Out of the past: Jan. 27

1998

Cape Girardeau and Jackson city officials last night stressed the need for cooperation as the two cities began working on agreements over new highways, annexation and other joint issues; the Jackson Board of Aldermen and Cape Girardeau City Council held their first-ever joint meeting to act on shared issues; the spirit of cooperation was strong, and officials from both cities said working together will benefit both cities.

Cape Girardeau County prosecutors sharply criticized a circuit court judge Monday after the judge handed down sentences they deemed far too lenient; County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said the sentences handed down by Circuit Judge John Grimm in separate felony cases gut the effectiveness of law enforcement in the county; in both cases, the defendants pleaded guilty to felony charges, for which prosecutors had asked that lengthy prison sentences be imposed; in one case the judge sentenced the defendant to 120 days of shock incarceration, while in the other, the defendant, who was facing a possible life sentence, was given probation and placed in the Mid-America Teen Challenge program by the judge.

1973

After six years of planning, all signs point to "go" for construction of the new Saint Francis Medical Center at Mount Auburn Road and Route K; groundbreaking ceremonies for the new building will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 17, it was decided at yesterday's meeting of the hospital board; Sister M. Virgilia Beikler, hospital administrator, says an open invitation will be extended to anyone in the area served by the hospital who would like to attend the ceremonies.

Put into motion this week were plans for development of the East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, area, which will be centered around what is to be known as the East Cape Girardeau Industrial Air Park; early in the week, Clyde Pearce, John T. Seesing and Thomas L. Meyer visited the regional office of the Economic Development Administration in Chicago and applied for federal funds for a federal feasibility study; several months ago, Seesing acquired and leased some 42 acres of land in the southwest quadrant of the junction of Illinois Highways 146 and 3 and preliminary grading of an airport runway began; the plan is to complete preparation for a 5,000-foot runway in sod form at present, then surface it later as the need arises.

1948

There are indications that the snow is over, at least for the time being, but another cold night is in prospect for Cape Girardeau as the newest frigid blast hangs on; in a revised forecast at noon, the weather bureau warns the Cape Girardeau area will fall to near the zero mark tonight.

Rush H. Limbaugh Jr., an attorney, was announced last night as the 1947 winner of the annual Key Man Award given by the Jaycees for distinguished service to the community during the past year; his selection was announced at the annual Bosses Night dinner at Centenary Methodist Church by Dean Forest H. Rose of State College, president of the Lions Club and a member of the committee on selection.

1923

The Southeast Missouri cotton crop for 1922 is worth $18,366,000 -- $15,692,000 for lint and $2,674,000 for seed; this is the total value of the cotton sold and available for market as reported to date, not counting ginning across the state line; these figures were provided by the Missouri College of Agriculture.

Four pupils, the first graduates of Trinity Lutheran Church parochial school, will enter Central High School on Monday, following completion of the eighth grade at the school; they are Norma Pensel, Alma Hilpert, Edna Kasten and Hubert Haupt; eight grades of school work was established in the school for the first time this year.

-- Sharon K. Sanders