Out of the past: April 5

1997

Paul Simon, a former U.S. senator who now directs the Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, spoke last night before a group of about 100 people in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempsey Hall; the talk kicked off a week of activities leading to the inauguration of Dr. Dale F. Nitzschke as the 16th president of Southeast Missouri State University; Gov. Mel Carnahan will be keynote speaker at the two-hour inauguration ceremony Thursday; others appearing throughout the week will be comedian Bill Cosby; Dr. Maya Angelou, poet, author, educator and actress; William F. Buckley and former U.S. senator George McGovern.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A Boone County jury agreed Friday to the prosecution's request that Russell E. Bucklew be given the death penalty; the jury deliberated for three hours and 40 minutes before recommending the death sentence; Bucklew was found guilty Thursday of first-degree murder, kidnapping, forcible rape, burglary and armed criminal action; he was charged in the March 21, 1996, shooting death of Michael H. Sanders in Cape Girardeau County.

1972

Although yesterday was an ideal day for elections with sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s, only 29.7% of the 18,936 registered voters cast ballots in Cape Girardeau's city and school elections; those who did ballot elected Jerry L. Reynolds and Paul W. Stehr as new city councilmen, selected incumbent Thomas L. Meyer and the Rev. Earl W. Tharp as members of the school board, soundly defeated a proposal to increase the school tax levy to raise salaries of all school personnel, and gave a majority vote to a $975,000 school bond issue, but failed to grant the two-thirds majority needed for passage.

Opening of the uncompleted 29-mile stretch of Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau and Perry counties has been delayed again, this time until "early fall"; a Missouri Highway Department engineer says the stretch -- from Fruitland to Brewer, Missouri -- will probably open in September, possibly in time for Labor Day weekend.

1947

High winds, flinging limbs from trees and knocking signs from buildings, do some damage in Cape Girardeau, causing some disruption to power and communications lines; a large sign blows off the old Opera House on Broadway and strikes a parked automobile, but does little damage.

Fire discovered at 5:10 a.m. by Jasper Ragains, the night watchman, slightly damages the La Pierre-Sawyer handle factory in Jackson; confined to the northeast side of the building, two window frames are burned out, and wood dust on the ceiling of the plant catches fire before the blaze is extinguished.

1922

E.G. Vordenburg and T.G. Cook, representing Community Service, address the Lions Club at that group's weekly luncheon, calling particular attention to the athletic features of the service; the club, in turn, endorses the movement.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Edward F. Regenhardt of Cape Girardeau was awarded the contract for the paving of 10 propositions in the first city street-paving program by the city council at its meeting last night; his bid was $84,658.06.

-- Sharon K. Sanders