Stories from Monday, October 4, 2021

On Sept. 7, the St. Louis Cardinals had a 2.8% chance of making the playoffs, according to the website FanGraphs.com. The season was dominated by injuries and prolonged, mediocrity on the field. But as Yogi Berra is quoted as saying, "It ain't over till it's over."...

The Saint Francis Foundation recently received a $7,000 grant from the American Cancer Society to help provide transportation services for cancer patients in need of transportation assistance. The grant will be used to underwrite gas cards and transportation service rides for eligible patients who face transportation barriers to attend cancer-related appointments during the last quarter of 2021...

A Cape Girardeau man became a victim of theft Friday evening when he allowed an unknown man to use his cellphone. At approximately 6 p.m., the victim was leaving a business in the 800 block of Broadway when the suspect approached him and asked to borrow his cellphone to make a call, Cape Girardeau Police Department Sgt. Joey Hann said in a text message Friday...

Unemployment rates throughout Southeast Missouri decreased significantly in July and August, the most recent months for which county-by-county jobless data is available through the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The declining unemployment rates are an indication of Missouri's continuing recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced thousands of temporary or permanent business closures resulting in widespread joblessness throughout the state...

A crowd dances and sings along with Fault Line Band at Uptown Jackson Oktoberfest on Saturday in Jackson.

More than two years after announcing plans for Newbridge Retirement Community, an assisted-living and memory care facility, in Cape Girardeau, Newbridge Management LLC has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony this week for the project. The event is set for 3 p.m. Thursday at the future site of the senior living facility, 1205 S. Mount Auburn Road...

From handmade jewelry, art or candles sold online to people offering photography or copy editing services — and sometimes, for below-market prices — it seems almost everyone has a side hustle these days. To help young entrepreneurs learn how to turn their skills and hobbies into a serious business idea, the Economic Engagement Center at Southeast Missouri State University partnered with 20 North Pacific art gallery to offer Legitimize Your Hustle workshops throughout October...

Members of Cape Girardeau Life Chain are joined by members of the community to observe National Life Chain Sunday 2021, a nationwide "peaceful and prayerful pro-life witness," on Sunday afternoon at the corner of William Street and Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau.

The Cape Girardeau County Clerk's Office is once again calling for design submissions of "I Voted" stickers. A Facebook post from the office's page announced Friday the 2022-2023 contest is now open for submissions. Designs will be voted on to choose a winner that will become the stickers handed out at the polls in Cape Girardeau County...

The Southeast Missourian newsroom has four windows that face North Lorimier Street in downtown Cape Girardeau. From my desk, I can see First Presbyterian Church and a portion of Ivers Square, just north of the old Common Pleas Courthouse, which will soon be repurposed as part of the Cape Girardeau City Hall complex...

The Southeast Missourian collected 21 awards in the Missouri Press Association's recent 2021 Better Newspaper Contest, with recognitions for the newspaper's design, writing, reporting, sports coverage and photography. The Missourian's awards, including several first-place honors, were presented Sept. 25 during the Missouri Press Association's 155th annual convention in Excelsior Springs, Missouri...

Facebook along with its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms suffered a worldwide outage Monday that has extended more than three hours. Facebook's internal systems used by employees also went down. Service has not yet been restored. The company did not say what might be causing the outage, which began around 11:40 a.m. ET. Websites and apps often suffer outages of varying size and duration, but hourslong global disruptions are rare...

Southeast Missourian assistant publisher Lucas Presson has been elected to the Missouri Press Association (MPA) Board of Directors. His election to a one-year term took place during the 155th annual MPA convention Sept. 24 in Excelsior Springs, Missouri...

Today is Monday, Oct. 4, the 277th day of 2021. There are 88 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On Oct. 4, 2002, "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh received a 20-year sentence after a sobbing plea for forgiveness before a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia. ...

Lord Jesus, grant us a discerning mind that we may glorify you in all we do. Amen.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — James "Jim" D. Taylor, 95, of Perryville passed away Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Independence Care Center. He was born Jan. 12, 1926, in Alton, Missouri, to Ambrose Leander and Mary Nancy Roberts Taylor. He and Mildred "Lou" Terry were married May 9, 1947, in Alton. She survives in Perryville...

Allen Lane Peetz, 54, of Jackson passed away Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 29, 1967, in Cape Girardeau, son of Edwin "Junior" and Elsie Nitsch Peetz. Allen was a 1985 graduate of Jackson High School. He graduated from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a diesel mechanic degree...

Donna R. Palmer, 87, of Jackson, formerly of Monett, Missouri, passed away Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 16, 1934, in Taft, California, to Joe and Edith Long Kenney. She and Hubert Palmer were married Jan. 7, 1953, in Joplin, Missouri. They had been married 64 years when Hubert passed away Aug. 21, 2017...

JONESBORO, Ill. — Wayne Livesay, 85, of Jonesboro died Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, at Union County Hospital. He was born March 25, 1936, in Grand Tower, Illinois, the son of George and Clara Kenney Livesay. He married Barbara Robertson on Dec. 24, 1956, in Jonesboro...

Virgina Lucille Douglas, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, at her home. There will be no visitation or funeral service. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Alberta Louise Dougan, 75, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, at the Villas of Jackson. The third of three children, Alberta was born Nov. 5, 1945, in Cape Girardeau to Albert H. and Dorothy Probst Macke. Alberta and R. Neil Dougan were married July 17, 1971. They had been married nearly 50 years when Neil passed away Jan. 27, 2021...

George Roscoe Below, 58, of Friedheim died Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. He was born June 28, 1963, in Cape Girardeau to James Roscoe and Carmen Marie Brennecke Below. He and Deborah L. Peterson were married Jan. 4, 1992, in Washington, Missouri. George was a 1981 graduate of Delta High School...

LOS ANGELES -- Scarlett Johansson and the Walt Disney Co. on Thursday settled her lawsuit over the streaming release of "Black Widow," bringing a swift end to what had begun as the first major fight between a studio and star over recent changes in rollout plans for films...

LONDON -- The adventures of the honey-loving bear Winnie the Pooh have captivated children -- and their parents -- for nigh-on 100 years. Fans now have a chance to own a central piece of Pooh's history, when a countryside bridge from southern England goes up for auction this week...

ST. LOUIS -- The relentless toll of the pandemic has worsened the ongoing nursing shortage at St. Louis area hospitals. Over the past decade, the nation's nursing shortage has been growing but now with the number of nurses leaving the profession during the pandemic, it's turning into a crisis, nurses and hospital administrators say to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch...

As Congress considered a massive COVID-19 relief package earlier this year, hundreds of mayors from across the U.S. pleaded for "immediate action" on billions of dollars targeted to shore up their finances and revive their communities. Now that they've received it, local officials are taking their time before actually spending the windfall...

The City of Cape Girardeau's customer service office received one business license application last week. Kha Tran of Cape Girardeau applied for a business license to open MANA Tea, a tea and coffee shop planned for 411 Broadway, a location formerly occupied by Chocolate Works...

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce will help sponsor the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization's monthly Uptown Coffee gathering from 8 until 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Cape Girardeau County History Center, 102 S. High St. in Jackson...

Three new members have been appointed to the Community Counseling Center Foundation Board of Directors -- Laurel Adkisson, Laura Matlock-Hill and Marilyn Plaskie. Adkisson is owner and agent with Laurel Adkisson American Family Insurance Agency in Cape Girardeau. ...

The Cape Girardeau law firm of Layton & Southard LLC last week moved its offices to 2845 Professional Court. The firm was previously on the third floor of the Banterra Bank building at 1650 N. Kingshighway. The law firm's telephone number and email addresses are unchanged...

The Small Business Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University will host several free business webinars in the coming weeks. The webinars, which will be offered through the Zoom meeting platform, are: n Ready, Set, Startup -- 11 a.m. ...

Cape Girardeau-based Plaza Tire Service recently added a second location in Jonesboro, Arkansas. It is the 70th store in the tire and automotive service chain. Located at 4301 E. Johnson Ave. in Jonesboro, the 8,700-square-foot store includes eight service bays and a large area for tire storage...

Ritter Real Estate has purchased an office building at 2905 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson and plans to open a satellite real estate office there by early November. Purchase of the three-suite building was finalized Thursday. Jared Ritter, the real estate firm's owner/broker, told the Southeast Missourian his firm was originally going to list the building on behalf of owners Derek and Nicole Dirnberger...

KEB, a multistate accounting, consulting and advisory firm with an office in Cape Girardeau, celebrated its 90th anniversary Friday. The firm was founded Oct. 1, 1931, when it opened offices in St. Louis and Springfield, Illinois. The company now has nine locations in Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin...

Citing labor shortages, St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets Inc. is adjusting its store operating hours effective this week at most of its locations throughout Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin -- including the Schnucks at 19 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau...

Republican state Sen. Peter Kinder and Democratic challenger Rick Althaus sharply criticized each other in a debate last night; Kinder portrayed Althaus as a tax-and-spend liberal; Althaus depicted Kinder as a do-nothing legislator who hates government and bashes public education; about 250 people attended the debate in the University Center Ballroom...

1st Class Travel is pleased to be a part of the Wake Foundation’s very first Honor Tour with a flight leaving from the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. Shari Elfrink, President of 1st Class Travel says, “We are thrilled to be able to volunteer our services for these extraordinary men and women who courageously served our country.” 1st Class Travel has worked closely with the Wake Foundation, the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, and United Airlines operated by SkyWest and United Express to be able to provide our ticketing services for the veterans and their caretakers traveling on this non-stop flight to Washington D.C. ...

"Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."...