Days Gone By

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The high school stock market team of Mike Pearson, My Vu and Nate VanBeek managed to earn over $180,000 in a 10-week contest, placing first among 165 teams in northwest Wisconsin. Lee Lueck, social studies advisor, got on their case early on and encouraged them to become active investors. Starting with $100,000, their first big investment was in East Bay Inc., a Wausau-based sports apparel firm. Philips Magnavox with its flat-screen TVs also got a share of the investment funds.

River Falls’ own Deborah Del Mastro was cast as the lead in “Always … Patsy Cline” at the Ordway Music Theatre in St. Paul.

Rich Timmerman was elected chairman of the state Veterans Board by a unanimous ballot.

Friends and relatives were helping Jake Schorta celebrate his 100th birthday at the Kinnic Long Term Care nursing home.

Mike Robey won the “Mr. Bass” trophy at the Kinni Bassmaster banquet with second place to Steve Monson and third to Mike Warner (“Lunker of the Year.”)

After 37 years of sales and service, Lyle and LaVerne Zastrow sold their Mercury auto dealership to Behrens Motor Supply Inc.

Fire damaged a home at 515 E. Cascade Ave., after an explosion in or around a gas cooking stove forced renter Nick Jadinak out in the cold without shoes or any outer clothing.

Joanne Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Johnson Jr., was representing Globe Business College as a candidate for Queen of the Snows in the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Grocery specials included fresh mushrooms 89 cents for 8 oz., 4 bell peppers for $1, and Banquet frozen dinners at 49 cents each.

Three River Falls men, Dennis Early, Terry Johnson, and John Segerstrom, were stationed aboard the USS Enterprise when the big aircraft carrier was heavily damaged by fire and explosions.

E. S. Davison was elected president of the River Falls State Bank here.

Cudd’s Trailer Court owner Paul Cudd purchased more land from the Halversons to add 40 more lots to the court, bringing the total to 100.

The Mason Lodge observes its 100th anniversary this year with newly elected offices including Willis Johnson, Charles White, Alfred Soli, John Bradley, Donald Monson, David Benson, Donald Taylor, Dr. Berggren, Jacob Schorta and Kirby Symes.

Grocery specials included pork sausage at 29 cents per lbs., navel oranges 59 cents/2 dozen, ground beef and lamb shanks both 39 cents/lb., and Velveeta cheese spread 2 lbs./79 cents.

Ellen Morrow, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Morrow, received her lifesaving badge and certificate for passing the Red Cross life saving course at the college here.

Iner Isaacson and W. G. McKinney, new proprietors of the Fairway store here, along with clerks, Leo Karras, Bernell Adams and Grace McAleavey, and butcher Glenn Cuthbert, were holding a “Get Acquainted Days” at the store.

Kathleen Ann Peskar, 8 lbs. 8 1/4 oz., was born Jan. 11 to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Peskar, the first baby of the year and the first baby ever born at the new City Hospital. The Peskars received free doctor’s services, 10 days free hospitalization, cash and many gifts donated by city merchants.

The weather was very cold, breaking an all time record in River Falls of 39 below zero.

Mrs. William Buckley escaped death by inches when an explosion shattered a stove and wrecked the kitchen at their home across the street from the Methodist Church. Pieces of the stove were hurled through the windows and one lid tore through the ceiling and partly wrecked an unoccupied bed in the room above. She was partially stunned by the blast, but escaped with severe bruises, several bad cuts on her legs, and blistered hands from crawling through the debris of hot metal and coals.

The raising of livestock was the biggest industry in Pierce County, said H. G. Seyforth, with a survey showing 47,000 cattle in the county, 28,900 of which were dairy cattle.

Submitted photos are always welcome for this column. Black and white or color photographs will be scanned and returned in original condition. Call Pat Hunter, 425-1561, for more information or e-mail your photos to phunter@rivertowns.net.

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