On this date 50 years ago, Poplar Bluff officials announce a trip to Washington, D.C. in response to a proposed change in federal grant guidelines that would disqualify Southeast Missouri’s cities from funding.
100 years ago
April 24, 1924
• A local paving company has beat the record for most concrete poured in a day. The Energy Paving Company announced it laid 809 feet of pavement yesterday, beating the previous regional record of 756 feet. Energy Paving is working on a new section of highway near Poplar Bluff.
April 24, 1949 — No issues available.
50 years ago
April 24, 1974
• A proposed change in grant guidelines could disqualify Southeast Missouri’s cities from federal infrastructure funding, and three Poplar Bluff city and chamber officials are going to Washington, D.C. to urge against it.
Councilman Bernard Wheetley, Chamber of Commerce President Tom Cash and Vice-President Stephen Feran will meet next week with a Missouri senator and a congressmen to alert them to a proposed amendment to the Federal Aid Urban highway funding program. Poplar Bluff is currently eligible to use the program to fund a $1 million overpass on Highway 53 across a busy rail yard. However, some metropolitan interest groups seek to change the Missouri Highway Commission’s population guidelines from 5,000 to 50,000 so larger cities can utilize more of the funding.
Feran pointed out in a letter to Sen. Thomas Eagleton that this change would “eliminate all of the cities in southern and Southeast Missouri” from the FAU program. The trio will meet with Eagleton and U.S. Rep. Bill Burlison on April 29.