Days Gone By (Oct. 11, 2012)

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In local business news, Stan and Sherry Jack sold their Main Street clothing store, Mr. J’s Clothiers, to Mary and Gary Hainley; Jerry Karnes was new manager at Tapedek, 114 S. Main St.; Wranger’s Corral family restaurant opened doors at Southside Plaza, just north of Dick’s IGA store; and an open house in honor of Donna Gresback’s retirement was hosted by Pierce County Bank & Trust co., 103 Second St.

As the 1992-93 school year began, UWRF Admissions Director Alan Tuchtenhagen announced there was not enough room for all qualified applicants; and the public schools had the equivalent of three more classrooms than last September.

As a reminder of how rural River Falls was, among the nine playground rules at Rocky Branch Elementary School is Rule #3, “Stay out of the corn fields.”

Tom Steffen, son of John and Kathy, was named a Merit Scholar.

Some 33 homeowners from Falcon Heights presented a petition to the City Council requesting it do whatever necessary to keep their property from being designated a flood plain. The city has been fighting to cut down the number of homes that have been designated as being in the flood plain and the original number of about 150 has been reduced to under 25 structures. The building of the Cernohous detention dam on the eastern outskirts and the Hoffman Park detention basin have played a part in getting the number reduced.

Grocery specials included beef roast, 99 cents per pound; picnics, 88 cents/lb., raisin bread, 98 cents/loaf, and a 12-pack of Coke was $2.98.

The City Council discussed a 10:30 p.m. curfew for anyone under the age of 16, and whether to allow dancing in city bars.

Seventh-grade football cheerleaders included Cari Carter, Shelly Kahut, Latonna Bishop, Holly Benson, and Terri Selleck.

Crack rifle team for the River Falls National Guard were Guardsmen Pete Reis, Jerry Solum, Dick Andrea, Dick Wallin, Steve Timmerman, Warren Millard, Luverne Jensen, Dale Rye and Jon Veenendall.

Grocery specials included rib steaks, $1.09/lb.; knockwurst, 99 cents/lb.; lettuce 19 cents/head; and caramel apples, 10 cents each.

DeWayne N. Eldred will take over operation of the Sinclair Station at Main and Walnut from Dewey Borowick, with the new name being Eldie’s Sinclair.

Construction started on the addition to Smead’s Manufacturing to increase the size and number of people working there. At the present time there were 76 persons employed.

Acting postmaster for River Falls for the past year, Robert Dusek, was permanently appointed to this office.

In the annual sunflower growing contest sponsored by the River Falls Garden Club, the biggest plant was grown by Mark Stark. Gwen Bradley took top honors with the largest sunflower; Joan Kremer took second and Jeannie Vorwald third.

Sgt. Eugene Gregor, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gregor of River Falls, was named hero for his actions during tank battle in Korea.

Dr. R.U. Cairns of River Falls and Dr. A.M. Ford of Roberts were among 20 physicians in the state who were on the honor list of those having served their communities for 50 years.

Newly elected officers of the local FFA included LeRoy Kusilek, president; Merle Nielson, vice president; Norman Matzek, secretary; and Roger Borgerson, treasurer.

Master printer Charles E. Nelson, 73, River Falls Journal employee and former editor of the River Falls Times, died suddenly of a heart attack.

The Red & White Store offered potatoes for $1.87 for 100 pounds if you brought your own sacks to the train they were on; flour was offered at a special low price on barrel lots with a 49-lb. bag going for $1.89 and a barrel (four bags) for $7.35.

Pierce County’s biggest snowplow, a 10-ton plow, was taken over by the government for duty on the Alaskan Highway.

As part of a national scrap metal drive with three pounds or more of scrap metal or old keys, children could attend a matinee free of charge at Falls Theatre.

Peter Pearson, florist, purchased the stock and greenhouses of River Falls Floral Company. He planned to move the business to his place on Elm Street next spring.

Graveling of Hwys. 65 and 29 was scheduled to begin this month, with the gravel coming from a pit at the Mrs. Dora Atkins place in the town of Clifton.

Tags: river falls, lifestyle, history