10 years ago: March 10, 1992

Cape Girardeau residents likely will see increased fees for city services and programs over next few months; city administrative staff told city council last night that fee increases are needed to make such programs more self-sufficient and less reliant on subsidies from city's general tax funds.

Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority now has barge fleeting service at its port, located on Mississippi River five miles southeast of Cape Girardeau; fleet is being operated under agreement with Cape Girardeau Fleeting, Inc. of Cape Girardeau; under agreement, port authority will maintain its own barge fleet inside port's slackwater harbor, and Cape Fleeting will provide tug service to move loaded or empty barges in and out of fleet as needed.

25 years ago: March 10, 1977

City council, which to a man is opposed to throwing out city manager form of government, has nevertheless waived legal requirements which would invalidate citizens' petition in order to bring question to vote.

Teachers should be allowed to learn from child what he is interested in, and then be given freedom to let that youngster pursue his interest, says Orson Bean, keynote speaker at First General Session of 101st Teachers Missouri District Teachers Meeting; Bean, actor and television personality, address about 5,000 educators.

50 years ago: March 10, 1952

Patrolman Harvey E. Smith announces his resignation from police force; he says he intends to devote full time to his campaign for office of city commissioner; Smith says some people had criticized him for continuing on police force while running for commissioner; if elected, he hopes to be named police commissioner.

Rain totaling 2.53 inches had fallen in Cape Girardeau up to 1 this afternoon, flooding small creeks and ditches; downpour, starting after midnight, follows near spring-like Sunday, when temperatures reached 68 degrees.

75 years ago: March 10, 1927

Petitions protesting installation of storm water sewer system in downtown district are being circulated in Cape Girardeau; claiming that "taxes are now high enough" and that property within proposed district is "taxed to the extreme," petitions state that a sewer isn't necessary nor is it wanted at this time.

City Commissioner Al F. Meystedt says he will continue his campaign against "short-weight" coal dealers and that, hereafter, prosecution in city court will follow any discrepancies in weight discovered; last week he halted three trucks operating here.

- Sharon K. Sanders