Out of the past 12/17/06

25 years ago: Dec. 17, 1981

A 120-bed nursing home will be built in Cape Girardeau by a Texas firm through a $2.2 million tax-free revenue bond sale arrangement, it is announced; the site is a tract on the north side of Independence Street, west of the 2800 block, which has been bought by the developer of the project, O.G.M. Properties of Fort Worth.

Antoinette Nenninger, Saint Francis Medical Center Surgery Department supervisor, has been named "Employee of the Year" at the medical center's recent Christmas party; Nenninger joined Saint Francis in 1959.

50 years ago: Dec. 17, 1956

The Cape Girardeau post office is snowed under as the Christmas mail surges to the greatest volume of the season; Archie Reid, assistant postmaster, says the regular employees and a force of 20 extras have all they can do to take care of the large volume of mail.

Excavation began Saturday for the expansion of the Ceramo Co. of Jackson, which will see the addition of 9,000 square feet of floor space; the expansion is being undertaken to increase drying and finished ware storage facilities.

75 years ago: Dec. 17, 1931

G.W. Mabrey of Cape Girardeau goes to Commerce, Mo., to aid in the search for the body of his nephew, Chester Riley, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Riley of near Oran; the youth was drowned in the Mississippi River late Wednesday while fording the channel from the Missouri side to Big Island near Commerce.

Chaffee, Mo. -- Plans are progressing in a movement expected to result in the reopening of the First National Bank here, which was closed by the board of directors Nov. 28; James A. Finch of Cape Girardeau has been named receiver.

100 years ago: Dec. 17, 1906

Several members of the original committee of 12 men who entered into a contract with the Roberts, Johnson & Rand Shoe Co. of St. Louis for the establishment of a big shoe factory in Cape Girardeau, go to Mound City, Ill., to make final arrangements for the plant.

The fine country home of Robert C. Heise, who lives three miles northwest of Cape Girardeau on Juden Creek, burns to the ground in the morning; the family is able to save about half of the contents of the house.

-- Sharon K. Sanders