Out of the past 3/4/02

10 years ago: March 4, 1992

Public next month can have its first look at Cape Girardeau's mail processing facility; April 5 has been set for open house at new facility, situated at Cape West Business Park; when center opened in November, it sorted all incoming and outgoing mail for two zip codes - Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.

Bernie Police Chief Arthur "Sug" Lee has been elected sheriff of Stoddard County, defeating Steve Fish, former deputy with sheriff's department and current Dexter police chief.

25 years ago: March 4, 1977

Marble Hill - Bollinger County Court refuses again to pay salaries of three sheriff's deputies and says it will file suit in dispute with funds partially contributed by citizens of county; suit will be brought against county sheriff and two circuit judges who ordered hiring of deputies.

It became clear yesterday that measures Southeast Missouri State University might take to solve its growing parking problem will be costly and possibly controversial; summation comes before actual internal and public debate of recommendations drawn up by Chicago consulting firm.

50 years ago: March 4, 1952

Last minute candidates, seeking to file petitions before Friday's deadline, have flocked to city clerk's office for required forms and are busily rounding up signers so as to enter race for commissioners; latest hopefuls are J.C. Wylie, J.W. "Brownie" McBride, Harry Borger, "Peg" Eakers, J.C. Cole and James A. Jackson.

Annual April school election will be held independently of city balloting and will be conducted in public school buildings April 1 under resolution adopted by school board last night.

75 years ago: March 4, 1927

Dr. Elmo P. Porterfield, 52, formerly a physician of Cape Girardeau, but who has been on surgical staff of St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis for many years, died at Legion, Texas, yesterday; he had been in poor health for several years, following attack of influenza suffered during World War.

Marquette Cement Manufacturing Co. plant has been closed since Tuesday for annual repairs to its machinery; it will resume operations tomorrow; while plant was down only four days, it lost in average production about 70,000 bag of cement.

-- Sharon K. Sanders