95 Years Ago – February 12, 1931
The Lone Oak Cheese Factory and store, four miles west of Withee, on Highway 29, was sold Thursday of last week by Otto Hiller to Fremont Wonn of Stanley.
85 Years Ago – February 13, 1941
A fire presumably caused from a defective chimney at the Longwood state graded school broke out at 3:15 Friday afternoon shortly before dismissal, on the roof of the building and did considerable damage.
The seating capacity of the Owen Theatre was taxed to its limits last Thursday afternoon when the Will Implement Company was host to the farmers of this community at their power farming show. A musical program was enjoyed prior to the opening of the program which included movies on the latest developments of International Harvester power machinery as well as interspersed talks by representatives of the company.
75 Years Ago – February 15, 1951
Barbara, the 16-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Barager gave her parents a real scare when she swallowed the eye from one of her toy kittens while playing in bed Friday afternoon. Her mother suspicioned that she may have swallowed the eye, which had an inch long steel shank on it, when she took her playthings from her bed after she had gone to sleep. Barbara began regurgitating frequently and it was then that x-rays taken at the office of Dr. B.H. Dike confirmed her parents’ suspicions. The youngster was immediately rushed to Luther Hospital, Eau Claire, when it was believed that surgery might have to be performed. Upon arriving at the hospital, additional x-rays showed that the object had dropped into the intestines so it was deemed advisable to wait for further developments. Fortunately the baby passed the object at 1:30 Sunday morning and is now home feeling quite normal after the exciting experience.
65 Years Ago – February 16, 1961
Bruce Johnson of Virginia, MN, has been appointed manager of the O&N Lumber Co. Owen yard. Roy Segerstrom will remain as office manager and contact man.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Weller, Abbotsford, wish to announce the engagement of their daughter, Joan Catherine, to Ronald Amacher, son or Mr. and Mrs. Fred P. Amacher, Owen. Wedding plans are indefinite.
55 Years Ago – February 18, 1971
Authorities are continuing an investigation into five fires which occurred in a one square mile area south of Loyal Sunday. The fires believed to be the work of arsonists were set on the James Wangen and Richard Kauffman farms.
45 Years Ago – February 12, 1981
Several Owen area businesses and other businesses in Clark County may have been victims of bad checks totaling $425 so far. Charges are pending in Clark County against Russell D. Riches, 21, who is presently being held in Marathon County Jail for passing bad checks in that county. He allegedly cashed the checks under the name Charles A. Alexander of Wallbridge, OH. On January 30, the owner of the checks had reported them stolen to his bank in Ohio.
35 Years Ago – February 14, 1991
The remodeling project at City Hall is now done except for some minor details. City Hall is now in what used to be the library, and the Police Department will be moving into the old City Hall side of the building. The attractive new office space is mainly furnished with the old furniture. The original council table and oak chairs were made by Gene Sutter over 50 years ago. The design was made to compliment the antique look of the building, which was erected in 1935.
25 Years Ago – February 14, 2001
Roxanne Westphal, reigning Alice in Dairyland, was a very special guest of Owen-Withee’s 4th grade classes. Mr. Mike Pankratz and Ms. Emily Bach, teachers of the two 4th grade classes, explained their students have a year-long study of Wisconsin. This year Mr. Pankratz decided he would try to schedule an appearance of Alice in Dairyland. After one phone call, all was set for Alice to come to Owen-Withee Elementary.
A dinner meeting Thursday evening dissolved the 75th Anniversary Committee. Despite a cold, sub-zero evening a good attendance of 75th Anniversary committee members attended the final meeting of this committee. Total receipts $29,400.64, total disbursements $26,496.95.
15 Years Ago – February 16, 2011
Wednesday night, members of the Owen Parks & Rec Committee met with Jeremy Kleman of The Samuels Group. Jeremy brought schematic plans for a proposed new building to be constructed at Mill Pond Park to replace the aging buildings that are currently there.
Excavation began this week for a Veterans Administration Clinic being constructed in Owen by Syth Construction.
When an ambulance crew is paged out to care for an injured child, it can be a high-stress situation. Thanks to a grant from the General Federation of Women’s Club-Wisconsin (GFWC-WI), your Owen-Withee Community Ambulance Service has been provided pediatric kits that make caring for injured children much easier.