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August 15: Years Ago…
Years Ago

‘Years Ago’ is a compilation of newsy tidbits as published in the Crawford County Independent & Kickapoo Scout on this week ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or sixty years ago.

TEN YEARS AGO

AUGUST 13, 2009 – Mark Olson is pictured standing next to his demo derby car with the number 67 painted in black on the car. Olson and his brother Henry Olson Jr. built the car together for this year’s derby. Derbies are a serious hobby for the Olson family, and they have the trophies to prove it… Shawn Kraus, 23, Lee Lomas, 21 and Nicholas Martin, 22 had gathered on a rock outcropping just east of Gays Mills on Highway 171. At 4:45 a.m., Kraus was walking on a trail near the face of the rocks when he lost his footing and fell approximately 30 feet. Lomas and Martin made their way to where Kraus had fallen and called 911. He was brought to safety and transported to Vernon Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 12, 1999 – Ron Welch of Viroqua has been hired by the Seneca School Board to serve as principal of grades 7-12. Welch is a native of Gays Mills, the son of Tom and Violet Welch. He graduated from North Crawford High School in 1972… Sisters, AIC Carmen Longmire and AIC Jackie Longmire are home in Soldiers Grove for a three-week furlough from the Air Force. Carmen is stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, and Jackie is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 17, 1989 – Beauford Anderson is pictured riding in the Beauford Anderson Days parade in a convertible driven by Hiram Turnmire… The 22ndAnnual 3-C (Canoeing, Camping, and Colorama) weekend on the Kickapoo River will be held and registration will be at the Steuben Community Hall camp set up at the camping and launching area. Launch will be at 8 a.m. at the Steuben landing. There will be about a four-hour canoe trip to the Plum Creek landing, with lunch at noon and continuing on for the three-hour trip to Wauzeka at 1 p.m. 

FORTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 16, 1979 – A crew of workers and machinery were put to the job of clearing trash, logs and other debris out of the Kickapoo River this past week. Tim Hovde, director of the Kickapoo Valley River Project, requested equipment from Erland Dregne, Civil Defense Coordinator for Crawford County. Hovde requested and received funds from several municipalities along the river in order to pay for fuel for the borrowed equipment. The River Project is funded by CETA, a federal manpower project, and funding will reportedly end September 1. 

FIFTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 14, 1969 – In the final round of the Grove Invitational Softball Tournament held last week, Hutchison’s team from Gays Mills emerged victorious over the five other teams in the competition, which were Fortney’s, Kickapoo Scouts, Hillman’s, Olson’s Mobil, Campbell’s Standard.

SIXTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 13, 1959 – Senator John F. Kennedy, Mass., front-running Democratic presidential aspirant, is scheduled to be in Prairie du Chien on the evening of September 24. His visit to Crawford will be part of a three-day tour of the 3rdand 10thU.S. Congressional Districts, September 24, 25 and 26. Al Winter, chairman of the Crawford Democratic party, announced Tuesday that he is making preliminary arrangements for a banquet at which Kennedy will speak.