Archives of Community

Homage to the House Plant (and those who grow them): Leslie Phillips

Probably some of the first plants I had were funeral plants from my dad’s funeral. So it kind of felt like, ‘I need to keep this alive,’ ‘cause it was something I brought home. And it doesn’t really remind me of him, so much as I see now these plants are much older, and I […]
2 years ago

Charlotte Craig Meets Charlotte Craig: A story of two people connecting

By Jasmine Jones Charlotte Craig walks into a restaurant to meet Charlotte Craig. No, it’s not the start of a “person walks into a bar” joke. It’s also not the set-up for a science fiction story in which a character meets a clone of themselves and has to battle their own identity. This is a […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Jim and Mary Maginel

By Amanda Flinn This story was first published in the January 2023 issue of “The Best Years” with the title “Living Sustainably: Jim and Mary Maginel steward the land.” For many, sustainable farming is a pipe dream, or a fancy idea on the internet, but for Jim and Mary Maginel of Cape Girardeau, it is […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Linda and Leon Wiggs

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published in the August 2022 issue of “The Best Years” as ‘Let’s Travel the World:’ Couple travels abroad and across America for 14 years.” Leon and Linda Wiggs glance at the cabinet in their living room and see England, China, Alaska, Spain and Scotland; each destination lives in […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Dolly Jewel

By Molly Phegley This story was first published as “Faces of Southeast Missouri: Dolly Jewel” in the October 2022 issue of The Best Years. Dolly Jewel is a long-standing citizen of Cape Girardeau who has taught in all levels of education, as well as served as an election judge for the past 25 years. Jewel […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Phyllis Johnson

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published in the September 2022 issue of The Best Years with the title “Community Cookbook: Goulash, by Phyllis Johnson from the Golden Angels in Cape Girardeau.” Phyllis Johnson was raised by her father on a farm in Caruthersville, Mo. She remembers picking and chopping cotton, pulling corn and […]
2 years ago

Meet Along the Way: Joann Lester

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published in the December 2022 issue of The Best Years with the title “Faces of Southeast Missouri: Joann Lester.” When Joann Lester walks into the dining room of Chick-fil-A in Cape Girardeau, she instantly begins serving people: grabbing their trays and trash, rushing to open doors, chatting with […]
2 years ago