1949: Lotta Crabtree's theatre career begins in Grass Valley

25 years ago June 14, 2001 Memorial services were held for Gletha Irene Messer, 86, a native of Warren County, Iowa. A Penryn resident, she had been a telephone operator for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph. A memorial service was held for Jack Joseph Gibson, 81, a native of Jerome, Arizona. A veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, he retired to this area in 1968. The Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic-Small Animals and Llamas, Inc. received an international award for excellence in veterinary medicine and practice. The veterinary team was comprised of owners Drs. Corey Cherrstrom and Richard Frey, 18 associates and 51 staff members. Local 4-H members showed their animals during the Junior Livestock show at the Placer County Fair in Roseville. Among those were Abigail Loos, Amy Sowers and Katie Rundle with pygmy goats. Del Oro FFA members showing their cows were Ashley Coughran and Shalena Laws. Two inmates escaped from the Placer County Jail and were still on the loose. It was believed to be the first escape from the main jail since 1985. The two were wearing orange jail clothing labeled "Jail Inmate." Marine Corps Pvt. Sean Heskew completed basic training at MCRD, San Diego. Homer Takahashi recalled as a soldier fighting in Italy and France during WWII, the GI's listened to Anzio Annie and Berlin Sally, the European version of Tokyo Rose in the Pacific. They played music that would bring memories of home and tried to make us worry about the girlfriend at home, if you had one. The Fab Four, which faithfully recreated the magic of The Beatles, will present a free Father's Day concert at Royer Park in Roseville. At a graduation ceremony at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Raphael in May 1991, 4-H member Jenni Stitt presented her guide dog, Elizabeth, to Anita Hess, a blind lady from Toledo, Ohio. Elizabeth served as Anita's guide dog for the next 10 years. Now retired, 12-year-old Elizabeth, was back home with Jenni's family in Loomis. 50 years ago June 10, 1976 Funeral services were held for Samuel Arthur Thacker, who died at the age of 21 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Incumbent District 4 Supervisor Mike Lee won reelection. As the victory celebration was started, there was one moment of panic. A TV news station erroneously broadcast the absentee votes as 24 instead of 242, putting Mike at the bottom of the pile. A quick call to the election department clarified the error. Carmen Lewelling of Loomis and daughter-in-law Helen Cooper visited Placer County Congressman Harold (Bizz) Johnson on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Del Oro High School senior Jodi Gardner was selected for the Camp Tallic Youth Conservation Corps at Lake Tahoe. The YCC was a federally funded program to provide gainful summer employment for young men and women ages 15-18. There were two citrus groves in the north end of the valley. The Edmund Pilz ranch was in a beautiful setting in Penryn just before going over the ridge on Clark Tunnel Road. Planting his first citrus in 1963, the trees consisted of navel oranges, Satsuma mandarins, Algerian tangerines and some grapefruit. The other citrus grove was Mandarin Hill in Penryn, owned by Frank Aguilar. The ranch was known at one time as Snellings Place. Frank purchased the land in 1942. Loomis School teachers retiring were Cleo Chesney, Marilyn Fenno and Hope Thompson. "Follow Your Dreams" was the theme of Kim Okey's installation as Worthy Advisor of Penryn Assembly No. 211 International Order of Rainbow Girls. Also installed were officers Barbara Lewis, Karen Okey, Mary Jo Gruver, Katie Barbula, Linda DuPriest, Julie Rice, Ruth Schroeder, Dana Russell, Jenny Houseman, Betty Hansen, Lori Collette, Theresa Carlos, Laura Gray, Barbara Leak, Michelle Cook, Tina Meek and Robin Ware. 75 years ago December 1949 Funeral services were held for Howard Lusk, 52. A fruit man, he was a former member of the Loomis Fire Department. Mr. Danilo Santini of Ophir was selected to train 4-H members on tractor maintenance. The city of Auburn was to have a radio station with a channel of 1490 kilocycles. Mrs. Betty March and Mrs. Flora Takahashi hosted the successful PTA pot luck dinner. During the following program, the children were entertained in the auditorium watching a "Hop-a-long Cassidy" movie. Young Lotta Crabtree of Grass Valley captivated the Mother Lode miners with her dancing and singing performances. But her mother had more ambitious plans for her gifted daughter. At the age of 16, Lotta was taken to theatres of San Francisco and then on to New York City, where she soon appeared as an actress. Lotta enchanted audiences in the theatres all over the world. She retired with a fortune after 50 years on stage. Lotta died in 1924. The Well Baby Conference will be in Roseville at City Hall. Mothers were urged to bring in their preschool children. Playing in theatres was "Father Was a Fullback," starring Maureen O'Hara and Fred MacMurray. County Christmas Seal Sale chairman Mrs. Frank Bonito reported residents of Placer County contributed $1,224 during the first week. The funds would support the TB prevention and control program. Still Standing Guard - oral histories: Aki Morimoto Matsuda and her family were living at the Amache War Relocation Camp in Colorado. Aki filled out a request form to leave camp for employment. One part of the form was to "Give location preferences." Her reply was, "Place where they'll treat me like an American with no racial discrimination." Aki was very fond of her teacher at Amache, Kathryn Stegner, who helped her get a scholarship to Central College in Pella, Iowa. The teachers at the college were waiting to accept her into the school. "I was never so happy in all my life." (continued)