Out of the past 6/16/02

10 years ago: June 16, 1992

Historic, wooded park between Cape Girardeau and Jackson seems destined to become another stretch of highway median; trees at Wedekind Roadside Park on Highway 61 North near Interstate 55 have been chopped down in order to provide new entrance for Missouri Veterans Home and for future development at location.

Jackson - Cape Girardeau County Commission will delay action on proposed zoning ordinance until after November general election, says Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep; commission had hoped to have ordinance approved and in effect by this time; but earlier this year, group of citizens waged petition drive because it didn't like certain provisions of ordinance; petition drive will put question before voters in November, asking whether county should have planning and zoning.

25 years ago: June 16, 1977

At emotion-packed hearing that at times resembled town meetings of long ago, overflow crowd pleaded against passage of zoning ordinance that would establish district for such businesses as adult book stores and massage parlors; after nearly two hours of impassioned protest, city council, by vote of three to one, adopted ordinance last night; only Mayor Howard C. Tooke voted against measure.

Dow Chemical Co. announces it will close its Deraspan foam panel plant at Cape Girardeau, with target date for Sept. 1 for transfer of operation to plant at Pevely; plant, 24 S. Sheridan, assembles plastic insulation panels used in cold storage warehouses and averages $5 million to $10 million in annual national and export sales.

50 years ago: June 16, 1952

Cape Girardeau, in grip of unprecedented early-summer heat wave, enters 12th day of 90-degree plus temperatures after enduring Sunday the hottest day of the year, a roasting 100 degrees; however, relief may be in sight; weather forecasters are predicting scattered thunderstorms in this section of state tonight and tomorrow, with temperatures in 80s tomorrow.

Roy Abernathy of Chaffee, retired engineer for Frisco Railroad, collapses and dies while giving talk on ballistics, his hobby, at noon Rotary Club meeting; Abernathy is about half way through his speech, when he becomes ill.

75 years ago: June 16, 1927

First drawing of proposed new hotel to be built at corner of Broadway and Fountain is printed on front page of The Southeast Missourian; $100,000 of preferred stock is being sold to finance big building; it will be six stories high, will face 96 feet on Broadway and 150 feet on Fountain; it will contain space for several shops on ground floor, besides adequate space for hotel lobby, dining rooms, etc., and there will be about 80 rooms.

Dave Shaltupsky opens his new eight-family apartment house, which has just been completed on North Park Avenue near Broadway, for public inspection; apartments are three-room efficiency units; each is equipped with Murphy bed, Kelvinator, gas range, built-in cabinets, closets, breakfast sets and heated by vapor heating system.

- Sharon K. Sanders