Glance Back

(From The Washington Evening Journal, Friday, March 25, 2005)

10 YEARS AGO

Lake Darling State Park will receive a $225,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to help improve the park?s water and sewer systems, it was announced, yesterday afternoon, in Washington, D.C.

The construction option to be taken at Washington High School ? building new or renovation ? may soon lie in the hands of the voting public. It is likely that at the next regular school board meeting, April 13, the board will vote whether or not to hold an election to give the public the chance to react to a concept.

Vigilant cancer awareness activist and volunteer Sherry Renoux, language barrier-breaking Karen Gorham, and stalwart Washington employer Modine Manufacturing were all honored last night at the Chamber of Commerce and Washington Economic Development Group annual dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Washington.

20 YEARS AGO

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Philip I. Kempf recently reported for duty at Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, R.I. He is the son of Fred and Linda Kempf of Wellman.

Washington High School?s Mary Berdo established herself as one of the state?s top guards the first time she stepped on the court as a freshman. Now in her junior year, Berdo could be on her way to becoming a rarity: a three-time first-team Iowa Newspaper Association all-stater.

30 YEARS AGO

Three Highland High School students participated in the Regional Future Problem Solving Bowl, Saturday at Mid-Prairie Junior High School in Kalona: Kelly Gesling, Michelle Paisley and Jeff McFarland.

40 YEARS AGO

Rep. Keith Dunton says he favors the so-called ?grandfather clause? in proposed legislation to ban corporate farming in Iowa. The proposed legislation would allow only family farm corporations or authorized farm corporations where the stock was held primarily by farm families.

In a move to stem mounting fiscal deficits, Washington County Hospital?s board of trustees approved a 20 percent increase in basic room rates at its meeting, Wednesday night.

The Washington Junior High School Jazz Band placed third in the junior high class at the Washington Jazz Festival, Saturday. David Hilfman, trumpeter, and Steve Kerr on trombone received outstanding soloist awards.

50 YEARS AGO

Coach John Sproule and his assistant Jim Rosien have started a squad of more than 30 track hopefuls on a pre-season schedule of workouts in the hopes of building their endurance and completing conditioning in time for the opening of the track season on March 26 ? the date of the state Class AA indoor at Iowa City.

William White of Washington, representing the Washington Toastmasters Club, was the winner of the area seven speech contest held in Davenport Saturday night. William White now will advance to district competition which will be held sometime in May, at the YMCA building in Davenport.

MARYCREST ? Mary Luckenbill and Rita Koening of Washington are members of the Marycrest College choral groups which will appear in two performances Sunday, March 21. The group will sing at Ottumwa Heights College in Ottumwa, and at St. Mary?s Academy in Nauvoo, Ill. Miss Luckenbill is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Luckenbill and Miss Koening a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Koening. Both are freshman students at Marycrest.

Washington Y?s Men elected officers for the coming year, heard a discussion of the proposed new county hospital and named a representative to sit on a committee which will discuss a Senior Citizens Council for Washington.

Robert Day is the new president; Robert Huber, vice president; Bud DeLa, secretary; Dale Connelly, treasurer; Leon Hilfman, Herb Campbell and Jerry Ridley, board members. All will take office in September.