From Our Early Files June 15, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
June 19, 1997
Sarah Wegner, daughter of Jeffrey and Betty Wegner of Ettrick, is the new Trempealeau County Dairy Ambassador. Her attendant is Michelle Fredrick, daughter of Eugene and Linda Frederick of Galesville. The girls were chosen from among seven candidates for their positions and crowned at the annual June Dairy Month “On the Farm” breakfast held at the Ed and Debbie Maliszewski farm between Arcadia and Independence.
With the larger of its two reservoirs down for repairs, the Whitehall Municipal Water Utility is asking its customers to go easy on the water for the next couple of weeks. The utility currently is having its 500,0000-gallon tank sandblasted and painted, which leaves only the 120,000-gallon reservoir for storing the city’s water supply.
The campaign to raise money to help finance Whitehall’s new swimming pool is coming together and is expected to start within the next month or so. Citizen committees currently are putting the finishing touches on several phases of the pre-campaign preparations.
The American Cancer Society’s third annual Relay for Life, held at the Arcadia School District’s athletic complex, resulted in the raising of more than $13,000. That amount is down dramatically from last year’s total of $26,000.
Linda Stendahl and Bobbie Devine recently signed a two-year lease with the Arcadia Country Club board to operate the restaurant portion of the club. Devine, a Blair native, returned to the area in January of this year, while Stendahl has been residing in Independence for the past 17 years. The two women formed a partnership and have been in business since the middle of May at the Arcadia Club Restaurant.
The Arcadia girl scouts, public school and Lioness Club have been instrumental in collecting aluminum tabs to help fund the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, Minn. The three entities collected 400,000 aluminum tabs. In 1996, the Ronald McDonald House collected 24 million tabs, which generated $10,000 to help families with children who have cancer.
Ben Vazquez — son of Jose and Lindy Vazquez and grandson of Ron and Connie Soppa, Arcadia — was selected to attend an intensive training camp for youth seriously interested in the game of baseball. The camp is for military dependents from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines and is held in Bradenton, Fla. Vazquez has played little league baseball in Arcadia when he would spend summers at his grandparents home. His father is stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Flames of still undetermined origin and smoke did extensive damage Tuesday afternoon to the rural Ettrick home of Richard Gorka, fire chief John Beirne said.
The Galesville Curling Club has plans for major remodeling and it has hopes that the city will take over the building, leasing it back for curling and using it as a community center.
A jury didn’t believe James Schuman’s story that he wasn’t serious about a reported death threat to his wife — and neither did his wife. Schuman was convicted Saturday by a La Crosse County Circuit Court jury of attempting to murder his estranged wife, Susan. Documents filed in Trempealeau County Circuit Court in 1994, when Susan Schuman filed for divorce, quoted her as feeling and being threatened. On Oct. 18, a week before she filed for divorce, she said James had called her and said he had “hired someone to get rid of me and leave no evidence.” The jury also heard from James Schuman and from the Wisconsin Criminal Investigation Division agent who testified that he posed as a killer for hire. The jury heard a recording in which the agent and Schuman reached agreement on a $10,000 fee. Schuman, a member of a Galesville family, is to be sentenced on July 18.
50 YEARS AGO
June 22, 1972
The new Whitehall municipal swimming pool was ready to open this week Tuesday, after last-minute repairs and clean-up. The pool will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. daily. Swimming will be free until July 1, after which summer memberships must be paid or daily fees will be charged. Rules regarding cleanliness and prohibiting rough play will be strictly enforced.
Robert Jahr of Independence has joined incumbent Evelyn Maldonado of Whitehall as a candidate on the Republican ticket for Trempealeau County clerk of courts. James Broberg of Whitehall is running as a Republican against Coroner Monica Liley, a Democrat.
The Whitehall city council has received two bids for construction of the park, $103,692 from R.J. Jurowski Construction of Whitehall and $109,219 from Peter Pientok Construction of Independence. But those figures do not include construction of the snowmobile and pedestrian bridge, and the council will ask for further bids.
Three Arcadia FFA members received state farmer degrees at the state FFA convention held at Green Lake. Ten members of the Arcadia chapter and their advisor, Melven Nelson, attended. Receiving state farmer degrees were Gary Graves, Alvin Boberg and Ron Pronschinske.
Miss Lynn Boland, 16, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Boland, Independence, was crowned this year’s Trempealeau County Dairy Princess. Named runner-up was Miss Debbie Paulson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dannie Paulson, Osseo.
Mrs. Dennis Jack, Blair, was selected to represent Trempealeau County attend the La Crosse Area Bake-off with her “onion cheese bread.”
The Trempealeau Lions Club held its organizational meeting at Sullivan’s Supper Club on June 15. Lion District Governor Len Amberg and state secretary James Wenzel attended the meeting and assisted in orientation of the member and presenting charter members with their membership kits. Dave Birch was elected president.
Mrs. Alice Weverstad, Delbert Pickering and Mrs. Calvin West won the Galesville Business Association shopping spree last week.
75 YEARS AGO
June 19, 1947
A letter to Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Fremstad of Fuller Coulee from former Pigeon Falls residents Henry Rustad and wife, who are now at Hommersaak, Norway, on a summer visit, tells something of the conditions in that country.
Gary Larson is the winner of the first lap of the jet-propelled toy racing car contest conducted by the Happy Hour Club at the Pix Theatre in Whitehall commencing last Saturday. His toy car traveled 64.8 miles per hour; Bruce Thoreson was second, and Sheldon Ivers, third.
James R. Garaghan is the new commander of Hutchins-Stendahl American Legion Post 191, as the result of the election of officers held last week Tuesday. he succeeds Ernest Steen.
Accepting the challenge of the Whitehall Sad Sacks, the Whitehall Packing Co. team defeated the former 17 to 8 in a game of softball played Sunday afternoon. Truman Jacobson of the Sacks had considerable difficulty gathering in the flies in right field, but the breath-taking moment of the game came when William Teetz stole second with that base already occupied.
Ladies interested in kittenball are asked to meet at Melby Park Monday evening at seven o’clock. All are welcome.
Mahlon Dettinger and Basil Cosford of the York area have had unwelcome visitors in their sheep flocks several nights recently. Stray dogs have been there and done considerable damage.
The cornerstone of the new St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, now under construction, will be laid at the ceremony to be held June 23. The Most Rev. John P. Treacy, S.T.D., coadjutor bishop of La Crosse will officiate.
Approximately 74,000 fingerling and legal size trout have been placed in the streams of Trempealeau County this spring, according to game warden Fred Gardner of Blair. Last week a shipment of fingerlings from the state conservation commission hatchery at Westfield came in and the fish were distributed in streams in the county.
The famous White Horse Show will be an outstanding attraction at the Trempealeau County Fair. It will feature 25 beautiful white horses from Naper, Neb.
Charley Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Anderson, Galesville, has a badly crushed finger that was caught in a door.
100 YEARS AGO
June 22, 1922
The Pigeon Falls committee have reason to feel proud of the success attending their first effort at Chautauqua entertainment. They have had record-breaking attendance at all session, and the programs furnished by the Acme people have been excellent. We understand that the committee contemplates signing up for next season, providing Whitehall does not enter the Chautauqua field for 1923. This writer believes that our people will gladly yield to them for their second effort, as for several successive seasons they have loyally assisted us in this form of entertainment.
H.R. Mattson, former auditor of the Ettrick and Northern Railroad, has been appointed receiver for the company by Judge Higbee. The court will probably order partial traffic restored on this line at an early date. Traffic over the road, even by gasoline motor, has been abandoned because of a cave-in at the cut.
There will be a tobacco meeting at Independence on June 26, also one at Blair on the same date, both at 8 p.m. sharp. Directors of the Kentucky pool will be present to deliver the address. Do no fail to hear them.
York -- Stella Heggen and Johanna Larson have employment at the Tom Berg restaurant during the Chautauqua. The York Jazz Orchestra played at the barn dance at T.B. Thompson’s Saturday night.
A destructive windstorm passed over the state during the night. In Arcadia, the big loss was a new $4,000 barn on the Patrick Maloney estate, which was completely demolished. Many area of the state suffered from floods caused by heavy rains accompanying the storm.
A class of 21 pupils received their diplomas from St. Aloysius School.
Dandelions are in bloom. There are millions of them. Once they were considered a pest. From it was producing a beverage pleasing to the palate, but not to prohibition enforcement officials. Officials have put out warnings that it is not only a pest, but a disfigurer of lawns and an accessory to lawlessness.
125 YEARS AGO
June 17, 1897
D. Wood’s new two-story business building, on the corner of Main and Dodge streets in Whitehall, is up and nearly enclosed.
Reports from different points of the state show that Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were extremely hot, the average temperature being about 100 degrees. The heat was unparalleled for this season, and in fact is not exceed at any time of the year.
Edward Quammen of Hegg and several of his neighbors were in Whitehall yesterday to meet other grain threshers from different portions of the county, with a view to forming a union, establishing uniform prices, etc. The opinions were varied and difficult to crystallize, and no definite conclusions was reached.
C.G. Beach is painting the roof of his residence, occupied by Martin Larson, using Polleys’ fire- and waterproof paint.
Flag Day was not observed here Monday. The day was so hot that the average citizen had all he could do to keep from being sunstroke in the shade, to let along flourishing the Stars and Stripes under a broiling sun. There is nothing that takes the starch out of young America’s patriotism like summer heat at the boiling point.
Pigeon Falls — A class of 29 youths of both sexes was confirmed at the United Lutheran church on Sunday. The audience was so large that a great portion of it was compelled to remain outside for lack of room.
Independence — A booth has been placed in the drug store for the benefit of those who wish to use the telephone.
