Out of the past 12/31/11

25 years ago: Dec. 31, 1986

For the fourth consecutive year, Nip Kelley of Kelley Transportation Co., in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, offers free taxi rides for those who have too much to drink during New Year's Eve festivities.

Hot-shooting Notre Dame Bulldogs knocked off Scott County Central last night, 63-50, to nab the University High Christmas Tournament crown; taking third place was Cape Girardeau Central, which beat Charleston, 71-65.

50 years ago: Dec. 31, 1961

The Rev. Victor Grimm, a retired pastor-member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, preaches the sermon at the New Year's Eve service at St. Andrew.

During 1961, Cape Girardeau's two largest hospitals both recorded an upsurge in patients; Southeast Hospital reported a record 6,639 patient admissions, while Saint Francis set a new mark at 4,571 admissions.

75 years ago: Dec. 31, 1936

Already 7,000 acres of land in the LaForge community of New Madrid County have been purchased by the government for use as a Southeast Missouri re-settlement project; possibly 150 families will be given the chance to relocate on small farms on the tracts.

Traffic on the Cotton Belt Railroad line southwest of Illmo is detoured by way of Delta and Jonesboro, Ark., over the Missouri Pacific line, due to a costly freight train derailment and fire at Ardeola, Ark., late Wednesday.

100 years ago: Dec. 31, 1911

Elder Horace M. Siberell is up from Hickman, Ky., looking over his home in Cape Girardeau and packing his household goods away until he returns from a missionary trip into the mountains of Breathitt County, Kentucky; he has been appointed to preach the gospel to the Kentucky feudists.

Charles LaPierre has returned to Jefferson City, after spending the holiday with relatives at Jackson.

-- Sharon K. Sanders