Out of the past: June 9

1990

The woodpeckers that attacked the front columns of historic Common Pleas Courthouse two months ago have returned, sending local officials scrambling to find a reasonable solution to the problem.

Southeast Missouri State University officials and boosters uncorked a few champaign bottles yesterday to celebrate a dual announcement by Southeast president Dr. Robert Foster: "Not only are we going to join the Ohio Valley Conference, but the NCAA just notified us this week that our application to become a Division I institution by September of 1991 has been approved."

1965

JEFFERSON CITY -- A bill to form 168 districts for the House of Representatives of nearly equal population was passed by the House yesterday, but not before some sharp words were exchanged between representatives Martin P. Degenhardt, Republican of Perry County, and Clyde Portell, Democrat of Ste. Genevieve County; Portell believes the redraw district lines will force him out of the Legislature.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Bollinger County voters overwhelmingly approved a new tax assessment for the county's general operating fund at a special election Monday, raising the rate to 2 1/2 mills per dollar.

1940

Ed Vogel, proprietor of a grocery store at 401 S. West End Blvd., is struck by lightning while walking through the yard of the store building at noon; he is temporarily dazed, but uninjured.

William F. Meier, oldest citizen of Cape Girardeau County and last Civil War veteran, dies at the home of a son, in Jackson; Meier was born in Germany and was more than 99 years old at his death; he came to America with his parents in 1849, settling on Byrds Creek, where he spent his entire life.

1915

In order to prevent the beautiful tract of land at Cape Rock from being lost entirely for park purposes, a movement has been started to buy at least 200 acres of land surrounding it; the purchase will be made privately and the land held until such time that the people and City Council come to their senses and order the land purchased for park purposes.

Alvin Harnes, Elmo Kassel, Chester Kassel, Oscar Hirsch and Gordon Allisan, the Cape Girardeau band boys who remained at Richmond, Virginia last week when the rest of the band returned here, have secured employment with the Richmond Blues, a big military band; they expect to take a trip with that organization to San Francisco to attend the fair.

-- Sharon K. Sanders