Out of the past: March 20

1996

Burglars stole more than $40,000 worth of collectibles from Antique Center Mall on Sunday, two months after fire inspectors ordered barrel-bolt locks removed from the mall's back door; sometime after 10 p.m. Sunday, burglars pried open the simple door lock securing the antiques store at 2121 William with a crow bar; once inside, the burglars stole small collectibles from the 15 antique dealers that make up the business.

The Cape Girardeau City Council unanimously approves a development agreement with Boyd Gaming Corp. after company officials promise to assist in counseling and treatment programs for compulsive gamblers; the Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance had pushed for the provision.

1971

Races in Jackson's city election April 6 are down to two with the withdrawal of Mayor R.O. Hawkins as a candidate for reelection; at the same time, Leonard Dambach has filed as a candidate for alderman from Ward 3, creating a race between himself and Dennis Sievers; Hawkins' withdrawal leaves Paul Leonard as an unopposed candidate for mayor; in Ward 1, incumbent Robert Rafferty will face Tom Long and John Clifton.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department has undertaken a new complaint reporting system which will allow patrolmen to spend more time in the field; the system, which was begun Wednesday, eliminates the burden of paperwork which officers had been completing following each investigation, whether a major crime or of minor significance,

1946

The Cape Girardeau office of the Red Cross announces the receipt of 34 units of blood plasma, part of an ultimate shipment of 104 units to come from area headquarters, to be distributed to the two local hospitals and physicians; the life-giving plasma, which was distributed to wounded servicemen throughout the world during the war, has been declared surplus by the national Red Cross, and is being divided among local units throughout the country.

Penzel Construction Co. has completed construction of an addition to the Jackson municipal light plant, but will have several days work after the new engine arrives next week and is installed; the new 1,500-horsepower engine will cost $85,000.

1921

Confirmation exercises are held in the Trinity Lutheran, Christ Evangelical and Methodist Episcopal churches in Cape Girardeau, a total of 48 young people being taken into the three churches.

A move to bring about a "daylight saving" plan to Cape Girardeau during the summer months has been launched and will be presented to the city commissioners; in view of the fact that St. Louis will likely move its clocks ahead one hour during the summer, it is considered advantageous for Cape Girardeau to do the same.

-- Sharon K. Sanders