Back in the Day – Feb. 6, 2019
10 YEARS AGO
Feb. 10, 2009
The Tuscola Community High School Warriorette’s hosted the annual IDTA competitions, and the 2009 “Warrior Babes” were Caleb Little, Cody Schum, Justin Hood, Michael Ovca, Brendan Leisner, Auste Shelmadine, Zach Bosch, Jesse Hall, Brent Harris, Dylan Cox, John Ervin, and Kurtis Kinyoun.
As part of a Superbowl promotion, Denny’s Classic Diner hosted a free Grand Slam breakfast. The diner began filling up around 6:30 a.m. and was packed throughout the day until the promotion was over around 2 p.m. They served 949 people and “sold” 879 Grand Slams.
Three Lady Warriors made their finale regular season game appearance that included special ceremony honoring the three senior team members: Molly Romine, Rachael Brewer, and Kelsi Hoey, before the game against Argent- Oreana. Making the night one to remember, the Tuscola Lady Warriors came out on top with a score of 46-19.
20 YEARS AGO
Feb. 2, 1999
Firefighters from Atwood and Arthur teamed up to battle a blaze at a resident’s home on the corner of Second and South streets in Garrett. Emergency personnel received the 911 call at 9:01 a.m. No one was home at the time of the fire, and the cause was still unknown.
Douglas County Sheriff John Chambers was installed as a member of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association Executive board at the annual Winter Training Conference held in Collinsville. Chambers had served the Douglas County Sheriff’s office since 1982. He would represent the Central Zone.
Navy Fireman Matthew E. Irace, a 1998 graduate of Atwood-Hammond, departed on a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf while aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Gonzales. The USS Gonzales was home ported in Norfolk Virginia.
30 YEARS AGO
Feb. 7, 1989
The Tuscola Post Office celebrated 50 years. The employees were Debbie Whitlatch, Joyce Weaver, Roger Warren, Audrey Groves, Charles Harshbarger, Bill Henderson, Roy Knicley, Bud Weaver, Judy Brannon, Jeff Harris, Tim Johnson, Nancy Bosch, Daniel Liffick, Roger Lauterjung, Carl E. Quinn, Wilbur Wetzel, and Paul Jones.
A freak accident at Hardee’s in Tuscola caused considerable damage to two cars. According to police reports the accelerator stuck on a car driven by Brenda Keller. The car had turned onto Pleasantview Drive off Route 36 and jumped the curb surrounding the Hardee’s lot on the West side. Keller’s vehicle struck another car shoving it into a fence that bordered the South side of the property. Keller’s car continued around the building until it hit a large sign post on the East side of the property.
40 YEARS AGO
Feb. 8, 1979
Disco Night was the chosen theme for the annual ABC auxiliary style show scheduled for March 29. Participating stores were Mitchell’s Spinning Wheel, Carpenters, Montgomery Ward and Matinee.
Mary and Tom Haines announced that the Poplar Motel and Café on Route 36 would close. Employees of the Poplar, one of the oldest businesses in town, were Edith Thomas, Ruth Ziegler, Geneva Stabler, and Lorene Conner.
Thelma and Carroll Taylor opened Taylor’s Clothing Care, a dry cleaning and laundry service on South Main Street. The Taylors leased the remodeled grain elevator office from Clyde Sturgell.
50 YEARS AGO
Feb. 6, 1969
Just 178 of the goal of 200 pints of blood were collected at the Blood Drive. Out of the originally scheduled 262 people, 255 showed up. There were a total of 74 rejections, mostly from the common cold or the flu. There were six donors who reached the one-gallon mark- Wayne H Seip, Amos Albritton, Richard Tomlin, Richard Dunlavy, Robert Clapp, and Wayne Adamson. Of the donors, 63 were first time donors, proving the point that new blood is needed all the time.
The groundhog didn’t see his shadow in central Illinois. This is supposed to mean that spring weather was not far off. The weather on this week was: January 29- H 48, L 33; January 30- H 53, L 32; January 31- H 33, L 20; February 1- H 35, L 23; February 2- H 36, L 23; February 3- H 35, L 10 and February 4- H 44, L 13.
First semester honor roll and highest honors was announced. Students to receive highest honors must get a 5.0 GPA. Students earning highest honors included: Freshmen–Candy Chrisman, Renee Fortney, Patricia Gallagher, Christine Harsh, Jeannette Iles, Barbara Kellogg, Patricia O’Bryan, John Quinn, Myron Rahn, Susan Rairden, Mary Waite, and Victor Riley; Sophomores–Lynn Beltz, Jim Cox, Jane Mason, and Beth Quinn; Juniors- Bob Betzold, Mona Froman, Judy Kleiss, Debbie McCarty, Carolyn Miller, Richard Miller, Linda Otto, Darrell Price, Carol Scheu, Lyle Tingley, Marjorie Todd, Nancy Townsend, and Peggy Weber; and Seniors–Rita Duensing, Joyce Ochs, Sarah Romine, Janet Strohl, Debbie Summerlot, Cindy Thode, and Madonna Wilhelm.