Back in the Day — June 5, 2019
10 YEARS AGO
June 10, 2009
There was a gas leak at the high school in the pipelines that run along the outside of the building. The school shut off the gas and had the gas company come do a full inspection of the school grounds. The problem areas extended from the south circle drive and around to the northwest teachers parking lot area. The metal pipes rusted through triggering various leaks within the area causing 700-800 feet of pipe to be replaced.
Erica A. Kremitzki received her Master of Education degree on May 9 from Eastern Illinois University. Kremitzki is a second-grade teacher at Riddle Elementary School in Mattoon. She resides in Tuscola with her husband, Mike and children Sara and Sophia.
More than 100 cars were on display, lined along Sale Street and two blocks of Main Street on June 6 for the Wheels Car Club.
Local Elementary students were treated to science demonstrations and hands-on activities at a recent Summer Science Day presented by Lyondell-Bassell’s Tuscola plant.
20 YEARS AGO
June 8. 1999
The Douglas County Mental Health Center board gathered at the Tuscola site May 24 to plant a tree as part of the continuing renovation to the facility. Members that were present to help plant the tree were Ann Trimble, Bob Hancock, Maurine Jewsbury, Kathy Reese, Sherri Stewart, Chloeanne Greathouse, DCMH director Carol Davis, John Morrow, and John Chambers.
Owner’s of Floyd’s Barber shop, Sandi Cruzan and Pam Dean, announced that their shop was open for business on June 1 in the building most recently known as Tomorrow’s Treasures. The grand opening was set for July.
Andrea Rae Cronk graduated with honors May 28 from Northeast Missouri Bible College in Kirksville Missouri. Cronk accumulated enough credits to graduate with honors a year early from Tuscola High School in 1997 but came to participate in the spring ceremony with her fellow classmates. While at Northeast Missouri, she was a Dean’s List student and was named a valedictorian of her class.
30 YEARS AGO
June 6, 1989
A “small but mighty” senior class of 48 graduated from TCHS. Featured speakers were valedictorian Geoff Miller and salutatorians Heather Gaddey and Mark Kalmar.
Dean Mann, 14-year-old son of Gene and Jan Mann of Tuscola, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
Frances Cole was honored last week at East Prairie in recognition of 33 years of service to Tuscola schools as a cook. She was retiring at the end of the school year.
C&M Video was announcing its grand opening from June 10. The video store, southern Illinois’ largest such chain was the 17th Illinois store to open.
Marble-sized hail and strong winds tore through Tuscola last Thursday breaking several large branches from trees. Although damage was minimal the clean up took nearly two and a half days and cost about $4,000.
40 YEARS AGO
June 7, 1979
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $1.8 million expansion to the Cabot Corporation plant were held Friday, May 31. Construction of the 19,000-square-foot complex actually began about three weeks before.
89 students graduated from the halls of TCHS. Valedictorian and salutatorian for the class of 1979 were Leslie C. Hancock and Constance S. George. Class representative was Phillip Mattix. Lisa Smith gave the invocation, and the benediction was by Mary Jordan.
Jim and Audrey Thompson recently began a family entrepreneurial venture with the establishment of a full-time upholstering business. The couple was operating the business from their home.
Restrooms at Wimple Park were vandalized as steel doors were torn from the building and stools ripped out and broken. Damage was estimated at $577.03.
50 YEARS AGO
June 5, 1969
Nell Gilpin, Circuit court reporter, qualified in Part B of the court reporter proficiency exam. To qualify, those examined must be able to take 160 words of testimony a minute and 140 words of legal opinion per minute.
Candy Hooker and Jane Kellogg were lifeguards at the Tuscola wading pool. Carolyn Jackson, Jim Pohlig, and Ed Cox served as guards at the main pool with Joe Meyers acting as head lifeguard. Gene Murray was the swimming pool manager.
Myrna Lynn Baker, a new graduate of Tuscola High School, will take over as society and women’s news editor of the Tuscola Review for the Summer. Baker replaced Mrs. Guy (Nara Collins).
John Rothgeb joined Lewis Consoer at the Consoer Furnace Company following the sale of Rothgeb’s Gamble Store business.