25 years ago: March 31, 1987

Local orchardists are breathing a little easier early in the morning, after a predicted hard freeze fails to materialize in the immediate Southeast Missouri-Southern Illinois area; west of here, however, the news isn't as good.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission has agreed to pay a $1,950 bill to Larron Laboratories for the testing of 10 drinking wells near the Kem Pest site, which has been proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency as a site for the Superfund clean-up list of hazardous waste sites.

50 years ago: March 31, 1962

Construction will begin this spring on a new motel at Interstate 55 and the Gordonville Road, it is announced by members of a Cape Girardeau group who have obtained a Holiday Inn franchise; the group includes the Drury brothers, Jim, Charles and Bob, of the Drury Tile and Plastering Co.

Rain and sleet held the opening night crowd at the Jaycees Home Show to about 500 persons at the Arena Building last night; attendance is expected to pick up today and Sunday, especially if the weather cooperates.

75 years ago: March 31, 1937

The new recreational park project west of Cape Girardeau moves nearer actual construction with more materials being bought and with the city announcing receipt of signed deeds on a major portion of the ground; 8,000 bags of cement have been purchased, along with a large quantity of press board forms material and nails.

Six members of the fire department, not including Acting Chief R.J. Kammer and Assistant Chief Vincent Unnerstall, have received firemen's badges; the badges are chromium and are 1 3/4 inches long; Kammer and Unnerstall already had badges.

100 years ago: March 31, 1912

Palm Sunday is observed at various churches in Cape Girardeau with impressive ceremonies.

Confirmation services are held during the morning worship service at Trinity Lutheran Church; members of the confirmation class are Edna Buckner, Edna Niermann, Leola Farrow, Ruby Oberheide, Elmer Stehr, Edgar Stehr, Otto Huppert, Edwin Koessl, Arthur Puchbauer, George Kaiser and William Dunger.

-- Sharon K. Sanders