THE TIME MACHINE

From past files of The Star News

10 YEARS AGO

July 14, 2011

The Medford Planning Commission approved the plans for the construction of a new Maurices department store at 1012 N. Eighth St. The new building will occupy one of the outlots for the nearby Wal-Mart and give the Duluth based retailer 5,005 square feet of space for its business.

The construction plans call for the new building to be completed in the coming weeks as the Hwy 13 construction project continues with the switch to the new location expected to be ready in time for the Christmas shopping season.

The company currently operates a store in the Medford Plaza.

25 YEARS AGO

July 17, 1996

After viewing six potential library sites selected by the Citizens Library Research Committee a few weeks ago, a library consultant from the state Department of Public Instruction last week identified what he considers the three most desirable.

According to Andres Dahlgren, the north millpond site, the Medford Millwork site and the Hoffman property on Hwy 64 near Strama’s hold the most promise.

Least desirable, in his opinion, are the Immanuel Lutheran Site, the college site and the existing library.

According to Dahlgren, the Immanuel Lutheran site and the existing site don’t meet minimum size requirements, while the college site is big enough but too far off the beaten track and out of the direction of future growth.

He said the other three sites are all “workable,” with both the north millpond site and the Medford Millwork site having “unparalleled aesthetic opportunities” — what he termed the so-called “wow factor” — but that they are also riskier choices because they depend on other developments.

50 YEARS AGO

July 15, 1971

The Wisconsin State University board of regents gave final approval to construct a science building on the WSU branch campus in Medford at a meeting at Madison Tuesday. Low bids totalling $443,105 were accepted by the regents.

Awarded the general contract was Hoffman Co., Appleton, in the amount of $230,900. Sub-contracts were let to Van’s Electric, Wausau, electrical, $53,600; Milwaukee Equipment Co., Milwaukee, science equipment, $49.965; Marshfield Plumbing and Heating, Marshfield, plumbing, $35,800, and Midstate Contractor, Wausau, heating and air conditioning, $62,840.

75 YEARS AGO

July 11, 1946

The Medford Oconomowoc Canning Company has canned 26,000 cases of early or Alaska peas since it began the canning process Friday, July 5, according to Chas. Rief jr., superintendent. This amount is as of Tuesday, with an afternoon and evening shift taking care of the work.

100 YEARS AGO

July 14, 1921

Justice M. W. Ryan, sitting in the Circuit Court room at the Taylor County court house Saturday, in order to accommodate the large number of witnesses and parties interested, heard the fish dynamiting case from northwest of Medford.

The defendants, Edward Peterson, Peter Schinker, Martin Schinker, and Hans Johnson, pleaded not guilty. Upon hearing the evidence, Justice Ryan bound the defendants over to the next term of Circuit Court, in the sum of $1000 each. The bonds were supplied.

These parties were brought into court for alleged dynamiting of fish in the Wood River, which is the stream running from Wood Lake into the Rib River.

125 YEARS AGO

July 11, 1896

Baraboo, Wis., July 3.—[Special]— One of the boldest and most successful robberies ever perpetrated in this county occurred in the town of Sauk City, near this place, yesterday. About noon the employes of the Charles Naffz bank went to dinner. There was no one left at the bank to guard the valuables and the robbers had an easy time in effecting an entrance to the bank. They broke through a rear door and secured $3500 from one of the cash drawers.

The robbery was not discovered for some time after and the thieves had a good start on the police. No suspicious persons were seen about the place and the officers have no clue whatever to work on.