1974: Lack of livestock suspends Randolph fair
75 Years Ago - June 30, 1949
RANDOLPH – One of the biggest house moving projects ever undertaken in Randolph began this week as the Bredehoft Moving and Construction Co. of Battle Creek began moving the large two-story house sold by Gordon Chapman to St. Frances parish for a new parish rectory.
The residence, built by Dr. G.E. Hartman and located two blocks west of Fairmont Foods Co., is 36x44 and has two full stories, and a full third story attic. The manager of the moving company stated that this was the heaviest building he has ever moved. A school house at Battle Creek was the largest building he ever supervised moving, but the building was not as heavy as this house.
Mr. Bredehoft explained that 22 jacks were used to load the house on the three-point mounting, which is used exclusively now instead of four-point mounting used formerly. The three-point mounting is used preferably to four-point mounting to insure against plaster cracking.
60 Years Ago - June 25, 1964
RANDOLPH – Favorable weather was the lot for much of this section the past week as good rains were received. Total moisture received in Randolph was 2.38 inches, which added to the previous week’s precipitation made a total of 4.22 inches.
Heaviest amount of moisture came in a rain which began shortly before midnight Sunday and continued throughout the early morning hours of Monday, totaling 1.64 inches. Although accumulations are in steady, light to moderate amounts in town and the immediate surrounding territory, areas to the east were not so fortunate.
Hardest are hit, from reports received, appears to be as section north and east of the Wareham corner. A twister struck at the Sylvester Winkelbauer farm, completely demolishing a sheep barn. The twister picked up the barn and carried it over a fence into another yard. No other buildings on the farm were damaged.
50 Years Ago - June 27, 1974 RANDOLPH – At a joint meeting of the Randolph Community Club’s Board of Directors and the Randolph Community Fair Committee on Monday evening, it was decided to suspend the Community Fair for one year because of the lack of livestock available to show.
In making the suspension, the board and the Fair committee noted a sharp decline in the last five or six years in the 4-H livestock entries.
At the same meeting, a Fall Festival committee was named that would help make plans for a celebration planned for the first part of September.
40 Years Ago - June 28, 1984 RANDOLPH – Randolph’s Senior Citizens Center will probably be the recipient of $37,163 during the third week of July, following a meeting of the directors of the Northeast Nebraska Area Agency on Aging.
Ranolph’s request for the funds was okayed by the directors on Thursday morning at their regular meeting at Walthill. The money, which is presently budgeted for other senior citizens in Northeast Nebraska, is expected to be returned to the area agency shortly after the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30.
Before the directors agreed to make the funds available to Randolph, if they are available, Gus Marreel, president of the Randolph Senior Citizens, explained the project to the governing body.
30 Years Ago - June 29, 1994 RANDOLPH – A crashing fall in cattle prices is driving area producers to their knees.
Approximately 130 members of the Cedar County Livestock Feeders Association expressed concern Monday night about the recent decline in the cattle market.
The discussion took place at the group’s regular June meeting Monday night at Tooties.
Eugene Glock, ag representative for U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, said overproduction is the main problem.
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RANDOLPH – The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce its Nebraska Agriculture Youth Institute (NAYI), is an annual event for high school juniors and seniors designed to introduce them to agricutlural issues and develop leadership skills. Approximately 180 students plan to attend this year’s Institute, “NAYI 1994- Taking Charge” scheduled for July 11-14.
Among students attending will be Jeremy Olson, son of Rich and Deb Olson.
Delegates were selected to attend the Institute based on their interest in Nebraska agriculture and their leadership potential. During the four-day event, delegates will have an opportunity to discuss agricultural policy, international marketing, and other issues important to Nebraska agriculture.
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RANDOLPH – A repeat performance was accomplished by J.D. Iles, 11, for earning recognition in the annual Mari Sandoz Essay Contest. Iles was one of 10 winners.
These 10 winners will receive a certificate and a book by Mari Sandoz.
They were elected from 492 entries from 10- and 11-year-olds living in all parts of Nebraska.
This year’s contest gained 200 entries over last year’s total.
20 Years Ago - June 30, 2004 RANDOLPH – As of July, Randolph can call itself home to a ‘budding’ new business on Broadway.
In Bloom will open its doors on July 7, and will be located at 107 W. Broadway in downtown Randolph, formerly home to Cornerstone Accents and Get the Pointe studio.
The shop, which is owned by Curt and Jennifer Rohde, will be home to a wide variety of merchandise.
As a floral shop, In Bloom will offer deliver to Randolph and surrounding towns, and also wire service for those far away deliveries that are hard to make.
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RANDOLPH – Ask Jim Billerbeck what his hobbies are and he’ll tell you work, work, work.
But on those rare occasions that he has some free time, he has a rather interesting hobby - birds, birds, birds.
Jim started his interest with birds in junior high school. He and some friends would catch pigeons off of houses and raise them. There was also a gentleman in Coleridge who had his own bird zoo. He kept thousands of birds, of just about any kind a person could hope to find. He got the boys interested in the exotic birds.
10 Years Ago - July 2, 2014 RANDOLPH –There are a number of great things about living in a small town, according to the Josh and Joanna Rayford family of Randolph.
Joanna, daughter of Marlin ad Pat Van Slyke, never expected to miss her hometown as much as she did after moving away following high school.
Moreover, Josh, her husband, never thought he would live in a town so small after having lived in Phoenix, Chicago, Omaha and even North Platte.
Five years later, the unlikely move to Randolph proved to be a blessing for the family of five, which includes little Olivia and Milo ages 3 and 6, and Kaleb, 14. *** COLERIDGE – The damage estimates continue to rise from the June tornado that tore through Cedar and Dixon counties.
At least $40 million in damages have been reported from the storm so far.
Cedar County Emergency Management Director Kevin Garvin said damage totals will grow as not all of the costs from the storm are yet known.
U.S. Department of Agrigulcure reports show 150 farms were affected by the storms.