Out of the past 4/4/02

10 years ago: April 4, 1992

My Daddy's Cheesecake, founded in 1987 by Tom and Jane Harte and Joe and Lauchette Low is moving to downtown Cape Girardeau; gourmet cheesecake business will open Monday at 111 N. Main; bakery, which has been at Plaza Galleria, will sell retail, wholesale and mail order.

With Provost Leslie Cochran leaving Southeast Missouri State University for new job as president of Youngstown State University in Ohio, Southeast will be looking to fill three administrative slots; besides new provost, university will hire new assistant to president, position left vacant since death of Edward Spicer in October, and new vice president of student affairs.

25 years ago: April 4, 1977

Federal funds of $147,138 will be available during coming fiscal year to improve Municipal Airport, Transportation Secretary Brock Adams has announced; funds were apportioned under Airport Development Aid Program for year beginning Oct. 1, 1977.

Three candidates for city council in election-eve bid for votes make some specific proposals on city issues, including calls for caution by two of them regarding public ownership of utilities; speakers before gathering of Jaycees are Robert Herbst, Loretta Schneider and Billy "Bob" White; fourth candidate, incumbent Oliver A. Hope, is patient in local hospital; both Herbst and White take cautious views on utilities ownership.

50 years ago: April 4, 1952

Work of raising levees at east end of Little River Drainage District should be 85 percent completed by next winter, "given good weather," says spokesman for U.S. Engineers; three firms under contract to engineers have resumed work on project of raising level of dikes average of 6 feet, now that moderate weather has returned.

Perryville - A.R. Thompson, drilling contractor of Mattoon, Ill., started second test oil well this week on farm of Oscar Mecker, 1 1/2 miles north of McBride in Bois Brule Bottoms area.

75 years ago: April 4, 1927

Rising nearly four feet within past 48 hours, Mississippi River passes previous high stage of year registered here two weeks ago and is mounting steadily, inundating small portion of southern section of town, flooding lowlands and endangering levees in this entire section; water is flooding basements of businesses along Water street to depth of several feet, while intersection of Water and Independence is under water; ferry service continues here, but may have to be suspended with another foot of water, because of lack of landing place on Illinois shore.

In stormy session, city council passes two applications of persons to operate rooming houses on Main street and defers action on another; those receiving permission to operate rooming houses are Minnie Farrar and Alma Hand.

- Sharon K. Sanders