From Our Early Files May 11, 2022


 

 

 

25 YEARS AGO

May 15, 1997

Whitehall High School Class of 1997 was recognized for their achievements at the annual awards night program held on Sunday. The class valedictorian is Travis Schroeder, son of Jim and Janet Schroeder. Salutatorian of the class is Melissa Granlund, daughter of Mark and Emily Granlund.

For patients, visitors and employees who have gotten used to Tri-County Memorial Hospital being a construction zone, the end is in sight. About a year and a half after the Whitehall facility’s remodeling and expansion project began, its departments have begun to occupy new, permanent headquarters. 

A woman charged with kicking a police officer in the crotch has been convicted in Trempealeau County Circuit Court on several criminal counts. Melissa Anderson, also known as Melissa Pavlovich, pleaded no contest to battery to a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing an officer last week. Anderson, 23, will be sentenced June 3. The rural Ettrick resident was arrested following an incident in the city of Blair when Blair Police Department officer Duane Dahl attempted to handcuff her, she kicked him in his groin, punched him, spat in his face and tried to grab his crotch. 

It was a night filled with color, splendor and beauty. On Saturday evening, Kathryn Slaby, daughter of Anthony and Marlys Slaby, was crowned Miss Arcadia. 

The valedictorian of the Arcadia High School Class of 1997 is Joy Ziegeweid, daughter of Bernard and Michelle Ziegeweid. The salutatorian is Matthew Wozney, son of Rudy and Sue Wozney. 

The Arcadia School District announced a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Arcadia High School to be held May 17. 

Ryan Stevens has added about 15 pounds to his teenage frame, a laptop computer to his academic arsenal and a big smile in the last six months. That’s when most folks found out the high school freshman was battling leukemia. At the time, he’d been suffering from, not only the cancer that had thinned down his weight, but the side effects of some of his medication. Ryan was attending classes when he felt up to it or wasn’t in for medical testing or treatment. In the first six months after his diagnosis, though, he spent the equivalent of about nine weeks in the hospital. Things are going better now. He has added weight, is able to smile and regained his hair – a victim of chemotherapy. But, maybe even better than hair, he now has a laptop computer supplied by the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District that he uses in the district’s homebound learning program. When he is not able to attend school, he takes his laptop, plugs it in and stays connected to the high school.

Melissa Weaver, a Trempealeau Elementary School second grader who read after school, after supper and on weekends, was declared the state winner in the Wisconsin MS Readathon, raising $687.50 in pledges. For her efforts, her parents, Sylvester and Pam Weaver, will get to see their daughter throw out the first pitch at the Milwaukee Brewers Sept. 14 home game. 

50 YEARS AGO

May 18, 1972

The Whitehall common council last week Tuesday night passed six resolutions necessary before work on modifications to the city sewage plant can begin. City Clerk A.E. Berg informed the council that the state had denied the city’s request for an extension of the June 1 deadline for a sanitary landfill to replace the condemned city dump.

The preliminary hearing of Mrs. Flora Diffie of Whitehall has been postponed again in Eau Claire County Court. Mrs. Diffie, a Whitehall school district teacher, is charged as an accessory to the kidnapping of an Eau Claire youth by her husband, Joseph Diffie Sr.. and three Independence-area residents. Mrs. Diffie allegedly brought food to the kidnap victim, and was present when the ransom money was counted.

An Arcadia man killed in a one-car rollover on Hwy. 93 near the Three Mile Bridge, and a Blair man who died in a tractor accident on a town road near Square Bluff, were the fifth and sixth Trempealeau County traffic fatalities of 1972.

Funeral services for Michael E. Johnson, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Johnson, Arcadia, who died in a flaming one-car accident early Wednesday morning were held last Saturday. Johnson burned to death when he lost control of the car he was driving on Highway 93, about three miles north of Arcadia. The vehicle burst into flames after coming to a rest in an open field. The exact time of the accident is unknown. 

Seven more area girls have entered Arcadia’s 1972 Broiler-Dairy Festival queen competition, bringing the number of competitors to 14. Latest entrants are Susan Scow, Marian Lisowski, Mary Jo Rothering, Mary Kay Hesch, Karen Brommer, Judy Sendelbach and Dian Walski. 

The public is invited to see Galesville Cub Scouts race their pinewood derby cars at the Presbyterian church.

Recent changes in probate laws and making of wills will be the topic discussed at senior citizen centers in Trempealeau and Jackson counties. 

75 YEARS AGO

May 15, 1947

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Whitehall has enjoyed enviable growth during the past decade, nearly doubling its membership during that period. The building in which the congregation worships is adequate to its needs, although the increasing membership in time will perhaps require two services every Sunday. But the growth in the Sunday school enrollment, which is presently 346 children, has compelled the church to formulate plans for a separate building. The estimated $50,000 cost of the addition is to be raised by soliciting the approximately 1,300 members and associate members of the congregation for a monthly pledge to be paid over a two-year period.

Raymond Shanklin of Badger Village near Madison has been engaged as Trempealeau County 4-H club agent, announces T.C. Main, county agent. Mr. Shanklin, who is a farm boy, will receive his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin later this month.

A charter was presented to the Cub Scout pack of Whitehall last week by G.C. Boll, commissioner with the Gateway Boys Scout Council. The Rev. O.G. Birkeland accepted the charter on behalf of the Lutheran Brotherhood of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, which sponsors the pack. Colonel Larson is the Cub Master.

The Lions Club is seeding the wayside park facing the Memorial Forest. The Boy Scouts have the responsibility of keeping the forest in condition, but appreciate the help given by the Lions and many Whitehall businessmen. The tower is not up because of the difficulty in getting the rock quarried and hauled, but some day the patience of the community will be rewarded by seeing a beautiful tower at the top of the hill.

Six boys from Whitehall High School will compete in the annual district track meet at Eau Claire tomorrow. Robert Bensend in the broad jump and shot put, Erling Kildahl in the pole vault, Alyn Larson and Robert Nichols in the discus throw, Herbert Dokkestul in the half-mile and Heinrich Vohs in the mile.

Arcadia has a huge cougar or mountain lion roaming about in the area. Several people have seen the huge animal of the cat family in broad daylight. Tracks are plainly visible at the Ervin Scharlau property at the base of the bluff near the brewery and they are not the tracks of a dog or overgrown cat. Several sets of tracks can be seen and have been covered to preserve them.

The Rev. M.W. Giese, pastor of the Evangelical-United Brethren church in Arcadia for the past seven years has been transferred to Lomira. This Sunday will be his last in Arcadia.

Founder’s Day is set for May 25 in Galesville. The Rev. John Leies S.M. Arthur Giere and Bert Gipple are the committee. Nancy Rae McKeeth will lay the werath on George Gale’s grave. 

100 YEARS AGO

May 18, 1922

The May session of the county court is still grinding its large grist. Out of the 36 cases on the criminal calendar, 24 have been disposed of, all but two of which involved violation of the liquor laws.

Just as we go to press, the information comes of the death of an old Whitehall citizen, Dan Camp, who passed away in Los Angeles, Calif. Dan was the first agent of the Green Bay railroad in Whitehall, later engaged in the mercantile business and was a contributor to the Whitehall Times when it was first established in 1880. He then established himself in the newspaper business, first at Osseo and later at Mukwanago.

Mason and Olson have placed a fountain just outside there place of business where everyone can get a good, cool drink of well water. Just press the button. The Delco pump does the rest.

A meeting of the Whitehall, Blair, Pigeon Falls, Elk Creek, Arcadia, Independence, York and Ettrick creameries for the formation of an association was held at the office of P.M. Paulson Saturday night. The object of the association is to get better cream conditions, and consequently a higher grade of butter.

The Whitehall baseball club took the game at Chippewa Falls last Sunday, getting 16 hits off Kloffman, the Minneapolis twirler. Next Sunday comes the tug-of-war on the local diamond when the locals meet the Peerless Chains, the fastest aggregation in the country. You miss the event of your life if you do not see this game.

Judge J.C. Button, 93, a resident of Trempealeau for nearly 50 years, passed away at the home of a nice.

Casper Wohlgenant left for Germany to spend the summer visiting relatives, renewing old acquaintances and taking in the sights.

T.T. McAdam, known as Tom O the Glen, is dead. He lived in Galesville for 40 years where he opened a photo studio in 1878 and did barbering. 

There are 23 in the glass of Galesville High School to graduate in May.

125 YEARS AGO

May 13, 1897

H.H. Scott had another runaway last Friday. This time his farm wagon was done to a finish, knocking the profits off several rows of sugar beets.

Next Monday, May 17, is the anniversary of Norway’s independence. Her patriotic sons and daughters here will celebrate its recurrence with a grand dance in the evening at Opera Hall. Good music is assured.

Officers from Marshfield were here Sunday in search of the tramp who did the bloody work with the knife at that place last week, killing one man and rendering the life of another almost hopeless. A reward of $600 is being offered for his apprehension.

The board created by the new fish and game law, consisting of the county judge, district attorney and county clerk, to recommended two persons to the state fish and game warden as deputy wardens, have received no applications for these positions. Anyone wanting a job should get in their work.

Well-driving is not a diminutive industry in this village this season. Wherever stakes are set for a new building, the first requisite is a well and pump. Messrs. Thompson and Bakken, the experts in this line, have been full of business in consequence of the building boom.

Pigeon Falls -- Ed Shafer and G.O. Eid presented their families with Story and Clarke organs last week. They are beautiful instruments. The same was selected and purchased by Rec. A.J. Oerke.

Independence -- The Manitowoc league baseball team has signed Lewis Runkel of this place as pitcher for the season. He is expected home for a few days visit before he goes to work.

Blair -- P.H. Overby and John Fredrickson made a bold dash for the supposed Marshfield murderer the other day, keeping a safe distance. However, they following an innocent citizen for several blocks, the only feature of whose description tallied with that of the desperado being a gray hat with a white band. Cigars are in order, boys.

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