Reflections of the past

80 Years Ago – The Record’s “Men in Service” column noted that Pvt. Jim Ben Hall of the Army was on duty in the Philippines after training at Camp Stewart, Ga.; that Pvt. Neal D. Colby, husband of Mary Charlotte Allen Colby, had been inducted in the Army and assigned to Fort Knox, Ky.; that Warren Moss, hospital apprentice in the Navy at Corona, Calif., and Mrs. Moss became parents of a daughter, Pamela Charlene, Feb. 5; that Sgt. Charles R. Moore, foster son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fitzgerald, was on limited duty with the Army in England after having been confined for several months following being wounded in action at St. Lo.

60 Years Ago – Named as officers of the New Madrid County Sportsman’s Club were Charles Hendley as president, J.W. Stowe as vice president, Charles Palmer as secretary and Wayne Roberts, Jack Tisher, John D. Henry and Louis Boulton as directors.

60 Years Ago – Featured at the Dixie Theater - “Roustabout” with Elvis Presley and Barbara Stanwyck and “Bedtime Story” with David Niven and Shirley Jones.

40 Years Ago – Frank Masterson, adjutant of the Brown-Twitty Post, presented a troop flag to Boy Scouts of New Madrid. Representing the Troop were Frank Masterson Jr., Tory Johns and Ralph Johns, assistant Scoutmaster.

20 Years Ago – Bill Henry along with a group of area hunters have spearheaded an effort to drop grain by plane to flood-stranded wildlife on Donaldson Point Conservation Area, Island No. 10 and No. 8 Island in Kentucky. Kewanee Ag Service pilot Mike Hall volunteered his time to fly the grain into the flooded areas and only charged the fuel costs.

20 Years Ago – Following the closing of filing, there is a three-way race for the one-year unexpired term as mayor. Voters will choose either current aldermen Glen Medlin, Russell Riggs or Donnie Brown in the April election.

10 Years Ago – The courthouse centennial celebration officially began with a gathering in the courthouse rotunda. Speakers included assessor Ronnie Simmons, Presiding Commissioner Mark Baker and committee members Ed Riley, Marsha Holiman and Sarah Ezell.

10 Years Ago – Concerns with deficit spending has prompted the County Commission to try a “partially self-funded health insurance plan.” As a result, the General Revenue Fund budget for premiums and self-insured risk expense in 2015 is $665,000 with total appropriations of $925,000 to be used for health insurance claims in the various funds that contain health insurance budgets.