Living History: Officer flares up the marijuana

5 years ago

Excerpts from the Jan. 11, 2007 Pioneer Journal

WDC grad pushes Twin closer

For Minnesota Twins star closer Joe Nathan, making it through the long, laborious Major League Baseball season happens through a tough regiment of training during his offseason.

For WDC graduate Corey Eckhoff, athletes' offseasons is his time to work.

The two paths for Nathan and Eckhoff cross at Velocity Sports Performance in Champlin, with both taking the steps of working hard to keep the Twins' closer on the mound for the entire season.

Eckhoff - who is the Sports Performance director at Velocity - has been in charge of training Nathan over this past Twins' offseason.

Gibson stepping away at Fair Oaks

When an 11-year-old Mike Gibson mopped the floors at the rest home his father ran, he never dreamed he'd one day be running the place. But the lessons he learned from his father, mother, and the residents who lived there eventually called him home - to a home now called Fair Oaks Lodge.

This spring, the 63-year-old will leave his job as administrator of the Wadena retirement community.

10 years ago

Excerpts from the Jan. 17, 2002 Pioneer Journal

Group to advertise for depot use

A Wadena task force hoping to restore the Burlington Northern depot will advertise for proposals for a future purpose for the 87-year-old building.

Banker Bendix retiring

When Harris Bendix started as a bookkeeper on Nov. 6, 1961, at Security State Bank in Deer Creek, he didn't expect to be there 40 years later. The bank is throwing a retirement party for Bendix on Saturday, Jan. 19.

25 years ago

Excerpts from the Jan. 13, 1987 Pioneer Journal

A program on drugs

A program on drugs was presented last week to sixth graders by Wadena Police investigator Mike Mott. Students visited the police station, where Mott showed them items confiscated that are used to take various drugs, as well as the drugs themselves. Prior to the students' arrival, Mott had burned some marijuana so the students could witness the smell.

from The Gleaner by Evelyn Erckenbrack

Twenty years ago it was difficult to find a happy doctor in the USA. Congress had just enacted a health insurance plan for the elderly: Medicare. Doctors called it outright socialized medicine.

They fought the issue "tooth and nail," and predicted that Medicare and Medicaid, its sister program for the poor, would definitely kill their private medicine. They made it no secret on their feelings toward this new change in medical services. They warned that patients would not be able to pick their physicians. They flatly refused to assist government plan the new program.

But, despite negative feelings, it worked.

40 years ago

Excerpts from the Jan. 13, 1972 Pioneer Journal

Harold Pluimer slated to speak at Chamber's annual banquet

Harold Pluimer, one of the most sought-after speakers in the country is slated to address the Wadena Chamber of Commerce during its annual Banquet Program at Pine Cove Inn, Jan. 27. He is a frequent contributor to periodicals and is the author of the book "The Frontiers of Our Time."

60 years ago

Excerpts from the Jan. 17, 1952 Pioneer Journal

Local radio ham joins civil defense network

Wadena's amateur radio

operator, John Theisen, has been called upon by the Minnesota Department of Aeronautics to participate in a network of amateur stations to report conditions of airports throughout the state. The first of the reports went on to the air Tuesday evening, and the test will run through Tuesday, Jan. 29 to test the practicability of it.

A code system will be used by the amateurs, and as they gather data, it will be furnished airport operators in their respective cities. Fifty-one operators in Minnesota have been contacted to make up the network.

The system is being tested in conjunction with Civil Defense.