Looking Back: 2002- Demuth will not seek new mayoral term

One year ago

This week's recipients of Worthington's "Flower Power-Yard of the Week" award were Royce and Paula Boehrs, 810 Briarwood. The business recipient was Rune's Furniture, 106 11th St.

At least one person was hospitalized following a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon at the intersection of Clary Street and McMillan Avenue, Worthington.

Liz Collin, a reporter/anchor with WCCO-TV in the Twin Cities, was named as the featured speaker for the 2011 King Turkey Day event. Collin was a 2000 graduate of Worthington High School.

Julie Wellnitz began work as the new library director for both the Worthington and Adrian branches of the Nobles County Library.

Playing this week at Worthington's Northland Cinema 5 were "Apollo 18," "Cars 2," "Columbiana," "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," "Fright Night," "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World" and "30 Minutes or Less."

Five years ago

The Windom Area School board was seeking a new superintendent following the recent resignation of Doug Froke, who accepted a job at Detroit Lakes.

The Nobles County Pheasants Forever chapter was featured on a Pheasants Forever Television episode on the Versus network.

The Worthington Police Department acquired LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, an alternative to traditional radar guns for clocking speeding vehicles.

Around 50 bicyclists --among them, David Minge, former Worthington resident and current Minnesota Court of Appeals judge --stopped at the Pipestone National Monument as part of the third annual Bike Minnesota three-day tour.

Worthington High School alumnus Tad Leistico, now of Omaha, Neb., won the Worthington Country Club's Labor Day Classic, shooting a final-round 75. It was Leistico's second tournament championship, as he had previously won in 1999.

The Nobles County board of commissioners, in a 3-1 vote, set the 2008 not-to-exceed levy at 7.66 percent.

The Worthington Municipal Airport celebrated its 60th anniversary with a flying exhibition and passenger rides.

10 years ago

After 26 years of public service, Worthington mayor Robert J. Demuth announced he would not file for re-election for the mayoral office. Demuth had served the area as a two-year Worthington city council member, four years as a Nobles County commissioner and 20 years as Worthington's mayor.

Newport Labs, Worthington, acquired the Sibley, Iowa-based Biovet Inc. The acquisition was hoped to grant Newport Labs access to a potential value of $1 million in annual sales for Biovet, a producer of cattle vaccines.

The Worthington Area Ministerial Association was organizing a prayer service to commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Anne Twiss, Worthington, was appointed by the District 518 board of education to replace outgoing board member Paul Langseth, who began work last week as dean of students at District 518's Alternative Learning Center. Twiss' appointment extended through December 2003.

25 years ago

Voters in Luverne approved the move to give the city a new charter, but by a slim margin of 763 voters saying yes and 706 voting no. Minnesota Secretary of State Joan Growe was on hand as election judges counted ballots in the election.

A mild winter followed by a hot, dry spring and early summer meant that apple orchards in the Worthington area had apples in abundance and had been selling the fruit for more than a month already. Ocheda Orchard reported their harvest was four to five times more bountiful than the previous year's, while Nystrom Brothers Fruit Farm said Wealthy, McIntosh and Lakeland apples were picked in late July.

Some 700 high-quality marijuana plants with a street value of more than $1 million were seized from a ¾-acre plot by Watonwan County authorities acting on a tip from the public, Sheriff Jack Keech said Tuesday. Two St. James residents were in custody pending charges.

New teachers hired at Worthington's St. Mary's School for the 1987-88 school year were Nancy Krekelberg, Sister Julie Brandt and Clara Schultz.

The Worthington Noon Kiwanis Club's board of directors voted to receive its first female member, Darlene Lyons, into its membership. Lyons was president of the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce. Delegates at the Kiwanis International convention in July voted to allow women to join individual Kiwanis clubs.

50 years ago

Five area people were among 275 Peace Corps volunteers leaving for Ethiopia this week. It was the largest single Peace Corps contingent to be trained and sent abroad at one time. The area residents in the contingent were: Mr. and Mrs. Terry Shoemaker (Mrs. Shoemaker was the former Lois Jacobson of Worthington); Dwayne R. Purrington, Windom; Herman Nibbelink, Orange City, Iowa; and Judith Johnson, Sioux Falls, S.D. Douglas Kiker, chief of the Public Information division of the Peace Corps, said, "The need for teachers in Ethiopia is acute."

Because a jet stream failed to move south for the summer, meteorologists explained that July in the northern U.S. was nearly like September --and thus, September's debut was worthy of November. The temperature at Worthington dipped to 45 degrees on Labor Day evening, following a gray and cool day. The forecast for Tuesday night: scattered frost.

Three separate car accidents, all involving young people, occurred within three days of each other this week. Seven Edgerton young people were riding in a small foreign when the vehicle blew a tire and went out of control, rolling over; two of the seven were injured somewhat seriously. Two Avoca youths suffered minor injuries in a Friday night accident, while three young people (two from Tracy) were hospitalized after their car went out of control and crashed three miles south of Tracy late Monday.

Gary Solomonson, 16, a Storden High School junior, suffered a concussion during a football scrimmage Monday afternoon. Solomonson was unconscious and delirious for several hours after being admitted to the hospital.

75 years ago

Funeral services were held for Mrs. Lars Johnson, 59, of Dundee. Mrs. Larson was born Anna Johnson on March 25, 1878, in Norway. She was baptized and confirmed there in the Lutheran faith. She came to America at the age of 16 years and on Dec. 2, 1896, married Lars Johnson. She was survived by five children and nine grandchildren.

W.H. Baker, living three miles north of Reading, boasted Nobles County's biggest apple orchard. He harvested thousands of bushels (in a number of varieties) annually from more than 600 fine, large trees.

Luane Wagner was improving after suffering a severe laceration of the head in an elevator accident. The child was struck by the derrick, which was pulled loose from its moorings. The child was hit just above the eyes and was rushed to the hospital, where physicians were forced to take several stitches to close the wound.

The mercury hit 97 degrees on three days during August in the Worthington area. The average mean maximum temperature in August was 88.5 degrees.