1920, 100 years ago: Colbjornsen & Wegener: “Judge us by our goods — What you pay means nothing. What you get for your money means everything.”
1970, 50 years ago: Kent Sherwood, administrator of Douglas County Hospitals, announces the addition of an image amplification and remote television unit which will enable the radiologist to examine body organs while the organ is in motion. An example is the heart or lungs. Using the image technique, the detailed body structures are more clearly defined and thus most procedures take less time and the patient is more comfortable.
The Alexandria City Council appointed attorney Joseph Thornton as the new city attorney. The former municipal judge will take over the duties next month from Donald C. Hanson, who was elected county attorney this fall.
Area school choirs will present their Christmas music over KXRA radio. Brandon, Evansville, Lowry, Villard, Glenwood, Nelson and Osakis will all be featured.
The Jefferson High School Choraliers performed on the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. They were one of many outstate groups which performed impromptu yuletide concerts for busy shoppers.
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Shoppers are reminded that Alexandria stores will be open until 9 p.m. every night (except Sunday). In the words of one shopper, “There is no holiday which comes around faster than Christmas.”
1995, 25 years ago: Alexandria’s old city hall building bit the dust as heavy equipment was used to demolish the structure on 7th Avenue. City offices have moved next door to a remodeled building on the corner of 7th and Broadway.
Kathryn LeBrasseur, who retired last March from her dual position as the county’s senior citizen coordinator and personnel director, was honored at the annual Association of Minnesota Counties conference. She was given the Honorable Service Award, an accolade set aside for only one person in Minnesota each year, and only if someone is deemed worthy enough to receive it.
Frigid temperatures and snowfall haven’t stopped construction of a new assisted living building on the east side of the Knute Nelson Memorial Home in Alexandria. This yet-to-be-named 36-unit apartment building is designed for older adults and is set to open in the spring of 1996.
2010, 10 years ago: The Alexandria Aces once again wowed a crowd during halftime at a recent boys’ basketball game when Minnewaska hosted Morris. Now in its 20th year, the Alexandria Aces initially began as a basketball-handling club. The team has since progressed into one of the top half-time acts in the NBA. The Aces are coached by Larry Novotny, former basketball trick artist who performed his basketball magic across much of the U.S. in the 1970s and ’80s. The Aces are comprised of boys and girls, ages 5-12.
Just for fun 1970 – 50 years ago: In Eric Aga’s Under my Hat column: “If you saw a Minnesota Highway Patrolman driving along the highway with a sheep in his car ... you witnessed what these boys go through in the line of duty. Wally Karl was the officer who found the lost sheep along the roadway which was just the beginning of his troubles ... for he still has the sheep. If you are missing one, give him a call. Meanwhile, I guess he could use it for the manger scene at Christmas time.”
Sports trivia 2010 – 10 years ago: The Alexandria Cardinals cheer leading squad returns seven athletes from the 2009-2010 winter season, hoping to lead the basketball, wrestling and hockey teams to victory this season. Katie Jo Swaggert enters her third season as the cheer leading coach. Cassandra Schulke is the assistant coach.
In hockey, the Alexandria Cardinal girl’s most recent victory was a 4-2 win over the Morris-Benson Area Storm. The Redbirds outshot their opponents 57-14. The Cardinals spent the majority of the night on the Storm’s end of the ice.
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Rachel Barduson of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.
