Out of the past 2/17/03

10 years ago: Feb. 17, 1993

With 600 miles of mostly gravel roads to take care of, Cape Girardeau County highway crews have their work cut out for them when it comes to snow removal; bright and early yesterday morning, workers were on job, trying to deal with as much as 12 inches of snow that fell around county Monday.

Former Storey's Food Giant building, 201 S. Broadview, has been sold; spokesman for Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. office in Rosemont, Ill., says contract for sale has been entered, but won't be finalized until after March 3; much of financing for Cape Centre facility, where building is located, was by Exchange Bank, which closed in 1992 due to financial difficulties.

25 years ago: Feb. 17, 1978

One of Missouri's best known artists, Jake Wells, speaks on nature of creativity at luncheon in his honor at Southeast Missouri State University Center; Wells is recognized for consistently superior teaching and artistic creativity at second annual Honors Luncheon sponsored by University's College of Humanities.

City of Cape Girardeau is giving serious consideration to closing use of Arena Building by Southeast Missouri State University student organizations because of continuing abuse of facility, according to city manager W.G. Lawley; Lawley refers specifically to problems at building after "Sadie Hawkins Day" dance sponsored there last weekend.

50 years ago: Feb. 17, 1953

Lt. Arthur I. Rule, 29, was killed Sunday in plane crash in Pennsylvania; his family resides in Malden; Rule, civilian instructor at Malden Air Force Base, is survived by his wife, three children and parents; he had been member of Naval Reserve unit at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport; he and several St. Louis Navy fliers, one a reservist, were returning to St. Louis from Atlantic City, N.J., when accident occurred; it is believed plane crashed into mountain as it was letting down through an overcast.

Announcement of hospital research project by Kansas City public relations and fund counseling service is made at Memorial Hall in dinner meeting of Southeast Missouri Hospital Association; representative of Cumerford Inc. is conducting interviews seeking people's opinions and attitudes toward Southeast Hospital and its needs.

75 years ago: Feb. 17, 1928

Girardeans turn up their coat collars and pull down their hats, as first real snowfall of season strikes vicinity early in day; white flakes start falling before dawn and continue most of morning; nearly one inch of snow is recorded by Teachers College weather bureau.

The Missourian publishes photograph of traffic bridge under construction at Cape Girardeau; photo shows steel that has been placed halfway between Piers 2 and 3; two concrete pours, or approximately 13 feet, are all that is lacking in having Pier 5 complete, according to resident engineer P.V. Pennybacker; that pier should be finished early next week.

-- Sharon K. Sanders