Out of the past: June 20

1997

The latest plans for Broadway call for a slightly wider street with four lanes for traffic from Clark to Perry Avenue, new storm sewer inlets, one new traffic light, upgraded computerized traffic signals and sidewalks; engineers put the latest design on display last night at the Osage Centre, and several dozen business owners showed up to comment; its estimated cost is just over $1 million.

Bill Hopkins, who led the Southeast Missouri State University gymnastics program to national prominence in his 18 years as coach, resigned Wednesday for undisclosed reasons.

1972

Cape Girardeau and Jackson could be seriously considered as sites for a new Troop E headquarters of the Missouri Highway Patrol, the state's top patrolman says; all the two cities have to do is find suitable locations for a headquarters building and propose them to the patrol, says Col. E.I. Hockaday, superintendent; four Southeast Missouri communities -- Sikeston, Dexter, Bloomfield and Poplar Bluff -- are already hustling for a new Troop E headquarters building that probably will be constructed within a few years.

A second police officer has resigned from the Cape Girardeau Police Department; Patrolman James Evans, with the department 19 months, has resigned to become a deputy under County Sheriff Ivan E. McLain; Evans' resignation and that of Patrolman Fred L. Kaempfer, both on Saturday, become effective July 1.

1947

Unanimous endorsement was given yesterday by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Special Road District to the $200,152 project of relocating Highway 74 in preference to the extension of William Street; Fred A. Groves, chairman of the road district commission, at a meeting with M.S. Gwin of Sikeston, Missouri, division highway engineer, pointed out that present Highway 74 through the heavy manufacturing cement and quarry area is becoming more and more congested; to relocate it, Groves said, would be to eliminate a growing hazard at the quarries.

Community efforts in behalf of the Naval Reserve program since the project was first advanced more than a year ago results in the announcement of approval of the $40,000 remodeling program for the training center at Harris Field; in addition, it is announced that all but five of the complement of men in the 129th Naval Reserve Division here have been filled; it's possible another division of 200 men and 10 officers will be formed here, if personnel is available; authorization has been given for the formation of an electronics warfare company of 50 enlisted and five officers.

1922

Police Chief Jeff Hutson announces his force will strictly enforce the ordinance prohibiting the sale and use of cap pistols, blank cartridges and other high explosives in Cape Girardeau; warnings to merchants handling fireworks and to a number of boys who have been discharging fireworks on the streets have been issued; penalty for violation of the ordinance varies from a fine of $5 to a fine of $100 for each offense.

The work of raising money with which to refinance the Capahas baseball team starts in earnest, with a large committee of men, most of them prominent in the business affairs of the city, in charge of the task; it was agreed at a meeting last night of baseball enthusiasts at the courthouse here that the Capahas must not be allowed to disband; the club needs $2,500 at once, according to Caps' management; the best results cannot be obtained from the players unless there is money in the treasury that assures them they will be payed for their efforts.

-- Sharon K. Sanders