Southeast professor's animated film returns to Cape Girardeau

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - A Southeast Missouri State University professor’s 3D animated film traveled around the globe. Now it is returning to Cape Girardeau.

Peter Chanthanakone’s 9 minute short entitled "Death to the Different" is an uplifting coming-of-age story about a boy who must complete a difficult task at the urging of this father.

Chanthanakone says the film gives audiences the rare chance to see a drama in 3D animation.

"Typically 3D animation is designed to be more strictly entertainment-based and for children, and just taking out of that context makes it kind of more unique and you can really relate to it in a different way than if it were to be a live action short film," Chanthanakone said.

Nine Southeast students assisted with the film’s animation and voicework.

"Death to the Different" was screened at film festivals in Germany, France, Pakistan, China and New York.

The film will be shown publicly for this first time in Cape Girardeau this Friday at the Black Door Gallery.

"Death to the Different"'s travelling days are not over. It will be shown at a festival in South Korea next month.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More

Isle of Capri pours casino basin

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Isle of Capri casino construction took a big step forward Tuesday night.

Construction crews poured a 41 thousand square foot concrete slab for over 12 hours. The slab will serve as the basin where the casino floor will float.

Missouri law requires that casinos are built within 1000 feet of a river and the gaming floor must float.

Isle of Capri’s Vice President of Design and Construction Dick Meister explained the casino's requirements according to Missouri law.

"In Missouri we can build a basin of 41,000 square feet and then put a barge of about 41,000 square feet and let it float. As long as there is two feet of water under the barge and a couple of feet on either side to swim around. However, when you walk into the barge, at end of the day, inside the building, you will not know that you have gone from the building to barge and back and forth. It’s a very seamless transition the way these are built now,” Meister said.

The concrete was poured overnight so that concrete trucks would not interfere with traffic.

Approximately 40 concrete trucks per hour arrived at the construction zone, hauling concrete from three Delta plants in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

Meister says the basin must be completely flat. It cannot be off by more that one-eighth of an inch throughout it’s forty-one thousand square feet.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More

Fire damages Dino's Pizza in Cape Girardeau

A fire broke out at Dino’s Pizza in Cape Girardeau early Wednesday morning.

KFVS12 reports that the fire was called in to 911 after 2 a.m. this morning.

The fire was under control by 3 a.m.

Firefighters say the fire started in the basement. The cause is still undetermined.

Read More

Nice and cool at Cape Splash; not so much at Farmers Market

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Temperatures peaked in the upper 90’s Thursday and the heat index value soared to 105. That left a lot of people looking for a way to beat the heat.

A popular place to stay cool is Cape Splash. Tyler Propst is a concession manager there. He says weekdays have been much busier at the water park since temperatures spiked into the upper 90's, and people stay right up until 7:00 when the park closes.

"The only thing we've really done differently now is set up soaker hoses on the concrete to the cool people's feet off so people aren't getting blisters and stuff while walking down from the slide or the lazy river to the splash pad and stuff," Propst said.

Wendy Rieger has become a regular at Cape Splash. She has taken her two sons, Jackson and Griffin, to the water each day this week.

"It seems like it would be too hot to come, but it's actually pretty nice," Rieger said. "When you get out here and the wind is blowing and you can get in the shade and get in the water, it's actually quite nice."

Seven-year old Jackson Rieger doesn't seem to be bothered by the heat. He and his five-year old brother Griffin has been keeping cool and enjoying the summer.

"If we don't go to the water park, we usually go somewhere inside. Like maybe we stay at home. Or sometimes we might go to Le Bounce," Jackson said.

"Sometimes since it's the summer, we get to play Wii more at our house, too," according to Griffin.

It's less cool at Cape Girardeau's Farmers Market at Town Plaza on Independence Street. Vendors can bring their own shade in the form of canopies, but the parking lot still absorbs the sun's blistering heat.

But all-in-all, the heat done didn't scare shoppers away from the weekly market, according to Jeanne Brumleve from Cobden. She keeps busy selling her peaches, tomatoes, green beans, cantaloupes, and other fruits and vegetables. Brumleve says that the key to beating the heat is planning ahead.

"A lot of it is you pick early in the morning. As early as you can just so you can get out of the brunt of the summer noon-time heat. And try to stay hydrated, yourself and the vegetables and fruits," she said.

During hot times, Brumeleve says that customers tend to come earlier so they can get their chores done and head back home.

Today isn't going to bring any change. The scorching heat will continue as high temperatures reach 97 degrees and the heat index blasts off to 107.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More

Cape Girardeau pumps finally shut off

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Mississippi River’s water level is finally going down around Cape Girardeau, allowing the city to rest their overworked pumps.

And the people working those pumps are also in need of some desperately needed down time.

Monday afternoon marked the first time in ninety days that the city’s pumping stations on the Mississippi were not running.

According to the city, the pumps did the equivalent work of driving a new car from Cape to New York and back sixty two-times.

City Manager Scott Meyer says that public work officials were forced to prioritize tasks in order to keep flood waters from backing-up into sewers near the river.

“Well for our dedicated employees it’s a great break, they finally get to go home, on their regular shifts and spend time with their families, so it’s a great thing,” Meyer said.

With the pumps off-line, the city will finally have time to perform maintenance on stressed pumps, as well as play catch-up on mowing some public properties and maintenance of several water detention areas.

Tim Filla, KRCU

Read More

Groups look over modern and traditional designs for Broadway

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Various concepts were unveiled at the second public forum for the Broadway Corridor Enhancement Project in Cape Girardeau.

Citizens were presented with two competing designs … one traditional, and one modern.

The first concept features more classic design elements and on street parking along both sides of Broadway stretching from Pacific to Water Street.

Brain Langlois likes the more traditional design elements incorporated in the concept.

“I like the idea of a more traditional historic looking area. If you have it too modern, in ten or fifteen years it’s just going to be passé and dated,” Langlois said.

The second concept features more modern design elements and parking only on the southern side of the avenue. Meanwhile, the northern side would have a large, eighteen foot wide sidewalk.

Galen Smith is one of the many who feel that a larger sidewalk would create a more festive feeling on Broadway.

"Well it looks good overall, I like both options but I like option two the best," Smith said. "I think it just would enhance the walking and pedestrian aspects."

Project Manager Kasey Brunke says that neither of the two concepts are so much designs in themselves but are more concepts grouped together and that everything at the forum was up for change and tweaking.

Tim Filla, KRCU

Read More

Bloomfield Road residents express displeasure over city trail

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The city invites residents to come and share their ideas on planned road construction, and got a fair share of food for thought.

By one man’s estimate, at least 25 people attended the event to voice their displeasure over a multi-modal trail that will run along the eastern side of a renovated stretch of Bloomfield Road in Cape Girardeau.

The plan and more specifically the trail has come under fire when it was discovered that its planned route will run through a private park.

The man who built the park and subdivision, Robert Penrod, was on hand Thursday night. He says “it’s all wrong.”

"Now they’re using it on the, on the park side and later on all the way down behind those apartment buildings there gonna take out all the trees, some of that wall will be eight feet high. It's taking away some of the goodness of that subdivision."

However, Cape Girardeau City Engineer Kelly Green, says that the subdivision association signed off on the plan.

"Our trail is on our right of way and the subdivision association did sign off on all the easements that we had to have so we moved forward with our contract or with bidding the project and we have a contractor on board and were gonna be starting June first," Green said.

The construction will take place on Bloomfeild Rd. starting just south of Stonebridge Drive down to the Benton Hill Rd. intersection.

Construction on Bloomfeild Rd. will begin June first and will reopen as late as January.

Tim Fillla, KRCU

Read More

Cape Chamber names Educators of the Year

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee has named Janet Brase, Kristin Gill, Julia Unnerstall, Dennis Wilson and Dr. Steven Hoffman the 2011 Educators of the Year.

The five outstanding educators will be honored at the Educator of the Year Awards Banquet this evening.

Read More

Red Cross lends flood victims a helping hand

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Southeast Chapter of the Missouri Red Cross has been providing food and shelter for families that have been displaced due the flooding in Southeast Missouri and Illinois.

The Red Cross has partnered with other local shelters in order to meet as many people’s immediate needs as possible. This has kept the Red Cross from completely tapping out all their disaster funds.

Sara Gerau handles public affairs for the Southeast Chapter and she remarked at how much help these other shelters have been.

"With Southeast Missouri I think it shows what a tight knit community we have down in this area because a lot of people are with family and friends, church family members that type of thing," Gerau said. "Also, there’s been some other agencies that have stepped up and provided hotel stays for individuals so they’ve been able to stay in hotels for a few nights so that’s helped as well."

As of Sunday, May 1, the Southeast Chapter had a total of 853 people registered with them, had served 9,636 meals and over 10,400 snacks.

The Red Cross will continue to help those in need even after the flood waters recede. They will send out their Disaster Action Teams in order to assess damages and start helping on a case by case basis.

Katie Long, KRCU

Read More

Region pummeled by more severe weather

Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois communities braced for yet another round of torrential rain last night as thunderstorms rumbled across the region.

The storms left more water on already saturated ground, increasing the risk of flash floods. River crest prediction were raised.

Flooded streets were reported in Jackson, Cape Girardeau, and Anna, Illinois.

Funnel clouds were spotted west of Marble Hill, where the roofs were blown off of barns, trees were splintered, and at least one trailer was snapped in half.

Law enforcement agents also reported a funnel cloud near Doniphan in Ripley County.

And a possible tornado was spotted west of Poplar Bluff, where more rain fell on the already flooded city.

Read More

Army Corps of Engineers initiate Phase II floodfight

The Army Corps of Engineers has initiated a Phase II flood fight along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

A Phase II flood fight is initiated when the river gauge at Cairo reaches 52 feet. The rivers at Cairo are now at 53. The expected crest is 58 ½ feet.

The river stage at Cape Girardeau was at 38.8 feet at 3 p.m. yesterday with a forecasted crest of 44.5 feet. Flood stage at Cape Girardeau is 32.0 feet.

In a press release, Colonel Vernie Reichling of the Memphis District says, quote, “We are anticipating near-record flood levels in many parts of the Memphis District. We have not seen levels predicted this high since 1937,” end quote.

A phase two flood fight entailed greater monitoring of river levels, checks for leaks and sand boils along levees, and establishing field offices in Cape Girardeau and Dyersburg, Tennessee. The Caruthersville office will also have additional personnel.

Read More

Cape Girardeau man injured by trash truck arm

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - A Cape Girardeau man was allegedly injured yesterday in an accident involving a trash truck arm, according to the Southeast Missourian newspaper.

At 10 a.m. the man went out to put out his trash. He noticed trash had spilled and stopped to pick it up. As he was doing so, the trash truck arm lifted him up​.

Heather Brooks, assistant to the city manager, said that the city is investigating the incident.

“At this point in time we are not providing any information. We are in the process of investigating it. We haven’t been able to necessarily confirm all the details of the situation,” Brooks said.

According to the Southeast Missourian, the man was taken to St. Francis Medical Center with injuries to his arm, neck, and leg.

Rachel Weatherford, KRCU

Read More

Cape voters approve wastewater treatment propositions

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Cape Girardeau voters overwhelmingly supported Propositions 1 and 2. Each proposition garnered nearly 80% of the vote.

The Propositions extend a sales tax and authorize the sale of $72 million in bonds for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant.

City officials have long held that passage of both propositions would be the most cost-effective way to build the new wastewater treatment plant. The new plant would meet state and federal wastewater regulations.

Despite passage of the two propositions, city residents can still expect a $23 increase in utility bills on the average.

Read More

Cape Girardeau smoking ordinance to be decided Tuesday

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - You can’t blame the folks at Bingo World for feeling a little nervous. 

Listen to the story.

First came the news that a shiny new casino will open its doors in Cape Girardeau. Then a citizen’s group gathered enough petitions to put a smoking ban initiative on Tuesday’s ballot.

Steven Slaten, Chairman of the Notre Dame Bingo Committee is not optimistic about Bingo World’s chances for survival if the smoking ban passes. “There’s a potential that we could see a big enough loss in player attendance that I’m not sure if bingo will continue to be economically viable,” Slaten said.

According to Slaten, nearly 60% of Bingo World’s patrons sit in the smoking section. Many may go elsewhere if they can no longer light up in Cape Girardeau.

“I think we run a real risk of losing players because they’ll have the option of going to bingos in other communities that do allow smoking,” Slaten said.

If Bingo World were to close, it would mean a substantial loss to Notre Dame and the five other charitable groups supported by the hall.

“It’s a fairly substantial amount of money to each one,” he said.

A smoking ban would have reverberations beyond Bingo World. Owners of restaurants like Molly’s and Bella Italia, as well as bars such as Last Call and Rude Dog Pub, all oppose the ban and feel that this is an issue that should be left up to the business owners.

Doc Cain is the owner of Port Cape Girardeau. He helped organize opposition to the smoking ban initiative by bringing together a grassroots group called Stand UP Cape What’s Next?. He feels that restaurants and bars who currently allow smoking will feel a strong impact.

“There are negative effects to bingo halls that allow smoking, there are negative effects to private clubs that allow smoking and there are definitely detrimental effects to bars that allow smoking,” Cain said.

Cain feels that if the ban is imposed then places that have an outside patio will have an unfair advantage over places like Port Cape, which only offers indoor dining.

“When they talk about leveling the playing field, they say well if everyone has to smoke outside then every restaurant is the same. That is absolutely not true,” Cain said. “If you happen to have a patio attached to your business, like several do, then guess who’s going to get the business.”

Stand Up Cape spokesperson Don Greenwood believes this has been framed as a health issue but is really about property owners’ rights and the right to engage in a legal act.

“I’m not a smoker, I have never smoked cigarettes in my life. I don’t see this as a smoking issue at all, I see this strictly as a personal property issue,” Greenwood said. “I think we’ve lost enough of our rights over the last few years because of government regulations and I think that is the main issue here.”

The smoking ban ordinance was put onto the ballot by Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape.

Dale Humphries, who is a member of Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape, said at a debate last week that she believes that smoking should be restricted because it effects more than just the person smoking.

“Unilke many other personal behaviors this one impacts more than just the person making the choice,” Humphries said. “When people smoke in public places they affect the heath of everyone around them.”

When it comes to the dangers of secondhand smoke, Humphries feels she has the proof to justify the ban.

“Every major medical and public health organization agrees that second hand smoke is harmful. The scientific evidence is overwhelming, with hundreds of reputable studies stating that it is dangerous, including the US Surgeon General who has stated, and I quote: ‘There is no risk free level of secondhand smoke exposure, end quote’ and the only way to completely eliminate exposure is to eliminate smoking indoors,” Humphries said.

Some people do not like to call this a smoking ban. Sheri House, who works for the American Cancer Society and is a member of Smoke Free Cape, is one of them. She sees this as taking action for public health.

“We’re not asking people to stop smoking,” House explained. “We’re asking them to take a step outside and make sure all the air in the public places that everyone should have a right to go to is clean, fresh, and not full of cancer causing chemicals.”

One thing has been proven about this issue: Neither side is going down without a fight.

Cape Girardeau voters will make their on Tuesday, April 5.

Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

Read More

Cape Girardeau to alter bike route plan

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The City of Cape Girardeau announced that it will reduce the number of streets that will be used for bike routes.

The change in plans comes after a contentious public meeting last Thursday in which homeowners voiced their concerns about losing on-street parking options. The bike lanes would eliminate on-street parking on the streets where they would be designated.

Homeowners also argued that bike lanes would decrease property values.

Eleven bike routes were examined at last Thursday’s meeting. Four of the routes are no longer under consideration.

The City of Cape Girardeau was awarded a grant for over $250,000from the Missouri Foundation for Health to develop the bike lanes.

According to a press release from the City of Cape Girardeau, the following routes will no longer be considered:

• Lexington Avenue between Concord and Amblewood
• Perryville Road between city limits and Bertling
• Cape Rock Drive between Kingshighway and Lexington
• Hopper Road between Mount Auburn and Kingshighway

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More

Cape homeowners concerned about proposed bike lanes

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Citizens voiced their preferences and concerns about Cape Girardeau’s newly proposed bicycle lanes yesterday at a public forum in the Osage Center on Thursday. 

Funding for the bicycle lanes would come from a $253,000 grant received from the Missouri Foundation for Health. These lanes would be located along residential streets as well as in commercial areas.

Bicycle lanes would make travel safer for cyclists and motorists alike. To ensure safety of everyone on the roads, there would be no parking along streets where the proposed bicycle lanes would be located.

Avid cyclist and lifelong Cape Girardeau resident, Steve Girard, believes there is another benefit to these bicycle lanes.

“I think the premise of the bike lanes themselves would be to allow for people that wouldn’t otherwise get out on the roads on their bicycle, would give them a place to ride and feel more comfortable,” Girard says.

Many homeowners and real estate professionals spoke out against the lanes, saying they would decrease property value.

The bicycle lanes would occur along residential streets as well as in commercial areas. Along the streets where the bicycle lanes have been proposed, there would no longer be any parking on either side of the street.

Ralph Hendrickson with ERA Cape Realty feels that this lack of street parking is one of the main concerns with these proposed bike lanes.

“Those folks that live there who have lived there for decades or maybe just bought six months ago, didn’t know this was coming, potentially could be hurt and their property values could be hurt because potential buyers are going to buy somewhere else,” Hendrickson said.

The city staff will take all of the comments and questions they received at the forum and map them out to determine where the most positive feedback for the lanes is located and then make a final recommendation to the city council.

The city staff will take all of the comments and questions they received at the forum and map them out to determine where the most positive feedback for the lanes is located and then make a final recommendation to the city council.

Katie Long, KRCU

Read More

Work officially begins on Cape Girardeau casino

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Cape Girardeau has waited for 20 years for a casino … and the city is now one step closer to bringing a gaming establishment to its riverfront. 

Cape Girardeau city leaders and Isle of Capri Casino executives broke ground Thursday on the $125 million project on the city’s riverfront district.

Officials say that the new casino will generate 450 new jobs.

Isle of Capri’s president and CEO Virginia McDowell says that the casino will attract visitors from a six state region.

“This was probably the best and last underserved market in Missouri. So to us it became very obvious that this was the place to be,” McDowell said.

Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET director Mitch Robinson was clearly elated about the casino. He says that it’s one of the largest economic developments that the city has seen in generations.

“We’ve looked. It’s been well over 40 years since we’ve had anything of this size. $125 million project, 450 jobs. That’s pretty rare in today’s economic climate,” Robinson said.

The next step in the project is to relocate Main Street. The casino is scheduled to open in 2012.

The city’s voters approved a ballot initiative that allowed gaming last November. The community will vote next Tuesday on an initiative that would ban smoking in all indoor workplaces, including casinos.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More

Cape receives $250K for bike lanes

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The streets of Cape Girardeau will soon become safer for bicycle riders. 

Cape has received a $250,000 Ride the City grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health that will create 40 miles of bike lanes and install 156 bike racks.

Eric Redinger, member of the local Bicycle Advisory Council says this grant will connect schools, parks, and recreational facilities with bike lanes..

"I think it’s just great, I think it’s great for bicycle enthusiasts because you can travel through the city so much easier," Redinger says. "That is also a big benefit for people right now with unsteady gas prices."

Redinger feels this will also benefit children making it safer for them to ride their bikes to school.

The Bicycle Advisory Council will be working with the city to implement the grant over the next few months.

Redinger says the bike lanes should be completed by October of this year.

Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

Read More

Cape Girardeau City Council repeals flag desecration, looks at historic corridor zoning changes

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Southeast Professor Dr. Steven Hoffman and Marla Mills, Executive Director of Old Town Cape answered questions last night during the Cape Girardeau City Council study session, concerning zoning changes to the Central Business District.


Within the proposed Downtown Commercial Corridor District, buildings can have residential space in the rear of the first floor, something that current zoning does not allow without a special use permit.


Dr. Hoffman believes by allowing residency in the lower rear sections of buildings and keeping commercial space in the front, the result will increase pedestrian traffic and business.


"When you have residential uses right up against the curb on the first floor it depresses pedestrian activity which has a negative effect on the commercial activity alongside," Hoffman said.


The Downtown Commercial Corridor encompasses parts of Broadway, Sprigg, Good Hope, Morgan Oak, and Main Street.


The City Council is scheduled to vote on these changes at their next meeting on Tuesday, February 22.


The Cape Girardeau City Council voted last night to pass an ordinance that repeals a city law against the desecration of flags.


In 1989 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that flag desecration was an act of free speech and protected under first amendment.


The repeal was prompted by a current lawsuit against the City of Cape Girardeau filed by Frank L. Snider III, who was arrested for flag desecration in October of 2009. Snider was released when Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, who had filed the charges, was informed of the Supreme Court’s ruling.


Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

Read More

Cape Girardeau predicted to miss big storm; Farmington is not so lucky

The massive winter storm that is pummeling much of Missouri and Illinois led forecasts to use the word ‘blizzard’ yesterday.

The developing storm will be heaviest north of St. Louis, where 20 inches of snow is forecasted, according to meteorologist Doug Tilly with the National Weather Service in St. Louis. That doesn’t mean that communities south of St. Louis, like Farmington, will escape the storm.

“The temperatures are below freezing so we’re going to start looking at the ice accumulation starting up this morning already. And that’s going to be lasting through today and in to this evening, gradually transitioning over the sleet this evening and then it should be all snow late tonight,” Tilly says.

Ice accumulation in Farmington is expected to be around half-an-inch. One to three inches of snow is likely.

In Cape Girardeau, the storm should manifest itself primarily as rain. Dave Humphrey, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, says that cold air will come in to the region tonight. The rain will change over to sleet and snow in Cape Girardeau, probably resulting in an inch of a slushy mix of snow, ice, and sleet.

Severe snow and ice are not predicted at the moment for Cape Girardeau, Humphrey says. But the area is so close to the winter storm that anything could happen.

“If there is any change at all to that forecast, as we all know things evolve quickly and can change, we kind of need to stay a step ahead of the game and be prepared just in case the cold air invades a little bit quicker," Humphrey says.

Even without the significant levels of snow, freezing rain, and sleet, Cape Girardeau and other southern regions will be impacted by heavy winds beginning tonight, according to meteorologist Doug Tilly. Still, the winds will bring the most damage to the northern areas that are covered in ice.

“The strong winds are still going to be in place through at least Wednesday morning. And that’s going to be impacting the ice accumulations with possible power outages,” Tilly says.

As of 7:30 this morning, Farmington street supervisor Terry Ferguson reports that the ice and freezing rain has yet to hit his city’s roads. “Right now it’s just all rain," Ferguson says. "It’s 30 degrees and raining pretty hard. We have a couple of slick spots on a couple of bridges. But other than that, it’s just all water right now.”

Ferguson says that his crews have not yet begun to work the streets. When the water freezes, Ferguson says, things could get treacherous pretty quickly.

"It’s freezing on the vehicles and that type of stuff. Not on the wires or the trees as of yet, but on the mirrors and the vehicles it is, but not the sidewalks and the streets yet," Ferguson says.

Ferguson will dispatch his crews when more ice is present.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More