Out of the Past: Jan. 17

1999

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport enjoyed a banner 1998 with a record number of passenger boardings; the airport recorded 11,745 passenger boardings, topping the all-time high of 11,014 achieved in 1987; it also marks the first time since 1990 the airport topped the 10,000 boarding mark.

In 1998, no country music entertainers appeared at the Show Me Center; in fact, the April appearance by Jars of Clay, a Christian alternative rock band, represented the venue’s only public concert of the year, and it only broke even; booking entertainment has become a cutthroat business for 7,000-seat indoor arenas like the Show Me Center.

1974

Capt. Charles F. Mills, a Cape Girardeau firefighter for 25 years, has been appointed acting fire chief to fill the post of retiring Chief Carl Lewis in February; Mills is now in charge of Fire Station No. 2, 1632 Independence St.; he joined the department in 1949 and in just over two years rose to his present rank.

An Air Force career man is coming to Southeast Missouri State University in about 1 1/2 months to begin a program designed to upgrade campus maintenance and security operations; employment of Sam G. Palermo of Universal City, Texas, was authorized yesterday by the Board of Regents; in hiring Palermo, the board rejected a management program offered by a private business — SDS, Inc., of St. Louis — in November.

1949

Almost exactly 12 years after they had authorized its purchase at a special bond issue election, Cape Girardeau citizens claim complete ownership of Arena Park; Verna Lee Landis, city clerk, announces she has made the final payment on the $55,000 bond issue approved by voters at a special election Jan. 5, 1937.

Rep. J.S.N. Farquhar has requested an opinion from the attorney general’s office to clear up the status of Cape Girardeau County’s representation in the General Assembly; Farquhar has been seated by the Legislature, but there is a question as to whether he can serve the full two-year term, or if a special election must be called to select a successor for the post; the late Roy E. Goodwin of Jackson was elected to the position at the November election, but because he passed away before taking the oath of office, was never qualified; the law provides that a member must serve until his successor is qualified.

1924

The treasury of the City of Cape Girardeau has $20,000 more funds on hand than at the corresponding period last year, according to the quarterly report of city clerk A.P. Behrens; the report, which gives the city’s financial condition as of Jan. 1, shows the balance on hand at that time was $66,399.74; on the corresponding date in 1923, the balance was $44,343.69.

A rescue party of six men leaves Commerce in the morning, equipped with block and tackle and a plan to rescue the four mules marooned in an ice gorge below the Thebes, Illinois, bridge; the animals have been trapped on the iced-in ferryboat for 20 hours and are now about one mile north of Commerce.

— Sharon Sanders