Stories from Thursday, April 30, 2020

A fatal crash occurred shortly after midnight Wednesday near Cape County Park South, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann, when a passenger vehicle traveling southbound on U.S. 61 left the roadway, struck a pole and overturned. The occupant of the vehicle was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and died as a result of the injuries, Hann stated...

COVID-19 cases increased in the region Wednesday. Officials in Cape Girardeau County, Perry County, Missouri, and Union County, Illinois reported additional patients. One new case was reported in Cape Girardeau, pushing its total to 49. Eight of the county’s residents remain hospitalized with the virus, and 29 have recovered...

Southeast Missouri Food Bank has scheduled another series of COVID-19 Response Mobile food distributions to respond to the increased need for food assistance following temporary layoffs and school closures. Area response mobiles include: Thursday, April 30, 5 p.m., Red Star Pantry, 1301 North Main Street in Cape Girardeau...

The American Red Cross is encouraging healthy individuals to donate blood or platelets to ensure blood remains readily available for patients who rely on transfusions, and to that end, the organization has scheduled blood drives. Upcoming drives in the Cape Girardeau area through May 15 include:...

There are so many fun cooking sites, and I enjoy following many of them through social media. So many recipes pop out at me that I would like to make or share with you through this recipe column. As I have been looking through a few of these over the past few days, I came across these recipes that seem interesting and worthy of passing along...

Southeast Missouri State University's Special Collections and Archives is inviting community members to share how the COVID-19 pandemic has turned daily life upside down with submissions to be compiled in a new collection to document this life-changing event for historical posterity. This special digital collection, "Documenting the Pandemic: Stories from Southeast," will be available online in Special Collections' Digital Collections this fall...

Themes aren't usually something I can pull off with this column. This week, though, I have one. Southeast Missouri State University has a lot going on, a lot of it virtually, so let's get started. "She iS," an exhibition of international works curated by university student Maria Esswein featuring 25 artists who identify as female, is on display virtually and being hosted by Southeast's Catapult Creative House, at sheiscatapult.online...

Understandably, tourist travel these days must be restricted. But in my quarantined solitude I have discovered I can still travel -- in my mind. I was supposed to take a Mediterranean cruise this year, but even though it was cancelled, I made the trip anyway -- with my favorite cookbooks to guide me...

Thanks to the great variety of options available at Aldi, I have continued to try new things from the comfort of my own home. In fact, I wondered if I should share some of my favorite finds with you, such as street corn chips, dill pickle popcorn and chocolate-covered espresso beans. I decided against it for selfish reasons: I don't want all of my favorite items to disappear from the store shelves...

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, Jackson Fire Rescue and the Cape Girardeau Police Department respond to Tipton Linen after reports of black smoke in the 1400 block of Independence Street on Wednesday in Cape Girardeau. ...

As he remains held in police custody on a no-bond warrant, Nicholas J. Proffitt now faces state and federal charges as a result of his alleged attack on the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau. In a Wednesday night news release, U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen for the Eastern District of Missouri announced Proffitt was charged with federal arson charges for maliciously damaging a building by means of a fire...

Grocery shoppers in the meat section of their local supermarket may find ground beef, in particular, a bit harder to come by as early as this weekend. “We have plenty of product on hand at the moment,” said Kevin Groves, manager of Country Mart in Jackson, who acknowledged reports of the closing of meat processing plants have him concerned...

After more than a month without schools in session or school buses on roads, the Cape Girardeau School District is negotiating a reduced payment to Robinson Transport, the contractor for the district’s bus fleet. At its socially-distant meeting Monday, the Cape Girardeau School Board discussed the negotiations, which superintendent Neil Glass called a “win-win” for the district and its contractor. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri House on Wednesday passed a stripped-down state budget for the upcoming fiscal year in anticipation of plunging revenue because of the coronavirus. House lawmakers slashed core agency budgets by roughly $146 million compared to this year and cut more than $450 million in planned new government spending, including a 2% raise for state employees...

For millions of Americans, religion offers hope and purpose greater than the challenges of the immediate. Taking it to heart, we are encouraged to reach higher than the egocentrism, political bickering, pettiness and hate that mark so much of the world around us. ...

Several major government and health care construction projects are in various phases of completion in Cape Girardeau and Jackson. The following is a thumbnail roundup of five of them — the new Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, the Jackson Police Department new headquarters, Cape Girardeau’s City Hall complex project, the new Veterans Affairs medical facility being planned in southwest Cape Girardeau and SoutheastHEALTH’s behavior hospital project.

Today is Thursday, April 30, the 121st day of 2020. There are 245 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 30, 1945, as Soviet troops approached his Berlin bunker, Adolf Hitler committed suicide along with his wife of one day, Eva Braun...

I was distressed by the recent action of Missouri's Attorney General. On April 22, he filed a lawsuit against the government of China saying, in effect, that they are responsible for the damage done by Covid 19. Eric Schmitt cannot believe this specious lawsuit has any real merit beyond trying to supports the President's campaign allegations that the Chinese and World Health Organization are responsible for his inactivity through February and into March. ...

We had to destroy the hospitals to save them. You could be forgiven for thinking that's the upshot of the coronavirus lockdowns that have suspended elective surgeries and generally discouraged people from going to hospitals. Many hospitals are getting pushed near, or over, the financial edge. ...

We, the Islamic community of Cape Girardeau, would like to express our deepest gratitude and greatest appreciation for the outstanding assistance and compassion we received from the City of Cape Girardeau Municipal Government during the time of this horrible tragedy that occurred in our beloved, peaceful town at the very first day of the Holy month of Ramadan...

For about 50 years the Scott City R-1 School has taken part in a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with bike-a-thons or marathons and successfully raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for them. As a director for most of them, I had finally someone to continue in this great cause. Then a virus hit and shot it down...

Evangelical leaders anointed President Donald Trump as "The Chosen One" and "Installed by God" because he promised to reverse Barrack Hussein Obama's "anti-Christian immoral policies" on contraception, abortion, LGBTQ, etc. When Trump moved the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, they likened him to King Cyrus. ...

If you were to ask anyone in Missouri right now what the top priority of our government should be in 2020, there's a few answers you could expect to hear: COVID-19 relief, health care, the economy. But one of the current top priorities of legislators in Jefferson City is not one of these things. The legislature is moving to undermine Amendment 1 -- Clean Missouri...

For a long time the health industry has enjoyed a high level of public trust, and for good reason. The U.S. has the best health care system in the world and is full of very talented and committed people. But like any other industry, that trust can be called into question. The medical community's response to Covid-19 has done just that...

LOS ANGELES -- Movies that debuted on a streaming service without a theatrical run will be eligible for the Oscars, but only for this year. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced the change for the 93rd Academy Awards as a response to how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the film industry...

Deloris M. Neace, 78, of Jackson died Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Oct. 1, 1941, in Illmo to Floyd and Doretta Sprenger Uelsmann. She and Charles E. Neace were married May 30, 1959, at Oak Ridge. He preceded her in death Aug. 26, 1993...

Robert Harris, 72, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Aug. 31, 1947, in San Pedro, California, son of William and Beth Harris. Robert was a general contractor and member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 3775, CFI Million-Mile Safe Driver and Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel. He served his country proudly in the U.S. Navy for eight years and in the U.S. Army for seven years...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Jason Lee Harris, son of Michael Harris of Annapolis, Missouri, and Cheryl Cutright Terry of Delta, was born Dec. 6, 1974, in Chaffee and passed away Friday, April 17, 2020, at the age of 45 years. Jason was an employee at Procter & Gamble in Cape Girardeau and a resident of Chaffee...

Wayne William Bening, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at his home. He was born Jan. 17, 1933, in Okawville, Illinois, to William W. and Adele Tepe Bening. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War as a medic. Wayne was a graduate of Okawville Community High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Missouri...

Derek Adams, 28, of Cape Girardeau went to the loving arms of Jesus on Sunday, April 26, 2020. He was born Nov. 28, 1991, in Cape Girardeau to Dewey and Regina Espindola Adams. Derek was a graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School in 2010, where he earned his three-year letter on the basketball team. He attended Southeast Missouri State University...

Approval of minutes n Minutes for April 27 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. ...

We rejoice in you, O Lord Jesus, the God of our salvation. Amen.

Few people registering to vote under the state's motor voter law voted in the April election, a survey of election reports from area counties shows; the survey shows in Cape Girardeau County, 11 of the 600 persons registered under the new law actually voted, a 1.5% turnout...

Daughter to Levin Lee and Christin Lynn Hester of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 12:39 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Name, Claire Lynn. Weight, 2 pounds, 2 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Hester is the former Christin Tanner, daughter of Chris and Gary Tanner of Campbell, Missouri, and Cathy Tanner of Jackson. ...