100 YEARS AGO — 1920

 

• M.G. Weisiger, proprietor of the Colonial Theatre, has purchased the lot adjoining his property on Fourth Street, just north of the post office from Nick Moreno. He will build a modern theater on the lot. The lot on which the new building will be erected is 81 x 230 feet. The front of the building will contain one storeroom on each side of the lobby of the theater, which will have a seating capacity between 1,500 and 2,000 people. It will be on the ground floor and have exits on all sides, making it absolutely safe and fireproof. The estimated cost of the building and lot will be $100,000.

 

• During the past few weeks there seems to have been an epidemic of cold checks written in Danville. Practically every businessman here has lost from $5 to $100 by cashing checks for various persons. Losses by local merchants total to $280. Of this amount the largest sum was lost by Spoonamore’s Drug Store which was nicked for $114. Parks Ice Cream Parlor lost between $50 and $75; The City Restaurant lost $25; Palace of Sweets lost $20; and the Shop-Perfect lost $16. It has been pointed out that the passing of a check when there is no money in the account to cover the check is a violation of the law, even if it is issued when the person who draws the check intends to deposit funds to cover it.

 

• A gymnasium club has been organized with 16 members in Danville and will meet every Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the city high school gym. Prof. Pit Green, principal of the high school, will coach the club members who will be required to pay $1.25 per month in dues. A club of this kind has long been needed in this city.

 

75 YEARS AGO — 1945

 

• Corporal Lloyd C. Kirby Jr., son of Mrs. Mildred Kirby of Rosemont Avenue, has been awarded the Combat infantryman’s badge for exemplary conduct in action in France on Nov. 22, 1944.

 

• Mrs. Nannie Weaver Rankin entertained at her home Tuesday night on Hustonville Road, honoring Mr. and Mrs. William Emmett Phillips. The assembled guests sang Christmas carols until the arrival of the honorees at 8:30. Young Master Norman Terhune pushed a wheelbarrow that had been decorated with pink crepe paper in the Elizabethan style up to the newlyweds. He emptied the wheelbarrow at their feet which had been laden with gifts. A social hour followed with punch and fruit cake being served to the 40 guests.

 

• Two local boys who celebrated their 18th birthday two days ago lost no time in getting started on their recruit training courses at Great Lakes naval training station in Illinois. Enlisted in the U.S. Navy in advance of their birthdays were George White and Eugene Patterson, both of Danville.

 

• Passed from hand to hand until the covers were torn and the pages dog-eared, a copy of “Gone With the Wind” was sold under the counter for three and four times its original price during the German occupation of France. Germans were everywhere, so the book became a symbol of freedom. Only at home by an empty cold fireside, could a Frenchman be sure of privacy and escape from the Boche.

 

50 YEARS AGO — 1970

 

• Danville’s new form of government with a city manager will go into effect on Monday after swearing-in ceremonies for four elected commissioners and Mayor Roy Arnold. The mayor and commissioners have already been in informal discussions of the financial condition of the city and are making plans for the sound economical and efficient management of the city in the future. City Administrator William Schmidt has reported that in January of 1970, the financial needs are: $13,500 for bills; $32,400 payroll; and $12,000 February bills. In addition, by March 31, $60,000 borrowed by the preceding city commission to make financial ends meet in fiscal year 1968-69 must be paid to the local banks. Also, because the industrial foundation area is not a part of the city, the city’s general fund is losing anticipated revenue of about $10,000 to $12,000 a month.

 

• Much excitement prevailed at the Boyle County Workhouse while the Boyle County Grand Jury was making its inspection of the facility. One prisoner was admitted to the hospital and a workhouse turnkey was treated for injuries and released after being beaten by an inmate who was jailed for being drunk and driving without a license, there only a short time before the incident.

 

• A local band called “Tradition” will be appearing in a 10-minute spot on television as part of the “Recreation Today” program on Channel 62 in Lexington. Members of the group are Wayne Westerfield on drums; Mark Hughes, lead guitar; Paul Arnold, bass guitar; Gary Bellamy, organ; Jim Baird, vocalist; Gary Baker on trombone; Gil Brewsaugh on trumpet; and Mac Beto on Saxophone.

 

25 YEARS AGO — 1995

 

• The new chairman of the Danville school board feels the biggest task of his tenure will be the restructuring of the high school. Marvin Swann is the new chairman and the first black chairman of the board. Graduation requirements will be changing across the state as school reform comes to public high schools. Changes being considered include having students make a graduation plan in eighth grade; maintain portfolios of their work; do community service; and present a graduation project.

 

• A man slipped a bank teller a note, flashed a handgun and seconds later ran out of the Farmers National Bank office on Hustonville Road with stolen cash.

 

• Last year the greatest number of complaints about violation of city ordinances had to do with weeds and tall grass, said Thomas Broach, code enforcement officer. In 1994, he took in 135 calls about weeds and grass. Complaints also help shape the city’s ordinances. When there are many similar complaints, Broach is likely to recommend the city adopt an ordinance to cover the problem. That happened last year after he received complaints about mud carried into the street by construction crews. The city commission adopted an ordinance that requires construction crews to clean up the streets at the end of work each day. The city also passed a “pooper-scooper” ordinance because of complaints of dog owners not cleaning up after their pets.

 

• A task force appointed by Gov. Brereton Jones is again looking into the possibility of the state’s farmers growing “no-drug” hemp. One of the problems the task force faces is making the growing of no-drug hemp legal.