Peekin’ into the past

Five Years Ago
Aug. 16, 2012
     Holyoke School District Superintendent Bret Miles reported at the Aug. 7 school board meeting that most of the summer construction at the schools will be complete this week. The $2.96 million project included roofing at both the JR/SR high and elementary schools; a boiler, electrical and fire alarm package; security/internet infrastructure upgrade; and other improvements, including light fixtures and restroom upgrades.
     Abts Express, a retail store featuring a wide selection of over-the-counter health products and much more, is now open in the remodeled Pamida store at 118 S. Interocean Ave. in Holyoke.
     Jon Sutton opened his small-engine repair shop Aug. 7 at 440 E. Denver St. Sutton said he will repair and work on motorcycles, scooters, lawn mowers, pumps and pretty much anything else with a small engine.
    
Ten Years Ago
Aug. 16, 2007
     What began as a suggestion to paint right-turn-only signals on the pavement to reinforce the signs on both sides of the Emerson Street/Interocean Avenue intersection became a decision to remove the signs altogether at the Aug. 7 Holyoke City Council meeting. The signs have raised questions and complaints since their installation back in December 2006.
     The first annual Parade of Home Gardens will take place Aug. 19 and will feature gardens in Haxtun, Paoli, Holyoke and Amherst. The event is sponsored by the Phillips County Arts Council and is funded by the Colorado Council on the Arts.
     Holyoke Fire Hall will become the Orville and Roberta Tonsing Fire Hall, in honor of the years the two have served the fire protection district and city.
     Following up their younger baseball counterparts’ state title victory, the senior Buckley Bombers of Chappell, Nebraska, claimed their own state title in Class C varsity action.
    
Twenty-Five Years Ago
Aug. 20, 1992
     Landscaping progress is well underway on the south side of Phillips County Court House in Holyoke as the renovation project of the building nears completion. The entryway on the south side was completed recently, and it is expected that the County Clerk’s office will be moved to the basement area in late September.
     After owning Blisties for a little over five years, Bill and Kristie Pelle have sold the restaurant/bar to C&W Enterprises. New owner/manager Penni Carrier noted that the change of ownership was effective Aug. 17.
     Personalized Computer Services Inc. is a new Holyoke business enterprise being operated by Bill Mosenteen, who has an office at Holyoke World Travel, located at 135 S. Interocean Ave. A variety of computer service programs are available through Mosenteen and his IBM Compatible 486 computer.
     With the addition of another courtesy car at the Holyoke Airport in recent months, two vehicles are now available, and pilots using the local facility have expressed their appreciation for this service.
     Eric and Lisa Arkulari opened Ark’s Sportscards, a sideline business operated out of their home, last Saturday. They will be buying, selling and trading sports cards and supplies in their business venture.
      
Fifty Years Ago
Aug. 17, 1967
     Following a discussion of the school’s insurance program for students, the Re-1J Board of Education decided at a board meeting Tuesday night not to provide blanket coverage for all students, since most health and accident policies are nonduplicating. The district will make insurance available to students at a cost of approximately $2.50 per student.
     With the opening of school less than two weeks away, District Re-1J is still needing several teachers to complete the faculty, Superintendent Ernest Maurer said yesterday. Maurer said there is an acute teacher shortage throughout Colorado due to overall low salaries in the state.
     Rev. David E. Carlson will be installed Sunday, Aug. 20, as pastor of Fairfield Covenant Church north of Paoli.
     Donald L. Newth has been named Venango School principal and will soon move his family to Venango from Lincoln.
    
Seventy-Five Years Ago
Aug. 20, 1942
     Aug. 31 will mark the end of a summer’s vacation and the beginning of a new school year. The lack of teachers has caused a critical situation in many rural schools and even in town schools. Fourteen vacancies exist in country schools. Arrangements have been made for children in districts without teachers to be sent to different schools.
     Only one license plate, to be put on the rear of the automobile, will be issued next year, instead of the two which have been issued in previous years, according to word received in the office of County Clerk Emma S. Kramer from the state chief of the motor vehicle bureau.
     Phillips County’s drive to get scrap metal off the farms and to the smelters so it can be made available for war purposes is underway.
     Harvesting of the winter wheat crop in this territory is near the finish, and grain still in the field is of poor quality and of doubtful value for milling purposes. Intermittent rains along with drying weather has bleached the grain, and in some cases the berry has become moldy.