August 9
20 years ago — 1995
The earth has begun to move in Columbia View Heights.
A National Guard enginering battalion is at work on excavating and leveling the site that will be the future home of the new Oregon Veteran's Home.
The battalion, stationed in Salem, is a specialized group with expertise in construction and engineering. The crew is cutting away the top portion while compacting the whole for construction next spring.
4o years ago — 1975
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has announced plans to gather and remove approximately 100 wild horses from the Cherry Creek and Muddy Creek watersheds in North Central Oregon. The area, about 80,000 acres, is west of the John Day River in Wheeler, Wasco and Jefferson Counties. The gathering is scheduled to begin Sunday and will be done by local landowners under BLM supervision.
In Portland, Vegetarian Bill Walton is beefing up for the 1975-76 National Basketball Season. Big Bill is getting really big, for him. He's tipping the scales at 240 pounds and rising. “I'd like to be at 260 for the start of the season,” he told a friend visiting him the other day.
60 years ago — 1955
Just a trickle of water is flowing in Fifteen Mile creek. Sometimes a raging torrent, it is now nearly dry. A photo taken Monday a few miles from The Dalles shows how withdrawals of water for irrigation and a decline in supply from melting snow in the mountains has combined to cut flow sharply.
Volunteer firemen – about 40 of them – cost Dalles City as much as one paid firefighter, Fire Chief Charles Roth Jr. points out. Fire fighting and the volunteer fireman program were not always at such a high level in The Dalles. Gone is the day of the huge volunteer fire companies such as the city had before Feb. 14, 1933.
80 years ago — 1935
Voters said no to a proposed $5,000 bond issue for building a new Smith-Hughes agricultural building for The Dalles High School in a special election for School District 12 held yesterday. The turn-down was by almost a 2 to 1 majority, the count of ballots showing 145 no to 79 yes votes.
100 years ago — 1915
Between 400 and 500 men, women and children enjoyed the advantages of the municipal swimming pool Sunday. More than 200 persons were at the pool at one time yesterday afternoon, and the river beach looked like a real coast resort. The city “swimming hole” has become so popular that its backers have decided additional dressing shacks are necessary, and have ordered the erection of two more dressing houses. Four more spring boards will also be provided. With the shacks and other improvements, the swimming fund, which totals $86.25, will need to be increased to $125.
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