Back in the Day – June 26, 2019
10 YEARS AGO
July 1, 2009
Contestants for the Miss Moultrie Douglas County Fair Queen pageant were Brittany Miller, Lauren Dust, Shaylee Walker, Jessi Baker, Lauren Hunt, Holly Scott, Emily Romine, Mindy Murphy, Casey McClain, Emily Groves, Jennifer Harlin, Denise Craddock, Jacilyn Campbell, Shelby Greger and Kathryn Sims.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Robinson of Tuscola announced the engagement of their daughter Kelsey Robinson, to Sam Leonard, son of Steve Leonard and Pam Leonard of Tuscola. Miss Robinson was a 2009 graduate of TCHS and planned to attend college pursuing elementary education. Mr. Leonard was a 2007 graduate of TCHS and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. The two planned a July wedding.
The Tuscola United Methodist Church took part in a summer mission trip to New Orleans from June 15-19. The group consisted of young teens Mark Crawford, Alex Kemp, Jeff Broch, Chandler Kerns, Rachel Craddock, Lauren Ovca, and Jacob Barr; accompanied by Seth Schutte, John Watson, Shirley Rodmaker, and Colleen Ozier. The dedicated group traveled south to help those who were still trying to overcome the destruction left by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The Tuscola Rotary baseball team beat Sidney 13-8 to become the 2009 East Central Illinois Little League Champions with a record of 13-3. The team included Griffin Day, Adam Bratten, Zach McCallister, Jackson McCrory, Jesus Garcia, Joel Middleton, Nick Henderson, Nick Bates, Tyler Hale, Zach Bates, Gunnar Campbell and Eric Ponder. Coaches were Steve Bates and Scott Day.
20 YEARS AGO
June 29, 1999
Emilee Reece of Arcola, Christy Rogers of Tuscola, Marissa Bolsen of Lovington, Jacquelyn Joines of Newman, Jennifer Vogel of Sullivan, Jenny Gensler of Tuscola, Lindsay Sudding of Arcola, and Leah Thomas of Lovington were the contestants vying for the title of the Miss Moultrie Douglas County Fair Queen.
Ashley Hoke, daughter of Bill Hoke of Tuscola, was named to the National Dean’s List all three years at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., with a GPA of 3.92.
Many Tuscola residents were locked up at the Ironhorse Golf Course to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The event was a huge success, raising more than $13,500 for the local chapter of the MDA.
30 YEARS AGO
June 27, 1989
A dunking booth, a greased watermelon contest, mud volleyball and tug-of-war were all new to the July 4 celebration at Ervin Park.
Recontek officials were given the go-ahead last week to open a new hazardous waste recycling facility near Newman.
The Tuscola and Atwood FFA chapters recently received Illinois FFA Century Challenge Awards during the 61st Annual Illinois FFA convention.
TCHS graduate Steve Weemer was accepted as one of the 26 Illinois Class A All-Stars by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, named to the All-Star team to play Wisconsin All-Stars, coming out on top in the South vs North competition at the Peoria Civic Center, and selected as Class A schools’ Duracell Leadership Award winner.
Gene Maloney had won three bronze medals in the St. Louis Senior Olympics. He took bronze medals in discuss, shot put and javelin in the 80 plus age group.
40 YEARS AGO
June 28, 1979
An unknown person spent a lot of time and energy digging a hole in the ground on Harold Pflum’s farm southwest of Tuscola. Pegs down the side of the pit were placed for entry and exit. The hole that was hand-dug with a 4×4-foot opening to a depth of 13 feet 6 inches. Deputy Jan Ray believed that at least two or more men were involved.
The Douglas County Board approved construction of three new bridges. The first was located near the Douglas Moultrie County line at a cost of $143,247; a second was south of Rockhome Gardens, $71,708.08; the third two miles east and one mile south of Arcola at a cost of $52,846. Further approval had to be obtained form the Illinois Dept. of Transportation.
Melinda Campbell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell of Tuscola, recently embarked on a trip to Greece. Her two-month stay was sponsored by her Youth For Understanding program.
The Ben Franklin grand opening drawing winners were Tricia Bean, wagon; Debbie Harris, aquarium; and Pat O’Laughlin, barbecue grill.
50 YEARS AGO
July 3, 1969
Bill Burress saved the life of a 7-year-old Pesotum boy. Zane Eaton, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Zane Eaton, struck his head while diving at the USI pool. He was retrieved from the pool by lifeguard Linda Pugh and Joe Jacobs of Tuscola. Burress began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. After 15 minutes, Eaton began to show signs of life.
The unsolved murders of Tuscola brothers John and Ed Burmeister on July 13, 1935, were to be the subject of a television special on WCIA TV. The brothers were found with several gunshot wounds to he head after taking gas to a car that was supposedly stalled on Route 36, west of Tuscola.
A 20-yeard-old Penfield man managed to elude Villa Grove and Douglas County police officers, but was captured by a disgruntled farm dog. Harlin Park was finally taken into custody after he ran through a field being a barn on the Clarence Little farm and Little’s dog “attached himself firmly to Park’s lower right hip.” Park’s only comment to Sheriff Gene Miller upon his arrest was “watch that dog, it bites.”
Lawrence H. Mann was elected chairman of the Tuscola Liquor Control Advisory Committee.
Joseph Schweighart was hired as regular deputy sheriff. He filled the vacancy of John Ingrum.
Airman Dennis L. Scheu, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold W. Scheu, received his first U.S. Air Force duty assignment after completing basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. He was stationed in the Strategic Air Command at Beale AFB, California.