From Our Early File June 23, 2021
25 YEARS AGO
June 27, 1996
The Whitehall district school board last week turned down a grievance filed by a district teacher. The board heard the grievance from Deanna Matchey at a conference held in closed session Thursday night. After consulting with its legal counsel for labor negotiations, the board voted unanimously to reject the complaint.
A former Arcadia resident has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for accepting drugs brought to her home by a law enforcement officer posing as a deliver-service employee. Brenda Alsteen had pleaded guilty last month to possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, a felony.
One of Whitehall’s oldest, and largest, retail storefronts is likely to be vacant in a few months, victim of a change in the ownership of its current occupant. The Big Bear store at the corner of Main and Scranton streets will close after a going-out-of-business sale that is expected to last until mid-September. The building dates from the late 1890s and has housed a number of businesses over the years. Prior to becoming a Big Bear in the early 1980s, it was the Farmers Store for many years.
A dream which started over three years ago for Connie and Ron Soppa has finally become a reality. The couple opened the Draft Horse Inn on Monday, June 17. The new 13-unit, 24-bed hotel is open to the public seven days a week. The entire facility is handicap accessible, while one large suit features a large whirlpool.
One of the newest businesses in Arcadia is located in a place that has been a part of Main Street for many years. Kozy Kitchen is owned and operated by Renee Brueggen. The business first opened at the former Wagon Wheel location in January. Since purchasing the new restaurant, Brueggen has expanded the menu and done some new decorating to help create an ideal atmosphere.
Hometown Reality in Arcadia recently announced that Dan Reit will become a sales associate for the company.
Whoever claims there’s no such thing as a “free lunch” has probably never been to a Galesville Lions Club-sponsored Fourth of July event at Reception Park. Club members again this year will be charbroiling chicken quarters for 2,000 people and dishing them up along with potato salad and beans. Sure dinners need a button, available at $1 in advance of $2 on Thursday, July 4. But, says Lion Bill Truax, the button covers other events, including fireworks. So, on a prorated basis, the chicken meal is, for all practical purposes, free.
They could hardly wait to get rid of their no longer needed and often outdated chemicals, those 30 folks who signed up to drop them off at the recycling center near Galesville Tuesday morning. One-third of them drove into the center on its first half hour of operation on Highways 54-93. The discarded containers held everything from lawn fertilizer in a sack that had torn open and gotten went to more than a dozen containers of old chemicals left over from an orchard north of Centerville.
An imported breed of beef cattle is being raised on the Gerald and Barb Berilani farm on Highway 95 between Blair and Taylor. About a month ago, a herd of five Scottish Highland cattle was purchased and the Berilanis plan to increase that number to 20.
The Blair city council drafted a letter to the Blair-Taylor school board suggesting the board entertain the idea of including an indoor pool in their present building project proposal. The municipal pool is in need of extensive repair and the council said it does not make financial sense to spend much money to repair the more than 30-year-old pool. The city also doesn’t have funds available to replace the pool.
Matthew Ressel of Blair competed against more than 200 Sega entries in Oakwood Mall in Eau Claire. The event was sponsored by Team ProRidger Motorcycles and Time Warner Cable. The Sega game that was played by all contestants was Road Rash 3. Ressel placed ninth on June 22 and eighth when he was called to return on June 23. He earned a pro racing jersey as a prize.
50 YEARS AGO
July 1, 1971
During a ceremony held Sunday afternoon, the new Whitehall Clinic was dedicated to Dr. N.S. Simons, in recognition of his 50 years of service to the community, both as physician and citizen. The dedication came as a surprise to Dr. Simons, retired from practice but still a member of the Tri-County Memorial Hospital board of directors.
A 1957 automobile belonging to Lambert Gronemus of Whitehall was damaged when a trailer became detached from a semi-tractor truck that was pulling it while turning from Dewey onto West Street Tuesday.
The Whitehall women’s softball team defeated Taylor last week Wednesday 36-15, with Pat Frei, Ellyn Sosalla and Marion Thorson hitting home runs.
Ignatius Sonsalla was installed a post commander of Tickfer-Erickson Post 17, American Legion, at the regular June meeting last week. He succeeds Lynn Thompson. Other officers installed were William Rogers, first vice commander; William Ojampera, second vice commander; David Krett, finance officer; Adolph Schilknecht, sergeant at arms and LeRoy Arnold, chaplain.
The Arcadia Municipal Commission will receive bids July 20 for a new electrical generating unit to be installed at the municipal light plant.
Galesville community sponsors are joining forces to trick the calendar for a three day Fourth of July celebration. Absurd? Of course, it’s absurd, but the Galesville Lions, Cance Trust Fund, Galesville Business Association and the American Legion have declared that the Fourth of July will begin Saturday morning, July 3 at 9 a.m.
It was announced Monday by Robert Howard, G-E- District Administrator, and the school board that a special meeting of the G-E School District will be held for the purpose of holding a district referendum to choose a site for the location of a new Galesville Elementary School.
Darlene Olson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Olson, Blair, participated in the summer studio art workshop for high school students held in Marathon County.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Tranberg erected a new home on a lot near Duane Johnson’s in Beach Corners.
75 YEARS AGO
June 27, 1946
Six aerial views of Whitehall taken from a plane by Colonel Larson are on display in the Swenson and DeBow barbershop window. The views show the industrial, transportation, business and residential areas of the city. The plane was piloted by Morris Everson.
Leonard Gruentzel and Harold Pryse have moved into the homes assigned to them in the Housing Authority. The other residences are awaiting completion of plumbing before they cane be occupied.
At the Paul Schroeder auction in Hale Monday, dairy cows averaged $200 each, according to Ray Arneson, auctioneer. Favorable dairy prices, which specialists say will continue for many months, are holding the price of dairy cows at a high level. Mr. Schroeder has disposed of his 125-acre farm to Wayne Bowen of Idaho, and will move to Whitehall
A coffee social for the benefit of the Huskelhus parochial school will be held Sunday at the Olger Olson home in east branch. A program will be given by the pupils.
Pigeon Falls —The Town Club is sponsoring the Pigeon Falls-Whitehall baseball game at the Fourth of July observance at the ball park. Otis Burt will operate his refreshment stand. The plans give promise of a happy community holiday gathering.
The Arcadia Sportsmen’s Club received 30,000 fingerling Brown Trout from the state last Thursday. The trout were immediately placed in the rearing ponds. After the close of the trout season and when they have attained fishable size, they will be distributed in the streams in the area. This is a considerably larger allotment than has been received her previously and credit goes to Nic Jensen, president of the club.
Blair Fire Department was called out to the Sidney Stutlien home in rural Blair on the account of a chimney fire.
The first cans of peas rolled off the processing line at the Blair Packaging Corporation.
100 YEARS AGO
June 30, 1921
Monday evening, a number of Whitehall tennis enthusiasts met at the Peoples State Bank and organized a tennis club. Membership is open to all who wish to join, and the fee is $2. Work has commenced on the tennis courts at the park grounds, and it is expected to have them in playing shape within a week.
Ed Schroeder, S.B. Scott, A.E. Brandon, D.M. Warner and C.B. Melby brought 30 gilts and one fall boar of the Duroc-Jersey breed to be distributed by the John O. Melby and Co. Bank among the young people of the Hale school fair group, and a few in the immediate vicinity of Whitehall.
The Whitehall board of education has completed its roster of teachers for the coming year. The remaining two vacancies have been filled by the re-employment of Cecil Long in the manual training department, and the engagement of Miss Janice Cowie in the kindergarten.
Talk about corn knee-high by the Fourth of July! Leo Peloski, on the Lake farm, left a stalk here Saturday that measures six feet in height and is tasseled out.
The first annual banquet of the Arcadia High School alumni association and dance was attended by 123 graduates.
Vogel’s Garage and Machine Shop advertised the Model 43 Oldsmobile at $1,445 f.o.b. factory and the Overland at $795 f.o.b. Arcadia.
The new uniforms for the Galesville Concert Band have arrived. They are blue broadcloth and tailored by an eastern concern.
Otto Libakken is completing one of the largest farm barns in Trempealeau County. The building is 120 feet in length.
Edwin Gilbertson, employed on the H.D. Hanson farm on Decora Prarie, was attacked by a bull and painfully injured as he was passing through a gate.
The federal laws prohibit the publishing of recipes for booze-making.
125 YEARS AGO
June 25, 1896
The combined shipment of the Whitehall and Pigeon Falls creameries made Tuesday amounted to 5,400 pounds of butter.
Those who attended Ringling Bros. circus report a nice time, and much improvement was noted in the character of the entertainment over previous exhibitions.
Chairman Ingalls has been busy the past week superintending the construction of the bridge over the Pigeon, erecting hay sheds on his farm, securing the hay crop on the fair grounds and looking after the machinery business, but John is equal to the occasion.
John Bidney has rented the Hogden residence and saloon property on Adams Street, and will occupy the saloon the first of the month. Melvin Elstad of Independence is to enter his present stand.
Pigeon Falls — School was closed in this and the district in the east part of Hale lately. The Misses Clara and Anna Lewis, who taught these schools respectively, are getting credit for good work. The latter closed her school with a pleasant picnic.
