Dec. 29, 1949
Gene Caswell, who operates the Holley Chinchilla farm, is expecting another litter from his original pair of the furry and expensive little animals. He purchased the original pair in 1947 for $765 (they usually sell for $1,200 per pair) and already has a total of six now under his care. The logger plans to devote full time to the farm when he’s acquired enough animals.
Flames caused an estimated $3,500 damage to the 12th Avenue home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Vigue, proprietors of The Steak House, who were in Washington at the time of the blaze. Volunteer firefighters battled the fire for 20 minutes before flames were brought under control. Cause of the fire is charged to either an overheated refrigerator motor or to a small electric heater, which was found turned on.
Dec. 26, 1974
The State Highway Commission has not completely abandoned its plan to widen Highway 20 to four lanes between Vail Creek and Sweet Home. City Manager Dave Crutcher said someone within the Highway Division plans to make recommendations to those assembling the final plans, and if that doesn’t work, the city intends on “making some noise” to try to get what it wants.
Dec. 29, 1999
Local agencies say they’ve spent the last two years preparing for a just-in-case Y2K scenario, and as the new year approaches, the world waits to see whether the much-hyped millennium bug will impact the world with a bang or merely a whimper. The police department will be fully staffed, with area amateur radio operators on hand for messaging, if needed. They’re also ready for any potential domestic terrorism. The city is stocked up on treated water, and the hospital will have additional staff and stockpiles. The sheriff is concerned about heavy telephone use clogging up lines, while the city manager is most concerned about loss of electricity.