Out of the past 12/1/06

25 years ago: Dec. 1, 1981

Longtime Scott City businessman Ollie C. Amick, who was narrowly defeated by incumbent state Rep. Betty C. Hearnes in the 1980 Democratic primary, has announced he will again seek election as 160th District state representative.

The cost of a Christmas tree this season will be slightly higher than last year, but lot operators in Cape Girardeau say the quality of trees is better; at the Evening Optimist Club's lot at Independence Street and Plaza Way, Scotch pines range from $10 to $25 and balsams from $6 to $26.

50 years ago: Dec. 1, 1956

New headquarters for the 9671st Air Reserve Squadron, based in Cape Girardeau and serving a large area of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, are opened at 120 N. Spanish St..

Selection of Dr. R.A. Ritter of Cape Girardeau to be scoutmaster of one of the troops to attend the British Jubilee Boy Scout Jamboree in England next summer is announced; the jubilee, to be attended by 1,600 Scouts and leaders from all over the world, will be held at Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield in the county of Warwickshire.

75 years ago: Dec. 1, 1931

The planting of shrubs and flowering plants on the plot at the west gate of Cape Girardeau, to be beautified in a cooperative move by the Highway Department, organizations of the city and the Cape Special Road District, is to be started tomorrow; the ground to be beautified is a rectangular plot near the Alvarado, on Highway 61.

Recent rains have halted grading activities on the section of the Cape Girardeau Outer Drive near Cape Rock, but with three more days of work that project should be finished.

100 years ago: Dec. 1, 1906

Mrs. Louis Houck and daughter, Rebecca, and son, Giboney, will leave Monday for New York; they will sail from there on the steamer Critic on Dec. 6 for Genoa, Italy; from Genoa the family will travel to Cairo, Egypt, and then up the Nile; their travels will include a tour of eastern Europe and their return will be through France.

A.F. Nixon and little son leave for Talihina, Indian Territory, where they will visit for a week.

-- Sharon K. Sanders