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Today is Thursday, Sept. 19, the 263rd day of the year. There are 103 days remaining in 2024. Below is a collection of news items found in the Creston News Advertiser for this week in history.
13 years ago (2011)
Creston/O-M junior quarterback Luke Neitzel passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in the first half of the Panthers’ 48-0 homecoming victory over Red Oak Friday night. The Panthers improved to 4-1 on the season and remained tied with Carroll on top of the Class 3A District 1 standings with a perfect 3-0 mark.
Two former Creston natives are bringing their talents back to town. Joy Johnson, author of “The BOOB Girls: The Burned Out Old Broads at Table 12,” and Colleen Kelley Hartman, author of “My Grandma Calls Me Lovey,” will be doing a book signing at The Bookstore 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Johnson and Hartman both graduated from Creston High School in 1956.
Unlike last year when you needed a canoe to get from one end of the course to the other at the Creston Cross Country Invitational, Tuesday the sun was out for a perfect evening of racing. The sun wasn’t the only thing shining, as a pair of area runners won titles and several others earned medals at the tough mid-season event that saw approximately 700 participate from the little kids run through varsity.
23 years ago (2001)
A candlelight vigil tonight could draw a potential crowd of thousands to the Southwestern Community College campus. Organizers sent out invitations to law enforcement, emergency personnel and other residents of neighboring counties to join Union County citizens in an area show of support at 7 p.m. Participants will gather around the flagpole on the front lawn of the campus to honor “fallen comrades, victims and families,” organizers said, and pay tribute to those who continue in rescue efforts after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
East Union shut down Pleasantville 15-10, 15-11, 15-6 Thursday night in Pride of Iowa Conference volleyball. Jennifer Smith pulled 19 serving points from the Trojans as she served for 22 of 24.
Bunn-O-Matic in Creston laid off part of its workforce Friday in response to a “slowdown in sales.” Company spokesmen refused to specify the number of employees now without jobs, although an unnamed source put the number as high as 200.
33 years ago (1991)
In light of state funding cutbacks, athletic booster clubs may be asked to take on an even greater role in keeping high school sports afloat in the future, Creston Activities Director Curt Olson said on Wednesday. “The state’s taking away $140,000 at the same time we have some things to take care of in our physical facilities,” Olson told the Creston Activities Booster Club at its annual meeting at Berning Cafe.
The old Federal Building will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday for tours in conjunction with Balloon Day festivities. The Friends group decided to open the building again due to the popularity of the July 4 open house. Visitors will have an opportunity to view Creston area memorabilia and receive an update on the federal building predevelopment study currently underway.
Better get those reading glasses checked because there’s going to be plenty of names on the election ballot for Creston City Council seats. To be exact - 18 names. In what is likely an all-time record, 18 residents returned papers by 5 p.m. Thursday and will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot for Creston City Council. Mayor Terry Donahue who is seeking a sixth term and Larry Wynn, representing the Fourth Ward, are the only incumbents.
Curt Jeffryes isn’t exactly sure how many runners he has on his cross country team this fall. “It’s definitely a mob,” the Creston coach said. “When we take all the managers to a meet we have 68 kids total, so there has be 63 runners.” According to the Creston High School activities secretary there are 35 boys and 28 girls officially on the team.
43 years ago (1981)
If forecasts given to the paper by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Flight Office in Des Moines hold, there will be at least two flights of the Southwest Iowa Professional Hot Air Balloon races this weekend.
Ninety-six members and guests were in attendance for the first luncheon meeting of the Lady Elks Club Wednesday.
Leo Burg of Creston observed his 30th anniversary with Iowa Electric Light and Power Company Sept. 30.
Marvin C. Brown retired from Wellman Dynamics Monday. He had been employed by Wellman 13 years, since March 1968.