Stories from Saturday, February 22, 2020

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Third through sixth grade students at Scott County Central Elementary were reminded on Friday how it feels to be left out as they learned about social isolation through a national initiative presented at their school. The students attended an assembly organized by Home State Health, where they learned about the negative effects of social isolation and strategies for engaging each other...

For the eighth consecutive year, Southeast Missouri State University's Cyber Defense Team has won the Missouri Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, or CCDC, and with new leadership this semester, the team is looking to take it to the next level. Mario Alberto Garcia, the university's Institute of Cybersecurity director, is new to Southeast, but, he said, one of the reasons he accepted the position was seeing the cyber defense team members' motivation and how they work...

Some of Missouri's medical marijuana dispensaries could be open by the middle of this year, according to a consultant who helped write the state's constitutional amendment legalizing medical cannabis. John Payne, co-founder of Amendment 2 Consultants LLC, was in Cape Girardeau Thursday to speak at a public forum on the Southeast Missouri State University campus on what people need to know before medical-grade marijuana becomes available in the state...

President Donald Trump may have no better friend in Congress than U.S. Rep. Jason Smith. The 39-year-old congressman who represents Missouri's Eighth District plays a key legislative role, serving on the seven-member House GOP leadership team as Republican Conference secretary. A member of the Ways and Means Committee, one of the more powerful congressional assignments, Smith said tax reform and trade have been priorities...

New Southeast Missouri State University regent Vivek Malik is sworn in by Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. during the Board of Regents meeting Friday on the university campus.

There are more than a dozen churches on the south side of Cape Girardeau. They have different denominations, ministry structures, teachings, preaching styles and congregations. But one thing they've all got in common is a vested interest in community healing and unification...

The Oscar-winning 2001 animated film "Shrek" has come to life in the form of the stage musical now being presented at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. "Shrek: The Musical" features numerous Southeast students who have to go to significant lengths to bring the film's lively-animated characters to the stage...

Today is Saturday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2020. There are 313 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 22, 1980, the "Miracle on Ice" took place in Lake Placid, New York, as the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets, 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.)...

The Cape Girardeau City Council voted Tuesday to license rooming and boarding houses in the wake of three fires here in the past four or five months; Fire Chief Robert Ridgeway says the license requirement clears the way for the city to inspect rooming and boarding houses to ensure they aren't fire traps...

I watched on television when the Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black was praying to open a meeting to consider articles of impeachment delivered by the House of Representatives. The news anchors were anticipating the minister's message to the Senators through the prayer. ...

Do you often feel that your work must be clean cut, be performed in a nice environment and exist with the absence of drudgery? When people are young, dependent on their parents and, consequently, must do necessary jobs, their thoughts aren't always on where their direction is going to be in life. ...

Two significant chapters of Cape Girardeau's rich African-American history converged in the chambers of the City Council meeting on Aug. 20, 2018. First, Mayor Bob Fox issued a poclamation declaring the day in honor of Harmony Lodge No. 40, recognizing the organization's long history (140 years in 2020) and continuous record of civil engagement. ...

Squash dates back at least 8,000 years with many believing the earliest record of it was from Mexico. Some feel it was further south among native Indian tribes. Squash was definitely here among the native tribes in the Americas. Squash was one of the "three sisters," which were corn and beans and squash. ...

If you've heard about Safe Families and would like more information, please join us as we discuss: n What is Safe Families for Children? n What role can I play in Safe Families? n What role does the Church play? n Who does Safe Families serve? n How does Safe Families serve?...

n University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, annouced its fall 2019 dean's list Gordonville: Anna Dittmer n Tuman State University President's list: To qualify for this list an undergraduate student must attain a semester 4.0 grade point average and must complete at least 12 credit hours...

Submitted by Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary Amore is a six-year-old kitty with a great personality. She would be a great addition to the right family! If you are ready for a rewarding experience, come see us at Safe Harbor. Call (573) 243-9823.

Monday: Chicken tenders or cheeseburger, baked beans, seasoned spinach, whole-grain bun and mixed fruit dessert or cookies. Tuesday: Meatballs in gravy or chicken cordon bleu casserole, mashed potatoes, California-blend vegetables, Lima beans, whole-grain bread and baked pineapple or pineapple cake...

The Town and Country FCE club met Feb. 13, at the home of Darlene McCain. McCain gave the devotion entitled "God Loves." Roll call and January minutes were given by Sue Jones, Reporter/secretary. The minutes were approved as read. The treasurer's report was given by Brenda Pender. The report was approved as read. Pennies for Friendship were collected...

Whoever trimmed this hedge didn't do such a wonderful job. And why would anyone trim his hedge in February? As I looked closer at this unsightly yard work, I realized that the gardener had left not one single green leaf on the ground. Investigating further, I found small hoof prints all around the hedge. A family of deer had made a dinner visit during the night...

Many have noted the dilemma the socialists -- er, I mean the Democrats -- are in over the prospect of Sen. Bernie Sanders winning their nomination. If nominated, they're running a socialist. If not, their base will be out of sorts. It's time for a reckoning. The Democratic Party is going to have to be honest with itself -- and the American voters -- sooner or later. It is already mostly socialist. But is it ready to embrace the label?...

O Lord Jesus, may we show hospitality to others. Amen.

To a child, a parent is everything. A parent is a child's financial and emotional support, and most importantly, the person who makes a child feel safe, valued, and wanted. And although parents may make mistakes, in their child's eyes, a parent is a hero...

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday minimized new warnings from U.S. intelligence experts Russia is interfering in this year's election campaign, and revived old grievances in claiming Democrats are determined to undermine the legitimacy of his presidency...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iranians voted for a new parliament Friday, with turnout seen as a key measure of support for Iran's leadership as sanctions weigh on the economy and U.S. pressure isolates the country diplomatically. The disqualification of more than 7,000 potential candidates, most of them reformists and moderates, raised the possibility of lower-than-usual turnout. Among those disqualified were 90 sitting members of parliament who had wanted to run for re-election...

ISLAMABAD -- A temporary truce between the United States and the Taliban took effect on Friday, setting the stage for the two sides to sign a peace deal next week aimed at ending 18 years of war in Afghanistan and bringing U.S. troops home. If successfully implemented, the weeklong "reduction in violence" agreement, which came into force at midnight Friday local time, will be followed by the signing of the peace accord on Feb. ...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Cases of a new virus swelled Friday in South Korea, making the country the newest front in a widening global outbreak centered in China and now reverberating elsewhere. South Korea said two people have died and 204 have been infected with the virus, quadruple the number of cases it had two days earlier. Schools were shuttered Friday, churches told worshipers to stay away and some mass gatherings were banned...

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrest does not imply guilt. n Mark A. Turnbough, 52, of Perryville, Missouri, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for third-degree assault...

MIAMI -- A once-standout U.S. federal narcotics agent known for spending lavishly on luxury cars and Tiffany jewelry has been arrested on charges of conspiring to launder money with the same Colombian drug cartel he was supposed to be fighting. The FBI arrested Jose Irizarry and his wife, Nathalia Gomez-Irizarry, Friday at their home near San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the case...

Twin daughters to Gregory Chadwick Hudson and Miranda Nicole Ford of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. Myracle Bless was born at 5:15 a.m. and weighed 3 pounds, 3 ounces. Nevaeh Rae was born at 5:28 a.m. and weighed 3 pounds, 7 ounces. Third child, second and third daughters. Ford is the daughter of Cleties and Penny Ford of Cape Girardeau. Hudson is the son of Valerie Matthews of Malden, Missouri...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As a presidential candidate in 2016, Donald Trump promised a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that would use tax incentives to spur private investment in public works projects. He has so far failed to persuade Congress to pass anything like that...

Ruben William Wachter, 84, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Altenburg, Missouri, died Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Young East Perry Funeral Home in Altenburg. Visitation will continue from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Danny L. Vinson, 59, of Perryville died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, at The Estates of Perryville. Friends may call from 10 a.m. until time of service at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Young Funeral Home in Perryville. Officiating at the service will be the Rev. Ben Chapman...

Jackie "Jack" Snyder, 85, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born July 6, 1934, in Lead Mine, West Virginia. Jack served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for 30 years. ...

Heather Renay Mayabb McCurter, 39, of Sikeston, Missouri, passed away Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at her home. Visitation will be from 11 a.m.to 1 p.m. Sunday at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, Missouri. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, with Bro. Jon Archie officiating. Burial will follow in East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery...

Teresa Eileen Hinkebein, 84, of Jackson, formerly of Oak Ridge, passed away Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, at Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 5, 1935, in Rye, New York, to Peter and Ellen "Nellie" Reilly McCabe. She and Harold Joseph Hinkebein were married Sept. 13, 1958, in Rye. Five children were born to their union, Joseph, Karl, Kenneth, Barbara and Kevin...

Clifford John Boyer, 71, of Jackson, passed away Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020 at his home. He was born Jan. 30, 1949, in Wood River, Illinois, son of Raymond George and June Marie Neunaber Boyer. Cliff married Ellen "Krickett" Frymire on May 10, 1968. Cliff was a graduate of Roxanna High School in Roxanna, Illinois. ...

In the 1980s, a former boss said something to me that is still hard to forget. Discovering my decision to leave the radio news business after a decade to go to seminary, the secular New Yorker had a facile reaction: "Oh, I hear there's good money in (the ministry)."...

Are you feeling sad or anxious after a heart attack or other heart problem? You're not alone. In multiple studies, anxiety, stress and depression are identified in about one out of every five patients who have experienced a significant heart event, such as a heart attack or cardiac arrest...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- In some communities, downtown not only is the historic part of the city but also the heartbeat. That is Jason Davis's goal for Sikeston. Davis took over as the new executive director of Historic Downtown Sikeston on Jan. 1, replacing Lynn Lancaster, who retired at the end of last year...

Motorists traveling from Illinois get a dim view of Cape Girardeau at night; only one light burns on the west ramp of the Mississippi River bridge at the end of Morgan Oak Street, and seven others don't work; one fixture is completely missing; the outside glass is broken around most of the old mercury vapor lights, with pigeons making homes in one or two of them...