Back in the Day 3-17-21
Ten years ago
March 23, 2011
Tuscola McDonalds began their large renovation process of the restaurant.
Longtime Douglas County employees Ben Mingo and Paul Wisovaty were recognized for their many years of service for the county. Mingo spent 26 years with the Douglas County Soil & Water Conservation. Chief Probation Officer Wisovaty was celebrated for 25 years with the Probation Department.
Olivia Morris was named the TCHS March Rotary Student of the Month.
Susie Ogden opened Studio 36, a new hair salon on Route 36 in Tuscola.
2011 Little Miss Tuscola candidates included Lauren Woods, Kylee Smith, Zoe Hochstetler, Mikayla Dunn, Zoey Thomason, Dakota Messer and Mia Bratten.
Warrior cheerleader award winners included Anna Martinez, Spirit Award; Michelle Porter, Most Improved; Allison Hemmer, Spirit Award; and Hannah Leese, Leadership Award.
Junior Miss Tuscola candidates for the 2011 pageant were Bridget Smith, Madeline Claubaugh, Meranda Tutor, Kendra Hennis, Samantha Thomas, Taylor Bosch, Grace Hardwick, Lexi Sluder, Lauren Moss, Katie O’Hearn, Sarah Lemke, Madison VanSickle, Courtney Kennedy, and Mariah Lemay.
Twenty years ago
March 20, 2001
Lori and Carl Nichols were thankful to have fifth-grade son Josh back home after a two-week medical ordeal when Josh was diagnosed with meningococcemia, a severe bacterial blood infection.
Eleven lovely young ladies were hoping to win the 2001 Miss Tuscola crown as successor to 2000 Miss Tuscola Lauren Huber. Candidates were Ashley Hall, Tasha Carter, Lyndsey Greger, Cassie Minear, Cassie Sigler, Nichole Bosch, Amber Hector, Jessica Pohling, Alisha Addis, Janelle Hanke and Jenna Wienke.
TCHS senior Steve Pangburn, son of John and Diane Pangburn, was named the March Student of the Month by the Tuscola Rotary Club.
Top finishers in this year’s Cub Scout Pinewood Derby included Kurtis Kinyoun, first place; Blake Stokes, second place; Eric Kennedy, third place; Matt Chamberlain, fourth place; Anthony Morrison, fifth place; and Vincent Magee, sixth place.
Thirty years ago
March 19, 1991
Inductees to the Tuscola High School National Honor Society this year were Jenny Stuerke, John Seibold, Michelle Swihart, Tina Hall, Janey Russell, Amy Cottle, Emily Smith, Tiffany Dick, Jarrod Coatney, Holly Nelson, Dawn Barrett, Kendra Blaudow, Regina O’Brien, and Sarah Bennett.
Former Tuscola resident Chief Master Sgt. Vickie Graham was honored as the Air Force’s Journalist of the Year at a Pentagon ceremony this week. She also learned that day that she had been named the Dept. of Defense Thomas Jefferson Award for Journalist of the Year, the second time she had been so honored and the only two-time winner in the award’s history.
Race winners in the Pinewood Derby contest were Cub Scouts Justin Quick, first place; Jared Blaudow, second place; and Josh Babbs, third place.
Carol Chapman Beals of Tuscola, a first-grade teacher at Sadorus, recently received the Golden Apple Award as Teacher of the Month from WICD-TV Channel 15.
Forty years ago
March 14, 1981
Fred Galey, a Douglas County deputy policeman, was returning to the Tuscola Police Dept. as its newly appointed investigator after receiving unanimous approval from city council members.
Roger Schweighart recently joined the staff of The Hillard Agency in Tuscola. Schweighart, a Tuscola native, would be working as an insurance broker.
Steve Kalmar and Adele Esgar were named Most Valuable Players on their respective TCHS basketball teams at the POW WOWS annual winter sports banquet.
The Villa Grove girls basketball team was continuing to surprise observers by knocking off more highly regarded teams in its march to gain a berth in the state girls basketball finals. The latest Blue Devil victim was Unity, who lost 50-40 to Villa Grove in the championship of the Tuscola Sectional.
Fifty years ago
March 18, 1971
Miss Tuscola candidates for the upcoming pageant were Kim Bodins, Renee Fortney, Katrina Knapp, Jean Waters, Nancy Pendergrass, Kathy Welborn, and DeDe Jamerson.
An engine and three cars of a C&E freight derailed Saturday afternoon when a section of track “spread” near the Niles Avenue crossing. The train was traveling at a slow rate of speed when the spikes holding the rails gave way. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Recipients of boys basketball awards at the Squaw Club banquet included Jon Surma, Free Throw Award and MVP; and Dave Snyder, Most Improved. The Tuscola Warriors scored over 2,000 points this season for the first time in school history, and Jon Surma established a new single-season record of 697.