Out of the past 12/20/02

10 years ago: Dec. 20, 1992

City council is being asked to give voters opportunity to decide whether riverboat gambling should be allowed in Cape Girardeau; in letter last week to City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, president of Downtown Redevelopment Corp., Charles L. Hutson, noted he had received several inquiries about docking boat on riverfront and requested that election be called as soon as possible.

First Assembly of God Church has purchased building at 1202 S. Sprigg for Super Saturday and Super Wednesday children's outreach ministry of church; the Rev. Anthony Van Noy will conduct Sprigg Street activities under direction of senior pastor, the Rev. Gary Brothers.

25 years ago: Dec. 20, 1977

Sikeston -- Restraining order issued by Scott County Court yesterday ended blockades striking farmers had placed at Hart's Bakery; however, supporters of American Agriculture Movement continued through night and this morning with hope that Teamsters truck drivers will begin honoring their picket lines.

About 625 acres of land owned by Armstrong Cork Co. in Nash Road industrial complex area has been sold to two purchasers, it is announced; Greater Cape Girardeau Industrial Development Corp. has bought 500 acres of land, and Drury Development Corp. has purchased 120 acres and has non-exclusive purchase options on additional 128 acres owned by Armstrong.

50 years ago: Dec. 20, 1952

Law enforcement officers in Cape Girardeau are pleased with recent U.S. Supreme Court decision which said information gained from wiretapping -- listening in on private telephone conversations -- could be used as evidence in court; Cape Girardeau police indicate a very real interest in using this means of combating crime.

Parking meter collections for past two weeks, reflecting heavy impact of holiday shopping season, have averaged $862.15 per week; additional meters installed recently in parkway of first block of South Main Street helped swell this week's meter receipts.

75 years ago: Dec. 20, 1927

Yesterday was busy day at Cape Girardeau post office; three lines, including hundreds of people, filed past clerks' windows; it was also record day in that around $1,000 worth of postage stamps were sold.

One of most important features of city's new building ordinance, passed this week by city council, is specifications for construction of new buildings; one provision says that any new building which is over two stories in height shall have stone or concrete foundation of not less that two and one-half feet below surface of ground.

- Sharon K. Sanders