Peekin' into the Past

Five Years Ago — July 14, 2016

Holyoke’s marijuana moratorium that has been in place since 2012 is being changed to a permanent ban after the city council approved a new ordinance on first reading at the July 5 meeting. Ordinance No. 7-2016 prohibiting the operation of any marijuana facilities or stores passed on a 4-2 vote.

Thursday, July 7, an onslaught of rain and hail poured down in town and southeast of Holyoke. Beginning around 5 p.m., the mess of wind and water was brief, lasting roughly 15 minutes.

Ten Years Ago — July 14, 2011

Al Strauss recently took over as pastor at Holyoke United Methodist Church, and his wife Sharon Strauss is now the pastor at Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church.

Tea, cookies, artwork and good conversation all made the Friends of the Library’s Art and Tea Party a fun event Sunday, July 10, at Heginbotham Library. The sale of artwork and other items brought in $350 for the Friends of the Library.

Twenty-Five Years Ago —July 18, 1996

Linda (Willmon) Tufts of Holyoke is now running a business out of her home to coordinate parties to sell a line of educational children’s books called Usborne Books at Home.

Michael Millard is the new minister at Holyoke Church of Christ. Millard learned of the situation of Holyoke Church of Christ, which has been without a minister for about eight months, while conversing with a man from Colorado on the internet.

C.P. and S. (Holyoke Big A) is now serving as the local U-Haul dealer, effective July 8, having taken over the service previously handled by Scholl Oil & Transportation Co.

Fifty Years Ago — July 15, 1971

Winter wheat harvest got off to a slow start due to showers and high humidity, but since Tuesday of this week the pace has picked up and harvest in the Holyoke area by the end of Wednesday should be about completed.

Holyoke firemen will paint house numbers on curbs this summer. A nominal fee of $1 will be charged. The worthwhile project not only helps the fire department, but house numbers can be read much easier.

Seventy-Five Years Ago — July 18, 1946

Several months ago the town of Holyoke made application to the Bureau of Community Facilities of the Federal Works Agency for a grant and financial assistance for the purpose of building a sewage disposal and treatment plant. A telegram came July 15 stating that the Federal Works Agency has approved a federal advance of $2,000 for plans and preliminary work.

A loaded truck pulling out of the Sprague field Saturday set afire. Harry Jr. happened to be quite near but empty-handed — not for long, however. Hastily stripping off his pants, he set to work whipping out the flames and held the fire in check until help came from other members of the harvest crew.

The Holyoke rural volunteer fire department was of great assistance in extinguishing 12 fires within the past week. Except for a fire which involved a workshop and tools at the A.A. Madsen farm 5 miles west and 6 miles south of Holyoke on Thursday morning, wheat and stubble fires caused the alarms to be sent in.