Out of the Past July 28

1996

A baseball cap, a wig and pony tail believed used in the armed robbery Friday of a Mercantile Bank branch were found in a fourth-floor restroom at Southeast Missouri Hospital; no arrests have been made, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cape Girardeau Police Department are continuing to investigate the daylight robbery of the bank in the Town Plaza Shopping Center.

More than 40 balloonists representing 15 states are participating in the fifth annual Balloons and Arts Festival ‘96 at the regional airport; aside from balloon races, the festival offers such activities as aerobatic plane demonstrations, the Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II, games for youngsters, musical entertainment and aircraft on display.

1971

Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, artist M. Charles Rhinehart, noted for his abstract paintings, will be the August guest artist as part of a Missourian series of art shows; he plans to exhibit 27 paintings in various sizes at The Missourian Gallery; all will be available for sale.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Confection Products Co., announces it will close its Perryville plant and move all operations to Hannibal, Missouri; the announcement catches the community by surprise because the company had made steady growth since opening in the city industrial park nearly four years ago; the plant has 100 employees working three shifts.

1946

General Baptist Church holds all-day song services and a picnic dinner; the Graham Quartet of Graham, Kentucky, under the direction of Clint Noffsinger, performs, as do a number of local singers.

Many Girardeans are among the nearly 3,000 persons who watch the motorcycle races at Caruthersville, Missouri, at the American Legion Fairgrounds; the exciting eight-race program includes one spill which occurs as the riders are emerging from the backstretch; times average 32 to 34 seconds for the half mile; the Missouri Bootheel Motorcycle Club sponsors the event.

1921

The first sector of Kingshighway, Missouri’s first military road and one of the greatest highways west of the Mississippi River, has been paved with concrete; contractor J.W. Keller finishes concreting a stretch of three and a half miles running south from the Cape Girardeau city limits toward Scott County; this is just the beginning of road improvements in Cape Girardeau County; as soon as the $60,000,000 road bond money is available, the commissioners propose to continue the work, starting at Fairground Park and running toward Jackson.

Secretary Rodney G. Whitelaw says he could hold the Cape County Fair next week, if necessary; all contracts have been made, all details have been worked out, and thousands of catalogs have been mailed to district farm homes; for entertainment, Whitelaw has booked the great Foghorn Clancey and California Frank Hafley Round-Up and Rodeo.

­— Sharon K. Sanders