Out of the past: Dec. 17

1996

The 10 members of the new Cape Girardeau County Planning and Zoning Commission were introduced by the Cape County Commission; members and the townships they represent are Dan Seabaugh, Apple Creek; Don Sievers, Byrd; R.J. McKinney, Cape Girardeau; John Lorberg, Hubble; John Dudley, Kinder; Don Moore, Liberty; Scott McDowell, Randol; John Wichern, Shawnee; Jerry Cox, Welch, and Gene Wills, Whitewater; the commission's task is to come up with a simplified plan for planning and zoning in the county.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education last night moved a step closer to a 10-year, multiphase master plan by deciding to ask voters for a 69-cent tax increase April 1; voters will be asked to approve the sale of $14 million on bonds to fund construction projects that include a new vocational school and new elementary school.

1971

In the aftermath of Wednesday's storms that brought a tornado roaring through Scott City and left one dead and 24 injured, many victims marvel that they escaped without serious injury; although Mr. and Mrs. Warren Masterson of Scott City lost their mobile home to the twister, they gained an addition to the family; while Mr. Masterson and 17-month-old Sherri were taken to the emergency room for treatment, Mrs. Masterson was taken to the Southeast Hospital's delivery room, where she gave birth to a daughter, Shelly Ann, at 10:01 Wednesday morning.

Construction of the interchange on Interstate 55 at Highways 74 and 61 at the extreme southern city limits was assured yesterday when the State Highway Commission approved a bid of $666,594.99 submitted by Girardeau Contractors, Inc.; the bid was the only one received by the commission, and it was the third time bids had been received for the project.

1946

The Main Street parking problem is even more jumbled today as the Cape Girardeau City Council, presented a petition bearing 60 names yesterday, ordered an ordinance prepared repealing the 3-week-old morning parking ban; from the tone of the council discussion, there will be no solution offered by the council on the perplexing question.

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce plans to submit immediately to the Navy an offer of clear title to a portion of a tract of land it owns south of Cape Rock as the site for a Naval Reserve armory.

1921

E.A. Hart, manager of the street car system, has received word that the three new street cars will be shipped from the factory in St. Louis today and should arrive here Monday; Hart has asked the Frisco Railroad to furnish its big wrecking crane to lift the cars from the flat cars to the street car track; if the crane can be secured, it will save all the trouble of building a runway from the street car track to the flat car.

Cape Girardeau is visited by a flurry of snow at 3:10 p.m.; it is of short duration, but indications are a white blanket might be deposited overnight; the coming of cold weather threatens Cape Girardeau roses, which are still blooming in abundance in the city.

-- Sharon K. Sanders