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Today is Aug. 17, the 229th day of the year. So, there are 136 days left in 2017. Below are news items from the Creston News Advertiser for this week (Aug. 14-20) in history:
10 years ago
Workers at Southwestern Community College were almost done replacing the gym’s water-damaged floor until another thunderstorm hit. Director of Student Service Bill Taylor told how high winds blew water into the gym, causing new damage to about a 10-feet-wide area 4 feet from the west door. Although the playing floor wasn’t damaged, it was still a setback to the project that was already about a week behind schedule.
Owners of properties at 308 Livingston Ave., 410 1/5 N. Cherry St. and 605 W. Adams St. all received 30-day notices to abate nuisances or 10 days to request a hearing before Creston City Council. All three requested hearings to present plans and appeal for more time. All three were denied extensions as the city stayed tough on nuisances.
20 years ago
Greenfield Public Library, Greenfield City Hill and Adair County Extension Service moved to new homes across the street into the converted former Place’s store in Greenfield. A constant shuttle of trips across First Street of volunteers moved the 22,000 items from the current library. Co-directors, Lorraine Schneider and Lynn Heinbuch, coordinated the move with books stacked in grocery sacks and moved them systematically so they were grouped correctly in the new complex.
Assisted-living housing units in Taylor County moved closer to a reality with an estimated $1.7 million proposal. Taylor County Board of Supervisors signed a letter of intent to USDA, the federal agency earmarking funds for the project at Taylor Ridge Estates in Lenox. Plans called for a 30-unit complex to be added to the current facilities located on 10 acres.
Convicted murderer Timothy McVeigh accepted his fate at his formal sentencing with no apologies or pleas for mercy while offering no explanation for the worst terrorist attack on American soil. Instead, he used the opportunity to suggest the blame for the tragedy rested with the government by quoting from a 1928 opinion written by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, “Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example.” Relatives and victims of the 1995 bombing, which left 168 dead and more than 500 injured, hoped to hear more from him, saying things could change by using your voice instead of blowing up a lot of people.
50 years ago
The first scout of Troop No. 131, organized in 1960, to receive the Eagle Scout rank was Randy Pettegrew, 15, of Creston. He was the honored recipient at the Eagle Court of Honor held at St. John’s United Church of Christ. Serving as an escort was Curtis Jeffreys of Troop 129, who had recently been named an Eagle Scout. Pettegrew’s scoutmaster, Warren Case, had been with the scouts since 1954 and the troop was sponsored by the Creston Lions Club.
Four Creston High School baseball players were named to the All-Southwest Iowa baseball team as selected by the Council Bluffs Nonpareil. Bill Wimmer, Dave Thompson and Jack Lynn were named to the first team and Ed Jackson was named to the fourth team.
Three members of Boy Scout troop 129 swam a mile at the Creston municipal pool, taking part in the Scout Mile Swim program. Tim Kinkade completed the mile in 43 minutes, Kim Kirkman in 50 minutes and Joel Emerson in 55 minutes. The swim was supervised by Leonard Walters and John Krabiel with Dennis Walters as timer.