Out of the past: July 26

1997

Bill Lewis says he knows how Jesus felt: "Everybody's coming in for the last supper"; that's because Wimpy's, a Cape Girardeau institution for 55 years, will serve its last hamburger Wednesday; Bill's brother Freeman bought a hamburger stand called Wimpy's in 1942; located on the northwest corner of Kingshighway and Cape Rock Drive, Wimpy's sold its specialty for 7 cents apiece; the Lewises' parents, Fred and Ethyl, ran the stand while Freeman and his brother Frank were off fighting World War II; soon after they returned, the business moved across the street into a building on the northeast corner of Kingshighway and Cape Rock Drive.

Other than a few slow-moving thunderstorms in Carter and Ripley counties, Southeast Missouri's weather has been humid and very hot, with no precipitation; the temperature climbs to a scorching 100 degrees in Cape Girardeau, with a heat index of 115 degrees.

1972

City Manager W.G. Lawley announces the appointment of State Rep. A. Robert Pierce Jr., as Cape Girardeau's new city attorney; Pierce, a Republican, said yesterday he will withdraw as a candidate for reelection to the 156th District seat in the Missouri House; Pierce, 33, was one of the original members of the City Council established under the council-manager government; he served as mayor in 1968 until he was elected to the House in November of that year.

Two Cape Girardeau police officers have resigned to take other jobs; patrolman Frank Smith will become a deputy under Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ivan E. McLain and will be stationed in the south part of the county; patrolman Grover Brasher resigned to take a better job.

1947

Cape Girardeau department and specialty stores announce that starting next week they will close Saturday nights at 8; the present closing time is 9 p.m.; store representatives say that with daylight saving time ending this weekend in Cape Girardeau, it was decided to change to the new closing hour.

To compete with night clubs and to provide a sanctuary for prayer and meditation, all-night prayer services are being held each Saturday at Foursquare Church, Park Avenue and Bloomfield Street; all are invited to come and leave at will; a prayer chain has been formed, whereby someone is praying at each hour; the all-night services were initiated three weeks ago and have already proven successful.

1922

A rear wheel on the Ford coupe of Lonzo Gibson, 1101 Jefferson Ave., is stolen in the evening while the car is parked on the street within 15 feet of his home; nothing else is taken; on the wheel was a new casing put on three days ago; another wheel was entirely new, having been put on the car earlier in the day.

The Lions Club picnic is held at the old fairgrounds in the evening and is a most enjoyable affair; 74 Lions, Lionesses, Cubs and guests are in attendance; fried chicken and everything that goes with it are in abundance; cantaloupes and ice cream are served for dessert.

-- Sharon K. Sanders