Out of the past: Oct. 25

1997

The city of Cape Girardeau has received more than $400,000 for a neighborhood rehabilitation project, and it needs property owners to sign up to help spend it; the funding will be used to renovate substandard housing in the Jefferson-Shawnee Parkway neighborhood; the grant is available to help low- to moderate-income families.

Until a few years ago, a firefighting workshop titled "Introduction to Clandestine Drug Labs" was unknown in these parts; but 30 firefighters from around the region are attending the workshop at the 20th annual Southeast Missouri Regional Fire School in Jackson; the proliferation of drug labs manufacturing methamphetamines in Missouri's rural areas has made it essential for fire departments to know how to recognize and handle them.

1972

Two Southeast Missouri communities have received first-place awards in their population categories in the ninth annual Missouri Community Betterment competition; Jackson, competing in the 5,000-10,000 population class, and East Prairie, in the 2,500-5,000 class, received $700 cash awards at the awards banquet last night in Jefferson City.

The Teamsters Union has reached an agreement with the Association of General Contractors of Missouri that is designed to prevent labor disruptions during construction of the proposed new Saint Francis Hospital here; changes in the contract include no wage increase for the duration of the hospital job; the general contractor can use a one-hour advanced starting time without consulting the union and, if inclement weather forces Teamsters from the job, Saturdays may be used for makeup time without the penalty of overtime pay.

1947

Excavation for the foundation of a 48-by-106-foot addition to the Pure Ice Co. plant at 314 S. Ellis St. is scheduled to start Sunday, says manager J.R. Dean; to be a one-story brick structure, the annex will adjoin the rear of the plant and will be used to house the ice-manufacturing machinery now in Plant No. 2 at 618 N. Main St., and for storage of ice; the Main Street plant will be sold.

The bodies of three Cape Girardeau County soldiers, who lost their lives in the fighting in Europe, are among those of 21 Southeast Missouri war dead returned to the States and rendered tribute in solemn ceremonies in New York; two were from Cape Girardeau, 1st Lt. H. Kenneth Colmar and Sgt. Charles M. Holshouser; the third was from Whitewater, Pvt. Clarence W. Hunter; the bodies of Colmar and Hunter will be brought here to the Brinkopf-Howell Funeral Home, while that of Holshouser will be taken to St. Louis for interment in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

1922

The new radio broadcasting station of Teachers College is being rapidly brought to completion, with the view of sending messages throughout Southeast Missouri in connection with the plans of the college Extension Department, which is to use the apparatus for airing lectures and news of general importance; call letters of the station are to be "9YAQ" at a wave length of 200 meters.

Three hundred and seventeen Master and Royal Arch Masons gather at the Masonic Temple in Cape Girardeau to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Wilson Chapter No. 75; this is believed to be the largest gathering ever held at the local temple; Dr. George W. Walker, a past master of St. Mark's Lodge, presents a historical sketch of the activities of St. Mark's Lodge and Wilson Chapter, telling of the many sacrifices the little band of men made who organized the lodge 75 years ago.

-- Sharon K. Sanders