Photos of the Month, March 2020

April 4, 2020

Photojournalists at the Southeast Missourian stayed busy in March covering everything from basketball to the changes in Southeast Missouri daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Editor's note: Photo captions reflect information reported at the time of the photo's creation.

Southeast Missourian photography staff

Statler siblings Bella, 7, and Carter, 4, of Oak Ridge, take part in a "park and pray" event with their parents Paige and Rusty Statler, in passenger and driver seats respectively, on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, outside Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Christy Brey of Jackson, who organized the event, said people also gathered Monday at Saint Francis Medical Center. "Obviously there's a lot going on with the scares and the panic of COVID and just the fears of people," Brey said. She said she had the idea after seeing a post about a similar event on social media. "It's just to kind of rally the community," she said. Brey said people at the event were supposed to stay in their vehicles and "stay within the guidelines of safety."

Cape Central fan Haley Ticer (right) cheers with classmates during a match between Cape Central and Sikeston Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Noon Optimist Club president Virgil Jones of Cape Girardeau opens a can of diced tomatoes while sharing a moment with fellow members Frank Glueck of New Hamburg, Missouri, (middle) and Dave Johnson of Cape Girardeau (right) while making chili before the club's 36th annual Chili Day on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Notre Dame head coach Paul Unterreiner reacts while speaking with a referee after the Bulldogs didn't win in regulation time and were headed into overtime during the Notre Dame Bulldogs' 38-37 double-overtime win against the Cape Central Tigers in the Class 4 District 1 championship Friday, March 6, 2020, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

Notre Dame senior Cristian Evans celebrates the Notre Dame Bulldogs' 38-37 double overtime win against the Cape Central Tigers in the Class 4 District 1 championship Friday, March 6, 2020, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

Notre Dame senior Kam Dohogne (11), facing forward, hugs teammate senior Jack Floyd (13) near teammate senior Tyler Parker (25) following the Notre Dame Bulldogs' 38-37 double-overtime win against the Cape Central Tigers in the Class 4 District 1 championship Friday, March 6, 2020, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

Ijaz Ahmad of Cape Girardeau looks over his ballot while holding his son Arham Ahmad, 16 months, while voting in the presidential preference primary election Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at Cape Girardeau City Hall.

From left: Linda Engelmann of Cape Girardeau, Lisa Elfrink of Fruitland and Belinda Mueller of Cape Girardeau converse with a voter while working a polling place during the presidential preference primary election Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at Cape Girardeau City Hall.

Laura Delgado of Cape Girardeau, with Southeast Missouri State University's department of psychology, and Lindsey Lancaster, a freshman at Malden High School, share a moment while discussing Lancaster's project during the 64th annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Lancaster said her project deals with analyzing if the color of food affects one's perception of how it tastes.

Sharon Penrod takes a pie out of the oven Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at The Pie Safe Bakery & Cafe in Pocahontas.

Sharon Penrod takes a pie out of the oven Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at The Pie Safe Bakery & Cafe in Pocahontas. Housed in what used to be a bank and built in 1910, Sharon Penrod, who operates the establishment, said The Pie Safe opened June 12, 2012. "It's cause I like to talk," Sharon said when asked if she enjoyed her job. Although she's had some help at times in the past, Sharon is a one-woman show at The Pie Safe. Sharon said her husband, Monte Penrod, restored the whole building.

Sharon Penrod waits on customers (counterclockwise from woman in purple by wall) Carol Kluender, Charlie Meeks, Carol Barron, Ruth Graham and Sue Baugher, all of Perryville, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at The Pie Safe Bakery & Cafe in Pocahontas.

For the Hotop family, hog butchering is a decades-old tradition passed down from generation to generation. Paul Hotop said his late father, Rueben Hotop, taught him how to butcher and his father taught him. "It's something our dad did whenever he was young, he taught us to do it and now I'm teaching my boys to do it," Paul said. "Not many people do it anymore. We like to know where our meat comes from." Paul's brother Allen Hotop of Apple Creek, Missouri, said the family always picks the same weekend, the one before the Super Bowl, each year to butcher. This year was no exception as numerous family members gathered Jan. 25 to butcher seven hogs on a farm in rural Perry County, Missouri. "Back when we was going up, we kind of had to do it cause mom and dad had 13 kids so it was, you know, anything we could do to keep us from going to the meat store is probably why dad did it," Paul said. Allen said the hog butchering was done before he was born in 1960. "I would say everybody used to do it out of necessity and now it's done as a novelty," Allen said of the butchering. "This is a Hotop tradition." Pictured here: Ronnie Hotop of Perryville, Missouri, lights a fire shortly prior to 7 a.m. before the start of hog butchering Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, on a farm in rural Perry County, Missouri. Published March 2.

Food Giant store manager Edward Spalding of Cape Girardeau hauls a load of toilet paper Friday, March 13, 2020, at the Cape Girardeau store. He said the store has been selling "much more" of the product lately. "Wiped the whole shelf out," Spalding said of Thursday's toilet paper sales. "We got a shipment of certain varieties today so we're getting everything we have out of the back room out on the floor to sell. ... They're still buying it." He said the store was completely out of hand sanitizer.

AM Vets Outdoors founder and Air Force veteran Bill Coomer, aka "Wild Bill," of Cape Girardeau looks out of a blind during a snow geese hunt Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Ware, Illinois.

Air Force veteran Bill Coomer, aka "Wild Bill," of Cape Girardeau looks out of a blind during a snow goose hunt March 14 in Ware, Illinois. For Coomer, AM Vets Outdoors is about getting veterans together. Coomer is the founder of the organization, which takes veterans on hunting and fishing trips. "The whole premise of this is for vets to be introduced to other vets that way they can become friends with at least one of them," Coomer said. "That way where later on, if they have depression or thoughts of suicide or whatever, at least they have somebody to talk to."

Active duty Air Force member Andrew Shanahorn, originally of Columbus, Ohio, and now at Scott Air Force Base, signs a decoy featuring the names of other veterans during a snow geese hunt with AM Vets Outdoors on Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Ware, Illinois.

From left: Army veteran Paul Jubinville; Garrett Metje, originally of Cape Girardeau, and now Scott City, Missouri; and active duty Air Force member David Fritz gather around a phone during a snow geese hunt with AM Vets Outdoors on Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Ware, Illinois.

Active duty Air Force member Andrew Shanahorn, originally of Columbus, Ohio, and now at Scott Air Force Base, has a smoke during a snow geese hunt Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Ware, Illinois.

Notre Dame senior Riley Burger (22) flexes while being announced before Notre Dame's 55-35 victory against Rockwood Summit in the Class 4 quarterfinals Saturday, March 14, 2020, at St. Vincent High School in Perryville, Missouri.

Notre Dame junior Allie Burnett (4), left in hug, embraces sophomore Leah Jansen (20) following Notre Dame's 55-35 victory against Rockwood Summit in the Class 4 quarterfinals Saturday, March 14, 2020, at St. Vincent High School in Perryville, Missouri.

Notre Dame seniors Tyler Landewee (2), right of hug, and Jack Floyd (13) embrace near teammates senior Tyler Parker (25) and junior Chase Logel (22) following Notre Dame's 59-53 victory against Westminster Christian Academy in the Class 4 quarterfinals Saturday, March 14, 2020, at St. Vincent High School in Perryville, Missouri.

Pastors Gary and Rose Brothers, right, stand before the congregation at Cape First Church at the conclusion of the church's 9 a.m. centennial celebration service Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. More than 1,000 churchgoers attended Cape First Church's centennial services. Founded in 1920, the church celebrated 100 years with a display of church artifacts from the past century and a timeline of photos documenting the church's history in the area.

Cosmologist Antonio Johnson, owner of A+ Kutz, wears a face mask while cutting the hair of Omiere Johnson, 6, of Cape Girardeau, on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at the shop in Cape Girardeau. Antonio, originally from Sikeston, Missouri, and now Cape Girardeau, said he usually always wears gloves while cutting hair, but has been wearing the face mask since the end of last week due to concerns about coronavirus. "I'm trying to keep myself safe," Antonio said.

JD Jenkins of Marble Hill, Missouri, (left) and Pat Hotop of Perryville, Missouri, work with recently decapitated hog heads Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, on a farm in rural Perry County, Missouri. Published March 2.

A shopper who asked to remain unnamed chooses a loaf of whole wheat bread from a shelf at Schnucks during the store's first hour of business Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. In an effort to provide senior shoppers with easier access to groceries amid coronavirus-related supply shortages, Schnucks made its first hour of business limited to customers of ages 60 and older beginning March 18. The grocery store has also implemented reduced operating hours with daily closures from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. to allow staff members to restock shelves and perform additional cleaning measures.

Clippard Elementary principal Amy Emmenderfer, left, and Central Junior High School athletic director Mike Conner get meals ready to give out for those 18 years old and younger Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at Clippard Elementary in Cape Girardeau. Cape Girardeau School District started providing meals to children Wednesday while schools are closed due to concerns over COVID-19. Kristin Tallent, communications director for Cape Girardeau Public Schools, said there are five locations (all of the elementary schools) operating from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.

Empty pews surround Pastor Eric Coher as he speaks to his congregants via livestream on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at Cape Bible Chapel in Cape Girardeau. In accordance with federal and state regulations and suggested precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Cape Bible Chapel held its inaugural broadcast of a Sunday service March 22 at the church. Pastor Eric Coher said the church was already in the process of acquiring a system to provide its services via a live-streamed broadcast, but recently expedited the process of installing the system.

Jefferson Elementary School principal Leigh Ragsdale rides atop a beach-themed SUV during a teacher car parade in the 1000 block of South Pacific on Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. "The main reason we did it is because we believe human connectivity, and being connected to humans -- even if it is, you know, through a screen, or from from the car to the porch, or to the driveway, or in their cars," Ragsdale said. "It just makes people feel good seeing the people that they love."

Alma Schrader Elementary School teacher Rebecca Gentry waves to students and parents as they arrive for lunch pick-ups Wednesday, March 25, 2020, while 50's music plays in honor of Alma Schrader Day, which celebrates the school's opening in 1959 in Cape Girardeau.

The Rev. Allan Saunders, pastor at St. Mary Cathedral, meets with Jordan Huff of Cape Girardeau while hearing confessions Saturday, March 28, 2020, outside St. Mary Cathedral School in Cape Girardeau. Saunders, who was scheduled to be available to hear confessions from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m., said it was the normal time for the activity, but the first time doing so outside due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We can't have churches open so we figure we can do social distancing outside," Saunders said.

A stuffed-animal bear sits with a fire vehicle Monday, March 30, 2020, at Jackson Fire Rescue's Station 1 in Jackson. "We are ready for all the bear hunters in Cape County. As [you] drive by our Station 1 in Jackson make sure to be on the lookout but don't be alarmed, our bear is pretty friendly," Jackson Fire Rescue posted on its Facebook page. Stuffed animals are showing up in windows around the globe giving kids a "social-distancing-safe scavenger hunt activity during coronavirus lockdowns," according to a Monday USA Today article.

From left: Brian Leible, Mike Hotop, Mike's son Austin Hotop and Pat Hotop tend to butchering a hog. "I'm 53 and I don't ever remember a year not doing it," Mike, one of Rueben Hotop's 13 children, said. "Even when I was little my dad and my grandpa always butchered." Published March 2.

Andy Kliefoth of Kansas City, Missouri, (left) and Pat Hotop put hog parts into a pot to cook. Diane Mahnken of Perryville, one of Rueben Hotop's 13 children, said normally they take the cooked meat and, using the hog blood, make blood sausage, but this year the blood wasn't kept like it was supposed to be. This year Mahnken said they'll use the cooked meat to make either head cheese, liver sausage or something of that nature. Published March 2.

Mike Hotop (center) gives a piece of meat to Roger Schremp of Apple Creek, Missouri, next to Julia Kliefoth (right) while also working with Stefanie Kuntz (far left) and Pat Hotop (second from left) to take cooked hog meat off the bone. "Honestly, when I was a kid, used to just love it. We used to run and play and up and down the creeks and always playing outside and all adults did all the work," Mike said. "And then, as it went, then we started doing it cause we like the fresh pork. You know doing it ourself. We like to do it. We had the facilities. We had the equipment. ... Decided to keep it going. Make our kids know what it's like." Published March 2.

David Dugan of Charleston, Missouri, speaks on the phone with Ashley Freese of St. Louis, Missouri, who was about the join the hammocking group of Southeast Missouri State University students including Harley Allen of Dexter, Missouri, (middle) and Ashton Hopper of Cape Girardeau (in background) on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. "It's beautiful out here," Dugan said. "It's really peaceful to come out here and just enjoy nature, enjoy God's creation."

Robert Hamblin, professor emeritus at Southeast Missouri State University, poses for a portrait with a book of poetry he authored Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at his home in Cape Girardeau. Hamblin said "Epiphanies, Large and Small" features all of his published poems and a few additional poems.

Notre Dame's Tyler Landewee smiles while being hugged by teammate Justice Thoma, left, after beating Dexter Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

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