Out of the past: Jan. 5

1993

The heavy rains that pelted Southeast Missouri yesterday nearly claimed the lives of four members of a Sikeston, Missouri, family whose car overturned in a rain-swollen ditch Monday night along Scott County Road 450; they were pulled to safety by a passing motorist.

Cape Girardeau voters will decide June 8 whether they want riverboat gambling; despite the objections of several residents and the personal opposition of most of the council members, the Cape Girardeau City Council approved a motion last night to hold a special June election for the gambling measure; representatives of The Boyd Group a Las Vegas gaming and resort company, say they would consider establishing a Cape Girardeau operation if city voters approve the gambling initiative.

1968

A New Madrid, Missouri, representative's plan for redrawing congressional districts in the state would add Texas County, home of Rep. Richard Ichord, to the 10th District of Southeast Missouri; the political significance of such a move would be great since it would put an incumbent in what has been up to now an open district for the 1968 elections.

Associate County Court Judge Herbert F. Brune has filed for re-election; a Republican, Brune is currently serving his first time as associate judge; Brune, of Daisy, does some farming and has other business activities in addition to his County Court duties.

1943

From virtually all over America the cadets at Harris Field, Army Air Corps flight training center here, have come to Cape Girardeau to learn to fly for Uncle Sam; the young fliers range in age from 18 to 27 years, the oldest being Cadet William T. Meloche of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the youngest being Cadet Donald A. Messick of Ithaca, New York.

Pasteurizing plants here have started paying more for raw milk in an agreement with producers serving Cape Girardeau; the increase amounts to 5 cents per pound of butterfat contained in the whole milk; producers had asked for an increase, explaining that costs are up, and that the higher ceiling price in St. Louis makes the market there attractive.

1918

The Cape Girardeau Commercial Club has started its activities for 1918 under favorable circumstances and with prospects for a busy year; the initial meeting for the year was held at a dinner last night, served by the women of Centenary Methodist Church in the spacious banquet hall of the church.

Grover Obermiller, Bob Grueneburg, F.F. Goetz, Will Hartung and Bud and Tom Taylor will leave tomorrow for New Madrid, Missouri, to start the finishing work on the plastering of the new county courthouse; they expect the work to detain them several months.

-- Sharon K. Sanders