Out of the past: May 9

1996

The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to a more complete decontamination of the Kem-Pest Superfund site north of Cape Girardeau; the agreement means that once the process is complete property owners will be able to develop the site as they choose; EPA officials earlier this week outlined their remediation plans for cleaning up contamination in the former pesticides formulation building; the original plan called for demolishing and decontaminating the main building, but leaving most of the basement in place; after further negotiations with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the basement area also will be decontaminated.

Bell Monument Works of Cairo, Illinois, had the honor of becoming the 300th business or group to sign up as a Random Act of Kindness participant; George Bell read about Kindness Week in the newspaper and wanted to bring the effort to his Southern Illinois city; what started as an observance in Cape Girardeau and Jackson has blossomed into a regional event, sponsored by the Southeast Missourian;.

1971

Dr. Thomas S. Field, the president of William Jewell College at Liberty, Missouri, speaks at both the morning and evening worship services at First Baptist Church; he has been president of the four-year liberal arts college since August 1970 and for many years was a pastor in the Missouri Baptist Convention.

Ruth Graham of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, shows her artwork in a one-man exhibition in The Southeast Missourian Gallery; 27 of her paintings are on display during regular building hours in May as part of the newspaper's monthly art shows.

1946

Cape Girardeau and district await with suspense the effect of the coal strike-enforced freight embargo, which will go into effect at midnight on all railroads; meanwhile, Missouri Utilities Co. officials await further directions from the government on a general request issued last night that brownouts be imposed and electrical service otherwise reduced in the East and Midwest; the embargo is designed to pare down freight shipments to essential goods, such as food, fuel and medical supplies on all lines using coal-burning locomotives.

John Deneke and other members of the board at Maple Grove School spent nearly all day yesterday conferring with County Superintendent of Schools O.C. Kiehne about the question of whether to close the school next year; the number of children attending is dwindling, and costs are mounting; one plan considered is to transport the boys and girls to Delta.

1921

Work will start on the paving of Broadway between Henderson Avenue and West End Boulevard this week, but so far no progress has been made toward paving Broadway between Pacific Street and Henderson because of the street car tracks; the street car management has refused to move its tracks to the center of the street as the city to allow work to proceed.

The Cape Girardeau Capahas, under the direction of playing manager Harry Herman, played like champions yesterday at Fairground Park, beating the Jacob (Illinois) Reds 8-1 without getting their hair mussed.

-- Sharon K. Sanders