Column - 2001: JHS Marching Band wins first place at Fiesta Bowl

Talk about it

The following is a collection of stories and other items that were included in Alexandria newspapers over the years.

100 YEARS AGO

January 1911

The City Library began 1910 with a balance of $303.97 and ended with a balance of $467.07. Expenses for the year were librarian’s salary, $456; lights and fuel, $197.85; books, $364,01 and sewer, $300… New postal rates effective January 1 are “zone rates” based on per pound and distance as follows: 50 miles at 14 cents a pound; 1,000 miles at 30 cents a pound; 1,800 miles or more at 48 cents a pound. There will be a limit of $25 for insurance and a special stamp will be required for all packages. Fees will be added for special deliveries. Prior to these rates, the post office mandated that packages be limited to 4 pounds at the rate of 16 cents a pound.

50 YEARS AGO

January 1961

Ten thousand copies of the new Chamber of Commerce resort brochure, featuring 89 resorts in the Alexandria area, will be distributed at major sport shows in Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha and Minneapolis… Three babies were born on New Year’s Day: Anthony Hjelm at 1:08 a.m., Lola Jane Muzik at 5:37 a.m. and Sheldon Dwight at 12:50 p.m… On January 1, First Lutheran Church became a member of the American Lutheran Church, a merger that brings together the United Evangelical and the Evangelical Lutheran churches… A drive has begun to secure a $45,000 investment in order to establish summer theater in the Alexandria area… As 1961 arrives, Alexandria State Bank is in the throes of a huge remodeling project, scheduled for completion in July.

25 YEARS AGO

January 1986

A snowmobile trail groomed by Bill Anderson that goes to the top of Moon Ridge near Brandon is only part of the 430-mile network of trails in the county… Forty-year-old Mary Lund, the first woman to receive an artificial heart, is progressing nicely since her surgery on December 17… 560 babies were born in Douglas County in 1985… Trista Zimmel was the first baby born in 1986. The second baby born was Derek Gausman, whose father had preceded him to the hospital with a dislocated hip on Christmas Eve… Love Boat, Simon and Simon, Golden Girls, The A-Team and Miami Vice were some of the popular television shows this year.

10 YEARS AGO

January 2001

An early morning fire on January 3 destroyed Main Stream Sports in Brandon at an estimated loss of $400,000… The Alexandria Jefferson High School Marching Band brought home the first place trophy for their performance at the Fiesta Bowl. Its 236 members also brought home second prize overall in the marching and maneuvering category and second place overall in music effect… The first baby of 2001 is Andrew Lyle Schultz of Alexandria… The new Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, located in Broadway Medical Clinic, is celebrating its grand opening all week… 1992 Alexandria graduate Leslie Ziesmer played quarterback for the Women’s Professional Football League during the 1999-2000 season.

Marge Van Gorp of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.

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