Early Files 8-17-11

50 years ago
Aug. 17, 1961
Increase house membership
Members of the United States House of Representatives may soon be increased for the first time in half a century, thanks chiefly to the persistence of a Lebanonian, Fourth District Congressman Frank L. Chelf.
The Lebanon lawmaker, who announced nine months ago that he would seek to up membership of the lower house from 437 to 469, gained his first success Tuesday when his bill was referred to a judiciary sub-committee.

Newberry begins expansion
The J.J. Newberry Company this week purchased the remaining stock of Rice’s Women’s Apparel, whose Main Street building it acquired two months ago. The building adjoins the Newberry store.
Manager Robert O’Brien said Newberry will close out the remainder of the Rice merchandise and use the building to expand his store’s present floor space.

Public schools to open
The 1961-62 school year got underway Friday, Sept. 1, in Lebanon and Marion County’s newly merged system of public schools, according to an announcement this week from county school superintendent Hugh C. Spalding.
In announcing plans for the new term in Marion County’s public school system, Spalding said the county board of education has decided to discontinue operation of Rosenwald High School and Negro high school students from Marion County will attend one of the county high schools, either St. Charles, St. Francis or Lebanon High.

$2,497 for dog losses
Marion countians have received indemnity payments totaling $2,497 for livestock losses caused by dogs during the year, which ended June 30. The payments were made from the State Livestock Fund, which receives half of the money taken in by the state from sale of dog licenses.

25 years ago
Aug. 13, 1986
Union agrees to wage cuts
In an 89-35 vote yesterday morning, workers at Independent Stave Co. voted to accept wage and benefit cuts to keep the plant open. In return, Independent Stave Co. guaranteed the workers that it would close its Lebanon, MO., cooperage and manufacture all its whiskey barrels in Kentucky.
Most were satisfied with the outcome of the vote, though none was willing to say he was happy to take a pay cut and benefit reduction.
“We don’t like the cuts, but we like the work and that’s the long and short of it,” one union member commented after the vote was taken.
10 years ago
Aug. 15, 2001
Hollyhill Motel robbed
Masked men threatened to kill Owen Harmon during a robbery of the Hollyhill Motel Monday night.
Harmon, who owns the motel, said he was watching television when two black men wearing masks, denim jackets and “floppy” hats entered the motel around 9:30 p.m. Harmon said one of the men locked the door while the other one pointed a .45 caliber pistol at him and demanded his wallet.
Harmon said the men left through the back door and fled on foot.  The men stole about $100 of Harmon’s personal money and from $300 to $400 from the safe, he said.

5 years ago
Aug. 30, 2006
Lebanon responds
Repeat offenders of Lebanon’s new false-alarm ordinance might face some costly truths after it takes effect Sept. 1.
The ordinance will require all fire and burglar alarm systems within the city limits to be registered and regularly maintained. It poses fines of up to $400 if police or fire departments make multiple runs to an address due to false alarms.
Fire Chief Ricky Mattingly said false alarms cost about $200 each time firefighters make a run. He hopes the new ordinance gets alarm users to have their equipment inspected regularly.