March 29, 2024

Throwback Thursday

Today is Oct. 19, the 292nd day of the year. So, there are 73 days left in 2017. Below are news items from the Creston News Advertiser for this week (Oct. 16-22) in history:

10 years ago

Union County Courthouse’s formal hours changed to 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to make it easier for employees to work a full 40 hours each week. Employees who didn’t work a full 40 hours would have to pay 12 1/2 percent of their insurance costs. Before, the hours were 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with employees taking an hour break for lunch and only working 35 hours per week.

A Clearfield couple, Rod and Bev Straight, became trapped under a collapsed corn crib for 36 hours on Labor Day. Temperatures that first day were 90-plus degrees and the threat of dehydration was added to issues of the already badly injured couple. On the second evening, their neighbor Doug England discovered the Straights out of luck. Bev spent three weeks in the hospital and Rod almost six weeks.

20 years ago

Three Creston women were named finalists in the third annual Creston Citizen of the Year program. They were Vaughn Seckington, Deb Peterson and Fannie Luther. The first winner was Galen Zumbach and in 1996, the award was presented to Darlene Loudon.

The Max Smith women’s softball team played in the National Slow-pitch Tournament in Bloomington, Indiana. The team went 1-2 in the prestigious tourney and finally lost to the eventual champion from Fairbanks, Alaska. Team members were Jennifer, Kim, Wendy and Sharon McKinney, Julie Weshphal, Joann Huddleson, Jacque Mohs, Tracey Evans, Donna Dickenson, Juliane Daughton, Esther Taggert and Kristin Smith.

Some 27 motorcycles made their annual toy run with a parade through town. Gary Hays made an appearance as Santa on his Harley-Davidson. Most of the bikes carried toys Abate of Iowa had collected from drop sites to be delivered to MATURA to be given to children for Christmas.

50 years ago

Winners in the annual Punt, Pass and Kick contest held at McKinley field were Russ Wood, Bruce Sevier, Terry Latham, Kevin Burich, Mike Herbert and Larry Latham, all first place. Second place went to Jeff Mostek, Tom Lesan, Roger Bruce, Denny Reeves, Jack Crittenden of Afton and Bill Antisdel and third went to Patrick Henry, Frank Kenealy, Kevin Delaney, Dave Buck, Jerry Wallace and Steve Betts.

In Arrow Points from “The Arrow” Creston High School page, CHS band members started a new craze – wearing hats to practice. The hats ranged from Mike Wolfe’s World War II combat helmet to Jan Winter’s stocking cap. When at the Clarinda Band Jamboree, the musicians bought the entire supply of Ivy-league hats from one store. Also in “points,” Coach Dick Skarda exemplified great feats of strength by demonstrating in his physical education class the way to stand on one’s head and proceeded to do push-ups in that position.

White House Correspondent Hugh Sidey, a former Greenfield boy who earned recognition in the field of reporting and writing, came to Creston to address the open meeting of the Creston Woman’s club. His topic was “Lyndon Johnson’s World.”

Creston News Advertiser held an open house at its new location at 503 W. Adams St. to celebrate National Newspaper Week. The paper was published as usual and folks were taken through the plant on a tour. The new press ran several times during the day. The first CNA paper was published Nov. 1, 1879, as a weekly paper and became a daily paper, Monday through Saturday, Dec. 5, 1881.