This afternoon on seMissourian.com

County makes food safer

The Cape Girardeau County Commission hopes its latest move will make it safer for you to eat at home and at restaurants and fairs. The commission unanimously passed a food handling safety ordinance at today's meeting — a revised version of one first proposed by the county health department over a year ago.

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20 cats rescued from filth

The Humane Society rescued 20 cats from a filthy mobile home in Cape Girardeau Wednesday, but there will be no punishment for the cats' disabled owner.

Authorities found out about the cats after a call from a neighbor. Many of the felines were sick, and will now be cared for properly.

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Warmer winter?

The National Weather Service issued its predictions for this year's winter weather, and Missouri and much of the Midwest is expected to benefit from a warmer-than-average season.

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Millersville firefighters return

Early this week about half of the Millersville Rural Fire Protection District threw down their gear and walked out after a heated meeting.

But now it appears the rift was sort of minor, because those firefighters are apparently returning to the district after an emergency meeting was held to discuss the issue Wednesday night.

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Got flu?

Several flu cases have been reported in Cape Girardeau County. We'll have information on how bad the outbreak is later at seMissourian.com.

And come back Friday for stories on Perryville's attempt to ban pit bulls and how local retailers plan to cope with slow sales this Christmas season.