25 years ago: Aug. 10, 1986

The congregation of Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church celebrates the 12th anniversary of the church and its pastor, Jack Strickland, during worship services; guest singer is Bill Pursley of Wichita Falls, Tex.

ORAN, Mo. -- The Oran School Board will discuss rebuilding the collapsed roof of the Oran High School gymnasium; the center truss of the gymnasium roof gave way and is sagging about nine inches; the structure was built in 1951.

50 years ago: Aug. 10, 1961

ORAN, Mo. -- Construction has begun on the post office building here; it is being built between the Stehr Hardware Co. and the Oran Tobacco store by Mr. and Mrs. Newman E. Jones Jr. of Dyersburg, Tenn., who will rent the facility to the post office department.

An plaque commemorating Ozark Airline's 10 years of service in Cape Giirardeau was given to the city in 1961. Paul Rodgers of Ozark, seated left, looked on as American Airlines representative Gene Abney, center, presented the plaque to Rush Limbaugh Jr., of the city airport board. (Missourian archives photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Rush Limbaugh Jr., secretary-treasurer of the Cape Municipal Airport Board, accepts for the city a plaque commemorating the 10th anniversary of Ozark Airlines service in Cape Girardeau.

75 years ago: Aug. 10, 1936

At a special meeting of the Cape Girardeau City Council, city officials decide to lay off 17 municipal employees and arrange to go further into the matter of raising additional revenue; the dismissal for most of the workers is set for Aug. 15.

The Rev. W.E. Hicks, for nine years pastor of Red Star Baptist Church, resigned his position Sunday, and the resignation was accepted; he plans to move to East St. Louis, Ill., to become pastor of the Franklin Park Baptist Church.

100 years ago: Aug. 10, 1911

Frisco officials expect to begin work on the levee improvements here next week; that includes the filling in of the curve south of the foot of Independence Street, the raising of the levee and the building of Water Street with wood blocks; work has been delayed because Frisco couldn't get riprap for construction of a retaining wall from the foot of Independence south to protect the filling-in materials.

Cape Girardeau's street-sweeping machine remains idle while the mayor depends on the Almighty to send an occasional cleansing wind to blow away dust and debris.

-- Sharon K. Sanders