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
- Yelm residents gathered at Yelm Middle School to discuss law and order problems with county officials. An estimated 150 people attended the session that saw Sheriff Dan Montgomery admit to some problems in his office and request more time in order to get his house in order.
- Yelm natives Carl Matthews, Nels Anderson and Mark Drogseth took home the first-, second- and third-place cash prizes at the Yelm Prairie Days carnival July 28, 1979. It was the first time in the history of the event all the prize winners were from the community.
- U.S. Navy member George Mabbot of Yelm was promoted to chief petty officer. He was also awarded “sailor of the year” on the West Coast and reserve fleet.
- A new event for Yelm Prairie Days in 1979 was a bicycle rodeo held on the Yelm Middle School grounds. The rodeo was a test of skill for bike riders with timed events, inspections, changes to scooters and wagon and obstacle course.
A Look Back at This Week,
35 Years Ago
- Thurston County Sheriff Gary Edwards received minor cuts and suffered a gash over his eye that required six stitches after a high-speed chase that ended in the fatal shooting of the driver in Rochester.
- Foundation work took a step forward on the Yelm High School stadium when 90 yards of concrete were poured. The structure would not be completed in time for the 1985 football season.
- The second annual Prairie Days lip sync contest played to full bleachers in Yelm Park, July 29, 1989. The Prairie Days princesses started with their version of The Angels’ “My Boyfriend’s Back.” The first-place prize was awarded to Julie Lizee for her version of Tiffany’s “I Saw Him Standing There.”
- St. Martin’s College in Lacey broke ground Aug. 3, 1989, on a $1.5 million building project at its pavilion. Ground was set to be broken for a new 500-car pavilion parking lot, scheduled to be completed in October.
A Look Back at This Week,
25 Years Ago
- A Roy man who stopped to help direct traffic around a stalled vehicle was seriously injured when he was struck by one vehicle and run over by two others July 31, 1999. Michael Stanley, 19, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in serious condition with fractures in his legs and hips, a head injury and internal injuries.
- Cochrane Park, the centerpiece of Yelm’s water reclamation facility, was set to be completed at the end of August 1999. The 8-acre park, located off Mill Road across from the Yelm fire department, featured three wetland cells, a catch-and-release fish pond, picnic areas and pedestrian pathways.
- Officials from Yelm City Hall and local fire and police departments prepared for the Y2K bug with a live simulation after midnight July 28, 1999, in which power was knocked out across the greater Yelm area. Hundreds of calls came into the departments from terrified residents. The simulation was designed to test the capabilities of Yelm, Rainier and Tenino to handle a large-scale emergency.
- Yelm High School alumni Darby Hayes, Nisha Thompson and Jacki MacAuley teamed up on the Seattle Seahawks cheerleading team, the “Seagals.”
A Look Back at This Week,
15 Years Ago
- An accident on state Route 507 just outside Rainier sent four people to the hospital July 27, 2009.
- Yelm Police searched for a Yelm teen accused of assaulting a police officer July 27, 2009. David Niswanger, 17, was one of five teenagers stopped in a truck with expired tabs. During the stop, officers discovered Niswanger had a felony warrant and asked him to step out of the vehicle. Niswanger pushed an officer and escaped on foot.
- A home in the 34700 block of 68th Avenue South was completely destroyed by fire, July 25, 2009. When crews got the call, there was already structural collapse. The home was unoccupied at the time.
- Late-run activity buses, which transported students from after-school practices to their homes, were eliminated from Yelm Community Schools due to budget cuts. The district also increased Associated Student Body rates and participation fees. Yelm and Ridgeline middle schools combined fastpitch, wrestling and boys soccer rosters into three separate teams.
