Out of the past 1/20/07

25 years ago: Jan. 20, 1982

Cape Girardeau City Councilman Loretta A. Schneider's motion that the city draft an ordinance restricting abortions sparks a standing ovation from the audience gather in the city hall gymnasium; but the measure dies for lack of a supporting second.

Authorization is given to Cape Girardeau City Manager Gary A. Eide to take "whatever action necessary" to improve the private streets in the Greater Cape Girardeau Commercial Center Subdivision, if the developer of that subdivision doesn't bring those streets up to city standards by mid-June.

50 years ago: Jan. 20, 1957

An old-fashioned basket dinner at noon at the South Side Baptist Church honors the Rev. and Mrs. A.J. Langston, as he celebrates his seventh anniversary as pastor of the church; 263 people have joined the congregation since his pastorate began.

The Rev. J.E. Green, former pastor of the Church of Christ at Dexter, Mo., has assumed his duties as pastor of the Church of Christ at Cape Girardeau; Thomas Sparkman, former pastor of the church, is continuing his studies at State College.

75 years ago: Jan. 20, 1932

Efforts by the city to collect delinquent taxes on real estate in Cape Girardeau have resulted in the filing of 150 lawsuits against property owners in Common Pleas Court; suits have also been filed before justices of the peace on personal property taxes

Garage collectors appeared before the Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday to ask permission to charge what they termed as a "nominal fee to residents of the city for services rendered"; they asked that they be allowed to charge 25 cents per month for the collection of garbage at dwellings and 50 cents for collections at business houses.

100 years ago: Jan. 20, 1907

A union temperance meeting is held in the evening at the Baptist Church, with the congregations of all Cape Girardeau protestant churches in attendance; Miss Shaner of Jackson, a national temperance lecturer of the W.C.T.U., gives the address.

A memorial service is held at the Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau in the afternoon in commemoration of the 100th birthday of Robert E. Lee.

-- Sharon K. Sanders