Editorials

We have immense respect for our local law enforcement heroes, and one of the really special programs of the year to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice will be held this weekend. Seniors and Lawmen Together (SALT) will hold its annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at 10 a.m. ...

A big event will be held in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, connecting area youth with a former Major League Baseball player who will conduct a one-day Fitness Sports Clinic at Capaha Field. People Organized to Revitalize Community Healing (PORCH) will host former MLB outfielder Curtis Granderson who will lead the clinic, set for 9 a.m. to noon. Up to 125 youth between the ages of 7 and 17 are invited to participate, with priority given to kids who live in the south side of Cape Girardeau...

An inspiring story about two local track and field runners caught our attention last week. Aiden Scheeter is a freshman at Oran High School. He runs the 400 on the high school's track squad. But unlike his fellow runners, Scheeter is visually impaired. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), the former a disease affecting the retina where cells break down over time and the latter an inherited disorder involving light sensitivity of the retina cells...

This weekend Southeast Missouri State University will host its spring commencement ceremonies. Among those walking are 1,063 undergraduates, 304 master's students and 24 specialist candidates. SEMO will hold a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday for the Harrison College of Business and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Holland College of Arts and Media. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Shane Mizicko, professor of music in the Department of Music...

City of Cape Girardeau leadership recently announced a proposal that would triple the amount of funding for the removal of abandoned or unsafe buildings, a move they say is necessary to reduce crime and improve neighborhoods. The proposal would allocate $125,000 in American Rescue Plan funds toward the removal of these structures, which can be a draw for illegal activity in addition to being structurally unsafe...

The spring season of Old Town Cape's Tunes at Twilight kicks off this week, and the concert series will return to its former location: Ivers Square in downtown Cape Girardeau. The concert series had been moved to the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus during construction of the new City Hall. But with construction complete, the outdoor music series can now resume with the former Common Pleas Courthouse-turned-City Hall as the backdrop...

Editor's note: The following is our annual Mother's Day editorial. Each of us owe a debt of gratitude to our mothers, if for no other reason the gift of life itself. On Sunday, we'll celebrate Mother's Day and all the moms who selflessly give of themselves for their families...

Thursday is the National Day of Prayer, a day set aside on the first Thursday in May when Christians gather for personal repentance and to seek God's wisdom for our leaders and families. The history of the Day of Prayer dates back to 1952 when Congress passed a joint resolution. It was signed by then-President Harry S. Truman. The law was amended and established as the first Thursday in May in 1988 during the Reagan administration...

Despite some of the negative national economic news around inflation and challenges for employers in finding workers, issues that also impact individual consumers and businesses here, there is some good news to report on our local economy. Cape Girardeau County continues to see a positive trend in general sale tax revenue year-over-year in all four funds monitored by the county's treasurer...

Dr. Jim Dufek has taught at Southeast Missouri State University for 39 years in the mass media department. In August, he will retire. Credited with creating the TV/film option at the university, Dufek has impacted the academic and professional careers of numerous students. Graduates of the program have gone on to work in a variety of careers, with many working at local, metro and national TV stations, among other areas...

Returning for its second year this weekend is the Muddy River Marathon. According to a recent Southeast Missourian story, more than 400 runners have signed up for this event that includes full, half and half relay marathon options. The race begins at 6 a.m. Saturday at Century Casino for full marathon participants and 7:45 a.m. for the half marathon. The route will culminate at the intersection of Independence and Main streets where live music will be played from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m...

A few recognitions and upcoming events on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University recently in the news grabbed our attention and are worth celebrating. The university student newspaper and website, The Arrow, took home 23 awards across 16 categories at the Missouri College Media Association Conference held in St. Joseph, Missouri...

Cape Girardeau-based technology incubator Codefi recently announced some big news that should have an impact in southern Missouri and beyond. Referring to it as "one of the largest regional workforce and business development networks in state history," the organization announced the establishment of the Southern Missouri Innovation Network. For short, it's being referred to as Innovate SOMO...

The City of Cape Girardeau is seeking applicants for its Citizen Academy, a program offered twice a year that guides participants through various aspects of city government and its services. The program goes six to eight weeks with each weekly session lasting two hours. Participants tour city facilities and meet some of the key individuals in city government...

Adult and Teen Challenge Mid-America held its annual banquet last weekend at the Show Me Center with about 1,000 people on hand to hear testimonies of God's grace and raise money for the transformational program reaching many young men battling addiction...

Editor's note: The following is our annual Easter editorial. A miraculous event 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem changed the world. On this Easter weekend, the story is presented again from the Holy Bible (the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 28): After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb...

Cape Girardeau has elected a new mayor in Stacy Kinder. The city councilwoman defeated incumbent Mayor Bob Fox in a municipal election that saw a stronger than normal voter turnout. Fox held an early lead on election night, but as returns came in, Kinder took the lead and ultimately won with a 23-vote margin...

Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas recently presented at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee about a study showing the economic impact the university makes on the state. According to the study, conducted by international labor market analytics firm Emsi, SEMO added nearly $1 billion to the state's economy and supported more than 13,000 jobs in the 2019-2020 fiscal year...

Christians around the world will celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend, the final Sunday of Lent and the beginning of what is known as Holy Week. The Bible recounts how on Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding a colt as people greeted Him, palm branches in hand, with acclamations, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!"...

There's a new lineup of sculptures along Broadway in downtown Cape Girardeau, and an opening reception will be held Thursday evening to celebrate this year's display. "Every year we do this to celebrate public art along the path of the Broadway corridor and tens of thousands of people get to see it on a daily basis. ...

Over the last several weeks, students in several classes at Southeast Missouri State University have been watching the film "Georgia, Georgia." The screenplay was written by famed author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. Last week, a public screening was held on campus for the community with a panel discussion that followed. ...

Tuesday is Election Day in Missouri, featuring races for many municipal and school board positions. In Southeast Missouri, there's no shortage of races to be determined with the contest for Cape Girardeau mayor leading the way. On the ballot are incumbent Mayor Bob Fox and City Councilwoman Stacy Kinder. ...

Cape Girardeau has some funds available from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), and city leaders, following council approval last summer, have decided to put a portion toward fixing a problem with the sewer system. A study from 2015 revealed several defects regarding stormwater filtering into the sewer system via cracks and groundwater seeping into the system. ...

One of Cape Girardeau's historic homes previously in disrepair has been renovated by a local group with plans to rent the space for special events. Built in 1857, the Reynolds House is located at 623 N. Main St. According to a recent Southeast Missourian story, prior to 2019 the house was in poor condition. Much of the flooring was unsalvageable, and some glass window panes were broken...

A decade ago, the Baylor University football program had gone rogue. For several years, players committed sexual assaults, rapes and other crimes. School officials helped cover up these crimes. But they had help. It's unclear to this day whether some in the Waco (Texas) Police Department bowed to pressure from the university or simply took it upon themselves to hide the crimes of the athletes who were, to be sure, bringing big money to the university and the city...

This week's news about Eric Greitens, disgraced former Missouri governor, was disturbing and sad. It also fits a pattern of behavior that, if indeed true, makes him further unfit to represent our state. To recap the sordid affair, the former governor and current U.S. ...