Children from the Pleasant Ridge School District stop for a bite to eat during the 1912-1913 school year. Photo courtesy of the Redmond Historical Commission

100 Years Ago

Feb. 14, 1924 — Pythian sisters put on mock wedding

A social event of importance and of high entertaining value was inadvertently overlooked in last week’s paper. This was the mock wedding which was given by the local lodge of Pythian Sisters Feb. 5.

The occasion of Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Stevens’ 23rd wedding anniversary was seized upon for the foundation of a mock wedding. Mrs. Stevens was taken in charge by the members and dressed as a bride.

The best man was Mrs. Harry Roberts; the bridesmaid, Mrs. W.W. Van Matre; the bridegroom, Mrs. W.B. Curtis; the bride’s father, Mrs. N.H. Pinkerton.

Mrs. Roberts, Mrs Curtis and Mrs. Pinkerton were dressed in men’s clothes. Mrs. Wm. Buckley took the part of the clergyman who married the couple.

Mrs. Max Cunning played the wedding march and Hazel Wright and Lillian Van Matre were the flower girl and the ring bearer.

… The Pythian Sisters lodge is one of the real live organizations of the city, and they always have something doing at every meeting.

75 Years Ago

Feb. 10, 1949 — Chinook Victor over Jack Frost

Warm wind brings end to snow, freezing

For the first time in 87 nights, the thermometer stayed above freezing Wednesday, the minimum last night being 39.7, according to the CAA airways communications station. The last nonfreezing night was November 14.

With a chinook wind blowing from the south-southwest at almost gale velocity, the snow blanket which had covered this area for nearly three months began melting Wednesday and by this morning was nearly gone in town. Wednesday’s maximum temperature was 49.

The wind was hitting, 40 to 45 miles per hour this morning As 3:30 a.m. velocity was 47 miles with one gust reported at 63 miles per hour.

Although not many frozen water pipes had thawed by today, Redmond’s bucket brigade was taking encouragement from the warmer weather.

Readings reported this month to date, minimum and maximum, are as follows: 1st, 12.3 and 30; 2nd, 33.9 and 3; 3rd, 36 and 20.1; 4th, 29.9 and 7.3; 5th, 29.4 and 3; 6th, 33 and 15.7; 7th, 31.0 and 10: 8th, 42.3 and 21.8.

50 Years Ago

Feb. 13, 1974 — Sam’s ad evokes varied views

State Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Redmond) received a strong mandate on four issues and mixed reactions to other legislative proposals from respondents to a recent questionnaire.

Johnson had sponsored the full-page legislative questionnaire in The Redmond Spokesman and the daily newspapers in Bend and Klamath Falls to ascertain the majority views of his constituents on issues facing the special session of the Oregon State Legislature which convened Monday.

Respondents overwhelmingly believe that school district taxpayers should maintain their right to vote upon school budgets each year, as currently is done. The vote was 231 yes, 14 no, 7 undecided.

By a similar margin, respondents asked that the date of the election to increase the veteran’s housing loan limit be advanced from the November General Election to the May Primary Election to preclude an expected shortage of loan funds during the summer. The vote was 218 yes, 24 no, 8 undecided.

A strong appeal was issued to change the recently-liberalized marijuana law to make possession of hashish a criminal offense, rather than a civil violation, as at present. The tally was 200 yes, 35 no, 15 undecided.

The most resounding mandate (242 yes, 0 no, 8 undecided) was a call to rectify a flaw in legislation passed in 1973 that permitted insurance companies to refuse to pay certain benefits to pedestrian accident victims.

Redmond’s legislator points out that the most explosive issue, House Bill 2607, dealing with real estate consumer protection, had been partially settled by the one-day legislative session prior to completion of the survey.

The most important remaining bill, school finance and property tax relief, is a complex issue that many persons feel should be removed from the May election. With the Interim Committee on Revenue unable to reach a decision after weeks of study, Johnson predicts that the issue will not be resolved easily in the special session.

The response was negative (164-75) to the granting of special powers to the governor in the face of a severe energy emergency. Respondents favored holding energy-related bills over to the regular session in 1975 by a vote of 130-98.

One of the more emotional issues, the energy question evoked numerous comments.

“Until the fuel shortage is over, they should outlaw all races — drag races, motorcycle races air races, etc.” “I object to more power being given to the governor.” “Ask for geothermal exploration by private companies.” “We see no true reason for an oil and gas shortage.”

Opinion was divided on the conflict of interest issue which would require disclosure of business holdings for elected officials. But one respondent noted, “A crook can cover up his finances and an honest man would be a fool to run for an office under this bill.”

Tallies do not include replies to survey forms distributed to high schools and colleges within Johnson’s legislative district. Questionnaires from Bend and Gilchrist high school respondents have been returned by Clifford Rich, BHS modern problems teacher, and Bruce Frojen, GHS faculty member.

Johnson reviewed the survey with students in Dr. Orde Pinckney’s classes Friday at Central Oregon Community College. Replies had not been received as of Tuesday morning from Redmond High School or Oregon Institute of Technology.

With few exceptions comments relating to the questionnaire itself were positive. In the words of one respondent, “I commend you and your effort to bring legislative problems closer to the voting public.”

Johnson said he appreciated the response and hoped to personally answer the many persons who had included their names and addresses on their replies.

25 Years Ago

Feb. 10, 1999 — Deputy shoots Terrebonne man at park

A Terrebonne man who had suffered with severe pain and had threatened suicide was shot by a Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputy Sunday at Smith Rock State Park after he allegedly pointed a rifle at deputies.

David Allen Hewes, 38, was in stable condition at Central Oregon District Hospital Monday following surgery, according to Sheriff’s Office spokesman Rick Meyers.

Hewes was hit by one bullet from the deputy’s side arm.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hewes’ daughter called 911 and reported her father had threatened suicide and left home armed with a .22-caliber rifle following an argument.

Two deputies found Hewes in his vehicle in the park’s north lot at about 4:45 p.m. and tried to negotiate with him for about a half hour. Hewes reportedly warned them to stay away.

At about 5:15 p.m., Sgt. Mike Johnston arrived and tried to aid in the negotiations, according to Meyers.

At one point, Hewes allegedly leveled the rifle at the deputies. When Hewes refused to drop the weapon, Johnston fired multiple shots, hitting Hewes once.

“There’s no question in their minds that when that rifle came out of the window pointed in their direction they had to do something about it,” Meyers said.

Johnston, a 23-year veteran, has been placed on administrative leave while the Oregon State Police and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office investigate the incident.

The investigation may be completed this week. The district attorney’s office will determine whether the incident should be sent before a grand jury.

One of Hewes’ daughters and a family friend told the Spokesman Hewes was disabled by back injuries and lives in great pain. They also said Hewes is not a violent person and believe he was about to surrender when he was shot.