Out of the past: Jan. 3

1999

Snow and sleet conditions have subsided briefly in Southeast Missouri, but streets and sidewalks are still hazardous; hospital emergency rooms have been busy since the year's first winter storm started across the area about noon Friday, Jan. 1; by midnight Friday and early Saturday, snow and sleet covered most roads; medical personnel are seeing lots of fractures resulting from falls, as well as those injured in automobile accidents.

When Wehrenberg Theatres opened the West Park 4 Cine in 1983, its four screens and equipment represented the newest in movie-going technology; in July 1997, the company opened the state-of-the-art 14-screen Cape West across the interstate and relegated West Park 4 Cine to showing second-run movies for $1; it closes for good today after the last showing of "Rush Hour", "Urban Legends", "Meet Joe Black", "There's Something About Mary" and "Antz".

1974

As more freezing rain piles another slippery covering on city streets, Cape Girardeau residents are warned that the mail won't be delivered unless steps are cleared of ice and snow; "Two of our carriers fell on icy steps Wednesday and one was injured, requiring treatment at a hospital. We have instructed carriers not to deliver the mail if conditions of the steps are too bad and there is no railing," says Postmaster Wilver W. Wessel.

Last night's meeting was brief but momentous, as the Cape Girardeau City Council voted to accept the low bid of Superior Concretors Inc. for construction of a sewer replacement line to relieve sanitary sewer conditions in the west and north parts of the city; the project will be financed with federal revenue-sharing funds.

1949

In its first session of 1949, the new County Court discusses appointments of county employees, and then defers action until after interviews with all applicants next Monday; it is said unofficially that there are five applications on file, one for manager of the County Home, two for highway engineer and two for road district grader operators; those desiring appointment to any county job must file an application before 9 a.m. next Monday.

Purchase of the Capaha Service Station building at College and Sprigg Street by A.L. Underwood, and the installation of additional equipment, is announced; Underwood bought the 75-foot-long building and the 60-by-105-foot lot from Joe Wyatt and will move his radiator repair shop from Middle and Good Hope streets to the new property.

1924

Seventy-eight cases are docketed for trial at the regular January term of Circuit Court, which will convene at Jackson on Monday; of these, 28 are criminal actions, either originating in Cape Girardeau County or brought here on a change of venue; three murder cases are on the docket, two of which originated in Cape Girardeau.

Approximately $35,000 of the $48,000 in taxes to be collected by the City of Cape Girardeau from local property owners has been paid, says city clerk A.P. Behrens; the usual rush at the close of the year and the first few days of the new one is dropping off, and it is expected that most of the remainder of the money will be paid in this week; a 1% fine is imposed for payment of taxes after Dec. 31, this increasing each month the taxes remain unpaid.

-- Sharon K. Sanders