Out of the past 12/14/11

25 years ago: Dec. 14, 1986

Alan Pettenger, Assemblies of God missionary to Botswana, is guest speaker in the evening at First Assembly of God Church in Jackson; Pettenger is a third-generation Pettenger to go to Southern Africa since 1921.

Parkway Honda is set to open in its own building in the new Cape Girardeau Autopark, on South Kingshighway; this will be the third dealership in the park, the others being Town and County Motors and Kingsway Nissan.

50 years ago: Dec. 14, 1961

Carl Ritter turned down an offer to try out for the St. Louis Hawks professional basketball team in order to finish his education and play ball for State College again next season.

The windshield of a police patrol car is shattered early in the morning by a thrown beer bottle, when officer David Westbrook goes to the Airline Restaurant and Lounge on U.S. 61 to break up a disturbance.

75 years ago: Dec. 14, 1936

Danny Turlin, 10-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J.V. Turlin of Hobbs Chapel, is back at school, fully recovered from an icy dip in a cistern; the boy was playing with a ball at a neighbor place yesterday when he stepped on a board covering the cistern; the board tipped up, and Turlin fell in; he remained in cold water up to his chin for 10 minutes before being rescued by his mother.

Christmas is in the air, even for thieves; Edwin Warren, 1137 S. Ranney Ave., reports to police that during the night someone stole a Christmas tree from his yard, digging it up by the roots.

100 years ago: Dec. 14, 1911

Dr. M.A. Grissom reports that the Broadway Auto Supply and Repair Co. is ready for business in the new garage and shop on the first floor of the new Grissom Building on Broadway near Spanish Street; associated with Grissom in the business is W.E. Lawrence, a competent mechanic and automobile man.

The morning's cold rain doesn't stop work entirely on the riverfront; men are busy raising the track below Independence Street.

-- Sharon K. Sanders