Little goblins in Redmond are making final preparations for Halloween and will be “on parade” Saturday night. All ready for the “spooky” occasion in this 1970 photo are, left, Brett Taylor, son of the Bill Taylors, and Scott Moyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Moyer.

100 years ago

Oct. 28, 1920 — Dinner Menus to Read “Redmond Potatoes”

J.T. Hardy, traveling freight and passenger agent for the Oregon Trunk, has bought through the Deschutes Valley Potato Growers’ Association a half car of select potatoes to be served on diners on the North Coast Limited.

The potatoes are to be advertised as “Redmond Potatoes,” and will be used exclusively hereafter, Hardy said. Further potato supplies will be arranged for as needed, he said.

“People eating on diners expect the very best. We propose to give it to them as far as potatoes are concerned, and we’re going to let the people know that Redmond is producing them,” Hardy said.

75 years ago

Nov. 3 , 1945 — Cadets to Start Aviation Study

Cadets of Redmond squadron of the Civil Air patrol will hold their first meeting Thursday evening, November 8, at 7:30 o’clock at Redmond union high school, it was announced today by Lt. Forrest Cooper, in charge of the cadet program.

The school is cooperating with the squadron in the program, which is for both boys and girls 15, 16 and 17 years of age. High school credit will be given for completion of courses, and, in addition, flight scholarships are to be offered by the squadron, announces Lt. Maurice F. Roberts, commanding officer.

Lt. Roberts explained the cadet program last week to Redmond chamber of commerce, which went on record as favoring the project to offer training in aeronautics. Instructors, including returned air corps veterans now in Redmond, will present courses in the theory of flight, aircraft maintenance and airplane mechanics.

The squadron has requisitioned through wing headquarters for a large quantity of equipment, including airplane engines, instruments and tools, which will be used for the courses. Outstanding cadets are to be offered flight training through the scholarships.

Interest in the plan is proved by the fact that one local business man already has offered a scholarship. Lt. Roberts asks that any others who wish to assist in the scholarships get in touch with him. The flight training will be awarded on a basis of merit in cadet activities, he said.

Use of the high school for classroom work and of the gymnasium for drill has been offered by Superintendent M.E. Larive.

All boys and girls 15, 16 and 17 who are interested are asked to give their names to Maurice Leighton, cadet leader.

50 years ago

Oct. 28, 1970 — School board to establish a variety of student policies

Proposed regulations governing attendance of pregnant students, excused absences, release of pupils during school hours, participation of students in contests and advertising, presence of salesmen on school premises, procedures to be followed in event of bomb threats and field trip precautions will be up for final approval at the Redmond School Board meeting, scheduled for 8 p.m. tonight, Oct. 28, at Terrebonne School.

Superintendent Paul Eggleston has proposed that he will be responsible for granting pregnant students permission to attend classes subject to written recommendation from the attending physician. Such students would be required to notify school authorities when they discover they are pregnant.

Excused absences are defined as those due to illness of the student, necessary visits to the dentist, doctor, optometrist or health center and quarantine. The appropriate principal would have authority to excuse absences that are prearranged with him. Students failing to make up lost work due to absences would be subject to receiving failing marks.

Stressing that pupils are expected to participate in all instructional activities scheduled during the school day, the proposal specifies that permission for release may be granted by the principal at the request of the parent or guardian only.

For students to participate in school-related contests, they would be required to have prior approval of the superintendent, who in turn, would report such contests to the board. The list of eligible contests, to be available in the district office, would be up for revision annually.

However, students would not be permitted to participate in programs or competition for advertising purposes or when admission was being charged for private gain.

For commercial agents to sell items on school premises, written authorization from the superintendent would be required. And where only one agent would be using school premises, specific prior approval from the board would be necessary.

In the event of a bomb threat, the appropriate principal would be responsible for 1) evacuating the building, 2) notifying police, 3) notifying superintendent, 4) keeping students outside until the building is searched and determined safe by police, and 5) holding school in session an additional hour each subsequent day until all lost hours are made up.

Pointing out that lockers remain the property of the school district, a proposed policy would spell out the district’s right to search lockers at any time for health hazards, stolen items, narcotics or other inappropriate contents.

This article is continued on redmondspokesman.com.

25 years ago

Nov. 1, 1995 — Gangs gaining toehold

The first sign was a marked increase in graffiti on highway passes and local businesses.

Then, a few weeks ago, a teenage boy was beat up outside the 7-11 store on SW Highland.

Police feel there’s a connection. Redmond is feeling the first rumblings of gang activity, and potential for more serious unlawfulness and violence is real, according to authorities.

“I don’t want to be an alarmist and give people the impression that Redmond is being overrun by gangs. That’s not the case,” Police Chief Jim Carlton said. “But we do have some hard evidence that gangs are starting to gain a toehold here.”

Police have seen gang symbols and kids’ street names spray-painted on and around the Yew Avenue interchange and on Highway 97 businesses such as Bi-Mart and McDonald’s. Sometimes, graffiti are removed and return overnight.

Police also are seeing more teenagers attired in gang clothing and colors, chiefly the blues associated with the Crips gang and the red of the Bloods gang.

“They got the gang insignia, they got the gang tattoos, they’re wearing the gang colors and the ‘do-rags’,” Carlton said. “A lot of these kids are coming in from other areas, claiming they were gang members in San Diego, Denver, L.A., wherever.”

The presence of gang graffiti indicates members are trying to establish territories, he said.

The recent assault at 7-11 initially looked to police like a routine scuffle between teens, but an investigation pointed to a clash between rival gangs.

“That definitely was gang-related,” Carlton said. “I’m concerned it will spiral into more violence.”

Sam Johnson Park has been the scene of other confrontations between suspected gang members, and police have learned that many show up armed with guns or other weapons.

Carlton has assigned Officer Jason Rogers to lead the city’s anti-gang enforcement. Rogers said he is in contact with a local gang member who moved to Redmond from a metropolitan area and is helping authorities determine the scope of the problem.

Rogers said he even has heard that gang leaders from other cities may be recruiting locally, attracted to the small-town naivete about urban street life.

“I don’t think we have a gang problem yet,” he cautioned. “I think we have the makings of it.”

“We’re putting a lot of manpower to this,” Rogers said.