More charges against high school employee

St. Vincent shut out in first loss of season

STE. GENEVIEVE — “This game will not define our season.”. Those were the words of St. Vincent Indians head coach Tim Schumer following the team’s first loss of the season Friday night against Valle Catholic. The Indians fell 48-0 to the perennial favorite Warriors. Touchdowns were scored...

Second Sikeston football player recognized with Rhodes MVP Belt

Kenneth Holcomb has a combination of traits that can make life miserable for a defense. On Wednesday, he was recognized for this as the Rhodes Convenience Stores and Semoball.com Football Team of the Week MVP. The Sikeston High School senior running back broke loose for a pair of 50-yard touchdown...

Marion High School teacher charged after Home Depot theft investigation

MARION, Ill., (KBSI) — A Marion High School building trades teacher was arrested Tuesday following an investigation into reported thefts at Home Depot, according to Marion police. Lester E. James, 59, of Carbondale, faces one count of felony retail theft and two counts of misdemeanor theft by deception. Officers...

SEMO professor receives national lifetime achievement award for historic preservation

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — A Southeast Missouri State University professor has received a national lifetime achievement award for his work in historic preservation education. Dr. Steven Hoffman, a professor of historic preservation at SEMO, received the James Marston Fitch Award for Lifetime Achievement in Preservation Education from the...

GES and WES students make significant gains in reading

Fourth- and fifth-grade students at Greenville Elementary School and Williamsville Elementary School made significant gains in reading last school year, with scores increasing by 51% from the previous year. The growth was reflected in students’ end-of-year MAP scores. Students who had previously been in the “Below Basic” category moved into...

Vienna High School rallies behind student diagnosed with cancer

VIENNA, Ill., (KBSI) — Vienna High School students and staff wore yellow Tuesday to support sophomore Cole Waters, who was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma, according to the school. The Student Council is collecting donations for Waters and his family during advisory periods each day through Friday. Donations can be...

Southeast Mo. State reports decrease in fall enrollment; $10M approved for capital renewal project

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Heartland News) - Southeast Missouri State University released its fall 2026 enrollment report on Monday, September 28. According to the university, overall enrollment decreased 4.5 percent, but it achieved its enrollment goal for undergraduate retention and exceeded the graduate student retention goal by 3.5 percent. The university...

25 years ablaze: SIU's ‘Fire Dawgs' inspires land management careers

More than 1,000 students have completed the program over the past quarter century By JOURNEY SHORT Saluki Local Reporting Lab Photos by Lylee Gibbs, Cooper Wackerlin & Carly Gist On a clear spring morning in southern Illinois, a group of students stands at the edge of the woods near Lake Murphysboro in rural Jackson County. They wear bright yellow fire-resistant shirts, green pants, heavy boots and helmets. Each person carries a tool — a hoe, shovel or drip torch. Everything is calm for now. But that’s about to change. The group walks nearly a mile into the woods before reaching a burn site. Once there, they start clearing sticks and debris from the ground. They listen carefully to the directions called out by their experienced leader, Charles Ruffner, a professor with the Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Forestry and Horticulture. Ruffner also oversees the Fire Dawgs, a campus club that provides both hands-on experience and a community service for students interested in land management careers. Soon, students light their drip torches, tools that lay down a strip of fire along the ground. “I’m glad I’m on a small fire today,” one forestry student quips about the 91-acre burn. Smoke

High School Football Preview – Week 5, 2026

Traditional rivalries and big time matchups highlight the Week 5 High School Football slate. A ranked matchup takes center stage in Class 2, as the #2 Valle Catholic Warriors hoat the #7 St. Vincent Indians. Warriors head coach Judd Naegar said the St. Vincent defense is excellent. St. Vincent head...

Perryville Football Cruises to Blowout Win over Grandview

(Perryville) The Perryville Pirates are on a two game win streak after their 63-6 victory over Grandview Thursday night. The game was never close. The Pirates started the scoring with a Dawson Wolk touchdown run on the opening drive. A Grandview 3-and-out would result in a one-play touvhdown drive, where quarterback Lucas Buchheit connected with Josh Gremaud to make it 14-0.

Gun found at Marion High School leads to charges against social worker, student

MARION, Ill. (Heartland News) - A Williamson County social worker is facing a misdemeanor charge after a teenager in her care brought a gun onto Marion High School property. It’s an incident we first told you about back on August 31, when leaders with the Marion Unit #2 School District announced a weapon had been found in a vehicle on campus.

Notre Dame Activity Week raises funds through student competition

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — Students at Notre Dame Regional High School are continuing a week of competition as part of the school’s 2026 Activity Week. The senior class took first place in Wednesday’s cup relay with a time of 46.94 seconds. The seniors were required to redo their relay following a dispute over the rules but returned to post the fastest time.

SEMO to host candidate forums for next DPS chief

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Heartland News) - Southeast Missouri State University will host a candidate forum for its next chief of the Department of Public Safety. The public forums will be with students, faculty and staff. The candidates include:. Jason Morgan - Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. in the UC...

PHS ground attack rolls over Bayless

ST. LOUIS—The Perryville Pirates got back in the win column Friday night against Bayless with Hancock, beating the Bronchos 35-15. The Pirates started the scoring early, with junior Xzyavier Wilson returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Lucas Buchheit threw for 114 yards in the games, but...

Farmington’s Hill Receives Education Award

(Farmington) The Director of Special Services for the Farmington R7 Schools, Gretchen Hill, is the recipient of the Early Career Special Education Administrator of the Year Award from the Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education. The statewide award honors exceptional educators in special education leadership who have served in administrative roles for five years or less. It recognizes leaders who demonstrate exemplary vision, collaborative spirit, and unwavering dedication to supporting students with special needs and their families. The MoCASE Outstanding New Special Education Administrator Award is presented annually at the association’s state conference, bringing together educational leaders from across Missouri to celebrate excellence and innovation in special education administration.