125 years ago
April 6, 1894
People about town are cleaning the stumps out of their yards as though they mean to stay. If the stumps were also taken out of some of the (Elma) streets it would help the looks of the town.
***
The baseball boys have been fixing up their grounds east of town lately, and have built grandstands with a seating capacity of about three hundreds for the accommodation of those who attend the games.
***
According to the 1894 edition of American Newspaper Directory, which is the standard authority in this country, The Vidette has a larger circulation than any other newspaper in Chehalis county. Advertisers should bear this fact in mind.
100 years ago
April 4, 1919
Leslie Hubble has returned from the aviation service and was in Montesano this week. He left Tuesday for an auto trip to Seattle and will return next week.
***
A message announces the arrival of Arthur Furnia at Camp Merrit, N.J.
***
Plans for the welcome home of the men of the 161st regiment are progressing with the joint committee of the Commercial Club and Service League working on them.
75 years ago
April 6, 1944
Sgt. Donald Trinneer, formerly deputy sheriff here, who recently returned from 12 months’ army service in Alaska, is convinced that the north land will have an important postwar role. Great stands of timber and other resources are still untouched, Sgt. Trinneer said, awaiting development after the war.
Sgt. Trinneer was stationed near Juneau, where he was an investigator for military intelligence. Besides investigating un-American activities he was provost sergeant of the military police unit stationed there.
He is the grandson of Mrs. Isabella Trinneer, Montesano, and nephew of Mrs. John Morgan, with whom Mrs. Trinneer lives. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.J. Trinneer, are at present living in Hoquiam, but plan to move here soon.
50 years ago
April 3, 1969
Field directors from 21 countries and representing all 50 states and provinces of Canada convened in Detroit, Mich., this week for the Tenth International Congress of Little League Baseball.
Boyd Rozen of Montesano is the District Administrator for the leagues of District 3 of Washington and is representing these units in a full review of all aspects of Little League Baseball as it will pertain to more than two million youngsters.
Among the well-known sports personalities who participated in the Congress are the Rev. Bob Richards, former Olympic decathlon champion; Duffy Daugherty, head football coach of Michigan State University; Bob Feller, one-time great pitcher for the Cleveland Indians; and Hayes Jones, former Olympic hurdles champion.
Delegates also heard Honorable Gerald R. Ford, House Minority Leader and Representative from the Fifth District of Michigan.
***
Harley Jhanson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ogden Jhanson, Elma, has been promoted to airman first class in the U.S. Air Force.
Airman Jhanson, a vehicle repairman at Adair Air Force Station, Oreg., is assigned to a unit of the Aerospace Defense Command.
He is a 1968 graduate of Elma High School.
***
Harvey Southard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Southard of Montesano, has been discharged from the Army and is back home after a three year tour, which included 18 months service in Germany.
25 years ago
April 7, 1994
The smallest incorporated city in the county, Oakville, has put its best foot forward. And in the words of Diane Blake of the Oakville Business Association, “The city is going to go all out in welcoming tourists as the first city they see after entering the county.
“We have plans to open a tourist information center on Pine Street and Highway 12 near the high school. So far, the idea has caught on real well and we don’t see any problems with the Center becoming a reality.”
***
Montesano Lions Club “Boy and Girl of the Month” for December were Tighe Dickinson and Jeni Elway, both seniors at MHS. Jeni is a member of Honor Society, Pep Club, Girls League and played tennis, fast pitch and basketball. After her June graduation, she plans to attend Western Washington University but has not yet decided upon her major.
Tighe was co-captain of the MHS football team, a member of the baseball team and is an officer in the Ski Club. He plans to attend Central Washington University where he will major in secondary education.
10 years ago
April 2, 2009
When the assistant city clerk Carol Borek said her last full day of work would be Wednesday, it was no April Fool’s joke. After working for the city full time since 1989, Borek had decided to retire.
“It’s kind of a love/hate thing,” her boss Clerk-Treasurer Diana Easton, told Borek at a retirement party in her honor last Monday at City Hall. Fellow employees have loved working with her. “And we hate to see you go. We’ll miss your laughter … everything.”
Former Public Works Director Quinton Boyer and several other musical friends … gently roasted Borek in song. For example, accompanying on their various instruments, they encouraged everyone to join them in singing “She’s Too Old to Cut the Mustard Anymore.”
***
County Commissioners drew the first blood Tuesday in the initial round of budget cuts to cover an anticipated $1.5 million shortfall in the 2009 budget.
Commissioners immediately eliminated the jobs of Public Services Director Paul Easter, Emergency and Risk Management Manager Anne Sullivan and Jan Fargo, Public Services administrative assistant.
The county could potentially lose two sheriffs deputies, a corrections officer, two janitors, two superior court reporters, two legal secretaries, a public health nurse and a licensing clerk, and have hours of operation cut, eliminate several current empty jobs and not hire replacements for those who choose to retire early.
***
With Jason Franks and Cameron Covert hitting two goals each, Montesano easily rolled over Castle Rock in a 1A boys soccer match-up Thursday at Castle Rock.
With the win, Montesano improves on the season to 2-2.
***
Fresh off the 1A state title, Montesano got the 2009 campaign off to a good start by knocking off Toledo, 8-3, 4-3 in a 1A Evergreen League fast-pitch double header Thursday at Crait Field.
Montesano’s Devyn Baker pitched both games, striking out 17 along the way.
Aubree Pocklington had three hits and two RBIs in the opener, while teammate Tori Erickson also had two hits in the first game.
In the nightcap, Monte’s Courtney Lloyd had three hits, including the game-winning RBI.
Compiled from the archives of The Vidette by Karen Barkstrom. She can be reached at kbarkstrom@ thedailyworld.com or 360-537-3925
