Stories from Thursday, October 14, 2021

Cape Girardeau County Commission 9 a.m. Today 1 Barton Square, Jackson Approval of minutes n Minutes of stated meeting of Oct. 7, 2021 n Closed minutes from Oct. 7, 2021 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. ...

Last week I shared recipes using pumpkin in main dishes. I had several people ask me where the fall and pumpkin desserts were in that column. So today, I have pulled together several pumpkin dessert recipes for you to try through fall and winter. If you are able to go online and view this column, you will find many more recipes...

The American Red Cross is hosting an emergency-need blood drive from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Southeast Missouri State University's Recreation Center. This blood drive is also in honor of Jackson resident Colton Friese, who was in a serious car accident almost a year ago and needed about 50 units of blood...

COVID-19 cases grew in the region over the past few days. Officials with Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center reported 102 new virus cases and 58 new probable cases since Friday, pushing the county's pandemic total to 12,853 cases. As of Wednesday, there were 182 active virus cases in the county. One hundred fifty-three county residents have died because of the virus...

Recently a food columnist for a St. Louis newspaper wrote an article with the headline, "Here's Why I May Never Eat Another Fig Again." Like any good headline, this one caught my attention, especially since I like figs, which are in season until the end of this month and, of course, available dried year-round...

October is here! Many people are excited because it is officially Halloween month. The leaves have started to change color, fall decor is invading our indoor spaces and some women have put away their white shoes, and stepped (albeit prematurely) into their winter boots as if their efforts will summon cooler temperatures. It doesn't appear to be working — temperatures remain plenty warm. Maybe wearing Sherpa pullovers next week will help? It's worth a try...

State Rep. Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau (R-147) plans to try again to get distracted-driving legislation passed at the next session of the 101st Missouri General Assembly. Wallingford, 75, introduced a measure in January 2020 while still in the Missouri Senate, aimed at banning all Missouri motorists, with the notable exception of those operating emergency vehicles, from texting while driving...

Hundreds of protesters against Procter & Gamble's recent COVID-19 vaccination policies gathered Wednesday morning outside the company's facility in northeastern Cape Girardeau County. The peaceful protest was one of several held by Procter & Gamble employees since the company announced changes to its COVID-19 policies last month...

On a seasonably warm night at venerable Houck Stadium, more than 300 young people heard heartfelt testimonies from three college undergraduate athletes about how Jesus is the answer to troubled times at Wednesday's Fields of Faith event. Nygal Russell, junior guard for the Southeast Missouri State University's Redhawks men's basketball team, said he grew up in a strict, believing family in Houston...

Southeast Missouri State University is aiming toward a 70% proof-of-vaccination response by Nov. 1 — less than three weeks away — with the promise of an extended Thanksgiving break if the target is achieved. According to the most recent information provided by SEMO, the rate is 61.4%...

Cape Girardeau city manager Kenneth Haskin, left, talks with CEO and president of Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce John Mehner and others during a chamber event Thursday at The Library in Cape Girardeau to celebrate Mehner as he is set to retire soon.

At the age of 20, Nathan Patterson was diagnosed with testicular cancer on March 18, 2020. As a student studying business management at Ole Miss in University, Miss., with plans to take over his family’s business in Cape Girardeau, he was on spring break in Key West, Fla., with his friends when the pain in his testicle he’d been experiencing for two weeks became unbearable. His friend and fraternity brother drove him to the hospital...

Over the years we have seen remarkable growth for the teeth whitening industry. A bright white smile is desirable and easily obtainable for most people. In today’s market, navigating the decision on how to achieve and maintain a white smile can be tricky. Products now range from toothpastes, strips, gels, pens, rinses, trays, lasers, lights and oils...

Today is Thursday, Oct. 14, the 287th day of 2021. There are 78 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Oct. 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles E. ("Chuck") Yeager became the first test pilot to break the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell XS-1 (later X-1) rocket plane over Muroc Dry Lake in California...

O Lord Jesus, may our hearts be filled with the peace of knowing you. Amen.

Gifted students have to check their privilege and get over themselves. It doesn't matter whether they are minorities. It doesn't matter whether they were brought to the United States as children. It doesn't matter how poor their families may be. It doesn't matter if they have inspiring personal stories. It doesn't matter how hard they work...

The other day I was in a big box store in this area. I walked down an aisle where a heated conversation between two individuals, one masked (M) and one unmasked (U), was developing. This piqued my curiosity. Acting as if I was interested in something on the display shelf, I moved closer to listen. But not close enough to seem like I was eavesdropping. The two were talking about wearing masks. This isn't an exact transcription but close enough to get the gist of their conversation.:...

Daughter to Gabriel and Janice Scherer of Sikeston, Missouri, Southeast Hospital, 8:58 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Name, Eleanor Ann. Weight, 8 pounds. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Scherer is the daughter of Norman Jansen and JoEllen Jansen of Leopold, Missouri. She works for W.E. Walker-Lakenan Insurance. Scherer is the son of Fred Scherer and Christy Scherer of Bell City, Missouri. He is a self-employed farmer...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls. Oct. 12 n Medical assists were made at 2:28 a.m. on North Pind Wood Lane; 9:14 a.m. on North Henderson Avenue; 12:03 p.m. at South Minnesota Avenue and Commercial Street; 6:37 p.m. on Bellevue Street; 6:40 p.m. on Delwin Street...

BREESE, Ill. -- Phyllis Ann Eftink Winkelman, 65, of Breese died Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. She was born May 30, 1956, in Cape Girardeau. She loved to play bingo, loved to dress up and decorate for holidays, loved to read and go to the park and enjoyed bringing home treasures from yard sales and auctions, loved McDonald's breakfast and coffee and, most of all, loved spending time with her son, Nick...

Deborah Ann Moore, 68, of Jackson died Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at The Bridge, 326 S. High St., in Jackson. The family entrusted McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson with Deborah's final arrangements...

Karla Huffman, 61, of Jackson died Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at her home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. Funeral service will follow at noon at the funeral home with the Rev. Sam Roethemeyer officiating. A private graveside service will follow at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield...

Daniel Joseph Bridges, 64, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at his home. He was born Dec. 13, 1956, in Jonesboro, Illinois, to Opal Marie and Otis Thomas Bridges. Dan was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and was a retired union painter...

Kevin Baker, 54, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. He was born April 17, 1967, to John and Karen Point Baker. Kevin is survived by a son, Hunter Baker of Cape Girardeau; daughter, Jessica Baker of Cape Girardeau; mother, Karen Point Baker of Cape Girardeau; brother, Matt Baker of Cape Girardeau; and grandchild, Kennedy Baker...

Levi Michael Asher, 31, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. He was born Aug. 16, 1990, in Cape Girardeau to Max Asher and Laura Gast Murakami. He was a graduate of Jackson High School. For the past eight years he worked as an insulation technician at K&F Insulation. He dedicated his free time to upgrading his low rider truck and riding motorcycles...

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- A man armed with a bow fired arrows at shoppers in a small Norwegian town Wednesday, killing five people before he was arrested, authorities said. The police chief in the community of Kongsberg, near the capital of Oslo, said there was "a confrontation" between officers and the assailant, but he did not elaborate. ...

VAN HORN, Texas -- Hollywood's Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, blasted into space Wednesday in a convergence of science fiction and science reality, reaching the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company. The "Star Trek" actor and three fellow passengers hurtled to an altitude of 66.5 miles over the West Texas desert in the fully automated capsule, then safely parachuted back to Earth. The flight lasted just over 10 minutes...

WASHINGTON -- Millions of retirees on Social Security will get a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic...

SAN DIEGO -- Beleaguered business owners and families separated by COVID-19 restrictions rejoiced Wednesday after the U.S. said it will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze. Travel across land borders from Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to workers whose jobs are deemed essential. ...

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden tried to reassure Americans on Wednesday he can tame high inflation, announcing a deal to expand operations at the Port of Los Angeles as prices keep climbing and container ships wait to dock in a traffic jam threatening the U.S. economy and holiday shopping...

MIAMI -- Banned from the Florida hospital room where her mother lay dying of COVID-19, Jayden Arbelaez pitched an idea to construction employees working nearby. "Is there any way that I could get there?" Arbelaez asked them, pointing to a small third-story window of the hospital in Jacksonville...

Attorneys for Michael Politte, who was convicted at age 14 of killing his mother, on Wednesday asked the Missouri Supreme Court to free him after more than 22 years behind bars, citing now-disproven evidence, a faulty investigation and a flawed trial defense...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Planned Parenthood leaders condemned new regulations on Missouri abortion providers that took effect Wednesday. Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, told reporters the organization is still unclear on what the rules will do...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Students, teachers and staff at Missouri schools who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 will be allowed to stay in school and participate in extracurricular activities if they meet certain criteria, state education officials said...

After two years of travel between the United States and China, Cape Girardeau will become Shaoxing's sister city in a ceremony today; four Chinese officials and several local dignitaries are expected to attend the event, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the Robert A. Dempster Hall; the Sister City Agreement states the cities will cooperate in the areas of economy, trade, culture, education, science, technology and urban construction...