Times Past

85 Years Ago

May 10, 1939

Teale J. Orndorff, rural mail carrier at Haxtun, passed away at his home here on Sunday evening from a heart attack. He would have been 40 years old May 11.

New teachers were engaged recently in the Haxtun schools. Instructors hired in the grade school are Miss Gladys Skold, fourth grade, who has been teaching at Fairfield, and Miss Darle Pearson of Greeley, sixth. Miss Frances L. Cooper has been engaged as instructor in English and mathematics in the high school. She is a sister of Mrs. Charles N. Evans.

70 Years Ago

May 12, 1954

Rev. and Mrs. Reuben Goertz have answered the call to pastorate of the Berean Fundamental Church of Haxtun. For the present, they are making their home in the apartment at the L.E. Taylor home. The church purchased the Molander property across from the Municipal Power plant. Remodeling started on the downstairs, which will be used for church services. In the meantime, services will continue to be held in the IOOF Hall until the remodeling is finished.

The USS Hancock arrived in Alameda from Bremerton, Wash., with 110 officers and 2,103 enlisted men aboard. Jack G. Price, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vern Price, was among the enlisted men. Jack will attend a yeoman's school for one week in San Diego, Calif.

Fleming News - Fleming's young musicians went to Brush to compete in the solo and ensemble work conducted for schools in the area. Boys' quartet: Doren Yount, Keith McDaniel, Burl Brownell, Russell Plank. Other entries: Leota Harms, Peggy Plank, Joan Cheney, Dianne Barkley, Wadine Blankenship, Janet Atkins, Donna Prideeaux, Clarence and Ronald Saylor, girls' trio of Inez, Kinzie, Deanne Heath and Carol Wertz.

45 Years Ago

May 10, 1979

Haxtun schools newly elected directors are Catherine Starkebaum, Clark Starkebaum, Charles Hunt Jr. and Delbert Wolff. Fleming's new directors are John Miles, Rick Unrein, Chuck Bishop, Darrel Whittington and Duane Lambert.

Drivers' ed instructors Leo Mekelburg, Fleming High School, and Gary Haynes, Haxtun High School, pose with a few of their students beside the drivers' education cars donated by Leon Atkins motors. Leon Atkins installs dual controls in the cars.

Birth: Jodi Lin Starkebaum to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Starkebaum, May 6, 1979.

Fleming Wildcat boys' track team: Ty Wardrip, Kevin Herrick, Dave Deines, Gary Nelson, Brent Langdon, Frank Boerner, Dale Lousberg, Tom Burton, Dennis Burton, Mike Nolde, Ron Lousberg, Tim Grauberger, Bryan Morison and Scott Kirkwood. Coach is Leo Mekelburg.

30 Years Ago

May 11, 1994

Jim Switzer, a 1989 graduate of Haxtun High School, earned his bachelor of arts degree at Chadron State College in Nebraska this spring and joined other graduates commencement exercises on May 7.

Winning smiles spread across the faces of Haxtun Lady Bulldog 1,600-meter relay team members after they earned a fourth place at state over the weekend. Pictured: Casey Sumpter, Shannon Salvador, Gia Gillotte and Misha Mooney. Sumpter also did a repeat of last year, winning first in both the 400-meter dash and the 800-meter run. Mooney took first in the 300 low hurdles. The boys' 1,600-meter relay team also took first with Alan Eckman, Nathan Prottsman, Mike McClain and Justin Lett.

Team members who recently attended state competition in Denver for Odyssey of the Mind were Paulette Harp, challenge coordinator and OM coach, Cody Bamford, J.D. Holcomb, Sean Wernsman, Paul Seger, Susan Bishop, Jenna Heermann, Jeff Firme and Cindy Seger, parent coach. Jim Matthews also helps coach.

10 Years Ago

May 7, 2014

The Phillips County Commissioners received word in late April that National Wind, owner of NECO Wind, has filed for Chapter 7 Bankrupty. The company had planned to build a wind park facility south of Haxtun and had received a $2.55 million grant from the Department of Energy to do so.