25 years ago: 1973

Jackson's 18th annual Community Chest campaign will begin Oct. 1; campaign chairman Robert Grebing says goal is $17,800; funds will be sought for eight agencies: American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Jackson Benevolent Fund, Children's Welfare of R-2 School District, Cape Girardeau County Handicapped Children, VIP Industries Inc., and United Service Organization; campaign co-chairman is George Webster.

Hearing has been set for March 5 and 6 in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court on city of Jackson's annexation proposal; Mayor Carlton Meyer says setting will greatly delay city's plans to annex; he had hoped issue could be brought to vote in October; city of Cape Girardeau opposes Jackson's plan, saying that area lying between Jackson city limits and Interstate 55 shouldn't be annexed by Jackson because it would "impair or impede (Cape Girardeau's) ability" to implement two-mile zoning outside its city limits.

Construction of building that will serve as headquarters for Jackson Chamber of Commerce is under way; located southeast of Highways 25-61-72 intersection, building is being built on property of Clarence Lee Shirrell, president of Cape Ready Mix Co. Inc. of Cape Girardeau, who is paying for its construction; it will be first time Jackson Chamber has had building for its own use, which means chamber will be faced with question of how to staff it.

Officials of Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau and Jackson are to meet Oct. 15 with representatives of Missouri Emergency Preparedness office to discus establishment of better coordinated emergency disaster plan in county; no place or time for meeting has been decided.

Date the Cape Girardeau County Advisory Health Council had hoped to schedule special election on proposed county public health unit has been rejected by County Court; court maintained Monday that election shouldn't be held Oct. 23 because it wouldn't allow unregistered voters sufficient time to register.

Chief engineer of Missouri Highway Department's District 10 could give no commitment to Jackson Chamber of Commerce Monday night on improvement of Route J from Fruitland to Neelys Landing, but he did give some suggestions on what would be necessary to begin planning such improvement; Lionel T. Murray suggested that when chamber approaches department's planning division, it should have available optional lease or right-of-way costs and further strengthen its request by furnishing prospective of any new industry or other developments that might increase traffic usage of road.

50 years ago: 1948

The Rev. and Mrs. Walter Strickert of Chillicothe were weekend guests at home of his parents, the Rev. and Mrs. H.J. Strickert, at Tilsit; family is transferring to Sedalia, where he has accepted call to St. Paul Lutheran Church; after graduating from theological school, young Rev. Strickert was in Texas for a time; he has been in Chillicothe for four years.

Joe Howard, driver of Jackson Cab Co., owned by Elmer Wolters, returned Monday from Osceola, Ark., having been forced to drive there Sunday night at point of gun; gunman called cab to Cape Girardeau, stating it was trip to Chaffee, and near Blomeyer stuck gun against Howard's back, telling him to drive to Memphis, Tenn.; Howard complied, but passing through Arkansas, bandit fell asleep; cab driver stopped car near police officer, who handcuffed gunman while he slept.

Four members of County Board of Education, organized in August for redistricting county rural schools, went to Marble Hill Tuesday to attend area meeting; those going from Cape Girardeau County were Prof. A.C. Magill, J.C. Hoffmeister, Lawrence Kuehle, Edwin W. Sander, John Haupt, Delos Seabaugh and Hobart Kight.

Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Fluegge, Mrs. A.J. Rose and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bodenstein have returned to Jackson after spending three weeks touring West; party traveled 6,000 miles; Mr. and Mrs. Fluegge sold their farm south of Jackson in July and moved to Jackson, where they are occupying house owned by Mrs. Puchbauer.

Cornerstone laying of Zion Lutheran School and parish hall at Pocahontas is scheduled for Sunday afternoon; the Rev. Walter Keisker, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, will deliver main address; new building will replace old school and hall.

Charles A. Penzel will go to St. Louis Monday to begin his new work as salesman for Champion Spark Plug Co.

Shirley Sievers, sixth grade pupil at St. Paul Lutheran School, sustained broken arm in two places in fall from her seat in school room; she is daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter B. Sievers.

Workers in charge of constructing Jackson Exchange Bank have been halted for 10-day period because of shortage of materials, chiefly cement; building has reached stage of pouring concrete floor, as basement walls have been completed and steel placed for floor.

75 years ago: 1923

Chief of police has announced names of extra police officers to be sworn in for extra duty next week to handle Homecomers crowds and look after peace and safety of visitors; those who will thus temporarily be clothed with authority are Grant Sutton, Pearl B. Adams, Charles Webb, and, if needed, Luther Spradling.

One crop is total failure in Cape Girardeau County this year and that is honey crop; not even most efficient apiarists have any honey surplus which they can sell; fall flow may become good yet during balmy days that sometimes occur in October, but honey gathered in fall is always inferior to that gathered from white clover in June and July; various reasons for dearth of honey crop have been given, chief among them being excessive rains during height of season.

Conrad Schade has moved into fine new home he had built at First West and Cherry streets; it adds much to that part of town, as it is large, modern building.

Although official opening of Homecomers hasn't taken place as yet, Jackson is full of strangers; D.D. Murphy's shows arrived via Iron Mountain Railroad Sunday night and are being placed in streets around public square; concession people have begun construction of their stands; visitors began arriving last week and many families in city and vicinity have house guests.

Mrs. Lena Boss, one of Jackson's best known residents, died Sept. 24 at hospital in Cape Girardeau at age 76; she was born in Braunschweig, Germany, Aug. 9, 1847, daughter of Fred and Anna Behrens; she came to America with her parents in 1851; in 1863 she married Henry Boss and they settled in Jackson in 1877; three children were born to them: A.A. Boss, Mrs. Lulu Helmkampf, and Mrs. Emma McCombs, all of Jackson.