10-24-73
The Merrill Candy Company and city officials held a ground breaking ceremony on Wednesday for the new Merrill Candy Company distribution center which is being constructed at Highway 17 and Memorial Drive. The new building will be erected on a 40 acre parcel owned by the Development and Leasing Corp of Merrill. The Merrill Candy Company distributes candy, cigarettes, cigars, tobaccos, paper and janitorial supplies to areas within 100 miles of Merrill. Upon completion of the company’s move to the new facility, a new change to the Merrill Candy and Distributing Co. will take effect.
The Merrill Blue Jay football team is in second place in the Valley after defeating West on Saturday. The Jays built an early lead against the Warriors and never looked back in the 27-14 decision. Phil English was the offensive standout with 128 yards on 27 carries as the team racked up 300 yards in total offense. Jim Kries was named the defensive player of the week for his fine pass defense. The Jays will travel to Shawano to take on the Indians Friday night.
John Lindstrom is pictured on page 9 with some interesting artifacts he found in the walls of his home at 314 N. Lake St. Lindstrom was renovating a bedroom when he found the items in the wall of the home. The items included: a newspaper published in Merrill in the 1800s, a knife handle, two pipes, a salve tin from the E. S. Wakelin Pharmacy with a date of 5-29-91, the upper half of a Hosetetter’s Almanac, and a handwritten poem which described the forthcoming death of the poet, dated Oct. 15, 1858 which made it 115 years old on the day Lindstrom found it. Lindstrom said he intends on turning the finds over to the Historical Society. (The house is for sale, maybe there is more treasure buried within?)
10-26-83
Pine Crest Nursing Home is searching for a new administrator after the resignation of James Olson. Hired in July of 1982, Olson is leaving Pine Crest at the end of November to accept the job as division head for Veteran Affairs at the King Veteran Home. Elaine Roskos, Patient Services Coordinator, will take over on an interim basis; she had previously held that position before since her initial employment at Pine Crest in 1967. Olson’s salary was probably a major factor in his decision to leave, he was hired at $25,000 a year, got a pay raise to $28,000 a year in 1983, but was denied a raise to $30,000. In his new job for the state, Olson will have a starting salary of $42,000.
The Merrill Marching Jays got their long awaited chance to march at a Green Bay Packers football game last Sunday. The band was scheduled to perform at half time ceremonies last year, but an untimely football strike ruining their plans. Marching at the Packers-Vikings game was only part of the day’s excitement for the band members. They got to meet Pack Man (alias Gang Green), the Packer’s mascot. Pack Man wore a Blue Jay booster button during the game. In return, band members donned Pack Attack bandanas. Katherine Weber is pictured sporting hers in a Jim Richardson credited photo.
In an ad labeled an “Outer Space Bulletin” – Warchala Satellite Systems is offering the best satellite receiving system for your money. It includes a stainless steel dish, top quality components, state of the art electronics, and complete installation for only $2,100.
10-27-93
Family members of the late Wisconsin State Senator and circus fat boy Clifford “Tiny” Krueger gathered recently at the Circus World Museum at Baraboo for the dedication of the Tiny Krueger dining patio. The area was chosen as it was where Krueger would spend hours greeting circus fans, friends, and constituents at the museum. Clifford Krueger traveled with the Seils-Sterling Circus from Sheboygan in the 1930s and was proud of his “fat boy” experience. Dignitaries speaking at the dedication included Sheehan Donoghue, Senator Mary Panser whose father served in the senate with Krueger, former senator Walter John Chilsen, Krueger’s former administrative assistant John Huebscher, and Museum executive director Greg Parkinson.
Merrill will say goodbye to an original westsider tomorrow when funeral services will be held for the late Ralph Schultz. Schultz died at Pine Crest this past Monday. He was a ripsaw operator at the former Stange Lumber Company of Merrill and later worked at the former Rothlisberg Grocery Store on Merrill’s west side. Ralph and his late brother Otto were well known in Merrill as avid sports fans. During the summer months, the two brothers could be seen walking through the city or sitting on a park bench listening to a ballgame on their transistor radios. In the fall, Ralph and Otto would be at Athletic Park watching the Merrill Blue Jay football team. The winter months found the brothers at Merrill Senior High School’s East Gym taking in a Thursday wrestling match or a Friday night basketball game. In fact, in the late 1960s the Schulz brothers were each awarded a lifetime pass to all Merrill High School sporting events. Rev. Dale G. Kuck will officiate at the service at 10 a.m. at the Taylor Funeral Home. Burial will take place at Merrill Memorial Park.
A small but vocal group of citizens and business owners turned out for a public hearing Tuesday night on the future of parking meters in Merrill’s downtown. Fears expressed by those opposed to the city plans to remove the meters included habitual renter parking in the formerly metered stalls. The plans for the meters will be brought before the city council in November.