Image provided by: The Willamina Museum; Willamina, OR
About The times of Willamina. (Willamina, Oregon) 1972-1974 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 1973)
Scott Olson, 16, is Freak fire misses home victim of accident Scott A. Olson, 16, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stan Olson, Willamina, died Wednesday, Aug. 29 at the Univer sity of Oregon Medical School Hos pital in Portland. Scott Olson 1957 - 1973 Olson and three friends were in volved in a one-car accident late Saturday evening, Aug. 25 on Ag ency Creek Road. The car had gone off the road and into a ditch. Superior Ambulance took Martin Wheeler, driver of the vehicle, San- die Benson and Scott Olson to the McMinnville hospital. Wheeler and Sandie Benson were treated for minor injuries and released. Lori Benson was released from the hos pital Friday, Aug. 31. Olson, however, had received se ri ous head injuries and was taken to the University of Oregon Medical School Hospital in critical condition. Scott Alan Olsen was born June 16, 1957 in McMinnville, and lived all his life in Willamina where he at tended grade school and high school. He was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran church in Willamina. Survivors include his parents, Stanley and Arlene Westby Olson; two sisters, Sheila Whitfield of Bor ing, Oregon and Julie Cummings of Willamina; other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held Sat urday, Sept. 1 at Adamson’s Sheri dan funeral home with burial fol lowing in Green Crest Memorial Park, Sheridan. Assault charges dropped, lesser charge is upheld Plea bargaining during a hearing on demurrers Thursday, Aug. 30 resulted in dropping of charges of assault and battery against Roy Zimbrick, Roy King and Ed Larson. The three did plead guilty to dis orderly conduct and forfeited bail on the charge on interfering with a police officer. During the demurrers, defense at torney Jules Drabkin asked for clar ification of charges of assault and battery, disorderly conduct and in terference with police. He contend ed that charges and statutes were vague and he felt that his clients had a right to further clarification of specific charges that they were up against. Attorney for the City of Willamina, K. D. Brand countered that the stat utes and ordinances involved were definite and specific enough in all respects. Defense had based their argument partly on the fact that the name of the arresting officer, Oscar F ree man, had not been stated in the charge. Brand held that a police officer in uniform was obvious as such and need not be named at the time he is trying to perform his duty. Willamina Municipal Court Judge Wood ruled against the demurrers and set a trial date for Sept. 13, at which time the defendants could enter their pleas. Wood then asked if jurors were present to try the fourth charge against Zimbrick - - escaping of prisoner from custody. Brand wanted to delay the trial on the fourth charge and have all defendants tried together on all charges, arguing that the other a r rangement might lead to a question of former jeopardy. This argument was waived and the process of impanelling a jury be gan. However, after questioning and challenges to the twelve prospective jurors present, it became apparent that it might be difficult if not impossible to make up a full jury. Only three had been chosen when a recess was called. The recess, originally scheduled for fifteen minutes, lasted more than an , hour, during which time negotiations resulted in the dropping of charges of assault and battery. Zimbrick had already pleaded inno cent to the charge of prisoner e s caping custody. The three defend ants agreed to plead guilty to the charge of interfering with a police officer. No admission of guilt accompanied the bail forfeit. In addition, it was agreed between the parties that the defendants would not sue the City of Willamina or the Police Department and that the City, in return would not sue the defen dants in connection with any of the charges involved. Roy Zimbrick was fined $110, in cluding court costs for disorderly conduct and forfeited $255 bail for interfering with a police officer, Ed Larson was fined $88 for dis orderly conduct (including court costs), and also forfeited $255 bail. Roy King was fined $55 on the con duct charge and forfeited the same bail. All chargles were in connection with an incident June 30 when Patrolman Oscar Freeman was called to re move Roy Zimbrick from Benny’s Tavern shortly after midnight. Conflicting reports of the incident had Freeman using mace on Zim brick following insulting obscenities directed at him, and using undue force against Ed Larson who report edly had left the scene of the inci dent. Other reports had Zimbrick assaulting Freeman, then fleeing the scene of arrest, Others have it that he merely wènt home to recover from the effects of mace and was arrested later. Whatever the truth, the incident was legally settled Thursday and is now over with. 1973 WILLAMINA CHEERLEADERS 1973 Willamina High varsity cheerleaders are (1-r) Karen Robertson, Susan Lundmark (yell queen), Sherri Henry, Cindy Eggart and Laura Sullivan. The new cheerleaders are hoping for lots of support for the community this year, and say they’re loaded with spirit for this football season. Firemen finish dousing a grass fire which could have caused a lot of damage but didn’t. On Saturday afternoon, faulty wiring touched off a blaze at the Eugene Charles residence, Rt. I, Willamina. The fire completely surrounded a camper but left it untouched, veered over to within three feet of the house, then burned its way over toward this gully where it was brought under control. New Kiwanis club is organized Eugene Mack, principal of Willa mina Union high school was chosen temporary president of the new Wil lamina-Grand Ronde Kiwanis club at an organizational meeting Tues day, August 28 at the Rocket Cafe. Tom Allen of the Willamina Insur ance Agency was chosen secretary- treasurer. A group of McMinnville Kiwanis members, headed by Roy Durham, was on hand to help organize the new club. So far, the local club is in the organizational stage and all a r rangements are on a temporary basis until the group is formally chartered. First order of business was to give the club a name, and since thé membership includes people from both Willamina and Grand Ronde, members decided to call it the Willamina - Grand Ronde Kiwanis club. Next, a regular meeting time had to be decided. Since Tuesday noon conflicts with other activities, the group decided to meet every Thurs day at noon in the Rocket Cafe. Another meeting will be held this Thursday. Kiwanis International is a service organization dedicated to helping communities become better places to live. Present membership of the new group includes: Michael Musulin, Grand Ronde; Tom Allen, Willa mina; Claude Crenshaw, Sheridan; A1 Newby, Willamina; Bill Schaef er, Willamina; Ray Chernosky, Wil lamina; Jack Shetterly, Willamina; Spike Anderson, Willamina; Kenton Brothers, Willamina; Eugene Mack, Willamina; Shirley Rogers, Willa mina; Jim Paul, Willamina; Vance Welty, Willamina, and Charles Bak er, Willamina. Tom Allen, new secretary-treasurer and Eugene Mack, temporary president, plan organization of Willamina - Grand Ronde Kiwanis club. Willamina restaurant under new ownership Hal and Thelma’s Cafe, formerly known as Danny’s, is under new ownership and will soon have a new name. Vic and Lucille Branson, from Bakersfield, Calif., have bought the restaurant, which will be called “ Vic’s .” The Bransons operated a restaur ant near Bakersfield called the “ Farm er’s Club” before heading up this way. When asked how they happened to choose Willamina- to locate, they both replied that they came here because of the "beauti ful country.” They plan to gradually remodel' the restaurant and tavern, and add live country and western entertain ment on weekends. They cater to banquets, parties and meetings as well as running the restaurant and tavern. Vic and Lucille Branson have four children: Tonja, Angie, Victor Jr. and Brian -- all of grade school age. Like all newcomers to Willamina, they are having trouble finding a place to live, but hope to be settled when school starts. “We really like all the people we’ve met so far,” Vic added. “They really make a person feel right at home. owners of what used to be Hal and Thelma’s Cafe. Re-naming it “ Vic’s ,” they plan remodelling and other improvements. Hoping to settle in the Willamina area, the Bransons owned and operated a restaurant near Bakersfield before coming up here.
