Out of the past 10/8/01

10 years ago: Oct. 8, 1991

Missouri Highway and Transportation Department officials try to calm local officials' fears that new state transportation plan would revert maintenance of some highways to Missouri's counties; MHTD holds public hearing in Cape Girardeau to hear local reaction to its new Total Transportation Plan, which recommends that state study turning maintenance of state-maintained "lettered" county roads over to county.

Jackson - Decision by Missouri Public Defender Commission to re-situate its five-county office based in Jackson and need for additional space for juvenile department will result in moves of number of county offices; under shift, main offices of prosecutor will be moved to Jackson, and administrative offices and detention center for juvenile department will be in separate places.

25 years ago: Oct. 8, 1976

Smoldering mattress resulted in fire which destroyed barn last night at home of Jerry Schweain on Route K near Parkwood Lake Estates; 10 members of Gordonville Volunteer Fire Department responded to blaze, but fire was out of control when they arrived.

Sister Rosel Feder, who is on faculty at Notre Dame High School, is confined to one study hall duty a day since her illness which happened in Rumania with Friendship Choral tour; after short stay in hospital in St. Louis and retreat at convent there, she has returned to Cape Girardeau.

50 years ago: Oct. 8, 1951

Cape Girardeau milkshed tied with two others for second spot in Missouri on inspection rating sheet released for September by Bureau of Food and Drug Inspection of State Division of Health; report shows Cape Girardeau and Jackson, along with Boonville and Columbia with 95 percent compliance rating under standard milk ordinance out of possible 100 points.

Sikeston - Struck by lightning while riding in rear of truck, Russell Davis, 25, farmer of near Matthews, was instantly killed Saturday 7 1/2 miles south of here on Highway 61; William Denton Jr., of near Matthews, who was riding in rear of truck with Davis, was only stunned by bolt.

75 years ago: Oct. 8, 1926

Weather Bureau is predicting Mississippi River will reach its crest of 33 feet tomorrow or day after; river passes 32-foot mark, bringing additional damage to crops on local islands and to those outside high government levees in district; river rose more than six inches here in past 24 hours.

Registration of qualified voters who wish to cast ballots in general election next month is begun with rather small number of people going to registration places; both Republican and Democratic party workers are trying to get out as large a registration as possible.

- Sharon K. Sanders