W W W. S E M I S S O U R I A N . CO M
ESTABLISHED 1904, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. $2.00
FIRST RESPONDERS DAY
THURSDAY
OCTOBER 28, 2021
Firefighters, law enforcement agents, paramedics and other first responders are among those who serve and protect their communities. Today is National First Responders Day, a time to recognize and honor that service. Read about some of the area’s first responders, starting on Page 11A.
REGION / 5A
Expensive Christmas Prices of live trees likely will be higher this year FOOD & DINING / 1C
FRY BREAD AT FUEL Honoring Native American Heritage Month through food
Southeast Missourian file
Cape Girardeau firefighter Andrew Juden stands at the scene of a structure fire on North Henderson Avenue in May 2020.
Cape County Health Center to host Moderna, J&J booster clinic Monday BY MONICA OBRADOVIC
SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN
The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Cen≠ ter will administer Moder≠ na and Johnson & Johnson COVID≠ 19 booster shots to eligible people Monday. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., a vaccination clinic will be held at the Show Me Center
on Southeast Missouri State Universityí s campus at 1333 N. Sprigg Street. The shots are free. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Ser≠ vices amended the stateí s standing orders for Moder≠ na and Johnson & Johnson COVID≠ 19 booster shots on Friday following federal guidance from the Centers
Search for a new Cape chamber leader ongoing
for Disease Control and Pre≠ vention (CDC). Individuals who complet≠ ed the PÆ zer≠ BioNTech or Moderna COVID≠ 19 vaccine series at least six months ago must meet certain crite≠ ria to receive a booster shot. They must be 65 or older, or 18 or older and either live in a long≠ term care setting, have long≠ term medical con≠
ditions, or work or live in high≠ risk settings. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID≠ 19 single≠ dose vac≠ cine, booster shots are recom≠ mended for those who are 18 or older and were vaccinated two or more months ago.
Mixing and matching When the CDC recom≠
mended boosters last week for people who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, the agen≠ cy also gave clearance for eligible adults to ì mix and match,î or choose a brand of vaccine for their booster shot differing from the brand of their original vaccine dose. See BOOSTERS, Page 7A
JUST A LITTLE HORSING AROUND
President, CEO John Mehner will be retiring by the end of the year BY JEFF LONG
SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN ì Weí ve got big shoes to Æ ll,î said Aaron Panton, The Bank of Missouri re≠ gional president, referring Wednesday to the ongoing search for the next presi≠ dent and chief executive officer for the Cape Gi≠ rardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamberí s current leader, John Mehner, will formally retire at the end of December after 28 years in the job. Last week, at the cham≠ berí s annual dinner at the Show Me Center, Mehner received the organizationí s top honor, the Rush H. Limbaugh Award. ì Ií d say weí re on track but weí re not putting a (speciÆ c) time frame on
WEB:
SARAH YENESEL ~ sarahy@semissourian.com, file
John Mehner speaks after receiving the 2021 Rush H. Limbaugh Award at the chamber’s annual dinner Oct. 21 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. the search,î said Panton, who is the Cape Girardeau chamber board chairman and heads the search com≠ mittee in consultation with executive search Æ rm Wa≠ verly Partners. See CHAMBER, Page 10A
semissourian.com
SARAH YENESEL ~ sarahy@semissourian.com
Dan Tallent holds a miniature horse, Fiona, while fourthgraders, from left, Annalise Wasson and Mary-Ella Durham, from left, pet her Tuesday at Alma Schrader Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. Dan and Rose Tallent have many farm animals and decided to bring their miniature horses to the school for students to pet and learn about them.
COVID-19 coverage
WEATHER
From the Morgue Sharon Sanders looks at Otto F. Dingeldein and his long-lasting legacy to the arts in the Cape Girardeau area in her latest From the Morgue blog at semissourian.com/blogs and in this Weekend’s Good Times section.
INDEX
Church Directory ...................8B Classified...................................4C Comics .......................................5B
Local, state and national coronavirus coverage at semissourian.com/coronavirus.
Crossword ........................5B, 6B Daily Records ................ 6A, 7A Dear Abby ................................7B
Food & Dining .........................1C Obituaries................................ 6A Opinion .................................... 8A
H:64 L:50 Cloudy with showers
Sports.........................................1B TV listings ......................... 6B-7B
Volume 118 • Issue 22
Copyright © 2021 Rust Communications
Missouri AG helps Jackson man with customer complaint BY JEFF LONG
SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN Darrel Adams of Jackson said he took his 2000 Ford Ranger XLT into a local au≠ tomotive shop recently. ì My truck was running really rough,î he said. Adams had a vehicle service contract (VSC) for over a year with a compa≠ ny called CarShield, whom he said ì absolutely refused to payî for repairs. Some consumers buy motor vehicle extended service contracts on cars whose factory warranties have expired. ì I paid the bill, but I con≠ tacted the Missouri Attor≠ ney General Eric Schmittí s office and they got my (CarShield premium) back and it was almost enough to cover my out≠ of≠ pocket expense,î Adams said. Chris Nuelle, spokesman for Schmitt, noted the Ad≠ ams refund and credited the AGí s Consumer Pro≠ tection Section. ì Already in 2021, the CPS has recovered $9,863,929.45 in restitution for Missouri citizens,î Nu≠ elle said, adding the attor≠ ney generalí s office Æ elds complaints from thou≠ sands of Show Me State consumers every year. Charles Cole of Cape Gi≠ rardeau said he had a simi≠ lar experience with CarSh≠ ield, part of American Auto Shield of Lakewood, Colo≠ rado, when he discovered trouble with his vehicle. See COMPLAINT, Page 7A