Out of the past 4/22/03

10 years ago: April 22, 1993

Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee didn't endorse riverboat gambling, but consensus of its members attending monthly meeting yesterday was that it would benefit tourism; city voters will decide gambling issue in June.

Jefferson City -- Missouri Senate gives first-round approval to new school foundation formula; formula increases minimum tax levy for local school districts but doesn't address issue of raising taxes to fund increased costs of new formula; formula generally follows approach recommended by joint House-Senate task force that met earlier this year.

25 years ago: April 22, 1978

Pair of filings yesterday has assured November general election contest for office of prosecuting attorney and three-way August primary race for Democratic nomination of recorder of deeds; Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. of Cape Girardeau filed as Republican candidate for prosecuting attorney, and Billy E. Mize of Cape Girardeau filed as Democratic candidate for recorder.

Federal Aviation Agency flight service station at municipal airport reported unusual number of incidents involving aircraft Friday and today; two small private planes en route to Cape Girardeau were forced to make emergency landings in farm fields on Friday.

50 years ago: April 22, 1953

About 200 residents attended 2 1/2-hour town hall meeting at American Legion Hall last night, discussing city manager government, dog and garbage problems in city, need of sanitary sewer on West End, and suggestion that small toll be retained on traffic bridge after its indebtedness is paid; meeting was sponsored by Chamber of Commerce.

Boiling barrel of tar exploded at city dump in Arena Park Tuesday afternoon, throwing blazing liquid on two Cape Girardeau men, burning one severely and inflicting superficial burns on other; Joe C. Miget Jr. is in hospital with third-degree burns on his back from shoulders to hips; Aaron Boren sustained small burn on his neck and several small blisters on his hands.

75 years ago: April 22, 1928

Members of Christ Evangelical Church pledge $35,000 to fund for new church building, which probably will be built within next two years; congregation, at recent meeting, authorized church council to obtain option on two lots in neighborhood of present church building; plans are to move present church to these lots, reserving building for social and recreation center.

Residents are rudely awakened early in night by explosion; explosion, which occurs on West Broadway near Harmony, is caused by streetcar running over mixture of chemicals placed on tracks by pranksters; blast does no damage.

-- Sharon K. Sanders