Out of the past 2/26/02

10 years ago: Feb. 26, 1992

Cape Girardeau lawyer John Oliver has been elected vice chairman of Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission; term of previous chairman, Don Walsworth of Marceline, expired, and he has left commission.

Cocaine and other drugs have increased in Cape Girardeau over past decade despite seven-fold increase in federal spending to fight nation's drug war, police say; according to Lt. John Brown, Cape Girardeau police are seeing more drugs today than 10 years ago, and he blames massive quantity of drugs coming into country for increase.

25 years ago: Feb. 26, 1977

Downtown businessman, Robert K. Herbst, manager of Pind's Jewelry, Friday became ninth candidate to file for Cape Girardeau City Council; Herbst emphasizes that in his opinion, key issue facing city for immediate future is organized growth.

There are about 60 fewer guns in Cape Girardeau; Friday police department supervised destruction of 60 old weapons at city garage, 221 N. Fountain; city maintenance workers took cutting torch to shotguns, pistols, revolvers and rifles that have been confiscated from persons during arrests, abandoned and found by police, or turned in by residents wishing to dispose of them.

50 years ago: Feb. 26, 1952

Delta - Thieves broke into Delta High School last night and took $117 in cash and some chewing gum; cash was locked in steel cabinet in school office, while gum was in school store department; intruders broke padlock off front door of building to gain entry.

Before paid attendance of 568 people, including 282 adults and 276 children, regional class A basketball tournament of eight teams opens at Arena Building; two top-favored teams, Central Tigers and DeSoto emerge victorious, advancing to semifinals.

75 years ago: Feb. 26, 1927

J.R. Parmenter, convicted slayer of Cape Girardeau Patrolman Albert Demortiers, dies in state penitentiary at Jefferson City, after serving seven years of his 18-year sentence for murder of police officer 10 years ago; he had been in ill health practically all time he was in prison.

Although construction work on big scale is just beginning, payroll of U.G.I. Contracting Co., which is building sub-structure for Cape Girardeau traffic bridge, amounts to more than $1,000 per week.

-- Sharon K. Sanders