Out of the past 8/3/08

25 years ago: Aug. 3, 1983

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Scott County Coroner Tom Nunnelee warns residents, particularly the elderly, to take precautions during this heat wave; the warning comes after the heat-related death of 65-year-old Clarence Robinson, who died of cardiac arrest Monday; it is the second heat-related death here within a week.

Upgrading the image of Central High School, an area in front of the building that had previously been used for student parking has been eliminated and is being landscape and revamped to provide limited parking for staff and handicapped.

50 years ago: Aug. 3, 1958

The Rev. Earl Morgan, missionary for the Church of the Nazarene, speaks in the evening at the local Church of the Nazarene; he and his wife recently returned to the United States on a furlough from Florence.

Charles Parsley, the new basketball coach for the State College, arrived in Cape Girardeau Friday to assume his new duties; he will succeed Ralph Pink, who has guided the college team for six seasons.

75 years ago: Aug. 3, 1933

Thirty-four additional placards bearing the blue eagles of the national recovery flock have wended their way from the Cape Girardeau post office to business places since yesterday; this brings to 144 the number of business houses and manufacturers here who have signed under the blanket code and are displaying the National Recovery Act sign.

Damage amounting to about $125 was done by lightning that struck in two places in Cape Girardeau yesterday; a bolt struck the small smokestack on the power house at the Teachers College, knocking off about a foot of the top of the stack; another bolt struck the home of Dr. L.F. Popp, 829 Themis St.

100 years ago: Aug. 3, 1908

That the Treasury Department is rushing the arrangements for the building of the federal post office and courthouse in Cape Girardeau is made apparent when E.J. Flentge, custodian of the grounds, receives six sets of plans; these are to be given out to general contractors at once, if any desire to bid on the contract.

Word reaches Cape Girardeau of the death July 21 of Mrs. Mary L. McWilliams at Des Moines, Iowa; she and her husband, Judge James McWilliams, lived in Cape Girardeau from 1858 to 1878.

-- Sharon K. Sanders