Early Files - August 12, 2020 | Trempealeau County Times

By:

(Times Staff)

(25 YEARS AGO) Aug. 17, 1995 - Americans expect a major collision between President Clinton and congress over the federal budget, the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce was told Monday night. Bringing that warning was U.S. Rep. Steve Gunderson, the veteran congressman who will be at the scene of the expected clash in Washington, D.C. Gunderson was the guest speaker at the chamber’s steak fry, held at the Whitehall Public Golf Course.

A Blair man last week Tuesday declined to plead to charges that he had sexual contact with two children under the age of 13. George Kinser stood mute at his arraignment last week in Trempealeau County Circuit Court. Kinser, 30, is charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child.

The Pleasantville Lions Club purchased a tanker truck from the town of Hale Fire Department and will donate the truck to the Lions International “Mission to Mexico” project. The 1970 truck, which cost the club $2,100, will be used to haul drinking water to a Mexican community.

One thing that most of the people involved in the Arcadia 2000 project would agree on is that Arcadia is outgrowing its current educational facility. The final draft of the Arcadia 2000 educational report has been completed and will be discussed at the annual meeting of the district on Monday. Arcadia superintendent Howard Sims maintains that the participants in the study concluded that with the current increase in student enrollment, Arcadia will need a new high school facility.

Jill Maliszewski is currently double majoring in soil science and ag journalism. She was recently elected to the post of state reporter for the FFA, which is something she said she has wanted her entire life.

David Hodnefield, chief operating officer of Gold’n Plump Poultry, announced Monday that the company is donating $10,000 to the Arcadia Community Playground Fund.

Sometimes when patients come to Galesville Medical Clinic with nagging ache, in the knee or shoulder, for example, that modern medicine can’t quite shake. Dr. Geoffrey Kloster has another treatment left in his medical bag that just might do the trick. That treatment is the ancient art of acupuncture.

A Galesville audience estimated at about 600 or more got its first look at mud bog racing Sunday at the Trempealeau County Fairgrounds. The event features a pit about 150 feet long and about 25 feet wide, filled with 18 to 20 inches of water. Water is added as needed during the competition, in which trucks and other vehicles with powerful engines and paddled wheels race against time —and muck. Some drivers get stuck.

The area’s 1995 apple harvest is underway with orchard owners talking about an excellent harvest in terms of quantity and quality.

This summer has brought with it hot temperatures, well into the 90s for several days at a time, high humidity that has made it less bearable and last weekend, it was hit with a severe storm. Saturday night thunderstorm warning were prevalent and 8/10 of an inch of rain fell. Sunday was another extremely hot and muggy day before a severe storm hit with two-and-a-half to seven-plus inches of rain, causing a lot of stream flooding.

David Maldonado, rural Taylor, and two children — ages two and three — were en route to the babysitters Monday morning before his pickup truck hit a washout the entire width of the roadway. The front end of the truck hit the road bank on the other side and the truck’s wheels rested on top of the culvert. Maldonado and the children were able to evacuate the vehicle and walk to a nearby farm.

(50 YEARS AGO) Aug. 20, 1970 - Superintendent J.K. Hoyer told the Whitehall district school board that the shop area at the new high school building now under construction should be ready for occupancy by Oct. 1.

A 16-year-old Eleva youth struck while walking on Hwy. 10 near Osseo is the sixth county traffic fatality of 1970.

John Fremstad, 13, got a hole-in-one on No. 3 of the Whitehall course last week, while golfing with Jeff Larson. It was the seventh time he had golfed.

A nine-year-old Arcadia boy is in good condition following a bicycle-motorcycle accident at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Jeffrey Sobotta has a fractured leg as a result of the accident. The driver of the motorcycle had only a few abrasions.

The Arcadia city council was informed that grants and aids at both federal and state levels are available for airport projects, including land acquisition. The first step is application to the state aeronautics administration in Madison.

Mrs. Dawn Zastrow, aunt of Sgt. James Sobotta who was critically injured in an ammunition explosion in Korea two weeks ago, received a personal letter from him Monday. She said his letter expressed an attitude of exceptional personal adjustment. He expects to be sent back to the U.S. near the end of the month and will be hospitalized as close to home as possible. He received traumatic amputation of the left arm above the elbow, broken ribs and burns to the chest when a round of ammunition he was loading into a weapon detonated.

Arnold Thorpe was named department membership chairman of the Wisconsin American Legion by state commander Ed Ornsby.

Milton Thompson, Blair, was injured when the tractor he was driving rolled over twice.

Army Sgt. Jerry Waller, Taylor, received the Purple Heart during recent ceremonies in Vietnam.

William and Daryl Rose have re-opened the Texaco Station in Taylor.

(75 YEARS AGO) Aug. 16, 1945 - The anxiety which was felt by folks at home for many hours, even days, was finally relieved when word was received here about 6 p.m. Tuesday that the Japanese emperor and his government had accepted allied peace terms. Here at Whitehall there was jubilation and demonstrations fitting for a small community. The fire siren screeched, whistles were blown, church bells rung and the old curfew in the City Hall belfry was tolled. Cars toured the streets with horns honking and youngsters paraded with all kinds of noisemakers. At 8:30 p.m., services were held at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and also at the First Baptist Church. Many business places closed Wednesday.

The most destructive fire in Whitehall in several years occurred Saturday evening, destroying the building known as the tobacco warehouse on the west side, just north of the railroad tracks. Flames damaged the nearby Illinois Cooperage Manufacturing building, and the Douglas Mason residence 75 feet to the north caught fire briefly. The Arcadia, Blair and Independence fire departments came to assist the local firemen.

Ernest Foss and J.E. Rhode hired an airplane and pilot in Winona and buzzed the city of Whitehall Thursday afternoon. Flying down Main Street, Jack threw out a pack of cigarettes, thinking someone would see it. But spectators apparently were too busy watching the plane to see the hard-to-get fags, and Jack picked them up the next day where they had fallen, near the former Anton Melby residence.

Seven petitioners for citizenship were interviewed Aug. 8, and will probably be heard at the spring 1946 term of circuit court. Among them were Peter Johnson and Sverre Aasen of Whitehall, whose witnesses, respectively, were Theo. B. Olson and Albert Dahl, and Palmer Lee and Iner Voldsness.

Melvin Johnson, who resides on a farm a mile this side of Pigeon Falls on Hwy. 53, found a weather bureau instrument the other day that had parachuted to earth in his grain field.

Dorothy Willis, county nurse since 1941, has died at a hospital in Rhinelander. Willis became ill late last winter and in March she was granted a leave of absence by the county board. She has had two serious operations and she died as a result of a blood clot.

Coach William Cashen once again announces the start of the football season. He has also said that new floodlights on the ball park will enable football and baseball team alike to practice at night.

Blair Canning Corp has a large pea harvest this year.

The large 10-room house of Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Knutson in Lakes Coulee was completely destroyed by fire.

(100 YEARS AGO) Aug. 19, 1920 - Last Sunday night, an auto accident happened on the Osseo ridge in which the Misses Olive and Gladys Hammerstad, Hazel Hanson and Anna Mattson of Whitehall, and Alma and Anna Hoff of Osseo, were precipitated over the embankment. The car turned over two or three times, and while it is a wreck, the young ladies escaped with only slight injuries to two of their number. The place where the accident occurred is said to be a somewhat treacherous piece of road, as no guardrail is provided to protect from a dangerous curve and a very steep hill.

County Superintendent Helen Berg has given the following list of school engagements for this community: Carpenter, Cassie Nelson; Upper Plum Creek, Nettie Paulson; Lower Plum Creek, Lillian Kurth; West Lincoln, Mabel Pederson; Pike, Hazel Paulson; Wagner, Lucille Kees; Daggett, Edna B. Larson; Fuller Coulee, Mary Woychik; Maule Coulee, Mabel Truog; Saxrud, Clara Stensby; Caswell, Mabel Nyseth; Coral City, Lucretia Morden; Thorson, Emma Rognlien; and Pigeon Falls, Alice Everson and Alma Hauge.

Independence is planning on sinking a deep well for the village water supply, and have an expert on the grounds to determine the location.

Pigeon Falls — A number of young people enjoyed a marshmallow roast on the other side of the river last week Wednesday evening.

J.F. Muir and family of Arcadia departed Monday for California where they will spend the winter with their sons George and Russel.

(125 YEARS AGO) Aug. 15, 1895 - L.L. Solsrud surprised his family with a new piano last week.

Miss Kittie Melby has introduced the bloomers in the neck o’ woods, and makes a graceful appearance on her wheel.

Grant Winner, besides making a first-class article of butter, and lots of it, for the Whitehall Creamery Association, has a hennery of no small proportions. He raised 300 spring chickens, and has at present time upwards of 200 fine broilers.

Contractors Foley and Connelly are waiting for the engine for the waterworks plant. A number of parties have tapped the pipe and will be supplied with water when the system is finished. The village board has not yet fixed the water rental.

Simon Olson has purchased A.G. Buchholz’s building on Main Street, one of the best business locations in town. Mr. Olson, together with a gentleman from Independence, contemplate starting a meat market.

Virgil Borst of Independence was at the county seat between trains yesterday. He has recently been released from a long quarantine at his home on account of scarlet fever, with which his children were afflicted. He expects to return next week to St. Paul, where he has held a position with the Pioneer Press since last March.

Pigeon Falls — It is reported that on Sunday, while the people were away to church, somebody broke into the residences of Anthon Ekern and N.C. Kaas, and in the latter house secured a few dollars. Tramps have been seen about here lately, to whom the blame is assigned. This summer has brought with it hot temperatures, well into the 90s for several days at a time, high humidity that has made it less bearable and last weekend, it was hit with a severe storm. Saturday night thunderstorm warning were prevalent and 8/10 of an inch of rain fell. Sunday was another extremely hot and muggy day before a severe storm hit with two-and-a-half to seven-plus inches of rain, causing a lot of stream flooding. David Maldonado, rural Taylor, and two children — ages two and three — were en route to the babysitters Monday morning before his pickup truck hit a washout the entire width of the roadway. The front end of the truck hit the road bank on the other side and the truck’s wheels rested on top of the culvert. Maldonado and the children were able to evacuate the vehicle and walk to a nearby farm.

(50 YEARS AGO) Aug. 20, 1970 - Superintendent J.K. Hoyer told the Whitehall district school board that the shop area at the new high school building now under construction should be ready for occupancy by Oct. 1.