Glance Back (From The Washington Evening Journal, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008)

10 Years Ago

The Iowa National Guard worked around the clock last summer doing vital work on behalf of flood victims. The Highland School District opened its doors to the National Guard for a base of operations. The district was honored this morning during an assembly at the high school.

'The last time I was here, this place was full of cots,” Lt. Col. Tim Rickert told the students assembled at the Highland High School gym.

With the 2008 general Election Day still a week off, Lynda Miksch and Mike McCandless joined 2,500 Washington County people so far to cast their ballots early.

Phyllis Hofer of the Washington County Auditor's office said that during the 2004 general election 3,000 people, or 20 percent, voted absentee out of 14,862 voters. So far 959 Democrats have requested ballots, 932 Republicans, 677 no party and two others.

20 Years Ago

David Basinger, Nicole Drayton, Nick Hanson, Rebekah Trotter and Heather Youngquist, all of Washington Senior High School, have attained the highest individual honor available to Iowa high school musicians by being selected as members of the 1998 All-State Band and Chorus.

Financial aid is on the way to help replace trees lost in Washington city parks due to the May 15 tornado and June 29 windstorm. The Izaak Walton League of American Endowment has announced the awarding of a $5,000 grant to the Chicaqua Chapter (based in Washington) of the Izaak Walton League of America Inc.

Lisa Pacha, a Washington High School senior, was recently selected to serve as reported for the Business Professionals of America, Iowa Association, for the 1998-99 school year.

She will serve with the state officer team in planning and implementing statewide BPA activities. This group will represent Iowa as voting delegates at the National Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, Pa., in late April. Pacha is the daughter of Tom and Miriam Pacha, of rural Brighton.

30 Years Ago

The personnel for this year's Washington High School Jazz Band has been selected and rehearsals have begun. The 1988-89 personnel includes: Saxophones – Tom Weller, Eric Hanson, Jenny Sorg, Kim Clawson, Lisa Garrity, Pam Crossett and Joel Hoyle; Trombones – Kent Andersen, Todd Kurtz, Chad Zear and Tim Nicola; Trumpets – Jenny Secrest, Loren Love, Nicci Wellington and Jenny Knight; Bass – Pepper Kerr; Piano – Clisty Bruns; Guitar – Tim Nicola; Percussion – Chris McCurdy and Colleen Garrity; and Troy Renoux, sound technician.

DES MOINES – A pair of area bakers are serving on the Iowa Bankers Association's Legislative Committee: Don Kout of Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank, Lone Tree and Dean Edwards, president and CEO, Rubio Savings Bank of Brighton.

Matthew Beenblossom, a senior accounting/business administration major; Wendy Hanshaw, a senior business administration major; and Amy Roberts, a senior business administration major, all of Iowa Wesleyan College, have been selected for inclusion in the 1989 edition of 'Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.”

40 Years Ago

The Ainsworth Four Corners Café, which prides itself as the only eating place in Washington County open 24 hours a day, 362 days a year, was gutted by fire Saturday. The blaze, the cause of which is uncertain, broke out about 10:30 p.m. in the small cafe's basement.

Directors of the Federal Savings & Loan Association of Washington accepted the resignation of George Breitenbach from the board. The move severed another in the few remaining links between current leadership in Washington's financial community and that of earlier years. Richard L. Weeks will fill the vacancy.

As youngsters celebrated Halloween Tuesday night one of the centers of activity was the Washington Community YMCA where youngsters, forced to abandon their planned parade around the square because of rain, paraded before judges in the Y gym. They were then treated to a program of cartoons and Halloween treats.

50 Years Ago

It won't be long until Christmas. That's the apparent feeling of Cub Lohrer, secretary of the Washington Chamber of Commerce, and Leo Beauchamp, who are already decorating the city.

Workmen are making good progress on Washington's new city water well. They reached the 1,200-foot depth with the sall drill and are nearing that mark with an 8-inch diameter hole. They hope to reach the Jordan stream of water at about the 1,800-foot mark.

Washington voters discharged their voting duties in near record numbers Tuesday, keeping counting boards and other election officials up all night and well into the morning before the final tally was recorded.