Days Gone By (Oct. 18, 2012)

• 2002 Shrine Parade Marshal Jon Weiss

In 2002, Jon Weiss of River Falls, center, was the parade marshal for the 41st annual Little East-West Shrine parade and football game. Above, Weiss at his grandfather Dick Reinhart’s grocery store, where Weiss works, are parade co-chairmen Wayne Rudesill and Jim Hines. In front of Weiss is his five-year-old sister Breanna, behind her is brother nine-year-old Lucas, to his left is his 18-year-old sister Annie (also a Dick’s Market employee), his dad Brian and step-mom Lisa, holding new sister two-month-old Abby. Journal file photo.

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Former UWRF Animal Science Equine student Jennifer Easton gave back to her college in a big way. After being ranked fourth in the world in 1999 by the National Reining Horse Association, she donated over $500,000 to the university’s horse science program, making possible a much needed new colt barn at Lab Farm #1 on Wasson Lane.

Skaters now had their own ice rink, with the opening of River Falls Youth Hockey arena on Cemetery Road across from the high school. Hunt Arena, for a long time the only indoor ice arena, will be hosting teams from Cottage Grove and Hudson to make up the shortfall of 500 rental hours, along with expanding existing programs and creating a new figure skating club.

Brothers Paul and Jesse Jensen, sons of Paul and Peggy Jensen, competed and won first place in separate 4-H categories at the 52nd national engineering event in Indiana.

River Falls housing shortage and plight of the homeless was being looked at in a series of articles written by area reporter Judy Wiff.

A circuit breaker malfunction caused a middle-of-the-night, 20-minute blackout citywide here. Since it was impossible to call NSP for advice, power plant workers were credited with uncovering the problem and restoring power.

13-year-old Michelle Woodbury was joining the upper echelon of quarter horse showmanship, placing in the top six in 13 different categories in the Minnesota Quarter Horse Association.

The school board voted to raise salaries of first year full and part-time food service employees to $3.84 an hour with an increase for each year of service to $5.85 an hour after 11 years.

Chad Svoboda, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Svoboda, won a color television at Durand Federal during its open house.

Rose O’Connell and Marie Deja were proud new owners of Cliff’s Fix-It shop.

Grocery specials included sirloin steak at $2.19 per pound; chicken breasts $1.29/lb; Roman meal bread 69 cents/loaf; russet potatoes 79 cents/5 pound bag; pears 39 cents/lb.

Vicki Kolasinski was named high school homecoming queen.

Bo’s N Mine was hosting a formal grand opening.

Kent Rudesill, Martell township, received the Pierce County high herd award at the annual dairy banquet.

50 YEARS AGO, OCT. 18, 1962

The Smead plant in River Falls was picketed again, with Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union striking against Smeads because it wants a union shop in Hastings and River Falls. Only about six of the River Falls workers were not on the job this week.

New radio equipment was installed at the utility office, city hall, power plant and in several utility vehicles to provide better service to customers here.

The Kinnic Drive-In Café was now open for business, announced owners Ken Erickson and Ed Brune.

Les Gaylord opened a law office in the First National Bank building. He is a veteran of World War II, a graduate of River Falls State College and of the Drake University Law School.

1952 was an excellent year for sweet corn in the state with more than a fifth of the nation’s crop for canning being harvest in Wisconsin.

Clerk of Court E.C. Jurgensen reported that the list of jurors for the fall term of circuit court had been drawn. The list included Mrs. Peter Fisher, George Lovell, Mrs. Pearl Kusilek, Mrs. Robert Finke, Vernon Knutson and Raymond Schmalstig from this area.

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