Out of the past: May 31

1996

As Riverfest nears and the floodgates keep opening and closing with the ups and downs of the Mississippi River, Laurel Adkisson tries to be philosophical; after all, she says, you can't expect the river not to be a factor in an event called Riverfest, and this year's theme is "Mississippi Magic"; the annual event is scheduled for June 14 and 15.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- An engineer for the Missouri Highways and Transportation Department in St. Louis will become district engineer for the Southeast District in Sikeston; Scott Meyer, an assistant district engineer for design in the Metro St. Louis District, will officially begin his new job tomorrow; Meyer has been with the state agency for 13 years; he replaces Jim Murray, who has been promoted to director of the department's research development and technology division in Jefferson City.

1971

Although Memorial Day traditionally falls on May 30, the federal legal public holiday has been designated as the last Monday in May this year; Girardeans celebrate the holiday today with a service at Memorial Park in the morning under sponsorship of the Joint Veterans Council; delivering the address is Maj. William J. Haas Jr., infantry information officer at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, who has served two tours of duty in Vietnam.

Sadie Trezevant Kent reigns over the State College library that bears her name; in an afternoon ceremony yesterday, a portrait of the librarian, who died May 17, 1951, was presented to the college by Martin Hecht, a member of the board of regents, acting on behalf of his father, Louis Hecht of Las Vegas, Nevada, a former Cape Girardeau businessman; the elder Hecht commissioned Paul J. Penczner of Memphis, Tennessee, to do the oil portrait, which shows Kent, her face lit by a hint of a smile, holding an open book on her lap.

1946

Brick work has been started by the Gerhardt Construction Co. on the building being erected for the Cape Tire Tread Co., at the southwest corner of Sprigg and William streets; razing is going ahead on an old two-story brick building on the site to make room for the new, larger structure.

Five horses from a Cape Girardeau stable and their owners depart for Chicago for the opening of the Maywood Park's racing season; Roland B. Estes and Champ Workman, who have their stables at the new city park, are taking all five of their racers to the big pari-mutuel track for at least a 30-day stay and will then go to other tracks during the season, including the district fair scheduled here.

1921

Claude Juden of the Clark Music Co., is in Perryville, Missouri, attending to the new store, which was established there by the Clark company last week; R.E. Gregory, who has been in charge of the new store, returns here today.

Charles L. Harrison, chairman of the Community Chest Committee, is made happy by the receipt of a check for $500 from D.B. Smith, superintendent of the International Shoe factory; at the time the campaign for funds was on, Smith was away and consequently the contribution from the factory wasn't made until now.

-- Sharon K. Sanders