the center's children's services.

Cape Girardeau police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead in a car parked in the 900 block of S. Benton Street Monday, Feb. 4, 2019.

The Cape Girardeau Roller Derby team held a recruitment night and team practice at the A. C. Brase Arena Monday, Feb. 4, 2019.

Scenes from an extra-loud showing of the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019.

Several spots around Cape Girardeau hosted watch parties during Sunday's Super Bowl matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots.

Scenes from the 13th annual Polar Plunge aka "The Greatest Plunge on Earth" on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at Lake Boutin at Trail of Tears State Park.

Scenes from the 10th annual Red and Black Affair on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at the Jackson Civic Center. The event benefits the Jackson R-2 School District Foundation.

Scenes from along the Mississippi River as ice flows downstream Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers select their top images from over the last month.

In a spacious room behind the scenes of the front counter and the exam rooms of clients and patients, veterinarians and veterinary technicians joke with each other in-between surgeries and appointments at Skyview Animal Clinic in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the Bootheel Bluegrass Festival on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, at the Bavarian Halle in Fruitland.

The Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon in the gym of the Salvation Army Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Current and former St. Louis Cardinals met with fans and signed autographs during an event at the Osage Center Monday, Jan. 21, 2019.

Occupying farmland space in Sedgewickville, Missouri, is a different kind of rescue -- John and Carolyn Watkins rehabilitate wildlife species to help promote education and conservation through Watkins Wildlife Rehab.

The SEMO Chemo Smash pickleball tournament Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, at the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex. The tournament continues Sunday.

The 2019 Journey Gala at the Drury Plaza Hotel Conference Center on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Staff photographers' picks from a busy month as 2018 drew to a close and the annual Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament showcased local basketball talent.

The Harlem Globetrotters' matchup against the Washington Generals at the Show Me Center on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

Scenes from the first flight of a new expanded SkyWest deal that will bring additional flights from Cape Girardeau to Paducah, Kentucky. Monday, Jan. 7, 2019.

Set back on a windy dirt road out in Bollinger County, there's a long gravel driveway the leads to a red brick house and a yard full of dogs. The home of Marilyn and Michael Neville has become the site of the Bollinger County Stray Project, in Zalma, Missouri.

A bomb threat made against Jackson High School on social media prompted that school and nearby Hawkins Junior High to evacuate Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Students at the school district's other schools were also sent home. As of Friday morning, Jackson police were working with state and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate the threat, but no dangerous devices had been found at Jackson High School. Police are expected to release more information as it becomes available.

Scenes from around town as snow begins to fall Friday, Jan. 11, 2019.

The Blessing of Waters ceremony lead by Father Daniel Morton of St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau.

The Animal Saviors: Mac's Mission and Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary are two shelters that take in animals with special needs

About 100 people participated in the My Team Triumph Resolution Challenge at Arena Park Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.

The Cape Girardeau County elected officials are sworn in Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the County Administration Building in Jackson.

The Student Santas hosted their annual holiday meal at Jefferson Elementary Tuesday with catering help from Isle Casino and the Southerner. Organizer Jennifer Gast said they were likely to have served around 450 people in total.

Community members tour the Glenn House during the first Christmas tour Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Longtime KFVS anchor Jim Burns retired Friday morning after 39 years with the TV station.

The 43rd-annual Toybox toy drive delivery night Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

657 students earned their diplomas during Southeast Missouri State University's Fall Commencement at the Show Me Center Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018.

A collection of photos showing the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge over the past 15 years.

Babies participate in the Elf Race at West Park Mall Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Cape Girardeau. Evelyn Rhoden, 1, took home the grand prize.

Jackson sophomore student and FFA member Emily Peters performs routine care on Annabelle, her British White heifer calf, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, at her family farm near Bertrand, Missouri.

The American Legion Post 63 Pearl Harbor observance Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, at Riverfront Park in Cape Girardeau.

Area residents visited display windows and perused downtown shopfronts during the annual Downtown Open House Friday, Dec. 7, 2018.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of November, 2018.

The 23rd annual Sounds of the Season at Cape First Church Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Area residents took in decorations and architecture during the 31st annual LFCS Holiday Home Tour Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018.

The Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks football team, en route to Utah for their upcoming playoff game, departed from Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Friday morning.

The 27th annual Parade of Lights Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, in Cape Girardeau. After the parade, Old Town Cape announced the winning entrants as chosen by judges: Best Theme — The Bridge Church; Best Business Appearance — Kranawetter Transport LLC; Best Nonprofit Appearance — Hanover Lutheran Youth Group; Best Music — St. Vincent De Paul Parish; Best Lighting — Dream Factory of SEMO; and Chairman's Award — Crossroads Church.

Fans and tailgaters gathered in and around Houck Stadium as Southeast Missouri State hosted their first-ever home football game Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Cape Girardeau. After trailing 0-14 at halftime, the Redhawks rallied to defeat the Seawolves (28-14) and advance to the next round of playoffs.

The Christmas window display at Art Van Furniture Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Students from Jefferson Elementary took a field trip to Southeast Missouri State University's campus to pick up trash and other debris as part of a beautification project Monday, Nov. 19, 2018.

Multiple craft fairs were held in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, including the 48th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza at the Osage Centre and Show Me Center, the River Valley Craft Club’s 44th annual Christmas Craft Expo at Arena Park and the 23rd annual Christmas Extravaganza: The Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show at Notre Dame Regional High School.

A sold-out crowd of nearly 500 people attended the Cape Girardeau Zonta Club Women of Achievement luncheon, held at Ray’s Banquet Center Friday.

City officials and neighborhood leaders meet to discuss the progress of the Purpose Built Communities city planning model Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

A few inches of overnight snow was enough to keep kids from several school districts home Thursday, but many people bundled up and headed outside anyway to enjoy Cape Girardeau's first significant snow of the year.

Veterans Day ceremonies at Cape Girardeau County Park North and the Jackson Veterans Day Parade.

The Cape Area Habitat for Humanity held its second annual Hard Hats/High Heels fundraiser Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Local citizens took to the polls Tuesday to vote on a broad array of candidates and ballot measures. A few took the time to explain why they're proud to earn their "I Voted" sticker.

Southeast Missourian photographers' top picks from October assignments.

President Donald Trump's final stop on his Make American Great Again rally tour at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau Monday, Nov. 5, 2018.

Sen. Claire McCaskill speaks Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, in Port Cape's upstairs Yacht Club during a stop on her re-election campaign as the Democratic Party nominee for one of Missouri's two Senate seats.

The new Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Downtown Cape is seen Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

The annual Ugly Quilt Weekend at St. Vincent de Paul Parish Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missouri State University hosted an AfterDark event Thursday, Oct. 26, 2018, at Academic Hall featuring music from Christian hip-hop artist KB and country artist Corey Kent White as well as a testimony from Kanakuk Kamps founder and president Joe White.

Missouri Republican candidate Josh Hawley speaks at a campaign rally Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, in Scott City.

The inaugural flag retirement ceremony at VFW Post 3838 Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Members of the Macke family operate the Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Hosted in the Show Me Center for the first time, the VintageNOW fashion show was held Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, in Cape Girardeau to raise money for Safe House for Women.

The local HSRT response team — composed of firefighters from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, Jackson Fire Rescue and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety — performed hazmat training Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, at the Cape Girardeau Buzzi Unicem cement plant. The training consisted of teams responding to a benzene leak from a 6,000-gallon tanker at a rater of one-half-gallon per minute, as well as rescuing multiple Buzzi Unicem employees serving as mock victims placed throughout the plant.

A peek into the life of Izaac Pursley as he tackles each day, living with achondroplasia.

Hundreds turned out to watch Southeast Missouri State University's annual homecoming parade Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018.

The local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes held a Fields of Faith event on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, at Houck Stadium in Cape Girardeau. The local event was one of more than 500 gatherings of student athletes as part of FCA's interdenominational outreach event held on sports fields throughout the nation.

The Downtown Tailgate Flea Market put on by the Downtown Merchants Group Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 in Downtown Cape.

The Out of the Darkness Walk was held Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, at Cape County Park North in Cape Girardeau. Nearly 700 walkers participated in the event and raised over $35,000.

Families spend time at area farms picking pumpkins and apples, making memories.

Cape Girardeau Heritage Days was held Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau with interactive, educational demonstrations and exhibits at the Red House Interpretive Center and the Cape Girardeau River Heritage Museum.

This year's Uptown Jackson Oktoberfest kicked off on Friday evening and continued through Saturday, where attendees enjoyed crafts, brews and traditional German fare.

TYLER GRAEF ~ tgraef@semissourian.com Free haircuts, groceries and other amenities were provided to local residents during the Project Homeless Connect event at the Osage Centre Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.

Kasten masonry celebrated a groundbreaking Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of September, 2018.

With the sun shining down, children and families came out to Cape Girardeau County Park North on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018 to enjoy the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 51 and the Boys and Girls Club's second annual Fishing Rodeo.

Scenes from the sidelines of Friday night football action from the 2018 season at three local high schools.

Two charity runs, Run for Ragan and the Nolan Weber Believers 5K, were held Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 in Cape Girardeau and Jackson respectively.

Many quilts were on display during the River Heritage Quilt Guild Quilt Show at the A.C. Brase Arena Building Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018.

Prolific comic book editor and Jackson native Roy Thomas was greeted by fans and former classmates alike during an event at the Cape Girardeau County Historical Center Friday, Sept. 28, 2018.

This marks the final Captured on Film gallery, which has featured Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. A single Captured on Film photo will continue to be published on the newspaper's History page each weekend. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The annual TBY Active Living Expo was held Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

A look into a few shops and their pets.

Doggy swim day at Cape Splash Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

The inaugural Shipyard Music Festival was held Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Hundreds attended the East Perry County Fair Saturday, despite a light rain. A selection of photos from the festivities.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Former Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan swears in to assume the post of U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018 at the Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

Nearly 300 classic cars were showcased during the 41st Annual Rivertales Classic Car Show in downtown Cape Girardeau Sunday.

Hundreds attended the Heartland Down Syndrome Association's 10th Annual Step Up for Down Syndrome walk in Cape Girardeau's Capaha Park Saturday.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Food, rides and more from the SEMO District Fair Wednesday.

Jackson Fire Rescue crew members walk down Jackson Boulevard during the second annual 9/11 memorial walk Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018 in Jackson.

Sights from Tuesday's goings-on at the fairground.

The SEMO District Fair Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

In the weeks leading up to the SEMO District Fair's annual demolition derby, local teams work overtime hammering their cars into shape. Step inside the garage for a look at the hobby driver Matt Seiler says "gets in your blood."

City Officials tour the Common Pleas Courthouse and Annex building Friday, September 7, 2018.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of August, 2018.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Rides are constructed and grounds preparations take place at the SEMO District Fairgrounds on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

The 2018 B Magazine Newsmakers awards reception was held Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau.

A man was injured in a shooting Monday afternoon in the 100 block of South Park Avenue in Cape Girardeau. Police department public-information officer Rick Schmidt confirmed Monday in an email that around 2:15 p.m. a male subject was shot in the upper torso and transported to a local trauma center for treatment. Police are not identifying the wounded man at this time, and Schmidt said the investigation is ongoing. As of Monday afternoon, police did not have any suspects in custody. A Southeast Missourian reporter at the scene of the shooting saw police photographing at least nine pieces of evidence, including several bullet casings, in the street and on a sidewalk in front of a residence a few houses north from where paramedics were treating the wounded man.

Emergency crews respond to an unidentified hazardous substance at the Scott County Jail that sent three jailers and a deputy to Missouri Delta Medical Center Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018 in Benton.Those affected by the substance were treated for their symptoms and released.

Benton's annual Neighbor Days festival capped off their 50th celebration Saturday with a parade, carnival rides and the Neighbor Days specialty: mud racing.

After 25 years, Dan Overbey retired from the Semo Port Friday, August 31, and although he initially resisted the idea, his colleagues threw a banquet in his honor to send him off right and recognize his contributions over the years.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Opening Dedication Ceremony of the Olmsted Locks and Dam on the Ohio River Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 in Olmsted, Illinois.

Rick Baine, Ryan Webb and Matt Roy stop in Cape Girardeau while participating in the Warrior Paddle Expedition Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018. The trio began at the source of the Mississippi River, Lake Itasca, Minnesota, and will conclude their excursion in the Gulf of Mexico, completing a "source to sea" trip of the Mississippi River. The VFW Post 3838 hosted the veterans overnight before seeing them off Tuesday morning.

The 150th annual St. Mary Cathedral anniversary picnic Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Blue Water Creek Polo Club, from Alabama, plays against the Little Egypt Polo Club in Cape Girardeau Sunday morning, Aug. 26, 2018.

Aerial images of area points of interest are captured as parting shots by retiring Southeast Missourian photographer Fred Lynch.

A collection of favorite photographs by Southeast Missourian photographer Fred Lynch as he closes his 43-year career in Cape Girardeau.

Fred Lynch retires Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, after working 43 years as a photojournalist with the Southeast Missourian.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Cape BBQ Fest sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Jaycees on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018 at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The Thebes Courthouse was open for tours Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018 in Thebes, Illinois as part of the Doors Open Illinois events statewide for the Illinois bicentennial. The courthouse was the Alexander County seat from 1845-1860. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and underwent a major renovation ending in 1976.

The Willow Grove Roller Rink in Chaffee, Missouri has attracted rollers skaters from the area since its beginning in 1950.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Ruth Ann Dickerson is sworn in as the appointed interim sheriff of Cape Girardeau County Monday, Aug. 13, 2018 in Jackson.

The city of Cape Girardeau holds its Summer Garage Sale Saturday, Aug, 11, 2018 at the Osage Centre.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo opens Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 with Chris Janson on the concert stage.

The second day of the 118th annual St. Vincent de Paul Seminary Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018, in Perryville, Missouri.

Hikers take in the view from Inspiration Point near Wolf Lake, Illinois.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of July, 2018.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Back to School Kickoff on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School Tiger Field House.

Nate Prichard, 5, gets a pet horse as part of his Make A Wish wish Monday, July 30, 2018 in Burfordville.

The dedication ceremony of the 58th Cape Girardeau Habitat for Humanity home Sunday, July 29, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

The final day of Homecomers was held July 28, 2018, in Jackson.

Paddlewheel ships the American Queen and the American Duchess dock at Riverfront Park on Friday, July 27, 2018, and Saturday, July 28, 2018, respectively in Cape Girardeau.

A look into the making of the One City community mural.

St. John Church held their 125th annual parish picnic Saturday, July 28, 2018, in Leopold, Missouri.

Homecomers continues Friday, July 27, 2018, in Jackson.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Jackson Homecomers continues Thursday, July 26, 2018 in uptown Jackson.

Jackson Homecomers continues Wednesday, July 25, 2018 in uptown Jackson.

Jackson Homecomers begins Tuesday, July 24, 2018 in uptown Jackson.

Opponents of Proposition A, an August 7 ballot measure, gathered at Capaha Park for a rally Monday, July 23, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

The Fruitland Swap Meet for poultry, small animals, plants and produce Saturday, July 14, 2017 in Fruitland.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The S.N.A.P. open house block party Saturday, July 14, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

A look into Sky High Motocross Park.

Betty Martin's retirement open house at the Cape Girardeau Public Library Friday, July 13, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Youngsters frolic and Playmo marks his fifth birthday Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at Parks and Rec Day at the Osage Centre.

The USO Show featuring the Jerry Ford Orchestra Friday, July 6, 2018 in the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

Meet the area's 2018 high school valedictorians.

A little peek into what goes in to getting Lazy L Safari Park going before opening. Lazy L Safari Park is open in the summer 10-6.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Pups go for a swim in Hubble Creek at Jackson City Park Thursday, July 5, 2018.

The Fourth of July celebrations are held Wednesday, July 4, 2018, in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

The Missouri Veterans Home held their annual fireworks display Tuesday, July 3, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of June, 2018.

St. Maurus Catholic Church hosts the annual Biehle Picnic on Saturday, June 30, 2018 in Biehle, Missouri.

Visitors lounge in the waters at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park on Friday, June 22, 2018 in Reynolds County, Missouri.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Ron Nall passed the director's baton and picked up his French horn Wednesday, June 27, 2018 as he continues with the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band he joined in 1970.

The Southeast Missouri Modelers Association presents Cape Fly Hi on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at Galaxy Park.

Residents of the Missouri Veterans Home fish with family, friends and staff members at VFW Lakes Friday, June 22, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Jaycee Kesh Akinsanya photographed at his home and farm June 7, 2018 in Whitewater.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Crowder and JJ Weeks Band perform Sunday, June 17, 2018, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

"Maid in the Shade," a B-25J Mitchell Bomber flown during World War II, arrives in Cape Girardeau on Monday, June 18, 2018, to kick-off a week-long public exhibition as part of the Flying Legends of Victory Tour. One of 34 World War II aircraft of its type still flying, the warplane will be on public exhibition at the airport Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. Tours of "Maid in the Shade" cost $10 per person and rides will be available Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., with waist gunner seats priced at $325 and jump seats in the nose of the plane priced at $650.

The fifth annual Summer Arts Festival on Saturday, June 16, 2018 at the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

A look into the life of six-year-old Lindyn Davenport.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

A collection of photos capturing Neal E. Boyd throughout the years.

The American Cancer Society's Bark for Life event Saturday, June 9, 2018 at Capaha Park.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of May, 2018.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department responded to multiple gunshots at the corner of Independence and Main Street about 1:07 a.m. Sunday, May 3, 2018, in Cape Girardeau. The victim was transported by ambulance to a local trauma center with non-life threatening injuries.

The third annual community Prayer March hosted by SNAP and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Saturday, June 2, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Rebecca Gangemella poses for photos at Houck Stadium, Capaha Field and the Arrow Thursday, May 31, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Memorial Day 2018 in Cape Girardeau county.

Melvin Kuehle, a World War II veteran, is presented with a specialized license plate for his electric scooter from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Saturday, May 26, 2018 at the VFW in Cape Girardeau.

Local anglers fish various bodies of water in Cape Girardeau County.

The 4th annual Carry The Load Memorial Walk Saturday, May 26, 2018 in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony presented by Seniors and Lawmen Together (S.A.L.T.) Thursday, May 24, 2018 at the Cape Bible Chapel in Cape Girardeau.

Notre Dame Regional High School graduation Sunday, May 20, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

Saxony Lutheran High School graduation Sunday, May 20, 2018 in Jackson.

The Oliver House, 224 East Adams St. in Jackson, was restored by the Jackson Heritage Association. Missouri State Senator Robert Burett Oliver and his wife, Marie Watkins Oliver, purchased the house in 1881. Marie Oliver, known as the "Betsy Ross of Missouri," designed and sewed the first Missouri state flag.

The Jackson High School commencement Friday, May 18, 2018 at the Show Me Center.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

A look into the day of David Robinson's release from the Jefferson City Correctional Center Monday, May 14, 2018 in Jefferson City.

Scott City Class of 2018 graduation Sunday, May 13, 2018 in Scott City.

The Cape Central High School Class of 2018 graduation Sunday, May 13, 2018 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missouri State spring graduation Saturday, May 12, 2018 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

The Flourish Ladies Night Out on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The 32nd judicial district Drug Court graduation Thursday, May 3, 2018, at the Cape County Courthouse in Jackson.

Delta class of 2018 graduated May 6, 2018, at Delta High School in Delta, Missouri.

The Jackson High School prom, "New York, New York," on Saturday, May 5, 2018 in Jackson.

Breanna Stone photographed for her soap-making process in her home Tuesday, May 1, 2018, in Jackson.

The Honoring our Military event Saturday, May 5, 2018, at the Scott City Historical Museum in Scott City.

The Notre Dame Regional High School prom, "Masquerade Ball," on Friday, May 4, 2018 at Bavarian Halle in Jackson.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of April, 2018.

Linda Penzel leads members of the Molly French Garden Club on a tour of Pinecrest Azalea Garden on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 in Oak Ridge.

The Food Truck Friday event held Friday May 4, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

The Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS) annual Kentucky Derby Party in Jackson Friday, May 4, 2018, at the Jackson Civic Center.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Cape Girardeau Central High School prom, "To the Moon and Back," Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Ray's Plaza Banquet Center in Cape Girardeau.

The Leopold High School prom, "A Night in the Spotlight," Saturday, April 28, 2018 in Leopold, Missouri.

The Tours for Hope Saturday, April 28, 2018, put on by Area Properties Real Estate - River Region, First Missouri State Bank and Red Letter Communications to raise awareness and funds for Hope for One More, with homes featured in Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

Alfalfa's Shadows perform the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" on Friday, April 20, 2018 at Ragsdale's Pub in Cape Girardeau.

Jurassic Quest Friday, April 27, 2018, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

A Kenworth truck sits in a free-flowing creek at the bottom of a hill off of Larch Lane Thursday afternoon April 26, 2018, three miles north of Jackson, after running off the right side of the road, overturning and striking a ditch.

Over 800 area third-grade students attended Farm Day on April 25, 2018, at Flickerwood Arena in Jackson.

The Walk MS: Cape Girardeau event Sunday, April 22, 2018, at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau.

The Cape Comic Con Saturday, April 21, 2018, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

The Saxony Lutheran prom, themed "A Night at the Ball," Saturday, April 21, 2018, held at Elks Lodge 639 in Cape Girardeau.

The Kelly High School prom, "Once Upon a Prom," Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Kelly High School.

A look into the daily inner-workings of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department on Tuesday, April 18, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Froggy Friday at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center Friday, April 20, 2018.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Oran High School prom, "The Great Gatsby," on Saturday, April 14, 2018 in Oran, Missouri.

The Scott City prom held at Deerfield Lodge Saturday, April 14, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Uptown Jackson Revitalization sponsors Jackson in Bloom Saturday, April 14, 2018 in Jackson.

The 2018 Messy Morning event hosted by Community Caring Council to celebrate "Week of the Young Child" Saturday, April 14, 2018, in Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Cape Central students held a dress rehearsal of the musical 'Bye Bye Birdie' on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

The Public Art Committee's fifth annual Cape Girardeau Outdoor Sculpture exhibition across the nine-block span of Broadway St., Thursday, April 12, 2018, in Downtown Cape.

Firefighters from the Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Sikeston and Dexter fire departments run drills as part of their “extreme rope training" at Giant City State Park Thursday, April 12, 2018, in Makanda, Illinois.

The Budweiser Clydesdales East-Coast hitch appears Thursday, April 5, 2018 at the new police station during its weeklong visit in Cape Girardeau.

The Chaffee prom Saturday, April 7, 2018, held at the University Center Ballroom on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

The United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri Southeastern Division's naturalization ceremony on Friday, April 6, 2018, at the Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Jr., United States Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

Community members gather at Cape County Park North for a symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for the new women's safe house on Friday, April 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

The inclusive formal dance for people diagnosed with Autism hosted by Easterseals Midwest and Semo Alliance for Disability Independence on Friday, April 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The cast and crew of Notre Dame Regional High School's spring musical "Meet Me in St. Louis" held a dress rehearsal April 3, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of March, 2018.

A collection of images from a variety Easter Sunday services on April 1, 2018 in Cape Girardeau, Oak Ridge and New Hamburg.

The Lazy L Safari Park's Safari Egg Hunt at the Zoo on Saturday, March 31, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

A look into Advance-native John Hedge's love of leather-making.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Law enforcement personnel investigate the scene of a shooting which left two people dead March 28, 2018, in the 500 block of Green Acres Drive in Cape Girardeau.

Jackson resident Barbara Duncan taught a series of pysanky classes at Crisp Museum in Cape Girardeau. Pysanky is the traditional Ukrainian art of decorating eggs using multiple coats of dye and wax to create multi-colored eggs with intricate patterns which hold symbolic meaning.

The 9th annual Brew Movement Against Multiple Sclerosis was held Saturday, March 24, 2018, at Homebrew Supply in Jackson. The Brew Movement Against Multiple Sclerosis is an annual fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society which features home-brew and craft beer alongside a variety of food and live music.

Don Felder and Styx performed with REO Speedwagon on Friday, March 23, 2018, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Fire crews responded to a house fire at 625 North Lorimer on Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Cape Girardeau. The fire began after air from a space heater caused a bed to ignite. The home suffered serious damage and no one was injured in the fire.

Emergency personnel respond after a truck went off-road through two lawns before crashing into a home at 1561 Greenbrier Drive on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, in Cape Girardeau. Two people were transported by ambulance from the scene and no one was home at the time of the collision.

The 2nd annual Mardi Paws Parade of Pets hosted by Mississippi Mutts on Sunday, March 18, 2018, in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The second annual Eastern Ozark Rendezvous, a pre-1840s encampment, held at Barks Plantation Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Glenallen, Missouri.

These images show the former village of Dutchtown, which disincorporated after an action by the county commission on Thursday, March 15, 2018, in Dutchtown.

The 9th annual Howard Aslinger Endurance Run was held March 17-18, 2018, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Big Daddy Weave performed March 14, 2018, at Cape Bible Chapel in Cape Girardeau.

The 80th annual Noon Lions Club Pancake Day on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. The club served nearly 3,000 people.

An event designed to introduce female students to careers in fields of science, technology, engineering and math was held Tuesday, March 13, 2018, on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau. Over 300 seventh grade students from 22 schools attended the all-day event.

The seventh annual Cross Rivers Roots and Blues Festival on Saturday, March 10, 2018 at Port Cape's Yacht Club in Cape Girardeau.

The Cousin Carl Farm Show on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Cape Girardeau County Archive Center director Steve Pledger gives a tour Thursday, March 8, 2018, in Jackson.

The Noon Optimist Club held its annual Chili Day on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at the A.C. Brace Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

The 62nd annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. A total of 654 students from 36 area schools participated in the science fair.

The third annual Friends of Saint Francis Gala held at the Isle Casino on March 3, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Kelso C-7 School District held their first day of classes in their new school building Feb. 28, 2018, in New Hamburg, Missouri.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of February, 2018.

Cape Championship Wrestling hosted a One Night Riot event Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Tiger Lilies held a meeting Mach 1, 2018, in the cafeteria of Central Middle School in Cape Girardeau. The program focuses on positive self-image, inner strength and social relationships for fifth- and sixth-grade girls.

Jefferson Elementary School recognized students "caught being good" with an "Oscars-style" ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Cape Girardeau. The school reached 1,000 positive referrals for the first time this year.

A group of FFA members at Saxony Lutheran High School drive their tractors, 18 total, to school Feb. 26, 2018, in Jackson.

Artist Billyo O'Donnell featured as the third February Annual artist celebration sponsored by The Cape Girardeau Country Historical Society and The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization at the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society Feb. 24, 2018, in Jackson.

Over 500 mothers and sons came out to the City of Cape's Parks and Recreational Department's 9th annual Mother Son Game Night, Feb. 24, 2018, held at the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex.

The 42nd annual Otto F. Dingeldein Award ceremony Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

The 14th Annual Ladies Tea hosted by Cape First Church at the Osage Center Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

A behind-the-scenes look into the back-stage workings of Southeast Missouri State's Conservatory of Theatre and Dance's production of Mary Poppins, Feb. 22, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Old Town Cape held their annual dinner Feb. 22, 2018, at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Roadshow on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, held at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Parents and family members gather in the parking lot of Scott City R-1 Schools during a lockdown Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, in Scott City. The lockdown was lifted around 11 a.m. and no one was injured during the incident.

Awards were presented to local high school students at the 40th annual High School Art Exhibition on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018, at Crisp Museum in Cape Girardeau.

The City of Cape Girardeau's Parks and Rec Department's 10th annual father daughter dance on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

The NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 at Ray's Plaza Banquet Center in Cape Girardeau.

Children with the Easterseals Midwest program play at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park during a monthly outing Feb. 13, 2018, in Scott City.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Penguin Party to benefit the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018 at Ray's Plaza Banquet Center in Cape Girardeau.

The 3rd annual Bob Marley Day celebration held at Ragsdales in downtown Cape Girardeau Feb. 10, 2018.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

A luncheon was held by the Super Heroes Have a Heart for Children Committee to benefit Community Counseling Cottonwood Children's Center Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

Around 200 kids participated in the City of Cape's Parks and Recreational Department's 23rd annual Super Kids Race Day Feb. 4, 2018 held at the SEMO Rec Center in Cape Girardeau.

The 12th annual Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Missouri on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 at Trail of Tears State Park.

The Fire and Ice Gala was held Feb. 3, 2018, at Bavarian Halle in Jackson.

A "sold out" attendance of 525 people attended the Red and Black Affair benefit for the Jackson R-2 Foundation on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 at the Jackson Civic Center.

Young archers compete in a National Archery in the Schools Program tournament Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Jackson.

Southeast Missourian photographers pick their favorite photos from the month of January, 2018.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Governor Eric Greitens stopped at Signature Packaging and Paper in Jackson on Jan. 29, 2018, to discuss Missouri's tax plan.

John McEuen and Friends performed Jan. 27, 2018 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall in Cape Girardeau. The group consisted of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding members John McEuen and Les Thompson, former Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member John Cable, McEuen's 25-year music partner Matt Cartsonis and special guest Rodney Dillard.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Jan. 26, 2018, in Sikeston, Missouri, to dedicate land for former residents of the village of Pinhook. The village was destroyed by floodwaters seven years ago, but after numerous obstacles, seven of the former residents will get new homes.

The Bootheel Bluegrass Festival on Jan. 26 and 27, 2018, at Bavarian Halle in Jackson.

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce presents awards at its annual dinner Jan. 26, 2018, at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Jackson Parks and Recreation sponsors its monthly dance Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018 at the Jackson Senior Center in Jackson.

Daughters of St. Ambrose sponsored a Euchre tournament Jan. 21, 2018, at the Saint Ambrose Parish Center in Chaffee, Missouri.

The second annual Journey Gala benefit for the Cancer Care Fund at Southeast Cancer Center was presented by the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 at Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

Mayor Harry Rediger announced plans for a new wood-bat Prospect League baseball team during a press conference Jan. 19, 2018, at the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex. The team, which has yet to be named, will play a 60-game schedule with home games at the artificial-turfed Capaha Field.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018 at the Show Me Center.

The 17th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Luncheon, Monday, Jan. 15, 2015 at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau.

Snow continues Monday, Jan. 15, 2018 in Cape Girardeau.

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce presented awards at its annual banquet Friday, Jan. 12, 2018 at the Jackson Civic Center.

An icy mixture of sleet and snow closed local schools and complicated commutes Jan. 12, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Multiple fire departments responded to a house fire early Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at 322 Estate Drive in Cape Girardeau. A resident of the home said all five members of the household escaped without injury.

Mac's Mission animal rescue group delivered 34 rescued dogs to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2017, in Cape Girardeau. The group rescued a total of 72 dogs from a home in Malden, Missouri, over the course of three days, with 36 additional dogs delivered to the Humane Society on New Year's Eve.

Area runners begin the new year with the myTEAM TRIUMPH Resolution Challenge on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The event drew 130 participants.

Southeast Missourian photojournalists have selected their top images from 2017.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Student Santas hosted its third annual Christmas Day dinner on Dec. 25, 2017, at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau, with a meal provided free by Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Stooges Restaurant in Jackson hosted a free Christmas lunch for the third consecutive year on Dec. 25, 2017, offering a warm meal to all who attended, free of charge.

Parker Bond lives at heart as a punk kid as he builds tall bikes for himself and his friends.

Kids react when Santa came to their house during the Jaycee Toybox delivery on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Children with the Easterseals Midwest program play on inflatable slides and mazes Dec. 19, 2017, at LeBounce in Cape Girardeau. The program serves children with autism and works to provide services to help build communities where all people with developmental disabilities have equal opportunities to realize their goals, dreams, and aspirations.

40th anniversary of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri Saturday, Dec. 16 , 2017 in Cape Girardeau. Adoption rates were available for a discounted price throughout the day.

Southeast Missouri State University winter graduation Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Members of the Jackson Police Department gave out toy donations to local parents Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at Elks Lodge #2652 in Jackson.

A brown Ford truck collided with an orange Mitsubishi before crashing into parked, unoccupied Nissan and sending it through the wall of Missouri Title Loans on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at 300 North Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

Southern Illinois Jedi Order entertain fans before the showing of Star Wars: The Last Jedi Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 at Cape West Cinema in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Holiday of Lights Display Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017 at Cape Girardeau County Park.

Christmas trees on display during the 13th annual Christmas Tree Exhibit at the Lutheran Heritage Center Research Library and Museum Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 in Altenburg.

Downtown bars host Happy Slapowitz Toy Bash Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Staff Sgt. Michael Probst surprises his kids, Sean Bierbaun and Alannah Bierbaun, at school for the holidays.

Cape West Cinema renovations Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The American Legion Post 63 Pearl Harbor observance Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017 at the riverfront in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau Fire Department respond to a house fire at 548 S. Hanover around 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Cape Girardeau Public Library Baby Book time Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017.

Around 80 children received $150 each to purchase toys or gifts for Christmas while shopping with local police officers, firefighters and first responders Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017, during the 2017 Shop with a Hero event at Cape Girardeau Walmart Supercenter.

The 22nd annual Sounds of the Season benefit concert was held Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, at Cape First in Cape Girardeau.

Emmett "Butch" Bounds' unique collection Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Big Church Night Out presents Newsboys, Blanca, 7eventh Time Down, Sidewalk Prophets, Derek Minor, Adam Agee, Jamison Strain and Brock Gill on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at the Show Me Center.

The Scott City Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 in Scott City.

Six homes are featured on the 30th annual Holiday Home Tour presented by the Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The Chaffee Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 in Chaffee.

Volunteers began a weekend-long Feed My Starving Children mobile food-packing event Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Downtown Christmas Open House Friday, Dec. 1, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Inaugural trip to Chicago on a CRJ200 airplane with SkyWest Friday, Dec. 1, 2017 at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers chose their favorite photos from the month of November, 2017.

Cape Girardeau's new fire station 4 at 3011 Lexington Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Dress rehearsal of No Problem Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017 at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Girardeau Central High School. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.

The 26th annual Parade of Lights was held Nov. 26, 2017 in downtown Cape Girardeau with a "Christmas Fantasy" theme.

Small Business Saturday in Uptown Jackson.

Jackson Holiday Extravaganza Friday, Nov. 24, 2017 at the Jackson City Park.

People wait in line at West Park Mall and Academy Sports + Outdoors during Black Friday shopping, Nov. 24, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The animated Christmas window display is unveiled Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017 at Hutson's Fine Furniture in downtown Cape Girardeau. It is a holiday tradition that began in 1960.

Volunteers prepare and serve turkey dinners on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017 at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau.

Here are a few of the people in our area who have much to be thankful for.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Christmas Arts & Crafts Extravaganza presented by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017 at the Show Me Center and Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Fall Family Festival Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 at the Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau.

The 2017 Zonta Women of Achievement luncheon was held Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Ray's Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

People dance during the S.T.A.R. Barnyard Dance in the 4-H Building at Arena Park Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Holiday lights decorate downtown Cape Girardeau Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Veterans Day ceremonies at Cape Girardeau County Park North, Freedom Corner and the Jackson Veterans Day Parade.

The Snow Angel "Downy flakes fall swiftly past the glow of the streetlight. A sprinkle of white flurries cast against the dark of night. The snow is crisp The stars are bright. I spread my arms and I take flight. Wings fluttering as I fly, up into the evening sky." ~ Christy Ann Martine Styled by: Rachel McNeely, Logan Young. Models: McKena Sharp, Cesia Watkins, Anna Mae Zembsch. Shot in the Southeast Missourian photo studio. Hair: Anna styled by Tanya Koerner and Cesia styled by Taylor Hendershott at JCPenney Salon; McKena's hair self-styled. Makeup: Styled by McKena Sharp LE.

Community Fall alley sweep along a few different alleys along Locust Street in south Cape Girardeau Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Foundation Spaghetti Day on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 at the Arena Building.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Betty Lou and her husband Don Vogel bake sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls every week for their friends and neighbors in Cape Girardeau.

The grand opening of Levi's Adventure Trail was held Nov. 5, 2017, at Cape County Park South in Cape Girardeau.

The cast and crew of Notre Dame Regional High School's fall play, Tim Kelly's "The Butler Did It" conduct a dress rehearsal Oct. 31, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. Showings will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 2, Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 at the school.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Southeast Missourian photographers chose their favorite photos from the month of October, 2017.

Luke Sample makes sure his Halloween display is working properly Monday, Oct. 30, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. Sample said it usually takes all week to make sure everything is up and working by Halloween. Along with his display he also collects donations for Stray Rescue of St. Louis and received about $2,500 in 2016.

Friends and family of Pat Blackwell gathered at the Cape Girardeau Country Club on Oct. 28, 2017 to celebrate Blackwell's 90th birthday.

The third annual Lyndon's Shining Light was held Oct. 29, 2017, at Kiwanis Park in Cape Girardeau. Hosted by a group of local photographers, the event provides free photo sessions to local children with special needs and their families.

The first Ghost and Goblin Gallop 5k race to raise money for the Crossroads Backpack Fair on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 in Jackson.

A building constructed in the 1930s on the site of Fort D, a Civil War fort, is deteriorating because of lack of a roof. It once had a roof, but it later collapsed.

Community members come for a community workshop meeting held by the Authentic Voices group of south Cape Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 at the Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

A dedication ceremony was held Oct. 23, 2017 to commemorate the late Gen. Seth McKee, depicted in the Missouri Wall of Fame mural, in downtown Cape Girardeau. McKee served as commander of the North American Air Defense Command.

Sugar Chic Creamery Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 in downtown Cape Girardeau. The ice cream shop opened up on Saturday, Oct. 14 and offers a variety of dairy-free and regular ice cream along with their homemade waffle cones.

Isle Casino of Cape Girardeau celebrates its 5-year reunion

VintageNOW fashion show Saturday, Oct 21, 2017 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau Police Department investigate a shooting that occurred at 433 S. Sprigg near the intersection of Sprigg and Morgan Oak around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. The victim was transported by a private ambulance to a local trauma center.

Cape Girardeau Chief of Police Wes Blair gives a tour of the new Cape Girardeau Police Headquarters Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 at Arena park. The new building is expected to be complete by the end of the year and up and running in the spring.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Cape Central students act out a skit of Romeo and Juliet during a rehearsal of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

The Nina and Pinta, Columbus' replica ships, set sail towards Memphis after being docked at the Riverfront since Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 51 and the Boys and Girls Club sponsored the inaugural Fishing Rodeo Oct. 15, 2017 at Elks Lake in Cape Girardeau.

The Southeast Missouri State University homecoming parade Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Activities on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 13-14, 2017 during Chaffee German Days at Frisco Park in Chaffee, Missouri.

Nationally-recognized artist Ali Cavanaugh has made a name for herself with her modern fresco works.

The Lazy L Safari Park features more than 50 animal species, of which most can be touched by visitors, in Cape Girardeau.

The Giant City Lodge near Makanda, Illinois has been serving great food for over 80 years.

Singer/songwriter Maggie Thorn enjoys the simple life on the farm near Puxico, Missouri.

The Dew Drop Inn and the Kozy Kitchen have served hungry folks for many years in Bloomsdale, Missouri.

Owl Creek Vineyard in Cobden, Illinois offers local wines and ciders and supports local growers.

The folks at Knowlan Family Farm know apples, and pick-your-own is a popular feature at the orchard.

Jackson Street Brewco Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 in Perryville. Jackson Street Brewco offers wood fired pizza, appetizers, eight taps and 32 styles of beer they rotate.

Signature items including a taco burger, ribbon fries and the "Holy Flippin' Cheeseburger" is served Sept. 18, 2017 at Kenny's Flippin' Burgers in Chaffee, Missouri.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The cast of "The Curious Savage" holds dress rehearsal Oct. 10, 2017 at Jackson High School.

SCIPP Seniors Fall Festival Monday, Oct. 9, 2017 at Schock's Rental Hall in Scott City.

Mark Petzoldt is the resident blacksmith at the Saxon Lutheran Memorial in Frohna, Missouri.

Uptown Jackson Oktoberfest, Saturday, October 7, 2017.

The Kiwanis Club of Cape Girardeau presents its first Chili Cook-Off with 13 teams that raised about $3,000 for the Cape Girardeau Police Department's K-9 program on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017 at the Osage Centre.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Dance instructor Michael Curry coaches his Fingerprint Junior students during a class Sept. 27, 2017, at On Cue Performing Arts Studio in Cape Girardeau.

The Queen of the Mississippi docks for the day Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017 next to the Nina and Pinta replica ships at the Cape Girardeau riverfront.

Area High School marching bands parade through Uptown Jackson during the Jackson Band Festival Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 in Jackson.

Manufacturing Day at the Career and Technology Center Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers chose their favorite photos from the month of September.

The sixth Downtown Tailgate Flea Market was held Oct. 1, 2017, in Cape Girardeau.

On July 13, 2016, Jessica Kinder found out her daughter, Kinslee, was diagnosed with Rett syndrome. Rett syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes problems in brain function that are responsible for learning, speech, sensory, mood, movement and several others.

Hundreds of people gather Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 in downtown Cape Girardeau for Heritage Days, the Columbus' replica ships, Nina and Pinta, and a Day on the River sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center.

The fifth annual Run for Ragan on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 at Southeast Cancer Center. The event drew 200 participants and raised $22,500 for the Cancer Care Fund at Southeast.

The Nina and Pinta, Columbus' replica ships, arrive Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 at Cape Girardeau for display through Oct. 8.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Notre Dame students get excited at the Activity Week assembly Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017 at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center closed out the season with Doggy Swim Day on Sept. 24, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk was held Sept. 24, 2017 at Cape County Park North in Cape Girardeau.

Cantrell Andrews leads members of the Honorable Young Men's Club in their first meeting of the year Sept. 19, 2017, at Central Middle School in Cape Girardeau.

The American Cancer Society Gala, "Destination Cure," Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

The second day of the East Perry Community Fair on Sept. 23, 2017 in Altenburg, Missouri.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Classroom pets at Alma Schrader, Chaffee Elementary and Jefferson Elementary school

The TBY Active Living Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 in the Isle Casino Cape Girardeau Event Center.

The Holy Mass of Installation for Maryann Reese as President and CEO of Saint Francis Healthcare System was held Sept. 20, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau with principal celebrant Bishop Edward M. Rice of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

The U.S. Grant Symposium is presented to a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 at Heritage Hall in Cape Girardeau.

Students in Mrs. Young's 5th grade class plant pansies and mums in flower beds donated by Lowe's as part of the Lowe's Heroes program Monday, Sept. 18, 2017 at West Lane Elementary in Jackson. Lowe's donated 12 flower beds, 10 picnic tables and three new benches for the school.

The 40th annual River Tales Classic car show was held Sept. 17, 2017, on Main Street in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian photographers chose their favorite images from the 2017 SEMO District Fair in Cape Girardeau.

SEMO District Fair Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

"It's not about the braid, it's about the bond," for fathers and daughters Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 at the Daddy Daughter Hair Factory held at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

The 2017 Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s was held on September 16, 2017 at Cape County Park North in Cape Girardeau.

The SEMO District Fair continues Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Area firefighters from Cape Girardeau, Gordonville and Scott City run airplane fire drills at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Friday morning, Sept. 15, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The SEMO District Fair continues Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 with exhibits, rides, Woody's Menagerie and Blackberry Smoke.

Venus Williams speaks during the Speakers Series interviewed by Brooke Clubbs, Instructor and Director of Health Communication at Southeast Missouri State University, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Fifth day of the SEMO District Fair on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

4H and FFA during the SEMO District Fair at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The fourth day of the SEMO District Fair on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The third day of the SEMO District Fair on September 11, 2017, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The Southerner by Tractors in the Drury Conference Center Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Jackson Fire Department hold American flags Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 during a 9/11 march from Kohlfeld Distributing to Jackson Fire Rescue commemorating the 343 fallen firefighters.

The second day of the SEMO District Fair on September 10, 2017, at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

The annual SEMO District Fair Demo Derby was held Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, at the Arena Park grandstand in Cape Girardeau.

SEMO District Fair parade Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The 30th annual Charles L. Hutson Auction to benefit Old Town Cape on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau Event Center.

Team Emerson turned out Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 at Academic Hall for the opening celebration of former U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's Congressional Papers donation to the Special Collections and Archives in Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University.

Ribbon cutting at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The Business Today Newsmakers awards reception Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017 at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau.

Literacy night from kindergarten through second grade Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017 at Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau.

Fort D Historic Site celebrated Labor Day with a living history demonstration Sept. 4, 2017, in Cape Girardeau.

Perryville Pinup and facial hair contest Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 in downtown Perryville.

Benton Neighbor Days Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 in Benton.

Southeast Missourian photographers chose their favorite photographs from the month of August, 2017.

"Stuff the Truck" put on by groups, Authentic Voices and Dem Boyz MC, of donated food, hygiene products, clothes and other supplies that will be sent for Hurricane Harvey relief in Houston.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

St. Mary of the Annunciation Cathedral held a parish picnic on August 27, 2017, in Cape Girardeau.

Mud flies at the Missouri Dirt Motorsports in Sikeston, Missouri.

The second annual Polo Classic to benefit Voices for Children/CASA of Southeast Missouri on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 at the Little Egypt Polo Club in Cape Girardeau.

Let's Dance It Out event put on by Authentic Voices and Dem Boyz at Indian Park Saturday, August 26, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. "Make change happen in the community." Koreena Woodson, co-chair, of Authentic Voices had said describing what she wants to do for the south side. Over 200 people came out to Indian Park throughout the day from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a kid dance contest at 4:30 p.m. Free food and face painting was available for anyone to attend and even the Cape Girardeau Fire Department came out and allowed kids to sit and look inside of a fire truck. Woodson said the point of the event was to bring the community together dance and have fun.

The American Duchess riverboat stopped in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, during its maiden voyage north on the Mississippi River.

The first ever St. Jude Heroes Yak 'n Run on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, at Trail of Tears State Park. All proceeds from the event support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

The American Towman Spirit Ride ceremonial to raise awareness for safety for towing and emergency vehicles at Midwest Truck, Inc. Saturday, August 26, 2017 in Scott City.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The American Queen and the Queen of the Mississippi were docked at Riverfront Park in downtown Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017.

Cape Rock Park is seen Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

The solar eclipse at Perryville Municipal Airport Monday, Aug. 21, 2017.

People from all over the world made their way to the area to witness totality of the solar eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017.

Meet the 2017 Business Today Newsmakers.

Mud Fest Sunday, August 20, 2017 Perryville City Park.

Rhodes 101 Convenience Stores broke the Guinness World Record for largest glass/cup of soft drink. The 4,730.9-gallon lemonade was served to the public for free during a summer customer appreciation event Sunday, August 20, 2017 at Mercato Di Rodi in Cape Girardeau which featured games, giveaways and free food from Imo's Pizza.

Solarfest Saturday, August 19, 2017 in Perryville.

The Cape Girardeau Jaycees 25th annual Cape BBQ Fest on Friday and Saturday at Arena Park.

Students learn about the upcoming solar eclipse Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau.

Steven C. Bjelich, Saint Francis Healthcare System president and CEO, is honored Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 with a retirement reception at Isle Casino Event Center. Bjelich has served Saint Francis since 1999.

Move-in day at Southeast Missouri State University Thursday, August 17, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The PBS show, Missouri Life, filmed inside the Glenn House on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, in Cape Girardeau.

The Salvation Army kicked off its yearly after school program on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, at The Bridge Outreach Center in Cape Girardeau. The program runs throughout the school year at The Bridge and the Salvation Army.

People gather at Ivers Square for the Love, Not Hate rally on Sunday evening, Aug. 13, 2017, in Cape Girareau.

The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017 in Sikeston, Missouri.

Local non-profit traveling AAU team SEMO Elite Basketball travel to Orlando, Florida, for the 2017 AAU National Championships.

The Anne Smith Messy Kid's Day on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017 at Scott City Park. It was sponsored by the Scott City Community Interactive Parks Program.

Opening night of the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Wednesday, August 9, 2017 in Sikeston.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Central Junior High School has a new gymnasium and administrative offices after a $10.3 million renovation project as seen Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Backpacks with school supplies are distributed to area students in need on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017 at the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

The first day of Miss Cooper's preschool class during Summer School Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 in Delta. This is the first year for Delta's preschool program.

Southeast Missourian photographers choose their favorite photos from the month of July.

Debbie Birk works in her garage to redesign furniture to create something new. With the nickname The Junkin' Gal, she finds furniture everywhere from estate sales, Sell It Semo or even on the side of the road.

The last night of the Jackson Homecomers Saturday, July 29, 2017 in Uptown Jackson.

The annual picnic at St. John's Catholic Church in Leopold, Missouri.

Paint-For-A-Cause where the residents of the Missouri Veterans Home will be given the opportunity to paint first on the big image Friday, July 28, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. Aaron Horrell will then take the painting to the SEMO District Fair where people can also help paint to raise money for the home.

The Marquette TechFest on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at Marquette Tower in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Jackson Homecomers continues Wednesday, July 26, 2017 in Uptown Jackson.

Meet the area's 2017 high school valedictorians.

Jackson Homecomers Tuesday, July 25, 2017 in Uptown Jackson.

Southeast Missouri State University art professor, Chris Wubbena, supervised the installation of his 14-foot tall sculpture, "Commence" on Monday morning, July 24, 2017, in Cape Girardeau's Fountain Street roundabout. Parks and recreation employees installed the sculpture. The students that helped construct the sculpture were also on hand to help put the finishing touches on it.

Sgt. Bryan Blattner with K-9 officer Schupo and Officer Eric Steiner and K-9 officer Dallas. Officer Dallas recently joined the force while officer Schupo will soon retire later this September. The Cape Girardeau Police Department plans to obtain two more K-9 officers, of a total of four, having one on duty for every shift in a day.

Briarwood Manor at 1172 Wolf Lane in Cape Girardeau. Author Carl Armstrong wrote the book, "Briarwood's Window on Cape Girardeau's Regional History" that shows the history of the house in Cape Girardeau.

Dancing with the Cape Stars Saturday, July 22, 2017 at the Ray's Plaza Banquet Center in Cape Girardeau.

The Jackson Community Picnic at the Knights of Columbus Saturday, July 22, 2017 in Jackson.

Elroy Kinder helps to restore Shady Grove Cemetery Friday, July 21, 2017 in Dutchtown. Shady Grove named after the former Shady Grove School is an African American cemetery that dates back to the late 1800's with at least 240 confirmed burials.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens made a stop at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.

Officers with the Cape Girardeau Police Department work the scene of a homicide on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, on 200 block of S. Lorimier Street.

Southeast Missourian photographers chose their favorite photographs from the month of June, 2017.

The 2nd annual Back to School Fair was held on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, at Tiger Field House in Cape Girardeau.

Code Camp: Coding with The Finch with the Marquette Technology Institute Monday, July 17, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

People gather for the Trinity Church Picnic Sunday, July 16, 2017 at the Altenburg Fairgrounds.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger declared July 12, 2017 to be Ron Nall Day on Wednesday night. Nall has been conducting the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band for 25 years.

Dogs get a taste Hawaii and beef-flavored snow cones at the Bow Wow Luau held at Deer Creek Doggie Day Camp in Cape Girardeau.

The St. Lawrence Parish New Hamburg Picnic Friday, July 14, 2017 in New Hamburg.

The inaugural ride on the downtown trolley near the intersection of Middle and Broadway Thursday, July 13, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. There are seven total stops throughout Cape Girardeau offering free rides Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

A day at Fruitland Livestock Auction Co. in Jackson, Missouri.

Parks and Rec Day Friday, July 7, 2017 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

People celebrate the Fourth of July in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, July 4, 2017.

Jackson Parks and Recreation's July 4th celebration Tuesday, July 4, 2017 in Jackson City Park.

Friends of Adam Hilse come out to Burrito-Ville Wednesday, June 28, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. Burrito-Ville held a fundraiser for Hilse after he was seriously injured in a wreck on I-55 involving his ambulance and two other vehicles.

Horizons Camp Z Friday, June 30, 2017 at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

The Evolution of Gary Robert and Community rehearses in the band room Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Cape Girardeau.

Captured on Film galleries feature Southeast Missourian photographs taken mainly in the 1960s through the 1990s, before the age of digital photography. Comments or questions about these images should be directed to librarian Sharon Sanders at ssanders@semissourian.com.

Seven addresses added to the City of Cape Girardeau's Endangered Buildings List are sit on Cape Girardeau streets June 26, 2017.

Blood Drive and Bone Marrow Registry for Wade Wachter and Wyatt Hill

Erin Fluegge twirls flaming batons and flaming knives on the riverfront in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The town of Biehle held its annual picnic, providing the nearby community with an afternoon of food and fun June 24, 2017, at St. Maurus Roman Catholic Church.