Local News

The 2022 Missouri Senate primary election is still more than a year away but at this early date, among the announced and rumored GOP candidates to succeed retiring Sen. Roy Blunt, no hopeful appears to have more cash on hand than Southeast Missouri congressman Jason Smith (R-8)...

The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees appeared simple enough. Review minutes, hear routine reports and review the center’s monthly revenue and expenses. But a standing-room-only crowd of about 50 people, many of them carrying protest signs, had another agenda item in mind. ...

Cape Girardeau’s Latter-day Saints (LDS), whose church building was destroyed by a suspected arsonist April 18, have been holding Sunday worship since the blaze at the Osage Centre. Kevin Dickson, LDS stake president for Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois for the last seven years, said it is unknown whether the congregation will build again at the scene of the three-alarm fire...

Cape Girardeau School District officials have not made a decision on what preventative measures will be used against the pandemic, according to a statement sent to the Southeast Missourian on Tuesday. The statement from Kristin Tallent, the district’s communications director, said any decisions made regarding preventive measures to protect students and staff will be made with the input of local health officials. ...

As it did for most churches, the pandemic made Cape First Church reevaluate a few things. Cape First had hosted a demolition derby as part of its Family Day every year for 19 years. Last year, however, the church shifted Family Day’s focus from entertainment to community outreach. ...

Carlos Vargas, president of Southeast Missouri State University, had his contract extended Tuesday by the governing Board of Regents. Meeting in special session, the regents presented Vargas with a new three-year rolling contract. ...

As it did for most churches, the pandemic made Cape First Church reevaluate a few things. Cape First had hosted a demolition derby as part of its Family Day every year for 19 years. Last year, however, the church shifted Family Day's focus from entertainment to community outreach...

Afternoon traffic is diverted to pass a car wreck on Kingshighway near Lynwood Baptist Church while first responders help those still in the car Tuesday in Cape Girardeau.

By a unanimous vote, with two members absent, the Cape Girardeau School Board voted Monday to authorize superintendent Neil Glass to negotiate a contract "not to exceed $1.25 million" for synthetic turf installation and stadium upgrades to the Central High School baseball and softball complex at 1000 Silver Springs Road...

On Aug. 5, Dan Woods will mark 25 years as a full-time employee with Southeast Missouri public radio — the last 19 as general manager — and the Neelyville, Missouri, native said Monday he’s a happy broadcaster. “I’ve always loved to come to work,” said Woods, 49. “I like making sure the stations are all on the air, that the signal sounds good and that we are putting out a quality product 24/7.”...

Voting for the Southeast Missourian’s People’s Choice Awards begins today. This is the 15th year for the awards, grouped into seven categories — Retail Therapy, Drive Time, House Style, Money Matters, Out & About, What’s for Dinner and Healthy Living...

A new business will open its doors Sunday in uptown Jackson. West Main Crafts will provide a space for local artists, vendors and crafters to sell their work in a craft-mall style. The shop will rent space to up to 50 artists, vendors and crafters to sell and showcase their work...

This upcoming school year, Jefferson Elementary School students will find the school is not quite how they left it. Four Cape Girardeau School District teachers are working together to bring a sensory garden to the school’s courtyard. The garden will incorporate elements to stimulate all five of students’ senses...

Neck and back pain can make day-to-day activities difficult, but many of those activities can actually cause pain. “In chiropractic care, I see a lot of patients for neck and back pain directly related to how they’re spending most of their days — for those who sit at a desk or drive in a car for long periods of time, neck and back pain are almost always going to occur at some point,” said Dr. ...

Are you living life with pain or limitation? Premier Physical Therapy provides orthopedic, spine and hand therapy. Dennis Riney, founder and CEO, said they’re the only physical therapy provider in the area that has a proven 5-Star Plan for pain. Premier Physical Therapy can play an important role in eliminating pain from various causes by restoring function in joint movement or improving the ability to walk. ...

In a meeting announced with 24-hours notice, Southeast Missouri State University’s Board of Regents will convene at 2 p.m. today in Room 143 of Academic Hall on the Cape Girardeau campus. Among the action items on the short agenda is a resolution adopting the final Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved Cape Girardeau County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan on behalf of SEMO...

The way we work has drastically changed from how we did business pre-pandemic. If you’re finding the phone system your business utilized before the advent of COVID-19 doesn’t fit your business’ work style as well as it once did, or if your business is growing and simply needs a new phone system solution beyond utilizing personal lines, it might be time to transition to a business phone system. A business phone system can aid your company in projecting a professional image, help your employees maintain a healthy work/life balance and ensure you retain clients’

Cape Girardeau Police Department Sgt. Joey Hann said an incident occurred at Central Municipal Pool over the weekend but resulted in no monetary damage to the pool or equipment. Officers were dispatched around 10:45 a.m. Saturday to the pool at 1920 Whitener St., Hann said in a text message Sunday evening...

The inaugural Grappling 4 Good fundraising tournament had members of the Cape Girardeau Police Department and Cape Girardeau Fire Department going head-to-head, but for a good cause. Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann, and creator of the event, said around 400 people attended the grappling tournament, held Saturday in the Eagles Banquet Hall at 321 N. Spring Ave. in Cape Girardeau...

After a nearly decade of ministry service, LaKishea Braxton has seen some of the neediest populations in Southeast Missouri. She's witnessed a family with children live in a car; a pregnant woman and her husband drive from shelter to shelter with no luck in securing a place to stay...

Local celebrities will dance for a purpose during the fourth annual Dancing with Show Me Stars fundraiser, hosted by the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (CPSEMO). Dancing with Show Me Stars will bring nearly 500 guests to the Drury Plaza Conference Center on July 31, according to the event page...

A fire destroyed a house Sunday morning in south Cape and one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion while fighting the blaze. All units were called to the structure fire at 6:19 a.m. at 541 S Benton St., according to an incident report by Battalion Chief Shawn Morris...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — With the school year quickly approaching and COVID numbers increasing, both the Scott County and New Madrid County health departments released quarantine procedures for county residents. According to the announcements, both released last week, any person who is considered a "close contact" of a positive COVID patient will be asked to quarantine one of two ways...

After a one-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jackson Homecomers returns with five days festivities, starting Tuesday. The festival will feature carnival rides, food tents, beer gardens and entertainment. David Hitt, member of the Homecomers Committee, said Jackson's American Legion Post No. 158, the event's sponsoring organization, was glad to bring the annual festival back to the people of Southeast Missouri after a year off due to the coronavirus pandemic...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Bell City High School Class of 2021 valedictorian Mia Dembowski wants to share her title. Dembowski is advocating for the school district to change its process of choosing the top senior student. She suggests the valedictorian title be earned by any student who meets certain requirements, not as the student with the absolute highest grade point average (GPA)...

The Town and Country FCE Club met July 8 at the University of Missouri Extension Center for its annual picnic. The club had 15 guests for the gathering. The meal consisted of fried chicken from Food Giant and various side dishes brought by club members...

Poplar Bluff, Missouri, native Lara Christy arrived on Ascension Island from the United States in mid-April. After three months, it is safe to say she is enjoying life on the remote island in the south Atlantic Ocean...

The goal of the state's COVID-19 vaccination incentive program -- MO VIP -- is to encourage Missourians to consider receiving the inoculation. According to state health officials, more than 500,000 people looked at the program's website in its first day...

A haze blanketed Southeast Missouri on Thursday -- smoke from wildfires burning in the western part of the United States and Canada. Derrick Snyder, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, confirmed the source of the haze and said it has reduced the visibility from the usual 10 miles to about 5 miles. He said the smoke is usually in the upper levels of the atmosphere but has been closer to the ground recently...

What is the best use of the old Cape Girardeau County Courthouse? That's one of the questions Cape Girardeau County Commissioners want answered as part of a facility review study they authorized Thursday during a brief County Commission meeting. The commissioners unanimously approved a motion to engage Navigate Building Solutions of St. Louis to conduct a study of its facilities to help the county plan for and accommodate the space needs of various county government functions...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Downtown Perryville is about to get a little more colorful. Leaders behind Perry County Heritage Tourism and the City of Perryville plan a series of four murals to be painted throughout downtown Perryville. Trish Erzfeld, director of Perry County Tourism, said the murals have been a goal of hers to complete since she began her position in 2015. To her, murals and other types of public artwork are important for a community to share its culture...

Beginning Aug. 6, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau will host the work of the region's best quilters in its exhibition "Seeing Stars: 2021 Regional Quilt Exhibition." "Seeing Stars" was developed to demonstrate the talent, skill and diversity of quilt makers in the area, according to Kelly Downes, the art council's director...

Several streets in uptown Jackson will be closed during part of all of next week to accommodate the 2021 Homecomers activities. Homecomers will begin Tuesday evening and run through July 31. However, some streets will close Sunday afternoon to allow time for vendors, carnival employees and volunteers to set up carnival rides, food tents, booths and other attractions...

A Cape Girardeau jury found a Malden, Missouri, man guilty Thursday of distributing a controlled substance. A news release from Saylor Fleming, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, said Marcrease Farmer, 36, was found guilty of distributing methamphetamine after a two-day trial...

SoutheastHEALTH has implemented a state-of-the-art rapid diagnostic technology focused on helping clinicians deliver optimal antibiotic therapies more quickly for patients suffering from serious bloodstream infections. Southeast is the pioneer in bringing this technology to the region.

Gov. Mike Parson announced Wednesday a $9 million program to encourage Missouri residents age 12 and older to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. “We understand that some Missourians are hesitant towards getting the vaccine, but we must all take personal responsibility and do right by our own health and that of our friends and family by getting vaccinated,” Parson said during a news conference. ...

Brothers Carey and Greg Branham have fished since childhood. They didn’t know when they set out last week on the Mississippi River they’d reel in the largest catch of their lives. During a drift fishing expedition on the Mississippi River near Ste. Genevieve, the brothers reeled in a 101-pound blue catfish. It took them about 40 minutes to get it out of the river...

Walmart will have free health screenings and wellness resources, including immunizations, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday as part of its Wellness Day nationwide. Locations in Southeast Missouri will participate. The goal of Walmart Wellness Day is to help people take preventive health measures they may have missed over the past year because of the pandemic, especially as many people prepare for in-person work and school this fall, according to a news release. ...

An indigo bunting songbird holds a grasshopper with its beak in a sunflower field Wednesday on Huey Farm in Cape Girardeau County. ...

A Perryville, Missouri, man received a 15-year-prison sentence Wednesday after pleading guilty to second-degree child molestation. Timothy Brandes, 50, was sentenced in the courtroom of Judge Scott Lipke in Perryville. According to a release from Perry County Prosecuting Attorney Caitlin Pistorio, the investigation was led by Detective Michelle Priest of Perryville Police Department and Detective Amber Crites of Perry County Sheriff’s Office. ...

A Cape Girardeau man was arrested Wednesday morning for alleged driving while intoxicated in Bollinger County, Missouri. A Missouri State Highway Patrol report said Austin Larose, 18, was arrested for alleged driving while intoxicated and speeding (101 mph in a 55-mph zone). He was taken to the county jail and released...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Minutes from July 19 meeting Communications/reports — other elected officials n COVID-19 Update: In an effort to keep Cape Girardeau County residents safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director Mark Winkler will be issuing an update at County Commission meetings. ...

Poplar Bluff, Missouri, native Lara Christy spent many years trying to find the right balance between work and life. Now it looks like she may have found it in the middle of the south Atlantic Ocean, on one of the world's most remote islands...

Tuesday marked one year since the last murder in Cape Girardeau County. The number of murder cases filed by the Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor's Office have decreased slightly over the last several years, according to Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Welker...

Jackson police are investigating an alleged incident Sunday in which a woman was reportedly assaulted by a Jackson Fire Rescue employee while responding to the woman's request for medical assistance. "We did receive a report, but it's still under investigation," said Lt. Alex Broch, Jackson Police Department's public information officer. He said it could take several days, and possibly a week, to investigate the facts surrounding the alleged incident...

The new hot dog restaurant in town, Rufus Red Hots, is hosting its first hot dog eating contest, which it plans to make an annual event, Saturday at its restaurant at 600 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. Owner Yolanda Cawthon said the event was created for the community to have fun and to celebrate national hot dog month...

The Missouri Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Advisory Council (LETSAC) named Cape Girardeau patrolman William Sammut a "LETSAC Officer of the Year" last week. Sammut received the award along with four other officers from around the state. The award is presented to select officers by the Missouri Department of Transportation and LETSAC for outstanding work in traffic safety and enforcement...

Delbert Walter and Leon Reed, 3, pet Scruffy, a 7-year-old terrier, in the stands of Capaha Field during Tuesday's Cape Catfish baseball game in Cape Girardeau. Tuesdays are Dog Day, when owners are encouraged to bring their dogs to the game.

Last week, Gov. Mike Parson signed into law House Bill 297, which designates Southeast Missouri State University as a higher education institution with a statewide mission in the areas of computer science, cybersecurity and visual and performing arts. ...

Although it is one of the most historic sites in Cape Girardeau County, Old McKendree Chapel in Jackson will no longer have a "historic landmark designation" if the city's Board of Aldermen approves a request next month to rescind the designation. At their study session Monday night, the aldermen heard from a representative of the Old McKendree Chapel Memorial Foundation who said the designation, granted three years ago by the Jackson Historic Preservation Commission, is making it difficult to adequately maintain the 200-year-old chapel and cemetery.. ...