Flash Backs

January 1952

Board Sworn In; Ross is President

   Official induction of the new Town Board was completed this week, with oath of office taken by members in the Civic Center noon Tuesday.  Gerald Carr administered the oath.
   Members included Merl Ross, Charles Hoover, Oscar Grau, Mark McCann, Gene LaRowe, and Francis Maple, clerk-treasurer.
   In an election following the ceremony, Ross was named president of the board.

Truck Overturns Three Miles East of Greentown

   Quick thinking on a steel truck driver’s part yesterday averted a near-tragedy when he swerved off the road about three miles east of town and overturned to avoid hitting a car driven by Daniel Koones, a resident north of Greentown.
   The truck left the highway for the burm a few yards west of the crossroads just east of the Jarvis boys’ home. Unable to get back on the road, the truck slipped down into a water-filled ditch, nosed over on its side and slid to a stop.
   Neither the driver nor Koones was injured.  The truck, an enclosed Nash loaded with 200-pound coils of wire, was headed for Portland.

Action Scheduled for January Meeting

   Applications for the position of Marshall of Greentown for 1952 are now being accepted by the Town Board, according to President Merl Ross.
   Action on applications, he said, will be taken up at a meeting to be held
in the Civic Center Jan. 25.  Naming of a marshal at that time, however, will be dependent upon the number of qualifications of those applying, he said.
   Marshall Jack Hittle was re-appointed for 30 days in action taken by the Board during a special meeting Jan.1.  His application will be considered with others (if received) during the Jan. 25th meeting.
   Qualifications for the marshal’s position, according to Ross, are only that he be over 21 and of good character.

Around the Town Pump

   “Tis no news to the hunter men that yesterday, or Jan. 10, marked the end of another hunting season.  “Tis no news, either, that ‘twas a mighty slim season.  The hunting, especially of rabbits, just wasn’t so good.
   It was this fact that made local game hunters just right happy to hear that the state conservation department has made arrangements to supply the state with more of the fleet footed creatures.
   A large number of rabbits
are being secured from the state of Missouri.  The small animals, wild ones, are trapped one day, the game warden in Kokomo (for Howard County’s supply) will be notified and the next day the bunnies will arrive.  It’s what is called “over-night delivery.”
   The Eastern Howard County Conservation Club expects to receive 40 boxes and as there are six bunnies to a box that will mean a total of 240 for this area.  After that—it’s all up to the rabbits; and, with such a goodly number ‘twould seem next hunting season’s supply is assured.

Just Before Deadline…..

Sheriff Tex Scott was the innocent handler of pilfered goods this week when an A.W.O.L juvenile he was taking home (after feeding him breakfast) slipped some “swiped” goods—hat, target pistol and cap guns—under the back seat of his car.  Items weren’t discovered until the sheriff returned to Kokomo.
*****
   On the agenda for the town board meeting Friday night—the first regular session for newly-appointed members—will be a look-see at town boundaries. Appearing at the meeting will be members of the county board of commissioners.  Indications are that Doc Denton might join the community and that Charlie Martin might be able to walk into his living room with out stepping out of town and into the county.

January 1972

Landfill: Closed but Not Closed

   The landfill is closed but it’s not closed.
   This is the clarification made by Robert Armstrong, town board president, when questioned about the Jan. 1 closing of the facility.
   “The landfill is closed to private dumping by Greentown resident,” Armstrong says, “but the town trash truck will collect and dispose of all trash in the town limits.
   “At the same time,” he says, “the landfill isn’t closed to county residents.  The county now leases ground there for a transfer station—it’s located just to the right of the drive going back into the landfill.  County residents may dump there.”
   Armstrong notes the reason for closing the landfill is the town employee who worked there in the past on Tuesdays and Fridays as an attendant has resigned.

Jaycees Announce Christmas Lighting Contest Winners

   Winning entries in the 1971 Christmas Lighting Contest sponsored by the Greentown Jaycees were announced today by Dan Shockley, chairman of the project.
   The Dan Adams’s residence at the Gold Nugget Farm on U.S.35-State Road 22 just west of Greentown was awarded first place by the Jaycee judging team.
   Second place was won by the Walter Lee home at 221 North Meridian St., Greentown, and third spot was the home of the Rev. and Mrs. Robert Rowe, 204 Holiday Drive, Greentown.
   This is the second year the local group has sponsored the Lighting Contest during the holiday season, and response indicates the contest will continue next year.

Sanitary Landfill Annexed To Town

   The sanitary landfill owned by the town of Greentown is now officially a part of the town itself.
   In a unanimous action taken by the town board at its meeting Tuesday, the acreage used at the site for sanitary landfill was annexed to the town.  It was the first ordinance of 1972 passed by the board.
   The town presently owns 19 acres at the landfill site but only 17 were annexed as part of the town.
   This is due, according to LeRoy Lacey, town attorney, to comply with special legislation allowing annexation of land used for landfill purposes.
   The remaining two acres of Greentown property at the landfill site are being leased to Howard County for use as a transfer station and do not qualify under the special legislation for annexation as landfill.
   No Doubt About Season…Winter Finally Made It!

   Brother, when winter finally got here, there was no doubt about what season it was!
   December, last month and last year, has traditionally been part of winter.  It’s supposed to get colder then and a spot of snow is usually in order for our year’s final month.
   But last December was different.
   It did get colder – occasionally – but it didn’t stay cold very long.  And the snow was just that; a spot.
   In fact, December, 1971, will be likely remembered for its unseasonably warm temperatures and March-like winds; not for its winter characteristics.
   Not so for January and particularly the second weekend in January.
   Beginning Friday night, Jan. 14, when the mercury dipped to below zero, the icy blasts of winter made themselves well known through Sunday, Jan.16.
   Saturday morning dawned clear—and as cold as most would ever want a morning to be.  Between 8 and 9 a.m. Saturday a temperature of 17 degrees below zero was recorded.
   And it got progressively warmer, too.  At approximately 1 p.m., thermometers in Greentown registered a scorching -10 degrees.
   Coupled with high winds the wind-chill factor got into the danger zone with readings of under 30 below zero.
   Then Saturday night it really got chilly with a temperature of -21 degrees recorded by weather service officials early Sunday morning.
   Sunday was a distinct improvement—unless you fancy the Eskimo life-style.
   A high reading of seven above zero was recorded and the mercury continued to climb through Sunday night with a plus-15 registered Monday morning.
   The ultra-winter weather didn’t last too long—about 42-48 hours—but it was long enough for most!

Comet Swimmers D(r)own Sheridan Bunch 86-9

   Taking both first and second places in each of the 11 events, Eastern’s Comet swimmers literally swamped Marion-Adams recently 86-9.
   In a meet Coach Ralph Herr characterizes by saying, “It’s just something I never expected to happen,” Dave Reynolds and Mark Cass led the way with two individual firsts.  Both Comets also swam on the winning team in the 400 yard free style.
   Reynolds notched his firsts in the 200 yard free style and 100 yard back stroke, while Cass came out on top in the 50 and 100 yard free style events.
   Other firsts went to Steve Cheek in the 400 yard free style, Bill Hobson in the 200 yard individual medley, Brad Bagwell in the 100 yard butterfly, Jerry Wise in the 100 yard breast stroke, and Dave Armstrong in diving.
   Other members of the winning 400 yard free style relay team were Mark Cheek and Bagwell.
   Mark Miller and Chris Malott collaborated with Bagwell and Wise for a first in the 200 yard medley relay.

Building Dollars in ’71 Second Highest Since ‘66

   Building permits issued by the town of Greentown in 1971 totaled more dollars than any year except 1968 since the extraordinary amount issued in 1966, the year following the tornado.
   In a report submitted by Donald Flook, executive secretary of the Plan Commission in 1971, total value of 1971 permits is listed at $343,550.
   The total in 1968 was a bit higher at $422,900, but none of annual totals approaches the $3,735,725 in permits issued in the 1966 rebuilding year.
   The $343,550 total last year came from 32 permits, according to Flook’s report.

January 1982

Plant Vandalism Irks Board

   Greentown’s trustees have become sick and tired of the continual destruction of the town’s sewage plant.
   During the group’s regular meeting Tuesday, the trustees directed Greentown police to begin keeping closer tabs on the plant, where vandalism has reached epidemic proportions.
   Clerk-Treasurer Madelynn Lamb estimated that 17 lights and about 10 windows at the plant had been shot out in recent weeks.  Vandals also had thrown rocks into pits at the plant site used for water treatment.  Mrs. Lamb said the cleanup of rocks costs the town an estimated $450 each time an incident occurs.
   Mrs. Lamb noted that footprints around the plant indicated most of the damage was being done by children.  She said the town would prosecute anyone found committing vandalism at the plant.

New Year’s Blues Don’t Have Locals Down

   One week into 1982, local businesses are expecting a slow year.  But that doesn’t keep them from being optimistic.
   They are counting on a good year, even though they expect the economy to be plagued by the same adversities weathered in 1981.
   “I think things have gotten as bad as they are going to get,” said Larry Hinesley, Norris Insurance Agency.  “People are going to start pulling together.”
   Although expecting a slow beginning, many businessmen expressed a brighter outlook for the middle segment of 1982.
   “Right now,” said Phyllis Jacobs, Comet Cone Drive-In, “it doesn’t look very bright.”
   “I am skeptical that this will turn around by the last three months of this year,” Claude George, Greentown Locker, said.
   When things get tough, it is fortunate the types of businesses in Greentown are ones the community needs: bank, supermarket, Laundromat, insurance, gas station, etc.
   From the comments made by the businessmen, no one was sorry to see 1981 join the ranks of history.  By the same token, a hopeful wait-and-see attitude captured the mood with this plea, “It’s got to be better than last year.”

Elementary Has Visitor From 1864

   Eastern Elementary School had a most unusual visitor Wednesday – Sgt. William Fentress, an Indiana Civil War soldier from 1864.
   Actually, Fentress’ real name is Kevin Stonerock, who is from the Indiana Junior Historical Society and was visiting the school in conjunction with Paul Nicholson’s fourth grade Indiana History classes.
   Stonerock spent nearly an hour with all of the fourth-graders and fifth-grade Little Hoosier Historians telling of his “hitch” with the 36th Infantry of the Union Army.
   He related the bloodshed he had seen in battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga and shared the “equipment” carried by a soldier of that day.

Tucker Residence Burns Sunday

   A Sunday morning fire claimed the home of Herman Tucker, 3705 E. Road 500 North, despite the efforts of Greentown and Galveston volunteer fire departments.
   Greentown firemen, who speculated that the fire began around a chimney flue, said the blaze began about 11:30 a.m.
   Temperatures which dipped to as much as 60 degrees below zero with the wind chill factor hampered the firemen’s efforts, and one of Greentown’s trucks was completely disabled and another partially damaged by the cold.  Firemen explained that broken valve housings and a burst hose caused the problems.
   “We’ve never had that much trouble with freezing before,” said Wayne Powell, department secretary.  “I don’t know if we’ve ever gone out in that cold of weather before.”
   Greentown’s firemen received the call for the Tucker fire just as they were warming up the trucks after an 8:30 a.m. fire call to the home of Carl Oyler, 7335 E. Road 400 North.
   An overheated stove and pipe caused that small fire, but the volunteers were able to extinguish the blaze.
   Later Sunday evening, the firemen were called to another chimney flue fire, but they were called back before they make it to the home.
   Greentown still has three fire trucks fully operational, and the other two are being repaired.