75 YEARS AGO Midnight Fire Destroys Store at Long Creek

As this paper goes to press, word comes from Long Creek that the Stussi store building at that place was destroyed by fire late Wednesday night. This was formerly the Buseick store and had just recently been purchased from Mrs. Mary Buseick by Mr. and Mrs. John Stussi. Philip Dale, who with Leslie Herburger was in Long Creek that evening to assist in conferring a Master Mason degree at a meeting of the Long Creek Masonic Lodge, stated that the fire started just as lodge was closing, about 11:30. It was thought that the blaze originated in a small storeroom at the rear of the store. The local fire department was on the job, but most of the building was destroyed and practically all of the contents totally damaged. About all that was carried out of the store was a cash register and a couple of showcases. A few items of merchandise, in the front part of the store, were not burned, but most of the contents were either destroyed or damaged.

50 YEARS AGO Mt. Vernon airman shot down over Vietnam

Word was recently received that Army Warrant Officer Wade E. Huddleston, son of Mr. and Mrs. Flynn Huddleston of Mt. Vernon, was shot down by enemy fire on Friday, Feb. 4, while flying a helicopter over the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam.

Huddleston was fortunate in only receiving a broken arm and head wounds in the incident, his parents said. He had been in South Vietnam three months to the day when the incident occurred.

Huddleston’s parents received word of his wounding from him when he arrived at Travis Air Force Base near Oakland, CA, on Saturday, Feb. 12. He flew from California to Madigan General Hospital in Ft. Lewis, WA, and his parents met him there Sunday morning, Feb. 13.

Mr. and Mrs. Huddleston returned Tuesday, Feb. 15, and reported that he will be coming home for convalescent leave in a couple of weeks.

Huddleston, a 1966 graduate of Mt. Vernon High School, attended Eastern Oregon College, La Grande, for three years prior to his service duty.

25 YEARS AGO

Poison Creek Dam to be built in 1998

In other action on Feb. 19, the County Court was briefed by Bureau of Land Management representatives about the Poison Creek Dam, an earthen structure that will be constructed in 1998 at the east end of Silvies Valley.

Three Rivers Resource Area manager Cody Hansen said the 20-foot-high dam would create a lake with 17 acres of surface and be 18 feet deep.

“This will make an excellent recreational fishery for Grant and Harney counties,” Hansen said.

Hansen said the reservoir and facility will be fenced to limit trespassing on private land in the area.

The project will cost $60,000, he estimated.

The court was also briefed by Library Foundation chairman Teresa Southworth about the library addition.

The foundation has received architectural drawings from Pinnacle Architecture of Bend.

The alterations will bring Grant County Library up to Americans With Disabilities Act requirements without major renovations, Southworth said.

The court OK’d the advertising for construction bids in early March and a bid opening on March 19.

The court gave permission to Road Supervisor Jim Walker to sell surplus used grader bits for $2.50 apiece.

Walker said the Road Department has about 90 to sell.