Enjoy these snapshots of articles written in past issues of the Nisqually Valley News from 45, 35, 25 and 15 years ago, respectively.
A Look Back at This Week, 45 Years Ago
• John Thomas of Troop 268 was honored at a special Eagle court of honor when he received the highest ranking in scouting. Only about 5% of those seeking the award can qualify.
• Yelm resident Kitty Eames and her exotic pets appeared on KOMO TV on Nov. 9, 1978. She was featured on the program PM Northwest.
• Sightings of marked or collared bobcats in Pierce and Lewis counties was requested by the Washington Game Department. Department biologists fitted several of the bobcats with brightly colored radio collars that allowed them to radio-monitor the animal’s movement.
• A Yelm business complained of a black Lab dog that had dragged a doe head outside the building on Oct. 23, 1978. The Washington Game Department was notified of the incident.
A Look Back at This Week, 35 Years Ago
• Thurston County voters generally followed state trends in their voting patterns in the 1988 general election. A total of 71.17% of the registered voters cast their ballots in the election.
• On Nov. 8, 1988, elementary students cast their votes for the next president of the United States. George Bush defeated Michael Dukakis at Prairie and McKenna, earning a combined total of 466 votes to Dukakis’ 247 votes between the two schools.
• Yelm firemen were called to a blazing mobile home located on 153rd Avenue. The family was not home when the fast-moving fire destroyed the building. The blaze was reported by a passing motorist who noticed smoke coming from the home.
• Former Yelm resident Cheryl Henderson was placed as the special assistant to Marvin Andrews, city manager of Phoenix, Arizona. Henderson was one of 20 mid-career professionals accepted in the 1988 National Urban Fellows Program.
A Look Back at This Week, 25 Years Ago
• Yelm Public Works Director Ken Garmann announced that Yelm had received a $340,000 TEA-21 grant funding package from Congress to go toward the cost of acquiring the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) short line between Yelm and Lakewood.
• Yelm residents Dick and Darlene Rose were named grand marshals of the annual Christmas in the Park parade. Dick was the president of Yelm Kiwanis, and both Roses volunteered for the Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce and other charitable causes.
• An airplane crashed at the Flying-B private airfield near 143rd Avenue Southeast and Morris Road Southeast on Nov. 8, 1998. On arrival, deputies found a single-engine 1947 Stinson had approached the airfield from the northwest, came in too low and had struck a set of utility lines. The pilot suffered minor injuries as the aircraft flipped over onto its top.
• Rainier residents living in Mountain View Estates complained about dozens of junked cars and other garbage being stored on the former Cecil Burns property at 807 Tipsoo Loop. Burns’ stepson, former NFL player Dan Moss, contended that the Rainier police had been derelict in processing vehicle identification numbers and paperwork that would have allowed him to complete the cleanup.
A Look Back at This Week, 15 Years Ago
• Former Roy Fire Department secretary Jerrianne Jacobs was charged with money laundering and theft. It was discovered that she had stolen more than $800,000.
• Thurston County Commissioner Cathy Wolfe was re-elected, posting a win with 57.38% of the votes. She was joined by Sandra Romero, D-Lacey, who won the District No. 2 commission seat with 60.55% of the vote.
• Three people were arrested in connection with thefts at a construction site at Prairie Hotel in Yelm. Police believed the three broke into the site and stole more than $2,000 in equipment and copper wiring.
• Yelm High student Tiffany Shore competed for a national award during the National FFA Convention from Oct. 22-25, 2008. She was one of four people chosen to compete for the Diversified Livestock Production Entrepreneurship award in Indianapolis, Indiana.
