March 28, 2024

Throwback Thursday

Today is Jan. 3, the third day of the year. So, there are 362 days left in 2019. Below are news items from the Creston News Advertiser for this week (Dec. 31 - Jan. 6) in history:

10 years ago

Chris and Mindi Eslinger of Afton welcomed their son Zayne, born 2 a.m. Jan. 2, 2009, at Greater Regional Medical Center, as the first baby of the year in Creston. Grandparents are Di and Elane Boone of Afton and big sister is Quinn, 6.

Dr. Steven Sawyer, 56, of Lenox was one of a handful of dentists in Southwest Iowa nearing retirement age. He was in a unique position of being the only dentist in all of Taylor County and kept a full schedule in his small-town practice.

20 years ago

A public meeting was held at Ringgold County Courthouse on constructing a multipurpose trail across the city of Mount Ayr, connecting two parks and an existing county conservation trail. It was now up to the community to approve it and raise funds for the proposal.

Joseph Michael Hart, son of Tanya and Michael Hart of Creston, was the first baby born in 1999 at Greater Community Hospital. He weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce. and was born 6:17 p.m. New Year’s Day.

The U.S. Mint shipped out the first batches in a new series of quarters that would eventually feature a different picture for each of the 50 states on the tails side of the coins.

Betty Shelton, Creston 3rd Ward councilman, started the new year at the council meeting proposing the city consider a local option sales tax to help promote growth in the downtown area. She wanted to use the money to help fix leaky roofs in businesses, making them more marketable to future retail tenants. She pointed to the successful downtowns in Osceola, Greenfield and Corning.

Jack Davis of Creston was unanimously elected board chairman of Greater Community Hospital Board of Trustees. He succeeded Jean Richardson, who did not seek re-election. Lores “Stew” Stewart and Tom Dunphy were sworn in as new members to begin six-year terms.

50 years ago

Lt. Gov. Robert Fulton was sworn in as Iowa’s 37th governor to serve out the remainder of the term of Gov. Harold Hughes. He was to serve until Jan. 16 when Republican Gov.-elect Robert Ray was inaugurated.

Clarence Campbell of Lorimor retired from the Union County Board of Supervisors at the end of 1968 and began a new job as Union County Board of Review. He served 18 years on the board of supervisors and did not seek reelection.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Schlapia of Creston were parents of the first baby of the New Year at Greater Community Hospital. Susan Diane was 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and was born Jan. 3 with Dr. Howard Beatty attending. She was the seventh child for the family. Mr. Schlapia was a new member of the board of trustees at the hospital.

Several people in Union County received invitations to attend the Inaugural ceremonies for President Richard M. Nixon in Washington, D.C. They included Arnold Kenyon, Mrs. Billy Huss, Mrs. Robert Hollen, Mrs. John Beattie, Mrs. Stanley Brown and Mrs. Frank Bladon, all of Creston, and State Rep. and Mrs. Perry Christensen of Kent and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Petrie of Cromwell. None of them indicated plans to attend.

Discarded Christmas trees were picked up for disposal by Creston Junior Chamber of Commerce and were to be burned in an area south of McKinley Park dam.