Out of the past: Sept. 20

1997

A former Scott City police chief signed a formal complaint against the Scott City Board of Education on Wednesday for violating the Missouri Sunshine Law; in his complaint, David Beck accused board members of violating the open meetings law when they adjourned a public meeting while behind locked doors at Scott City High School.

COMMERCE, Mo. -- The first ever Flood Fest is held at Commerce, sponsored by the Commerce Community Tourism Organization, the Commerce Historical Society and the Commerce Community Betterment Club; Commerce lost a good portion of its population after the 1993 and 1995 floods, but sponsors say Flood Fest is a way to "celebrate Old Man River instead of moaning and groaning about it."

1972

Construction of the expansion project at Charmin Paper Products Co. north of Cape Girardeau is again plagued with labor problems, the latest stemming from a jurisdictional dispute involving Pipefitters and Plumbers Local 562 here; sources say eight members of Local 562 walked off the job at 3:15 p.m. Friday in protest of which craft was to install a blower to a carton conveyance system; apparently in sympathy with the pipefitters, two members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 of St. Louis and six members of Operating Engineers Local 513 of Cape Girardeau didn't show up for work Monday or Tuesday.

Since opening here in 1924, the JC Penney Co. store, 5 N. Main St., has had only three managers, and the present one, James R. Mahan, will retire Sept. 30; approximately 50 businessmen who have known Mahan during his 21 years in Cape Girardeau honor him at a surprise retirement breakfast at the Top of the Hill.

1947

Cape Girardeau appears to have been missed by the strong south-to-north winds, borne of the Florida area hurricane, although this community had a mild scare last night, when it was reported the blow would keep to its course up the Mississippi River valley; it was the first time Cape Girardeau had anything near a serious alert from a hurricane blow; today, the fierce winds have shifted through Arkansas toward the west.

Fifteen Cape Girardeau Central High School youths are building one of the city's most modern houses, full of "extras" to assure dividends for the eventual buyer, at 1821 Lacey St.; the pupils are members of two building trades classes, under the direction of Hal B. Lehman, instructor.

1922

Cape Girardeau County Fair is the real thing, with a livestock exhibit that excels anything ever seen in this section; 152 head of cattle -- beef and dairy classes -- are being shown; one of the most majestic of the cattle is Eminent of Sarnia, a Guernsey bull that heads the Egypt Mills Guernsey Club's 21 entries; the animal tips the scales at 1,600 pounds and is solid, big-boned and stocky built; he is a friendly bull that rubs his head against the hands of his keepers.

Members of Christ Episcopal Church motored to Giboney Park on Monday afternoon to "try out" the newest Cape Girardeau playground; the 73 adults and kiddies enjoyed bacon and eggs, wienies and rolls, cake, coffee, ice cream, apples, etc.; the fine brick stove on the grounds was tried by the cooks and declared the finest ever; a long table, with benches for seats, is stationary in the open-air dining room, and the only thing lacking to make the park more comfortable is a large drop light over the table.

-- Sharon K. Sanders