1920, 100 years ago: The census bureau of Washington has announced the complete population of Douglas County by villages and townships. The total population in 1920 is 19,039; 1910 – 17,669; and 1900 – 17,964.
1970, 50 years ago: Tubby and Barb Shurman, of Tubby’s Bakery in Alexandria, are opening at their new location at 430 Broadway. Tubby and Barb have been in Alexandria since 1953. He first rented from Sue Platto for eight years before they bought that building and completely remodeled it in 1961. Now, the couple has made another change with the Blue Ribbon Bakery and remodeled with new wiring, heating and cooling, and new walls and floors. Tubby employs one baker and six other women, besides all the family help of his six children.
Nearly 300 people turned out for the Alexandria School District 206 budget hearing, held in compliance with a new state law that requires a public review of the proposed budget if it increases the mill levy by more than 5%. As proposed, the local budget would increase the levy by 29% over a year ago, from 241.01 to 310.91 mills.
The Board of County Commissioners in and for the county of Douglas, “has authorized the payment of a reward in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) from the Revenue Fund of Douglas County, to anyone furnishing information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons damaging, mutilating, destroying or stealing any real or personal property owned by Douglas County, including but not limited to signs, buildings, vehicles or equipment.”
1995, 25 years ago: Washington Elementary 4th graders spent an afternoon walking the shores of Lake Agnes in Alexandria. They adopted Lake Agnes as part of a science program being taught this year which studies fresh water environments, according to Jerry Hoelscher, Washington science teacher. The students, along with Hoelscher and other 4th grade teachers, Tim Shulstad and Julie Western, walked the shoreline of the lake and City Park, picking up trash along way, often sidetracked by ducks, turtles, and other interesting things.
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The City of Alexandria is brainstorming new ideas for addressing a longtime goal: how to attract more businesses to its Industrial Park.
Whether or not a train is coming, local school buses will stop at all railroad tracks. Many motorists are apparently unaware of that safety provision, according to Dave Schill, transportation director for Alexandria District 206. After a car rear-ended a school bus that was stopped at the railroad tracks by Discovery Middle School this week, Schill said it’s a good time to remind motorists about school bus safety.
2010, 10 years ago: Widseth Smith Nolting and Perkins+Will were selected as the design team by the Wadena-Deer Creek School District for the reconstruction of the middle school-high school that was destroyed in the June 17 tornado.
Just for fun 1970 – 50 years ago: Present subscribers to the Press will now be getting two papers a week — the Lake Region Echo on Wednesday and the Lake Region Press on Friday. There will be no additional cost to subscribers, just better news service.
Sports Trivia 1970 – 50 years ago: From “Time Out!” with Dennis Johnson (sports column): The Lake Region Press is now a bi-weekly paper and with this expansion comes more sports. Many followers of the sports column Sideline Comments written by Dave Harris, will be glad to hear that Dave is back at his typewriter and his column will appear in the Friday edition. Dave has written for the Park Region Echo, Alexandria Daily News, and as a special sports correspondent for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. We’re glad to have him back.
Rachel Barduson of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.
