Current, Local News Stories and Articles


News and information about current or upcoming Local events. From Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri, to Carbondale and Southern Illinois, we hope to show you what is coming up in the near future regarding entertainment, cultural and social activities or other local events of interest
  

The articles below are typically provided by the venues presenting the event. Please confirm specifics with the venue before making plans to attend the event.

This is not simply a Southeast Missouri State University press site, they are just good at sending us press releases. We welcome all and any press releases on community events.
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Cape Girardeau Riverfront Market Concept Public Forum
Press Release

Cape Girardeau, A public forum will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall (basement) in the First Presbyterian Church at 235 Broadway for the purpose of gathering input regarding the concept of a Saturday open air market in the downtown.  The meeting will be facilitated by Charles Hopper, Marketing Specialist from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
 
A steering committee has been looking at the feasibility and working on the concept.  Actual development of a plan would include the input from possible vendors, local downtown business owners, artists, local residents and anyone interested in this venture.  The group is seeking input from both the vending and customer perspective and will be asking questions such as what should be offered, what the best location is, and what additional activities could be included to make it successful for the vendors, local businesses and the community as a whole.
 
A market can be an opportunity to draw visitors (customers) to the downtown area and help create a fun, active and vibrant sense of place.  It could include produce and other foods, art, entertainment and educational opportunities.  This concept is still in the study/development stages and this meeting is the opportunity for individuals to help further develop the vision.
 
For more information, contact Old Town Cape at 573-334-8085 or info@oldtowncape.org.

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Nashville Touring Artist Taria Returns to Cape
By Emily Sladek
Straight from Nashville, one of country music's rising stars, Taria, will be performing at the Pink Galleon December 17. Don't miss out on the opportunity to see beautiful and talented perfomrer live.

Taria's singing career has always been the biggest part of her life. TAria made a chance Grand Ole Opry debut at the age of 15 after introducing herself to her country music inspiration, Lorrie Morgan. Not long after her Opry debut, another country music legend, Vern Gosdin, heard Taria and she began performing with him the next year. Taria has paid tribute to several country musicians throughout her career such as Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn as part of the "Memories of Conway" show. She also sang flawlessly Patsy Cline's hit song "If You've Got Leavin' on Your Mind" in Cline's honor.

Playing what she refers to as "Crock," or Country and Rock, "Taria Style," she sings each song with certain zeal. Taria has captivates audiences everywhere she performs, drawing in listeners with the passion in her voice while making them feel the reality in her words. Taria's persistence in her music career has landed her a weekly spot at Whiskey Bent Saloon in Nashville, as well as touring and performing opportunities in venues all across the country.

Her passion doesn't stop at the end of the country music stage. She has donated time, effort, and money to organizations like City of Dreams to help rebuild Nashville after the devastating 2010 flood. Also, Taria is donating all of the proceeds from sales of her recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to Feed the Children, a national and international coalition to provide food and resources to families and children without means.

She is anxiously awaiting the release of her first album in the near future.
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Jackson's Cowboy Hero Ty Atchison Performs at the National Finals Rodeo
By Emily Sladek

Small town dreams have led to national notoriety for one local cowboy. Ty Atchison of Jackson will compete in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo  (NFR) in Las Vegas, NV, starting Thursday, December 1.

The spirit of rodeo has always been part of his life. His parents, Debbie and Clint Atchison, own and run the family's Diamond A Auction Barn where they raise, train and sell horses. "Ty and his sister have been riding horses since before they could walk," Debbie tells us.

Only eight years into bronc riding, Atchison's dream of making it into the NFR didn't rest only on this event. He grew up roping and wrestling steers, and didn't ride his first bronc until just before his senior year in high school. He took his life-long talent with him to college, achieving a rodeo scholarship to University of Tennesee-Martin. He qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in steer wrestling, team roping, and bronc riding throughout his college career, with a second place finish in 2006 in what now seems to be his signature event, bronc riding.

Atchison has several accomplishments, outside of college, under his belt dating back to 2007. During his professional career he has won awards in rodeos and shows all the way from Georgia to Washington and placed as co-champion at the area's own Show Me Center Championships in Cape. Some highlights of his career include victories at the Dodge City (Kansas) Roundup Rodeo, Atlantic City (New Jersey) Boardwalk Rodeo, Livingston (Montana) Round-up, Goliad (Texas) County Fair Rodeo. and, of course, making it to the NFR.

Atchison came into the NFR ranked 12th in the world for bronc riding. "It's like the Super Bowl of rodeo," Debbie said. Boasted as the most prestigious rodeo in the world, the event brings together the top 15 contestants in several rodeo events with each of the contenders competing for their share of the multi-million dollar purse.

Encouraged by the support of his family and friends and blessed with all around talent in the sport according to his mom, Atchison is able to follow his dream. "I always told him growing up to find something you would do for free, and you'll never work a day in your life," Debbie said. "He's fulfilling his dream, and we're proud of him. "

NFR events will run through December 10, and will be broadcast on cable television's GAC. You can catch the events live as they happen.
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The Clark Family Christmas Lights Display, Kelso
The 2011 display is up and running.
New additions for this year should be finished by the weekend, but you can catch the same spectacular light display from last year now!
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Habitat Heroes All-Stars v. Harlem Ambassadors
Do you know what happens when you combine a program focused on providing local, affordable housing with a family-oriented, quality basketball show???

You get  hilarious comedy and fun for the whole family that generates proceeds for Cape Area Habitat for Humanity. The Harlem Ambassadors, who have been performing basketball shows since 1998 to audiences in the US and internationally, will compete against the Habitat Heroes team. These local celebrities include former SEMO basketball players, a SEMO football running back and the director of Cape Girardeau Alternative School.

"The work that Habitat does here in the community is a great aid to the less fortunate. A lot of people have been impacted by their efforts and I just want to do my part in helping them to continue to carry out their mission," said Israel Kirk, former SEMO basketball player.

The Harlem Ambassadors vs. Habitat Heroes game will be at 7 pm, Tuesday, Nov. 15  at Cape Central Jr. High School. Each ticket sale can go directly toward construction of homes due to the utilization of Habitat's ReStore, an appliance, furniture and household store in Cape. Tickets are $2 for students and $4 for adults if purchased in advance.

Cape Area Habitat for Humanity is a Christian based organization that believes how they build is just as important as what they build. Families and individuals that meet the requirements for a Habitat for Humanity home must invest time in the work of building it. On a Habitat build, volunteers, businesses, organizations and homeowners are all involved. The interaction creates community bonds that last way beyond the time the last nail is driven.

The Harlem Ambassadors are known for their wholesome family entertainment that comes from individuals who are willing role models for youth. They want kids to understand the value of staying in school, staying off drugs and encouraging harmony among races.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 334-9728.


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Southeast receives grants from Missouri Arts Council
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Missouri Arts Council awarded nearly $40,000 in grant funding to Southeast Missouri State University. 

The money will go towards the Symphony Orchestra concert series, a traveling exhibit at the Crisp Museum and the “Big Muddy” literary journal. The funds will also bring guests artists for the department of Theatre and Dance Production of Hamlet and to fund the residency of a guest choreographer. 

Over fifteen thousand dollars will support the symphony. Artistic director Sara Edgerton says the funds will help bring first class talent to the River Campus. 

"“This grant we wrote for this symphony series will enable to bring in some really great guest artists not only to perform with the symphony, but also to do master classes and outreach activities in the community," Edgerton says.” 

Guest artists for the symphony orchestra include Mark O’Connor and Allen Vizzutti. 



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Photos Celebrating Quiet Moments on Display - Wendy Cooper: Transition Spaces 11.3 Exhibit
On Display until Dec. 11
Wendy Cooper's exhibit opens Oct. 21 in the Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum at Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus.

The public is invited to attend an opening reception from 4-8 p.m. Nov. 4, with a gallery talk by the artist at 5 p.m. Nov. 11. The exhibit will remain on display through Dec. 11. Admission is free.

The photographs in this exhibit celebrate quiet moments. The artist, Wendy Cooper, has captured them as a rebellion against and escape from the bombardment of media culture. The images are metaphors for the juncture, or the synapse, in between a mental, physical or real world and that of a virtual, imaginary or remembered and dream world. The representation of these opposites through the fleeting aspects of light and shadow and the fluid aspects of water express Cooper's feeling of being in between the polarities of life.

Wendy Cooper has a master of fine arts degree from Savannah College of Art and Design (2008), Savannah, Ga., and a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.  She is currently assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology at Southeast Missouri State University.

Cooper maintains an active exhibition record of group, juried and invitational exhibitions. Recent exhibitions include “Shoot’n Southern: Women Photographers, Past and Present,” Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, Ala.; “Ocean Blue: Paintings and Photographs by John Olenyik and Wendy Cooper,” 2CarGarage Contemporary Art Gallery; “In Between,” 2CarGarage Contemporary Art Gallery, Savannah, Ga.; “The Extended Moment”, DeSoto Row Gallery, Savannah, Ga.; “Breaking Glass: Contemporary Photography,” Town Center Fine Art, Watkinsville, Ga.; and the14th Annual Telfair Art Fair, Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah, Ga.  She has received numerous awards and commissions for her work including the 2008 Competition Winner in “The Photo Review” and a third place, “Image08,” the annual photo contest hosted by the New York chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers.

The Crisp Museum is located in the Cultural Arts Center at Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus, 518 S. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo. Museum hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends, 1-4 p.m. For more information, email museum@semo.edu or call (573) 651-2260.


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Michael J. Fox, Kurt Warner to Highlight 2011-2012 Speaker Series
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 15, 2011 – Southeast Missouri State University will host several prominent speakers to share their experiences and stories during the 2011-2012 University Speaker Series. Kicking off the series will be acclaimed “Oprah Winfrey Show” and National Geographic journalist Lisa Ling, who will speak at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20 in the Show Me Center. The event is titled “Open Heart, Open Mind.” Ling will share her experiences as a reporter, war correspondent and TV host, using her role as a journalist to focus on positive social change. She will discuss her own career path in her explanation of how journalism plays an important role in the world around us, and how, as times continue to change, it can be a force for propelling the world forward in new and positive ways.

Emmy Award-winner and Golden Globe Award-winner Michael J. Fox will speak at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Show Me Center. The title of his presentation is “Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.” Fox charmed audiences around the world in such roles as Alex Keaton in “Family Ties,” has appeared in more than a dozen feature films, was the star and executive producer of ABC’s acclaimed “Spin City” and is an accomplished writer. In 1991, Fox was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s disease. He has committed himself to the campaign for increased Parkinson’s research and awareness and, in 2000, launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Karla Bakersmith, CEO and president of Scrubs & Beyond, will speak at noon Nov. 14 in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Bakersmith’s address, titled “Bringing Fashion to the Healthcare Market,” will also serve as the keynote presentation for Southeast’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. Scrubs & Beyond is a medical apparel company that incorporates a chain of retail stores, a catalog division and an internet business. Bakersmith launched Scrubs & Beyond to give medical professionals a fun and inviting place to shop for scrubs.

Best-selling author and professional workplace consultant Clifton Taulbert will speak at noon Nov. 15 in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall. Admission to the event is free, which is also part of Global Entrepreneurship Week activities. Taulbert is a Pulitzer Prize nominee and author of the recently released “Who Owns the Ice House?,” which serves as the title of his presentation at Southeast. “Who Owns the Ice House?” is based on Taulbert’s own life experience and chronicles his journey from his life in the Mississippi Delta at the height of legal segregation to being recognized by TIME magazine as “one of our nation’s most outstanding emerging entrepreneurs.”

L. Douglas Wilder, the first elected African-American governor, will present the keynote address at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Dinner scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Show Me Center. Tickets for the dinner are $15 and must be purchased in advance. They will not be sold at the door. A limited number of free tickets are available for students. There are also opportunities for table sponsorships. For ticket information, contact Elizabeth Maldonado at (573) 651-2524.

Two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion Kurt Warner will speak at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29 at the Show Me Center. His presentation is titled “All Things Possible!” In 1999, Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. That same year, he was named the NFL and Super Bowl MVP. For the next two years, he continued to be a dominant force in the NFL as the ringleader of what became known as the “Greatest Show on Turf.” He led the Rams to two additional playoff appearances—including another Super Bowl—and received Pro Bowl honors for three consecutive years. Warner became one of a few NFL players to be recognized with two NFL MVP awards. Since retiring from the NFL, he has focused his attention on his “First Things First Foundation,” which is dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values, sharing experiences and providing opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when people seek to put “first things first.”

Closing out the 2011-2012 Speaker Series will be Bill Nye, scientist, engineer, comedian, author and inventor. Best known as “the Science Guy,” Nye will speak at 7:30 p.m. April 3 in the Show Me Center. His presentation is titled “An Evening with Bill Nye.” Nye is a man with a mission – to help foster a scientifically literate society, to help people everywhere understand and appreciate the science that makes the world work. Making science entertaining and accessible is something Nye has done most of his life. He has won seven national Emmy Awards for writing, performing and producing the “Science Guy” show. He is the host of two currently running television series -- “The 100 Greatest Discoveries,” which airs on the Science Channel, and “The Eyes of Nye,” which airs on PBS stations nationwide.

Tickets are required for entry to the Ling, Fox, Warner and Nye events. Tickets for the Ling and Fox events will be available at 10 a.m. Aug. 22. Tickets for the Warner and Nye events will go on sale at a later date. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets and the Show Me Center Box Office. All events are free for current Southeast faculty, staff and students with a valid Redhawks ID. Tickets can be picked up in the University Center Room 202, Center for Student Involvement or the Show Me Center Box Office.



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