Glance Back

(From The Washington Evening Journal, Friday, March 11, 2005)

10 YEARS AGO

Although the Washington County Hospital and Clinics (WCHS) Board of Trustees took no formal action in pursuing a different building plan, it was informed the least expensive of three construction options includes renovating the 1912 hospital building.

The county supervisors this morning officially rejected the Washington City Council?s proposed city/county law enforcement agreement and approved their own version of the agreement that specifically calls for the County Sheriff to be the top administrator of the Washington Police.

When they left Washington for deployment in Iraq in December 2003, members of the 308th Quartermaster Company paraded olive drab vehicles through the streets in a cold winter rain. When they returned to Washington, yesterday afternoon, soldiers with the 308th, seasoned by a year on active duty, paraded those same streets in shiny civilian trucks under the full sun of a warm march day struggling to be spring.

20 YEARS AGO

Washington?s police department roster will increase by one to 10 members during the next fiscal year, following action Tuesday night by the City Council. Through a 4-3 vote, with Mayor Harvey Holden breaking the tie, the council agreed to accept the COPFAST federal grant which is part of President Bill Clinton?s 1994 crime bill.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors agreed this morning to repair the Safety Center roof. Wes Burrows Roofers of Kalona will place a new covering on the flat roof at a cost of $3,126. The covering has a four-year warranty.

The Washington FFA livestock judging team recently placed first for the second consecutive year at the Scott County spring market hog show. Team members are A.J. Lewis, Jennifer Hotchkiss, Trent Harbison and Cam Brinning. Seventeen teams competed.

30 YEARS AGO

Tom Arnold, a senior trumpet and flugelhorn player, is a major reason the Washington High School Jazz Band won the Class A district jazz band competition at the high school, Saturday. Arnold was named overall outstanding soloist after winning various outstanding soloist awards throughout the year.

Tort claims totaling $1 million have been filed against the City of Washington and Washington County, stemming from a Jan. 21 car-train collision here that killed three women and injured two children.

Rod Frank of Highland High School, competing in his third state wrestling tournament, pinned his way to the Class 1A championship at 145 pounds, Saturday night. Frank was the only wrestler at the Des Moines tournament to record four pins en route to his title.

40 YEARS AGO

An 11th-hour swell of public opinion has gained a 90-day reprieve for Washington?s Blair House, following the Washington City Council?s order to destroy it.

A North Central Association (NCA) team of 36 educators is to make an on-site evaluation of Washington High School, Monday through Wednesday next week, Principal Burge Hammond announced today.

All of Van Buren County and Kalona and Riverside in Washington County have broken ties with the Southeast Multi-County Solid Waste Agency (SEMCO), it was announced at a meeting of the agency?s executive board, Monday night in Fairfield.

50 YEARS AGO

Pam Loeffler has been chosen as this year?s Washington County candidate for one of 18 scholarships awarded by the Iowa Farm Bureau.

Jim Koehler, senior at Washington High School, has been accepted for the honors status program at the University of Iowa for the 1965-66 school year.