Yesterday's Memories

10 Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014

It's been around long enough that some of the locals might take it for granted. But public transit in rural areas is often a strug­gle in small communities across the nation. Next month will mark 40 years since Valley County Transit began their journey. While the program has made many changes over the last four decades, recent times haven't seen many large changes. Manager of Valley County Transit and Daniels County Transportation Colleen Pankratz explained that the biggest change that Valley County saw in recent years was when they purchased their current building in July 2003. They currently have 11 vehicles, nine buses and two vans, and that's quite a step up from the meager beginnings of a 15-passenger van. Pat Saindon was there when Valley County Transit just started getting things rolling. She explained that 40 years ago this month, December of 1974, was when the council on aging started to think about transportation for the elderly. She explained that they had gotten word that the federal government was going to start distributing funding to States to purchase vehicles that would transport the disabled and the elderly.

The city council has approved the bid for a downtown revitalization plan from Land Solutions, LLC. At $12,000, it was the lowest bid. Other bids that came in were at $20,000 and higher. Land Solutions' proposal outlined working with the city staff and the planning board committee to strategize public participation and finish a plan to approach the project proposal. The public will be included to gather trends and gather issues and priorities. Other key efforts will involve zoning, streetscapes and reviewing historical information of previous efforts.

This was the second year the Glasgow School District offered the Class C Showcase, allow­ing Class C schools to preview their basketball teams. Activities Director Brenner Flaten told the Glasgow School Board that the district collected around $6,200 from gate fees, the first day pay­ing for the officials. Concessions collected $3,000 from the two-day event.

The rebuilding has begun for Glasgow High School's storied wrestling program. This year's bigger and better version of the mat Scotties, with 15 roster members, placed 10th among 22 teams at last weekend's loaded Sidney Eagle Invitational. Tanner Roness placed third at 205 pounds, the highest Scottie finisher and tops among all Montana grapplers in his weight class. Also placing at Glasgow High School were Freshman Matt Heyling eighth at 103; Sophomore Kasey Seyfert eighth at 120; Junior Cody King seventh at 145; Senior Jake Hentges eighth at 145; Sophomore Tony Kaiser sixth at 170' and Senior Joe Doney seventh at heavyweight.

Opening day at Glendive for the basketball Scotties brought mixed results. The boys wore down a young Class A Dawson County team, 58-37, in their first step to return to the state tournament. The girls, with a majority of their roster sophomores this season, took a 51-31 loss. Senior point guard Jason Thibault led G-Town with 17 points, connecting on three field goals, two 3-pointers and 5 of 6 free throw attempts. Senior forward Chase Fossum, a selection on the Billings Gazette's five-man all-state preseason team, sunk five field goals for 10 points. "It was a closer game than the score indicated," Scottie coach Jon Kolstad said. "We had a strong third quarter, but kind of ran out of glass." Scoring for the Scotties were Abbi Kolstad with 12 points, Leinie Hughes with 8, Amanda Wolff with 5, Jordan Kulczyk with 4 and Tyler Johnson with 2.

The Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale Lady Panthers displayed their potential as a state contender at last weekend's Class C Showcase in Glasgow, the only area boys or girls' team to go 2-0 in the season open­ing event. The Panthers looked crisp and quick for much of the going, as much or more than any Showcase entry – boys or girls –at the GHS gym. They cruised past Highwood 55-39 on Friday and Broadus 64-37 on Saturday. Among the other area girls' teams, Frazer went 1-0 with a big rally to overpower Power, while Opheim was 0-1 and Nashua 0-2. The other squads in town – Highwood, Broadus and Power – all split at 1-1. On the local boys' side, Frazer, Hinsdale and Saco-Whitewater were all 1-1 and Nashua 0-2. Meanwhile, Highwood was 2-0 and Power, Broadus and Wibaux 1-1.

25 Years Ago

Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999

The glowing lights of the Tree of Remembrance have given quite a few local people a way to commemorate people they loved, while helping others. The Glasgow High School and Middle School Student Councils launched this new project this year to earn money for the Block of Bucks program. The student councils donated $550 from the Tree of Remembrance, which had a lighting ceremony on Dec. 5. Callie Riggin, president of the GHS Student Council, said they expect to raise even more money next year, since they have paid for the construction of the tall green trees already.

Tracey Waarvik was recently promoted to Operations Officer/Data Processing at First Community Bank in Glasgow. She will oversee operations and data processing for First Community Bank and all of its branches. Waarvik started her banking career at FCS as a secretary in June 1978. She has since worked in new accounts and bookkeeping and as a teller. She ran proof and she has been in charge of data processing.

GHS Vice Principal Larry Ochsner was presented with a plaque at the School Board meeting Dec. 8, naming him northeastern Montana's Athletic Director of the Year. Driver training at GHS will not be a summer class anymore. In a cost-cutting measure, the board decided to hold the 12-week no-credit class during the school year. The instructor is Hal Buerman, who will be half time in traffic education and half-time in auto mechanics.

Nemont Manor fitness enthusiasts are the first Nemont residents to be awarded free luncheon certificates by Betty Stone, manager of the Cottonwood Inn. The exercisers are Peggy Christensen, Rosella Toews, Elizabeth Frisen, Mary Saubak, Beulah Allen, Pauline Henningsen, Clara Isakson and Doris Neubauer.

Hinsdale's American Legion Willie L. Nelson Post 45 held their annual Oratorical Contest at the Hinsdale School, Dec. 9. Placing first in the contest was Zac Ohlson, second place went to Jennifer Dull and third Elizabeth Fisher. Seventeen students participated in this event. The students practiced and were guided by their teacher Julanne Gauger in their Government and U.S. History classes.

The Opheim Vikings traveled to Culbertson to kick off the boys basketball season. The Vikings first opponent was the Culbertson team. Opheim pulled ahead by four in the first with a score of 24/20. John Pankratz was on fire, nailing four three-pointers and one free throw to lead the Vikings with 13. In the fourth, the Vikings added 13 points to the score in the fourth, but it was not enough to catch Culbertson who added 17 to their score. The Vikings were led by John Pankratz with 22 including five three-pointers. Pankratz was followed by Tony Gundermann with 11, Tyler Pittenger, nine.

50 Years Ago

Thursday, Dec. 12, 1974

Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital administrator Kyle Hopstad and12 other staff members hoist the numbers indicating the total amount pledged to the new hospital at the Operation Update victory dinner. As the sign indicates, the total amount pledged was $1,504,747.14, more than half a million dollars over the $1 million goal set for the Glasgow hospital modernization program. These funds will be used to modernize Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow.

Glasgow's eighth-grade cagers won a doubleheader Saturday from visiting Saco, taking the first game, 46-43 and the second by a 55-49 margin. Ed Buechler paced the young Scots in the opener with 18 points as Glasgow took an early lead, stretched it to 18-15 at the half and then out-scored Saco 16-6 in the third stanza to put the game on ice. Mike Hines sank 13 points for Glasgow and the Scotty squad sank 10 of 13 from the foul line.

Vern Hanson was installed as president of the Hi-Line Stock Car Association of Glasgow at its first annual banquet at the Duck Creek Sports Club recently. Other officers are Harry Komrosky, vice president, and Gary Tweten, secretary-treasurer. Seventy persons attended the special events including drivers, pitmen, sponsors, special guests and wives.

Glasgow students captured sweepstakes honors, second in drama and fourth in speech at the invitational speech and drama meet in Sidney, Saturday. In drama events, Mike Guttenberg and Dana Wagenhals took first in serious duo and Rhonda Ferguson and Connie Marks, fifth. Dave Espeland earned second place award in humorous solo and Nancy Kuncheff reached the finals in the same category.

The Glasgow Boxing Club made its ring debut last Saturday in Malta and did remarkable well, despite their inexperience against seasoned boxers from the Harlem-Malta area. Highlight of the 10-bout card was Glasgow's Larry Grove matched with Dexter Henry from Malta. Grove gave away eight-pounds to his 132-pound opponent and considered experienced, but took the first two rounds on points. Grove was still ahead on points when Henry connected with a devastating punch in the final 15 seconds of the third round.

Hampered by "holes" among their lightweights, Nashua forfeited four of their first five matches and it proved the difference in the 36-24 Medicine Lake victory. The Porkies, in their first season of high school wrestling, showed considerable promise and some future starts among the heavier weights but the forfeits knocked them out of contention. Randy Weinmeister racked up his fourth consecutive individual victory as when he stretched Scott Ederton in 54 seconds flat. Steve Nickels bumped his mark to 4-2 with a 3:43 pin of Stan Lodahl at 138 pounds. Other Nashua wins came from Jeff Jones and Doug Grimes.

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75 Years Ago

Thursday, Dec. 15, 1949

The Crystal café on Sixth Street South here was reopened Tuesday under the management of Mrs. Hargo Christensen. Mrs. Christensen announced that the café will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., on week days and from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and that home-cooked meals and pastry will be featured. The new manager has been a Glasgow resident the past 13 years.

Play in the Glasgow Independent Basketball league will open in the Civic Center next week with games Monday and Wednesday nights, President Jim Christinson announced. He also announced that a Markle-Coca-Cola team will replace the Conoco club in the league. Playing for Markle-Cola will be C.D. Markle, captain and manager; Chuck Billingsley, Bob Hansen, Wilmer Britzman, Roy Monahan, L.W. McNeill, Wayne Putz, George Munger and F.L. Daley.

The 248 children enrolled in the Fort Peck grade school will take part in the annual Christmas program at the Recreation Hall. The first four grades will present a musical operetta arranged by the teachers and entitled "Christmas in Fairyland." "A Pageant for Christmas" is the title of the upper grade production. This is the Christmas story presented in pantomime accompanied by a vested choir of 100 voices. Lieut. Col. Edward J. Gallagher, executive officer, will extend Christmas greetings from the engineers.

Glasgow Boy Scouts provide a graphic display of their principal "stock in trade." Scouts and Scouters are joining in the first annual Christmas tree project. The Scouts are with some Scoters at their Christmas tree lot near the north end of the Glasgow underpass. "Be prepared, get your tree early," is the Scout slogan.

Except for Bonafide, non-profit clubs, operation of slot machines in Valley County was banned after closing time of all resorts Wednesday night. Joint action was taken by Thomas R. Marron, county attorney and Sheriff Mason Melvin. "The order to cease operation of slot machines has been issued after a number of complaints," the officials declared. The sheriff and W.A. Baynham, chief of police, notified Glasgow operators and later the sheriff in covering the entire county in giving notifications. The county officers added that "operators of bonafide non-profit clubs have been notified to operate as is provided by law."

The Hinsdale Independent defeated a fast Fort Peck basketball team Tuesday evening 63-58 in a game on the Fort Peck floor, Marlin Johnson reported. Fort Peck led during the first quarter but from there on, it was Hinsdale ahead all the way by fairly small margins. Gysler and Johnson were high scorers for Hinsdale. Guy Olson's seventh and eighth grade team took a trouncing, 11 to 55 from a Fort Peck team as a preliminary to the independent game. Shotnokoff, with seven points, was high scorer for Hinsdale and Johnson with 14, was high for Fort Peck.