Back in the Day 7-15-20
10 years ago
July 21, 2010
2010 Tuscola Royalty crowned in the Moultrie-Douglas Fair included Junior Miss Tammy Little and Little Mister Kaleb Jeffers.
Chuck Holmes took over at Sandra Decker’s Sale Street Paddy Wagon Antiques location, renaming it Chuck Wagon Antiques.
PRIDE (Providing Resources and Improving District Education) teamed up with Tuscola Can Do for Classrooms to raise money and supplies for the school district.
Tanger Outlet Center held a scavenger hunt on July 25 to give kids a fun way to complete their back to school shopping.
Following tryouts, the new 11U Tuscola Force included Toree Stalter, Ashley Bartley, Madison Cleland, Anna Watson, Courtney Brewer, Abbey Walsh, Erin Boyd, Halle McCrory, Tori Wasiloski, Brooke Hennis, and Madeline Meinhold.
Tuscola’s 9/10 All Star Team, consisting of Jacob Craddock, Cole Thomas, Braydon Vonlanken, Luke Sluder, Cade Kresin, Cameron Ochs, Will Little, Tyler Meinhold, Noah Pierce, Dalton Hoel, Andrew Erickson, and Haden Cothron ended their season in a regional tournament in Champaign.
20 years ago
July 18, 2000
Sullivan businessman Steve Jackson, owner of Red Barn Furniture, was eying the former First Mid-Illinois Bank building at 100 N. Main to relocate his retail and wholesale buisness.
Rookie, Douglas County’s first trained police dog, was retired from service recently after five years on the job with handler Terry Lane, a sergeant with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Kathy Mattix and Lou Rhodes of Tuscola were united in marriage May 6, 2000 at Forty Martyrs Catholic Church. The ceremony was followed by a dinner/dance reception at Ironhorse Clubhouse.
Michael Pflum was presented with a sportsmanship award prior to the Tuscola All-Star game played July 10. The award was sponsored by Carol McDaniel in memory of her son, Josh Irwin, who died in a motorcycle accident last summer.
The Tuscola Girls All-Star softball team finished second recently in the All-Star tournament action. Members included Ali Ray, Carly McCrory, Annie Sutherland, Katie Frye, Emily Corum, Betsti Flenniken, Molly Lehmann, Katie Schewighart, Trisha Keagle, Mallory Davidson, Johanna Weinke, Kayleigh Zyskowski, Samantha Bean, and Casey Penny.
30 years ago
July 17, 1990
Brindy Lynn Roosa of Arthur was named Miss Moultrie-Douglas County fair queen for 1990, and Danielle Mink of Tuscola was the first runner-up. Second runner-up was Samantha Wooverton of Newman, and the Miss Congeniality trophy went to Susan Grose of Sullivan. Jessie Kleiss of Tuscola was named Little Miss Mo-Do.
Ellen Frye of Tuscola carded a 96-92 over the weekend to capture the Ladies Club Championship at the Tri-City Country Club in Villa Grove. Frye beat runner-up Barb Coffee by three strokes.
Kelly and Marcia Williams of Tuscola were the guests of honor at a July 8 suprise open house in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary. The couple’s sons, Kelly and Kobe, hosted the party at the home of Troy Truitt, Maria Williams’ brother.
Karl Cochennour fired a 2-under-par 68 to claim his fourth Douglas County golf championship at Kaskaskia Country Club. Bruce McNary, a sophomore-to-be at Arcola High School, finished two strokes behind him for second place.
40 years ago
July 15, 1980
Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Heit and daughters of rural Tuscola were named the Conservation Family of the Year by the Eastern Illinois Soil and Water Conservation District. The Heits were selected to represent Douglas County because of the family’s dedication to conservation and involvement in community service.
Sp 4 Dennis Brannon of Tuscola was serving in Korea with the Second Infantry Division on a 12-month tour of Duty. Brannon’s job was as a radio repairman.
Young Tuscola bicyclists helped raise $7,161.61 in the Bike-A-Thon for Cystic Fibrosis, according to chairman Barb Utterback. Brett Atkisson led the pack, collecting $207.57 for the cause. He earned $100 cash as first-place finisher, while Evelyn Bailey collected $170.80 for second place and a new 10-speed bike.
Sharp-eyed Helen Skinner of Newman received a crisp $100 bill from Ray & Kay owner Raymond Kingery as a reward for winning the bean jar guessing contest. Helen guessed the jar contained 47,800 beans, just 200 beans off the actual count.
50 years ago
July 23, 1970
Little League baseball at its finest would be played in Tuscola next month, with Ervin Park selected as the site for the State of Illinois Little League tournament August 14-15. Dr. Morris Galey was appointed general chairman in charge of planning for the event, which was expected to bring to town approximately 1,500 fans.
A break-in at the Tuscola Elks Club was reported July 19, in which $22 was taken from the Crippled Children’s fund.
Actress Meredith MacRae was starring in the stage production of “Cabaret” at Sullivan’s Little Theater on the Square. And playing on the big screen at the Tuscola Drive-In Theater was “Mash” and “The Kremlin Letter.”
Winner of the Tuscom Little League Senior Division was the Morris Construction team, which included Steve Stiles, Stephen Hilgendorf, Gary Rhoades, Craig Hastings, Kirk Rich, John Daugherty, Danny Crossman, Mark Budden, J.C. Sigler, Ronnie Jones, Kevin Conner, and Alan Page. The victory also made Harry Conner the manager with the most wins in Little League.