10 years ago

JOURNAL

Sept. 6, 2012

Prescott Daze Committee installs final new welcome sign

By Louis Garcia A new, and final, welcome sign has been purchased and installed in Prescott to welcome visitors.

The new sign is the third sign the Prescott Daze Committee has bought as a way to spruce up the town.

“The ones we had were all worn out,” Char Magee, Prescott Daze Committee member said. “The Prescott Daze Committee felt it was needed. The nice thing is it is for everyone, not just a certain demographic. The Committee feels that if the Prescott Daze weekend has a profit that it is the community’s profit to make Prescott better.” From the Editor’s Desk By Louis Garcia Prescott Daze approaching I’m not one for town events or fairs. Something about them just bores me. I almost

attended the Minnesota State Fair, but the negatives outweighed the positives for me (some of that is the expense and sheer amount of people in one spot at one time.

I will, however, attend some Prescott Daze events. Some of it is due to the fact that I must take photos of it, but I’m also a bit interested in the town’s showpiece event.

When I was working in Kodiak the town had a similar event. It was called the Crab Festival, but I never formally attended outside of some media appearances. It took place on the town’s tiny spit by the main harbor, and was famous for a food item made of crab that the high school football team made.

My favorite thing about the Crab Fest was getting the free shirt each year for working at the newspaper for being a sponsor. The look on the little crab’s face made for a memorable logo. There was also another type of event called a Whale Week (my memory fails me), or something similar, where the town would go hiking on mountains and view whales. It was fun for the smaller groups, and the fact that it was free to watch whales breaching.

Before Kodiak, many more years ago I used to attend a fair in Phillips. The small town in Wisconsin is where I went to high school. I remember that one being good for little kids or shenanigans. Well, that’s if shenanigans means people drinking too much, and doing illegal things. It didn’t make for a fun atmosphere.

But I will go and try to enjoy Prescott Daze; I think what sold me is the pie-eating contest. You see, I’ve never actually been to one before. I’m hoping to snag some great photos, but also enjoy some silly entertainment.

It’s just too bad what Prescott Daze signifies the end of summer. Once the event is over kids will be going back to school, people can look forward to the fall air, and before you know it, winter will have snuck up on us. I’m hoping we have good weather during Prescott Daze; a good event could change my opinion on town fairs and events. If anything, I expect to have a good laugh at people snarfing down pie. 25 years ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL “Where the St. Croix Meets the Mississippi” Aug. 14, 1997 Two men enter New French’s and pay for beer while taking a bottle of Bacardi Limon. The store clerk confronts them and calls police, having obtained identification from the one who purchased the beer and recognizing the second who took the Bacardi Limon and put the bottle in their pants again after being confronted the first time.

The “low value” of the item taken meant that state charges were unlikely, with a municipal citation predicted instead. 40 years ago PIERCE COUNTY HERALD Sept. 9, 1982 14-year-old Maureen Ann Briggs of Beldenville is killed in a head-on crash after a 19-year-old driver from Iron River, Mich. crosses the center line and hits the car she is riding in with her uncle and aunt near Prentice, in Price County. While it was unknown why the 19-yearold driver who hit Brigg’s had crossed the center line, blood draws were taken to check for alcohol content.

Briggs Find A Grave Memorial ID is 113744336, being buried in Greenwood Cemetery at River Falls.

Further east in Pierce County, 12-year-old Gary Uebel of rural Spring Valley is injured while riding a bike, with the 25-year-old driver from Amery who hit Uebel reportedly having his vision obscured by trees and shrubs. Uebel was taken to Myrtle Werth Hospital in Menomonie with a possible fractured leg.

Lastly in accident reports, a 25-year-old Minnesota man had run into a shed on Tuesday after reaching down to tune a radio lying on the car floor while going around a curve, per the sheriff’s report. Three men sought votes for county district attorney, these being Rolv Slungaard, Warren Brandt, and Brian Al ton.

55 years ago RIVER FALLS JOURNAL Sept. 14, 1967 David Kusilek didn’t know what the world record was in 1967, but the then sixth grad er at River Falls Junior High had a tomato that tipped the scales at two pounds. Da – vid belonged to the Town and Country 4-H Club and had won a blue ribbon at the Pierce County fair. The plants themselves, had come from Ries Greenhouse in Prescott.

Down at the River Falls Municipal Power Plant, meanwhile, there was a position open. The would be operator of said plant was asked to have a high school education with training and/ or experience in mechanical and electrical fields, while “aptitude in math” was “helpful.” A permanent position for someone to work with diesel engines and electrical equipment, applicants were directed to city hall and Joe Maxwell for more information. No mention was made of needing a four-year college degree.

Coming in for important

public notice on page 3 from 55 years ago, the bureaucracy formerly known as the “Pierce County Department of Public Welfare” was to have its name changed to “Pierce County Board of Social Services” via Resolution 67-19, published in the Journal.

Then on its first reading with the County Board of Supervisors, the name change resolution was followed with a second entitled Resolution 67-20, also on its first read – ing. The second resolution called for more delegation of authority and responsibility to the County Welfare Board by state and federal legislators, “in order that local units of government may act rational- ly, and economically, for the best interests of the residents in their respective counties.” Coming in last for notice was the detaching of Zoning from the Highway Committee to become its own agency, the first reading of Resolution 6721 designating the following members as belonging to the first ever Pierce County Zoning Committee: Irwin Guiser (Martell Township); Earl E. Miller (Ellsworth Township); Tom Tyler (Village of Bay City); Bob Hines (El Paso Township); Minot McMahon (Maiden Rock Township); Clinton F. Mercord (City of Prescott), and Laurence Weber (Village of Elmwood).

The resolution also called for technical and organizational assistance to be given the new Zoning Committee by representatives from various agencies, including the U. S. Soil Conservation Service, Wisconsin Conservation Department, and Pierce County Extension Service, along with the Pierce County Highway Commissioner and District Attorney, respectively.