Editor’s note — We’re continuing our tradition of taking a look back each Saturday at some of the important, interesting or even odd events as they were reported during the same week throughout the years, along with interesting advertising features from back in the day.
This week in 1948, an article appearing in what was then The News Herald under the headline, “Youth captured after slugging” detailed a robbery at Mike’s Lunch on South High Street, during which the owner, Mike Palos, was “slugged and robbed” by a 21-year-old Sinking Spring man.
A Danville couple was interviewed on WLW in Cincinnati as part of the “Everybody’s Farm” program featuring Roy Battles. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Postle spoke during the show, which Battles entitled “City Girl Makes Good in the Country,” about Mrs. Postle’s transition from being the advertising manager for the Los Angeles branch of the Owl Drug Company to working with her husband in chicken and egg production.
A one-pound can of Far North salmon could be bought for 53 cents at Schaefer’s Super Market in Hillsboro. Argo grapefruit juice was three cans for 25 cents, a 17-ounce package of Van Camp’s spaghetti was 15 cents, Velvet peanut butter was 35 cents in a one-pound jar, and a quart of Fresh-Pak kosher dill pickles was on the shelf for 29 cents.
The “Gems of Thought” section included quotations from the Bible, Mary Baker Eddy and Abraham Lincoln.
This week in 1964, The News Herald reported on Hillsboro City Council’s last meeting of 1963, during which council voted to accept a low bid for a new city police cruiser, but only after a “lengthy discussion” was held aimed at tabling the measure for the new council’s consideration.
A feature article on the Gist Settlement explained how the death of Rose Rollins further narrowed the population of settlement residents who were direct descendants of slaves freed by Samuel Gist. The total population of the settlement at the time was 30. Although the article said Rollins was 97 years old when she passed, residents of the settlement claimed she was “well past 100 years of age, probably 107.”
A new bowling column called “Alley Chatter” was unveiled, offering weekly bowling tips, unusual bowling results and general information of interest to bowlers.
Phillips Furniture advertised hide-away bed sofas with options including modern, traditional and early-American, all with an inner-spring mattress, for $199.95 each. Over at Kaufmann’s, men’s bulky knit sweaters were advertised for $1.66 each.
A “spectacular fire” destroyed the Coffman Staircase Company in Washington C.H. Hillsboro firefighters offered assistance in fighting the blaze.
This week in 1973, The News Herald reported Highland County’s elected officials were sworn-in by Judge Richard L. Davis. Those taking the oath of office included commissioners Harriet Fenner and John Smart, recorder Margaret Finnegan, sheriff Walt Reffitt, prosecutor John Crouse, juvenile-probate judge Judge Richard Davis, clerk of courts Wendell Pitzer, common pleas judge Darrell Hottle, engineer R. Lowell McCarty, coroner Dr. Paul Terrell and treasurer Herschel Creed.
An article about the still-under construction Appalachian Highway, otherwise known as SR 32, , described it as a “divided highway, interrupted by a crawl-through at Athens, that will sweep grandly through some of the most desolate countryside in southern Ohio, across corners of Meigs and Vinton counties, across Jackson and well into Pike.”
Hillsboro Municipal Court Clerk M.L. Crabtree reported the court collected $8,155.10 and reviewed 229 criminal cases in December 1972, bringing that year’s total caseload to 2,162.
An advertisement offered $850 off the purchase of mobile homes at Rocky Fork Lake.
It was reported that the Highland County Sheriff’s Office investigated several incidents, including an accidental shooting, vandalism and some thefts.
This week in 1998, The Times-Gazette reported that Judge James D. Hapner ordered a Sinking Spring man to move “within easy walking distance of a bar or carryout,” and, if the man happened to be riding alone with his wife in her pickup truck, he was ordered to be handcuffed to the passenger side door. The judge remarked, “If he could be kept out of motor vehicles, he could drink himself to death with impunity if that is his desire.”
A report showed the Leesburg Village Council and mayor expended approximately 51 percent of Leesburg’s 1996 general fund resources on the village police department. State Auditor Jim Petro suggested the village consider contracting policing services with the county sheriff’s office or place a police levy on the ballot.
Jana Hess of Sardinia, the reigning Highland County Beef Queen at the time, was set to travel to a state convention to compete against 29 other county beef queens for the title of 1998 Ohio Beef Queen.
Adam Haines scored 16 points for the Fairfield Lions in a basketball game against the Whiteoak Wildcats. The Lions eventually won the game by just three points, 68-65.
An editorial cartoon depicted President Bill Clinton guarding a Frankenstein monster labeled “U.S. Tax System,” from a crowd of elephants wielding axes. The caption showed Clinton yelling, “Hey, c’mon now! Hold it! All it needs is a makeover!”
Eleven-year-old Tyler Barker was in the money after sinking a half-court shot during a Hillsboro High School basketball game. He took home $890 in prizes.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
