Looking Back

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 16, 1896.)

National News~For many years the people of this country have been startled at intervals with rumors of war in Europe which the ever-alert correspondents have said was an event of the near future.

The years have come and gone and yet no blood has been spilled on the European battlefield.

One thing appears to be certain however, and that is that the nations of the world are ready to put a veto on the acquisition of more territory by England whose insatiable thirst for gold and territory seems to be incapable of being satisfied with anything short of the whole earth with a fence around it. The sentiment against such cowardly and villainous procedure is crystallizing around the Monroe doctrine, and the leading nations of the earth will combine, if need be, to check England’s mad career.

Diagonal News~We supposed the building and moving season was over. Not so.

The other morning on looking up the street we saw quite a large pile of lumber on a vacant lot. Three or four men were busy making a frame house. On inquiring we found it was for our dressmaker, Miss Stella Gray, and no little 10×10 either, but a nice 22×22 having four rooms.

All things but the elevator are in full running order at the new depot, and it really looks like business to go down there and see the cars standing on the sidewalk and the hurry and bustle going on about the place. Diagonal has now seven passenger trains every 24 hours and about ten freight trains and we feel that we have quite good accommodations for the traveling public. No one need to wait here many hours to go any direction.

We also have more mails in twenty-four hours than any other town in the county.

Births: January 8, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Bert Wiley…Sunday a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Clay Smith.

Obituaries in this edition were: Mabel E. Thompson (child) and Willard Carmer.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 14, 1925.)

Births: January 7, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hoover…Saturday, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Lester Harriman…December 30 a son to Mr. and Mrs. Truman Burdette.

Obituaries in this edition were: Herman T. Ernest, Mary Elizabeth Kling Merrill, and Anna E. Beers Reynolds.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 12, 1950.)

After January 1, 1950, when your employer deducts 1 1/2 cent from each dollar of your wages for Social Security tax, don’t accuse him of an error in his arithmetic.

The collector of IRS has likely notified him that on and after January 1, the Social Security tax rate will be 1 1/2 percent on gross wages, up to $3,000 a year.

The exhibit of costumed dolls, which has been on display at the public library in Mount Ayr have been prepared by Mrs. Cecil Sickels, of Liberty township, whose hobby is dressing dolls in fashions of other days.

Marriage: December 26, Nadine Burton and Ivan Dennis…December 26, Jean Slavik and Dean Schlapia.

Birth: January 5, a daughter, Billie Ruth, to Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Egly.

Obituaries in this edition were: Garry Wright Manning (child), Wesley Ames Poore, Nellia Sarah Hacker Glendenning and Arminta Mark McClarey. .

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 16, 1975.)

Heading Mount Ayr community improvement club for 1975 is Jay Monday, vice president and Robert Erickson as president.

Seven Mount Ayr Community high school and junior high school students have been selected to participate in the annual SW Iowa Bandmasters Assoc. Honor Band. The 1975 high school students representing the MACH Raider Band will be: David Roed, senior, trombone; Dave Allen, junior, french horn; Becky Morrison, junior, alto clarinet; Jeanette Abarr, senior, tuba.

James Walling, superintendent of schools at Grand Valley, has submitted his resignation, effective at the end of the current school year.

An Air Force staff sergeant from Grand River was decorated with the US Air Force Commendation Medal in recent ceremonies at Sheppard AFB, TX. Sergeant Dennis Adkisson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Adkisson of Grand River, is a veterinary technician and was cited for meritorious service at Clark AB, Philippines.

Marriage: November 8, 1974, Pam Jackson and Robert Ricker Jr…September 14, 1974, Debra Christian and James Shepard…November 23, 1974, Laura Davis and Larry Rinehart.

Births: January 9, a daughter  to Mr. and Mrs. Darwin Stark…January 9, a son to Mr. and Mrs, Dale Clark.

Obituaries in this edition were: Harry R. King, Raymond K. Haley, Clara Belle Motsinger Waugh and Etta Bell Shields Hailey.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 13, 2000.)

Homecoming king and queen candidates for Diagonal Com. high school homecoming Friday include Shelly Young, Anna Cook, Sean Stamps, Brian Gunsolley, Kelli Goodale and Josh Skinner.

Dennis Breckenridge of Des Moines, a former Ringgold county resident, has been named vice president of the Home Owners Assoc. of Des Moines. Breckenridge has been a home builder for the past 20 years and has many top awards in the annual home show exhibitions of the greater Des Moines area.

Billie Stringham of Mount Ayr received her association of science degree in nursing from Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines recently.

Marriage: January 9, Lesa Overholser and John Darrah.

Birth: December 14, a son, Brody, to Jim and Lorrinda (Kinton) Parker.

Obituaries in this edition were: Rita Roberta Madsen Arends…Bernice Louise Vaughn Fletchall, Velda Eleanor Chandler Routh and John Oswell Taylor.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 15, 2015.)

Longtime Record News owner, community supporter passes away.

Word has been received on the death of Helen Terry, former owner of he Mount Ayr Record News. Helen began working at the Record News in 1968 and continued working here for 28 years until her retirement.

Ezekiel Elliott named offensive MVP of the national championship football game victory over the Oregon Ducks. Ezekiel is the son of Dawn Huff Elliott who graduated from Mount Ayr Community high school.

The Volunteer Center of Southern Iowa is excited to announce Cleta Dunkerson as the December volunteer of the month. Cleta volunteers at the Neighborhood Center in Mount Ayr every week day 8 a.m.to 12 p.m.

The annual Knights of Columbus freethrow contest for Decatur, Ringgold and Wayne counties was held at Central Decatur high school January 11. The 14 year old division winner was Caylie Hickman of Mount Ayr.

Birth: January 4, a son, Bennett, to Wes and Amanda Zollman.

Obituaries in this edition was: Valiere Creveling Stewart, Lenora M. “Sally” Bowen Pratte, Bettye Kathryn Mahan Coates, Helen Ann Copenhaver Terry, Shirley Rhea Irving Miller, Hazelee O’Dell Saxton.