Out of the past: July 23

1998

Drug Enforcement Agency special agent Stacy Sims, who was deemed a "DEA Hero" by that agency's director, was laid to rest yesterday at Cape County Memorial Park; Sims, 31, of Jackson lost a fight with skin cancer Sunday, July 19, 1998; the funeral procession was led by more than 40 law enforcement vehicles representing agencies from across the street; more than 700 persons attended Tuesday night's visitation.

Cape Girardeau's Historic Preservation Commission wants to seek state funding to apply to the National Register of Historic Places for a downtown historic district; the area -- boarded by Main, Broadway, Themis and Independence streets -- should qualify as a historic district, according to Philip R. Thomason, a historic preservationist.

1973

Condemnation proceedings on 28 more houses in the South Cape Girardeau area are underway, kicked off by the Mississippi River waters which rose to record heights this spring, severely flooding the Leadville-Smelterville community; after the flood forced these houses to be vacated and the waters receded to allow inspection, condemnation notices were posted barring further occupancy.

Temperatures in Cape Girardeau for the year reached a new record high over the weekend, and so did the peak power consumption by electricity customers of Missouri Utilities Co.; the thermometer, hitting 100 degrees Friday and marking the first time this year it had reached the century mark, outdid itself Saturday, rising to 102 degrees for a new record high; yesterday's high was a mere 96 degrees.

1948

Cape Girardeau has a woman lawyer; Florence Hyde Hines is the daughter of Supreme Court Judge and Mrs. Laurance M. Hyde of Jefferson City; her husband, William C. Hines is with the Limbaugh & Limbaugh law firm; she took the state bar examination June 26.

The three-member executive committee of the State College Board of Regents authorizes the retention of the architectural firm of Wischmeyer & Lorenz to make plans for the new physical education and health building to replace Houck Field House; the firm is the same one which drew plans for the new men's dormitory and student service building now under construction; the committee also approves the financial agreement for employment of Harland Bartholomew & Associates to draw up a master plan for future development of the campus.

1923

A general roundup of members of the National Guard who failed to report for duty when the 140th Infantry went into encampment at Nevada, Missouri, is underway by Guard officers, assisted by county officers and local police; several members of the National Guard who enlisted for three-year terms failed to report for the encampment, and orders have been issued for their arrest on charges of evading military duty.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Barns were blown down, trees uprooted and considerable damage done to property in the vicinity of Sikeston by a storm which swept over this place yesterday afternoon; two houses were struck by lighting, but the occupants were unharmed.

-- Sharon K. Sanders