LOOKING BACK From our archives; compiled by Howard Stitt

10 Years Ago Jan. 19, 2012 Services were held for Frank O. Montero, 94, a Rocklin native and resident. After a 24-year career with the Loomis Fruit Growers Association, he was called to service in the Air Force at the onset of the Korean War. Montero retired from the 858th Radar Squadron in 1972. Services were conducted for Lynda Yukie (Oseto) Sasaki, born on Sept. 18, 1949. She was predeceased by her parents, Osamu and Sadaye Oseto. The Placer County Board of Supervisors chose Jennifer Montgomery as chair and Jim Holmes to be vice chair for 2012. Del Oro High School golfer Austin Smotherman tied for fifth-place at the Junior Orange Bowl International in Casa Robles, Florida. His four-day total also tied for the best score by an American in the field with 35 countries represented. The Del Oro girls' wrestling team, in its second year, is the biggest squad in Northern California with 28 wrestlers. The team is coached by Mike Maben. Loomis Troop 12 Boy Scout Ben Dalfavero received a recognition award from Sheriff Ed Bonner during a Loomis Lions Club meeting. Ben has been composing written material for use in the Lions Club newsletter for the past 10 months. The Bushnell Gardens Nursery of Granite Bay offers a workshop on pruning Japanese maple trees. A Loomis teen was distracted as he reached for his cellphone and his car left the road on Highway 49. Fortunately, the teen and his passenger were able to walk away before the car burst into flames. Loomis Grammar School students read 6,711 books in honor of Principal Rick Judd, who is undergoing cancer treatment. Students, parents and staff wanted to do something for Judd. His desire is that the students continue reading so he can see the results when he returns. After building Tech-Explorer catapults, developed by Sierra College through grant funding, Del Oro High School's tech essentials class discovered new skills and explored careers in design and product development. "For students who have never made something from scratch or used industrial tools, it is a very empowering experience," said teacher Tom Stargaard. 25 Years Ago Jan. 16, 1997 Gerald Brentnall was appointed to the Placer County Planning Commission. A practicing attorney, he is president of the nonprofit Loomis Basin Heritage Group. Brentnall lives in Loomis with his wife, Theta, and children, Margaret and Elizabeth. Howard Nakae, a longtime orchardist, was the guest speaker at the 1997 PlacerGROWN Farm Conference. At his father's death in 1932, Nakae at age 13 and his mother took over the total operation of the family farm located on Highway 193. Kathy Dudugian, along with Jennette Stell, transformed a charming old home on Taylor Road in Loomis into "Things of Good Taste," a coffee and gift shop. Soroptimist International of Rocklin-Loomis donated $600 to use toward restoring the historic Blue Anchor Fruit Shed and Loomis Depot. The buildings are owned by the Loomis Basin Heritage Group. The discovery of a suspicious device at Franklin Elementary School in Loomis resulted in the evacuation of the classrooms. The device turned out to be a pipe bomb that a student put there. Del Oro's Randy Fasani was honored to be named to the PARADE All-American High School Football Team as the top quarterback. Coach Larry Wyatt said, "Randy can throw the ball 75 yards flatfooted and he is very accurate." Bill Holden, owner of Tennessee South in downtown Loomis, features his own original barbecue sauce at his restaurant. The Loomis Raley's store manager Gil Alvarez said, "Tennessee South Barbecue Sauce will be offered for sale at our store." Suzy Pollack, a Del Oro High School graduate, is working with the 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee. The theme of the inauguration for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore is "An American Journey: Building a Bridge to the 21st Century." The Loomis Town Council declared July 18 as "Paul Yokote Day," the date of the town's native son's birthday. Yokote died on Dec. 13, 1996 at age 71 from complications following surgery as a result of having polio. The Town Council also donated $500 to Paul's Place Association, an organization that provided scholarships to Del Oro High School seniors. 50 Years Ago Jan. 20, 1972 Services were held for Percy Lanouette, 69, a Lake Linden, Michigan native. He served as chief of police in Elko, Nevada before moving to Loomis 20 years ago. Here, Lanouette served for the past 16 years as constable. A World War II Army veteran, he was a member of the John Stacker Post, American Legion of Loomis. Lanouette was also active in the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Loomis Lions Club and Loomis Grange. Services were conducted for Mrs. Everett Fitch (Helen), 69, a Missouri native who was raised on a farm in North Dakota. Fitch and her husband moved to Loomis in 1938 after purchasing the Loomis newspaper, then called the "Placer Gold." Helping them in the printing business were her brother, Paul Sagaser, and his wife. Services were held for Elsie Edna Garrison, 62, a Hammond, Missouri native and Loomis resident for the past 20 years. She was a member of the General Baptist Church in Rocklin. Over the past eight years, American involvement in Vietnam resulted in greater African-American participation in the Army. The percentage of African-American officers doubled during that period. Woman's Club of Loomis members were invited to the Federated Woman's Club of Roseville meeting at Oakmont High School. In Loomis 4-H Club news, the beef project, under the leadership of Mrs. Frank Crossley, met at the home of Tina Coleman. Showing their animals besides Tina were Gail and Fred Sturzen and Kelly Potter. Also on hand were Gail Taglio, Glenn Spath, Melissa Blount and Steve Taglio. Mrs. Oates' cooking group made chowder and cherry cobbler. Mrs. Duarte's sewing group started garments for the dress revue while Mrs. Nakata's sewing group met to finish their pants. Present were Marie Dawling, Marina Lothrop, Julie Duarte, Alleen Nakata and Cheryl Tognetti. The Loomis hobo jungle of two decades ago does not exist any longer by the railroad tracks. The question arose, "Were the hoboes of olden times tramps?" On the contrary, hoboes of old were hard-working hoe-boys who drifted from farm to farm with hoes on their shoulders to help harvest food crops. 75 Years Ago August 1946 Services were held for Robert McNair, 28, a Goldfield, Nevada native and a Loomis resident. He was a tool and die maker. A reception was held for Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Law at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Michaelson in Auburn. Raymond is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Seth Law of Loomis. Lewis Wetmore operates Lew's Welding & Repair Shop on Rt. 1, Loomis. Mrs. Walter Ferguson, writing for the San Francisco News, advised brides not to attempt to reform their husbands. Even if the wives changed their husbands for a while, they almost invariably revert back to their original ways. Reverend Hodgens brought a group from the Boys Club of Rocklin to celebrate Merle Wolf Roche's birthday. Two local 4-H Club members will attend the 1946 State 4-H Club Convention at University of California at Davis. The camp was discontinued during the war. What was the Navy doing with 312 dozen diapers being sold at the War Assets sale? Originally, the 27 x 27-inch material was used for arm slings. The 100 percent cotton, suitable for diapers, was a hot item at the sale. Miss Sheran Opal Howell, Chief Petty Officer of the WAVES, was on leave to visit her brothers, Don and Pat Howell. Some 46,000 GI brides plus 12,000 of their children entered the U.S. More than 22,000 came from England John Eckerman's Valley Shoe Store in Loomis offers ladies and children's shoes. "We don't know when the next war will come but we must be prepared" - Lt. General Jimmy Doolittle. Ceiling rents and eviction control were restored by the Office of Price Administration. Landlords who continue to collect rents over the ceiling are subject to prosecution. Placer County Sheriff's personnel are paid $90 a month as deputies and $70 as constables. Sheriff E.J. Kenison considered placing his deputies on straight salaries so they would not have to serve two jobs to make a living.