Peekin' into the Past

Five Years Ago —May 5, 2016

Huge snowflakes accumulated for 8 inches of snow and more in a solid spring snowstorm Friday and Saturday, April 29-30. The weight of the heavy snow brought down countless tree branches and several power lines.

The active shooter scenario at Holyoke city offices on April 29 was a great collaborative exercise for city employees, Holyoke Police Department, Phillips County dispatch, Melissa Memorial Hospital and Phillips County ambulance services, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office and city of Holyoke administration.

In the administrative update at the April 26 East Phillips County Hospital District Board meeting, CEO Trampas Hutches reported that discussions were “heating up” with University of Colorado Medical School over the possibility of establishing a residency program at Melissa Memorial Hospital.

Ten Years Ago — May 5, 2011

News began spreading quickly Sunday night, May 1, that United States troops had killed elusive al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. President Barack Obama held a special address late Sunday night to confirm the death of bin Laden nearly 10 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

HHS sophomore Jaydin Goldenstein had an excellent outing April 29 in Wray for the Holyoke Dragons as he helped his team complete a sweep of the Eagles. Goldenstein took the mound in game one and pitched a perfect no-hitter shutout as the Dragons took game one 11-0. In game two, he stepped up to the plate four times and each time sent the ball over the outfield fence for four home runs.

Members of Grainland Cooperative, with headquarters in Holyoke, voted last week to approve a merger with CHS Inc., a Fortune 100 energy, grains and foods company. The proposal passed with 67% approval and will become effective in June, pending appropriate due diligence by both organizations.

HHS senior Ella Stewart was recently named a Daniels Scholar by the Daniels Fund.

Twenty-Five Years Ago — May 9, 1996

Extensive upgrades in the rural areas, especially where existing cable has passed its life expectancy, is the current project focus of Phillips County Telephone Company. Michels Pipeline Construction of Brownsville, Wisconsin, started burying cable in the area the second week in April, and their portion of this project is expected to be completed by mid-May. The company is burying about 70 miles of fiber cable, 30 miles of copper cable, and just under a mile of conduit and manholes.

The official Olympic torch is being carried across the United States, to end up in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 1996 Games this summer. Helping to carry the flame will be about 16 National Pony Express Association riders from eastern Colorado and western Nebraska. They will also be carrying the official Olympic letter in a mochila, or mail pouch, similar to those used on the original Pony Express rides.

Gary Reeves is Phillips County’s newest deputy. He began working April 29.

Fifty Years Ago — May 6, 1971

On Monday, April 26, 28 members and two sponsors departed for Denver for the annual Dragon Tales, Holyoke High School student newspaper, field trip.

Farmers in the area were able to return to the fields the first part of the week, with temperatures in the mid 70s for the most part. Rainfall Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning brought spring fieldwork to a halt. Heavy rain early Tuesday night left about 0.56 of an inch of moisture.

Five new records were set by Holyoke Pirates at the Julesburg junior high invitational track meet last week. Holyoke placed second in the lightweight division, seventh in heavyweight and fourth overall.

Seventy-Five Years Ago —May 9, 1946

The largest number of votes in recent years were cast in the Holyoke Grade School board election Monday when 90 ballots were cast at the courthouse. Glen Stenson Sr., the only name on the printed ballots, received about all the votes and is elected to a three-year term as secretary.

The United States is going to get one good break out of the war and that is the new synthetic rubber industry. Instead of buying crude rubber raised in the Pacific, we now have a billion-dollar American-owned synthetic rubber industry capable of putting tires on every vehicle in the United States for less money than the natural rubber produced in foreign lands.