Local News

Cape Girardeau residents on city water are under a boil advisory following a water main break Monday. The advisory will be in effect all week and a boil order is reportedly forthcoming. According to the state Department of Natural Resources website, a boil advisory is issued by a public water system when water may be contaminated, normally due to low-pressure events. They are issued while waiting for test results to confirm whether water has been contaminated, results can take up to two days...

A water issue in Cape Girardeau has compelled public school officials to cancel classes for Tuesday. A notice sent Monday night indicated Cape Girardeau Public Schools would not be open Tuesday in response to a nearly citywide issue with the city's water system...

Cape Girardeau City Council members unanimously approved a lease with Corporate Flight Management (Contour Airlines) for Cape Girardeau Regional Airport at Monday's meeting. The three-year nearly $578,000 lease is the final step to Contour beginning service at the airport Oct. 18, Katrina Amos, airport manager said Monday morning...

Jackson's Board of Aldermen on Monday voted to correct the city's 2022 property tax rates for general revenue, parks and recreation, cemetery and municipal band, resulting in no tax hike for 2022. On Aug. 15, aldermen OK'd an ordinance setting the tax rates based on assessed valuations received from Cape Girardeau County...

More is better, according to Southeast Missouri State University officials, touting a gain in total enrollment for the fall 2022 semester. Debbie Below, vice president for enrollment management and student success at SEMO, presented census figures to the Board of Governors at its meeting last week that cited enrollment growth in key areas...

Sunny weather with temperatures in the mid-60s are expected for this year's iteration of Jackson Oktoberfest in uptown Jackson. The 2022 edition of the annual two-day autumnal event kicks off Friday night, inspired by brewmasters in the city of Munich, Germany...

A few weeks later than originally planned, Big Love will perform Sunday in Jackson. A Fleetwood Mac tribute band, Big Love had been scheduled for a concert in early September, but two band members fell ill, prompting officials to postpone the concert...

A new Catholic Social Ministries food pantry in Cape Girardeau will serve nearly 2,000 area residents each month, officials said Monday. The pantry, east of the intersection of South Sprigg and William streets and near the group's existing facility, comprises 6,000 square feet, three times the size of the existing pantry nearby...

Jessica Hill, executive director of Cape Girardeau-based Safe House of Southeast Missouri, told Cape Girardeau County Commissioners on Monday the need for her agency's services are continuing "on an upward trend." Hill's comments followed the commission's approval of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month...

A shooting and domestic assault were reported Saturday in Cape Girardeau. According to Cpl. Ryan Droege of Cape Girardeau Police Department, officers responded to the 800 block of Elm Street in response to a shots-fired call. Upon arrival, they found a juvenile who had been struck by a bullet. Droege said the victim was treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made in the case, and the investigation is ongoing...

Perry County Coroner William "Bill" Bohnert has been appointed to serve as interim Perry County, Missouri, sheriff. His appointment was effective midnight Saturday. Bohnert gave Perry County detective Jason Klaus managerial authority over the department...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Walk through the black front door at Old Lutesville Emporium at 203 First St. in Marble Hill, and customers will find merchandise they might remember from years past, things they haven't been able to get locally for years, and other items they didn't know they needed...

A Cape Girardeau man was killed early Friday morning in a pedestrian/vehicle wreck in St. Louis County. Releases from St. Louis County Police Department indicated Adam Levi, 24, died after being struck by a vehicle near the intersection of Telegraph Road and Sappington Barracks Road. The incident occurred shortly before 6:30 a.m. Friday...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Some Sikeston residents will soon receive new voter identification cards in the mail. Beverly Riley, deputy clerk for the Scott County Clerk's Office in Benton, Missouri, said not all Scott County registered voters will receive new voter ID cards. Only those in Sikeston whose voting precinct changed because of the latest census data will be mailed new cards, which will be needed for the Nov. 8 election, she said...

With elected officials from Cape Girardeau County and City of Jackson joining a crowd of area veterans and others, American Legion National Commander Vincent J. "Jim" Troiola spoke Thursday at Legion Post No. 158 in Jackson about what he called the Legion's no. 1 priority -- an effective program to end veteran suicide within seven years...

A touring production of the Tchaikovsky ballet, "Swan Lake", will be performed Oct. 22 at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus. There will be two performances -- 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. -- in Bedell Performance Hall. The production, from World Ballet Series, is touring across the United States with a multinational cast of 50 professional ballet dancers, hand-painted sets and 150 hand-sewn costumes...

Runway 10-28 at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport will be closed for 10 days, beginning Monday, due to Taxiway Bravo renovations. The announcement was made via the airport's Facebook page Friday. It will close jet service at the airport for the duration of the runway closure...

Correcting a calculation error made Aug. 25, Cape Girardeau County Commission re-set 2022 tax rates Thursday, bringing them virtually identical to 2021's figures. n General Revenue: 5.76 cents per $100 assessed valuation. n Dvelopmentally Disabled (Senate Bill 40): 5.54 cents per $100...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Minutes of stated meetings of Sept. 29 Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on the agenda Appointments and possible action items...

Cape Girardeau city council 5 p.m. Tuesday, City Hall Communication/reports n City Council Items for discussion n Appearances by Advisory Board Applicants n United Way initiatives: shelter during extreme weather and public transportation enhancement -- Elizabeth Shelton...

City of Jackson mayor and Board of Aldermen Regular meeting 6 p.m. Monday ADOPTION OF AGENDA n Motion adopting the Regular Meeting Agenda. Public hearings n Hearing to consider the voluntary annexation of the property addressed as 385, 389, and 391 Timber Lane, as submitted by JWRPM Properties, LLC...

Kage FCE met Sept. 22 at Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Jo Byna Daume, president, called the meeting to order. Sarah Ross gave the devotional "Angels Lead You" as we go through our daily routine. Jo Dixon gave reports on the county council quarterly meeting held Sept. ...

Following a hazardous weather outlook issued at 3:24 a.m. Thursday by the Paducah, Kentucky, office of National Weather Service, Cape Girardeau County commissioners have issued a burn advisory for the county, effective immediately. NWS is urging residents to exercise caution through at least Tuesday for what the agency called “wildfire danger.”...

Comic book characters will come to life once again in Cape Girardeau at Cape Comic Con today through Sunday at the Drury Plaza Hotel Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. The event will feature 100 vendors, panels and a costume contest. Vendors will be selling comic books, original posters, fan art and jewelry, among other things...

When Sadie Middleton, a senior at Jackson High School, got called to the principal's office, she thought she must have done something wrong, but had no idea what, she said "I was a little nervous walking in," Middleton said. "Principal (Seth) Harrell held up a sheet of paper and asked, 'Do you know what this is?'"...

Cape Girardeau deputy city manager Molly Mehner has accepted an offer to become the new town administrator for Collierville, Tennessee. She will be officially named to the position pending a vote from the town’s mayor and board of aldermen Wednesday...

Cape Girardeau Public Works Department will be shifting recycling pickup because of a worker shortage. Stan Polivick, the director of Public Works, said beginning next week, Tuesday recycling routes will be shifted to Wednesday to help spread out the workload and accommodate shorthanded staff...

A man wanted in connection with a murder in Caruthersville, Missouri, was taken into custody Wednesday in Cape Girardeau. A release from Caruthersville Police Department says Zy’Quan Williams, 18, of Charleston, Missouri, was arrested after a traffic stop conducted by Cape Girardeau police and troopers of the state Highway Patrol...

In her communicable disease report Tuesday to the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees, staff epidemiologist and project coordinator Autumn Grim said the health agency "has seen a couple of cases of flu," adding "it is uncommon to see (flu) so early."...

In a career that has gone full circle, Edward Spalding is retiring Friday as store manager of Food Giant in Cape Girardeau, where he got his first job when he was 16 years old. Starting as a stock boy, Spalding said he worked after school and on weekends for two years at the grocery store. ...

The River Heritage Quilters' Guild will present the 13th Biennial Quilt Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Arena Building, 410 Kiwanis Drive in Cape Girardeau. More than 100 quilts have been entered to be judged by certified quilt appraiser Teajuana Mahone, owner of Teaquilts in St. Louis. Prizes will be awarded based on workmanship, design and overall appearance...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Minutes of stated meetings of Sept. 26 Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on the agenda Appointments and possible action items...

Multiple not-for-profit organizations announced Tuesday they will be partnering to provide an overnight shelter for homeless people in cases of extreme weather this winter. The shelter will be at The Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau. The plan is to open the newly renovated gymnasium at The Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope St., when a winter storm is imminent, providing food and shelter to those who need it...

Mechanical issues will force the closure of Central Municipal Pool for the general public likely until 2024. The culprit is a problem with the heating and air system that cannot be repaired at this time, according to a news release from the City of Cape Girardeau. ...

Local law enforcement and first responders will now be able to use 911 callers’ cellphones to see live video feeds and pictures. The new system, Prepared Live, allows dispatchers to text a web link to emergency callers that, if followed, will allow them to take video of emergency situations to provide responders with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, the Cape Girardeau Fire Department and 911 call centers with better knowledge of situations at the scene and real-time GPS coordinates ...

The costs of virtually all construction materials have gone up in this year's inflationary spiral. The price of asphalt is no exception. Michael Brandon, Missouri Department of Transportation project designer for the 25-county Southeast District, told Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO) stakeholders this month the increase is marked and substantial...

State officials are calling Tuesday's in-person "Connecting All Missourians" broadband summit in Jefferson City a "first-of-its-kind event." Cape Girardeau Central and SEMO graduate BJ Tanksley, director of the state's Office of Broadband Development, will help lead the summit and will be joined by Gov. Mike Parson and at least two other state officials...

Cape Girardeau School District Board of Education members approved authorization for superintendent Neil Glass to negotiate a contract with Brockmiller Construction to install a concrete retaining wall at Jefferson Elementary School for $74,850. Josh Crowell, assistant superintendent for support services, reported at the board's meeting Monday that a retaining wall will be built on three sides of a city park now under construction next door to Jefferson Elementary. ...

An update regarding the Cape Girardeau School District's summer school program was given to school board members Monday. Howard Benyon, deputy superintendent for elementary education, reported there were improvements in the reading and math scores for a majority of students in all grade levels, elementary through high school...

A Hayti, Missouri, man was shot and killed Friday night in Caruthersville, Missouri. Authorities responded to Shultz Avenue at about 9:30 p.m. and found Herschel Grant Jr., 19, with apparent gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to a trauma center in Memphis, Tennessee, where he died early Saturday morning...

State revenue officials say those who want rebates on Missouri's motor fuels tax have until the end of the week to return a form to get money back on gas purchases made from Oct. 1 to June 30. Department of Revenue director Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau said previously that while information from gas tax receipts must be entered on the form in order for a rebate check to be generated, DOR does not wish motorists to mail in physical copies of service station-generated slips...

The leaders of two chambers of commerce in Cape Girardeau County say it remains tough to find people to fill available jobs but indicate things may be improving. Rob Gilligan, president and CEO of Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, told the Southeast Missourian he has had many conversations with managers, human resource directors and business owners in the region...

Perry County, Missouri, will have a new head of law enforcement after Friday. Sheriff Gary Schaaf announced his retirement via a release on social media last week; he will vacate the post at midnight Friday. He said a lawsuit the sheriff filed against the county is the reason for his early retirement. In December 2018, Schaaf filed a case with the county alleging he was not being paid what he should be. The case was set to enter a jury trial at the end of this month...

"Much Ado About Nothing," by William Shakespeare, will be the first production this fall hosted by the Southeast Missouri State University Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre & Dance. Opening at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, the play will run seven performances through Sunday at Bedell Performance Hall in the River Campus Cultural Arts Center at 518 S. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau...

Two new officers and one communicator will join the ranks of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, the department announced Monday via its Facebook page. Patrolmen Will Sammut and Hunter Juden took their oaths at City Hall on Monday morning. Both have law enforcement experience and will begin field training immediately, the post said...

A Cape Girardeau man has been charged with murder after a Friday shooting in Cape Girardeau left a St. Louis man dead. According to a release from Cape Girardeau Police Department, Martevion Curry, 22, has been charged in connection with the death of Robert Mannie, 57...

A class of Franklin Elementary School third graders learned some basics of golf Thursday. Sitting in Hula Hoop-size rings on the gym floor, 15 students listened as Haley Rushin, their physical education teacher, explained the equipment and how to use it...