Last week's backward glance at New Year's Eve activities of the past prompted some readers to ask about the starts of the new years that followed.
In response to those inquiries, let's take another familiar stroll down Memory Lane in a decade-by-decade book at newsmakers in the archives of The Valley Independent and its predecessors, The Charleroi Mail and The Monessen Daily Independent.
70 YEARS AGO
Jan. 6, 1941
• North Charleroi and its municipal government rocketed into national attention when it was announced that the borough has the lowest garbage disposal cost plan in the United States. City government and municipal study magazines are asking their analysts to look further into the North Charleroi plan.
• State Police and Allegheny County detectives today joined in a search for two youthful gunmen who held up Vaira's filling station at "Death Corners," where Route 31 and Route 51 cross between Monongahela and West Newton. They forced the lone attendant to hand over the night's receipts - about $50 - and escaped at 1:30 this morning.
• Gallatin-Dunlevy defeated Cuddy, 1-0, in a hard-fought, third-round soccer game in the National Amateur Cup tournament yesterday at Marion High School field in Fairhope. Gal-Dun's Harry Sickels booted the ball on a free kick from 30 yards out and it was deflected by Cuddy's Andy Villiani. Bernie Visnich gained control of the loose ball and slammed it into the nets for the winning goal.
• In one of the most thrilling Monessen City League basketball games played this season, the Dutchtown Heights quintet fought off a desperate challenge by the O.K. Club Saturday night on the Monessen High School floor and eked out a 24-23 win. Teska (8) and Paholsky (6) led the winners, who are now 6-0. Mike Benyak and Fedarko had the same number of points, respectively, for the O.K. Cluh.
• The Belle Vernon Woman's Club will meet tomorrow at the Belle Vernon High School auditorium. Entertainment will include Jack Hoyes, a baritone, who will render several vocal selections. Hostesses will be Mrs. James Hassery, Mrs. Charles F. Lambert, Mrs. E.A. Gilmore and Mrs. Fred Norton.
60 YEARS AGO
Jan. 6, 1951
• The first "first robin" report was received at The Mail today in a big way. An Oakland Ave. woman saw a flock fly past her window yesterday. Today, a similar report came from Waynesburg, where a farmer reported flocks of at least 50 robins on his property.
• The Ladies Auxiliary of the Lock Four Volunteer Fire Department re-elected all officers for the coming year They are Mrs. Irene Noel, president; Mrs. Lora Meikle, secretary, and Mrs. Elsie Johnson, treasurer. Following the business meeting, moving pictures were shown by Ramie Gerein, which included a test evacuation of the Charleroi-Monessen Hospital by local and district fire departments. Hostesses for the social hour were Mrs. Ada Reconnu and Mrs. Mabel Wentzell.
• Results of WPIAL Section 7-A basketball games were Charleroi 57, Donora 35; Monessen 60, California 40, and Brownsville 51, Monongahela 43. In other schoolboy games, Vernon nipped Bentleyville, 31-28; Marion nipped Perryopolis, 39-38; West Bethlehem beat, Ellsworth 63-48; Youngwood topped Rostraver, 47-45, and West Newton bumped Sewickley Township, 36-22. Top scorers were: Charleroi - Jimmy Lenhart, 13, Dick Schwendeman, 12, and George Michener and Ronnie Nandor, 10 apiece; Donora - Johnny Watroba, George Daube and John Thomas, seven each; Monessen - Joe Pastorkovich, 25, and Paul Kunsa, 14; California - Larry Papini and Tom Selep combined for 21; Monongahela - Lou Sepe, 11, and Ace Groom, 18; Vernon - Lloyd Gilmore, 12; Bentleyville - Ted Puskavich, 8; Marion - Don Brazzon, 18, and Jimmy Bricker, 10; Perryopolis - Leroy Stover, 28; Ellsworth - Rudy Osaba, 15, and George Yurkovich, 12; West Beth - Bill Alexander, 20, and Rostraver - George Godzak, 14, and John Lind, 11.
• The Blue Top Hotel on Route 51 in Perryopolis touted top entertainment including Chuck Tomayko and His Orchestra every Friday night as well as sensational comedy and vocal acts. More information is available by calling Perryopolis 9992.
• Frank Pagac was elected garbage collector of Centerville Borough for the next two years at the January meeting of borough council. Under the appointment a rate of $1 per month for householders will be charged. The rate for business places will be $25 annually. Council members attending the meeting were president Boyd Tilton, Joseph Budzanosky, Mike Packrall, Martin Zubrida, Thomas Dryburg, Sam Caster and Frank Ciontes.
50 YEARS AGO
Jan. 6, 1961
• George Obitko Jr. is the new president of the Slovak Club in Roscoe. It also was announced at the business meeting that the club distributed more than 500 treats to children at Christmas and had Santa Claus visit the homes of five other children in the area. The club concluded its 1960 activities with a New Year's Eve dance.
• The Third Street Bridge in Donora, a town landmark since 1915, may be closed today. The block-long bridge that connects Second Street and Fourth Street on Thompson Avenue is beginning to crack in the roadway as the result of severe winter weather. Donora police and fire departments, Councilmen James Stewart and Andrew Sasko and street commissioner John Duda inspected the bridge this morning. Fire Chief John Volk said the bridge "is in very bad shape."
• Bruce Dopler was honored as Cub of the Month by Charleroi Lions Club. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dopler of Seventh St., he was introduced by Len Dunegan. It was noted that Bruce is a senior at Charleroi High School, where he has a high scholastic rating and is a talented musician in the trumpet quartet and dance band. The meeting was conducted by Lions president Vic Campagni.
• Rostraver High School was officially notified that it passed a special evaluation conducted in November by a team of visiting educators. As a result, RHS principal Clifford Naylor, said, Rostraver will remain on the accredited list of the Commission on Secondary Schools, Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
• Daryle Ruby is closing in on becoming the top scorer in Bellmar High basketball history. According to Bellmar student statistician Joe Grata, Ruby, a 6-4 senior, set a new school exhibition standard when he bucketed 172 points in seven games for a nifty 24.5 average. This eclipsed the old mark of 168 set by Sam Sergi during the 1955-56 season. As a senior, Sergi set the season record of 241 points in 14 league games. Ruby's father, Steve, was a standout at old Belle Vernon High in the 1930s and his brother, Steve Jr., also played at Bellmar.
• The Twin Coaches supper club was gearing for a one-week engagement by Nat King Cole and his revue beginning January 30.
• Tom Jozefczyk established a new Mon Valley Catholic High single-game scoring record with 27 points against Canon-McMillan on Dec. 17. The 6-1 Spartan senior is the son of Joe Jozefczyk, a standout football player for Jimmy Russell at Donora in the 1930. His older brother, Joe Jr., is a senior at Duquesne University and their younger brother, Jack, is a sophomore at MVC.
40 YEARS AGO
Jan. 6, 1971
• A developer's proposal to build a motel in Monessen may be approved soon. Andrew S. Furmanchik Jr., executive director of the Monessen Redevelopment Authority, told The Valley Independent that titles to three parcels in the Eastgate renewal area will be signed over to the motel developer, Jerry A. Cooper, president of Cooper Realty Company in Greensburg, by the end of this month. Present plans call for a 24-unit motel to be built on two vacant parcels in the center of Eastgate and a service station to be located at the corner of Schoonmaker Avenue and Seneca Boulevard.
• Attorney Thomas D. Gladden was sworn in as the newest judge on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas. Gladden, 38, succeeds Judge Barron P. McCune, who resigned to become a federal judge in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
• Belated recognition was made of two Charleroi Area High School football players, guard Martin Maytas and halfback Phil Hughes, and Monessen guard Rich Feryok getting honorable mention honors on the Associated Press All-State Football Team.
30 YEARS AGO
Jan. 6, 1981
• Snowmobile operators are obviously treading on "sacred ground" in the Mid-Mon Valley and officials aren't pleased about it. Stockdale Mayor Peter Scrip today joined the ranks of those issuing stern warnings about the vehicles. "'Snowmobiles are outlawed here," Scrip said. "They are not permitted on our streets, in yards or anywhere else in the borough. There's a place for those things, but not in Stockdale."
• David Summers was re-elected chairman of the Washington Township Board of Supervisors last night. Other officers retained for the coming year are Ronald Sotta, vice chairman and superintendent of police; Bernard Chorba, secretary-treasurer, and Elizabeth Chorba, assistant secretary-treasurer. Also holding key positions in 1981 will be Joseph Rygiel, solicitor; Carol Pendo, special police duties; Philip Consoneri, mercantile earned income and delinquent tax collector; Harry Williams, real estate transfer tax collector, and Pauline Baker, delinquent per capita tax collector.
• California defeated Mapletown, 70-53, in scholastic girls basketball action last night. Tammie Linkoski scorched the nets for 22 points for the Lady Trojans while Kathy Horton added 18 and Vicki Keener 14. In other games, Mon Valley Catholic bowed to Geibel, 53-51; Frazier topped Carmichaels, 49-38; Albert Gallatin edged Charleroi, 60-58, and Beth-Center defeated Monessen, 65-42. Top scorers for the area teams were: Charleroi - Pam Gustovich, 24; Terri Holod, 10, and Patty Leonard, 10; Monessen - Danielle Hewitt, 12, and Joan Grogan, 10; Frazier - Antoinette Diggs, 21, Andrea Lonce, 10, and Cathy Oldham, 10, and Mon Valley Catholic ?- Deneen Miller, 20, and Renee Rosemier, 10.
• Among the specials at Kroger supermarket at Kmart Plaza in Rostraver Township are orange juice, $1.99 per gallon; extra large eggs, 85 cents per dozen, and hot cocoa mix, 99 cents for a 12-ounce container.
20 YEARS AGO
Jan. 7, 1991
(Jan. 6 was a Sunday)
• Darry A. Oliver, CPA has joined CEO Venture Fund as chief financial officer. Prior to joining CEO, Oliver, a Monessen native, was co-founder and executive vice president and CFO of Intelligent Technology Group Inc., a computer software group formed in 1977. He is a 1973 graduate of Monessen High School.
• Shoeleroi Shoe Days is in full swing this week with participating stores offering bargains up to one-half off on all footwear. The participants are Ducoeur's Shoes, Pagano's Shoes and Union Shoes.
• Belle Vernon Area was a 56-48 winner over Chartiers Valley in a scholastic girls exhibition basketball game. Stephanie Karabin and Jennifer Torkish had 14 points each to pace the Lady Leps, who are now 8-3 on the season. Nicole Canigiani added 8 points and Kris Klancher helped the cause with eight points and eight rebounds. In boys wrestling, Bentworth won the Fort Cherry Tournament championship with 156 team points. Individual titles were captured by the Bearcats' Rob Weingen, 145; Albert Thomas, 145, and Jason Ivcic, 160.
• B. Bogdewic Chrysler-Plymouth in Webster is offering engine tune-up specials at $34.95, four cylinders; $38.95, six cylinders, and $42.95, eight cylinders. Motorists also can get a state inspection for $11.95 and an emissions inspection for $8.
10 YEARS AGO
Jan. 6, 2001
• Save-A-Lot stores are calling attention to these items: boneless chuck roast and chuck steaks, $1.39 per pound, and a 2-pound bad of Russett potatoes, $2.99.
• Sub-freezing temperatures and snow and ice are expected tonight. The overnight low will be around 20.
• Championship Wrestling Federation action will return to the Monessen Civic Center next Saturday. Headlining the "Motown Meltdow" card will be Bill "Powerhouse" Hughes against Dennis Gregory for the CWF championship. Other performers expected to draw a capacity crowd are Eric "The Electric"Love, TNT, Shirley Doe, J-Ruj, Quinn Magnum, Cory K, Twin Tackles Snisky and Harper, the Corleones and Armageddon.
• Among the 83 anonymous Soundoff callers was the one who proclaimed: "Goodbye, Montgomery Ward. You were the best store in the whole world. Thank you for 125 years of service."
• The eighth annual New Year's Day golf outing was held in the snow and frigid temperatures at Mon Valley Country Club. Don Nicodemus won the cup with a 20-foot chip to make par. Others braving the elements in the competition were Tip Patterson, Bob Patterson, Dr. Dennis Borodaty, Russ Kirby, John Albright, Bap Manzini, Sonny Russo, Ron Berger, Chuck Muia, Steve Kusenko, Lew Martini, Ed Barrickman, Marc Sylvester, Carl Weisdach, Sal Russo, Al Protin, Steve Stofko, Jim Podrosky and Ron Danko.
