From Our Early Files Nov. 3, 2021
25 YEARS AGO
Nov. 7, 1996
Trempealeau County, which went with the incumbent at the top of the ticket during Tuesday’s general election, got two new courthouse officers on the local level. Deputy Register of Deeds Rose Ottum defeated Bill Thoma, 6,825 to 3,588, in the race to succeed the former’s boss, retiring Democrat Janet Peterson. And Pieter Gierok unseated incumbent District Attorney LaVern Michalak in a rematch of their close 1994 race, which was won by Michalak. This time, Gierok pulled 5,234 votes to 5,039 for Michalak.
The city of Whitehall apparently will build a new fire station on the west side — the question is when? The city council voted unanimously in favor of constructing a new building for the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department. The alternative was an addition to the north side of the city center. The new fire station would be built on city-owned land in the West Side Business and Commercial Park, which is located on Hwy. 121, across from Ashley Furniture Industries. When the new station will be built is contingent largely on when, and if, the city gets a new state Department of Commerce grant.
Taking the lead roles in this weekend’s Whitehall High School production of “Annie” will be Laura Bender, Erika Skadahl, Tricia Austin, Stephanie Ekern, Eric Wilmeth, Mandy Gauger, Leah Hanson, Chris Manka, Camaron Severson, Mandy Kampa, Jeffrey Martinovici, Krstin Strangstalien, Jerry Tiffany and Melissa Granlund.
Three Arcadia children recently showed the nation that their dedication has produced some of the finest animals in the country. Kyle Taysom, Brandon Sonsalla and Jennifer Sonsalla recently received awards at the American Poultry Association’s National Competition held at Hutchinson, Minn.
Trempealeau County is becoming more active in the tourism industry. Recently, two different types of tours came to the county. The first was the Trempealeau County Motor Coach tour. After that was concluded, the county tourism council was contacted by a group that wanted to bring a FAM Tour through the county. A FAM tour is otherwise known as a familiarization tour is used to help get people interested in taking tours to different areas of the county connected with areas that sponsor the tours.
Matt Galewski, a senior at Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School, is used to looking into the monitor of a videotape camera for Trempealeau County Community Television. But at Eau Claire last week, while on assignment with TCCTV, he found himself standing beside Tipper Gore, the wife of vice president Al Gore, for a photo. She was being interviewed by Sandy Thompson, project coordinator for the county New Horizons Domestic Abuse Center.
For a time Friday night, it seemed like every one of Ettrick’s 531 residents, and more, were crowded into one large room at the rear of the Keggle Haus on Hwy 53. That’s where the fundraiser was being held for 15-year-old Ryan Stevens, who has been treated since spring for leukemia.
John Salsman’s nickname isn’t “Sporty” for a nothing. The man whose contributions to interscholastic athletics span 40 years and include fundraising for the school district’s outdoor running track and a basketball tournament that has raised $7,000 for student sports has received the Distinguished Service Award of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association in District Three for his ongoing support of athletics.
At the 49th annual Trempealeau County Land Conservation Recognition banquet, two Blair farm families were honored. Recognition awards were bestowed on Darrel, Arlene and Jeff Lorch of Lorcrest Farms, Inc., and Alan and Gerda Grass, who were named Outstanding Cooperative and Conservation Farmer, respectively.
Too many cooks in the kitchen? Not in this instance when you’re feeding a family of 1,505. With a full house, they all seem to know their duties and perform them in assembly line-like fashion. Blair First Lutheran Church held its annual Lutefisk Dinner last Saturday when 1,324 adults were served as well as 33 students, 134 workers and 14 preschoolers.
50 YEARS AGO
Nov. 11, 1971
Three Trempealeau County Highway Department employees, Elton Anderson and Aloizy Kowahl of Independence and Alfred Everson of Blair, were buried by a landslide Monday afternoon while working on the Elk Creek bridge on Co. D in Bruce Valley. Quick action by co-worker Ronnie Klimek of Independence uncovered the buried men’s heads, and they suffered only minor injuries.
A large audience attending the NFO sausage feed at the Arcadia High School last Thursday night heard Ed Wimmer, vice president of the National Federation of Independent Business, Inc., predict “On July 4, 1976, Americans will celebrate the 200th birthday anniversary of a republic or mourn the rise of a Welfare State on the most sacred grounds of freedom ever won in the history of man.” Wimmer, who directs the Federation’s public relations program, has been a commentator, writer and public speaker on subjects dealing with the national economy since 1932, “the year,” he said, “when Americans chose more government and less personal control over their lives as an antidote to the depression.”
Persons interested in registering for the adult night class in Polish are reminded by R.A. Kamla, night school coordinator, that registration blanks and the $5 fee must be in the Arcadia High School office by Nov. 15.
Residents of the Gale-Ettrick Joint School District No. 1 will be deciding the future course of their educational system when they cast their ballots at the school board referendum on Tuesday. Voters will be asked to approve a $1,250,000 bond issue to construct a new elementary school in the district. The building program has been designed to meet the current needs of the school district, as well as to provide for future growth.
Galesville stores will open every Wednesday night in December along with Friday night, up to Christmas. This was announced by Bill Spencer, Christmas chairman at the regular meeting of the Galesville Business Association Monday night at Wason’s Supper Club.
The first AMPI milk arrived on Friday following the merger of Western Wisconsin Dairy of Blair with AMPI.
75 YEARS AGO
Nov. 7, 1946
Three Cumberland youths ages 17 to 21 were arrested Monday by Amery police, after being alerted by Trempealeau County Sheriff Basil Erickson concerning burglaries at the Paulson implement store in Whitehall and the P. Ekern store at Pigeon Falls.
The Halloween parties given at City Hall Thursday by the Whitehall Lions Club were definite successes, especially the one for the smaller kiddies, which drew about 190 children. Colonel Larson, dressed as a clown, was the master of ceremonies for both events.
A meeting of the renters of the 10 homes in the Whitehall Housing Authority has been called for Monday evening for the purpose of informing the renters that, under a new federal regulation, the houses are for sale. The city wishes to dispose of the homes and liquidate the $30,000 bond issue with which they were purchased, and is offering the occupants first chance to buy them at cost. The houses will sell for between $3,675 and $4,400, depending on size.
Leonard Gruntzel, city electrician, was much perturbed over the fact that several street lamps had been lowered almost to the ground by pranksters on Halloween. The wires above the lamps carry 2,300 volts, enough to kill a person several times over, he warned.
The chickenpox epidemic has hit the York community. Beatrice Moe, Delwin and Sally Humphrey and Joanne Severson are confined to their homes with it at present.
Capt. Drexel Sprecher, the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Sprecher of Independence, will be on the prosecuting staff when the trial of 23 former Nazi doctors and other defendants begins next month in Nuremberg, Germany.
New National Guard units have been assigned for the state of Wisconsin, according to an announcement by General John F. Mullen, new adjutant general for the state, in his first official act after assuming his new office. Arcadia is to be included, and according to word received by Gile Herrick from Mullen, this city is allotted a service artillery battery, but it is not known locally just what unit will be assigned.
Dexter Onstad, Black River Falls, is opening a dry cleaning service in the Oscar Frederixon building in Blair.
The world famous Globe Trotters basketball team will play the Blair American Legion team at the high school gym.
The all-time favorite movie “Black Beauty” will be shown at the Blair Century Theatre.
Three Ettrick men have returned from Japan to receive their discharges. They are Glen Brovold, James Cantlon and Irvin Tranberg.
100 YEARS AGO
Nov. 10, 1921
In Justice Larson’s court Saturday, Andrew Skroch and Anton Perzinski were bound over for trial for violation of the Severson Act, the former for having mash and liquor, the latter for having mash, liquor and a still. District Attorney Eggum and Sheriff Erickson and his force of deputies are doing much to rid the county of moonshine, but they have a herculean task ahead of them.
Northfield — The Hagen and Larson Co. recently sold a Delco light plant to Chas. Matson northeast of town, which their electrician, Olger Olson, is now installing.
The wedding of two popular young people, Andrew Meier, Arcadia businessman, and Miss Margaret Burns of Wenatchee, Wash., formerly of Arcadia, was a surprise to many local people.
Twin boys were born to Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Boland.
Ferrys Restaurant, Galesville, advertisement reads “58 varieties of candy for customers.”
A heavy snowfall brought excellent sleighing and corn shredding was halted. A foot of snow covers the ground.
125 YEARS AGO
Nov. 5, 1896
Byron Lake sold a hog Saturday that weighed 760 pounds.
Miss Maggie Buchholz opens a term of school in the Ingalls district, this town.
Trempealeau County goes Republican by the largest majority in its history. H.N. Halvorson, candidate for register of deeds, gets the largest majority of any man on the ticket, 1,942.
The young folks of town who usually delight in turning things upside down on the night of Halloween are entitled to credit for not carrying the demonstration to excess Saturday night. No damage was done to property, and owners of articles misplaced were not greatly annoyed. The only act calling for censure was that of destroying the Bryant flag and banner which hung across Main Street. This is not charged to the young folks, but was presumed to be the work of older people, who should have known better.
According to the latest returns, Wisconsin gives Republicans a plurality of 90,000, which is probably not far out of the way, and only three counties went Democratic.
According to the Arcadia Leader, Dr. Miller, of wife-whipping fame, obtained teams and tried to leave town after midnight with his entire menagerie, but the Arcadia telephone was too much for him. It was a good thing that Dr. Miller wasn’t found in Independence that night, as be might have been treated to a coat of tar.
