August 28, 2025
Local NewsState & National

Throwback Thursday: 25 years ago, 2 treated for heat sickness during surprise 4-hour Amtrak layover

By Mandy McDowell
People driving over the Elm Street crossing these days are doing it while driving slowly and with caution. The crossing surface is in need of repair. This car is driving around a huge deteriorated section in the northbound lane.

People driving over the Elm Street crossing these days are doing it while driving slowly and with caution. The crossing surface is in need of repair. This car is driving around a huge deteriorated section in the northbound lane. (CNA 1980 archived photo )

Today is Thursday, Aug. 28, the 240th day of the year. There are 125 days remaining in 2025. Below is a collection of news items found in the Creston News Advertiser for this week in history.

5 years ago (2020)

Creston/O-M football enters this Friday night on a mission to get to 2-0 again to start the season, but in order to get there the Panthers will have to go through Winterset first in Creston/O-M’s home opener for the 2020 season. Winterset poses a tough task, despite its 0-1 record. The Huskies showed Week 1 they’re a run-first offense, a similar style to the Panthers. With 207 yards on the ground against Van Meter, 174 coming from junior Dawson Forgy, the Huskies will be ready to run down hill behind a strong offensive line come Friday.

The council voted to waive $1,161.72 of the $1,805.72 billed to Creston:Arts for the city to dig out, form and pour concrete at 313. W. Montgomery St. during the regular city council meeting Tuesday via Zoom electronic meeting platform. All city council members were present for the meeting, with the exception of Brian Davis for portions where his connection was lost.

Creston cross country’s opened the season with a ninth place girls team finish and 12th place boys team finish while Class 3A No. 11 Braelyn Baker finished in the top 10 at the Dallas Center-Grimes Invitational Tuesday.With an “odd atmosphere” due to COVID-19 splitting the girls junior varsity and varsity races and the boys junior varsity and varsity races, the Panthers season opened with a “tough, competitive meet” on the boys and girls sides against a bevy of Class 3A and 4A opponents.

25 years ago (2000)

Two persons were treated for heat induced illnesses as the crew and 250 passengers of Amtrak’s eastbound train had a surprise four-hour layover in Creston Friday afternoon. The train left Creston eastbound for Chicago at 9:55 a.m. Friday when the crew detected electrical problems just outside Creston city limits near the Osage Street underpass. The train sat idle without a working air conditioning system for approximately an hour while repairs were attempted.

Creston/Orient-Macksburg football team got the hot and humid conditions it wanted Friday night for the Panthers platoon system to physically wear down Denison-Schleswig. However, Monarchs all-state quarterback Eric Wiebers and his team wore down Creston instead, besting the Panthers 41-28.

Greater Community Hospital trustees Monday defended the hospital’s purchase of nearby land for its building addition and proposed purchase of the Creston Medical Clinic office building. “We have to have that land to complete our building project,” GCH Board President Jack Davis said.

45 years ago (1980)

Karen Taylor of Diagonal is the third runner-up in the state fair queen competition . Taylor is the 1980 Ringgold County Fair Queen.

A Texan who escaped from the jail in the Union-Creston Law Enforcement Center last September has been extradited back here from Texas. Union County Sheriff Don Loy reported today that Erwin Wilborn Sims of Kermit, Texas, was extradited recently on escape and second degree sexual abuse charges.

The beautiful new Tamarac Lounge is open at 407 W. Adams St. It offers plenty of atmosphere with three levels for seating: a main floor, deck and sunken level including a sunken dance floor.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety touts the 55 mph national speed limit. Since 1974 the speed limit has saved 54,000 lives and 10 billion gallons of gasoline - more than any other single highway measure ever passed.

Denny Loudon of Creston’s K & H Construction raced home with the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give his team a 8-7 win over Des Moines’ Chappy Tap here Thursday night in the opening round of the VFW Fast-pitch Softball Tournament.

65 years ago (1960)

Five Creston News Advertiser carriers are spending today at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. They are guests of the News Advertiser for securing new customers on their News Advertiser routes. The carriers are Ken D. Smart of Corning, Stanley Weese of Lenox, Sharon Kimberline of Diagonal, Darrell Reynolds of Tingley and Muretta Tuttle of Murray.

A person from the Creston vicinity is scheduled to appear on the “What’s My Line” television show Sunday night. For obvious reasons, the name or further identity of the person cannot be made at this time.

Crestons’ annual Pony Day will be held Saturday with a full day of activity planned for the occasion. A drawing in which a pony and a bicycle will be given to two lucky boys or girls will be held in the depot lawn at 4 p.m.

Creston