1920, 100 years ago: There are still 150 old certificates left that have not been sent in to be exchanged for new certificates in the Garfield Farmers and Merchants Telephone Company. Those who have lost their certificates send in your name and the name of your bank and the secretary will get the matter straightened out for you.
1970, 50 years ago: Stenzel’s Tire and Recapping structure burned down a week ago, however, an over-the-weekend purchase of the Freske building at 1421 South Broadway has allowed owner Everett Stenzel to reopen for business.
A late spring snowstorm caused many power outages. The Runestone Electric Association had 10 crews working around the clock, taking a total of some 700 man-hours to restore electric service. It was the second-most destructive storm for REA in the past five years.
The parents of Specialist 4 Albert Bast, Jr. of Miltona, who was killed in action in Vietnam in December, accepted a host of medals which their son received posthumously. Included were the Bronze Star medal for heroism, the Bronze Star medal with the first oak leaf cluster for meritorious service, the Purple Heart, the good conduct medal, the Vietnam Service medal, the National Defense Service medal, the Vietnam Campaign medal and the Combat Medics badge.
1995, 25 years ago: Donnelly Custom Molding Company of Alexandria was awarded the “Supplier of the Year” award from Ohio’s Diebold Inc. Diebold, an international manufacturer of banking equipment such as automatic cash card machines, makes the award to only a small fraction of the suppliers it uses. Donnelly’s outstanding record in product quality and its on-time delivery merited the award.
ADVERTISEMENT
A “City Beach Change House” on Lake Agnes in Alexandria is one step closer to reality thanks to a check for $1,235 from the Greater Alexandria Area Association of Realtors, Inc. The public beach, long closed, is expected to open this summer. Total cost of the public beach project (which includes lake water quality stabilization, beach, and beach house construction) is $250,000.
2010, 10 years ago: The Alexandria City Council approved a capital improvement plan to issue up to $5.1 million in general obligation bonds to pay for a new police station near the new Douglas County Jail along 3rd Avenue West. The council also agreed to hold a public hearing and serve as a conduit – at no cost to the city – to help Knute Nelson obtain up to $27 million in a revenue bond and note for a senior living campus near the intersection of 50th Avenue and Pioneer Road (County Road 106).
The City of Alexandria decided to pursue a police station after determining that the existing space it is leasing inside the Law Enforcement Center on 7th Avenue East was inadequate to serve the police department’s current and future needs.
Just for fun – 1920 - 100 years ago: Evansville Auto Co. – Evansville, Minn. advertised - Ford Delivery Cars - used in fleets by many of the largest business firms in the country. The Ford Delivery Car has solved the problem of safe and quick delivery with the smallest possible expense. Every retail merchant will make money by having a Ford Delivery Car. Come, let’s talk it over.
Sports trivia 2010 – 10 years ago: Lawmakers are considering bills in both the Senate and House that would prevent the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from building public access ramps on public waters that don’t already have them. The reason for the five-year moratorium is to give the DNR – and concerned citizens – time to find ways to prevent the introduction and spread of exotic invasive species into lakes. The last public access put in on a Douglas County lake was about five years ago on Lake Blackwell.
Rachel Barduson of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.
