Flash Backs

Gleaned from the Howard County News

November 1951

Both Parties Urge Residents to Vote

   With both parties “beating the bushes,” a high turnout for next Tuesday’s Town Board election is expected.
   Estimated number of voters is in excess of 700.  Only 410 votes were cast in the board election of 1947.
   Both party leaders, Paul Caldwell, Democrat, and George Carter, Republican, urged all voters, regardless of party to cast their ballots.
  
Paper Published Wednesday

   The first edition of the school paper was published Wednesday.  The staff consists of the editor, Phyllis Teter; assistant editor, Eugene McDonnel; feature writers, Wayne Salsberry, Lavon Martin and Lowell Crow.  The art works for the paper is done by Lavon Martin.  Editorials are written by Phyllis Teter.  Reporters are Leon Richardson, Wayne Salsberry, Keith Slaughter, Roberta Murphy, Joan Zook, Barbara Passwater and Eugene McDonnell.

Thieves Break Into Filling Station Here

   A break-in at Vic Harper’s filling station Tuesday night brought thieves approximately $16 in cash and some 10 cartons of cigarettes.
   Thieves broke into the station by breaking a rear window and un-locking a door.

Fire Damages Local Bank Tuesday P.M.

   Due to early detection, a fire in the basement of the newly remodeled bank at Greentown, saved the building from possible destruction early Tuesday evening.
   Smoke was first noticed in the Greentown Cigar Store adjoining the bank building and the alarm was sent in from there at approximately 6:30 p.m.  Upon arrival of the Volunteer Fire Department, however, no origin of the smoke could be discovered in the Cigar Store, but was soon detected by a fireman through a ventilator in the bank basement.
   As the fire was in direct line with one of the two recently installed ventilators, the blaze was fought from the outside of the building.  The building was so filled with oil smoke that entrance was almost impossible.
   A two and a half inch hose was hooked to a nearby fireplug, but it never became necessary to make use of it.
   Fire Chief C.R. Ball estimated the damage at a maximum of $250.  He also added that the fact that the adjoining business concern was still open and was able to detect the fire by the infiltration of the smoke, kept the final damage from being extreme.
   Another call was answered by the local firemen Saturday at about midnight when they were called to the Clarence Fairfield residence.  No damage was done.

George Urges Coins Returned to Banks

   Frank George, cashier of the State Bank of Greentown, today urged that depositors turn in coins from children’s banks and household savings to alleviate an expected increase of coin shortages during the Christmas season.
   According to Nellie T. Ross, Director of the Mint, a critical shortage of coins at this time would put unnecessary strain on currency production and would cause use of tons of metals vital to the defense effort.
   The Mint Service, George said, has been operating on an overtime basis to augment its production of coins in an effort to meet current demands.  Production however, will probably be cut because of curtailment of copper.


November 1971

Democrats Land 3 of 5 Chairs

   The voters of Greentown chose the first Democrat-controlled town board since 1943 in the town election Tuesday as they elected three Democrats and two Republicans to the office of town trustee.
   Charles Reed from Ward 1, Robert Armstrong, Ward 4, and Donald Flook, Ward 5, are the Democratic candidates serving the town board for the next four years.
   The Republicans placed Mark Dunn, Ward 2 and Bob Callen, Ward 3, on the board and elected Mrs. Madelynn Lamb clerk-treasurer.
   The 1943 board had four Democratic members:  Paul T. Caldwell, Ray Condon, William Smith, and Dr. C.T. Kercheval as well as Walter Saul, clerk-treasurer.  The Republican member was Waldo Warnock.
   Long-time observers of the local political scene noted Tuesday’s election was the first they could remember since 1943 that elected a Democrat trustee.
   Voters turned out in much higher numbers that in the last town election in 19 67 to cast ballots for candidates of their choice.  The most ballots cast in 1967 were 372 while this election saw up to 481 votes in one ward.

Resident Questions Board about Drainage Problem

   Don Mundy, a resident of Elliott 2 Estates, Greentown, appeared before the town board at its regular meeting Tuesday night requesting clarification of a drainage problem.
   Munday asked the board where the responsibility lies in relation to providing safe and adequate surface drainage in his area, as he noted there is an open, weed filled ditch on a portion of his property.
   Lester Ragan, board president, and LeRoy Lacey, town attorney, informed Mundy the Elliott 2 subdivision was still the responsibility of the subdivision contractor as it had not yet been officially dedicated to the town of Greentown.
   They further advised Mundy to attend the next meeting of the Greentown Plan Commission Nov. 23, and Ragan indicated he would instruct Richard Stoeppelwerth, town engineer, to investigate the problem and be ready to present professional recommendations to the plan commission at the meeting.
   In the course of the discussion, Ragan and Harold Thurmond, board member, noted there have been various questions and complaints in regard to the subdivision in the past, and Ragan noted these also would be brought to the contractor’s attention.

Greentown Gems

   SECOND ANNIVERSARY ALREADY?  Yes, Nov. 1 marks two years of existence for the Greentown Glass Museum.  During that time, the Museum has been visited by persons from every state in the union and from every continent in the world with the exception of Antarctica.
*****
   FRED RICHER IS a hard fellow to find, according to Kenny Seagraves, head of “Seagraves Collection Agency”.  It seems Fred left a fishing contest recently owing a $1 fee.  Wayne Coffman, winner of the contest, directed a notarized summons to “Seagraves Collection Agency” to close the account if possible.  From latest accounts, Seagraves is still looking for Richer.
*****
   TUESDAY OF THIS week there was a white car in the middle of the reservoir, looking north from the state highway bridge.
   It wasn’t under water, either.  It was sitting on a long stretch of dry land that protruded almost across the reservoir at that point.
*****
   ROGER VOORHIS, FORMER Eastern athlete, paced Indiana State’s recent defeat of Akron of Ohio 37-10.  Roger gained 210 yards offensively for the Terre Haute squad as they handed Akron only their second loss in 10 games.


November 1971 Cont.

5 Comets Nab All-MIC Spots

   Steve Matthews, Tim Petro, Bob McCully, Rex Riggs, Steve Heinzman---all names heard often around the Greentown and Eastern Howard County area during the recent football season.
   These five 1971 Eastern Comets were honored by the Mid-Indiana Conference by being selected to the first-string offensive and defensive all-Conference teams.
   Matthews was a near-unanimous choice as an all-Conference back as he gained 1,174 yards and let MIC scoring with 72 points during the season.
   Petro and McCulley were the two Comets selected to both units as Tim was chosen all-Conference in the offensive line and defensive backfield while Bob was all-conference offensive and defensive line.
   Riggs was named for his offensive line play, while Heinzman, the only Comet not a senior named to the squad, was chosen as a defensive lineman.
   Other Comets who received honorable mention by the voters for all-Conference positions were:  Senior Stan Howell, offensive guard; senior Bob Nicholson, offensive end; sophomore Mike Nesbit, halfback; senior Steve Crites, halfback and flanker.

November 1981

Slabaugh Manages Greentown Auction

   Beginning this week, Greentown Auction Gallery, 121 N. Meridian St., is under new management.
   Truman Slabaugh, owner of Slabaugh’s Furniture and Antiques, 601 E. Markland Ave., Kokomo, is taking over the auction from Robert Scott, who has maintained the auction house for the past 15 months.
   Slabaugh, an auctioneer for 45 years, held his first auction at the new business Monday evening.
   “We’ll be having an auction at 7 every Monday night,” the 69-year-old Slabaugh said, adding that he’ll be selling furniture, appliances, antiques and tools, along with whatever other consignments are brought to the store.
   Slabaugh said he also will run a retail business out of the Greentown store.
   The white-front building which the auctioneer is using has been the site of auctions for the past five years, when Herman McCombs first started the auctions there.

Band Members Complete ‘Most Successful’ Season

   The Eastern High School Marching Comet Band completed its most successful marching season ever Saturday by receiving a second-division rating at the state marching band contest in Terre Haute.
   The contest was sponsored by the Indiana State School Music Association and Hook Drugs Inc.  Twenty four bands were entered in class D, which is for schools with less that 500 in the high school. 

Donson’s Hog Dies Friday

   Apple Jack, a 1,085-pound hog owned by the Bill Donson family, Kokomo R.R. 4, died late Thursday night or early Friday.
   The animal had been named the “world’s largest hog” at the Indiana State Fair in August and recently had been sold to an entrepreneur named Wayne Pies, Donson reported.
   Pies, who is based in Palmetto, Fla., bought the hog from Donson to take to various fairs and shopping centers along with a large steer and horse he owned.
   Unfortunately, with the death goes Apple Jack’s chance at even more fame – this time on the carnival circuit.






November 1981 Cont.

Cold Weather Helps Business

   “Usually when the weather gets cold, that’s when people start coming in,” Sandy Wisher said.
   That’s about what would be expected for a shop which sells free-standing stoves, fireplace inserts and wood-burning furnaces, and that’s just what Mrs. Wisher and her husband, Don, own.
   The Wishers have been operating the Stove Shop, 115 E. Main St., at its present location since September, when they moved the shop from their home.
   Don, owner of Don’s Barber and Style Shop on South Meridian Street, said he started the Stove Shop in his home five years ago.
   “I put one (a stove) in my house six years ago, and that’s where I got the fever,” he said.
   Mrs. Wisher said business at the shop’s new location is good, partly because of the high cost of heating.  “That’s why we burn wood,” she said.
   Wisher said if a person uses a stove continuously in the home, it can heat the whole house.  In his own home, he has the electric heat shut off in all but two rooms.
   The stoves, most which burn coal or wood, range from $500 to $800, Wisher said.  In addition, the store sells all sorts of accessories, including chimney sweeps, smoke detectors, monster mauls, fire extinguishers and stove pipe.

Lamb Named Junior Miss

   Eighteen-year-old Barbara Lamb was named the 1982 Howard County Junior Miss during Saturday evening ceremonies at Havens Auditorium at Indiana University-Kokomo.
   “It still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Miss Lamb said Monday.  “I’m still on cloud nine.”
   The Taylor High School senior, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Ray Lamb, Greentown R.R. 1, was sponsored in the contest by Bonanza.  She took top honors in the poise and appearance competition and performed a piano solo for the creative and performing arts portion of the judging.
   Miss Lamb said after more than a month of preparation for the contest, “It was hard to believe that one of us out of 23 would win.  I never considered myself a possible winner,” she said.
   That was before Saturday’s contest, which is the forerunner of the state Junior Miss contest to be held in Frankfort during January.