April 26, 2024

Throwback Thursday

Keith Smith, 18, of Creston, jumps a 5-foot stair-gap June 16, 2008, at the newly opened Creston skatepark. The skatepark had been gated in May to keep anxious skaters out until safety issues could be corrected. (CNA file)

Today is June 21, the 172nd day of the year. So, there are 193 days left in 2018. Below are news items from the Creston News Advertiser for this week (June 18-24) in history:

10 years ago

Creston Superintendent Tim Hood thought the recent news that Creston had gotten a grant from the state of Iowa to provide free, voluntary preschool to 4-year-olds was going to have a huge economic impact to the area. With preschool free, the families would have more money to spend on other things, at an estimated $580,000 per year for the area.

June 22, 2008, firefighters responded to a structure fire at the Cromwell Post Office. With damage estimated at $6,000, Postmaster Jessie Haidsiak said the Cromwell mail would be rerouted to the Creston Post Office.

After Creston Mayor Warren Woods fired the police chief and assistant chief, Todd Jackson was in charge as acting Creston Police administrator along with his duties as Creston fire chief, until an interim chief was named.

20 years ago

Creston City Council began the process of applying for funding from Iowa DOT to redesign the three-way intersection of Highway 34/New York Avenue/Laurel Street. The intersection near Wal-Mart and Hardee’s had the highest accident rate of any in Creston, with 38 accidents in the past five years. The project was estimated to cost $200,000.

Amateurs and pros alike flocked to the national skillet throwing contest in Macksburg City Park. The goal in the contest is to knock a basketball “head” from a dummy 30 feet away to score.

Five entrepreneurs, starting their business southeast of Afton, weren’t the average young, startup types. Known as Iowa Woodworks LC, Marion James, Union County magistrate; Don Sheridan, retired SWCC English instructor; Mike Weibel, owner of retail shoe stores; Helmut Mueller, attorney and farmer; and Rebecca Kelley, active volunteer in forestry and conservation, started their new lumber company for sale to local woodworkers and crafters that were seeking smaller, less costly sizes of lumber.

Creston native and 1976 CHS graduate, Kevin Provost, received several honors from the Michigan State Police. He had been nominated twice for the region’s top award for patrol officers, and received a meritorious award medal after stopping an armed group charged with more than 60 robberies of banks and post offices.

50 years ago

A new Sears catalog sales store, operated by Dale and Linda McGinnis, opened at 213 W. Montgomery St., in Creston. There were displays of merchandise for which orders could be taken at the store or ordered from the Sear-Roebuck catalog to be delivered to the store for pickup by customers.

Keast Oil of Creston won the men’s state handicap team bowling championship in Des Moines, bringing home the cash prize of $2,800 for first place. The men on the team were Oscar Lovell, Carroll Huddle, Dave Seckington, Jess Ament and Gerald Johnston.

A three-day “Tent Sale” by A.V. Boyd and Sons, Mosman TV and United Food Market was held on the United parking lot on Townline Road. Ads promised a free pony with the purchase of any Whirlpool refrigerator, RCA color TV console or RCA stereo console.

Union County Deputy Sheriff Don Loy was a member of the first class of the new Iowa Law Enforcement Academy at Camp Dodge, north of Des Moines. A law passed by the 1967 session of the legislature required all law enforcement officers in Iowa to receive training at the temporary academy. Permanent facilities were being built.

Lynn Sandeman of Creston placed third at the girls state junior golf tournament in Jefferson.