BIX MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Wednesday, January I, I9S8
Air, Lymbeir Moke Top INIews
hopping
Injury of Passenger
On incoming Plane
Is Top 'Spot' News
Development of a new shopping center at the corner of
Jackson st. and Biddle rd.f the slump in the lumber market
and the Talent reclamation project shared the voting by
Mail Tribune news department staff members for the "most
significant" news story of 1957.
Three staff members picked the shopping center develop
ment and three chose the lumber conditions as their choice
for the most significant. Two staff members voted the Talent
project as the most significant, and another considered the
county water resources committee study and survey of the
Rogue river basin as the most significant.
The story of a 17-year-old Central Point youth shooting
an incoming passenger plane at the Medford municipal air
port, injuring a passenger, early in October was rated the
best "spot" news story of the year. Seven staff members
voted it the best, and two voted Alfred S. V. Carpenter's
$1.5 million donation to Harvard university as the top news
story.
Stories which staff mem
bers believed had the best
"human interest" basis in
cluded three members of the
Edward Kelly family being
appointed judges in the coun
ty, another about a Medford
policeman who was bitten by
a dog, and one about a youth
stealing a plane in Medford
and takine his first "solo"
flight to California. The stor
ies ranked in that order in
voting.
The "most significant"
story is judged on its long-
range effect in the county,
while a "spot" news story is
one which makes news only
one or two days.
Other stones which re
ceived votes as being signifi
cant included the Medford
and county subdivision ordi
nances; the Salk anti-polio
shots administered in the
county: and the Berrydale
annexation to Medford.
Among stories during 1957
which received votes as be
ing some of the best "spot"
news stories were the success
and expansion of the Shake
spearean Festival in Ashland;
new buildings in Medford, in
cluding the Red Cross build
ing and the Girls Community
club; the trial of Donald Am
buehl on a narcotics charge;
the seizure and sale of more
than $1,250,000 worth of
property owned by Walter
Leverette; the estate of the
late John Tomlin, most of
which went to charities; and
the attempt to hold up the
Medford branch of the First
National bank late in the fall.
Following is a summary of
major news happenings in
Jackson county during 1957:
JANUARY
Mayor John Snider and four
new councilmen jtake office
. . . Lewis T. Robinson killed
in car crash near Rogue River
. . . Noreen Kelly appointed
municipal judge . . . Donald
La Verne Ambuehl jury selec
tion begins . . '. March, of
Dimes campaign opens . . .
city council amends building
permit fees . . . Mayor Snider
cited for speeding . . . Med
ford area to get biggest tele
phone rate increase . . . Build
ing permits show Increase
over 1955 . . . Medford district
will need another school in
1958 . . . three new county
officials take oath of office
. . . unemployment for Decem
ber estimated at 1,860 . . .
3,600 people move to Medford
area during 1956 . . . Decem
ber sets record for number of
heavy fog days . . . Iranian
lumber official visits county
saw mills . . . new armory
planned on housing project
site . . . free Salk vaccine sta
tion schedule set . . . three
weather records set at Crater
Lake in 1956 . . . bids called
on Talent project plant gen
-tlfh fM 111
"i f
fTm-iVW
erator . . . Ambuehl found
guilty on narcotics charge . . .
polio vaccination gets under
way in county schools . . .
Sarah Blevins Wing, 103-year-old
Ashland resident dies . . .
Medford planning commission
considers rezoning 35 acres in
southwest part of city . . . new
building planned for Red
Cross . . . Kenwood-Grand-view
areas annexed to city
. . . school district 6C calls
election for two bond issues
. . . OLCC schedules Medford
hearings . . . Phoenix sewer
lines near completion . . .
three Medford men receive
safety council awards . . .
Ambuehl sentenced to three
years, $500 fine . . . Ashland
High school student wounded
by another student in Klam
ath Falls . . . OLCC opens
hearings into law violations
. . . county population totals
70,840 . . . Medford freeway
route to be near Hawthorne
park ... 16 tavern owners
deny violation of state liquor
laws . . . Jackson county plans
$90,000 juvenile detention
home . . . inch of snow falls
in Medford . . . local highway
crewmen shot near Tiller . . .
7,600 children receive polio
shots in schools . . . architects
retained to draw" new school
plans . . . Clifford McGinty
presented J a y c e e service
award . . . Philharmonic so
ciety presents programs . . .
dragging starts on Rogue
river for body of accident vic
tim . . . Berrydale residents
begin campaign for annexa
tion . . . mothers set march
for polio . . . grocery clerks
threaten strike . . . bloodmo
bile quota increased to 290
pints . . . juveniles admit ran-
racking unoccupied house . . .
FEBRUARY
Hearing due on O&C land
restrictions . . . bronze plaques
presented Chamber of Com
merce past presidents . . . bill
proposed to remove school
bond complications . . . bus
driver suffers heart attack . . .
bank debits in area show 5
per cent increase . . . woman
dies of burns suffered in at
tempt to light gas oven . . .
50,000 Shakespearean festival
folders put into mail . . . Mrs.
Elizabeth Myrtel Beck dies of
heart attack on airplane fol
lowing Hawaiian vacation . . .
three Jackson county tavern
owners arrested for displaying
games of chance . . . Medford
school board plans $1,200,000
bond issue . . . 2,665 unem
ployed during January . . .
women killed in highway
crash near Medford . . . Lone
Pine residents plan meeting
to fight annexation . . . Pa
tricia Leek, Richard James
win Youth Leadership awards
. , . tavern owners fined for
operating games of chance . . .
National Guard to control
, . . New Medford Mayor,
armory administration . . .
Lone Pine millage rate in
creases to 93.2 because of an
nexation . . . slreamflow fore
cast revised downward due to
low January precipitation . . .
Lone Pine school observes
100th year . . . second round
of polio shots to start . . .
shenif s office reports more
than four million dollars col
lected in taxes . . . Ashland
woman dies attempting to
start fire with kerosene . . .
Medford planning commission
to request $9,700 to back city's
participation in Federal aid
program for municipal im
provements . . . Pear Festival
date set in April . . . county
clerk to authorize 20 precinct
boundary changes . . . school
district 6C bond elections
scheduled . . . six firms sub
mit bids on county detention
home ... 23 youths arrested
in connection with thefts . . .
area students to take over city,
county positions for day . . .
Carl McMillan found guilty
of driving while under influ
ence of liquor . . . combined
tax levy in Medford among
lowest of nation . . . Ashland
store owners charged with
OLCC violations . . . two bond
issues defeated in school dis-
Jackson Hotel Bomb Scare
Councilmen Take Office
trict 6C . . . public hearing
called on rezoning southwest
Medford . . . high school stu
dents favor commission for
off-street parking . . . council
passes tree planting ordinance
. . . construction of Medford
section of Highway 99 may
start in fall . . . planning com
mission recommends annexa
tion election for Berrydale . . .
Medford High wins Valley
Forge award . . . Camp White
celebrates eighth birthday . . .
architect releases drawing of
proposed $5,000,000 Rogue
Manor . . . licensees admit
contributions to GOP fall cam
paign . . . McMillan sentenced
to six months, $500 . . . Pros
pect school to discuss special
tax ... 14 Medford students
to attend model United Na
tions . , .
MARCH
County planning commis
sion makes recommendations
for improvements in crop pro
duction ... 10 recommenda
tions for removal of fire haz
ards issued for Jackson county
court house . . . Chamber of
Commerce endorses two bills
to give PUC more power . . .
council restores street tree
'planting
Medford irriga-
... Ground Leveling Starts for Shopping Center
tion district snow cover said
below average ... 10 arrested i
when police raid card game
. . . 21 tavern owners have
licenses suspended for seven
days . . . Andrew Jackson
Hanby, 89, dies at Jackson
county farm home . . . Con
gressman Charles Porter to
introduce Rogue River project
bill . . . eight men fined $30
each for playing an illegal
game . . . negotiations may
lower total cost of detention
home . . . district attorney
orders scrap dealers to check
for stolen equipment . . . coun
cil calls hearings for improve
ment districts . . . petitions
submitted for Kenwood
Grandview sewers . . . Pros
pect school officials drop spe
cial tax proposal . . . mayor
names committee to negotiate
with state on freeway . . .
above average water flow
forecast for southern Oregon
rivers . . . Mrs. Marjorie M.
Butler, Medford High dean of
girls, dies in local hospital . . .
possible deletions in county
detention home discussed . . .
reforestation of O&C lands
for 1956-57 completed . . . gov
ernment seizes Leverette prop
erty for back taxes . . . 2,675
unemployed in county as of
Feb. 28 . . . planning commis
sion delays action on south
west Medford zone change re
quest . . . county detention
home contract let by county
court . . . Medford population
listed at 21,979 . . . Governor
Holmes to officiate at Pear
Festival in April . . . possi
bility of new federal building
in Medford being discussed
. . . Medford proceeds in plans
for Eighth st. crossing .
two new buildings authorized
for Southern Oregon college
. . . Charles G. Howe's body
found in Rogue river . . .
highway department to pre
pare sketches for freeway in
Medford . . . hearing on sewer
construction continued by city
council ... 29 foreign stu
dents visit Medford . . . Jack
sonville girl wounded in gun
accident . . . rain storm sets
record for March precipitation
in Medford . . . supply of Salk
vaccine in area said low . . .
visiting officials inspect new
National Guard armory . . .
Congressman Charles Porter
to act as master of ceremonies
at seventh annual Roosevelt
Memorial dinner . . .
APRIL
Local Philharmonic group
presents annual spring con
cert . . . O&C marketing re
strictions abolished following
hearing ... airport grant to
be used for lighting . . . Med
ford population listed at 22,-
232 . . . main switchboard
planned for courthouse . . .
April 16 hearing set for Bar-
nett rd. zone change . . . Gor
don Williams new youth di
rector of YMCA . . . council
approves additional study for
Kenwood - Grandview sewer
. Jaycees plan building pro
gram at Lake of the Woods
. . telephone system to Cra
ter Lake nearing completion
. . bar association protests
closing Medford marshal of
fice . . . county board ap
proves $1,272,560 budget for
rural schools . . . employment
makes first seasonal gains . . .
James Main named district
judge . . . Siskiyou plane
crash kills two . . fruit grow
ers heat orchards in 30-degree
weather . . . construction
starts on detention home . . .
Ashland jail said inadequate
. . school district 6C calls
budget election . . . fire pre
vention code ordinance passed
by Medford council . . . Berry
dale annexation vote called
May 22 . . . council changes
meeting night to Thursdays
. . bids called on water,
sewer systems for Crater Lake
. three Medford youths ad
mit making bombs . . . com
mittee presents city general
budget of $721,965 . . . Rep.
m WW . v.vir..X. w . . ! .
E. A. Littrell injured in acci
dent near Myrtle Creek . . .
Jack Wood, Rogue River for
est supervisor, receives pro
motion ... Dr. William W. P.
Holt named doctor of the year
. . delivery of new phone
directory begins . . . Governor
Robert Holmes to make first
1957 visit to area . . ."David
Frohnmayer selected as par
ticipant in American Field
service program . . . Red Cross
building ground breaking held
. . . Governor G. Mennen Wil
liams speaks at dinner . . .
phone numbers change in
Medford . . . deer shot after
injuring self in window . . .
health department reports
supply of polio vaccine out
. . . Peter Britt home in Jack
sonville damaged by fire . . .
MAY
Man killed when he walks
into train at Main st. . . . Tuck
er Sno-Cats give good service
in Antarctica . . . new Jaycee
officers installed . . . C. E.
Brown named forest super
visor to succeed Jack Wood
. . . study of school budget
starts . . . construction of ac
cess road at airport approved
by city . . . council rezones
five acres near new hospital
area . . . man escapes from
Medford jail for 20 minutes
. . smaller pear yield indi
cated for 1957 . . . voters noti
fied of precinct boundary
changes . . . $150,000 mill de
stroyed in Jacksonville fire
. . Jackson hotel searched
after bomb scare . . . woman
killed when train strikes car
at Stewart ave. crossing . . .
Kings highway water district
votes more land . . . $345,177
increases seen in county
budget . . . bids opened on
Green Springs power plant . . .
fire department offers home
inspection service . . . school
district 6C approves $808,843
budget . . . public hearing for
city residents on Berryaaie
annexation held . . . water de
partment presents budget for
$486,967 . . . council invites
Berrydale district residents to
annex . . . water department
to use postcard bills . . . an
nual safety patrol banquet
held . . . hearings cauea ior
church property rezonmgs . . .
cigarette starts Crater hotel
fire . . . action starts on re
zoning area for Sears develop
ment . . . Francis l. uneney
nominated for school board
membership . . . parking meter
time limits being readjusted
. city to ask PUC hearing
on speed of trains . . . city de
cides to not to assume indebt
edness of water districts . . .
hearing called for rezoning of
Sears area . . . plans autnor
ized for sanitary sewer for
Grandview - Kenwood areas
.state highway department
to place McAllister Springs
rd. on forest highway system
. six high school girls in
jured in car accident . . .
Roger Rath, county budget
Governors Holmes, G. Mennon
committeeman, refuses to sign
proposed county budget . . .
Crater Lake park observes
55th anniversary . . . rural
school district residents ap
prove budget . . . Raymond
Reter successful bidder on
Leverette property . . . bids
call for construction of Crater
Lake park buildings . . . two
die when car plunges into
Evans creek . . . Lions clubs
to hold convention in Med
ford during June . . . Berry
dale annexed . . . Diamond
lake jammed with fishermen
on opening day . . . 3,000 hear
governor dedicate new Nation
al Guard armory . . . Med
ford planning commission
recommends rezoning of Sears
property . . . Jerry Gastineau
elected chairman of polio
chapter for county . . . two
men injured in gas explosion
in rear of Pacific Telephone
and Telegraph building . . .
grandstand dedicated a Camp
White.
JUNE
St. Mary's High school plans
new building,-additions . . .
Medford area orchards heated
five time during season . . .
county treasurer predicts $1,
000,000 surplus for year . . .
police arrest five on liquor
charges . . . Medford school
district budget wins by big
margin ... 34 Phoenix High
graduates receive diplomas
. . . 284 Medford High seniors
graduate . . . local couple
charged with welfare fraud
. . . preliminary plans for
Berrydale sanitary sewer start
. . . several lookouts manned
because of dry weather . . .
Hawthorne Park pool opens
. . . employment gain con
tinues in county . . . firm to
develop nickel deposits in
Illinois valley area . . . fruit
growers approve county pur
.-iJtfc ., .--'t &mZ,!te.Jk&m:
Williams
chase of land for agricultural
research station . . . Eugene
firm low bidder on Crater
Lake park buildings . . . Herb
Partridge named new director
of Medford YMCA . . . bids
called ior Kings highway
water district project . . . new
post office building due for
Talent . . . local National
Guardsmen leave for camp
. . . 52 scouts plan to attend
national event . . . Edward
Kelly named new circuit court
judge . . . George E. Gates
dies in local hospital . . . Ever
green bus lines seek schedule
changes . . . Shakespearean
Festival plays complete cast
ing . . . county employee sal
ary increases discussed at pub
lie hearing . . . Ashland boy
wins catfish derby . . . local
corporation formed for elec
tronic research ... job of
state water resources board
defined at meeting . .1. shots
fired during arrest of Lowell
A. Bish for assault ... Otto
Ewaldsen reelected to Med
ford school district post . . .
Lions state convention starts
in Medford . . . Washington
youth killed on Highway 99
. . . final county budget has
$57,269 increase . . . city
school children rank above
national averages, according
to tests . . . Lions Internation
al president speaks at conven
tion . . . Columbia Utilities
company purchases Crater
Lake telephone system . . .
Grants Pass man arraigned
on narcotics charge . . . Eagles
arrive for state convention
. . . Southern Pacific an
nounces no opposition to
Eighth st. crossing . . . rim
road at Crater Lake opens . . .
council annexes land in fair
ground area . . . Jim McDon
ald elected president of Na
tional Student Education as
sociation . . . National Guards-
Three Judgei in Family
men return from summer
training . . . Edward Kelly
sworn in as circuit court
judge . . . Pendleton man
elected president of Oregon
Eagles at convention.
JULY
City officials defend pro
posed off-street parking pro
gram . . . state water board
voices opposition to legisla
tion affecting Rogue river
Richard V. Hogan appointed
city purchasing agent . . .
body of 5-year-old Grants Pass
girl found in river . . . first
non-military use of armory
will be for Town and Coun
try show . . . pear harvest ex
pected to start Aug. 5 . . .
shopping center plans an
nounced . . . United Medford
Crusade agencies present
budget . . . Judge James M.
Main named to interim group
. . . 4,000 view July 4 fire
works display . . . girl acci
dentally shot in stomach . . .
council defers action on re
zoning Phipps property . . .
2-year-old boy drowns in
ditch . . . Rogue Basin Flood
Control and Water Resources
association take out chamber
membership . . . city planning
commission denies annexation
request for 47 acres . . . Mrs.
Eve Nye named chairman of
Medford school board . . .
June unemployment remains
high in area . . . measles cases
in county reach 6-month high
. . . no settlement signs re
ported in Austin King will
strike . . . Air Force to build
radar station on King moun
tain . . . county civil defense
takes part in nation-wide
alert . . . council . adopts
budget for coming year . . .
injuries fatal to man in log
ging accident . . . evacuee fa
cilities in county held excel
lent by civil defense . . .
hearing on train speeds post
poned . . . county court names
William Jess chairman to
study water uses of 1 Rogue
river . . . new Copco trans
mission line under construc
tion . . . Sears shopping cen
ter land rezoned . . . Rogue
Manor completing property
purchases . . ' . pickets sta
tioned at three entrances to
Medco mill area . . . mayor
signs ordinances for Sears pro
ject . . . county planning com
mission approves subdivision
bill . . . dress rehearsals start
youth steals plane from Med
ford airport . . . Alley Broth
ers mill closure adds to slump
in lumber market . . . im
proper storage said cause of
Palm building fire . j . Med
ford police captain appointed
guardian of 82-year-old wom
an .. . radio relay planned
between Rogue valley, Klam
ath Falls . . . Medford family
found after night in woods
near Butte Falls . . . fire de
stroys buildings, home on
Willow Springs rd. . . . top
prices on Portland livestock
market brings local encour
agement . . . complaint may
be filed against striking union
at Medco by National Labor
Relations board . . . public
lands committee opposes pro
posed duck stamp bill . . . $66
million bill on Rogue river
development to be introduced
by Congressman Charles O.
Porter . . . harvest of pears
starts on small scale ...
AUGUST
Plywood plant planned for
White City area . . . Ashland
youth killed in car accident
here . . . hearing called for
city subdivision ordinances
. bids called for city storm
sewer project . . . large crowd
attends opening night for
Shakespearean Festival . . .
chairman named to subcom
mittees of county water use
group . . . Alley Brothers mill
purchased by Steve Wilson
. Mrs. Henry E. Johnson
fatally burned in bed . . . hear
ing on application for a labor
injunction in a Jackson coun-
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