Out of the past 1/6/08

25 years ago: Jan. 6, 1983

New Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney Larry Ferrell is developing a plan for a major case squad; agencies having representatives on the squad will be the prosecutor's office, the Cape Girardeau Police Department, the Jackson Police Department, the sheriff's department, the university security department and the Highway Patrol.

With reservoirs on the Missouri River already full from unusually wet weather in December, county presiding judge Gene Huckstep is concerned that Southeast Missouri residents could face heavy flooding this spring; the county is preparing for possible floods by stockpiling sand and sandbags.

50 years ago: Jan. 6, 1958

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The Burton J. Gerhardt Construction Corp. of Cape Girardeau has been awarded the contract by the Chaffee Chamber of Commerce for the reconstruction of Unit No. 2 of the Sports Specialty Shoemakers plant, which was destroyed by the recent tornado.

The first Democrat to enter a county race, Billy W. Rose files for the party nomination for county collector; he is now serving in the office, having been appointed Nov. 18 to fill a vacancy created by the death Nov. 9 of Robert Kirkpatrick.

75 years ago: Jan. 6, 1933

BENTON, Mo. -- His automobile stalling, Judge Leonard McMullin, a member of the Scott County Court, jumps in a plane at Sikeston, Mo., and flies to Benton, Mo., becoming the county's first flying judge; other judges, John W. Heeb and Peter Gosche, say they'll stick to their automobiles.

Cape Girardeau automobile license tags in 1933 will be stickers; instead of the metal plates which have been used in past years, the city has adopted the use of paper stickers, bearing the license number, to be pasted on the inside of the windshield.

100 years ago: Jan. 6, 1908

Linder Miller of near Jackson comes over to Cape Girardeau to bring Rosebud Snider to the Normal School; she spent much of her holidays at home in bed with the measles.

Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Durnell of Fairfield, Ill., are in Cape Girardeau visiting his brother, A.N. Durnell, and family on North Frederick Street.

-- Sharon K. Sanders