From Our Early Files, March 30, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
April 3, 1997
Don Kruswicki will do something Saturday that no Whitehall School District student has done in years, and maybe never has. Kruswicki, a Whitehall Middle School student in Stuart Dodge’s sixth-grade class, will take part that day in the state spelling bee that will be held in Madison. He is the son of Bill and Denise Kruswicki of Whitehall.
The Jackson/Trempealeau County Crime Stoppers organization is asking for help in solving the thefts of audio equipment from two vehicles in the Independence area late last month. Sometime during the night of March 20, a person or persons unknown removed several items from an automobile parked in Independence. The following day, an amplifier and car stereo were taken from a vehicle parked in the town of Burnside.
Most of the people who heard “Buddy Quinn” play at the March 21 Whitehall Lions Club Variety Show probably didn’t know who, or what, they were listening to. While the face might have been familiar, some of them may not have known that they were listening to a longtime area resident. And many weren’t aware that the songs they were hearing were recorded in Nashville, country and western music capital of the world, three decades ago. And most couldn’t have known they were witnessing a comeback of sorts. Because after a long musical career that included several near misses with hits, Buddy — Quinton Affeldt, when he’s off stage — is thinking about recording again.
Kathy Bisek of Arcadia was recently recognized for her dedication to the local Boy Scout troop as she was selected as a recipient of the prestigious Silver Beaver Award. The award is presented to individuals who volunteer their time to the boy scouts organization. Bisek is the third individual from Arcadia to receive the award as Chuck Blaschko received it in 1996 and Todd Fetsch received it in 1983.
Longtime second ward alderman Vilas Hanson was defeated by challenger Scott Leonard, 61-60 in the spring election last week. In the other local council race, William Haines defeated Rich Miller 51-17. Bob Wozney was elected to replace Rufus Filla in the third ward, Wozney ran unopposed.
Retired educator Nancy Stellpflug appears to have won the at-large seat on the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School Board Tuesday. She outpolled incumbent John Salsman, who had served one term, in incomplete and unofficial returns. Results in the town of North Bend in Jackson County were not yet known when Trempealeau County Clerk Paul Syverson reported that Stellpflug was leading by a margin of 432-370. In other school board contests Richard “Doc” Sacia and board president Rick Nemitz won reelection. Nemitz outpolled Gary Hokanson, 459-284. Sacia turned back the challenge of Gerald Stalzer, winning 570-192.
When the world champion Green Bay Packers want to move their offense on the field during a game, they naturally call on Most Valuable Player quarterback Brett Favre. But when they want to display the Super Bowl trophies they’ve won, they turn to a Galesville man, Jason Sobotta, and his master woodworking colleagues at Norwinn Co. This has been a busy month for Sobotta and his crew at their plant on North 13th Street where they just put the gold laminate on the latest of several trophy display stands Norwinn has crafted for the Green and Gold over the years.
50 YEARS AGO
April 6, 1972
Alvin and Paul Ellenberg of Peoria, Ill., are being held in the Trempealeau County Jail, awaiting trial on charges of armed robbery, burglary and operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent. The two brothers are charged with armed robbery at the Raymond and Theodore Hermann home south of Whitehall, and burglarizing the Carsten Linnerud residence in Irvin Coulee and taking the Linneruds’ car.
Jim Ed Brown, direct from Nashville, Tenn., and the Grand Ole Opry, will be on stage at Sunset Memorial Auditorium Saturday night for a show sponsored by the Whitehall Lions Club. Norm Herman, the singing disc jockey from WAXX radio, and his Country Ambassadors will be featured before the show.
Two new officers were elected to the A-G Cooperative board of directors. Lawrence Losinski replaces Marvin Solberg as vice president and Paul Pehler was elected secretary, succeeding Aaron Kujak. The terms of Solberg and Kujak expired.
Police investigated two Arcadia automobile accidents and vandalism at the State Bank of Arcadia over the weekend. Mrs. Michael Anthon of Columbus was hospitalized after her car went out of control on Main St. at 2:10 a.m. Friday. At 3:10 p.m. on Saturday, Mary Misch, 19, of Trempealeau, hit the river bridge as she was driving west on Main St. The vandalism occurred in the mall of the State Bank of Arcadia, sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning. Sheldon Winnie, executive vice president of the bank said the mall has been kept open at nights as a public service, but will not be locked.
Platoon Sergeant Franklin G. Sobotta of Arcadia was among four recent National Guard retirees honored at a 1/128th Infantry recognition party in Eau Claire.
Kenneth Kopp, Galesville, has been named general chairman of the District Six Alice in Dairyland contest to be held in Galesville on May 13.
Addressing the newest of the Farm Bureau Family members at Green Meadows, outside of Blair, Donald Haldeman, Norwalk, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, spoke of rising food costs to the consumer, while the producer’s share of the food dollar continues to decrease and the ever apparent need of adjustments in personal property tax.
75 YEARS AGO
April 3, 1947
The Whitehall Cooperative Creamery has now a full membership in the Land O’ Lakes Creameries. Definite plans are now being made for the building of a new plant in Whitehall, which will include a new creamery operation. This will mean the liquidation of the Whitehall creamery and the creation of a new organization to be known as the Trempealeau Valley Dairy Cooperative.
At the annual election for the Men’s Golf Club of Whitehall, Willie Johnson was elected president, succeeding Alvin Windjue. Membership fees were fixed at $15 for the local men, and $10 for out-of-town men.
Three Whitehall High students won “A” ratings at the western Wisconsin spring forensic contest held at the La Crosse teacher’s college Saturday, and are thus eligible to enter the state contest to be held in Madison April 19. They are Irene MacCornack, Solveig Sletteland and Edward Larson.
The Pigeon Falls baseball club met at the Dresselhaus cafe Friday evening to organize for the 1947 season. About 35 men turned out, and showed their confidence in Curtis Kaas and Helmer Neperud by reelecting them president and manager, respectively.
Albert Mergner, 58, a former Arcadia resident, died Friday at the veterans hospital in Wood. He had been a patient there since 1925. Mergner, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Mergner, was a member of the Marines for four years then worked in Arcadia before entering the veteran’s hospital.
Only 342 votes were cast in the city of Arcadia in Tuesday’s election, but even so there was one upset and one new alderman was elected to office. The upset was the defeat of H.R. Vogel, a veteran mayor, by Cliff Gleason in a write-in campaign, the vote standing 166 for Gleason and 148 for Vogel. Joseph Gamoke was elected alderman after receiving 37 votes as he ran unopposed.
The Galesville Lions Club will sponsor Boy Scout Troop 103 and have received a new charter. John Gardner is Scoutmaster.
Galesville Booster Club will sponsor an educational program at the high school. The program will open with dinner served by the school economic department.
Basketball stars of Galesville have received the purple and gold “G” of their school. Seniors: Bob Ekern, Jack Baer; juniors: Russ Lund, Hal Server, Mark Anderson, Wendy Byom, Jack Bold, Harold Williamson and freshman Rick Alvarez. The coach is Norman Larson.
100 YEARS AGO
April 6, 1922
Trempealeau sets the example for the county of electing two women to local political positions. Mrs. Grace Putnam was elected to the office of justice of the peace, and will sit in judgment of evil-doers of that city on the Father of the Waters. Mrs. Mayme Moor is a member-elect of the board of trustees. Mrs. Eva Shappee was elected treasurer in the town of Trempealeau.
Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Dumback have moved back to Independence, where Mr. Dumback will continue to do photographic work as in the past.
Stanleigh Gaveney was elected Arcadia postmaster, polling 522 votes to 345 for William Olsen and 226 for Florence Muir.
The result of the election for Arcadia village officers was: president, Mike Mergener over W.P. Gasser; clerk, Roy Hohmann over J.C. Muir; assessor, J.K. Cysewski over William Christ; supervisor W.E. English over J.A. Palmer and constable, Mrs. Ed Riesch over James Maloney.
In the town of Glencoe, R.J. Wieland was elected chairman; Peter Zeigler, first supervisors; A.M. Boland, second supervisors, A.C. Theurer, clerk; Jos. Schaefer, treasurer and Henry Keller, assessor.
A deal was closed recently by which Martin Maloney Jr. became owner of the meat market property formerly owned by Peter Filla. This consisted of two lots, a meat market building and a large barn.
125 YEARS AGO
April 1, 1897
Frank Nowitski, the popular butcher, has severed his connection with the C.W. Van Horn market. He has accepted a position at A.G. Buchholz’s harness shop.
O. Rogan is constructing a portable photograph gallery which he will use during the summer months at Arcadia.
We are prepared to print election tickets cheaper than any other office in the county. Come and see how cheap we are doing it.
Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Dake of Hale have purchased the Tull residence and horticultural property in the west part of the village, the consideration being $1,600.
D.W. Maloney of Hale sustained a fracture of the leg last week by being caught in the machinery of a wood saw. The injury, while not serious, will lay him up for awhile.
The ice moved out of the Mississippi River at Trempealeau Sunday afternoon, in many instances uprooting large trees. In its wake come down several million feet of logs that had escaped from the Chippewa during the floods of last fall.
Blair — Ole O. Moe has sold five sets of harness the past week, and has orders for four more sets. This is only a sample of the return of the vaunted prosperity.
Independence —Warren Cooke returned Wednesday morning from his trip to the Dakotas. He reports the water very high, but the snow going off slowly without rain and very little damage being done.
