25 years ago: Dec. 9, 1980

Almost immediately after it was announced last week that people could appear Saturday in city hall before the Public Administration Service to comment on the Cape Girardeau Police Department, several members of the city council were contacted by residents who said they would feel uneasy appearing in city hall to discuss the police.

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has approved a grant of $14,817 for the city of Cape Girardeau to be used in obtaining a federal grant for improvements at the municipal airport; the state grant has been matched by a similar amount from the city to secure a Federal Aviation Administration grant totaling $260,711.

50 years ago: Dec. 9, 1955

A suggestion that the Southeast Missouri District Fair be abbreviated to a three-day operation to reduce overhead and provide a more compact exposition was received with a show of interest by association directors at the organization's annual meeting last night.

An election will be necessary to fill the vacancy for judge of Common Pleas Court, and Prosecuting Attorney Stephen N. Limbaugh has written the office of attorney general for details of the procedure to be followed in conducting it; the office was made vacant by the recent death of Judge J. Henry Caruthers.

75 years ago: Dec. 9, 1930

More than 200 Girardeans who last night were present at the Common Pleas Courthouse at Mayor Edward L. Drum's unemployment conference voted unanimously to select the mayor as chairman of a committee of approximately 50 residents whose duty it will be to take the lead in working out a solution to aid the jobless.

Robertson Airlines of St. Louis has established a passenger service between St. Louis and New Orleans; the company is considering Cape Girardeau as an intermediate landing field between St. Louis and Memphis, if a suitable site can be secured.

100 years ago: Dec. 9, 1905

Stafford & McLane, proprietors of the saloon at 26 Main Street, open a neat little cafe in the room adjacent to the saloon; a young man named Blaze will have charge of it.

Mrs. N. Dunlap of Kansas City, Mo., is the guest of Mrs. Walter Albert; she is the daughter of Col. P.R. Van Frank, who was formerly the owner of the Riverview Hotel here.

-- Sharon K. Sanders