Out of the past 2/19/11

25 years ago: Feb. 19, 1986

The League of Women Voters of Cape Girardeau County has officially initiated a petition drive to put a proposal for formation of a county health department before voters in August; if the petition drive is successful, the proposal will likely ask voters to approve a 12-cent per $100 assessed valuation tax increase to fund the department.

A divided Cape Girardeau City Council approves a recommended increase in sewer rate charges over the strong objections of Mayor Howard C. Tooke, whose motions for lower service charges and higher volume charges are narrowly defeated on four consecutive votes.

50 years ago: Feb. 19, 1961

Dr. H. Dermont McDonald of London, England, speaks during the morning worship service at First Presbyterian Church; he is in Cape Girardeau for Religious Emphasis Week at Southeast Missouri State College.

In an impressive ceremony at St. Mary's Cathedral, Bishop Charles H. Helmsing presents the Ad Altare Dei Award to 10 Boy Scouts and the Parvuli Dei Award to 25 Cubs from the Southeast Missouri Area Council.

75 years ago: Feb. 19, 1936

It's not so cold in Cape Girardeau, as winter withdraws some of its icy thrust which brought the coldest day in six years to the community yesterday; the low here in the morning is 4 degrees above zero, while at Jackson it is zero; the Cape Girardeau reading is 10 degrees warmer than yesterday's low point.

Four more men, including three members of the present Cape Girardeau City Council, enter the race for city commissioner; the incumbents are Paul R. Brooks, Harry L. Coffman and Frank Batchelor; also throwing his hat in the ring is Martin G. Bender.

100 years ago: Feb. 19, 1911

W.H. Stubblefield Jr., of Oran, Mo., speaks to the congregation of Centenary Methodist Church at the morning worship service in the interest of the Anti-Saloon League.

A jubilant Normal School basketball team returns to Cape Girardeau with two more fine scalps; teams from both Rolla, Mo., and Springfield, Mo., were bested by the Cape Girardeau boys.

-- Sharon K. Sanders