1949: Woodpeckers win, keep telephone pole

25 years ago April 12, 2001 A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Filomena Micheli, born July 10, 1903, in Lucca, Italy. A resident of the Newcastle area for more than 75 years, she was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Auburn. The annual Stephanie Le Doux Softball Tournament was named for a terrific student-athlete at Roseville High School. A four-year softball player, she led her high school team to the section title in her senior year, 1990. Her tragic murder in the days after her graduation left a huge hole in the hearts of all who knew her. During a Family Reading Night at Franklin Elementary School in Loomis, primary children listened to stories read by seventh- and eighth-grade students about the book character "Arthur." The third- through sixth-graders spent the evening in Harry Potter's world. Michael Ucovich of Rocklin High School and Jillian Hacker of Del Oro were recipients of scholarships from Soroptimist International of Rocklin-Loomis. Diane Morgan received the Women Helping Women Award and Sheila Peoples the Woman's Opportunity Award. Also honored were Diana Tudsbury and Syd McCammond, Loomis District Band Directors. PCWA will hold a community meeting to explain a water project, a five-mile, 42-inch pipeline between Penryn and Lincoln. The Golden State Museum in Old Sacramento exhibited "Time of Remembrance: The Japanese American Experience in California History." A new quilt group was being formed, the Loomis Quilt and Fiber Guild. Sally Bailey of Loomis celebrated her 80th birthday. She was born in Omaha, Nebraska. At the age of 5, she and her 3-year-old brother were adopted by a Methodist minister and his wife and named her Sarah Virginia. Sally earned her RN degree from Omaha Methodist Nursing School. After WWII, she married Nicholas "Doc" Bailey and in 1955 they settled in Loomis. 50 years ago April 1, 1976 Funeral services were planned for Rodney Allen Hill, 26, a native of Auburn and a lifelong resident of the Loomis Basin. It was sad to report that he died in a solo motorcycle accident on Auburn Folsom Road. Services were held for Francis J. Timmons, 69, a native of Rochester, NY. He was known as "Mr. Del Oro," as he attended most of the school's athletic events and died of a heart attack while watching a Golden Eagle baseball game. He and his wife Mary operated a chicken ranch in Loomis. Rocklin's Ann Walsh and Olive Foster were the contact persons for the annual luncheon and fashion show sponsored by St. Mary's Altar Society of Rocklin and Loomis. A horse group meeting was held at Jennifer and Jill Nash's home to plan the upcoming Loomis 4-H Club horse show at the county fairgrounds. Several large trees were removed from the Horseshoe Bar Road entrance to the town of Loomis. The trees were planted in 1938 following a tremendous storm. Lorena Laird, whose family name was one of the earliest in the basin, demanded extra compensation from the county for the trees that were destroyed. Loomis artist Tommie Moller designed and produced a Placer County exhibit installed at the State Capitol. Placer Elementary teacher Lou Ferguson led a bicentennial celebration with the faculty making handwork and quilts. Yesteryear by Vivian Rasmussen: During the worldwide depression years of 1893-1897, many of the residents of the Citrus Colony (Penryn area) returned to England due to the low prices for fruit. P.W. Butler, a member of the colony corporation, added, "They brought with them little or no knowledge of the fruit business." Another contributing factor was the creek running through the colony was somewhat swampy and provided an ideal breeding place for malaria-bearing mosquitos. In those short years of the colony history, many fine orchards had been planted. The roads were improved and lined with beautiful palm trees that still grace the roadways today. 75 years ago November 1949 More than 60 dairymen from Placer and surrounding counties met at the Peter Hawkins Ranch in Ophir for a field day. The mothers of Loomis kindergarten children were treated to a tea served by teacher Mrs. Breeze Newcomer, assisted by Mrs. Leeds Sullivan. Lightning bolts were measured nearly a quarter-mile above the streets of Manhattan since 1933. The antenna on top of the Empire State Building was hit by lightning 24 times last summer. Judy Garland, Frank Morgan and Jack Haley starred in "The Wizard of Oz." Beautifully embroidered pillow cases were among the potential Christmas presents available at the Loomis Congregational Church's bazaar, according to Mrs. Dina Martynse of the Ladies Aid. A surprise birthday party was held for Mrs. Pat O'Brien of Loomis. The event was arranged by Mrs. Ernest Worth. A lineman reported a couple of woodpeckers set up housekeeping in a telephone pole. The workers stopped up the hole, but the birds kept coming back. At last, the company donated the pole to the woodpeckers and set up a new pole. Perhaps there was a lesson about tolerance with our own kind. Wanted: a "Cat" to do levelling at Greek Creek Jungle on the Lincoln Road. Even though the price of gold since 1933 increased to $35 from $20.67 an ounce, mining companies found it difficult to show a profit, as labor costs increased 150 percent. Standing guard - oral histories: While his family was interned at Rohwer, Arkansas, Internment camp, George Kitagawa was serving with the U.S. Army in Europe during WWII with the 45th Infantry Division, which captured Munich. George's unit helped liberate the concentration camp at Dachau. He recalled, "It's not a pleasant thing to see ... Bodies were stacked up like cord wood." After the war, George's family returned to Los Angeles even though they didn't have a home.