Out of the past: Feb. 25

1992

SIKESTON, Mo. --In response to last week's overwhelming approval of an increase in the state's fuel tax, District 10 Highway Engineer Freeman McCullah says his department is ready to move quickly to complete Proposition A projects and tackle the new list of 15-year projects.

Cape Girardeau is one of eight locations in Missouri chosen to participate in a new program called the Missouri Youth Services Conservation Corps program; the six-month program is expected to begin next week and is designed to give youths between ages 16-21 the skills and experience they need to find and hold a job.

1967

Mr. and Mrs. George T. Alt of Cape Girardeau were notified last night of the death of their nephew, Marine 2nd Lt. Lawrence Dirnberger, of wounds suffered in Vietnam; Dirnberger was flown to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines for treatment of multiple fractures in both legs, internal injuries and multiple cuts and burns after he and eight other Marines were injured Feb. 3 in an accidental grenade explosion.

A $13,000 federal grant to the State Park Board for Trail of Tears State Park was announced this week; the money is a 50 percent reimbursement to the state on the purchase of a 38-acre tract within the park area; the land, which had been owned by the Ingram Corp., finishes major acquisition of odd parcels of land not included in the original purchase.

1942

Milder weather greets Cape Girardeau homemakers as 700 of them, nearly twice as many as attended the opening session, despite snow and rain, meet at the Broadway Theater for the second of four sessions of The Missourian's annual Cooking School in the morning; those attending see lecturer Mrs. George Thurn prepare steamed carrot pudding, miniature pork roast, Harvard beets, orange chiffon pie, refrigerator rolls, creamy banana frosting and chocolate drop cookies.

A new shotgun for next Christmas may be on the canceled list; the federal government has ordered that no more 12-gauge shotguns be issued to retailers for general sale and use; shotguns of other sizes are expected to be a bit scarce, too.

1917

After answering a call to a fire at 928 N. Henderson Ave., at 11 p.m., firemen discover there isn't enough hose on the new motor truck to reach the house from the nearest hydrant, and a hurried run to the station for more hose is staged; while they are getting the hose, the house burns down; Guile Day had just moved his family here from Oak Ridge two weeks ago.

The springlike weather here pulls thousands of residents out of their homes and into automobiles; it carries them into the country, bent on getting lungs full of fresh air.

-- Sharon K. Sanders