Out of the Past October 7 2026

100 Years Ago—

Hunting season in Stevens County was officially ushered in last week with the opening of the season on native pheasants, blue grouse, Hungarian partridge, and waterfowl. Not as many upland birds are to be found this fall, according to sportsmen, due to the scarcity of berries and other feed, caused by forest fires during the summer. Eleven energetic boys on the football squad gathered at the high school Saturday morning with picks and shovels. Their objective was to excavate the front part of the basement in order to build more dressing rooms. Under the foremanship of Coach Harold York, the boys accomplished a great deal. After the day’s work was over, the boys for the first time took advantage of the new shower room.

75 Years Ago—

It is conceivable that a sufficient number of atomic bombs placed at widely separated points on Earth could destroy it. This was the statement by Lloyd L. Wartes of Spokane, a self-styled economic geologist, speaking before the Kettle Falls Lions Club Thursday evening. Automobile owners will purchase their auto licenses as usual this fall but will hang onto their old plates. Stickers will be issued in lieu of plates, said County Auditor Hazel Emery. How does one become a rainmaker? Don Fredrickson of the Chevron Service Station on South Main Street has one of the rain-making machines but says he doesn’t know anything about running it. The apparatus was shipped here recently by the Water Resources Development Corporation. It is a metal box-like affair, approximately four and one-half feet high and two and one-half feet square, shaped much like one of the parlor heaters of a few years back.

50 Years Ago—

Jay Rob’s Pizza, located in the new Southtown Professional Building, is celebrating their grand opening, according to owner-manager Rob Elliott. Jay Rob’s Pizza is offering pizzas at reduced prices for their grand opening. A $376,377 estimate was presented to the Colville Parking Commission this week to put Wynne Street in prime condition from Glen Avenue in the south to 5th Avenue in the north. Called an “alternate route,” the street improvement would cover 11 blocks and be used as an alternate route through Colville, plus add parking spaces in the downtown section. A major Colville building celebrating its 65th year was sold on the same day, Oct. 6. Mr. and Mrs. Milt Cox purchased the former Fogle Garage building last week and in doing so found the building had been dedicated Oct. 6, 1911, some 65 years ago to the day.

25 Years Ago—

People around the Tri-County region woke up to a surprise on Friday morning. After a dry fall, an inch of snow covered the landscape at elevations above the 2,500-foot level around northeast Washington. In some cases, the snow levels were even lower. The Colville City Council passed a resolution at their Oct. 9 meeting commemorating the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. The resolution pledges support for America and its communities, and memorializes those lost in the attacks, as well as the fire fighters and police officers who lost their lives while helping others.

10 Years Ago—

What good is a trophy covered in almost three decades-plus worth of dust and taking up space in a covered garage? “Not much,” quipped Bob Jones of Kettle Falls, who recently donated a once prized hunting trophy with serious Boone and Crockett implications and credibility to America’s eye-popping Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.