Good morning, Cape Girardeau.

Saint Francis Foundation will hold its eighth Color Dash 5K and Fun Walk on Saturday, Oct.

3 at Arena Park starting at 10 a.m. Participants may join individually or in teams of five to support Pink Up’s free cancer screenings, with advance registration closing at midnight on Sept. 27.

City officials announced that Twinkle and Twirl on Fountain will return December 16-19 for a family ice-skating event with music and holiday lights on Fountain Street.

Pre-registration opens Nov. 11 on the city website for reserved time slots.

Fruitland Area Fire Protection District firefighters were recognized on Sept.

21 for assisting during emergencies near Annapolis last month (one firefighter rescued a young girl from the Black River and both aided first responders during an EMS incident near K-Bridge) in a ceremony attended by Annapolis Mayor Scott Oatman.

Jackson Fire Rescue and Gordonville Fire Protection District held a joint vehicle rescue training at Cape County Towing Monday to practice safely removing vehicle occupants in emergencies + the exercise helped crews improve teamwork for coordinated responses.

Cape County Park North will get renovations through 2027, with new shelters and bathrooms starting construction over the coming months along north Kingshighway; work will pause briefly for Christmas setups and resume early December as funding comes from grants, donations, and county funds.

SEMO University Autism Center launched an after-school care program Monday, Sept.

21 in Cape Girardeau; student workers from Southeast Missouri State University now help the center, and families can call Izzy Collins at (573-986-4985) for more details.

The Scott County Rural Fire Protection District announced Jerence Dial as its interim fire chief.

Dial, who has 20 years of fire and emergency experience, will expand training and upgrade equipment while strengthening regional partnerships.

The American Red Cross is asking local residents to give blood or platelets from Sept.

21 to Oct. 18 and offers a $15 electronic gift card plus a pickleball set when available; appointments are open at the Cape Girardeau Blood Donation Center from Sept. 25–29.

Jackson R-2 School District opened a new turf field at Jackson Indian Stadium after a 2½-month project that moved the softball team from the city park to reliable on-campus practice space, allowing both baseball and softball teams to play in rain and kick off facility improvements.