Editorial and Opinion Shop local this Holiday season Let’s keep our holiday shopping close to home this year. Put Prescott first on your Christmas list.

Most analysts reportedly believe that we’re in a recession. And it’s not just in the United States. Reports of slowing economies are coming in from all over the world.

Recessions are scary things. The very word can send shivers down some people’s spines.

Recessions are scary because we don’t always know exactly what caused them. (If we did, we’d be able to avoid them.) And they’re scary because we’re not exactly sure what to do to make them go away once they start.

And then, there’s the fear itself.

One can argue that fear is a major contributing factor to financial stagnation and economic downturn. And, truth be told, the media can be a contributing factor. Bad news travels fast. In the age of the Internet and a 24/7 news cycle, it travels almost instantaneously.

Can we do anything at the local level to counteract this trend, to make a difference?

Perhaps.

Think of Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life. There’s a run on the local savings and loan and Stewart’s character rushes over to the bank to try and talk everyone down.

The reality is that there is something we can all do that could help right here at home. Shop locally.

Right here in Prescott, you can find just about anything you need, from groceries to gifts.

—No attribution

25 Years Ago PIERCE COUNTY HERALD

November 8, 1995

RF Township woman faces charges in baby’s death By Sue Odegard RIVER FALLS TOWNSHIP— Pierce County Sheriff’s Department investigators are requesting that felony charges be filed against a 26year-old River Falls Township woman in connection with the Nov. 15 death of a full-term baby girl.

Sheriff’s Department Chief

Deputy Neil Gulbranson said Monday that his office will refer all reports resulting from the investigation of the infant’s death to the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office. Charges of concealing the death of a child will be sought.

Gulbranson said it is believed the infant was born and died on Nov. 15 and that investigators retrieved the body from a garbage dumpster in River Falls Township on Nov. 19.

The body was taken to the Ramsey County (Minn.) Medical Examiner’s Office in St. Paul to determine the cause of death.

An autopsy was performed on Nov. 20 and Gulbranson confirmed that his department is awaiting the final written results from Ramsey County.

Pierce County Sheriff Jim Hines said a search warrant had been served in connection with the case and that the results had been sealed by Pierce County Circuit Court Judge Robert Wing.

Gulbranson said Monday that the baby’s body had been released to the family and that funeral services had been completed.

No charges had been filed as of Monday at the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office and the matter remains under investigation. No other details were available.

35 Years Ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL November 7, 1985

Notice: Prescott police said they’ve had numerous questions lately about the burning of grass and leaves on city street.

Municipal ordinance 9-14 states that “no person shall kindle any fire upon any street, alley, public way, park or within 25 feet of any building,” police stated.

45 Years Ago PIERCE COUNTY HERALD

November 13, 1975

Courthouse News: traffic fines State charges: 17 people get a $37.00 speeding ticket; four get a speeding fine of $47.00, two out of state (i.e. “pay now”); two ticketed for passing in no passing zone; two for operating a motorcycle without headlights ($37.00); one defective headlamp for $27.00; one non-registration; one operating with expired drivers license; one non-registration for Wisconsin ($39.00); one failure to carry reciprocity permit on vehicle ($37.00); one operating auto without valid ID ($59.00); and one non-registration ($39.00).

Municipal Charges Seven with a $37.00 speeding ticket, three for $47.00, one for $30; one failure to stop at stop sign ($37.00); one for littering ($57.00); one non-registration; two inattentive driving ($47 and $87 respectively); one driving on sidewalk; one operating left of center line; one passing in no passing zone, and two improper muffler tickets.

55 Years Ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL November 11, 1965

PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has designated the eleventh day of November as a legal holiday known as Veteran’s Day and dedicated to the cause of world peace; and WHEREAS, the men and women who served in our armed forces have demonstrated their willingness to satisfy the greatest obligation of their citizenship; and WHEREAS, Veteran’s Day affords each of us an opportunity not only to pay due honors to the dedicated men and women who have honorably served in our armed forces in time of war, but also to re-emphasize our determination to achieve world peace with honor; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gordon Falkofski, mayor of the City of Prescott, do hereby call upon all citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, as Veterans’ Day.

I also call upon all citizens to observe this Veteran’s Day with appropriate ceremonies and the display of the Flag of the United States at each and every residence and business firm in a reaffirmation of our national unity.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City of Prescott to be affixed this 8th day of November, 1965.

GORDON FALKOFSKI, Mayor 70 Years Ago RIVER FALLS JOURNAL November 16, 1950 Cold War optimism?

You CAN Survive the ATOMIC BOMB!

You can live through an atom bomb raid and you won’t have to have a Geiger counter, protective clothing, or special training in order to do it.

The secrets of survival are: KNOW THE BOMB’S TRUE DANGERS.

KNOW THE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO ESCAPE THEM.

To begin with, you must realize that atom-splitting is just another way of causing an explosion. While an atom bomb holds more death and destruction than man has ever before wrapped in a single package, its total power is definitely limited. Not even hydrogen bombs could blow the earth apart or kill us all by mysterious radiation.

Because the power of all bombs is limited, your chances of living through an atomic attack are much better than you may have thought. In the city of Hiroshima, slightly over half the people who were a mile from the explosion are still alive. At Nagasaki (Japan’s most Catholic city), almost 70 percent of the people a mile from the bomb lived to tell their experiences. Today thousands of survivors of these two atomic attacks live in new houses built right where their old ones once stood. The war may have changed their way of life, but they are not riddled with cancer. Their children are normal…..What Are Your Chances?

If a modern A-bomb exploded without warning in the air over your hometown tonight, your calculated chances of living through the raid would run something like this: Should you happen to be one of the unlucky people right under the bomb, there is practically no hope of living through it. In fact, anywhere within one-half mile of the center of explosion, your chances of escaping are about one in 10.

On the other hand, and this is the important point, from one-half to one mile away, you have a 50-50 chance.

From 1 to 1 ½ miles out, the odds that you will killed are only 15 in 100.

And at points from 1 ½ to 2 miles away, deaths drop all the way down to only two or three out of each 100. Beyond two miles, the explosion will cause practically no deaths at all.

Naturally, your chances of being injured are far greater than your chances of being killed…Just like fire bombs and ordinary high explosives, atomic weapons cause most of their death and damage by blast and heat. So first let’s look at a few things you can do to escape these two dangers.

What about Blast?

Even if you have only a second’s warning, there is one important thing you can do to lessen your chances of injury by blast; Fall flat on your face (Continued on page five, with full article accessible through the UW-River Falls Archive Center)…

85 Years Ago ELLSWORTH RECORD November 14, 1935

LOCAL MAN SANG OVER RADIO TUESDAY Many people over the Northwest had the privilege at 6:45 o’clock Tuesday morning to hear Lloyd Smith, Ellsworth’s musical barber, sing over WCCO on a program sponsored by the International Sugar Feed company, represented locally by Ray Junkman.

“Smitty” sang the “Gay Cabelerro” (Happy Knight) and put it across in a truly professional fever. Arthur Gilbert Spriggle, 2year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Len Spriggle of Bay City, died Friday evening at his home of complications following an illness of scarlet fever.

The child was born Nov. 5, 1933 in Bay City. He is survived by his parents, one brother, and two sisters.

100 Years Ago PRESCOTT TRIBUNE November 11, 1920

Meier—Hartman A pretty wedding took place when Mr. Arthur Meier and Miss Ada Mariman were united in marriage at 2:00 o’clock at the M. E. Church on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The church was prettily decorated in green and white. The impressive ring ceremony taking place beneath an arch, from which was suspended a wedding bell.—Rev. F. M. Haight, officiating. At the appointed time, Mrs. Fred Trulson sang “I Love You Truly” accompanied by Miss Pearl Stirrat after which the bridal entered the church to the strains of Lohengrins Wedding March. The groom and best man march form the parlors of the church and the bride on the arm of her father preceded by the bridesmaid Miss Hulda Hartman coming from one vestibule. The bride wore a pretty gown of white georgette and satin, also a bridal veil of silk net over a coronet of pearls and carried a bouquet of white bridal roses. The bridesmaid wore a peach pink gown of georgette and satin and carried a bouquet of pink carnations… Contributed.

125 Years Ago THE WEEKLY PRESS Maiden Rock, Wisconsin November 13, 1895

A GOOD COMPANY JUSTICE is the basis of true religion, because it possesses all the elements which adorn the character of a religious life. It is tender to the afflicted, pities the suffering and promptly fills every engagement.

The Fidelity Mutual Aid Association, of San Francisco, Cal., fills the bill. It promptly paid our claim of twenty dollars ($20.00) for two weeks disability without, in any way, manifesting a disposition to cut down one cent under the plea of adjustment. Such a Company deserves special mention and the confidence of the insuring public. —THE EDITOR

140 Years Ago PIERCE COUNTY PLAINDEALER November 14, 1879

A young lady living in Buffalo, N. Y., was recently restored to health by prayer, after a two years illness, and her case supposed to be utterly hopeless by the best physicians.

November 7, 1879

Thanksgiving.

PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION.

Washington, Nov. 3. – The following proclamation was issued by the president to-day: A PROCLAMATION At no recurrence of the season which the devout habits of religious people have made the occasion for giving thanks to Almighty God and humbly invoking his continued favor has the material prosperity enjoyed by our whole country been more conspicuous, more manifest, or more universal.

LOCAL updates The weather is sublime.

Bird cages at Mrs. Abbots.

The Elroy Plain Talker was for Baker.

Ed. Babbige has moved into C. E. Meacham’s house.

5000 Ruches from 1 ½ to 5 cts. at Mrs. Abbots.

The Hastings Gazette has begun its twenty-second year.

A little son of Rev. W. Haw’s, is quite sick with typhoid Hon. N. P. Haugen of River Falls, was in town Sunday, and made us a pleasant call.

River Falls and Ellsworth are having a series of Dime Concerts, given by their respective bands. The election in Pierce county passed off quietly. There did not appear to be anything running but school superintendents.

160 Years Ago PRESCOTT TRANSCRIPT November 10, 1860

New Millinery Establishment Mrs. Miner.

TAKES Pleasure in announcing to the ladies of Prescott and vicinity, that she has just received directly from New York and Boston, and has now ready for sale a large and well selected stock of CHOICE MILLINERY GOODS. Her long experience in the business and a superior assorts of Hats, Flowers, Ribbons, etc. etc. assures her of pleasing all who choose to favor her with their patronage. She solicits an examination of goods and prices, being determined to sell at very low figures.

Shop in Griffin’s building Broad street, 35tf. Prescott Oct. 26, 1860.