100 years ago

Oct. 26, 1916 — The election is now but a few days away and it behooves the voters and taxpayers of Crook County to take a careful survey of the situation and weight carefully the matter presented. The proposition to divide the county is the question that is of the greatest interest to every taxpayer of the county. Taxes are now burdensome and there can be no question that division would materially increase them. Aside from public service corporations the total assessed valuation of the county as equalized for the coming year is somewhat less than eight million dollars, or to quote the assessor’s figures, $7,909,170. To split this reasonably close would leave less than four million dollars in each county from which to draw revenue to support two county governments, where but one now exists. It is futile to say that the new county could be conducted on a standard widely different from the present standard in Crook County, because the law names official salaries and these must be specified. In addition to a complete set of county officials, there is the matter of a new set of books and these will cost thousands of dollars. The transcribing of records will cost eight or ten thousand dollars more. A court house must be provided for the officials and whether we rent or build, the expense is the same, because rent is only interest on investment.

75 years ago

October 23, 1941 — Goals for Deschutes County’s part in increasing production of vital defense foods were set at the USDA agricultural defense board’s meeting Thursday at the Legion hall. The board decided the county could step up production of a number of defense foods, and that it would be good policy to do so. Milk production can be made 13 percent greater and number of milch cows upped 5 percent, it was agreed. Other goals set were eggs, 6 percent increase; cattle and calves for slaughter, 22 percent increase; spring pig crop, 20 percent increase; chickens for slaughter, 9.8 percent increase; turkeys for slaughter, 15 percent increase; farm gardens, 10 percent increase. Within less than a month, every farmer in Deschutes county is to be contacted to determine what he can do toward the food-for-defense program and how much he can increase his production of important food commodities, said County Agent G. Y. Hagglund.

50 years ago

Oct. 27, 1966 — E.E. Steinlicht, Bend contractor, has started construction of the U.S. Forest Service warehouse at Redmond Air Center. The warehouse, which is expected to be ready for use next spring, will serve the Pacific Northwest region. It will be 192 feet in size and will contain a 5000-man cache of fire fighting equipment. Steinlicht was the low bidder at $168.600. Cork Construction Co., of Redmond, subcontractor for the excavation, fill and backfill, expects to complete that phase of the work this week, said Larry Cork, foremen. Cork, who has five men at work, mentioned that a great amount of rock has been removed. Jerry Lunmark is foreman for Steinlicht. At present, only a few carpenters are at the project, but the crew will be increased as the construction is stepped up, Steinlicht indicated.

25 years ago

Oct. 23, 1991 — Gymnastics may still be alive and well in Redmond according to reports at least week’s Central Oregon Park and Recreation District board meeting. However, when the new gymnastics program begins, it will be considerably different from the previous one. The club will probably have a new name and it will no longer be operated as a nonprofit organization, according to Richard Scorza. Scorza, who had acted as the interim director of the district’s High Desert Gymnastics club, told board members, “I guess gymnastics is in my blood. I can’t let it go because of the good things it offers kids.” At last month’s meeting, the board discussed a letter from Scorza saying he was giving up the search for a new director after a frustrating summer of contacting candidates.