Stories from Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Scott Christy, 56, of Jackson was charged Saturday, April 6, with first-degree rape or attempted rape and third-degree assault. Police say the alleged victim called 911 and whispered her street address over the phone, then began screaming before the call disconnected, according to a probable-cause affidavit signed by an officer whose name was redacted. ...

Share your best photos of the eclipse and you and your family/friends watching the event — eclipse2024@semissourian.com.

Hundreds of current, former and potentially future Southeast Missouri State University students filled the 900 block of Normal Avenue on Monday, April 8, for the school’s solar eclipse watch party. The SEclipse University Block Party began at 11 a.m. and featured eclipse-themed carnival games, inflatable bounce houses, multiple food trucks, a student organization fair and Greek Week festivities before the main event. ...

Two very important things happened Monday, April 8, in Jackson. The sky turned dark for more than four minutes in the middle of the afternoon. And there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. That combination made Jackson a very popular place to be. ...

“Have an eclipse and they will come,” Ray Kinsella of "Field of Dreams” fame might have said. For the second time in seven years, Cape Girardeau has been a hot spot for people to watch the anticipated total solar eclipse. Community members and tourists traveled to watch parties in Cape Girardeau such as Cape County Park, downtown, Houck Field and the SportsPlex to watch the “twice-in-a-lifetime” event in perfect weather. ...

Friends and families took a once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit Cape Girardeau Monday and catch a glimpse of a celestial spectacle. ...

For about four minutes Monday, April 8, the moon and the sun were on virtually equal terms from certain vantage points on Earth, including Southeast Missouri. A total eclipse passed overhead at about 2 p.m., and the region was along the “path of totality”, meaning the moon covered the sun, with only an outline of the sun — the corona — visible. During those four minutes, nighttime prevailed, the temperature cooled and throngs marveled at the unusual celestial sight. ...

The 2024 total eclipse goes through different phases before and after totality Monday, April 8, over Cape Girardeau.

I cried and cried and cried on the night of Feb. 27, 2008. I'm not sure anyone ever did that while watching Charlie Rose on PBS before. But there I was. William F. Buckley Jr. had died that day, and Rose played recaps of interviews with Bill over the years. Bill founded National Review magazine in 1955, and I was editor of the magazine's website when he died.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Americans overwhelmingly supported Ukraine — as they did with Israel after Oct. 7. No wonder: Ukraine was surprise attacked by Russia, and Israel was by Hamas.

O Father God, we praise you, for you are the helper of the fatherless. Amen.

The presidential primary went well. The next step will be the local county mass meetings. Each county will elect delegates to go to the congressional meetings. The eighth congressional meeting will be held in Wayne County this cycle. That’s the only perk to being the eighth congressional chair!

CAPE GIRARDEAU Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls. April 7 n Medical assists were made at 9:30 a.m. on North Henderson Avenue; 10:23 a.m. on South Sprigg Street; 1:17 p.m. on East Rodney Drive; and 1:39 p.m. on Rampart Street...

CAPE GIRARDEAU Cape Girardeau Police Department responded to the following calls. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n A warrant arrest was reported on South Fountain Street. n A warrant arrest was reported on North Main Street. n A warrant arrest was reported...

Larry J. Scowden, 70, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, April 7, 2024, at his home. He was born April 24, 1953, in Kennett to Hal and Dorothy Mae Davis Scowden. He and Lura Bess were married Oct. 26, 1985, in Chaffee. ...

Dorothy Caroline Ressel, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, April 4, 2024, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Aug. 11, 1933, in Kelso to Anton and Anna Ostendorf Diebold. She and Harold J. Ressel were married Oct. 18, 1955 in Kelso. He preceded her in death in 1990. ...

Daughter to Alec and Sydey Brown of Chaffee, Mercy Hospital Southeast, 6:27 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Name, Alaina Marie. Weight, 6 pounds, 2 ounces. First child. Mrs. Brown is the daughter of Jeannie Walker and John Walker of Chaffee. She works for Camp Merkley Kids Dental. Brown is the son of Barry Brown of Chaffee and Laura Dock-Brown of Sikeston. He is employed by Do It Best. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied clemency for Brian Dorsey one day before the inmate's scheduled execution for killing his cousin and her husband nearly two decades ago. The governor's decision is "devastating," said Megan Crane, Dorsey's attorney, in an email. ...

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God's plan for human life. The Vatican's doctrine office issued "Infinite Dignity," a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication...

BEIJING -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Beijing Monday to display the strength of ties with close diplomatic partner China amid Moscow's grinding war against Ukraine and an ongoing effort to align their foreign policies against the U.S. and its allies...

KYIV, Ukraine -- Russia and Ukraine are trading fresh accusations over renewed threats to Europe's largest nuclear plant that has been caught up in the war, with Moscow alleging Ukraine was behind drone attacks on the facility that were witnessed by U.N. inspectors and Kyiv accusing Russia of disinformation tactics...

MADISON, Wis. -- President Joe Biden said Monday that more than 30 million borrowers would see "life-changing" relief from his new plan to ease their student loan debt burdens, a fresh attempt by the Democratic president to follow through on a campaign pledge that could buoy his standing with younger voters...

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip -- Stunned Palestinians found their home city unrecognizable Monday as they filtered in to salvage what they could from the vast destruction left by Israeli troops who withdrew from southern Gaza's Khan Younis a day earlier after months of fighting and bombardment...

For conservative, anti-abortion Christians, former President Donald Trump delivered in four years what no other Republican before him had been able to do: A conservative majority U.S. Supreme Court that would go on to overturn Roe v. Wade, a Holy Grail of the movement...

NEW YORK -- A New York appeals court judge on Monday rejected Donald Trump's bid to delay his April 15 hush money criminal trial while he mounts a last-minute fight to move the case out of Manhattan, foiling the former president's latest attempt to put off the historic trial...

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced a policy Monday that all but bans transgender athletes from competing in women's sports at its 241 mostly small colleges across the country. The NAIA Council of Presidents approved the policy in a 20-0 vote at its annual convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The NAIA, which oversees some 83,000 athletes competing in more than 25 sports, is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step...

NEW YORK -- Former President Donald Trump said Monday he believes abortion limits should be left to the states, outlining his position in a video in which he declined to endorse a national ban after months of mixed messages and speculation. "Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights," Trump said in the video posted on his Truth Social site. ...

MESQUITE, Texas -- A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America on Monday as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent, thrilling those lucky enough to behold the spectacle through clear skies. Street lights blinked on and the planets came into view, as the moon shrouded the sun for a few minutes across the land. Dogs howled, frogs croaked and some people wept, all part of the eclipse mania gripping Mexico, the U.S. and Canada...

Speaking at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center, James Gray, a member of the British Parliament, suggests “perhaps we should set up a ‘sister-city’ relationship” between Cape Girardeau and his home town in England, Chippenham in Wiltshire County; Gray, a Conservative Party member of Parliament, is guest of U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, who is also a speaker at the coffee; another guest at the event is Ronald C. Gladney, a St. Louis attorney, who is Emerson’s fiance. ...

Today is Tuesday, April 9, the 100th day of 2024. There are 266 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On April 9, 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the U.S. Civil War after nearly four years...

Three students in Southeast Missouri were recently named to the Missouri Scholars 100 list, and two others received honorable mention recognition. Lydia Cao of Cape Central High School, Luke Richey of Notre Dame Regional High School and Ellie Kratochvil of Saxony Lutheran High School were each listed in the top 100 list selected annually by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals...

Father God, we worship you, for you are the potter and we are the clay. Amen.