Back in the Day 4-8-20
10 years ago
April 14, 2010
Tuscola Do It Best Home Center officially opened for buisness on April 12. Co-owners Jim and Kay Higgins were joined by City and Chamber officials as well as Little Miss Tuscola Kallie Todd and Miss Tuscola Emily Groves for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Chris Adams was named the April Rotary Student of the month. Adams served as the Scholastic Bowl captain, leading the team to sixth place in Masonic State and fourth place at IHSA State. He also participated in golf, Book Club, Science Olympiad, Clickers, NHS, Clickers, and was in the Drama Club’s productions of Rumors and Little Shop of Horrors.
Kelsey Conner, Brooke Harris, Taylor Turner, Anna Frye, Emily Groves, Tyler Clark, Josh Scribner, Christian Lehmann, Jordan Baird, and Jerrod Baird were chosen as this year’s prom court as decided by the senior class. Trace Quinn, Olivia Morris, Katy Yoakum, and Chase Little served as junior prom attendants.
Four Tuscola Cub Scouts participated in the Prairielands Council Pinewood Derby on April 10. Caleb Stumeier tied for seventh place, Matthew Bennett received sixth place, Jake Reed finished in second place, and Dillan Alcorn received twenty-second.
The Tuscola Women’s Club celebrated their 116th year on April 8. The local club was founded in 1894, members gathered at Flesor’s Candy Kitchen that evening for a special dinner.
20 years ago
April 11, 2000
A 10-year-old bay named Doc’s Indian Summer held a special place in 17-year-old Casey Little’s heart, as it was on this horse Casey and partner Steve McCormick of Arkansas won their division at the Tennessee National Team Roping championships in February.
TCHS senior Abe Cook was awarded a $2,500 SIUC freshman engineering scholarship for his first year of studies at the Carbondale-based university.
The Regional Office of Education recently presented Education is the Key awards to Tuscola educators Maureen Bergeson (first grade), Sandy Simpson (special education) and Mike Damler (TCHS principal)
Brian Moody was elected Chamber of Commerce president for the coming year. Also serving as officers for Tuscola chamber were Bruce Hall as vice president and Pat Titus as secretary.
North Ward fourth graders who were serving on the advisory council for the recently established K-Kids group included Travis Keagle, Joel Hilgendorf, Alyssa Gordon, Jacob Scribner, Hannah Brandenburg, Tiffany Hubbard, Kaela Kroenung, and Casey Schuckman.
The Tuscola Warrior baseball team remained unbeaten in LOVE action last week by winning games against Bement (17-4), Shiloh (6-1, 13-10) and Atwood-Hammond (12-0). They drop a non-conference to Urbana (18-8).
Thirty years ago
April 10, 1990
An ailing Jarman Hospital suffered another blow when a joint venture between Douglas County and Sarah Bush Health Center died in the final phase of negotiations.
Dr. Zelma Harris, president of Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City, Mo., was selected as the third president of Parkland College, her appointment effective July 1.
Tuscola Township was planning to appropriate $429,800 for the 1990-91 fiscal year.
Stacy Pollock and Nikki Alexander were the top pizza pigs at the popular Pizza Pigout fundraiser at Fannie & Charlie’s. The fundraiser raised $1,000 for Project Graduation.
Doug Dunn’s souped-up 1979 Volkswagen Scirocco was featured in the May issue of VS Trends. The feature included a full-page layout of photos and an article “chock full of technical stuff” explaining the different parts Dunn used to transform his mild-mannered little import into a power-packed hot rod.
Forty years ago
April 8, 1980
Tractor, the parent company of Littelfuse, announced recently its Adams Electronics plant in Bangor, Michigan was being closed and many of its products would be produced in Tuscola.
Jerry Reynolds would now be heading up the Tuscola Chamber of Commerce, and serving alongside him would be Wayne Carmichael as vice president, Tom Harrington as treasurer and Ann Carroll as secretary.
Two vacancies on the Tuscola school board were being sought by four candidates: Susan Jacob, Wally Wax, Jim Kleiss, and Roy Stephen.
Tuscola’s boys track season had an inauspicious beginning, with a 112-23 lost to St. Joe-Ogden. The three first-place finishes managed by the varsity included Colby Decker in the discus, Greg Campbell in shot put, and Bob Beasley in the high jump.
Fifty years ago
April 16, 1970
Willis Winn was re-elected president of the Tuscola Community Unity Board of Education, also retaining their roles were Merle Rahn as vice president and A.E. Kleiss as secretary.
Marvin Jones of Arthur was re-elected as chairman of the Douglas County Board of Supervisors.
Approximately $500 was stolen from various vending machines at the Golden Eagle Billiard Parlor on West Sale Street. The break-in and robbery was discovered by manager Carl Shelton when he reported for work Saturday morning.
The double-ring marriage ceremony of Miss Andrea Surma and Mr. William Englehardt took place April 4 at the Tuscola Church of Christ, in the presence of approximately 170 guests.
Rocky Reimer of Tuscola, a freshman at Northeast Missouri State, was one of three first-year men to survive final cuts made by baseball coach Sam Nugent. Coach Nugent tagged Reimer as one of the better hitters on the squad and a definite long-ball threat.