Stories from Thursday, March 18, 2021

Southbound Interstate 55 in Scott County, from mile marker 89 to mile marker 85, will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction as contractor crews make bridge repairs, according to a Missouri Department of Transportation news release. The work will begin March 31, with completion anticipated April 30...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minute n Minutes from March 15 meeting n Minutes from closed session of March 15 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. ...

Immaculate Conception School in Jackson will hold its 2021 Spring Fling virtually. The theme is "Fly with the eagles." The online auction will be held through Saturday. The carry-out dinner will be held Saturday, and pickup times are 4:30 to 7 p.m. The meal includes kettle beef, chicken and dumplings, sides and dessert. Tickets for the auction and dinner are sold separately and can be purchased at springfling.lovewhatic.com. For questions or more information, call Sarah at (573) 837-7712...

In the 23 years I have been fortunate enough to write a recipe column for you, I have never shared recipes for homemade dog treats or biscuits. Recently I have had a few people ask me about putting a few dog treat recipes together and sharing with readers. If you do not own a dog, there are plenty of people who do and would welcome your treats, and of course the shelters would know of pups that would love homemade treats...

Students who study music live to play their instruments. However, their normal way of playing and their professors' teaching styles have had to be adjusted due to COVID-19. Music lessons provide a physical space for students to learn directly from their instructors. ...

On a tiny island in Scotland during the sixth century, monks copied the Gospel and created Celtic art. Nearly 1,500 years later, Robert Towner, a former world religions professor at Southeast, first found his artistic inspiration while living for a year on Iona, the same island the monks inhabited. Inspired by the history of his surroundings, it was there that Towner taught himself the art of calligraphy...

Southeast Missouri State University, founded as Southeast Missouri State Normal School in 1873, is launching a one-day campaign Tuesday via social media, email and telephone to help raise money for 12 initiatives directly benefiting students on campus...

A year ago, all area schools shut down for what they thought was going to be a few weeks. It turned into the rest of the school year because of the coronavirus pandemic. "We left school, not knowing we wouldn't see each other again," said Paul Unterreiner, Notre Dame Regional High School assistant principal. ...

Marcia L. "Lynn" Ware, an incumbent on the school board since 2012, worked in the community affairs division of the Cape Girardeau Police Department from 1996 to 2017. She is also the former director of the Cape Girardeau Safe Communities program and Southeast Missouri State University's Hoover Senior Adult Center. Now retired, she has been a community advocate for many years. ...

Sunday evening a friend invited me to Minglewood Brewery to catch up over an early dinner. He is a beer connoisseur and we both enjoy good food. I was looking forward to the warm casual atmosphere complete with upbeat music and a social vibe. When we arrived, we were given the option of dining room or patio. ...

To say businesses have faced some challenges during the yearlong COVID-19 pandemic would be a gross understatement. With the possible exception of the Great Depression of the 1920s, business experts and economists generally agree (and many business owners know) there has never been a more tumultuous period for the nation's businesses than the past 12 months...

Hours following the House vote that sent a $1.9 trillion spending bill to President Joe Biden's desk, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith was primed to issue his opposition on what he called the "wrong plan at the wrong time for all the wrong reasons." "First off, it's not a COVID relief bill. ...

The PORCH Initiative of Cape Girardeau has several projects in the works led by newly-elected chairwoman Tamara Zellars Buck. Buck has been affiliated with PORCH — an organization dedicated to recreating the vibrant communuity that once flourished in the south side of Cape Girardeau — since its inception in 2018. Her main goal as chairwoman is to improve visibility of the organization...

As of Monday, the State of Missouri has entered Phase 1B, Tier 3. That tier includes essential workers in critical sectors. Previous tiers and Phase 1A targeted health care workers, emergency service providers and those at high risk.

Why should I wear a mask now that we have vaccines for COVID? Now that vaccinations are taking place to immunize people against COVID-19, it would seem logical that we are now free to go back to normal life. Right? No, in many ways it has become just as important or even more important to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing and sanitizing...

Poor Joe Biden. It was his misfortune to inherit one of the technological marvels of our time. Before President Biden took office, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines had been authorized for use (with another, from Johnson & Johnson, on the way), and were already being administered to people around the country...

O Lord Jesus, may you be glorified by the works of our hands. Amen.

Mary Fronabarger, 95, of Oak Ridge died Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson has been entrusted to handle the final arrangements for Mary. The arrangements are incomplete at this time...

Phyllis Ruth Bono, 82, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, March 15, 2021, at Westfield Nursing Center in Sikeston, Missouri. She was born Oct. 17, 1938, in Cape Girardeau to the late Glenn and Mary Moore Huckstep. Phyllis was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. She graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School and earned a master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University. She worked as a speech pathologist...

NEW YORK -- Instead of finishing your leftovers, you let them go bad and buy takeout. It's a familiar routine for many -- and indicative of habits that contribute to a global food waste problem that a new United Nations report says needs to be better measured so that it can be effectively addressed...

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden wants the Senate to engage in old-fashioned filibusters, forcing senators who try to block bills to have to stand and talk for hours, as happened in Hollywood movies and during the civil rights era, if they want to object to his legislative agenda...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Responding to concerns from state officials, the U.S. Treasury Department said Wednesday states can cut taxes without penalty under a new federal pandemic relief law -- so long as they use their own funds to offset those cuts...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A large coronavirus vaccination event will be held next week in St. Louis, Gov. Mike Parson announced. As many as 6,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be given March 25 and 26 at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park. A third mass vaccination is planned for March 27 at Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park...

If you live in a good neighborhood count your blessings. It could change at any moment regardless of the actions you take to maintain it. On March 6th (postmarked March 4th) we received a letter from the city stating there would be a public hearing about the property adjoining ours being rezoned from R1 to R3 on March 10th. ...

It was a job search that didn't take long to complete; after two months of screening applications, the Scott City Board of Education unanimously voted Friday to hire Roger Tatum as its new superintendent; the Oak Ridge school board will meet tonight to accept Tatum's resignation and discuss its search for a new superintendent...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls.March 16 n Medical assist was made at 8:53 a.m. on Jefferson Avenue. n At 3:11 p.m., vehicle fire at mile marker 102 Interstate 55 Southbound. n At 5:21 p.m., smoke investigation at East Rodney Drive and Rodney Vista.

CAPE GIRARDEAU Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Assaults n Assault was reported in the 7800 block of South Benton Street. n Assault was reported in the 800 block of Morgan Oak Street...

NEW YORK -- Yaphet Kotto, the commanding actor who brought tough magnetism and stately gravitas to films including the James Bond movie "Live and Let Die" and "Alien," has died. He was 81. Kotto's wife, Tessie Sinahon, announced his death Monday in a Facebook post. She said he died Monday in the Philippines. Kotto's agent, Ryan Goldhar, confirmed Kotto's death...

Cape Central High School Tiger Bytes Robotics Club won its first award on Saturday, March 6, 2021. The team finished their second year of competition on a high note by winning the Judges Award at the 2020-2021 Southeast League Championship. In addition to being a rookie team, they had to overcome many unique challenges this year. ...

Janet Sue Keesee, 82, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, March 14, 2021, at her home. She was born in Kingsville, Texas, on Oct. 19, 1938, to Howard and Christine Stephens. Known as Sue, she loved her work as secretary to the principal of Alma Schrader Elementary School. For over 30 years, Sue was the hub of the school...