Out of the past: Feb. 27

1995

After three years of charging food and travel expenses on corporate American Express cards, Cape Girardeau school administrators and board members concede some charges were inappropriate, with the worst record-keeping related to Supt. Neyland Clark's own expenses; when told last week questions had been raised by school district resident Amy Randol, Clark asked for an independent auditor to examine the district's travel-expense records and make suggestions for improvements.

Acting on a tip, law enforcement officials Saturday conducted an unsuccessful search for the body of 13-year-old Gina Dawn Brooks in a lake in southern Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri; Brooks disappeared Aug. 5, 1989, while riding her bicycle near her home in Fredericktown, Missouri.

1970

Walter H. Oberheide, retired president of Farmers & Merchants Bank, recently received the Exchange Club's Golden Deeds Award for his long record of service to Cape Girardeau and the area; Oberheide served as a member of the school board many years, is a current commissioner of the Cape Special Road District, a trustee of the Cape Girardeau Community Development Fund and a director of the Greater Cape Girardeau Development Fund.

A contest for the Republican nomination of candidate for clerk of the Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas has developed with the filing of J. Hugh Smith of Cape Girardeau; Lillian E. Stehr, who previously served two terms in this office, filed earlier this week for the candidacy on the Republican ticket.

1945

As a result of a wintry storm that left highways slippery and in some places almost impassable, the high school at Jackson is closed when buses are unable to negotiate their routes to bring approximately 165 pupils to school; Monday's storm handicapped the four buses serving an area as far north as Neelys Landing, west to Burfordville and south and west to Houck and Gordonville.

Earmarking of additional city funds for operation and maintenance of the Cape Girardeau Library was asked last night by the library board, when it met with members of the City Council; an estimated $4,000 to $5,000 more annually is needed in order to maintain the type of service now given the public by the library.

1920

E.W. Spradling, formerly of Jackson, has taken the position vacated by R.W. Williams at the Buckner-Ragsdale store; Spradling is a young man who did his full quota with the American forces and, prior to the war, was employed in several leading clothing stores in the area; George Steck, who also served in the American Army and who was incapacitated many months by wounds, has returned to Buckner-Ragsdale as the window decorator and promotion man.

The Morrison Ice Manufacturing Co. has overhauled its plant and is ready to make and supply ice to dealers for the coming season; retail dealers, Gus Haney and the Blue Ribbon Co. will handle Morrison ice.

-- Sharon K. Sanders