Out of the past 6/21/03

10 years ago: June 21, 1993

Cape Girardeau City Council will consider law that would allow sale of package liquors on Sundays; council earlier this month delayed similar measure to allow for additional public comment on matter; Missouri Legislature approved Sunday liquor sales in last session, but cities must approve local ordinances and merchants must apply for Sunday sales license.

Legislative action taken this year at both state and federal levels will make it easier for citizens to register to vote; in Missouri, legislature approved bill to allow registration by mail, and Congress has approved "motor voter" bill that will enable people to register or make changes in their voting address when they renew driver's licenses.

25 years ago: June 21, 1978

Kicking all way, city of Cape Girardeau may find itself forced into permanent federal flood insurance program within 10 months despite its long-standing objection to conditions for participation; Department of Housing and Urban Development has notified city that it is ready to move toward removing the emergency designation; it wants to place city in regular program.

Jurisdictional issue has arisen between city and Cape Special Road District over closing by district of what it deems is unsafe bridge crossing Juden Creek near Twin Trees Park on Cape Rock Drive; Councilman Howard C. Tooke is questioning authority of district to close bridge, located just inside city limits.

50 years ago: June 21, 1953

Ground is broken for new Catholic High School on Wulfers tract, north of Broadway and west of Caruthers avenue; turning first spade of earth is Sister M. Julice, S.S.N.D., principal of St. Mary's High School; others taking part in ceremony are the Rev. Joseph Little of Illmo; the Rev. Joseph Dyra, pastor of St. Vincent's Church; Bishop John P. Cody, auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, and the Rev. Marion Forst, pastor of St. Mary's Church.

Dedication of new parsonage of Trinity Lutheran Church is held in afternoon; construction is just being completed on new building, located on Benton street to rear of Trinity Lutheran School; new parsonage will replace older one, which has been used as church offices since January 1952.

75 years ago: June 21, 1928

Three members of newly appointed Flood Control Board, given authority by Congress to expend $375 million in controlling Mississippi Rivers, paid Cape Girardeau brief visit yesterday; they are on their first inspection tour of river, during which they hope to iron out differences between two proposed plans for control of river's flood waters.

Regular train schedules over Frisco Railroad should resume today, following repairing of damage done Wednesday by flood waters; large force of men worked feverishly yesterday at bridge over Cape LaCroix Creek south of Cape Girardeau in effort to hold structure; water came down stream with terrific force, waves leaping several feet high; strong anchors were used to secure wooden bridge.

-- Sharon K. Sanders