Back in the Day- 5/10/23
10 years ago
May 15. 2013
The Hayes Branch improvements to the flooding district are well underway with storm sewer installation all but completed and the detention basin finished in the area where Owen Tucker is building a housing subdivision. The final piece of the puzzle will be drainage district officials signing off on the projects and both City Administrator Drew Hoel and City Attorney Andrew Bequette characterized discussions with the district as positive and moving forward.
Over $38,000 in local scholarship money and other honors were distributed among the 60 members of the TCHS Class of 2013.
Tuscola High School’s softball team ended the regular season with style, sweeping the Danville Schlarman Round Robin, upending a pesky Rantoul squad 4-3 before dropping Schlarman 5-2 in the nightcap.
20 years ago
May 13, 2003
Straight-line winds that swept through the area Friday night took a toll on tree limbs, as well as on old crib located along Route 36 west of Tuscola on land farmed by Henry Rahn. Sections of the shed and its roof were scattered along the ground and the highway.
TCHS senior Monica Woodworth was named the Tuscola Rotary Club May Student of the Month. She is the daughter of Chris and Penny Woodworth.
TCHS senior honor students were special guests at the May 6 Tuscola Rotary Club meeting. They included Bonnie Obrecht, Erica Wakefield, Monica Woodworth, Melissa Kappes, Marissa McCumber, Megan Spencer, Jordan Bozarth, Ryan Bonner, Amy Warters, and Jamie Patton.
Freshman shot and discus competitor Johanna Wienke and Lady Warrior relay teams continued to shine this spring, and they recorded a number of first-place finishes at the prestigious St. Joe Classic.
The Tuscola Warriors posted an 11-1 victory over Shiloh in the top half of a doubleheader that clinched at least a tie of the LOVC crown. And in another game—one of the most exciting of the year—the Warriors rallied in the bottom of the seventh to secure a win against one of the best pitchers in the area by downing Windsor and Mitch Hilligoss in a 2-1 thriller.
30 years ago
May 11, 1993
Tom Chamberlain was appointed vice president in charge of agricultural lending and farm management services at First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust of Tuscola.
Seven salaried jobs at Cabot Corp.’s Cab-O-Sil Tuscola division were eliminated Tuesday in cost-cutting measures the Boston-based corporate office said were made to increase Cabot’s competitiveness.
Jaki Ottolini was chosen to serve as president of the Tuscola Chamber of Commerce in 1993. Sara Holmes would be vice president and Tim Mooney would continue as treasurer.
Warrior senior shortstop Toby Ring was near the top of many offensive categories, with a .366 batting average, six stolen bases, five doubles, two triples, and seven RBI. Ring has been a starter at shortstop for the Warriors since his first game as a freshman three seasons ago.
40 years ago
May 17, 1983
Work began Wednesday on laying sewer pipe throughout the recently annexed Southland Acres subdivision. Mayor Clarence Snyder and members of Tuscola City Council were on hand for groundbreaking ceremonies.
Ziegler Coal Company announced a major expansion of its Murdock Mine preparation plant, said expansion expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity by nearly 50 percent.
Airman Stephen Riley of Tuscola was assigned to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas after completing Air Force basic training. He would be receiving specialized instruction in the medical services field.
For the second year in a row, the TCHS girls 1600-meter relay team would be making the trip to Charleston for the state track meet. The foursome was April Hanner, Mindy Mulligan, Kris Baird, and Marti Crist. Mulligan would also be competing in the 800-meter run, and Kim Waugh in the discus and shot put.
50 years ago
May 10, 1973
Tuscola native Jean Ann Waters, a sophomore at Northeast Missouri State University, was named to the 12-member Pepsi-Cola All American Cheerleading Squad. The dozen girls would be traveling from all over the country to Cypress Gardens, Fla. for the Miss Cheerleader USA finals this month.
A series of vandalism and theft investigations dominated police activities the past week. Damage estimated at several hundred dollars was discovered at the restrooms located at Ervin Park April 30. That same evening an attempt was made to shoot the lock at the south sewer plant, and there was considerable damage done to the lawn and trees. Almost $300 was stolen from a desk at Tuscola Tastee Freeze, and a motorcycle and an automobile were also stolen over a several-day period.
Baron, an entry shown by Cathy Morris, won the annual Douglas County 4-H Dog Show held May 1 at the Tuscola Community Building. Baron was judged Best of Show.
Tuscola’s fourth-place finish in the Charleston Invitational may have been the most expensive of the season. Rob Meyer, second-place finisher in the high hurdles, struck the last hurdle and literally rolled across the finish line. Also injured was Rick Izquierdo, who pulled a thigh muscle while anchoring the 440 relay team.