Looking Back: 1987 - Jackson gets $500,000 economic development grant

One year ago

Jami Cummings, Brewster, saved two people from drowning in Lake Okabena. While on her lunch hour, Cummings spotted swimmers in trouble in the lake and, after hesitating only to call 911, kicked off her shoes and ran into the water. She rescued a woman and a 5-year-old girl.

Worthington Mayor Alan Oberloh was elected president for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities at the group's recent three-day convention.

The District 518 Board of Education approved a contract for a technology integration specialist.

Schaap Sanitation was to begin delivering 95-gallon green recycling carts to Worthington residents this week. With the larger capacity carts, recycling days were to shift to every other week.

The Prairie Elementary parking lot was reconstructed and resurfaced to address drainage issues and to add additional parking spaces.

Five years ago

PET/CT scans were now available at Worthington Regional Hospital.

Rune's Furniture, locally managed by the Frisch family since 1957, celebrated 50 years of service and business in the Worthington area.

The Worthington City Council agreed to purchase about 99 acres of land north of Interstate 90 and west of U.S. 59 for $940,000. The land was to be used for economic development.

Yannick Elens, the 2007-08 exchange student from Crailsheim, Germany, was welcomed to Worthington. Elens' mother, Gabriele Frank Elens, had been the Crailsheim exchange student to Worthington in 1971-72.

About 25 students took the FastTrack to math, reading and writing success at Minnesota West Community and Technical College over the summer. FastTrack was a new program designed to boost student scores in placement tests.

10 years ago

Amanda Reed, 14, daughter of Julius and Lorrie Reed, Ocheyedan, Iowa, recently won the 13-to-18-year-old Stock Seat Equitation Class at the Pony of Americas International Show in East Lansing, Mich. Her pony's name was Lance.

Officials from Luverne, the Federal Highway Administration, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gathered Saturday morning at the Blue Mounds State Park Interpretive Center to launch the design of a Prairie Passage route extending from Minnesota to Texas.

The Worthington City Council approved spending $40,000 from its self-insurance reserve fund to address maintenance issues (such as crumbling exterior bricks) at Memorial Auditorium.

Seventy officials helped dedicate the wind energy field west of Worthington. Tours of two of the four wind turbines were offered to guests.

25 years ago

Jackson mayor Dave Fell, along with Minnesota's state commissioner of economic development, David Speer, announced Jackson was to receive a $500,000 state grant for economic development. The grant money was earmarked to help Raven Industries establish a utility box manufacturing facility in the former Unisys building.

The wife of Democratic Presidential candidate and Illinois senator Paul Simon, Jeanne Simon, spoke to a group of about 30 people at the Worthington airport as part of her campaigning tour across the area on behalf of her husband.

Advertised specials at Worthington's Hy-Vee store included a 6½-ounce can of StarKist tuna for 49 cents, a 12-count package of powdered donuts for 88 cents, a 16-ounce can of Bush's Baked Beans for 47 cents, Hy-Vee cake mixes for 77 cents, a half-gallon carton of Wells' Blue Bunny ice cream for $1.44, a 12-ounce can of Adams orange juice for 78 cents, and an eight-ounce twin pack of potato chips for 66 cents.

Playing this week at Worthington's Northland Cinema were "Dragnet," "Predator" and "Spaceballs."

The Worthington High School class of '37 celebrated its golden reunion with a get-together at the Worthington Country Club.

50 years ago

The recently announced schedule for the Worthington High School football team had the Trojans playing eight games starting Aug. 31 and continuing through Oct. 24. Redwood Falls and Faribault were the two new teams on the schedule.

Specials this week at Swanson's Grocery, Worthington, included Betty Crocker cake mixes, 39 cents; half-gallon cartons of ice cream, 59 cents; a two-pound bag of Golden Wheat macaroni, 29 cents; Grade "A" turkey drumsticks for 39 cents a pound; a 12-ounce jar of Swanson's peanut butter, 29 cents; a 10-pound bag of fine granulated sugar for 99 cents; and six six-ounce cans of Adams fresh frozen orange juice for 88 cents.

A new, 580-foot tall radio tower for KWOA radio was erected this week, said R. W. Olson, station owner. In June, a severe thunderstorm knocked down the 330-foot transmitting tower that preceded the new one.

At the Nobles County Fair, 12-year-old Mary Madison, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Madison, Lismore, had the grand champion dairy cow while Steven Kramer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Kramer, Rushmore, had the reserve grand champion dairy. Dairy showmanship honors went to Pat Kramer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Kramer, Worthington. Nobles County's Court of Honor, selected at the 4-H Dress Revue, included Pam Watts, Roxie Elsing and Barbara Mathias.

75 years ago

One of the most attractive exhibits at the coming Nobles County Fair is likely to be the display of wild geese made by Walter Pfeil, Nobles County register of deeds. Upon learning of the county official's unusual hobby, Fair Secretary Hoffman called upon Mr. Pfeil and offered to provide proper pens if Mr. Pfeil would bring in a pair of each species kept at the farm south of town. Mr. Pfeil consented. Among the breeds he had were Canadian Honkers, Hutchinsons, Cackling, White Front, Snow and Egyptian geese.

Rev. B. L. Carlton of the Indian Lake Baptist Church officiated at the marriage of his daughter, Dorothy Carlton, and the Rev. A. G. Downing, son of Rev. and Mrs. A. C. Downing of Omaha, Neb. Musical numbers were sung before the ceremony by Miss Olga Skailand, including "There's a Lock in My Heart" and "God Touched the Rose." A quaint gown of white satin in the princess style was worn by the bride.

Advertised specials this week at Beatty & Sall, "Cash Grocery," included a 12-ounce can of Libby's corned beef for 21 cents, two eight-ounce packages of Minute Tapioca for 25 cents, three one-pound tins of Van Camp's Pork & Beans for 19 cents, a dozen Mason jar caps for 23 cents, three packages of Jell-O for 17 cents, and two "large packages" of Post Toasties for 21 cents.