Out of the past 12/23/01

10 years ago: Dec. 23, 1991

Jackson - Less than third of county's 1991 personal property and real estate taxes have been collected, and County Collector Harold Kuehle is braced for usual last-minute rush; county residents have until midnight, Dec. 31, to pay their tax bills, but Kuehle says tax-paying pace already has picked up.

Southeast Missouri State University officials will be shutting down most campus buildings over Christmas-New Year's break to save costs; university offices closed at 5 p.m. Friday for holiday break and most campus buildings will remain closed until Jan. 6; move was made to help conserve funds.

25 years ago: Dec. 23, 1976

Police Chief Henry H. Gerecke's criticism of covert handling of raid on Chinese restaurant has brought assurances from U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service that any future immigration operations in Cape Girardeau will be brought to attention of police; Gerecke recently leveled his criticism at immigration authorities for not notifying police of raid Oct. 19 on Golden Dragon, Chinese restaurant which has been operating about eight months.

Christmas came to Cape Girardeau last night, not by Santa's sleigh, but by generosity and kindness of hundreds of people who gave bit of themselves so that holiday will be happier for some 375 children; more than 2,000 toys were collected during The Missourian Toybox campaign, conducted in cooperation with Cape Girardeau Jaycees' Operation Santa Claus; Jaycee Santas distributed toys last night.

50 years ago: Dec. 23, 1951

Christmas observance starts in Cape Girardeau with appropriate programs in churches of city and in most instances with gifts for children from Santa Claus; there are special Christmas Eve Masses in three Catholic churches - St. Vincent's, St. Mary's and Holy Family; one of community features today is Living Christmas Tree formed by Girl Scouts on steps of Courthouse Park in evening.

The Rev. Hazel Smith has accepted pastorate of Foursquare Church, filling vacancy left by the Rev. R.R. Chappel, who resigned after serving two years as local pastor; he and his family have gone to Russellville, Ark., to visit relatives.

75 years ago: Dec. 23, 1926

Christmas celebration in Cape Girardeau begins in evening with four municipal observances attended by more than 1,500 children and adults; despite almost constant downpour of rain, children, and many adults as well, turn out for celebrations to get glimpse of Santa Claus and to receive presents supplied by Retail Merchants Bureau; because of bad weather, crowd isn't as large as expected, and there are presents left over, which will be distributed by Rotary Club at its Christmas party next Tuesday.

Bell City - Two bandits hold up Bank of Bell City and, after locking cashier in vault, escape with $5,090 in loot, without alarming residents of village; cashier, Frank Asa, remains locked in vault for more than hour, until passerby hears his cries for help.

- Sharon K. Sanders