From Our Early Files June 14, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
June 18, 1998
A divided Whitehall city council voted last week to increase police coverage. The aldermen voted four to two to accept a federal Community Oriented Policing Services program grant that has been awarded to the city. The COPS funds would be used to cover part of the cost of adding a fourth full-time officer to the staff of the Whitehall Police Department, which presently has three full-timers and a number of part-timers. Voting in favor of accepting the grant were aldermen Jeff Hauser, Ralph Jacobson, Dan Schreiner and Dick Sosalla. Casting the “no” votes were Steve Brekke and Henry Thompson.
The Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors voted to increase the mileage reimbursement paid to county employees who drive their own vehicles for work-related purposes. The mileage-payment increase, approved by a 14 to seven vote, hikes the reimbursement from 28 to 32.5 cents per mile. The latter figure is the amount allowed by the federal Internal Revenue Service for tax purposes and the resolution approved by the board ties the county reimbursement rate to the IRS figure, which is increased periodically.
Megan Drangstveit, daughter of Larry and Ellen Drangstveit of Eleva, was crowned the Trempealeau County Dairy ambassador at the annual June Dairy Month “On the Farm” breakfast last Saturday.
Miss Arcadia 1997, Kathryn Slaby, is preparing to make her journey to Oshkosh for the upcoming Miss Wisconsin Pageant. The daughter of Tony and Marlys Slaby, Arcadia, is attending Winona State University and is studying elementary education. She said she is excited about being the only baton twirler at the Miss Wisconsin Pageant.
Cyndi Schultz, an activity aide at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare-Arcadia Campus, has poured her heart out to individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. She, along with a group of dedicated people, have done what they can to help bring awareness to the disease. Those efforts have not gone unnoticed as she was recently named the recipient of the 1997 Professional Award from the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Association Chapter Network.
Area community activist Terry Madden ended weeks of speculation last Wednesday when he announced that he will be running for Wisconsin’s 91st State Assembly district seat. Madden, a former aide to Gov. Tommy Thompson, vowed to make tax relief, quality education and protecting agriculture his key campaign as he runs as a Republican against incumbent Democrat Barbara Gronemus.
The Arcadia High School golf team finished third at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State meet in Madison. The Raiders shot a 715, behind Valders (690) and Oostburg (685).
Galesville will sell Kindernook and seven acres of Gale College land to the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District. The $305,000 sale, in the form of a five-year lease/purchase agreement has the district making payments for five years before taking ownership after a balloon payment in 2003. The school has been leasing the Kindernook property from the city for two years.
The committee for promoting safe and stable families in Trempealeau County had its first all-county meeting on June 11. Twenty-five people attended the meeting and “every community was represented,” said Pat Malone of the University of Wisconsin-Extension Office, which is in charge of leading the effort.
50 YEARS AGO
June 21, 1973
The state Department of Natural Resources has charged the Associated Milk Producers, Inc., plant in Blair with discharging deleterious substances into the Trempealeau River. One of the co-op’s wastewater treatment lagoons failed May 11 and dumped an estimated 14 million gallons of plant wash water into the river.
The Whitehall district school board voted to hire three new teachers: Jane Bergmann Bautch, Spanish; Thomas Friar, agriculture; and Shirley Radke, part-time vocal music. They replace, respectively, Louis Ferris, John Vizelka and Florence Ellison.
Bob Scow drove in five runs as the Norsemen beat Alma 13-5 Friday and improved their record to 8-0.
The Arcadia area apparently felt the brunt of a freakish storm on Monday. Leaden skies brought rain to the city earlier in the morning. But about 10 a.m., with less threatening skies, a violent wind swept through the area, uprooting trees, downing power and telephone lines and causing some property damage.
Ann Falkenberg, Arcadia, was elected district supervisor, District 1, Cedar City, at Badger Girls State on the University of Wisconsin Campus in Madison. The weeklong conference sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and University Extension, is designed to give the 537 high school girls attending it state practical experience in good government.
Gerald Rall, Galesville, was awarded first prize for his original clay sculpturing at the Galena Art Festival in Galena, Ill. He will be displaying his work of art at the La Crosse Art Show this weekend.
James Stull, sight conservation chairman for the Trempealeau Lions Club, is sending the first collection of used eyeglasses from the club to needy people overseas.
Pastor Irvin O. Jacobson, visitation pastor at Zion Lutheran Church of Galesville will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination on Sunday.
75 YEARS AGO
June 17, 1948
The joint Trempealeau and Buffalo counties school committees have filed their school district reorganization decisions with Miss Dorris Sander, county superintendent of schools, the first order disallowing the dissolution of 22 school districts in the Independence area. The reorganization proposal turned down would have formed a new common school district, with high school and elementary districts combined, of which Independence and its high school would have been the nucleus.
Three Whitehall boys left Saturday for Badger Boys State on the campus of Ripon College. They were Robert DeBow and Allyn Thompson, sponsored by Hutchins-Stendahl American Legion Post 191; and Dayton Lovlien, sponsored by the Lions Club.
A bevy of juvenile beauty appears in the show window at the Coast to Coast store in Whitehall, as the result of the picture-taking contest conducted by Mr. and Mrs. C. Andrew Kuhn. First place went to Karen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Pavek, Chimney Rock; second to Kenneth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hoff, Whitehall; and third to Jane Ann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Fitzpatrick.
Seven vocational agriculture students at Whitehall High, Gerald Nelson, LeRoy Haug, Ray Thompson, Gerald Nordby, Donald Hanson, Donald Teigen and Heinrich Vohs, are entered in a state high-yield corn-growing contest sponsored Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Co.
Harold Everson and wife took over management of the Walgert Hotel, which they purchased from the W.R. Hauges, the first of the week. The Hauges have temporarily moved into rooms in the Harold Lindstrom residence.
Nic Jensen completed negotiations this week to purchase the Alex Foster and Mrs. Grace Berg properties on Main St. in Arcadia, formerly housing the Kotlarz Electric shop, John Runkel drug store and Farmers’ Store hardware department. The buildings on this site were destroyed by fire earlier this year.
The 1949 Ford, which reveals a radical departure from traditional Ford styling and engineering, will be on display by the Tyvand Motor Sales in Arcadia on Friday. New standards of beauty and comfort and performance make the 1949 Ford a vehicle that appears far more advanced than any other of the time.
100 YEARS AGO
June 21, 1923
Marshal Alfred Thompson unlocks the Whitehall Village Hall at 7 a.m., busies himself with his various duties during the day, and tolls the curfew at 9 p.m. Most would consider that a day’s work, but frequently Chief Thompson continues on the job. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, several speeders, running with open cut-outs and generally disturbing the slumbers of residents on Dewey and Main streets, were surprised to find Alfred still on deck. One man was forced to a few hours rest in the Village Hall apartment, and three others were requested to appear Monday before Justice Larson, who placed them under peace bonds for six months. Marshal Thompson is going to keep order in Whitehall, if he has to stay up all night to do it.
Whitehall’s Chautauqua opened last Sunday with the Virginia Jubilee Singers as the initial attraction. Who does not love to hear old plantation and camp meeting songs as only the colored people can render them? So far as talent is concerned, the Midland people have furnished a fairly strong program for 1923. The local management have not been interviewed as to the financial success of the undertaking, but whether short or long, they have the satisfaction of having supplied Chautauqua fans with a good five days’ worth of entertainment and instruction at a minimum price.
Last night about 8 p.m., little Florence Hanke was struck by Dr. Koch’s auto on Main Street near the meat market. The child dodged out from between parked cars and was struck and dragged a short distance, bruising her face. The doctor is not blamed for the accident.
Every detail possible has been met for the first livestock sale to be held in Arcadia. The spacious barn of Braun & Son has been converted to a livestock pavilion and a special theatre matinee was planned for the women and children.
A new Ford touring car was the grand prize to be given away at the golden jubilee celebration of St. Michael’s Church, North Creek.
Game Warden Holmes has said that partridges are so thick they are becoming pests. The story tells that any farmer in Trempealeau County just has to reach out his kitchen window and yank one off the tree outside. Farmers are complaining about damages to their crops and fruit trees. Thirty at a time was seen in an apple tree. These are Hungarian Pheasants and some have seen them in their chicken coops, eating with the hens.
High Cliff Park was a popular vacation spot. A register was kept showing names from as far away as Chicago, Ill., Tacoma, Wash., and nearby towns such as La Crosse and Winona.
F.A. Smith and son, Leonard Smith, have purchased the W.F. Plummer Furniture Co. store in Galesville. They are licensed undertakers and embalmers. The son has recently graduated from a Chicago school.
125 YEARS AGO
June 16, 1898
Miss Lydia Kremers has returned home to Whitehall after a year’s teaching at the high school in Arcadia.
C.W. Van Horn has sold his meat market to Ole Foss, proprietor of the Scandinavian, who has taken possession.
It is pleasant news to the Whitehall friends of A.R. Webb to learn that he won the Newton gold medal given by the Wayland Academy in a declamatory contest with three others.
E.S. Hotchkiss of Independence has five horses in training on the Whitehall fairground race track. Mr. Hotchkiss is an experienced horse breeder and trainer and knows a good race course when he sees one.
Some low-lived, miserable and contemptible miscreants rang the fire bell in the south ward at 11:15 p.m. last night, and broke down several young shade and evergreen trees on the east side of Main Street along the residence property. The pusillanimous cusses were seen in some of their acts, and unless they settle damages, will be prosecuted.
