Southeast missourian anniversary section

W W W. S E M I S S O U R I A N . CO M

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 26, 2014

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

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his month the Southeast Missourian celebrated its 110th anniversary. We would like to thank our readers for

their loyalty, our advertisers for their support and our employees for their dedication. It’s been an amazing ride, and there is no end in sight. We appreciate everyone who has joined us on the journey.

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

FIRST EDITION The first edition of The Southeast Missourian went by a different name, the Daily Republican, on Oct. 3, 1904. The first edition had a half-page ad from Flentge & Company on the cover that advertised “the largest stock of dry goods, clothing, cloaks, winter wraps, boots and shoes.”

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he Southeast Missourian began publishing on Oct. 4, 1904. Delivery has always been a big part of the operation, though methods have changed over the years. This photo taken by staff photographer G.D. Fronabarger, and published on Sept. 1, 1939, shows Charles Riemann, 17, standing bestride his bicycle. In those

days, the Southeast Missourian was an afternoon newspaper, but the newspaper in Riemann’s hands was an extra edition, meaning the Missourian’s carrier boys had to roll out of bed early to bring the breaking news to the region.

CO-PRESIDENTS

Innovation key to newspaper’s 110 years

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ot many businesses celebrate their centennial anniversary. Fewer make it to 110 years. At the Southeast Missourian, not only is the business thriving in a quickly changing technology landscape, and as it celebrates a 110-year milestone, it continues to grow in new ways. Of course, that might be one of the reasons for its longevity.

The Southeast Missourian and its parent company, Rust Communications, aren’t afraid to experiment.

The following is a Q-and-A with publisher of the Southeast Missourian and co-president of Rust Communications Jon K. Rust and his brother, co-president Rex Rust. Rust Communications is a second-generation media company with more than 50 newspapers in eight states, dozens of niche magazines and websites, and minority ownership Jon K. Rust in 17 radio stations.

The Southeast Missourian in Cape Girardeau is its flagship daily and home to its corporate headquarters.

Q: Why has the Southeast Missourian prospered for more than 100 years?

Jon K. Rust: The easy answer is that the core product fulfills a need in the market. People want to be connected to their community via news and advertising. [We also benefit from having] a great place to live, a culture of innovation and principled leadership, and a history of truly talented people wanting to be part of the mission.

Rex Rust: Without question, the people make the difference. We are so appreciative of those who have built this company, and who work every day to make it better.

Jon K. Rust: One of my favorite nights of the year is an annual dinner we host for those who worked with the company for 25 years or more. We call this group Club 25, and once an employee reaches the quarter-century mark at the Missourian, they’re in that club for life, even if they retire or move to another company. At the Club 25 dinner, we share stories and catch up with what’s going on in each other’s lives. There’s a lot of laughter, and a tremendous atmosphere of affection. These are some of the people who helped build the company, who perpetuated the proud legacy that those before them founded.

Rex Rust

Q: The Southeast Missourian dropped one of its publication days in 2009, going from a seven-day daily to six days. Is that one of the steps you took because of the economy?

Rex Rust: Yes. With the economy hammering us on the revenue side, and with input costs like paper, ink and gas rising, we needed to address some of our controllable costs.

Jon K. Rust: That step also recognizes a change in the technology landscape. Although we dropped a day, we’ve actually been adding to the amount of news coverage the Southeast Missourian provides.

Instead of being on a daily cycle, though, thanks to the Internet and mobile devices, we distribute content 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rarely does an hour go by when our digital products aren’t updated in some capacity.

Rex Rust: And more people are reading the Southeast Missourian today than ever before, thanks to our digital products.

Q: So, what’s the future? Will we see the Southeast Missourian dropping more days and eventually going digital-only?

Jon K. Rust: Not anytime soon.

The print distribution is too important to our advertisers, and tens of thousands of our readers still prefer the print edition. The print edition also gives us a tremendous competitive advantage over pureplay digital companies. Digital-only promotion simply doesn’t attain anywhere near the same local impact.

Q: Digital is important to the future of the Southeast Missourian, but it’s only part of the strategy. Is that what you’re saying?

Rex Rust: Yes, that’s correct. But it is a vital part of our future. We continue to enhance the ways we can solve problems for our clients through new digital platforms.

Some of those platforms and the audiences on them, like semissourian.com, semoball.com, “today’s deal,” and the list goes on, we own.

Other platforms, like Facebook, Pinterest and Google, we don’t own.

But we can help our clients take advantage of them for marketing purposes through our sister

company rustmedia, which is led by our brother Gary. Rustmedia also builds websites, optimizes existing websites for mobile, creates and manages social media campaigns, and more. This part of our business is growing faster than some of our traditional offerings, so it’s very important to us.

Q: But because of technology and the Internet, aren’t you competing against companies from all around the country, even the world, in providing such services?

Rex Rust: Yes, which means we really have to be good at what we do. But we do have a distinct advantage: We’re trusted in the market. We’ve taken care of advertisers and readers here for decades.

People know our values and that we consistently produce high-quality products.

Jon K. Rust: That history gives us a bit of a brand halo as we enter into new, related businesses.

Clients know we’re not a flash in the pan. They know we’ll be here next month and next year. Unlike many national startup companies out there seeking to take advantage of folks, they know we won’t try to steal a quick buck from them, because we’re part of the community.

We go to church here. Our employees live here. They know where to find us. We’re into partnerships for the long-term.

Q: Is everything you do successful?

Jon K. Rust: (Laughing) We wish. Actually, we fail with new ideas quite often. That’s part of the price of constantly trying to

innovate, though. And if we weren’t ... learning from those failings, we wouldn’t be as bullish about the future. But we always take care of our customers and make things right if they’ve taken a risk with us on a new project and it doesn’t work.

Q: So would you say that’s one of the reasons the Southeast Missourian has been around for 110 years, that there’s been a spirit of innovation here?

Rex Rust: Absolutely.

Jon K. Rust: You look back on George and Fred Naeter, who founded the Southeast Missourian in 1904. They were visionary in what they did, and how they embraced new technology. Same with our dad Gary Rust and longtime publisher Wally Lage. These are men who weren’t afraid to try new things. They had courage, high standards and a real commitment to the community.

Q: Ten years ago when the Southeast Missourian celebrated its 100th anniversary, you were confident that the newspaper would be around to celebrate its 200th anniversary. Still think that?

Rex Rust: The Southeast Missourian might not look exactly like it does today, but in some format, yes, it will be here and it will be thriving.

Jon K. Rust: The secret is the people. We have some inspiringly talented people who are on the team, and doing neat things every day. It’s also a great town and a great part of the country to live.

As this area continues to grow, so will the Southeast Missourian.

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Congratulations Southeast Missourian on 110 Years

GEnERaTIOn afTER GEnERaTIOn

You have made our window part of your holiday traditions…

Commerce Bank congratulates The Southeast Missourian for celebrating 110 years in business. This milestone reinforces that some of the best and brightest in Missouri businesses are here in Cape Girardeau County, continuing to make this a better place to work and live. We salute The Southeast Missourian and all of its employees. This achievement is yet another reason to take pride in Cape Girardeau – its history and its future.

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Celebrating the Partnership of News & Science Innovating new technology has been the key component of our

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Carnell’s Garage & Wrecker Serv., Inc. is a family owned business that was started in 1964 by Clarence and Evelyn Carnell.

To celebrate our

50

th

Anniversary

In 1998 we expanded the business to include a body shop and in 2000 a custom built paint booth was installed.

Our business has been at the same location since 1989

We currently have 3 heavy duty wreckers, one medium duty wrecker and one rollback. We tow and work on trucks and cars of all sizes.

We recently purchased a brand new 2015 heavy duty 50-ton wrecker. This is the biggest wrecker we have ever owned. We have over 60 years of combined experience in the towing industry.

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

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NEW PRESIDENT Some of the more eye-catching front pages in the Southeast Missourian’s past involve presidential elections. Such was the case in this edition, published on Nov. 11, 1936.

Big, blocky headlines by that time were the norm for breaking news stories. This cover was an “extra edition,” meaning it was delivered in the morning in addition to the afternoon.

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.D. Fronabarger, Missourian photographer, took this photograph of an unidentified woman in the aftermath of the May 21, 1949, tornado that struck Cape Girardeau. The following morning, in a Missourian extra edition, it was reported that 15 persons had been killed and 112 were injured. Those

numbers grew to 22 killed, 72 taken to the hospital and hundreds more who were injured but did not seek medical aid. Two hundred and two houses were leveled; 321 others damaged; 19 businesses were destroyed, and 14 others damaged. For days afterward, the Missourian chronicled the cleanup and recovery efforts of the town.

Photographers and reporters have chronicled many a tornado since, but none as deadly as the ‘49 twister.

NEWS STORIES FROM 1904-1923 1904

John Osborn, a veteran of the Civil War, literally “drummed up business,” walking or standing on Cape streets and playing his drum, while advertising some event, such as a sale or (as in this case) a baseball game. He died in 1920.

n The Naeter brothers resurrected a failed newspaper, The Daily Republican

1905

n Girardeans were jolted awake by a strong earthquake that cracked chimneys and walls in older buildings. n Jefferson School opened.

1906

n Twenty-four-hour electrical service was initiated in Cape Girardeau, thanks to the innovation of The Daily Republican. n Little River Drainage District was established. n Academic Hall was completed by contractor Edward F. Regenhardt.

1907

n Centenary Methodist Church congregation began construction of a new church edifice at the northeast corner of Ellis and Bellevue streets.

1908

n The city purchased a chemical wagon and a team of two horses for the fire department. n Cape Girardeau Countians celebrated the dedication of their new courthouse at Jackson at the first ever Homecomers.

1909

nPresident William Howard Taft, on an inspection tour of the Mississippi River, arrived in Cape Girardeau with a flotilla of 17 steamboats. n A new municipal building was

constructed at the northeast corner of Frederick and Independent streets, housing the fire department, police department and police court.

1910

n The new federal building and post office at the southeast corner of Broadway and Fountain was dedicated.

1911

n The Sisters of St. Francis purchased land at Good Hope and Pacific streets from Joe Haas for construction of a new hospital.

1914

n Cape Girardeau’s public library was established. n The new Saint Francis Hospital was dedicated.

1915

n The Women’s Relief Corps of the Grand Army of the Republic erected a fountain topped by the statue of a Civil War soldier at Common Pleas Courthouse Park. n The first concrete street-paving was done in Cape Girardeau, on Independence between Spanish and Frederick streets.

n Capt. George E. Alt, a resident of Cape Girardeau for many years, became the first Girardean to die in World War I. n Girardeans voted a bond issue which provided funds to purchase the fairgrounds (now Capaha Park). n Central High School (later named Schultz School) opened its doors.

1912

1916

n Lorimier School graduated its first high school class, consisting of one boy and three girls.

1913

n The first automobile funeral was held in Cape Girardeau. n Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance was formed. n Fire destroyed the Riverview

Hotel, the Terminal Hotel and the Houck building, which housed Buckner-Ragsdale store.

1917

n Police officer Albert Demortiers was slain. n Answering Uncle Sam’s call, the members of Dr. C.E. Schuchert’s band enlisted en masse in the Army, becoming the official band of the Sixth Missouri Regiment.

1918

n Cape Girardeau changed its form of government from aldermanic to commission. n Harry Naeter, who with brothers George and Fred Naeter operated The Daily Republican newspaper, died Feb. 22. n The Daily Republican changed its name to The Southeast Missourian. n Spanish influenza made its appearance in Cape Girardeau in October and didn’t leave until December, with the health officer recording 1,428 cases of the dreaded disease.

1919 n Through the efforts of the Commercial Club, the Cape Rock Park Association was formed to purchase St. Vincent’s College property near Cape Rock.

1920

n Cape Girardeau Commercial Club changed its name to the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. n Construction began for May Greene School and an addition to Central High School on Pacific Street.

1921

n Willis Martin, the Good Hope Street night policeman, was shot to death in the rear of Segal Shoe Store. He apparently interrupted a burglary in progress. n Joseph A. Serena became the president of Southeast Missouri State Teachers College, succeeding Dr. Washington S. Dearmont. n May Greene School was dedicated.

1922

n Police chief Jeff Hutson was killed by an escaped convict. n Reorganized following the First World War, the old Sixth Missouri Infantry became the 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard. n A charter was granted the new Lions Club, composed of 26 men.

1923 In 1979, Trinity Lutheran Church, located at Frederick and Themis, was demolished.

n Responding to public pressure, the county court constructed a new County Home building on the Cape Girardeau County poor farm, located on Highway 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

Sunday Oc. 26 Anniversary Section A Page 6 & 7

CMYK

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Photo by Bric Rothenberger

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

WAR COVERAGE With a huge headline, and a photo of Adolf Hitler, nearly the entire front page in this extra edition published Sept. 1, 1939, was dedicated to stories of the dawn of World War II. Two subheads brought news of German planes bombing towns and Hitler’s plans to invade Poland.

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his photo, published Sept. 7, 1954, illustrates the first day of school integration in Cape Girardeau.

Brown v. Topeka Board of Education had been decided in May 1954, declaring that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The announcement made front-page headlines in the spring and sum-

mer, when the ruling actually took effect, but when the first day of school arrived there was little coverage other than this photo. Much has changed in the social and educational landscape. The Southeast Missourian today covers public school data that tracks how well demographics, including black students, are performing.

1924-1943 1924

into the big car barns in the 600 block of North Main St.

n A new steamer was christened The Cape Girardeau at the riverfront here, before a crowd of 5,000. n Miss-Cape-Scott Area Boy Scout Council was chartered.

1935

n Old Lorimier School, the first public school built in the city, was razed.

1925

1936

n Louis Houck -- railroad builder, historian, lawyer, newspaperman, entrepreneur -- died Feb. 17 at age 84. n The Missourian moved into its new newspaper building.

n The local chapter of the Knights of Columbus built and dedicated a new club house in the 300 block of South Spanish.

1937

1926

n As a tribute to Louis Houck, longtime supporter and former regent of the Teachers College, the new athletic field being built in an abandoned quarry was named Houck Field. n Preparations began for the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi River on Morgan Oak Street.

1927

n Employees of practically every industry in town donated one day’s wages to a fund to guarantee the right of way for construction of a Missouri-Pacific railway between Cape Girardeau and Ancell. n The Mississippi River crested April 20 at 40.4 feet, the highest since 1844. Flood refugees from throughout the area were brought to Cape Girardeau.

1928

n The traffic bridge across the Mississippi River was dedicated. n Marquette Hotel, at the northeast corner of Broadway and Fountain, opened its doors. n Completing work that began the year previous, Southeast Missouri Hospital was dedicated.

Women arriving late at the dedication of Interstate 55 in August of 1972 were obliged to walk as far as a mile and a half along the just-completed interstate near Perryville, Missouri. (Missourian archive photo by Gordon McBride)

1929 n Tribute was paid to May Greene for her 50 years of service as a teacher in Cape Girardeau.

1930

n An ice storm in Cape Girardeau on Jan. 9, broke telephone lines and disrupted communications and transportation. On Jan. 16, a blizzard hit, and the mercury fell to 12 degrees below zero. n In a record-breaking turnout for a municipal election, three candidates tied in the mayoral race, while 11 tied for two commissioners’ posts.

1931

n Cape Girardeau County’s first farm-to-market road – between Dutchtown and Whitewater, received its final inspection. n Cape Girardeau United Daughters of the Confederacy unveiled a monument to the memory of Southeast Missouri solders who

served the Southern cause in the Civil War. The monument was erected just west of the traffic bridge.

1932

n St. Louis leather-manufacturer Denver Wright staged the area’s first lion hunt on an island in the Mississippi River near Commerce.

The hunt ended prematurely, when a Scott County law enforcement officer and another man executed the former circus lions before Wright could track the animals down. n A new water plant was constructed and put into use at Cape Rock Drive.

n The Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Public Works Administration (PWA) put hundreds of men and women to work as new streets, parks and a new school -- New Lorimier -- were constructed. n Using detailed plans supplied by the War Department, the site of former Civil War Fort D was restored. n Voters approved the issuance of $55,000 in municipal bonds to purchase land and develop Arena Park.

1938

n A special election approved a proposal to furnish a site in Common Pleas Courthouse Park for a new federal building. n Cape Transit Corp. buses were put into operation. n Sailor Lloyd Dale Clippard became the first Girardean to lose his life in World War II. He was killed in the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7. Another sailor killed from the county was Noble B. Harris of Fruitland.

1942

n A fire in December destroyed a hangar, 24 airplanes and other equipment at Consolidated School of Aviation on Highway 74..

1943

n Through the purchase of war bonds, Cape Girardeau residents paid for two big four-motor Flying Fortresses, two pursuit or fighter planes, and a Liberty ship.

1939

n Succeeding Dr. Joseph A. Serena, Dr. Walter W. Parker became president of Southeast Missouri State Teachers College.

1934

1940

n The last street car was driven

1941

n An autumn tradition was founded, when The Missourian initiated its annual art exhibition. n Sadie Kent’s long-held dream came true with the completion of a new library for the Teachers College. The facility was named Kent Library in 1943. n More than 1,000 Southeast Missouri sharecroppers, protesting an unfair farming system, moved to the roadsides of highways 60 and 61 in Scott, New Madrid, Mississippi and Pemiscot counties.

1933

was used for the first time. n After a lapse of 11 years, the county fair opened at Arena Park.

n The WPA-built Arena Building

Sen. Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, wave from the back of a convertible. Sen. Nixon brought his vice-presidential campaign to Cape Girardeau on Oct. 21, 1952.

(Photo by G.D. Fronabarger, Southeast Missourian)

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Congratulations Southeast Missourian on your 110th Anniversary!

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Old Lorimier School

Lincoln - John S. Cobb School

L. J. Schultz School

Caruthers

Education Partnership Enhances Community Success Since Our Humble Beginnings in 1867 In the basement of the Presbyterian Church We have educated countless thousands of students.

Congratulations to the Southeast Missourian, Our Towns’ Fellow Educator, On Your 110th Anniversary!

Celebrating...

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D-DAY ARRIVES The D-Day newspaper published as an extra edition on June 6, 1944. The layout, with a huge one-word headline “INVASION!” captured the magnitude of the U.S. attack. A map drew readers into one of the most important military events in modern history.

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ports coverage has long been a staple at the Southeast Missourian. The newspaper has had the privilege to cover many great sports teams, players and coaches. In this photo published on Nov. 7, 1955, two State College (now known as Southeast Missouri State University) coaches are being carried off the field at

Houck Stadium, including coach Ken Knox, left, and his assistant Ralph Harrison. It was their final home game of the season.

1944-1963 1944

High School on Caruthers Avenue.

1954

n The St. Louis Browns, who conducted spring training in Cape Girardeau, won the American League pennant, before losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.

n Cape Girardeau Catholic High School, later renamed Notre Dame High School, was formally dedicated by Bishop Joseph E. Ritter, archbishop of St. Louis. n Cape Girardeau’s public schools were integrated for the first time. n Bonnie Huffman, a Delta schoolteacher, was murdered. n The city council approved the fluoridation of the town’s drinking water.

1945

n Cape Girardeau participated in a mandatory “brownout” ordered by the War Production Board. The order, applied to every town in the country, was designed to save coal. nAug. 14 brought an end to World War II and prompted spontaneous celebrations in the city. The following day, a special parade and program was attended by about 15,000 people.

1955

1946

Comedian Bob Hope drove a golf ball toward the northwest from the roof of the Show Me Center in August 1987 prior to his performance.

Observing his style were David Ross, left, center director; Jim Doyle, events coordinator, and Cord Dombrowski, a member of the board of regents.

1947

damaged. n City workers razed the 38-yearold grandstand in Capaha Park, paving the way for a modern facility to be erected by the Kiwanis Club. n Martin Morrison was selected to a jury, the first black person to do so in the federal court here.

n Southeast Missouri State Teachers College became Southeast Missouri State College. n Cape Special Road District purchased the traffic bridge over the Mississippi River, paying $2.37 million. n In a special election, Cape Girardeau voters approved the issuance of $115,000 in bonds for the development of Harris Field into a municipal airport.

1948

n Houck Field House burned the morning of Feb. 17, the anniversary of the death of Louis Houck, the building’s namesake.

1949

n A tornado struck Cape Girardeau on May 21, killing 22 people, sending 72 more to the hospital and injuring hundreds more to a lesser degree.

Two hundred and two houses were leveled, 231 others damaged, 19 businesses destroyed and 14 others

1950

n The worst ice storm in 23 years struck Southeast Missouri on Jan. 30, paralyzing the district before the thaw came Feb. 3. n The United States’ intervention in the Korean War started in June, and by the end of the year four Cape Girardeau County men had been killed in action: Richard Wilson, Bill Monroe, John A. Lynch and William E. Woods.

1951

n Liquor began to flow again in Cape Girardeau, legalized by the town’s population growth past 20,000. Nine places were licensed for liquor-by-the-drink sales.

n The new Houck Physical Education Building was put into use for the first time. n Fire Station No. 2, in the 1600 block of Independence Street, went into operation.

1952

n Basketball fever enveloped Cape Girardeau when Puxico’s unbeaten Indians won over Shelbyville High Pirates to take the state Class B hoop championship for the second year in a row.

1953

nTriumph and tragedy were mixed for supporters and pupils of John S. Cobb School. On March 14, the school’s basketball team won the championship of the Negro state basketball tournament. Three days later, the hard-won trophy fell victim to a fire that swept through the school at 731 Merriwether St., leaving only the gymnasium wing untouched. nClasses began in the new Central

n Three years of construction ended with the formal dedication Oct. 23 of Red Star Baptist Church.

1956

n Cape Girardeau celebrated its 150th birthday. n Missourian co-founder George Naeter died on Nov. 10.

1957

n The toll for traffic bridge over the Mississippi River was lifted in elaborate ceremonies on June 29. n Dr. Mark F. Scully became the president of the State College, succeeding W.W. Parker. n Cape Girardeau took over ownership of Common Pleas Courthouse and park. In return, the federal government received ownership of the post office property at Broadway and Fountain. n The residents of Cape Girardeau County gave the state a 3,000-acre tract north of Cape Girardeau, which was developed as the Trail of Tears State Park. nConstruction began on the floodwall. n Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, spoke at the closing session of the Southeast Missouri Teachers Association’s 83rd annual meeting.

1958 n A 10-month lease for use of Common Pleas Courthouse was signed by the city and county, marking the first time that the county, which occupied more than half of the historic building, had paid a rental fee.

1959

n The Cape Girardeau Police Department moved into the former Grace United Methodist Church building at Sprigg and Independence streets.

1960

n Doyle’s Hat Shoppe, founded in 1859, closed.

1961

n The Clyde Vandivort family formally presented the Bollinger Mill at Burfordville, Mo., to the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society for preservation and development. n Police officers Donald Crittendon and Herbert Goss were killed in a gun battle with two fugitives on U.S. 61, not far from the entrance to Arena Park.

1962

n Former President Harry S. Truman made his last official visit to Cape Girardeau in October, when he was keynote speaker at the 10th Congressional District Democratic rally at the Arena Building.

1963

n Black residents presented the city council with a civil rights petition, asking for better employment opportunities, representation on the police department, and desegregation of public facilities, such as bus and train depots. n Kingshighway through Cape Girardeau was widened to four lanes.

Southeast Missourian

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

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CongratulationS

SoutheaSt MiSSourian For

110 yearS

oF Quality reporting

We are proud to partner with the

Southeast Missourian

to continue in printing a top notch newspaper for many many years to come.

TM

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Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

TORNADO OF ‘49 It was the deadliest weather disaster in Cape Girardeau’s history. The main headline read: “15 die in Cape tornado”. The front page included a list of the injured in the Cape Girardeau storm as well as a list of those confirmed dead. The extra edition was published the morning of Sunday, May 22. In the coming days, 22 would be confirmed dead from the tornado.

S

outheast Missourian carrier boy David Boren found himself in a hostage situation on a fall day in 1966.

Southeast Missourian photographer Ken Steinhoff captured the intense moment when Phillip O. Clark emerged from his residence at 530 N. Sprigg with a gun. It was a night and morning of terror. One elder-

ly woman, Zora Clifton, 71, was found dead inside the house, and two others had escaped. Two reporters, Don Gordon and Dan Whittle, shared a byline on the story, getting comments from some of the victims who survived the hostage situation. One of the reporters went to the police station where Clark was processed. Clark told the reporter not to write “anything about this. It would be bad for my reputation.”

1974-1983 1974 n The independent truckers’ strike moved into Cape Girardeau. Forty truckers shut down their rigs in front of fuel pumps at Rhodes City Truck Plaza on Nash Road to protest high fuel prices. n Dr. Robert E. Leestamper was named the 11th president of the 101-year-old Southeast Missouri State University, succeeding Dr. Mark F. Scully.

Former Scott County Central standout Otto Porter Jr. was drafted as the No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft by the Washington Wizards, becoming one of the most successful athletes to ever come out of Southeast Missouri. In the early 1980s, the Southeast Missourian covered Porter’s n The city council agreed to purfather, Otto Porter Sr., who went on to score more than 1,000 points for Southeast Missouri State University. This photo, taken by current chase closed Lorimier School from photo editor Laura Simon and inspired by an old Michael Jordan poster, was taken in 2011 when Porter was named Southeast Missourian the board of education for $200,000, player of the year in basketball.

1975

with plans to offer the building to the Public Library board of trustees as the site for a new library.

1976

n Jackson petitioned for annexation of a total of 1,525 acres of land eastward along Highway 61 to Interstate 55 to include part of the industrial land Cape Girardeau had taken steps to annex. n The Cape Girardeau Police Department moved from the former Grace United Methodist Church building to its new headquarters at the northeast corner of Sprigg and Merriwether Streets. n The new $17 million Saint Francis Medical Center was dedicated. n Broadway was made a one-way street, eastbound -- from Main to Pacific streets -- in an effort to cut down on accidents and improve traffic flow.

1977

nTwo-way traffic was restored to the section of Broadway from Main to Lorimier streets, but it

remained one-way from Lorimier to Pacific streets. n Mrs. Mary Parsh and her daughter, Brenda Parsh, were found bound and shot in the family home on Koch Avenue. n Historic Old St. Vincent’s Catholic Church won a reprieve from the wrecking ball. It was designated a Chapel of Ease and placed under the jurisdiction of St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish.

1978

n Trinity Lutheran Church, deemed unsafe, was torn down. n City employees moved their offices from historic Common Pleas Courthouse to the new city hall, formerly Lorimier School. n The first Riverfest was held in downtown Cape Girardeau.

1979

n Approximately 120 city employees, including all of the Cape Girardeau firefighters and members of the Public Works Department,

walked from Cape Girardeau to Jackson along Highway 61 in defiance of a back-to-work order issued by Circuit Court Judge Stanley A. Grimm. n St. Vincent’s College on Morgan Oak Street closed its doors. n A blizzard brought a record twofoot showfall, blown into 10-foot drifts, to Cape Girardeau and the vicinity. n Rep. Bill D. Burlison spoke at the dedication of the new Cape Girardeau County Jail in Jackson. n Police determined that the death of Deborah Martin in her Mother Earth plant store on Broadway was a homicide.

1980

n Dr. Harold O. Grauel placed the first book -- a Bible -- on a shelf of the new Cape Girardeau Public Library. n Dr. Bill W. Stacy was named permanent president of Southeast Missouri State University. n New city- and school-owned

swimming pool at Central High School was opened.

1981

n The body of Margaret Smith was found Feb. 24 off Highway 177. A 16-year-old boy was charged with the murder. n Cape Girardeau Fire Department moved into its new facility at Sprigg and Independence streets. n The old fire station at Independence and Frederick streets became the home of the Cape River Heritage Museum. n Cape Girardeau voters said yes to a charter government.

1982

nMrs. Margie Call was found murdered in her home on Brink Avenue. n The Reynolds House on North Main was donated to the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau. n Seven-year-old Dejan Kocevski was found locked in the basement

of his burning home. n Brian Andrew Abbott was convicted of the murder of Margaret Smith. n The slain body of Mildred Wallace was found in her home on William Street.

1983

n Traffic once more flowed in both directions on Broadway, after the city council lifted the one-way restriction from Lorimier to Pacific. n In heavy balloting, Cape Girardeau voters approved the construction of a multipurpose building. n The body of Deborah Manning was found 2 1/2 miles north of Chaffee on County Road 249, the victim of multiple stab wounds. n Kenneth Wood, 61, a Wisconsin truck driver, was found, bullet-riddled, along Interstate 55. n A natural gas leak caused the explosion and fire at 233 N. Clark Ave., killing Bertha L. Buchheit and her husband, Walter A. Buchheit.

14

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

15 Sunday, October 26, 2014

SCANDAL AT THE TOP It was the culmination of one of the biggest political scandals in the nation’s history and the result of one of the most famous journalism investigations of all time. The “Nixon Resigns” cover was printed as an extra edition on Aug. 9, 1974.

T

he Blizzard of 1979 was one for the ages. This photo, taken by Fred Lynch and published Feb. 27, captured a rescue of Kathy Webb and her 3-month old daughter in rural Perryville. Sgt. Roy Jerrolds, chief of the helicopter crew, helped the mother and baby over a barbed wire fence to be air lifted to

safety. The Southeast Missourian did not publish on Feb. 26, due to the snow and a ban on travel. It was the first time in 75 years that weather prevented publication. Editor John Blue wrote as his lead paragraph of the Feb. 27 edition: “Say nothing more about the snow of 1917-18. Hereafter the yardstick will be the Great Blizzard of Feb. 25, 1979.” Blue’s words have held true through 2014.

1984-1993 1984 n Riverfront Park was dedicated. n Timothy Ruopp, a native of Cape Girardeau and a San Diego police officer, was shot and killed in the line of duty. n Rickie Dean Burton was shot and killed by an auxiliary police officer, after Burton advanced on the officer with a knife at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

the streets. Primary investor was Jim Drury. n Ronald Reagan became the second sitting president to visit Cape Girardeau. n Three people were killed when the Saint Francis Medical Center’s Air Evac helicopter, transporting a youth who had been injured in an automobile accident, crashed and burned in a fog-shrouded field southwest of Cape Girardeau.

1985

1989

n Highway patrolman James M. Froemsdorf, a resident of Cape Girardeau before joining the force in 1975, was shot and killed March 2 near Brewer, Mo., by a motorist he stopped on suspicion of speeding.

Jerome Mallet was charged with his murder. n Ground was broken for new $13.2 million multipurpose building on Southeast Missouri State University campus. n What was to have been a celebration of the culmination of 11 years of work on an airplane built by Dr. John T. Crowe ended in tragedy as the small, rear-prop aircraft plunged to the ground shortly after takeoff, killing the test pilot.

1986

n The State of Missouri accepted Cape Girardeau County’s offer of land adjacent to Memorial Park near the Interstate 55-U.S. 61 intersection for the site of a new veterans home. n The intersection of Main and Themis streets was redesigned, and an old-fashioned, $25,000 street clock was installed in the center of the intersection.

Joshua Kezer, exonerated and declared innocent by a judge in 2009, answered media questions in the lobby of the Jefferson City Correctional Center after being released in this photo taken by Elizabeth Dodd. Kezer was convicted of the murder of Angela Mischelle Lawless in 1992. The case hinged on flimsy evidence, including testimony from jailhouse snitches who later recanted. The conviction was overturned in part because certain evidence was not shared by the defense. The case remains open. The Southeast Missourian’s investigative reporting won numerous awards. n A night of severe weather ravaged Cape Girardeau and Scott County on May 15 with tornadoes, hail, unrelenting rains and flash flooding. Two people were killed in Cape Girardeau and one each in Vanduser, Mo., and Sikeston, Mo. n More than 42,000 people made a human chain through Cape Girardeau County as part of the nationwide Hands Across America.

1987

n A committee called for an 8,000-acre lake to be built in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties.

The plan prompted immediate support and opposition.

n Southeast Missouri State University discontinued its laboratory school. n Gary Smith of Jackson was charged with the murder of Donna C. Younts. n Comedian Bob Hope closed grand opening week of the Show Me Center.

1988 n The remains of Lt. Col. Robert Gregory, a native of Cape Girardeau, and four others were identified among bodies of 17 servicemen returned to the United States from Hanoi, Vietnam. n A new newspaper -- the Cape Girardeau News Guardian -- hit

n Annexation dispute between Cape Girardeau and Jackson was resolved. The Jackson Board of Aldermen dropped from its annexation plan two areas in conflict with Cape Girardeau’s plan.

1990

n Dr. Kala Stroup was named president of Southeast Missouri State University. n Fire swept through the 1868 Old Opera House building at the northwest corner of Broadway and Lorimier Street. n Iben Browning scared the district by predicting an increased chance of a massive earthquake on Dec. 3, which didn’t materialize.

1992 n Stephen Limbaugh Jr. was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court. nAngela Mischelle Lawless, a Benton, Mo., college student, was murdered in Scott County. Joshua Kezer was later sentenced to 60 years for the crime, but he was eventually exonerated and ruled innocent by a judge. The case remains open. n Sherry Scheper and her two sons, Curtis and Randy, were slain in their home at 31 N. Henderson Ave. n Evelyn Sparks, her daughter Bridgett Harris, and grandson Dontay Harris were the victims of the second triple homicide in Cape Girardeau in just over a month.

1993

n The flood of 1993 bested the flood of 1973, setting a record of 48.49 feet on Aug. 8. The previous record was 45.6 feet. n Contractors began knocking down buildings for the new Mississippi River bridge route.

1991

n Astronaut Linda Godwin, a native of Oak Ridge, orbited the earth in the space shuttle Discovery. n The question of building a 7,700-acre recreation lake in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties ended when Bollinger Countians chose not to vote on the issue. n The new Department of Conservation facility in County North Park was dedicated.

President Ronald Reagan, shown here with Congressman Bill Emerson, disembarked from Air Force One in1988, at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport.

16

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

TOO CLOSE TO CALL; GO ONLINE In this Nov. 8, 2000 (presidential election) edition, the designer used a big headline and several headline decks to tell a wide range of stories, from national to local. Several promotions were used to point readers to the newspaper’s website for up-to-the-minute coverage.

T

he story written by wordsmith Sam Blackwell summed it up well: “The Great Flood of 1993 arrived not as a swift knockout punch but as a TKO by a methodical heavyweight of a river, wearing down its opponent round after round until the almost anticlimactic end. In the end, the Mississippi River crest-

ed at an all-time record of 47.9 feet ...” Covering Cape Girardeau means covering the Mississippi River, and it has provided plenty of news. Major floods periodically put Cape Girardeau in the national spotlight from a disaster perspective, but we’ve covered everything from the downtown river wall to the construction of a new bridge to river commerce and invasive fish. The river is part of Cape Girardeau’s DNA. The Southeast Missourian has studied it from about every angle over 110 years.

1994-2003 1994

nDr. Dale F. Nitzschke became the 16th president of Southeast Missouri State University, succeeding Dr. Kala Stroup.

n Michael Davis, 25, of St. Louis died as the result of injuries he received during a hazing ritual.

Several members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity were charged with involuntary manslaughter in his death.

1998

1995

nThe Cape Girardeau Board of Education fired superintendent Dr. Neyland Clark and his assistant, ending months of controversy in the school district. n The Mississippi River is above flood level at Cape Girardeau for 54 days, reaching a crest on May 24 of 46.7 feet, the second-highest level after the 1993 flood. nCape Girardeau voters approved a half-cent transportation sales tax.

1996

n Bill Emerson, an eight-term House member, died from lung cancer on June 22, just weeks after launching a re-election bid. His widow, Jo Ann, was elected to her husband’s seat. n President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, along with their wives, visited Cape Girardeau, taking part in a rally at Capaha Park that was attended by about 30,000 people. nLeaving behind a cherished legacy, Rush Hudson Limbaugh, one of Cape Girardeau’s favorite sons and the nation’s oldest practicing lawyer, died April 8 at the age of 104.

A tornado in 2003 ripped a path through the heart of Jackson, damaging the police and fire station, ripping apart a school and ravaging several subdivisions, including the Bent Creek subdivision, photographed above by Fred Lynch. No one was killed by the twister, which struck at night. nConstruction began on the new Mississippi River traffic bridge.

1997

nCity officials opened the $2.5 million Osage Community Centre.

nSoutheast Missouri State University promised new life for the historic St. Vincent’s College by turning the property into a visual and performing arts school. In November Cape Girardeau voters approved a measure to use motel-hotel and restaurant tax money to help pay for the project. But a companion measure that would have allowed the city to issue general obligation bonds to help fund the project failed to receive the necessary four-sevenths majority. nNotre Dame Regional High School began classes in a new $6.7 million building along Route K. n Southeast Missouri State University’s men’s basketball program was placed on probation for three years and lost a scholarship for violating NCAA regulations under former coach Ron Shumate.

1999

nAn altercation between a motorist and a Cape Girardeau police officer led to a melee in the 300 block of Good Hope as customers were leaving the Taste Restaurant and Lounge. Angry spectators threw rocks, bricks and cinder blocks at officers and patrol cars that converged on the scene. n Ricky Joe Franks, 26, of Michigan was convicted of first degree mur-

der in the death of 18-year-old Erica Lee Springer of Cape Girardeau. nCape Girardeau School District took formal control of its newest elementary school -- Blanchard.

2000

n County voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure to introduce planning and zoning in rural parts of Cape Girardeau County. n On Aug. 30, Gary Roll of Cape Girardeau was executed for the 1992 murder of Sherry Scheper and her sons, Curtis and Randy. n Cape Girardeau voters passed a $18 million bond issue to build a new high school. Likewise, Jackson voters approved a a $6 million bond proposal, after two failed attempts. nFirefighters responded to a house fire in rural Cape Girardeau County to find a 57-year-old woman had been shot in the head and burned over the lower half of her body.

Joshua Wolf, 16, confessed to killing his grandmother, Carolyn Lindley.

2001

nCape Girardeau police officers Keith May and Bradley Moore were shot in a gun battle at the Super 8 Motel. The officers, investigating a tip from the SEMO Drug Task Force, returned fire, killing their assailant. nJerome Mallet, who was convicted of the 1985 shooting death of highway patrolman James Froemsdorf, was executed on July 11. nAlong with the rest of the nation,

area residents mourned the deaths of those killed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

2002

n After 21 years of vacancy, the deteriorating Marquette Hotel at the corner of Broadway and Fountain Street was sold to Prost Builders after the Missouri Division of Facilities Management awarded the company a contract for office space. n The $17 million Central High School at 1000 S. Silver Springs Road officially opened its doors to students in September. n Cape Girardeau neurologist Dr. Mohammad Shakil, his wife, Farida, and their four children were killed in a plane crash in central Arkansas after spending the weekend at a film festival in Arkansas.

2003

n The new $100 million Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge opened. n An F3 tornado struck Jackson, leaving a path of destruction a halfmile wide and 2 miles long. n Fourteen people, most of them teenagers, were burned when someone tossed a gasoline can into a bonfire on a county road in rural Cape Girardeau County. The can exploded, causing drops of fire to rain down on the crowd. nCape Girardeau hotel entrepreneur Jim Drury reached a settlement with Cape Girardeau officials, ending more than five years of lawsuits that stalled the $36 million River Campus project.

Southeast Missourian

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

17

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18

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Recipient of the Missouri Press Association’s

GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

and recognized as the best newspaper in the state for its size, the Southeast Missourian received 28 awards and 10 first-place honors in September 2014.

Here are some of the judges’ comments about the Southeast Missourian.

STRONG STUFF HERE

GRITTY WATCHDOG JOURNALISM AT ITS BEST

DRAMATIC AND

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SOPHISTICATED WORK

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

19 Sunday, October 26, 2014

TERROR IN THE SKIES It was the defining news story of a generation: the attack of several U.S. landmarks via hijacked jetliners on Sept. 11, 2001. The Missourian published the national news, but also gave local information on where to donate blood and money, and where to go for prayer services.

N

othing consumed the Southeast Missouri region in the early 2000s quite like the construction of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge. The bridge took years to build and suffered through delays. The anticipation of the opening of the bridge was palpable. Once the new bridge opened, then came the joy

of demolition. In this photo taken by Fred Lynch and published on Sept. 9, 2004, hundreds watched the bridge explode and fall into the water. Only one section was expected to fall, but other sections surprisingly tumbled as well. The newspaper lost a camera to the explosion. The camera was set up by remote to capture the explosion from a different angle. Originally thought to be far enough away to avoid damage, alas, it was not. The camera captured one last image just before its untimely death. The final image created quite the buzz in photographer circles across the country.

2004-2014 2004

2007

n The first two implosions to rid Cape Girardeau of its antiquated Mississippi River bridge went off without a hitch. The third blasting, however, toppled not only the span nearest the Cape Girardeau shore as planned, but two other spans as well. nSoutheast Missouri State University retired its Indian mascot in favor of a new nickname: The Redhawk. n Chicago mural artist Thomas Melvin brightened up the concrete floodwall.

n Illinois inmate Timothy Krajcir was charged with five counts of first-degree murder for slayings that occurred in Cape Girardeau in 1977 and 1982. Krajcir, in a deal to avoid the death penalty, confessed to killing Mary Parsh and daughter Brenda Parsh and college student Sheila Cole in 1977 and to killing Margie Call and Mildred Wallace in 1982. n The NCAA Committee on infractions struck the Southeast Missouri State women’s basketball teams’ records from the 2002-2003 season through the 2005-2006 season from the books. n Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus was dedicated Oct. 21.

2005

n Three local men died in the war on terror in 2005: Sgt. Robert Davis, 23, of Jackson, Army Spc. Blake Hall, 23, of East Prairie, Missouri, and Sgt. Brian Romines, 20, of Simpson, Illinois. n Jackson voters passed a $20 million bond issue, earmarked to revamp the high school’s campus.

2006

n The motion picture “Killshot,” adapted from Elmore Leonard’s thriller, was partially shot in Cape Girardeau. n Cpl. Jeremy Shank, 18, died Sept.

6 in Balad, Iraq. n A storm ripped through Crosstown in Perry County, Missouri, destroying 62 homes and damaging 23 more; six people were injured, none killed.

2008

n A major ice storm left 40,000 people without power in a six-county region. n Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke to an invitation-only crowd at the Thorngate factory in Cape Girardeau.

Later, thousands of people waited in line for hours to hear Republican vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin speak at the Show Me Center. n Cape Girardeau County officials asked county auditor David Ludwig to resign in April after he was caught for the second time using his county computer to view sex-related websites. Lud-

wig refused. Commissioner Jay Purcell filed a lawsuit against the commission, saying it violated the Sunshine Law by discussing the Ludwig matter in closed session, along with a controversial road easement. Purcell had secretly recorded the meeting. A judge ruled against Purcell. Despite high-profile infighting among the commissioners, Purcell was re-elected. n Neal E. Boyd of Sikeston, Missouri won the television contest “America’s Got Talent,” claiming a $1 million prize.

2009

n After more than 15 years of incarceration for the 1992 murder of Angela Mischelle Lawless, Joshua Kezer was declared innocent and released from Jefferson City Correctional Center. n Jamie Orman, who was seven months pregnant, and her 15-yearold son, Derrick Orman, were shot and killed. A police investigation uncovered a plot aimed at Jamie Orman’s boyfriend, John Lawrence.

His estranged wife, Michelle Lawrence, Ryan Patterson and Samuel R. “Ray Ray” Hughes were charged in connection with the murders. Charges alleged Michelle Lawrence conspired to kill her husband, burn the home and collect the insurance.

2010

n The Missouri Gaming Commission selected Cape Girardeau over

St. Louis and Kansas City for the state’s 13th — and final — gaming license. n Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center opened.

Association. Emerson, 62, was the state’s longest serving member of Congress, having been re-elected in November to serve her ninth regular term.

2011

2013

2012

2014

n The river region was inundated with record-setting rainfall in April, resulting in a 500-year flood and prompting the Army Corps of Engineers to activate the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway for the first time since 1937. n When Jacque Sue Waller’s blue Honda Pilot was found abandoned with a flat tire on a stretch of Interstate 55 in early June, her family cried out with accusations of foul play involving her estranged husband, Clay Waller.

Despite numerous searches, her body wasn’t found in 2011. Clay Waller, charged with making Internet threats against his sisterin-law, pleaded guilty in federal court. n Prosecutors charged Clay Waller with first-degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence nearly 11 months after his estranged wife, Jacque Waller, first went missing. nIsle of Capri opened its new, $135 million casino. n U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced she would resign from public service to lead the National Rural Electric Cooperative

n Nearly two years to the day after she was killed, the remains of Jacque Waller were found. Clay Waller pleaded guilty June 6 to the second-degree murder of his estranged wife and received a 20year prison sentence. n Director David Fincher filmed “Gone Girl” in Cape Girardeau.

Filming for the movie, which starred Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris, began in late August. n George Joseph, 48, of Cape Girardeau was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the May 30 shooting deaths of his wife, Mary, and 18-year-old son, Matthew, at their home here. n James Nathaniel Watts, 29, of Cairo, Illinois, was charged with killing Anita Grace, 52, of Olive Branch, Illinois, and Nita Smith, 52, of Wickliffe, Kentucky, during a failed bank robbery attempt in Cairo, Ill. n In the span of eight weeks in Cape Girardeau, four men were shot to death within a mile of each other.

The violence rattled nerves and disheartened residents.

20

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

21 Sunday, October 26, 2014

JUSTICE FOR A SERIAL KILLER In the late 1970s and through the 1980s, five women were murdered, sending an entire city into prolonged fear of a murderer. In 2007, the crime was solved and a serial killer brought to justice. The Southeast Missourian had the most extensive coverage about the killer and evidence, winning several awards for its investigative coverage.

P

ictured above is a boy named Levi Bentley, who was left to die near a Chinese cornfield. “Severe burns had marred his face,” wrote reporter Scott Moyers in a 2006 story (Diane Wilson took the photo). “His head. His stomach. His back. ... The ones who left the baby, probably his parents, knew he would be

dead soon. ... They left 10 yuan — about $1.25 in U.S. currency — lying next to the baby. He would need it, according to their religion, for safe passage into the next life.” Levi was saved, and eventually brought to Cape Girardeau, where a plastic surgeon performed pro bono surgery. Levi’s is one of the many personal stories told over the last 110 years.

3 important things 20 years of journalism has taught me

By BOB MILLER

Southeast Missourian

I

was 18 years old when I somehow convinced an editor into giving me my first journalism job.

That was 20 years ago. I was hired as a part-time sports and news reporter for a small weekly n e w s p a p e r, The Banner Press, located in Marble Hill, Missouri. In my ob spare time I was attendiller ing Southeast Missouri State University. I had wanted to pursue a job in writing.

A small newspaper seemed a good place to start.

In just a few months that editor left for a higher paying job, leaving a green 19-year-old know-nothing to steer the ship as the sole journalist at the operation.

In those days, that meant taking photos and processing the black-and-white film and prints in the dark room; indeed, I was fumbling around in the dark. I found myself reporting stories and editing them, too. Back in those days, we laid out the paper with a wax machine and scissors.

I learned many lessons,

B M

but I achieved more failures than successes.

Now, two decades of learning later, I’m steering the newsroom ship at the Southeast Missourian. This newspaper turned 110 years old this month. With my own professional history and struggles as a backdrop, I truly appreciate the history of this enterprise.

I’ve learned enough on the job the past two decades to make some key observations that simply are not shared with the public often enough.

1. Journalism is difficult There is a certain amount of pride in being a journalist. For those who feel they were born to write, telling stories scratches a creative itch. For the newshounds, it’s an amazing feeling to be the first person who learns of a major story. But it’s not a glamorous role. Several studies have identified newspaper reporting as one of the worst jobs in the country. The hours are long, the pay is low and the stress is high.

Reporters, many portrayed as the “lame stream” media, are pulled away from their families and personal lives at odd times of the day and night. When the news calls, family and personal commitments and interests

are often set aside.

The same goes for our photographers. Three of them cover a news cycle that never ends. They are always hopping in their cars, chasing the next great image.

Our copy editors are perhaps the least appreciated of the journalism lot. They catch a million mistakes, but are mocked for missing the few. Every day the copy desk processes tens of thousands of words. They have to know grammar, AP style, local names and colloquialisms; they have to know design programs and nuances of page layout; and they must absorb enough technical savvy to maneuver around software land mines. And they work until after midnight with the never-ceasing pressure of deadline’s ticking clock.

Our sports writers race to file stories sometimes in less than 30 minutes. The next time you read a game story with photos, box score and quotes, think about how much work had to be done from the time the game ended until midnight. Now multiply that times several games, and you begin to understand the skills, talent and resources required to put out a daily sports section. Journalism is rewarding and oftentimes exhila-

rating, but it is not easy, and not everyone can handle it.

The gathering and dissemination of news requires real commitment. And it’s always been that way.

I could tell different types of stories if I were a circulation manager, who oversees delivery even during snow and ice storms; or a press foreman, who knows how to fix a broken press part.

Or the advertising manager, whose associates carry the burden of paying our salaries, and their commissions, even during downturns.

It takes a versatile team working around the clock to bring you the news.

2. Journalism is exciting As you’ve no doubt read, the newspaper industry has struggled as it grapples with tectonic shifts in the Age of Connectivity. All of the digital disruption of the last 20 years, coupled with The Great Recession, has created some lean times. We’re still figuring out how you want your information delivered, what you’re most interested in and how we can deliver effective advertising to support our journalism efforts.

But the new journalism toolbox is deeper and wider than ever before. We can deliver news instantly and in a lot of different ways.

We still provide the in-depth

We know that our news is consumed by more people every day than it ever has before. It’s thrilling and uplifting to see such demand for what we do. “

news you like from your newspaper. But we can track the number of people who look at our work online. We can see stories go viral on Facebook. We know that our news is consumed by more people every day than it ever has before. It’s thrilling and uplifting to see such demand for what we do. And it will forevermore be exciting to break news, no matter what form it may take. We appreciate your participation and feedback.

3. Journalism is more than breaking news

You cannot truly be connected to your community if you are not connected to your newspaper. As you flip through the pages of this anniversary section, you will see many highlights.

You’ll read about wars and disasters and iconic news stories of the decades gone

by. But what we do at the newspaper (I’m speaking of our website as well) goes so far beyond the big stuff.

We publish birth announcements when your old college friends become parents. We publish obituaries of people you know so you can reach out to their families. We write stories about standout students in your schools and publish lists of honor rolls. We publish crime reports so you know when something happens in your neighborhood. We let you know about what your local governments are doing and how they’re spending your tax dollars.

We share with you stories about amazing people, who are your friends and neighbors. We tell you how you can maintain good health.

We let you know about people who have taken new roles in business. We preview concerts and plays and publish a calendar of events. We do this type of local journalism every day.

For you. Because we believe in the cause, and we believe in this community.

This newspaper owes a great deal to all of our readers and the employees who have built the foundation for generations. We thank you, and we thank them. We love what we do. We hope you love it, too.

22

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

EXPLOSIVE STORY The flood of 1993 was relentless in its endurance over a long period. The flood of 2011 was faster, and more catastrophic due to the breach of the Birds Point levee. The Southeast Missourian’s online coverage of the event netted 200,000 pageviews at the peak of the flood as the U.S. Corps of Engineers neared the decision.

I

n terms of international exposure, the above photo may be the most famous photograph in the 110-year history of the Southeast Missourian. Taken during a flash flood in 2008, photographer Aaron Eisenhauer was in the right place at the right time to capture a rescue. The image was picked up by the Associated Press and ran

in countless publications, including USA Today, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the San Francisco Chronicle, and was the main photo on several prominent news websites, including CNN, MSNBC and AOL. It was included in Time magazine’s pictures of the week and appeared in Editor & Publisher magazine as the picture of the month.

The Naeter brothers: a mission to lead and better the community Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Oct. 3, 2004.

By SAM BLACKWELL

Southeast Missourian In the summer of 1904, everyone was coming to St. Louis to see the World’s Fair. But brothers Fred and George Naeter lived in St. Louis and were walking along the riverfront one Sunday evening in August when they came upon a sign that read: Excursion rate, Cape Girardeau $5 Round Trip.

“Where is Cape Girardeau?” they asked.

The futures of the Naeter brothers and Cape Girardeau came to be intimately entwined during most of the 20th century. After visiting the city of 5,000 a few weeks later, they assumed the debt of a defunct newspaper and turned it into a publication that during 73 years of Naeter family ownership took community leadership and betterment as its duty and mission.

They began in newspapers as boys handsetting type and left the profession just as the computer age was beginning. Both were savvy businessmen who knew their newspaper would prosper and remain healthy as long as the community it served thrived. People often said the Southeast Missourian “made” Cape Girardeau.

Fred Naeter always said the newspaper simply grew with

the community.

George Naeter was born May 14, 1869, and Fred Naeter on Jan. 8, 1874, both in Shelbina, Mo. Their father, a cigar maker, died when they were young. As boys, both Fred and George took jobs as printers to help support the family. At 19, Fred and a partner bought the Shelbina Torchlight and sold it five years later for $5,000.

Afterward they tried to start a newspaper in Quincy, Ill., and lost everything.

Fred Naeter was setting ads for the St. Louis Star, and George was a Linotype operator for the Globe-Democrat when they took that three-day excursion trip to Cape Girardeau. A college professor they met told them the town had everything but a good newspaper, though three were publishing at the time.

The beginning Their Cape Girardeau Republican, later renamed the Southeast Missourian, began publishing on Oct. 3, 1904. An opposition newspaper derided them as “two bums from St. Louis,” but they worked from 7 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. It was 24 years before they took a day of vacation.

A younger brother, Harry, left the University of Chicago to help them start the newspaper. Harry died in 1918.

Fred was the brother most visible to the public. He was president of the Southeast Missouri Press Association

in 1908 and president of the Missouri Press Association in 1912. He was on the board of directors of the Inland Daily Press Association.

He was said to have served on as many state boards and commissions in Missouri as any other person of his era. He was a Republican, but governors from both parties appointed him to commissions. In 1929, he was named to the State Survey Commission, which compiled a comprehensive study of the state public schools, colleges and penal institutions. Its recommendations were a blueprint that was still being used decades later.

He was chairman of the rural schools division of the Caulfield Commission, one of only three citizens appointed to the commission who wasn’t a member of the legislature.

In 1934, Gov. Guy Park appointed Fred Naeter to the state Bi-Partisan Advisory Board, which supervised a building program at charitable and penal institutions.

He served on the Constitutional Convention that drafted the present Missouri Constitution adopted in 1943. In 1951, he was named vice chairman of the state Citizens Advisory Committee overseeing expansion of the state highway program.

He also served an interim appointment as a member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators.

If Fred Naeter was Mr. Outside, George was Mr. Inside.

He made the final decisions on all equipment and on the company’s printing and stationery businesses.

His community service was closer to home. He served on the board of the Salvation Army for 34 years and worked to preserve the region’s history.

Civic campaigns The Naeter brothers preferred to call their editorial efforts to better the community civic campaigns rather than crusades. They tried to set an example and pursued ideals.

They installed Cape Girardeau’s first electrical streetlight in front of their building to show the community the positive effect it would have.

The agricultural extension agent the newspaper campaigned for was the first ever assigned in the state and one of the first in the nation.

The newspaper spearheaded the effort to construct the Ten-Mile Rose Garden, which at one time lined the road between Cape Girardeau and Jackson with 10,000 roses.

The newspaper once offered a $25 reward to anyone who could find a yard in Cape Girardeau without a rose.

When movies were introduced and a farm woman said she wished she could see one of those movies she saw advertised in the newspaper, the Naeter brothers began a series of summer movie programs at rural community centers, bringing along a gen-

Their Cape Girardeau Republican, later renamed the Southeast Missourian, began publishing on Oct. 3, 1904.

An opposition newspaper derided them as “two bums from St. Louis,” but they worked from 7 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. It was 24 years before they took a day of vacation. erator to run the projector.

In 1926 and 1933 they sponsored prolonged crusades in Cape Girardeau by evangelist Billy Sunday. Fred Naeter’s support helped preserve Old McKendree Chapel.

When they concluded the city needed a new park, they campaigned for passage of the bond over many objections. The park today is still a focal point of community activity.

Bringing fame to Cape The newspaper also brought to Cape Girardeau opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heinck, John Philip Sousa and his band, the St. Louis Symphony and numerous stage productions.

The faces of many of these visitors, including Harry S. Truman’s, can be seen in one

of two 8-by-10-foot tile murals the Naeters installed on the exterior of the architecturally distinctive newspaper building they erected in 1925.

Titled “Gathering & Disseminating News” and “The Art of Printing,” the murals illustrated the Naeters’ belief in the importance of newspapers.

For many years the newspaper sponsored an art exhibit to encourage amateur artists in the area. Their work was displayed in the newspaper’s offices.

When the newspaper celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1954, a special publication pointed out some unfinished business the city needed to take care of in the coming years. It campaigned to save the city’s historic Common Pleas Courthouse from demolition and for the federal government to build a floodwall to protect the city’s downtown from the Mississippi River. Both projects eventually came to pass.

In ceremonies in 1954 in Chicago, the newspaper received the Community Service Award from the Inland Daily Press Association.

On his 80th birthday, George Naeter celebrated by operating a Linotype machine. He died in 1956. A nephew, Harry Naeter, then became co-publisher with Fred Naeter.

Fred Naeter was still involved in the operation of the newspaper at 90, a year before his death on Sept. 18, 1965.

110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

23 Sunday, October 26, 2014

Merrill Lynch is proud to Congratulate and extend best wishes to the Southeast Missourian and the Rust family for 110 Years of service to our communities.

Giving back to your community is important to you — and to us. Merrill Lynch financial advisors are committed to helping you make a difference.

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110th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Southeast Missourian

Sunday, October 26, 2014

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