Out of the past: March 2

1998

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County government will see a changing of the guard in the upcoming months when three long-time county officials leave office; Presiding Commissioner Bob Kielhofner and County Collector Tom Marshall, both of whom have held county office since the early 1970s, didn't file for re-election last week but announced their decisions to retire; Treasurer H. J. "Cotton" Holyfield won't wait until the election to step down; he sent a letter to Gov. Mel Carnahan last Tuesday tendering his resignation effective March 31.

Death-row inmates could get their sentences commuted to life in prison in exchange for donating a kidney or bone marrow under legislation before the Missouri General Assembly; Cape Girardeau Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle doesn't like the life-for-a-life measure saying, "I think the idea is goofy"; State Rep. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, introduced the life-for-a-life bill, maintaining it is the first of its kind in the nation.

1973

The recommendation of the City Recreation Board for construction of tennis courts is now being considered by the City Park Board, it is learned; while it was earlier reported the City Council had rejected the recommendation, Mayor Howard C. Tooke says that isn't the case; the recommendation has to be considered by the park board before the council makes a decision.

Arthur M. Fischer, who spent more than 50 years in the grocery business and headed a Cape Girardeau family business in that field, dies at Southeast Hospital at age 71; Fischer collapses at his home while getting ready to go to a packing house to buy meat for the stores; Fischer, with his wife, Alberta Meystedt Fischer, and son, J. Ronald Fischer, for many years operated the Art Fischer and Son Market, 298 N. West End Blvd.; they also operated a market at Bloomfield and Koch streets and on Jan. 1 opened Fischer's Downtown Store, 19 N. Spanish St.

1948

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Building funds are increased by a House committee reporting an amendment to an omnibus appropriations so Southeast Missouri State College at Cape Girardeau will have an additional $500,000 to build a new field house to replace the one destroyed by fire Feb. 17; altogether, the committee adds $1,898,400 to the pending bill for new construction at state universities and colleges, but knocks out a $2,000,000 item for a new state office building here; the building funds are to come from the postwar reserve fund.

The Cape Girardeau Airport Board yesterday entered into a contract with Pate Engineering Co. of Tulsa, Oklahoma, for its services in preparing a master plan for development of the airport into a Class 3 field and for attending to the details incident to negotiations with the Civil Aeronautics Administration for federal money.

1923

A new real estate concern, to be known as the Popp & Springer Realty Co., made its appearance in business circles in Cape Girardeau yesterday with offices in the First National Bank building; Dr. L.F. Popp, the well known dentist, and Fred C. Springer, a young man who is rapidly coming to the front in business circles, are owners of the new firm.

City officials, in an effort to drive out the liquor traffic in Cape Girardeau, are considering a move to revoke the licenses of all proprietors of soft drink stands in the city where arrests are made for violation of the dry laws; while state and federal laws provide for the confiscation of buildings or property where liquor is found and arrests made, the city ordinances don't cover this point; and city officials believe the revoking of licenses may be the only way in which the city can combat the liquor traffic.

-- Sharon K. Sanders