Out of the past 4/20/02

10 years ago: April 20, 1992

Hoping to better manage and hasten play at Cape Girardeau Jaycee Municipal Golf Course, city has hired full-time manager to operate course; Robert Casey, 27, of Kansas City, previously worked as assistant manager of golf course there; Casey's salary will be $21,000 annually.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes criticizes city administration for recent city personnel changes that he says were made without council's full knowledge or approval, saying he heard about plans on radio and read about them in newspaper.

25 years ago: April 20, 1977

Approval to go ahead with construction of Westborough Mall has been recommended by Planning and Zoning Commission over objections by west end property owners, who feel action to prevent project from contributing to flooding problem should be taken first; those objecting say they don't do so because of threat of competition or fear of growth, but because they believe placement of hillside under pavement and roof will raise level of Cape LaCroix Creek during flooding.

VIP Industries completes move into its new facilities located on Highway 74; new building was made possible through county tax levy passed in April 1975; new building will accommodate about 150 handicapped employees and is about 20,000 square feet in size.

50 years ago: April 20, 1952

Perryville - The Rev. John J. LeSage, C.M., of St. Mary's Seminary, is honored on golden jubilee of his ordination; celebratory Mass is followed by banquet in afternoon and musical production in evening; LeSage was born in Los Angeles and entered novitiate at St. Mary's Seminary in 1895.

Arbyrd - Ben Allen of Cape Girardeau is elected chaplain of Fifteenth District, Missouri Veterans of Foreign Wars, at district meeting; Ben Raines of Illmo is elected judge advocate; organization votes to assist Cape Girardeau post with state V.F.W. encampment in June.

75 years ago: April 20, 1927

Southeast Missouri, fighting gamely and desperately against mightiest rampage of Mississippi River in modern history, girds itself for long fight; along wide area, from foothills of Cape Girardeau to Arkansas line, Southeast Missouri residents are battling - primarily to save their lives; inundated by overflow water from St. John's Bayou levee north of that place, New Madrid is completely isolated from remainder of district; it is estimated town is under average of four feet of water.

Houck Field House has been hastily but satisfactorily converted into temporary home for many made homeless by flood which swept McClure and other Illinois towns; it is estimated that 500 people are being cared for at Houck and at club house in Fairground Park by Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, business men, churches, State Teachers College and nearly every organized agency of Cape Girardeau.

- Sharon K. Sanders