Out of the past: Jan. 26

1999

A Canadian aircraft manufacturer -- Zenair -- is expected to announce soon it will open a manufacturing plant at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport; Zenair, headquartered in Toronto, is considering the airport for a plant to manufacture a two-seat training aircraft.

Cheryl and Erin Oberhaus have some of the best seats in town to see Pope John Paul II; the pope arrives in St. Louis this afternoon; the Cape Girardeau mother and daughter will be seated in the front row at the Kiel Center where the pope is scheduled to speak at tonight's youth rally; during the rally, Erin, 15, will stand on the stage with the 78-year-old pontiff to receive a blessing; in just a few days she will undergo another round of chemotherapy treatment to help control lupus.

1974

Cape Girardeau County's two state representatives are split over whether the autonomy of Southeast Missouri State University would be threatened by a higher education "superboard" proposed as part of the controversial reorganization of the executive branch of state government; Rep. Marvin E. Proffer, D-Jackson, opposes the board, but Rep. Gary W. Rust, R-Cape Girardeau, favors it.

The City of Cape Girardeau will be denied intervention in Jackson's annexation suit; in letters mailed simultaneously to Jackson city attorney Kenneth L. Waldron and Cape Girardeau city attorney Thomas Utterback, Cape County Circuit Court Judge Stanley A. Grimm disclosed he will rule against Cape Girardeau's motion of intervention and issue a decision Feb. 4; Grimm has had the motion under advisement since early October; Jackson proposes to annex approximately 3,400 acres into its existing 2,100 acres of corporate city limits.

1949

Cape Girardeau apparently again missed the brunt of a storm, although last night's rain brings a new ice coating to trees and shrubs here; the forecast is calling for more of the same tomorrow; meanwhile, the Mississippi River, fed by heavy rainfall throughout the Midwest, continues to climb upward, reaching a stage of 27.5 feet here in the morning, a rise of 2.3 feet in 24 hours.

The 1949 baseball season in Cape Girardeau will probably bring night play here, if Mayor Walter H. Ford's plans are worked out; Ford tells the Missourian the city is planning on placing lights at Capaha Park at a cost of between $7,000 and $10,000; the park will have 10 poles 90 feet high with 120 lights and each light carrying 1,500 watts; the mayor says the playing field will be enclosed with canvas; the city is working with the Kiwanis Club, sponsor of the Capahas for the past few years, in the lighting project.

1924

The Cape Girardeau County Fruit-Growers Association met Wednesday in the public library building with 15 members present; quotations on strawberry plants were received from a leading planter, and a contract was completed for 360,000 plants of the Klondike variety; these plants will be shipped, ready to be set out, as soon as the weather is favorable; they are expected to produce during the 1925 season, under favorable conditions, over 40 carloads of strawberries.

Otis Pruitt, 610 Merriwether St., Cape Girardeau's first official dog catcher, is at work chasing stray canines following his appointment by Mayor James A. Barks late yesterday; under the terms of the new ordinance, Pruitt will receive $1 for each dog he captures, providing the owner calls for the animal; if the owner doesn't claim his dog, then Pruitt will destroy the animal and claim a fee of 50 cents from the city.

-- Sharon K. Sanders