THE TIME MACHINE

From past files of The Star News

10 YEARS AGO

December 9, 2010

The city of Medford is considering hiring a temporary employee through the tax season and prepare for the announced retirement of long-time employee Cindy Pernsteiner on February 1.

Members of the city’s finance and personnel committee Tuesday night recommended the city go with the hiring of a temp and proceed with the six to eight week process to hire a full-time permanent replacement of Pernsteiner.

On November 29, Pernsteiner, who holds a “clerical III” position in the city, announced her plans for retirement. She is in charge of the city utility billing process and provides a signifi cant amount of accounting support for the utilities and general city operations.

25 YEARS AGO

December 13, 1995

Medford’s Common Council approved a proposal to extend Valley Sanitation of Marshfield’s contract with the city. The new contract will cover the next 10 years, replacing a contract with Valley Sanitation that had six years remaining.

The contract was renegotiated because it was costing city residents too much money. The new contract will al- low for lower garbage pick-up and lower recycling pick-up costs, so that at the end of the term, Medford residents will be paying less for pick-up than they are now.

The new rates will take effect on January 1, 1996. Residential waste services will cost $7.25 per month for each household. The cost will increase by five cents each year until it reaches $7.70 in 2005, the end of the term.

50 YEARS AGO

December 10, 1970

City police investigated an accident reported at 9:20 p.m. Saturday on Gibson street when a car driven by Thomas Haas, 18, Medford, struck and damaged mailboxes belonging to Peter Doyle and Roger Hlavacka. It was reported that he left the scene of the mishap. Damage to the Haas’ auto was set at $75.

75 YEARS AGO

December 6, 1945

Telephone and light services were disrupted in the city of Medford, throughout Taylor county, and neighboring areas as a result of a sleet storm Saturday and a heavy snowfall Sunday.

The storm was described by lineman of 15 and 20 years experience as the worst icing condition they had seen in all their years of line work. Many small branches were ripped from trees throughout Taylor county and trees were damaged because of the excess weight of ice on the branches. Branches were loaded heavily by the unusual combination of rain, sleet, freezing weather, and dry snow.

The power was off in the city of Medford from 6:30 p.m. Saturday until about 4:00 a.m. Sunday and it was off again at 12:55 Sunday just after noon and not on again until about 8:45 a.m. Monday.

100 YEARS AGO

December 8, 1920

O. S. Mallow, field secretary of the Wisconsin Good Roads Association, addressed a meeting of the Business Men’s Association at the city hall last evening.

The chief purpose of his visit was to organize opposition to a new law which has been introduced into Congress changing the manner of applying the national aid in building roads here in Wisconsin. At present the U. S. government, the state and the county are each giving a third toward the building and improvement of trunk line roads connecting county seats.

125 YEARS AGO

December 7, 1895

Winter Ducking

Danger and Excitement of the Sport on Lake Ontario.

Forest and Stream: Methods of hunting the same kind of game differ with the location and the season. There is no mode of duck shooting that is so novel or attended with greater discomfort and danger than winter shooting on Lake Ontario. The ducks that make their homes in these icy waters are whistlers, broadbills, coots, sheldrakes and oldwives.

Remember When — 2004