1949: Candy for cattle, and party-line manners

25 years ago Feb. 1, 2001 John S. Mackey passed away at the age of 76. He was a native of Gebo, Wyoming, and a former resident of Loomis. John was employed at the old Cal-Ida mill in Auburn. After retiring, he and his wife Mary were custodians of the Citrus Heights Drive-In Theater. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Standley, a 1994 Del Oro graduate, reported for duty at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore. Completing basic training was Marine Corps Pvt. Victor Mendoza, a 2000 Del Oro graduate. Students in grades 5-8 comprised the Sierra Youth Choir under the direction of Marlene Astle, assisted by Kathleen Earl, Del Oro High School choir director. Carrie Williams of Loomis earned a spot on the Dean's List at the University of Portland in Oregon. Proponents of Clover Valley Lakes in Rocklin proposed more than 2,700 housing units for the development. The proposal included Clover Valley Parkway, a four-lane divided artery connecting Sierra College Blvd. to Park Drive in Rocklin. Helping the Del Oro girls basketball team defeat Granite Bay 50-26 included Sarah Langford, Kalli Roberts, Tabitha Brauer, Kari Koller, Sarah Stafford, Courtney Schaefer, Meghan Griffith and Rachel Bates. Recollections of the Loomis Fruit Sheds: Working at the Loomis Fruit Growers was Wes Barnes, starting at the age of 13 as a label boy, Alice Rippey Barnes packing fruit in the early 1950s and Ann Rippey in the 1950s as floor lady. Frances Corral Pugliese learned to pack plums at the Tufts Orchard in 1937. Her parents, Nick and Gala Corral, managed the A.D. Poggetto (Wil-Mar) Orchard for 27 years. Working at the Blue Goose were Frank Nute as manager (1955-60) and Frank Nute Jr. as a hand trucker and loader (1958-59). In 1955, Ron Brown, at the age of 13, unloaded shook (material to make boxes) from box cars in the hot sun for 75 cents an hour. Ron went on to have a career in the military. The Struble family included Harold, who retired as manager of the California Fruit Exchange in 1975. His son, Jim, worked there as a loader from 1963-65. Jim's wife, Jan, was office manager at Blue Anchor from 1986-91. Their son, Doug, worked as a box boy (1987-88) and daughter Amy as a fruit stand salesperson in 1989. 50 years ago Jan. 29, 1976 Services were held for Wayne Thornburg, 72, a native of Nebraska. He was a resident of the Auburn and Loomis areas for 27 years and employed as a grocer. Placer County Sheriff's Deputy Frank Nute helped in the arrest of a 43-year-old Loomis man as part of a major burglary ring. More than $175,000 worth of stolen property was recovered at a King Road residence in Loomis. Fireman Ed Horton along with California Highway patrolman Sal DePaola gave instruction in lifesaving techniques for the Loomis Volunteer Firemen. Rocklin and Loomis wrestled over boundary problems in the Del Mar and Bankhead Roads areas. The Roseville High School District expressed concern over students attending Del Oro due to the close proximity, when they actually reside in the Roseville district. Mrs. John Rankin, wife of Del Oro's basketball coach, told of one loyal supporter who rushed back from Washington to catch a game and didn't even have time to remove his thermal underwear. Concept Films, located on Whiskey Bar Road in Loomis, completed a pilot movie for a television series, "Weekend Warriors," a sports program starring William Shatner. Del Oro students Eric Russell and Bret Corp worked as grips for the film's producer, Don Gazzaniga. Richard Harris starred in "A Man Called Horse" playing at the Roseville Tower. Connoisseurs of American bluegrass music had the opportunity to enjoy the South Loomis Quickstep Band performing at Sierra College. The group was well-known as one of the finest bluegrass music groups in Northern California. The band featured Allen Hendrick and Taylor Carey on banjo and guitar, Rob Bonner on bass and Ted Smith on fiddle and mandolin. 75 years ago September 1949 "Gram" Law must have wondered why the editor of the Loomis News recorded Jimmy III as born on September 11 when the paper came out on the 9th. Little Jimmy Johnson was actually born on September 7th, but the error in the paper didn't bother him a bit. Mom, bring out the kids to see "Elsie the Bordens Cow" at Loomis Food Center. While you're there, pick up a pork roast for 39 cents a pound. U.S. factories produced nearly 3 million motor vehicles in the first six months of 1949. Mothers could help a young child get ready for that big new world school. One way was to let the child have a pet. Sharing that responsibility could make taking on school duties easier. Playing with kids in the neighborhood may help get the child used to the give-and-take of school life. And of course the child should know their name, address and phone number. A Louisiana manufacturer produced dehydrated candy for cattle. Made from blackstrap molasses and cottonseed hulls, it was said to be almost as nutritious as corn but 40 percent cheaper. Telephone party-line courtesy involved allowing several minutes between calls. Also, it was good to know you have the correct number before calling. For example, one resident called a friend at 2164 but got the drug store instead. The grim threat of polio cast its shadow across the entire nation. Not since 1916 had so many children been hit by the disease. So far in 1949, there were more than 11,000 cases in California. Whenever local areas were not able to finance the care of polio victims, they had been able to call on the federal government for assistance. Standing guard - oral histories: Lifelong Loomis resident Ed Horton recalled that some local Caucasians were not pleased that his family through the years leased property to Chinese families. Ed's grandmother said "Eddie, you need to know that we as a family are not well thought of because we own Chinatown in Loomis."