Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten years ago

April 25, 2012

Tom Von Kaenel, a retired military veteran on a cross-country bike ride, will stop in Pomeroy on Monday, April 30. Ed Huntington is organizing a welcome for Von Kaenel, who is riding his bicycle from Ocean Shores, Wash., to Washington, D.C., as a fundraiser for wounded military personnel. An escort from the Sheriff’s office will bring the bicyclist into the city coming from Kennewick.

The 2012 Garfield County Fair and Rodeo Royalty, Queen Kindall Cooper and Princess Taylor Prince, make their first appearance on behalf of the county on April 28 at the Asotin County Fair and Rodeo. Kindall and Taylor will ride in the parade Saturday, and also appear at the rodeo that afternoon.

Twenty-five years ago

April 23, 1997

Evening Star Lodge No. 30 F&AM of Pomeroy hosted the 1997 school awards program on April 17. Junior class members from Prescott, Waitsburg, Dayton and Pomeroy High Schools were honored. Junior class members from Pomeroy who received Certificates of Achievement were Beth Peterson, Brandi Mulrony, Jennifer Gittins, Jessica Warren, Tracy Wren, Jessica Henty, Elizabeth Phelps, Drew Houser and Brian Long.

Pomeroy Mayor Don Stellwagen and Police Chief Dave Boyer, their wives, and the City of Pomeroy, were served earlier this month with a summons and complaint for damages filed by Robert Cameron, the former City Public Works director, who was fired in March, 1996.

Fifty years ago

April 27, 1972

Lower Granite Contractors filed a suit in Garfield County Superior Court Tuesday seeking damages from strikers as a result of the seven-day wildcat strike by laborers which began April 17. The contractors are seeking up to $50,000 a day damage – to be determined by the court – plus plaintiff’s costs and attorney’s fees. James A. Fish of Spokane is attorney for Lower Granite Contractors.

Coni Wolf, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Wolf, has been selected to participate in a European concert tour, “America’s Youth in Concert,” a program of the Universal Academy for Music at Princeton, New Jersey. Miss Wolf, a senior at Pomeroy High School, recently took part in the Washington State All-State Chorus.

Seventy-five years ago

April 24, 1947

The mobile x-ray unit, of the state Department of Health, took 729 x-ray chest pictures of Garfield County citizens while in town Monday and Tuesday. The unit was in charge of W.E. Brigance, x-ray technician, assisted by Miss Beverly Beckelmann. The sponsors of this health program in Garfield County were well pleased with the interest the public displayed by presenting themselves for examination.

Mr. and Mrs. J.M. McKeirnan were advised by telegram that their son, Captain Pat McKeirnan, an airplane pilot for TWA Transcontinental Airlines, left New York City Saturday morning on his maiden trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Captain McKeirnan is making the trip as a co-pilot on a Lockheed Constellation passenger plane with ports of call at Gander, Newfoundland; Shannon, Ireland; Paris, France; Geneva, Switzerland; and Madrid, Spain, the terminus of his flight. The return trip will be over the same route.

One hundred years ago

April 22, 1922

Ground will be broken for the excavation of the swimming pool Friday, according to Mrs. Hugh Cardwell, chairman of the Civic Club. Men with teams will donate a day’s labor, as many as can be used to advantage having volunteered their services. On Saturday the high school boys will donate their services for the entire day. The cost of the material for which plans have been drawn by Fred Hungate and approved by engineers, will be $2,800. Most of the contracts for the material have been let.

Reports coming from the wheat-fields indicate winter wheat is in fine condition and that there will be no re-seeding in any locality this year. This is especially fortunate in view of the fact that there is practically no wheat in the county suitable for spring sowing except a little high priced bluestem. Jesse Scoggin says the winter wheat looks well along the timber’s edge wherever the ground has been freed from snow. The storm Sunday brought seven inches of new snow, Mr. Scoggin said, and it had not melted up to Tuesday, when he came to town. He passed over frozen ground covered with snow until he reached the Calloway hill. Between this hill and town the road was muddy, he said.