1987

According to a preliminary document filed with the county prosecuting attorney's office by the state auditor's office, nearly $60,000 is missing from Cape Girardeau's municipal court funds; prosecutor Morley Swingle said he has assigned an investigator to further probe the allegations of missing funds.

The new Cape Girardeau Convention/Tourism Bureau chief, Lyn Muzzy, has taken over operation of the organization; he replaces Donna Hanschen.

1962

The jumbled voices of 5,774 young voices fill the halls and classrooms of Cape Girardeau's 12 public and parochial schools at the start of another nine months of elementary and secondary education; the enrollment figure is 205 greater than when the last school year started.

Employees of the International Shoe Co. plant in Jackson vote down a proposal to organize and have the Boot and Shoe Workers of the AFL-CIO represent them; 178 workers vote against the labor union affiliation, while 132 vote for it.

1937

Officers of the chamber of commerce last night sent a contract to the manufacturing concern that contemplates locating a factory in Cape Girardeau, and its return early next week is anticipated; the contract provides that Cape Girardeau will erect a two-story factory building 200 feet wide by 400 deep at a cost of about $75,000; once the company has paid $1 million in wages to its workers, not including its executives, the Chamber will deed the property to the company.

C.J. Stevens of Sikeston, Mo., is appointed maintenance engineer for Division 10 of the Missouri State Highway Department; he succeeds James E. Matthews, who has been appointed chairman of the State Prison Board.

1912

Eight horses and mules and a lot of feed were burned last night, when the big barn of the Messner & Co. box factory at Illmo caught fire and was destroyed; there were nine animals in the barn, and only one was rescued; the plant is operated by George A. Bell of Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau County farmer J.J. Probst has been finding pearls in Whitewater Creek for a year or so, having secured 150 nice ones; he sold his collection last week for a good price.

-- Sharon K. Sanders