Out of the past: Oct. 13

1995

The Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee is scheduled to decide next week whether to grant a request from Saint Francis Medical Center to purchase a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system; hospital officials have applied for a certificate of need to spend $1.65 million to replace the existing MRI unit; the lease on the current unit has expired.

A morning arrest leads to what authorities say might be the biggest drug seizure ever in Jackson; a 39-year-old man is arrested at 1:19 a.m. when 11 officers with Jackson police, Cape Girardeau County Tactical Narcotics Team and the SEMO Drug Task Force serve a search warrant at his home; officials announce at a press conference that more than $61,000 in cash, almost 7 pounds of marijuana and 4 ounces of cocaine and methamphetamine were recovered at the home.

1970

Cape Girardeau County's request for federal assistance in law enforcement funds, hanging since last spring, has been approved; Cape County had requested federal matching funds on purchases totaling about $9,500 for this year; the federal share is 60%; major items include the purchase of two sheriff's department cars and radio equipment.

A former director of the South Cape Community Progress Center has been selected to return to the post recently vacated by Bobby Williams; the center's board of directors names Mrs. Louis Wren of Cape Girardeau as director; she held that position in 1969, prior to Williams' selection.

1945

A lively debate on the ultimate fate of Japan by two Far East authorities closed the one-day convention of the Southeast Missouri Teachers Association last night at State College; the debate was between James R. Young and John Goette, both for years news correspondents in China and Japan.

So gradual that it has gone almost unnoticed by residents who have remained here during war years, a general deterioration of the physical aspects of the city is apparent to Cape Girardeau servicemen upon their return; when a veteran walks down a Cape Girardeau street, he sees houses that need painting, brickwork in need of repairs and roofs that need new shingles; it's been five years since the first of lengthy war restrictions went into effect, gradually halting remodeling and construction activity.

1920

A Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) was organized last night when a number of young businessmen of Cape Girardeau met in the Chamber of Commerce rooms; 54 enrolled as members, with E.W. Boyer acting as temporary chairman; S.P. Dalton, Kenrick Burrough and Russell Dearmont, three young attorneys, were appointed to a committee to draft a constitution and bylaws.

The first social event for the recently organized Commercial Club of Teachers College will be held this evening in Academic Hall, under the undignified name of a "backward party"; everything possible will be done backwards; young men will appear as if they are coming backward when they walk in, with their clothing on backwards; girl members will present an equally odd spectacle with their wearing apparel on "hind-side-foremost."

-- Sharon K. Sanders