LOOKING BACK From our archives; compiled by Howard Stitt

10 Years Ago Jan. 20, 2011 Services were held for Alan T. Sippola, 59, who died of ALS. He was a U.S. Navy veteran serving on the aircraft carrier USS Ranger in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam as a machinist's mate. Sippola was employed as a landscaper and commissary worker but most of all, he enjoyed working on the 102-year-old Sippola Ranch purchased by his grandfather and great-grandfather in 1908. A benefit sale took place at Willingham's barn in Penryn for Gold Country Wildlife and Piece of Peace Animal Sanctuary. Deanne Perrerin of Penryn said, "I come here every single month." Matt Konar heard a loud noise "like a truck going by" and discovered a Ford Mustang had gone through at least 100 feet of his backyard and into his neighbor's property along Auburn Folsom Road. The car had been airborne and stopped inches from a barn. The driver suffered moderate injuries. For girls who enjoy a contact sport, the Sierra Foothills Rugby Club has spots open. The Placer County Writers Group meets once a week at the Flower Farm Coffee shop located at Auburn Folsom and Horseshoe Bar roads. "It is our express purpose to write and collect stories that bring our attention to the wonder of life," said coordinator Bob Golling. Carl and Carole Dewing celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Hawaii. They renewed their vows at the First Congregational Church in Lahaina, Maui. The couple met in 1958 as students at Fresno State. Gary Noy, director of the Center for Sierra Nevada Studies at Sierra College, is co-editor with Rick Heide of "The Illuminated Landscape, A Sierra Nevada Anthology." The book is a way to get to know the majestic mountains through the words of more than 75 observers. "If you want the greatest overview of what the Sierras have meant to people...how it has moved people and inspired them, this is the book," Noy said. 25 Years Ago Jan. 18, 1996 Services were held for William Burton Threlkel, 77, a Newcastle native. A 1936 Placer High School graduate, Threlkel had been a fruit and cattle rancher for more than 60 years on his ranch in Cool. Services were held for James Thomas Eastman, 62, a Winfield, Kansas native. He lived in Placer County for 35 years. For three years, Eastman served in the U.S. Air Force as a technical sergeant. Eastman was past commander and chaplain of the DAV, Chapter 80 in Auburn. Mary Busurenciu suffered severe burns as a result of a fire in a motor home she was cleaning on Chisholm Trail in Loomis. Faulty wiring was blamed for the fire. Young people driving too fast on local rain-slicked rural roads resulted in two fatalities and two injuries in the past few days. Auburn might no longer be the county seat. Plans are underway to move the county services to Dewitt Center, which is outside of the city limits, and eventually abandon the facilities in town. However there is a catch: the state Constitution designated the city of Auburn as the Placer County Seat. Steve Sax, former Major League baseball second baseman, withdrew his candidacy for Republican nomination in California's 4th Assembly District. James Whitmer earned a spot on the Dean's Honor List at University of California at Santa Barbara. The Franklin School fourth-grade classes of Bea Bonner and Ja-Na Castillo learned how miners were able to get gold from the hills that surround Grass Valley. The learning experience took place at the Empire Gold Mine. The Roseville Police Historical Committee, led by Police Chief Tom Simms, is looking for the public's help to produce a local police history book and future display. Individuals are asked to share their stories and loan or donate Roseville Police memorabilia dating to 1909 when the department was established. The Del Oro High School wrestlers earned a third-place in the prestigious Five Counties Invitational in Fountain Valley. Taking first in their weight classes are Dave Leonard and Mike Maben. The Bettencourt brothers, Dane and Brandon, took second. 50 Years Ago Jan. 21, 1971 Army Warrant Officer Candidate Douglas McLemore, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. William McLemore of Rocklin, completed a helicopter pilot course at Fort Wolters, Texas. He will undergo advanced flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Air Force Academy Cadet Robert Hawley of Loomis returned to the U.S. following a tour as an exchange student attending École de l'Air in France. Hawley was also on the Commandant's List for excellence in leadership and the Dean's List for Academic Proficiency. Some 250 well-wishers converged at the Loomis Memorial Hall to honor Judge and Mrs. Cosma Sakamoto. Hike Yego introduced the Sakamoto family. Toki Okusu was in charge of refreshments. Judge Sakamoto started serving officially as he presides over the Loomis Judicial District Court. Colored slides taken by Richard Hoffman of the Japanese World's Fair were shown at an Oriental dinner prepared by Del Oro High School's cafeteria workers, calling themselves the "Six Fortune Cookies." 4-H Seminars at Sierra College cover climatology, photography, swine and tractor. James Mough conducts the climatology session to include predicting changing weather patterns. Tractor members learned the operation of an English Crawley, a 7 HP, 1 cylinder diesel, used by small farm operators in Europe. Sierra College's Dr. Ray Underhill gave a talk on corals and sea life to students. The group also became acquainted with various pets at the college, including Sherman the owl; Anna the Anaconda; and Igor the iguana. Chuck Wiederhold presented colored 3-dimensional pictures, "On the Banks of the Sacramento." Robert "Bob" Hansen, clerk of the Sierra College Board of Trustees, stated, "Seventy applications, representing candidates from across the nation, have been received for the position of president and superintendent of the college." Harold Weaver will retire on July 1, 1971 after 33 years serving the Sierra College District. As of Dec. 31, 1970, there were 334,600 U.S. military personnel serving in South Vietnam. Project Copper turned out to be an unsuccessful operation to use three CIA-trained Cambodian irregular force battalions to interdict the Sihanouk Trail. One battalion deserted and one mutinied during training and the third suffered extensive casualties and had to be withdrawn to assist in the defense of Phnom Penh. 75 Years Ago November 1945 Services were held for Mrs. Grace Day. She moved to Loomis from Winters in 1900. She was a member of the Poppy Club, Ladies Aid and the Congregational Church of Loomis. Mrs. Day was also past matron of the Order of Eastern Star of Penryn. The wife of the late Samuel C. Day, she was the mother of Violet Small, Lester and Wendall Day and grandmother of Jacqueline and Diane Day of Loomis and Navy Ensign Samuel Small. Services were held for Mrs. Margaret Theresa Healy, 80, a native of England. She arrived in California 6 months after the first transcontinental railroad was completed. She was an old time highly-respected resident of Rocklin. Tech. Sgt. Louie Montero was home in Loomis with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. Montero, and declared he had all the war he wanted. His 3 years in the Infantry included 8 months as a POW in Germany. He had been taken prisoner after defending his gun and received severe wounds. Sgt. Montero narrowly escaped death when a shell from a German tank burst near him killing his two buddies. Benny Defuentes was back home in Rocklin with his new bride, Yvonne. He spent 19 months overseas with 6 months of that time in a German prison camp. Jeff Hinman of Rocklin was discharged after serving overseas with the Seabees. The annual Christmas Seal sale was conducted by the Placer County Tuberculosis and Health Association. The number of tuberculosis deaths in California increased in 1945. Secondary school counselors were appointed to serve returning veterans. They include Earl Crabbe representing Placer High School and Placer College, along with R.E. Arp of Roseville High School. Coach Howard Woodside's Placer College football team is ready for the Marin Jr. College team. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Payne was badly damaged by fire. Hog-killing time is here. For every 100 pounds of live hog, there will be 55 pounds of trimmed cuts plus 10 to 15 pounds of rendered lard. Bay windows will replace the time-honored rooftop cupola of Southern Pacific's newest cabooses as the "lookout" point from the rear of freight trains. The American Car and Foundry company will deliver 50 of the all-steel wood lined cars.