Out of the past 9/20/01

10 years ago: Sept. 20, 1991

Cape Girardeau is one step closer to embarking on construction of $42 million flood-control project that's expected to reduce by 70 percent damages from 100-year flood; Army Corps of Engineers Sept. 13 awarded construction contract for first phase of Cape LaCroix-Walker Branch flood-control project to Dumey Excavating of Oran and Brenda Kay Construction of Cape Girardeau.

Changes in alignment of several Southeast Missouri legislative districts will be considered when Missouri House Redistricting Commission gathers in Kansas City for its final meeting; changes will primarily affect new boundaries of Reps. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, and Dennis Ziegenhorn, D-Sikeston.

25 years ago: Sept. 20, 1976

Ron Scheper, owner of Ron's CB Radio and Electronics Supply, 420 S. Kingshighway, says he is ruined financially as result of theft of his entire stock of CB radios Saturday night; over 240 CB radios, valued at over $50,000, were taken from Scheper's shop; he discovered theft yesterday.

Marble Hill - Portion of bottleneck that exist for motorists traveling Highway 34 through Marble Hill-Lutesville has been eliminated with opening of Highway 34 bypass around Marble Hill; Missouri Highway Department opened new 1.6-mile stretch of 24-foot wide concrete pavement last week, diverting traffic from old twisting highway through community.

50 years ago: Sept. 20, 1951

Crew of about 30 volunteer, working without pay, will begin full time work on new Red Star Baptist Church, 1301 N. Main, next week when International Shoe Co. factory closes for week; most of volunteers are employees at factory; new brick church is to be constructed on site of church, tabernacle and education building.

Circular-tunnel type fire escape has been installed at Central High School, and pupils are being allowed practice rides to acquaint themselves with it; device is tubular chute rising full height of building on west side.

75 years ago: Sept. 20, 1926

Engineers start preliminary surveys for new traffic bridge across Mississippi River; Paul McGeehan of Kansas City, special engineer for engineering firm of Harrington, Howard & Ash, which will be in charge of construction, arrives today and begins preliminary work necessary to definitely locate bridge.

Red Cross is collecting donations to aid storm-stricken sections of Florida; thousands of men, women and children are in need of assistance following hurricane that struck east coast of Florida Friday, crossed Everglades and roared out into Gulf of Mexico, only to strike today at Pensacola.- Sharon K. Sanders