From Our Early Files March 24, 2021
25 YEARS AGO
March 28, 1996
Trempealeau County’s one-half-percent sales tax, which turns a half-year-old next week, still isn’t living up to expectations. The controversial levy, enacted not quite a year ago over the objection of county business people and other citizens, so far has taken in only a sixth of the amount projected. While the checks the county has received from the state of Wisconsin are more in-line with expectations, they may not be average.
It was the old good-news, bad-news routine for the Whitehall district school board Monday night. The good news the board members received was that the district was staying within its spending targets in the 1995-96 school budget. The bad news was that next year’s budget will have to include more money to hire more teachers. Middle/High School Principal Bruce Ausderau reported at Monday’s regular monthly meeting that based on student registration for the 1996-97 term, there would be 63 sixth-graders, 61 seventh-graders and 63 eighth-graders. That, he said, will require three sections in each of the middle school grades.
Clarence “Boozie” Benusa had been driving school buses in the Arcadia School District for 50 years, starting when he was a junior at Arcadia High School.
The Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. has been known to evoke many emotions in veterans and their families since it was first erected many years ago. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. President and CEO Ron Wanek wants to bring that type of emotion and sincere recognition of those local soldiers who participated in the Vietnam War. Wanek plans to place a replica commemorative stone, which will be five-feet high and 12-feet long and will have the names of all local soldiers who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the official dates of the Vietnam War.
The Arcadia school board had two members return for a new term as Jane Weisenberger and Clarence Pronschinske were sworn in at the monthly meeting on Monday.
The Galesville city council voted 3-2 to extend a five-year lease with the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District to operate an early childhood learning center in St. Mary’s Hall at historic Marynook.
Galesville’s north side won’t be cut off next summer when Main Street is closed to traffic for three weeks during construction. Ron Puestow, Wisconsin Department of Transportation design supervisors said Tuesday that the department will try to keep the north end of Davis Drive open to emergency and local traffic. He acknowledged that this was a change from the plan announced last week, which completely closed Main Street to traffic northbound across the north bridge.
The La Crosse County Board of Supervisors has approved rezoning of a 70-acre site at McHugh Road and Highway 53 for a new Beaver Builder Supply. The Galesville firm is being displaced by bridge construction and expects to move to its new site next spring, said Greg Stellrecht, who heads the firm.
The first of two public informational meetings was held Thursday night of last week in Blair. The two-hour meetings are being held to present to the residents of Blair-Taylor School District concerns and facts of the proposed $6.5 million school referendum and to answer any questions they might have. More than 100 people attended the first meeting.
Union Bank of Blair has new owners effective March 25 as Carl Axness and Dennis Stephenson have purchased an interest in the bank. They purchased the share of Carl and Jeanette Turk, who have retired after 33 years in the banking business in Blair.
50 YEARS AGO
April 1, 1971
Representatives to the 1971 Badger Boys’ and Girls’ States have been selected from the junior class at Arcadia High School this week. Terry Schollmeier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Schollmeier, rural Arcadia, and David Wolover, son or Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wolover, Arcadia, have been named as the Boys’ State delegates. The Girls’ State representative is Jill Sobotta, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Sobotta, rural Arcadia.
Lee Wieland was elected as the new president of the A-G Cooperative Creamery at the annual report given by A.C. Schultz, general manager, at the Arcadia High School last week. Wieland defeated Ray Klink to earn the honor.
A city write-in campaign for municipal justice has added interest to the spring election next Tuesday, April 6. George Frisch, Arcadia, has declared himself a write-in opponent to Ernest Reck for the municipal justice post. Frisch is a retired city police officer, having served seven years on the city force and seven years as a radio operator with the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department.
There will be contests in Galesville’s second and third wards in the spring election. In the second ward Edward Scheller is seeking the aldermanic position over incumbent Erling Olson while Henry Lovig, incumbent, is to be challenged by Donn Poss, who seeks election through write-in votes.
The Blair Lions will contribute $2,500 toward the construction of a new permanent shelter in the Blair park.
Doc Toraason, Blair’s only dentist for 62 years, will be honored at a banquet at the Green Meadow Supper Club.
75 YEARS AGO
March 28, 1946
The arrival Saturday of two demountable houses, and a second shipment Tuesday, at the Briggs and Garaghan addition in East Whitehall, created additional interest in the prospective building boom that will soon be underway here. With the arrival of favorable weather, work will start on excavating and building basements, and a score or more families are hoping to obtain accommodations in the project. Work was started this week on basements for two other new homes in that section of town, there are definite plans for five other dwellings, and more may be built this year if building materials are available.
Mrs. Bennie Hagen of Pigeon received lacerations to the face and a fracture of the ankle Monday afternoon, when her Ford car, which was being driven by Mrs. Lloyd Severson of Pigeon, left the highway as it curves into Main St. and hit the curb, landing on the boulevard in front of the E.C. Getts residence.
Mrs. David Warner of Hale has artwork on exhibit at the seventh-annual art show at the University of Wisconsin.
The cast for the junior class play, as selected by Miss Beeckler, the director, will consist of Helen Iverson, Irene MacCornack, Verna Hamilton, Mildred Kildahl, Edward Larson, Seth Speerstra, Kenneth Fremstad, Doris Olson and Bill Holtan.
That spring weather is here was indicated by the number of enthusiasts out on the golf course Sunday. The course has not been put in shape as yet, but many of the boys tried out their swings on the greens on the upper table.
Station Agent A.B. Erickson has received instructions from the head office at Green Bay to be prepared to handle 50 cars a day, carrying Ford cars trucks and tractors over the westbound route beginning April 1. This is a welcome indication that factory production soon will be a reality.
Dr. B.C. Dockendorff announced the opening of his new office quarters in the second story over the Farmers Store building in Arcadia next Monday for the practice of surgery and medicine.
A sheep wearing demonstration will begin at the William Eckel barns in Arcadia on April 3. Professor James Lacey of the College of Agriculture at Madison will also be present for demonstration.
The Greyhound Bus Depot in the Blair Hotel for 18 years was moved to the Clarence Hanson restaurant.
Robert Dusso, 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dusso, Ettrick, was hit by a car and is recuperating at home.
100 YEARS AGO
March 31, 1921
The hard wind early Sunday morning broke a portion of the plate glass window on the east side of the Model. No damage was done otherwise, except the usual telephone trouble.
Tom Hulberg, who recently sold his mercantile business in Hale, moved his family to Whitehall last week and is living in the Dissmore residence vacated by V. Bartholomew.
Albert Eid has rented the farm formerly occupied by Albert Johnson in Pigeon. Mr. Johnson has bought a farm in Schimmerhorn Coulee, and will move there April 1.
Jack Frost seem to be taking his Easter vacation at Whitehall, making the weather rather uncomfortable for our high school athletes. There are eager to start preparations for the coming track meet, and the hopeful baseball season awaiting them.
Eleven new members were initiated into the Odd Fellows Lodge on Thursday night.
The cantata given by the Gleaners at the Lutheran church on Sunday evening was very good, and a large crowed attended.
Pigeon Falls -- The following students spent the Easter vacation at their homes here: Erling Houkom and Ida Staff, agricultural school at Onalaska; Norman, Edgar and Myrtle Hegge, Clara Thompson, Laura Johnson, Selmer Ackley, Hazel Fremstad and Edwin and Gilbert Borreson, Gale College; and Beatrice and Hjalmer Oerke, Sydney Melby, Inez Neperud, Hazel Staff, Clara Borreson, Norma Staff and Alma Stalheim, Whitehall High School.
York -- Stevens Jennings is now driving a Ford car. Mrs. Evenson is having her household goods moved to Pigeon Falls, where she has purchased a home. She intends to live with her grandchildren and brother, Otto Flugstad.
Newcomb Valley news: The location of the new road was surveyed across the Newcomb farm Tuesday. There was a quilting party at Urban Weavers.
Tamarack News items: Norval Swenson had the misfortune of breaking his right arm at the elbow last Friday.
The Ettrick Advance reports the marriage of one of Ettrick’s most popular young women to a banker of that village. The marriage of Oscar Huff, assistant cashier in the Beaver Valley State Bank of Ettrick and Miss Mabel Runnestrand was solemnized Saturday.
125 YEARS AGO
March 26, 1896
Richard Mattson is having his new place plastered, Halvor Anderson doing the work.
Postmaster Buchholz has moved his family into the Gilbertson residence, vacated by C.P. Thompson.
W.G. Fuller is having an addition built on his residence in the west ward, Archie Wood doing the work.
A Rebekah lodge will be instituted at the Odd Fellows Hall next week Wednesday. Ladies who contemplate joining as charter members will please take notice.
Messrs. W.G. Fuller and Grant Winner have a patent barn scraper which will soon be on the market, They are at Winona and La Crosse this week making arrangements for the manufacture of the article.
C.P. Thompson and family departed Monday for La Crosse, where they hereafter will reside. There were a good many Whitehall people at the train to bid farewell to these good people, who had long been residents of this village.
