From Our Early Files Oct. 12, 2022
October 16, 1997
25 YEARS AGO
An Independence teenager will be sentenced as a juvenile for fatally shooting his mother’s boyfriend. Trempealeau County Circuit Judge John Damon ruled Thursday that Ryan Bogdonovich was better suited for treatment and counseling than for imprisonment or some other adult sentence. Bogdonovich, 16, had pleaded no contest Sept. 11 to reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon in the death of Gerald Bisek.
Representatives from the Whitehall city council and the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce will consider the possibility of establishing design standards for downtown buildings. Mayor Keith Johnson appointed three aldermen to serve on a joint committee with Chamber representatives. The action came in response to a request from Pat Malone, Trempealeau County University of Wisconsin-Extension resource agent. Malone and Sandra Albertson were present at the meeting representing Whitehall Downtown Revitalization, a group organized by the chamber several years ago to improve the business district.
In the closing minutes of the renewal of an intense rivalry Friday, with the Dairyland Conference championship possibly at stake, neither Independence nor Whitehall seemed to want the win. At least, neither team could hang onto the ball long enough to put the game away. But after the two teams combined for four turnovers in the fourth quarter, including three in the final four minutes, the Norse emerged with a 14-12 victory. The win gave the Norse a 6-0 record in conference games and a 7-1 mark overall.
Arcadia’s fine tradition in wrestling was started by Jim Crowley and carried on by Bill Lockington. On Oct. 24, Lockington will join Crowley in the Wisconsin State Wrestling Hall of Fame. The De Soto native became the Arcadia wrestling coach in 1979 and compiled a record of 163-29-3, including 11 conference titles, 12 regional titles and one sectional title. He coached 11 state champions, including two three-time state champions.
The construction of an amphitheater is underway in Arcadia’s Memorial Park. Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. Chief Operations Officer Ron Wanek said the amphitheater has an estimated price tag of $400,000 and is expected to be completed in August of 2000.
Senior Roy Forsyth amassed 255 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries as Arcadia defeated Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 39-26 Friday night.
G-E-T’s math teachers told the school board Monday night that students are mastering their subject better under a new curriculum that stresses reasoning, problem-solving and practical application over memorizing formulas. But they added that a smaller number of students, particularly those with reading problems, aren’t doing as well. And, as a result of an appearance by several parents who said they can’t help their children with homework and who voiced some other concerns about the program, it appears that math teachers will expand parent contact to explain it.
The resignation of John Gardner as Third Ward councilman was accepted by the Galesville city council, which approved the mayor’s choice of Russ Heilman as a successor.
The G-E-T school board made a counter offer Monday night for a 140-acre farm on Hwy. K that it seeks for the site of a new high school. The new offer was determined after the board met for just over an hour behind closed doors. The offer wasn’t made public, but was to be sent to the Bender family, which owns the property, on Tuesday. Earlier this year, the board offered the Benders $300,000, the Benders later responded by asking for $425,000.
50 YEARS AGO
October 19, 1972
The city of Whitehall has been granted a three-month extension to a state order that it begin construction of a new sewage treatment plant. The state will not enforce the Nov. 1 deadline because the planning process has been delayed by factors outside the city’s control.
The Whitehall High girls’ softball team defeated Osseo-Fairchild 17-5 Thursday to win the school’s second straight Dairyland Conference championship. Deanna Matchey pitched the win, her eighth of the season.
Scouts of Arcadia Troop 64 took top honors at the district camporee held at Sportsman’s Park in Hixton over the weekend. The boys competed with troops from Black River Falls, Whitehall and Hixton and every patrol came home with a plaque to show its accomplishments. Arcadia has 29 boys participating, consisting of four patrols and leadership corps.
General Telephone Company of Wisconsin paid honor to an Arcadia man at its quarter century banquet held at Lake Delton. Carl Hoff, Arcadia, has been a company lineman for 30 years. The company usually honors all utility employees, both active and retired, who have served the telephone industry for 25 years or more.
Carl Keller, Arcadia, was presented with a certificate in recognition of his 50 years as a member of the Arcadia Mason Lodge.
With a 16-8 win over Arcadia, G-E-T has established a new modern-day record with 40 straight wins. The all-time record, 46 straight, is held by Wausau. G-E-T is coached by Russ Lund, who is in his fourth year at G-E-T after going 30-12 at Markesan and 4-0-1 at Holmen, where he instituted football. His brother, Dave, handles the defense and Ed Hanson coaches the special teams. Ed was the football coach at Trempealeau High before the consolidation.
75 YEARS AGO
October 16, 1947
Homecoming at Whitehall High School, which is sponsored by the senior class, will be held tomorrow. The Black River Falls team will be the football opponent. The following committee chairmen were elected by the seniors: entertainment, Solveig Sletteland; bonfire, Jim Holtan; invitations, Ethel Berg; decorations, Hans Aleckson.
PFC Duane Foss is spending a 10-day furlough with his mother, Mrs. Norman Foss, and brothers and sisters, arriving in Whitehall Friday from Cheyenne, Wyo., where he has completed a course in Air Corps mechanics. He will leave here for San Francisco, and expects to be sent to Alaska.
Destroy rats and conserve our food supplies for the coming winter, advises County Agent T.C. Main, pointing to the county-wide rat killing to be held Oct. 31. Last winter, severe damage by rats to stored corn on farms, and to food products of all kinds in town, resulted in an enormous waste. Lower yields of corn this year make it more desirable than ever to destroy rats and utilize the corn for livestock feed and other needs.
Mrs. Henry Schroeder of Bruce Valley has sold her 90-acre farm to Bennie Berg of Pigeon, whose son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Amundson, plan to move there in March.
The Arcadia News-Leader reported that the Dairyland Power Cooperative, the world’s largest generating and transmission cooperative, will dedicate its new $5,000,000 steam based plant at Alma this Friday morning.
Triplet calves were born on the Andrew Boland farm in Glencoe. The mother is a purebred Holstein second-calf heifer, who is three and a half years old. Two of the calves resemble the mother, while the third looks a great deal different. The cow and calves are all doing fine.
Miss Jean Smith will present a vibraphone solo as a feature of the band concert at Memorial Park Sunday evening. Frank Smith, director, will present his band.
The Anton Borrelek property in Galesville has been purchased and used for the elementary school. It was later torn down and a new building was erected.
A donkey ball game entertained hundreds at the local ball park, sponsored by the Galesville Lions Club. Riding donkeys of every type and disposition, men of this area opposed neighboring teams. Judge A.L. Twesme pitched the first ball and it was received by county traffic officer F.T. Thuerer. County sheriff basil Erickson was catcher.
100 YEARS AGO
October 19, 1922
The first number of the high school lyceum course was given Monday night in the Village Hall. It was exceedingly meritorious, the Berkley Trio proving themselves splendid entertainers. If the succeeding numbers are equal to the initial effort, the course will be a success, and it should meet with the encouragement that the seniors deserve for giving to the people of Whitehall and vicinity choice musical entertainment.
A $50 reduction in prices of all models of the Ford car was announced Tuesday by G.S. Rice of the Auto Sales Co. After Tuesday, all models will be priced as follows, f.o.b. Detroit: chassis, $235; runabout, $299; touring, $298; truck chassis, $380; coupe, $530; and sedan, $595.
Jack Lundstad has gone to Canby, Minn., to pick up a car of chickens which he will take to the New York market, for a Chicago produce firm. Charlie Schilke took him to Winona by car to catch an early train, making the trip in one hour and 40 minutes.
The trial of Martin Peterson on the charge of manslaughter was concluded in circuit court yesterday when a jury found him guilty in the death of Miss Helen Gunderson, in an accident that occurred Aug. 20 in the town of Chimney Rock. The charge of intoxication was not sustained, but Peterson was found guilty of culpable negligence, and he was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary at Waupun.
County Clerk Risberg has issued to date 1,150 hunting permits, and 300 trapping permits.
The Whitehall High School baseball team played its last game of the season here yesterday, defeating Gale College by a score of 22 to 7. Solsrud and Kins formed the battering for the first seven innings, and Mahle and Engen for the last two.
George Muir and Douglass Cowie departed Arcadia for Riverside, Calif. By auto where the former was employed as a foreman in a cement plant and the latter planned to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Allan Cowie.
A basket social was planned at the Oak Ridge School. Participants were urged to “bring well-filled baskets.”
Five new recruits joined the National Guard Company lately, bringing total strength to 69 officers and men. The new men were Ray Studt, Vernon Nething, Alfred Kube, John Liberdo and Orville Matzke.
Charley Scarseth, Galesville, a hardies Creek farmer, served 30 years as treasurer of the Hardies Creek Lutheran Church, was honored by about 300 members of the congregation at his farm home. This was a complete surprise to him and his wife, Clara. A great dinner was brought and served by the group.
Centerville Country Club had a dance on Aug. 4 with music by the Rainbow Garden orchestra.
A toothbrush sterilizer patented by Dr. R.F. Hurly, went to Johannesburg, South Africa, after a firm read about the (Dento) in a Popular Science magazine. Now it can be purchased in Africa.
125 YEARS AGO
October 14, 1897
The Whitehall village fathers have made considerable progress toward perfecting arrangements for the electric light plant the past week, and expect to have the system in operation on or about the eighth of next month. Miller James Larson is rapidly getting his part of the plant in readiness, and is exercising excellent judgment in the selection of machinery and material for the purpose, and doing the work in a substantial manner. We are of the opinion that the village council made no mistake in getting this gentleman to furnish the power for the electric light plant.
The enterprising and successful mercantile firm of Solsrud, Kidder and Co. have contracted with A.V. Fetter of La Crosse, for a steam-heating apparatus for their store. Mr. Fetter agrees to put in a plant that will heat their building to 70 degrees in the coldest weather.
Richard Mattson finishes a barn this week for Even Erickson of Pigeon. It is the third barn Mr. Erickson has erected on his farm in three years, having had his first set on fire by his children playing with matches, and the second was struck by lightning and consumed. This barn is the 10th building put up by Mr. Mattson this season, mostly in and about the Whitehall vicinity.
