Police Department

March 15-21

**** PLEASE NOTE POLICE INFORMATION IS REPORTED RETROACTIVELY INCLUDING INCIDENTS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, and CALLS FOR SERVICE INFORMATION. ****

• Calls For Service: 425
• Nuisance: 103
• Traffic Stops: 123
• Citations: 62
• Arrests: 36
• Shots Fired Cases: 2

Community Engagement

3/17 – Coffee with Heroes event at Finish Line, 215 S. Kingshighway.

3/18 – American Legion banquet. CGPD Patrolman Pernell was awarded officer of the year.

 Recruitment

3/18 – Career Fair at Kelly High School.

 Training 

3/20 – Free Defensive Tactics training. Approximately 10 officers in attendance from area agencies, including CGPD.

 

Public Works

March 23-27

• Streets crew continues to patch Veterans Memorial Drive, trim trees, grade alleys, and fill potholes.
• Stormwater crew is repairing an inlet on Melrose and gearing up for mowing season.
• The 2-inch Water Crew has completed tying in service lines on S. Sprigg Street and will begin work on several service lines on Ranney.
• Wastewater crew is running the biosolids dryer this week.

Fire Department

March 23-27

• Mass Casualty Exercise on Monday at the Cape Girardeau CTC with students and area response agencies.
• Live fire training on Big Bend Road on Monday and Tuesday
• Personnel attended the 2026 Earthquake Summit in Poplar Bluff
• 7 Fire Inspections completed
• 2 Fire Extinguisher Classes at Spartech
• Totals Incidents in past 14 days- 14 Fires (5 structure fires), 8 Hazardous Situations, 92 Medicals, 59 Public Service, 35 Rescue, 32 Non-Emergency

Parks

March 23-27

Upcoming Programs and Events:

• Community Bingo will be held tonight, March 27 at the Osage Centre beginning at 6:30 pm.
• The Annual Friends of the Park Day / Great Cape Clean-up will be held Saturday April 18 at Capaha Park beginning at 8:30 am. 
• The Annual Easter Egg Dive will take place Saturday March 28 at Jefferson Pool.  There are two sessions offered at 10 am and 11 am.
• The annual March Madness event will be held at the Shawnee Park Center Sunday March 29 from 12 – 2 pm.  The event includes a hot shot and free throw contest for children up to 12 years of age.    
• Fundamentals of Soccer will be held Saturday March 28 at the Sportsplex beginning at 1 pm.  This clinic will be facilitated by members of the Southeast MO State University Soccer team.        

Impactful Projects:

• The section of the Cape LaCroix Trail between Bloomfield Road and Shawnee Park is currently closed as renovation of the trail has begun.  The trail will be overlaid and widened.  The project is scheduled to be completed in early September 2026. 
• The Sportsplex will host an NSSC Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29.                                 

Development Services

What’s Going on in Cape

My Take

After Marion chose American Airlines, I received several questions, notably: why didn’t Cape receive American Airlines? To clarify, I prepared a comparison of the bids from American Airlines for both locations. The Department of Transportation has yet to make a final decision and still needs to review and approve Marion’s choice.

During the latest Essential Air Service (EAS) process, American Airlines proposed  $5 million for Marion, Illinois, and $8 million for Cape Girardeau. The subsidy difference mainly reflects market factors such as passenger demand and service type.

A key factor in airline proposals is enplanements, or passenger boardings. In 2024, Marion had 13,816 enplanements, whereas Cape Girardeau recorded roughly 10,000. Higher passenger numbers usually mean lower subsidies because they indicate stronger demand.

The airline services differ between the two cities. Marion’s plan emphasizes regular flights to Chicago, while Cape Girardeau offers broader connectivity via Dallas/Fort Worth and seasonal flights to Pensacola. This wider network provides more travel options but also increases costs.

The city also acknowledges that passenger migration to St. Louis Lambert International Airport affects local enplanement figures. Boosting local use of Cape Girardeau’s airport will be key to improving future air service options.

In 2024, Cape Girardeau surpassed 10,000 enplanements for the first time since 2019 and aims to maintain or increase that number with ongoing service improvements.

Economic Impact of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau  

Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is an engine for economic growth throughout all Missouri through economic engagement efforts, workforce development initiatives, spending practices, arts and cultural events, and its NCAA Division-I athletics program. SEMO creates value in many ways, and it greatly influences both the lives of its students and the state economy. It also draws visitors to the state, generating new dollars and opportunities for Missouri.

The university supports a variety of industries, serves state businesses, and benefits society as a whole in Missouri from an expanded economy and improved quality of life. Founded in 1873 as a teacher’s college, SEMO is a dynamic and competitive comprehensive master’s-level university located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The university provides student centered education, with a foundation of liberal arts and sciences, experiential and service-learning opportunities, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional instruction that prepares students for civic responsibility and professional careers. SEMO has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1915 and 55 academic programs hold program-specific accreditations and certifications from 30 accrediting agencies.

With over 11,000 students from 45 states and more than 50 countries, and campuses in Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, and Kennett, SEMO makes significant contributions to the workforce needs of Missouri and beyond. SEMO’s alumni contribute greatly to Missouri in serving their local communities as educators, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, computer science and cybersecurity professionals, public servants, artists, and more.

SEMO creates value in many ways, and it greatly influences both the lives of its students and the state economy. The University supports a variety of industries, serves state businesses, and benefits society as a whole in Missouri from an expanded economy and improved quality of life, contributing a staggering $1.4 billion to the state’s economy in fiscal year 2023-24. Additionally, the benefits created by SEMO extend to the state and local government through increased tax revenues and public sector savings. Using a two-pronged approach that involves an economic impact analysis and an investment analysis, this study calculates the benefits received by each of these groups.

 

 for more information visit Economic Impact Study 
This study measures the economic impacts created by SEMO on the business community and the benefits the university generates in return for the investments made by its key stakeholder groups—students, taxpayers, and society

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