Out of the past: April 7

1998

Three-fourths of the money confiscated in one of Missouri's largest drug money seizures -- over $1 million in New Madrid County four years ago -- will be distributed to three law enforcement agencies tomorrow in Cape Girardeau; checks totaling $750,000 will be presented to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and Mineral Area Drug Task Force for their efforts in seizing the money.

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The shipping situation on the Mississippi River and Gulf Inter-Coastal Waterways is changing as a strike by some towboat pilots enteres its fourth day; widespread effects of the strike have been difficult to gauge, say U.S. Coast Guard officials, who are keeping tabs on the strike for safety reasons; most shipping companies and ports describe their operations as mostly normal; however, longshoremen refused to cross the pilots' picket lines at one New Orleans wharf.

1973

Although more rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, the National Weather Service at Cairo, Illinois, predicts the Mississippi River will begin a steady fall on Monday; the river is expected to crest at Cape Girardeau at 43.5 feet Sunday.

A group of scientific investigators from Southeast Missouri State University is hoping to shed some light on the mystery of the unidentifiable lights seen in recent weeks over the Piedmont-Clearwater Lake, Missouri, area; the investigation team, headed by Dr. Harley D. Rutledge, head of the university physics department, plans in the next few weeks to make scientific studies of the phenomena occurring at Piedmont and attempt to find a "plausible, scientific explanation."

1948

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Orville Zimmerman, 67, Missouri Democrat, dies in his office here of a heart attack; Zimmerman had been a member of the House of Representatives since January 1935; he was a native of Kennett.

Cape Girardeau's new mayor-elect and his family were in a happy mood when this photograph was taken Tuesday, April 6, 1948, shortly after returns from the election were in. Mayor-elect Ford is holding young Donald Keith, 3, on his lap, while beside him is Walter Joe, 12. Mrs. Ford has beside her Jerry Wayne, 5. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

Cape Girardeau's new mayor-elect and his family were in a happy mood when this photograph was taken Tuesday, April 6, 1948, shortly after returns from the election were in. Mayor-elect Ford is holding young Donald Keith, 3, on his lap, while beside him is Walter Joe, 12. Mrs. Ford has beside her Jerry Wayne, 5. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

Cape Girardeau's new mayor-elect and his family were in a happy mood when this photograph was taken Tuesday, April 6, 1948, shortly after returns from the election were in. Mayor-elect Ford is holding young Donald Keith, 3, on his lap, while beside him is Walter Joe, 12. Mrs. Ford has beside her Jerry Wayne, 5. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

Cape Girardeau's new mayor-elect and his family were in a happy mood when this photograph was taken Tuesday, April 6, 1948, shortly after returns from the election were in. Mayor-elect Ford is holding young Donald Keith, 3, on his lap, while beside him is Walter Joe, 12. Mrs. Ford has beside her Jerry Wayne, 5. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

Walter H. Ford, 38-year-old junior high school teacher at May Greene School, is Cape Girardeau's mayor-elect, chosen to serve a four-year term at yesterday's general election; the balloting left only one incumbent on the City Council -- Charles Schweer; the two new councilmen are Cleo E. Johns, a metal dealer, and Louis Brune, service station operator.

1923

Superintendent of Cape Girardeau public schools John N. Crocker was recently re-elected head of the district for his 11th term; he will receive a $4,000 annual salary, which is an increase of $400 over last year.

Members of the Cape Girardeau City Council meet with engineers for the Dunnegan Construction Co. and manager E.A. Hart of the Public Utilities Co. in an attempt to iron out difficulties which may arise from the cutting of the large sewer trench down West End Boulevard; Dunnegan, which is installing the West End sewer, expects to start work on the boulevard soon; difficulties of cutting a 16-foot deep, 20-foot wide trench, without interfering with street car service which runs down the middle of the boulevard, are the problems discussed; the utilities company has an injunction against Dunnegan from interfering with the street car and its other holdings.

-- Sharon K. Sanders