Out of the past 12/30/07

25 years ago: Dec. 30, 1982

The mother of Dejan Kocevski, the 7-year-old who was found locked alone in the basement of a burning Cape Girardeau home last April, has been deported to Canada, assuring that she won't spend a four-year prison sentence for child abuse in Missouri.

More than 1,400 disaster-affected Missouri residents in 15 counties have made applications for individual and family grants, the Federal Emergency Management office reports; American Red Cross survey teams have reported that 285 Missouri families were affected by the Christmas floods and tornadoes.

50 years ago: Dec. 30, 1957

Hammer and saw beat out a steady building rhythm in Cape Girardeau in the year ending tomorrow; figures compiled at the office of the building inspector showed that construction totaling $4,270,291 was authorized in permits issued during the year.

New bus fares, granted the Cape Transit Corp., recently by the city council, will become effective Jan. 2; the rates will advance to 15 cents per fare; a 10-ride ticket will cost $1.30; the student fare will remain unchanged at 10 rides for 75 cents.

75 years ago: Dec. 30, 1932

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- E.J. Harrell, a Frisco railroad conductor, broke his left arm, his left ankle and two ribs last night at Oran, Mo.; he was in charge of the Kennett, Mo., local, which was switching at Oran; rain had made the ground slippery, and he fell as he stepped from the train.

Streets of Cape Girardeau and streams and roads of the district are flooded following an all-night rain; precipitation during the night amounted to 1.65 inches, bringing the total for December to 5.08 inches.

100 years ago: Dec. 30, 1907

F.J. Schoen, the merchant and postmaster at Pocahontas, is in Cape Girardeau on business; he brings in a list of new subscribers for The Weekly Republican.

Property owners embraced in the colossal scheme to drain Southeast Missouri meet at Morehouse, Mo., and hold their first election since the organization was given the right to incorporate; elected to the board of supervisors are J.H. Himmelberge, C.W. Henderson, A.L. Harty, A.J. Mathews, and S.R. Reynolds.

-- Sharon K. Sanders