Out of the past 8/11/02

10 years ago: Aug. 11, 1992

Scott City - Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is one step closer to securing new tenant that could increase shipping volume tenfold at port; Ed Case, regional manager and corporate vice president for Consolidated Grain and Barge Co., yesterday presented $41,000 check to port authority for lease of 20 acres of land;.

Jackson - Cape Girardeau County will contribute $150,000 over three years to economic and industrial development group; Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep says county is one of six entities that will contribute to group's $150,000 annual budget.

25 years ago: Aug. 11, 1977

Trek begins this week as trickle, then will escalate to full flood Aug. 20 to 22 as Southeast Missouri State University students begin their fall migration back to campus for start of new academic year; university officials are predicting largest student enrollment in 104-year-old institution's history; number is expected to approach 8,400.

Taking page from President Jimmy Carter's notebook on energy conservation, Missouri Utilities Co. announces loan program to help customers insulate their homes; under program, customers will be able to borrow up to $750 to install insulation.

50 years ago: Aug. 11, 1952

A 5.19-inch cloudburst, accompanied by violent electrical storm, deluges Cape Girardeau in evening, causing damage to business and residential property that may run into thousands of dollars; striking in full fury at 8 p.m., rain continues for nearly three hours.

One bus passenger is believed to have drowned, another is injured, and 18 others are marooned for three hours when flash flood sweeps big Greyhound bus off Highway 61 one-half mile south of Ancell in evening; flood is at normally quiet Ramsey Creek, which crosses highway south of Cotton Belt Railroad viaduct; water covers pavement distance of about 300 feet.

75 years ago: Aug. 11, 1927

Wilhelmina Vieh of Teachers College faculty is spending few days in Cape Girardeau this week, before going to Webster Groves, where she will visit relatives for about a month; Vieh, who teaches public school music at college, has been granted leave of absence for one year, so she may continue her studies at Columbia University in New York City.

Caruthersville - Number of complaints as to red spider damage to cotton in Southeast Missouri are reaching county extension agent; damage from this source isn't new to this territory; red spiders are doing considerable damage in Pemiscot County.

- Sharon K. Sanders