125 YEARS AGO: 1898
Herb Pierce, once of the Hutchinson boys and for the past 8 years a resident of Manitoba, has returned to Hutchinson with his family and will make his home here in the future. After leaving here he met with an accident, which cost him both feet. Since, we hear he has become famous as an expert skate and bicycle rider. He is engaged in the artificial limb business and travels the entire country.
100 YEARS AGO: 1923
With an evident deep-seated envy of their patients at Hutchinson Community Hospital who may have told them of the good care the nurses gave them, of the nice comfortable beds, of the good eats — three physicians in their autos — Drs. Scolpp, Fred Sheppard and Theo Lund — collided at the corner of Hassan Street and Fourth Avenue Southeast. Not one of them succeeded in getting into the hospital, however, and but one car, that of Dr. Sheppard’s, was damaged to any extent, a wheel being stripped from that.
75 YEARS AGO: 1948
The fuel supply in Hutchinson is down 20,000 gallons over what it was just five days ago when the Leader made a survey of all the local dealers. Mayor Warren Clay called the 11 fuel oil dealers together to find out how much oil was on-hand now, and what the prospects were for the rest of the winter. Local stocks on-hand amount to 70,540 gallons, in spite of the fact that 24,700 gallons had come into the city in the five-day-period.
50 YEARS AGO: 1973
The opening of Cinema 15, a movie theater in the Plaza 15 shopping center along State Highway 15 South in Hutchinson, is scheduled to open Dec. 29, according to owner Tom Dolder. The delay, Dolder said, is due to the late arrival of seating for the 292-seat theater. The opening was originally scheduled for Christmas Day. A 1968 graduate of Hutchinson High School, Dolder was graduated by St. Cloud State College in 1972. His wife, the former Carol Miller of Hutchinson, is teaching kindergarten at Hutchinson Public School.
25 YEARS AGO: 1998
The newly formed Crow River Area Youth Orchestra is taking audition registrations for youth string musicians. Any violin, cello, viola or string bass musician is invited to register through Jan. 7 at the Hutchinson Community Education office. Auditions will be Jan. 11 or Jan. 18.
Michelle Koehler returned this month after five months of biology study in South India as part of St. Olaf College’s international studies program. She left for India in August. Koehler, a senior biology major, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Koehler of Hutchinson.
Sherry Ristau, executive director of the Southwest Minnesota Foundation, has announced that the foundation’s board of directors approved $51,800 in grants at its monthly meeting. Grants were awarded to Strengthening the Family and Aging Trust Fund program areas as well as a youth entrepreneurish program.
McLeod County elected officials and most non-union employees can look forward to a pay increase in 1998. The County Board voted to approve the pay hikes at its last meeting. Salaries of elected officials have increased by nearly 5%, while most non-union employees will receive a 2% bump to their salaries in addition to any step adjustment they have earned. Elected pay increases for 1998 are: $39,000 from $37,131 to the auditor; $58,300 from $55,509 to the attorney; $47,200 from $44,885 to the recorder; $57,800 from $55,048 to the sheriff; $39,600 from $37,648 to the treasurer; and $44,600 from $42,433 to the court administrator. The commissioners increased their own salaries from $15,147 to $15,900. The County Board also approved the levy increase from $7.4 million in 1997 to $8.3 million in 1998.
Low milk prices and escalating expenses are making life difficult for many dairy producers today. The stress can be great enough to pose a threat to health, says Dave Kjome, southeast Minnesota dairy educator with the University of Minnesota Extension. “Feelings of frustration, anger and helplessness develop,” said Kjome. “Worry and fatigue add fuel to the feelings. Long hours with no time off for rest and relaxation can lead to depression.”
