75 years ago

Roller skating rink opens in Prairie City

A new amusement place, to be known as Skateland, has been established at Prairie City. It is a roller skating rink located in the city hall and is operated by Oliver Calhoun. The rink will be open on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 10:30 and Saturdays from 7:30 to midnight. Mr Calhoun states that there will be Saturday matinees for children from 2 to 5 p.m. Seating is provided in the balcony and parents are invited to attend.

50 years ago

Martin wins buckhorns competitions

Four Grant County hunters received cash prizes in the annual Grant County Sportsmen’s Association Buckhorns Contest.

Owner of the biggest set of horns measured by the Oregon Game Commission was Herb Martin of Long Creek. His horns measured 179⅞ points and were the second-biggest ever entered. Vern Fields of John Day was second with 172 points. The association record is held by Cedric Herburger of Mt. Vernon.

Winners of average horns prizes were Don Kerr, Prairie City, 125 points, and Harold Clark, Mt. Vernon, 112 points.

W.A. (Caesar) McKrola of John Day, a retired barber, knocked Oliver Campbell of John Day, still on active duty with the shears, out of the running with the smallest horns. They measured 22⅝ points.

Campbell won the honor last year and a year earlier.

Winners were announced at the Nov. 12 meeting of the sportsmen by Earl Ring, president.

There were 84 entries in the contest, he said. Ring deferred discussion of the recent deer season until the association’s December meeting.

Mt. Vernon rancher Dennis Lemons appeared at the meeting to discuss rancher-wildlife situations.

Hunters, not ranchers, are responsible for reported declines in deer numbers, he said.

Lemons urged the sportsmen to back a proposal that no more roads be built on Colpitt Mountainn and up Ingle Creek. Hunter pressure is increasing and roadless areas are needed to preserve wildlife, he said.

The association took the proposal under study.