PIONEER PORTRAITS

Fifteen Years Ago

April 8, 2010

[Photo caption] Brad West, a Whitman College student from Minnesota, tries his luck skimming the pond during Ski Bluewood's annual year-end bash that concluded the ski season with great new snow, a cookout and plenty of watery beer. West won the pond-skimming contest in the skiing category. His college mate David Wallace from Skagit Valley won it in the snowboard category but not before they both dunked in the ice-cold water.

Twenty Five Years Ago

April 6, 2000

Two men are in jail in Columbia County after being apprehended with the assistance of the airborne eyes of a farmer and local aerial applicator, who took to the air in a helicopter to track the suspects while police closed in. Farmer Jay Penner and Dan jones, owner of Waitsburg Helicopter Service, are credited with the successful apprehension of the men alleged to have burglarized a rural residence and shop, and farm equipment and for allegedly stealing anhydrous ammonia Sunday, March 26. Farmers use anhydrous ammonia to fertilize their fields but the hazardous-to-handle stuff is a prime ingredient in the manufacture of the illicit drug methamphetamine. Theft of the anhydrous ammonia is fast becoming a major crime problem in rural areas.

Fifty Years Ago

April 10, 1975

Waitsburg City Council decided to purchase a riding lawnmower through the Washington State bidding plan for equipment. The mower, a Bohlen, was inspected by Grady Nix and Councilman Virgil Carpenter, who said it would do the job. Price on the machine, which will be purchased from R. M. Wade Company, Portland is $2,524.90

Willard Vadman, Seattle, investment counsellor who has been working with the City of Waitsburg on reservoir bonds, suggested that the council sell their revenue bonds at this time. Earlier Vadman had recommended that the City hold up on their sale of the $80-85,000 worth of bonds in hope that the interest rates would drop. Even though the prime rate has dropped recently, the rate on municipal bonds has not decreased appreciably. Rates on the bonds will probably be in the neighborhood of 8.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

April 14, 1950

Dick Brunton, Fred Rankin and Marvin Klundt entered the Carnival of Speed at Milton last Friday afternoon where eighteen schools were represented in the track events.

County road equipment was used Saturday to work on the grade school grounds, and Donald Harris harrowed on Tuesday to prepare the grounds for seeding and landscaping.

A hearing before the city planning commission was held Monday evening at the city hall at which time approval was granted for the building of a new Parish Hall for the Catholic Church.

One Hundred Years Ago

April 17, 1925

Park Superintendent C. H. Kingman tells us that the auto camp ground at Preston Park has been put in first class condition and is now open to our tourist guests.

Henry M. Conover has purchased the business of the Houtchens-Kershaw Co. owned by J. F. Kershaw and Miss Mary Dixon and has taken possession.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 20, 1900

A girl named plain Mary at her birth dropped the "r" when she grew up and became Miss May. As she began to shine in a social way she changed the "y" to "e" and signed her letters, Mae. About a year ago she was married, and now she's dropped the "e", it's just plain "ma." That's evolution.

At last this city is to have a brick yard. This week a company of W. McCoy, C. W. McCoy and Jacob Cole was formed for the manufacture of brick and their yard will be located southeast of the academy.