Out of the past: May 3

1998

Fulfilling his end of an Easter challenge, the Rev. Randall Morse preaches from the rooftop of First Assembly of God Church in Scott City in the evening; Morse issued a challenge to the congregation just prior to Easter, saying he would preach from the rooftop if 200 people attended Easter Sunday services at the church; nearly 250 filled the pews for the morning service.

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel wants the city to buy 30 reconditioned police cars over the next three years as part of an effort to improve police visibility in the community; Hetzel discussed his proposal Friday during the City Council retreat at Black Forest Villages; he said the goal is to assign a vehicle to each patrol officer; 37 patrol officers currently share eight patrol cars, which are driven around the clock.

1973

The Mississippi River fell nearly a half foot at Cape Girardeau during the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m., beginning a recession that is predicted to be very slow because of new crests expected to occur from Winfield, Missouri, northward; today's stage is 45 feet; barring any major weather developments in the northern drainage basins, the Army Corps of Engineers hopes this recession might end the great spring flood of 1973.

A new, modern juvenile detention home to serve Cape Girardeau County came a step closer to reality last night, when the County Court submitted to the Cape Girardeau City Council an application for a special use permit to construct the facility in the 300 block of Merriwether Street; the request was referred to the City Planning and Zoning Commission for its recommendation.

1948

Resignations of police chief John L. Penn and two other police officers -- Sgt. Pink Niswonger and Sgt. Paul Y. Brown -- are accepted in the morning by the Cape Girardeau City Council; the council then confirms the appointment of desk Sgt. William Mills as the new chief and names three probationary appointees -- Lester Brown, Arthur Ludwig and Harry E. Carter Jr.

Four California business men escaped injury late yesterday afternoon, when their twin-engine plane crashed at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport; the four occupants crawled from the wreckage uninjured, although the craft was demolished; approaching the field, the UC-78 was being brought in against a cross wind without a drift correction being made; carried to the east, the big plane struck the ground east of the runway, plowed across the open area, nosed down and then came to stop on the airport automobile driveway.

1923

Pay increases of $10 a month for all Cape Girardeau policemen, and similar increases for two other employees, are ordered by the City Council at a special session; the increases are retroactive from May 1; along with policemen, superintendent of streets Louis Brinkopf and assistant city engineer Russell Smith receive a $10 increase.

Dr. G.B. Schulz of Cape Girardeau was elected president of the Southeast Missouri Medical Association at the closing session of the group's meeting last night at in the Chamber of Commerce rooms; Dr. D.H. Hope of Cape Girardeau was named vice president, Dr. S.C. Slaughter of Fredericktown was re-elected secretary, and Dr. W.S. Love of Charleston was renamed recording secretary; Dr. W.R. Goodykoontz of Cape Girardeau was retained as treasurer.

-- Sharon K. Sanders