Stories from Thursday, April 15, 2021

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minute n Minutes from April 12 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. ...

Through the Covid-19 pandemic we have enjoyed playing cards when there weren't many other activities we could be doing around town. We have close friends who were also being very safe and careful of the virus, so we continued to play cards right through the pandemic...

The City of Perryville Parks and Recreation Department is hosting this year's annual Mayfest 5K on May 8. The race is sponsored by First State Community Bank. Check-in and day of registration will be from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m.. The race will start at 8 a.m., with award presentations following the event. The registration fee is $20. Early deadline for this event is April 25, with a registration discount of $5 ($15 per entry)...

From dance studios to art exhibits, Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus is home to many performance halls and galleries. SEMO is one of the only universities in Missouri to have a separate campus dedicated to the arts. The need for a variety of classrooms, studios and performance halls is necessary due to the wide range of art majors utilizing River Campus...

The Jackson Police Department will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration's 20th Take Back Day on April 24. Jackson police will be collecting prescriptions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jackson Police Department, 202 W. Jackson Blvd. Tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquid drugs, syringes and other sharp objects will not be collected. The DEA is also accepting vaping devices and cartridges as long as the device's lithium batteries are removed...

Scott City officials lifted a boil-water advisory for the city Wednesday afternoon. They issued the advisory after a vehicle collided with a fire hydrant.

Camille Smith, 2, left, Lyla Hill, 2, and Wyatt Hill, 10, sample the offerings from some of the food trucks during the Jackson Food Truck Rally on Wednesday outside of the St Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway in Jackson. ...

Southeast Missouri congressman Jason Smith (R-8) has voiced his opposition to President Joe Biden's recent gun initiatives — announced last week — by suggesting the 46th president is paying attention to the wrong problem. "Last month alone, more people illegally crossed our southern border than there are residents in Springfield, Missouri, yet President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris seem to be more focused on restricting Americans' Second Amendment rights than addressing a real crisis," Smith said in a statement to the Southeast Missourian.. ...

Artist Chris Wubbena's mantra is "By any means necessary." Any idea or feeling he wants to convey through his art, his mantra will push him to find the meaning, discipline and medium to convey the message to his audience. Wubbena's exhibit "Demos" which means "The People" in Greek, is currently exhibited at The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. Wubbena said the pieces are about burdens people carry...

Spring has sprung! Flowers are blooming, we have had some beautiful bright sunny days and, God willing, we have many more ahead. My recent foodie adventure location is one you will want to jot down or make a mental note of for the next time you are in need of some open road therapy...

A Southeast Missouri State University alumna and community advocate announced Wednesday her intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Roy Blunt. Beverly "Lady B" Logan of St. Louis, a 1978 Southeast graduate, said she plans to run for the seat that will be available after Blunt recently announced he is not seeking reelection in 2022...

The wall protecting downtown Cape Girardeau from floodwaters along the Mississippi River should last at least another half century, thanks to a recently completed series of renovation and reconstruction projects. Completion of the work, which took 15 years and cost almost $20 million, was celebrated Wednesday morning at a gathering next to the flood wall of city officials, representatives of the Corps of Engineers and other dignitaries...

Legislation to designate a 6-mile section of Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau County as the "Rush Limbaugh Memorial Highway" is working its way through both the Missouri House and Senate this week. State Rep. Wayne Wallingford (R-147/Cape Girardeau) introduced House Bill 1259 on Feb. 23, six days after Limbaugh died of cancer in Florida...

The SEMO District Fair's Grandstand entertainment has been announced. This year's concert lineup for the fair, which will be held from Sept. 11 through 18 at Arena Park, will be Christian singer Zach Williams, who is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 14, jam band Blues Traveler will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 15 and southern rock sextet Whiskey Myers will play at 8 p.m. Sept. 16...

Route W in Cape Girardeau, from Highway 177 to Lexington Avenue, will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. According to a MoDOT news release, the work began Wednesday and will continue through April 22, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily...

The Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri annual breakfast celebrates those who have dedicated their time and efforts to help our community. We will reflect on last year and talk about our future. It's CPSEMO's mission to maximize resources to improve the lives of individuals, children and families. ...

Today is Thursday, April 15, the 105th day of 2021. There are 260 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson, baseball's first Black major league player, made his official debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day at Ebbets Field. (The Dodgers defeated the Boston Braves, 5-3.)...

Thank you for covering the Lemon Drop Long Drive. I wanted to pass along a message to say thank you to the community for supporting this event and the cause behind it. Being a TC Survivor it was easy to jump on board when it was "just an idea." Several months of hard work and dedication to something we hoped would raise $2,500 turned into something much bigger. ...

Amber Jean Womack, 29, of Scott City died Monday, April 12, 2021, in New Madrid County, Missouri. She was born July 28, 1991, to Mark Copeland and Jennifer Womack Amber is survived by her mother, Jennifer (Chuck) Hebrock of Scott City; her father, Mark Copeland of Portageville, Missouri; two sons, Hunter and Blaize Womack of Scott City; her daughter, Faith Womack of Scott City; three brothers, Cody Whitehead, Sam Copeland and Dwain Jaco; four sisters, Destiny (Tyler) Martin, Kristen Hubbard, Angel (Joe) Hebrock and Casey Hebrock; paternal grandmother, Lois Costello; and maternal grandmother, Tonya Hebrock.. ...

Ethel L. Smith Watson, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at her home. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Saturday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home. A home-going celebration will be at noon at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Cemetery...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Thomas Glenn Tygett born in North Kansas City, Missouri, May 31, 1960, grew up in Cape Girardeau and moved to Arizona, where he passed away after several years of poor health on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, just short of his 61st birthday, at his home...

Victor William Powell Jr., 67, of Jackson died Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at the Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Private services will be held. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City was in charge of arrangements.

CHICAGO -- Elisabeth "Betty" Kassal, 86, passed away peacefully Monday, April 12, 2021, in the home she shared with her son, Robert. Betty was born July 14, 1934, in Yugoslavia, the daughter of Mathias and Katharina Preisig. After living through World War II, losing her father to the war and experiencing many hardships no child should ever have to endure, Betty and her mother came to the United States in 1948, settling in Chicago. ...

Michael Hellman II, 44, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements will be announced from Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Marjorie A. Perry Birk Grindstaff passed away Saturday, April 10, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Marjorie is being honored with a private funeral service and private burial at Russell Heights Cemetery, with the Rev. Joshua Schmidt officiating. Once the threat of COVID-19 has passed and Marjorie's family can freely travel, they plan to announce a gathering and memorial service to celebrate her life...

Stephen M. Davie, 70, of Cape Girardeau passed away surrounded by his family Sunday, April 11, 2021, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born May 17, 1950, in Cape Girardeau to the late Alvin and Margaret Cook Davie. He and Jeannie Dalton were married in 1987...

Geneva Brown, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, April 11, 2021, at her home. She was born March 26, 1941, in Blytheville, Arkansas, to Henry and Hattie Smith Holt Sr. She married Johnny Mack Brown. He preceded her in death Dec. 9, 2020. Geneva was a member of Lighthouse United Church in Cape Girardeau...

If you've been in the olive oil section of the grocery store lately, you've likely been confronted with a lot of choices. Possibly even a wall of olive oils, with different symbols on the bottles and a whole lot of brands to choose from. For most of us, the world of olive oil is a bit of a mystery, and you may find yourself with the same kind of uncertainty you feel in a wine store when contemplating the plethora of bottles lined up...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Several Missouri House members criticized the head of the state's labor department for continuing to try to collect portions of unemployment benefits some people mistakenly received during the coronavirus pandemic. The agency's actions came despite an agreement reached last month the labor department would stop or slow down unemployment collections while lawmakers consider a bill to forgive most of the payments, members of the House Special Committee on Government Oversight said Tuesday.. ...

Lord Jesus, as you washed your disciples' feet, may we also serve one another in love. Amen.

So now our State Legislators think the voters were duped, scammed and gaslighted by "liberal" groups to vote for Medicaid expansion. Are you kidding? We voted for it because we wanted it! This seems to be the new strategy of Republicans; when you lose a free and fair election just change the rules. Don't mess with Medicaid expansion, we need it!...

The City of Cape Girardeau is getting aggressive with airport marketing; it's spending part of the airport's $538,000 annual budget on advertising, surveys and promotional open houses in hopes landings and takeoffs will increase; airport management funneled $375 a month into radio advertising on KGMO and sister stations KAPE and KYRX; the ads, which run Thursdays through Sundays to target business travelers, feature phrases like "take off with great bargains" and "Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, your gateway to the world"; newspaper advertising, paid for in part by Trans World Express, will begin soon.. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Assault n Assault was reported on South West End Boulevard. DWI n Driving under the influence was reported in the 700 block of South Fountain Street. Thefts n Burglary was reported in the 1100 block of Giboney Avenue...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls. April 13 n Medical assists were made at 12:39 a.m. on Bloomfield Road; 7:40 a.m. on North Frederick Street; 7:44 a.m. on Linden Street; 11:04 a.m. on North Main Street; 11:48 a.m. on North Henderson Avenue...

A migraine is an intense, pounding headache that can last for hours or even days and usually begins in the forehead, the side of the head, or around the eyes. Any movement, activity, bright lights, or loud noise can make it hurt more. Nausea and vomiting are common during migraines...

Edwin K. Burford Jr., M.D., 87, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at his home. Burford was born Nov. 24, 1933, in Doniphan, Missouri, to Edwin K. Burford Sr. and Anna Ruth Whitfield Burford. He and the former Carol Sue Richmond were married June 10, 1956, at the United Methodist Church in Advance, Missouri...

YOUNGSVILLE, N.C. -- James Allen Edwards, 65, of Youngsville passed away Wednesday, March 10, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents, James H. Edwards and Frances L. Ruff, and his first wife, Bonnie L. Edwards. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. ...