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This week in history

This week in history

99 years ago in 1921:

The members of Warren Council of the Boy Scouts, proved very genial hosts to the Scout Masters of the city at a dinner in Hotel Warner, where 31 guests were present and a very fine menu was served by the management in their honor. The meeting was one of the most enthusiastic that has ever been held since the Scout movement had gained a healthy foothold in Warren and informality was the key note of the program which followed the dinner.

J.B. Estabrook opened the series of toasts and turned the program over to W.G. Hurlbert, who proved to be a very genial toastmaster.

The speaker of the evening was Regional Director A.A. Ammunuson who presented a very graphic report of his rip to the meeting of the National Council of Boy Scouts of America, held in New York.

His address proved a stimulus to the work of the scout masters in Warren.

Informal addresses were delivered by Dr. Woodward, Bert Smith, H.B. Turner, J.J. Zipperer, Dr. Meister, Mr. Troxel, Mr. Gozzard, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Wadsworth and Mr. Rossi.

An invitation was extended by Mr. Blackburn as the members of the council to an out door dinner in April which was cordially accepted.

50 years ago in 1970:

At GM Lordstown’s new $50 million truck plant, the first 1971 Chevy Van rolled off the assembly line heralding the start of a new era to help beef up the area’s economy.

The 1971 Chevy Van, a dark blue, eight-cylinder, three-quarter-ton vehicle with a 125-inch wheel base had been ordered by the Tribune.

The keys to the van were turned over to Robert D. Lund, general sales manager, Chevrolet Motor Division, Detroit, to Paul Martin, president, Martin Chevrolet, Inc., for delivery later to the Tribune for use by its circulation department. George Rudge, Tribune Circulation manager, had recently signed the order with Martin on behalf of Helen Hart Hurlbert, Tribune president and general manager.

Lund was among a half-dozen GM officials who came here from Detroit for the historic occasion.

Some 40 Mahoning Valley working press corps, TV and radio newsmen were in attendance at the gala premiere which was preceded by a dinner in GM’s executive dining room.

Louis J. Biskach, manager of the Chevrolet assembly plant here, said that during the start-up period the truck plant would operate one evening shift in order to permit construction to continue inside the facility during daytime hours. The normal two-shift operation were to begin after the completion of the facility in early summer. On a two-shift basis, the truck plant was to produce about 320 vans per day and eventually would employ about 1,500 persons, providing more jobs and payroll for the area.

25 years ago in 1995:

Jack Gibson Construction Co. reeled in its second big county government contract when Trumbull commissioners awarded a $5.98 million contract to the company to build the superstructure of the jail downtown. Site clearing was underway.

The recommendation to award the contract to the Parkman Road NW company was made by the jail project architects, Voinovich Group of Cleveland.

It was only March 3 that Gibson was awarded a $7.9 million deal to restore and renovate the historic Trumbull Courthouse and Carnegie Law Library.

That recommendation to hire Gibson for the general trades was made by van Dijk, Pace, Westlake & Partners, the Cleveland firm hired to oversee the renovation of the two downtown Warren buildings.

Gibson had been the low bidder five months before on the courthouse job, but commissioners tossed out all bids because of an error in writing the job specifications.

A rebidding project produced 14 contractors, but Gibson was the low bidder again.

A state grant geared to pay 30 percent of the estimated $15.87 million cost of the jail portion of the project and 60 percent of the $6.27 million cost for the misdemeanor facility.

The county received $8.5 million in state money to build the jail expected to cost about $22 million.

The county and city of Warren were expected to borrow a combined $13.62 million for their shares in the project.

10 years ago in 2010:

The McFalls continued their reign as the area’s first family of spelling.

On Monday, 12-year-old Rachel became the latest McFall to earn the top spot at the 19th annual Tribune Chronicle Scripps Spelling Bee at LaBrae High School after sparring with Lakeview seventh-grader Nate Butler, 13, for 12 rounds. Rachel won the contest by correctly spelling “flamboyant.”

“I know I hesitated with that one,” the seventh-grader said. “I thought I knew it, but I wasn’t quite sure, not as sure as I was with the other words.”

Patty McFall made it a practice to look down each time her youngest daughter stepped up to the microphone. The West Farmington woman said she didn’t want to break Rachel’s concentration.

“It’s one of those things I’ve learned,” the mother of six said. “I try not to engage them. Once it was over, and she spelled the word, I looked up and smiled.”

Spelling was something the McFalls enjoyed practicing as a family, Patty McFall said.

“When you throw the competitive aspect into it, it makes the children try even harder.”

Rachel McFall was to continue a McFall family tradition when she represented the Tribune Chronicle at the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee finals in Washington, D.C., in May.

After her win, Rachel said, “I’m just very grateful to God for helping me get through it, and to my family, especially my mom. My mom really helped me. She’s helped all of us.”

— Compiled from the archives of the Tribune Chronicleby Emily Earnhart

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