LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

Sheriff Marion Stephens received a telephone call from Diagonal Sunday morning advising him that an Italian of questionable appearence had been hanging around the C.G. W. Depot and who when questioned by Station Agent Hurd assumed a menancing attitude and finally displayed a deputy sheriff badge. After being advised by Mr. Hurd that if he were an officer on legitimate business he whould get in communication with the authorities, the fellow left the depot and started south of Diagonal on foot. Sheriff Stephens reached a point 2 miles south of Diagonal, just ahead of the traveler, who after one glance down the barrell of the official .44 consented to accompany the sheriff to Mount Ayr, where he was lodged in the county jail.

Search of  the prisoner revealed he had no shooting iron in his possession and the only metal of intrinsic value found on or about his person was a nickel. He also had in his possession a deputy sheriff badge. The man gave his name as Joe Pennetti, age 27. He was arraigned before Justice G.A. Tennant Monday morning on charge of impersonating an officer, waived to the grand jury and returned to jail.

(From Tingley Vindicator): It is probable that the board of supervisors at their meeting next Monday will call another special election to vote on issuing bonds for building a court house at Mount Ayr.

Petitions are being circulated among the voters asking the board to call such an election and this will be done if enough voters show an interest.

It is a matter of regret to many that Ringgold County is the only one in the state of Iowa without a court house. But the most serious danger to every property owner is the fact that the county records are not protected from destruction of fire.

Marriage: October 1, Peter Henry and Helen Harp.

Births: October 5, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Laird.. October 29, daughter, Trula, to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Longacre..Sept. 26, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Stoneburner.

Obituary in this edition was Ransom Wineinger.

The Phillips 66 station on highway 169 & 2, owned by E.M. Rosenbaum, was sold Saturday to E.J. Humphreys, who is presently serving as janitor of the court house. Possession will be given November 24.

Checks and cash amounting to approximately $260 were stolen Thursday from the office of the Farmers Supply Co. in Mount Ayr. The discovery of the break-in was made Friday morning, when employees of the elevator opened the office. Entrance to the office was gained through a sliding window on the north side of the building and exit was through the front door according to Sheriff Todd.

The Mount Ayr Raiders defeated Grant City 12-2 in a game played Tuesday evening on the opponent’s gridiron. Scoring for the Raiders was done by Frank Smith and Hugh Terwilliger in the second and third quarters.

Births: Sept. 28, a daughter, Judith, to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Davis..Sept. 29, a son, Gerald, to Mr. and Mrs. Duane McClintock..October 4, a son, George Kevin, to Mr. and Mrs. George Kilgore..October 1, a daughter, Janet, to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wilson..October 4, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Dean Taylor.

Obituaries in this edition were: Donna Rae Townsley Schlapia and Kenneth Robert Schlapia.

  Two stolen cars have been recovered in Ringgold County this week. A 1972 Thunderbird taken from Indianola and a 1963 Dodge taken from Diagonal were recovered in Ringgold County Sunday.

Ernest (Ted) Smith has withdrawn from the Mount Ayr race for mayor, according to information received by city clerk Duane Glick. His candidacy was revealed in last week’s paper. This leaves Jim Wood as the only nominee for mayor.

Overall winner in a fire prevention poster contest sponsored by the Mount Ayr Volunteer Fire Depart. was Peter Hayse, a Tingley Center 4th grader, son of Mr. and Mrs. Preston Hayse.

Marriage: August 9, Shelia Stewart and David Stewart..August 3, Deb Swigart and Charles Wilson.

Births: Sept. 27, a son, Jason, to Mr. and Mrs. Andy Kuonen, Jr…Sept. 30, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. William Umbarger..Oct. 2, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lewis..Oct. 6, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Davenport..Oct. 7, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Curt Lininger.

Obituaries in this edition were: Thomas Wayne Euritt and Ray M. Stanley,

LaShay French and Wes Allen reigned as the homecoming royalty for the Mount Ayr Community high school’s homecoming weekend. Prince and princess were Levi Martin and Madison Hosfield.

A bank which serves Mount Ayr and Diagonal will be undergoing another name change by April 2001, it was announced this week. Firstar Corp. announced an agreement to merge with US Bankcorp through an exchange of shares valued at $21.2 billion in the first quarter of 2001.

Dustin Eighmy placed third overall in the Pride of Iowa conference cross country meet held in Bedford Monday. The Raiders placed third as a team as well.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the new Pamida Store down town Mount Ayr at their grand opening Thursday, October 5.

Marriage: June 24, Kevin Stewart and Julie Graff.

Birth: Oct. 8, a son, Cade, to Mr. and Mrs. Eric Clymer.

Obituaries in this edition were: Dayle Leroy Stagner and Elvin Roland Waugh Sr.

Johnathan Triggs of Mount Ayr was selected as one of sixty College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students to receive the Foreman Scholarship. Triggs, a student in Animal Science at Iowa State University was selected for a combination of classroom performance and out-of-class leadership and volunteerism.

Chef Katie (Routh) Porter will appear on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Ingredient” program in the coming days and weeks beginning tonight, October 15 at 9 p.m. on Channel 11. According to information from Iowa Public Television, the program will feature “resourceful people in our communities that are committed to setting our tables with nutritious and affordable food.

Obituaries in this edition were: Eric Melvin Fuller and Julia Ann Haley Stephens.