Local

Students are always looking for the new thing to do in Cape Girardeau. It’s easy to get tired of visiting the same restaurant or bar every Friday night, but a new restaurant opening in May could be the new “spot” for students.

Students at Southeast Missouri State University are given the “hottest” opportunity to see what life is going to look like outside of college life. Hospitality management students, specifically, are getting the opportunity to make hot sauce and participate in activities outside of the classroom.

Southeast students from multiple majors worked collectively to paint a mural at Catapult Creative House located at 612 Broadway Street on Feb. 25-March 3.

The Holland College of Arts and Media Diversity Committee will host the annual “Bridges” Diversity Showcase at 6 p.m. on Feb. 28, honoring both Black History Month and Women’s History Month. The event will take place in Rose Theater and feature performances, written compositions and music from members of the Southeast community.

The smell of warm funnel cakes and juicy turkey legs filled the air as the SEMO District Fair took over the town this past week. People from across the region and even the world come to Cape Girardeau to enjoy an entire week of live music, agricultural activities, carnival rides and fair food...

The Cape Girardeau region benefits greatly from the SEMO District Fair each year, both economically and socially. The fair has been an annual tradition for more than 160 years, bringing together families, friends and local businesses. President of Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce John Mehner believes the fair is of great value to the region by promoting economic development and community betterment...

News is an evolving industry, and the things done a decade ago are foriegn to most. The ways people can take in news are almost endless, from print, radio, TV and mobile devices. At one time, however, this was not the case. Broadcast news TV is just one of the areas that has experienced the challenges of adjusting to these changes.

In an effort to give area high school students a chance to express themselves artistically, rustmedia has developed Here. magazine, a literary magazine that features poetry, fiction and other works of art. The literary magazine features poetry, fiction and nonfiction pieces and artwork submitted by students.

The Truman State University Film Festival (TSUFF) is meant to “connect, inspire, and provide exposure to undergraduate filmmakers from the state of Missouri (and anywhere beyond) who are dedicated to the art of film-making.”

To combine the arts and the spooky holiday, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri hosted a parks beautification party on Oct. 31. The event, Boo-tiful Parks: Clean Halloween, created a way to introduce a new park membership for children called ArtKidTech. The event also provided safe, festive activities for families to celebrate Halloween.

Jada Guzman of Cape Girardeau took to the mic at the BIPOC Poetry Exchange event Friday with her original poem on creating change, prefaced with a few words from Angela Davis. Several more individuals shared quotes, poems, thoughts and spoken words from Black, Indiginous and Person of Color authors.

Elevate Cape is Cape Girardeau’s newest way to reach the community through social media. In an effort to bring positivity during uncertain times, Elevate Cape’s collaborative online events are meant to uplift and unite the community.

All these words can describe what appears to be a recent trend on both social media and in the fashion industry: thrifted clothing.

The agricultural impact African-Americans had on the Missouri Bootheel drainage system was the focus of a lecture led by Heidi Dodson on April 4 at Cape Girardeau Public Library. Dodson, a Sikeston native, and Southeast graduate has a bachelor's degree in biology, a master’s in library sciences from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph. D in history from the University of Illinois...

Fans of everything from anime to superheroes to steampunk were in their element April 26 to 28 at the Osage Center. The opportunity to attend Cape Comic Con gave visitors the chance to not only check out the 140 vendors at the location, but they were also able to meet with special guests...

Downtown Cape is welcoming back Shipyard Music and Cultural Festival as a two-day event Sept. 27 and 28 in and around Ivers Square. The festival on Friday night and Saturday include national touring acts, visual arts and a wide variety of food and beverage. Local food vendors will offer a limited-item menu to serve guests quickly and efficiently...

Local shop owner and assistant professor of photography Bradley Phillips and his wife Leslie Phillips kept their store open later than usual for April's First Friday with the Arts to help Southeast students sell their art. For their third time participating in First Friday, they got in touch with other professors to contact students that might be interested in selling their art at the store. ...

Local musician and songwriter Evan Webb is preparing to put on his second event for songwriters that is different from the typical bar scene. Sit Down and Shut Up: A Night of Songs Round 2 will take place April 13 at Port Cape Yacht club. This event is for songwriters to get the chance to play for people in a setting where the attention is directed only at them and the songs they are playing...

Faces Not Forgotten Project showcased quilt portraits of children, all under the age of 20 from St. Louis, who have died in a result of gun violence at Catapult Creative House on Friday, Apr. 5. The Project was started by artist Christine Ilweski, who suffered a personal loss to gun violence which provoked a passion to devote other artists and herself to put a face to the young victims...

The 14th annual Cape Comic Con will be held April 26-28 at the Osage Centre, in Cape Girardeau where there be comic book artists, publishers and merchandise, comic con’s director Ken Murphy said. Comic-con director Murphy said the doors will open at 3 p.m. where the first events will begin to take place shortly after...

The Jeanine Larson Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance’s annual Spring into Dance performances saw many student dancers step out of their comfort zones by taking on different forms of dance. Performances were held April 4 to 7 in the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast’s River Campus...

Southeast’s Xi Gamma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. hosts its first probate of the semester in celebration of two new initiates March 30. Southeast students Jerrick Fayne and Deshawn Smith were celebrated at a special ceremony they call a Neophyte Presentation, or for shorter terms, a probate...

Southeast students had the opportunity to present their sculptures, paintings and drawings at the annual Juried Student Exhibition at Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum opened April 5. This year’s exhibition is called “Exhibiting Excellence,”and showcases works created by the students over the past year. Awards are given to the students for their use of color, three-dimensional design, drawing, painting, fibers, graphic design, digital art, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture...

The Indian Subcontinent Student Association hosted its annual Indian Night which included a variety of authentic activities from Q&As and instrumental performances to singing, dancing and eating. ISSA president Jaimin Patel opened the event with a few appreciative words for all the students, staff members and faculty attending, which was followed by everyone standing up for the Indian national anthem...

After graduating in 2013, alumnus Tim Godlove gave back to Southeast by donating his metal sculpture piece titled “Bloom,” which is displayed at the Charles Hutson Horticulture Greenhouse entrance. “Bloom” is part of a four-piece collection created for his capstone which is the final project done by art students before graduating. Each piece took a total of approximately 100 hours in addition to planning and creating small prototypes...

New LGBTQ-advocacy group, Cape Pride, will host an inaugural pride festival from noon to 8 p.m. May 4 in Capaha Park. Cape Pride Inc. was founded in 2018 as a not-for-profit organization to celebrate the LGBTQ community of Southeast Missouri and the surrounding regions...

The Black Student Union (BSU) welcomed all students, faculty, and staff to celebrate black excellence, held an African Ball in University Center on Saturday, March 23, 2019. It was asked for attendees to dress in African attire or all black as they celebrated...

Besides being an instructor of dance at the River Campus, Alyssa Alger has a business she owns and operates from her home designing and making leotards. Alger Designs provides numerous vibrant and detailed leotards for dancers locally and internationally. While she said her average consumer is typically students in the dance program at Southeast, she has a loyal customer from Taiwan who regularly orders from her online Etsy shop...

The International Student Association (ISA) held its annual prom on March 22 at the new International Village. The theme of the prom was a Starry Night. This event was an opportunity for international students to get a taste of American culture. It was also an opportunity for international students to dress up...

Student Activities Council(SAC) hosted Laurie Everett and Jessica Hill at the Women’s Luncheon in the University Center for Women’s History Month on March 6. Hill and Everett encouraged students to be successful by sharing their trials and tribulations as professional women in today’s society...

As a part of First Friday with the Arts, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri held an opening reception for the exhibit of Missouri native Jean Rissover. Her exhibit, “Distaff: The Lives of Women,” depicts the mundane and important part of women’s lives at various ages through the use of oil and acrylic paint...

Who is “Ivers” of Ivers Square? Denise Lincoln, a local historian, answered this question for attendees of the Historic Talk Tuesday series at Crisp Museum at Southeast River Campus, Tuesday, Feb. 26. In 2017, the Cape Girardeau City Council voted to give the name Ivers Square to the historic grounds that surround the Common Pleas Courthouse...

Country artists Kane Brown, Granger Smith and Jimmie Allen performed Friday, March 1 at the Show Me Center for Brown’s Live Forever Tour. Black curtains went up around the stage at the start of Kane Brown’s set. The crowd hushed as a guitar riff swelled and the background screen began to flash in red and white. The curtains dropped to reveal Brown elevated on a flashing platform in a green jacket and sparkling black jeans...

On Feb. 23, fans lined the street of buildings decorated with super heroes, barbarians and other fictional characters created by Jackson native and former Editor of Marvel Roy, who was presented the key to the city. The date is now officially known as Roy Thomas Day.

Southeast dance major and political science minor Kaetlin Lamberson has had her mind set on lobbying for the arts in government since she was a senior in high school, and her college years have been devoted to that goal. The Poplar Bluff, Missouri, native has a passion for the arts, being that she is involved with them — Lamberson has been dancing since her days on the dance team at Poplar Bluff High School, where one of her dance instructors was a Southeast dance student. ...

Twenty-five students and members of the community met with the director of Percussion Dr. Shane Mizicko at the Dobbins Center music ensemble rehearsal studio to participate in a drum circle on Jan. 29. The drum circle is new to the university and it started in the fall he said...

Thanksgiving passed, Black Friday deals have been made and now the Christmas season is underway. Southeast students got another good deal though, as Student Activities Council hosted its annual free holiday movie. The classic Christmas comedy “Home Alone” was shown at the Cape West movie theater at midnight on Thursday, Nov. 30, where four screens were rented out and students were welcomed with free admission, popcorn and drinks...

Artists’ deepest struggles and loves are shown at First Friday with the Arts on Nov. 2. Catapult Creative House Student Studios held a closing reception for its third Artist of the Month for Southeast senior art education major Madison Ellers and her exhibit titled, “Among the Flowers”...

The Faultline Film Festival is back with another showcase. The prizes of the festival include $1,000 for best of show and $250 for the winner of each genre category, in addition to trophies for honorable mentions. Fred Jones, founder of the festival, said the festival gives away about $3,000 in cash prizes along with a dozen awards...

For those who just enjoy singing, The Southeast Glee Club provided an opportunity to perform Saturday, Nov. 3, at the University Center. “The Glee Club is made up of people who don’t have a choir type voice, but we have a passion for music and singing,” Small said...

Art is not made in a vacuum. Those six words sum the entirety of artistic experience, as far as influence is concerned. “Whether you know it or not, something influences you while you make art,” said Joni Hand, this week’s “Historic Talk Tuesday” speaker...

Claims of hauntings, spirits and supernatural occurrences are quite common in Cape Girardeau. From outlying Cape Girardeau County to downtown to Southeast’s campus, ghost stories abound. Local ghost story enthusiast Tom Neumeyer held “Heartland Hauntings,” on Oct. 18 a talk at the Cape Girardeau Public Library detailing hauntings or strange phenomena across the history of the town to a small, packed room...

Explorers of all ages came to Cape Girardeau Missouri Nature Center on Saturday, Oct. 20, for fishing, hiking, live animals and refreshments at the Fall Festival. The free event was put together, “to encourage people to come to the Nature Center, and show them that it’s not just for kids,” said Nature Center manager Sara Turner...

Overlooking the Mississippi River, neighboring the River Campus, is a piece of history unknown to many Southeast students. The grand stature of the Glenn House whispers tales of prestige, wealth and opulence of the past, but inside, those whispers turn into groans, footsteps and shadowy figures...

The sign on the pavilion read “Livestock show arena,” but the crowd of people were not there to see cattle — they came to enjoy 150-plus craft beer samples, live music and food, all while supporting a good cause. The occasion was the seventh annual Cape Girardeau Craft Beer Festival, hosted by the Community Counseling Center Foundation on Sept. 29 at the First State Community Bank Pavilion in Arena Park...

Shipyard Festival, a daylong event on Saturday Sept. 22 featuring seven nationally touring bands looked to create a unique experience and grow the footprint of Cape Girardeau according to event planner, and creative director of rustmedia Jeff Rawson...

The River City Rodders held their 41st annual River Tales Classic car show in Downtown Cape on Sunday, Sept. 16. The show was open to spectators and featured 32 classes of display-only cars and show-cars from the 1900s to early 2000s that were broken into categories such as hot rods, modified cars, and original cars for judging...

Patrons packed the Osage Centre in record numbers for the 13th annual Cape Comic Con on April 20 to 22. 4,800 people filed through the doors over the span of three days, and were treated to comics, games, collectibles and food. Over 130 tables were set up for vendors inside the showroom floor of the Osage Center. ...

In 48 hours Aaron Landgraf shot an award winning film in Jackson, Mo. The film features a supernatural railroad track with a lot of history.

Coin-Op Cantina in downtown Cape Girardeau will be hosting a free Klask Tournament at 9 p.m. Friday, with prizes going to the top five places. The winner will walk away with the honor of his or her picture in the “Hall of Champions” and a Klask game to take home...

No subject was off-limits as members of Riverside Comedy showcased a wide range of comedic talent, drawing heavy laughter from the audience at Cup ‘n’ Cork. The event was free for the large crowd in attendance, with a lineup of seven performers covering topics from campy puns to politics and cat jokes...

More than a dozen local performers took the stage Wednesday night at Ragsdales, at the corner of Broadway and Water Street, for the debut of the area’s newest open-mic and jam night. The event began at 8 p.m. and ran well past midnight with a huge variety of genres from hip-hop and poetry, to comedians and singer/songwriters...

Another Women’s March took place in several cities across the United States on Saturday. The marches fell one year after millions took to the streets the day following the inauguration of President Donald Trump. No marches blocked the streets of Cape Girardeau over the weekend, but that didn’t stop Southeast students from making their voices heard at nearby marches...

*Editor's Note: This story first appeared in the Southeast Missourian newspaper. Solo artist, producer and founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John McEuen has thrived in the music industry for more than half a century. But to hear him tell it, he has only just entered his prime...

Imagine being stuck outside in freezing temperatures with no place to call home or escape from the severity of an ice storm. For those facing housing insecurity in the Cape Girardeau area, that scenario was reality on Jan. 11. But members of the Southeast community along with the community rallied together in an attempt to minimize that reality and help those without shelter find a place to stay warm...

Local band The Tungsten Groove launched a new album with a release party Friday night at the Rude Dog Pub in downtown Cape Girardeau. The band performed songs from their self-titled album for a packed venue. The six-piece band has a self-proclaimed Midwest rock-and-roll sound, complete with organs and harmonicas. Songs such as “Big Bear” and “Bad Timing” deliver to the listener their Midwest sound...

Five local acts — Tim Godlove, The Big Idea, Guy Morgan and the FT Crew, BEEF, and the Scatterguns — will be performing from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Mixing Ten Nov. 18. The “No Cover Show” will feature all original music, local talent and no cover charge...

Downtown Cape Girardeau will be getting a facelift in early 2018 after winning a nationwide contest earlier this week. American Express and National Geographic recently hosted a contest in conjunction with the National Trust for Historic Preservation called “Partners in Preservation.” This project seeks to preserve the history of local historic areas across the country. ...

It was around Independence Day in 1947 when the world grew skeptical that Earth was the only planet to host living beings in the universe. These skeptics stemmed from the story of a rancher in Roswell, New Mexico, who was said to have found a crash site within his land that held the remains of an extraterrestrial flying saucer...

The Missouri Opioid Summit convened Tuesday Sept. 12 to address the state’s drug related overdose and substance abuse epidemic. The second annual conference brought more than 400 registrants to the Show Me Center to discuss issues surrounding the heroin and fentanyl crisis and the abuse of prescription drugs...