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
- Former Roy councilman and firefighter Roy Moline defeated incumbent Carol Dittbenner for the Roy mayor’s job, 95-56. Tony Rotondo, James Sloppy and Jerald Treiweiler also were elected to the council.
- Cub Scouts Pack 268 held one of its annual fun-filled evenings when the pinewood derby was run at Southworth Elementary School. Cubs winning in their age brackets included 10-year-olds Robert Storem, Ross Storem, Richard Wood and David Phillips. Taking the 9-year-old section was Nicky Dunn, followed by Kyle Phillips, Travis Arnott and Chris Cooke in a tie. Michael Turpin won the 8-year-old event.
- Kaeleen Marsh was set to travel to Spokane to compete for a state title in the “Make It With Wool” contest. The Yelm student was the district winner and was slated to model her creations against 17 other regional winners at the state session.
- The Yelm School District presented Sinclair-Anderson Motors of Olympia with a plaque noting the contribution of the dealer to Yelm High School’s driver education program and community safety in general. The firm provided the district with vehicles used in its driver education program.
A Look Back at This Week,
35 Years Ago
- The Yelm School Board opened its Nov. 16, 1989, meeting with a public hearing on changing the district’s name to Yelm Community Schools after a petition seeking the name change was presented to the board.
- The UCBO “Toys for Joy” and Yelm Community Schools “Community Santa” projects were $1,700 richer after the Turkey Time Twist Dance held Nov. 11, 1989, at the Nisqually Valley Restaurant.
- Pat Motz, Gary Kidd and Jay Wilson of Yelm joined an elite group of FFA achievers. They received the highest degree of membership awarded by the National FFA Organization — the American FFA degree.
- The Yelm High School volleyball team finished ninth in the state tournament after finishing 2-1 in the first round and ending its run with a loss in a tie-breaker to both Tumwater and Eastside Catholic Nov. 10, 1989.
A Look Back at This Week,
25 Years Ago
- The Yelm City Council learned that more effort was needed before the Yelm Timberland Library branch could grow. At the time, Yelm paid for approximately 22% of the cost of running the town’s Timberland branch. Yelm Mayor Kathy Wolf sent a plea for more financial help as the city paid for its share with property taxes from about 2,700 residents, but the library served more than 9,000 card holders.
- Concurring with local citizens and advisers, the Yelm Community Schools Board approved a four-year, $14 million maintenance and operations levy and was set to put it before voters in February 2000.
- An excess of copper and copper compounds discovered in the sludge ponds at the Yelm Water Reclamation Facility made it necessary for the city to make its first sludge removal since the tertiary treatment system came online.
- A Yelm boy went home safely after being hit by a car on Yelm Avenue during rush-hour traffic Nov. 16, 1999. The boy apparently darted into traffic on a bicycle and was struck by a woman in a Dodge Diplomat. The boy was not using a crosswalk, police said.
A Look Back at This Week,
15 Years Ago
- With the impending deployment of Chief Mark Gregory, the Bald Hills Fire Department hired volunteer Steve Slater as a new deputy chief to hold the reins while he’s gone.
- Jeff Petterson, assistant project engineer for the state Highway 510 Loop Project, said motorists would be cruising along the first phase of the Yelm bypass by 2011. “We’re finally getting around to constructing something,” he said.
- A woman fired a gun into the ground twice to try to scare off a charging pit bull in the Nisqually Pines Nov. 7, 2009. The woman’s attempt to scare the dog was unsuccessful as the victim was able to shove her arm deep into the dog’s mouth to keep him from biting her as hard.
- The Yelm High School football team’s season came to an end in a 7-6 loss to Sumner despite allowing only 44 yards of offense and recovering five fumbles Nov. 12, 2009.
