1918, 100 years ago: Harlan Johnson of Garfield has purchased the bowling alley and billiard hall which Vic Beroud has been running in connection with his barber shop. Mr. Beroud has moved his barber shop to the Werner building where he will operate a first class tonsorial parlor.
According to government orders, all stores will be closed Mondays for ten consecutive weeks, except grocery departments of general stores, which will be kept open until noon unless contrary orders will be issued by state fuel administrations.
1968, 50 years ago: WCCO-Radio will broadcast from the Viking Motel during Saturday's snowmobile races with Roger Erickson at the microphone, and Dick Chapman will do a 30-minute round-up on Friday evening. The rally site will be at the fairgrounds.
Dr. (Captain) Robert J. Sieling, son of the Robert C. Sieling of Alexandria, is on duty at Cam Ranh Bay AB, Vietnam. Dr. Sieling, a neurosurgeon, is a member of the Pacific Air Forces and a graduate of Alexandria high school and U of M, and earning his M.D. degree in 1961 at the University's Medical School.
At the Algon Ballroom — Music by the Jolly Germans. Old and new-time music.
1993, 25 years ago: Lt. Paul LeBrasseur was presented the Navy Achievement Medal from the Secretary of the Navy for serving as the Air Department Training Officer aboard the USS Stephen W. Groves, from May to November, 1992. LeBrasseur was in operations in the Mediterranean and north Red Sea where the detachment provided support for more than 200 vessel boardings and 300 surface vessel identifications, while enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. He is the son of Don and Kathryn LeBrasseur.
In 1992 the cost of all building projects conducted within the city limits of Alexandria was estimated at $6.92M, according to an annual report by City Building Inspector Marvin Cromwell.
2008, 10 years ago: Douglas County has placed first nationally in the contest, "Energy Star Change a Light" program for small counties with populations under 50,000. Six counties nationwide were recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
In the annual report to the city council, the Alexandria Fire Department responded to 205 incidents in 2007 — the most in 10 years — and 29 more calls than 2006. Fires in the department's service area — the city and eight surrounding townships — caused $456,400 in damage, according to Fire Chief Shane Schmidt. However, because they were able to put out fires before they spread, firefighters saved $329,000 worth of property from going up in smoke, or about 42 percent of the total property value.
Just for fun 1968 — 50 years ago: About $3,000 is still lacking to pay the repair bill for the Viking statue. Discounting a few non-believers, maybe if everyone in the city contributed 50 cents each, Big Alex could be ours financially as well as physically. Whether complaints can be made about the paint job, costuming, location, or the idea in the first place, seeing how many cars with "out of state" license plates are stopping to look or photograph the statue, gives it a high advertising value to the city.
Sports Trivia 1968 — 50 years ago: Fireside viewers may watch the closed course snowmobile racing over station KCMT-TV as part of the press coverage which will be international, with a TV team from Paris expected to be here taking footage of the snowmobile rally for viewing on French stations.
Rachel Barduson of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.