Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

July 10, 2013

The musical Hubbard Family from Tyler, Texas, will return to Pataha Flour Mill for the fourth consecutive year on Saturday, July 13. The country Gospel musicians consist of parents Jerry and Debbie, and their three daughters, Emmy Lou, Lori Anne, and Jeri Lynn. Along with vocals, the family plays a variety of instrumentals, including guitar, bass, mandolin, and drums.

Washington State University's Board of Regents on Monday, July 1, voted to rescind a two percent tuition increase in the wake of the passage of a new state budget that reinvests in higher education. "We have the best budget we have seen in two decades, and I thank our state legislators for that," said WSU President Elson S. Floyd. Washington lawmakers last week approved a two-year state operating budget that call for no tuition increases for students. Just as significantly, the Legislature provided additional funding to offset the revenue tuition increases would have generated.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 8, 1998

Sarah Crossfield, a Pomeroy Elementary fifth grader this fall, placed second in the 1,500-meter race walk in the National Youth Athletics Championships held last Thursday at Spokane Falls Community College. She finished in 10 minutes, 27 seconds, and competitors in her event came from New Mexico, Arizona, Southern California, San Francisco, Oregon and Texas.

Garfield County firefighters spent almost six hours las week Friday fighting a fire along the Snake River. Fire Chief Larry Bunch said four units and eight firefighters went out to the fire ¾ mile upriver from Willow Landing, near the Washington State University research farm, about 25 miles northwest of Pomeroy. The chief estimated between 100 and 200 acres of pasture and wildlife habitat burned. He suspects the cause was fireworks from boaters.

Fifty Years Ago

July 5, 1973

Max Scoggin was high individual in Hereford judging at the recent Washington Junior Hereford Association Field Day at Norman Kagele Herefords, Ritzville. Max, 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Scoggin, is in his second year of FFA work with the Pomeroy chapter. He also was top FFA individual in the contest. He was also elected as a director of the Washington Junior Hereford Association.

Gambling, county roads, the nursing home, and the Pataha sewer and airport studies were topics at the board of county commissioners meeting Monday night. With regards to gambling, the council tabled any action for one week after being advised by Prosecuting Attorney John C. Keatts that the new state gambling law gives counties only the power to tax operations or ban all gambling in the county. Keatts noted that apparently the law grants licensing power to a state gambling commission, which hasn't been set up as yet.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

July 8, 1948

At least one mail box in the county has been blown up with firecrackers or explosives since July 4, deputy sheriff W.E. Scribner revealed today. The crime is a federal offense and if the post office department through the Federal Bureau of Investigation seeks to make an investigation, an offender is liable to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than three years. The mail box, according to Scribner, was completely demolished. Other mail boxes have been blown up in the Lewiston, Idaho district before the 4th of July. It was reported that F.B.I. men were investigating the Lewiston explosions.

Herman Herres, who farms wheat adjacent to the dump, which cases many small fires in his fields, appeared before the city council and asked if the city could not find a better place for the dump, or else trench the present dump grounds for better fire protection. The council decided to send a bulldozer to the dump and trench better safeguards, after promising to look over other locations for the dump in the near future. Fire Chief Leslie Krouse laughingly explained that "if the dump is moved my department will lose some of its training for as it is now the boys make regular trips to the grounds to put out small fires."

One Hundred Years Ago

July 14, 1923

Those who visited Peola on the Fourth, report a good celebration at that place. A special program was put on by Miss Maud Knotgrass, Joe Bankson, and T.D. Robinson of Clarkston. Miss Knotgrass read the Declaration of Independence, and William Huyette of Clarkston delivered an oration. There were horse races and other sports. Dancing was a feature throughout the three-day event and was the principal amusement on the afternoon of the fifth, because of the rain which prevented outdoor sports.

With a score of 434,830 points the Pomeroy team, in the hunt for predatory animals and birds wins another victory from the Dayton team, whose score is 338,085. According to agreement, as in former contests the Dayton team will furnish a dinner to all engaged in the hunt.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 9, 1898

Last Tuesday was a busy day in Justice Thompson's court. Between bad whiskey and the "hilarious" spirit always prevalent on the Fourth, our police force were kept busy in their efforts to keep peace and order, and to prevent our peace-loving citizens from being trampled upon by those who care nothing for the peace of the community or their own honor. There were six arrests made and it is needless to say that the "Judge" dealt out justice to each as he deserved. The charges were for riding fast through the streets; riding a horse on the sidewalk; indecent exposure on the streets; drunk and disorderly; and assault.

A large and enthusiastic crowd assembled in front of the county block, on Friday evening of last week, to witness the presentation of the new flag to Co. E. Mayor Cosgrove made the presentation speech, in his usual forceful and attractive style, which drew forth hearty applause from the members of the company and citizens present. The flag is a beautiful one, and is highly prized by the boys in blue, whose determination to bear it triumphantly and unsoiled to the close of the war with Spain will not be questioned by those who witnessed the loyal spirit in which it was received.