Back in the Day – Aug. 22, 2018
10 YEARS AGO
Aug. 26, 2008
Pamida raised $960 to donate to North Ward Elementary School. The money was for Smartboards and other technology updates.
Warrior football head coach Rick Reinhart, who was hired to fill the void after Stan Wienke’s departure, chose a new linebacking crew. Jordan Knerr, Zach Bosch, Kyle Bowles, Jack Leonard, Caleb Little, Gunnar Edwards, Shane Albert, Jesse Hall, Josh Scribner, Johnny Ervin, Auste Shelmadine, and Brent Harriss were all among the crew led by the new coach.
Junior-Senior volleyball players for the 2008-09 school year were Rebecca Swaney, Courtney Day, Kelsi Hoey, Rachael Brewer, Celia Pachero, Kelsey Conner, Kiersten Bratten, Taylor Turner, Lauren Hunt, Jessica Bosch, Anna Frye, Brittany Sanders, Brittany Foy, and Molly Romine.
Freshman-Sophomore volleyball players were Katy Yoakum, Olivia Morris, Audrey Mooney, Samantha Ledbetter, Kelsey Cleland, Breanna Douglas, Kara Williams, Taylor Kauffman, Jessica Hardwick, Samantha Kohlbecker, Kaci Williams, and Emma Comerford.
20 YEARS AGO
Aug. 20, 1998
The Tuscola Woman’s Club began its 105th year.
The Tuscola Lions Club received a plaque of appreciation for their sponsorship of a Little League team.
CILCO donated $200 to the Douglas County Sheriff’s department. The funds would help offset costs of the county D.A.R.E. program and the East Prairie drug prevention program.
Katrina Kappes, a TCHS freshman, placed first in the Instrumental/ Keyboard Solo Competition at the Illinois State Fair.
A Tuscola soccer team qualified for a national tournament. Team members were Mike Woods, Jon Shirazi, Matt Montavon, Steve Wamsley, and Jason Smart.
TCHS Warriors football players were gearing up to kick off the 1998 season. The boys were coached by Stan Wienke.
East Prairie seventh and eighth grade cheerleaders attended a cheerleading camp. Squad members were Alison Hunter, Erica Wakefield, Brittany Alexander, Katie Waters, Elizabeth Hall, Jessica Laley, Stephanie Pflum, Blair Wilson, Stephanie Pruemer, America Ruggieri, and Brittany MacGibbon.
30 YEARS AGO
Aug. 23, 1988
Tuscola Senior Patrolman Richard Lamb and McGruff the Crime Dog visited the Tuscola Community Swimming Pool. They encouraged children to help “take a bite out of crime.”
Local boy scouts went to Cimarron, N.M., to attend Philamont Scout Ranch. Attendees were leaders Matt Leonard, Tom Sollers, and Howard Magee; Jon Terry, Clifford Magee, Jeremy Leonard, Danny Stennett, Scott Beeson, Matt Holtzcher, Andy Holtzcher, and B.J. Sollers.
Members of the Tuscola Moose Lodge T-ball team were Andrew Rahn, Doug Opperman, Robert Hanners, Wesley Jeffers, Zach Waters, Mike Minear, Josh Addis, Chuckie Holmes, Dustin Downs, Beau Wilson, David Kleiss, Derrick Wilkinson, and Adam Hall. The team was coached by Dennis Opperman and assisted by Bob Minear and Phil Waters.
The Warriors were preparing for the season under coach Larry Bienias. Their first home game was scheduled against Villa Grove.
40 YEARS AGO
Aug. 24, 1978
1978 Miss Tuscola, Linda Hillard, signed up to participate in the Old Fashioned Days Parade.
Miriam Franklin was first runner up in USCA National Grand Championship Pom Pon Competition. Miriam was a TCHS senior and one of four Tuscola girls selected for competition. Also selected were Laura Oye, Kerri Parker, and Jill Holden.
Hop Connor announced his retirement from helping with Little League. Not only did Hop help with Little League, he was active with scouting, the VFW, Lions Club, Villa Grove Moose, the First Baptist Church, the local Veteran’s Administration, and the American Legion. He also was employed by CIPS and did morning deliveries for a Champaign newspaper.
Douglas County had a sponsored race car. The car was owned by Lloyd Rahn and Dan Frye and was sponsored by several local businesses.
It was crunch time at Memorial Field for the Warriors football team. The team was coached by Bill Vangels.
50 YEARS AGO
Aug. 22, 1968
The Tuscola Fire Department fought three fires within a few hours. An Illinois Central passenger train, Conoco Café, and a house fire in Parkview were called in between the hours 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. on a Saturday night.
Charles E. Connors was promoted and transferred by USI. He was promoted from Tuscola Plant Manager to Special Projects Manager in the transportation and purchasing department at National Distillers and Chemical Corporation’s corporate office in New York.
Mrs. Michael Martin of Tuscola was among 51 students to be among the first graduating class of Lake Land Junior College in Mattoon. Mrs. Martin graduated with honors in a class of 27 who had taken practical nursing.
The Tuscola Warriors football team competed for starting back assignment. The team was coached by Gene Murray.