Forty-one years ago
August 1977
A new community building in Shepherd Park and an extension on the west end of the fire station were chosen by Iola city commissioners this morning as the best way to spend the $147,243 the city will receive in federal public works money. The money was allocated to Iola from the $342,000 federal grant given to the county. The public works program is designed to put people to work across the country. (Editors note: unemployment in Allen County is estimated at 1.9 percent.)
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The Board of Directors of the Tri-Valley Developmental Center, Inc., has appointed Jim Bean of Gas to be the facilitys executive director. Bean has been with the center since it began operations in Piqua in 1975 and has been active director since April.
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HUMBOLDT The city council accepted a plan to build a new firehouse last night with the $50,378.50 the city will receive through a public works grant. The building will house three fire trucks, a police car and an ambulance.
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Carolyn Wells has started work as the juvenile probation officer at the Allen County Courthouse. According to Magistrate Judge George Levans, the county has been in need of a probation officer for two years and finally received a grant to provide for one. Ms. Wells is a 1976 graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in correctional administration.
The Iola Farm-City Days celebration, scheduled for Sept. 10-11, will have new events this year to go with the other activities, it was announced today by Steve Robb, chairman. Farm-City Days has become one of the biggest events of the year in Iola and is jointly sponsored by the Iola Chamber of Commerce and the Allen County Farm Bureau. The new events this year will be a cow-chip throwing contest Saturday morning and a square dance sponsored by the Iola Red Hots at the same time as the traditional street dance Saturday evening. The first Saturday event will be an art show on the lawn at the south side of the courthouse square with competition in several classes. The celebration will conclude with a tour of the Carl Conger dairy farm Saturday afternoon.
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After almost 33 years in the auto parts business, Dean Duncan has decided to quit and is turning over his Midwest Auto Store to Mike Sigg, assistant manager for the past two years. In 1952 Duncan opened Midwest Auto Stores at 1 N. Jefferson. Thirteen years later he expanded and moved across the street where he remained until 1970. In 1970 Duncan moved the store to its present location at 207 S. Jefferson. Sigg, the new owner, said the store had five different lines: automobile and television service, electronic, auto parts and car tires.