80 Years Ago – John Sommerville was found not guilty of murder by the all-male jury which deliberated four and one-half hours and reached the verdict on the seventh ballot. Sommerville had been charged with fatally shooting Enrique Martinez outside the Green Front Brothel following an altercation in which Sommerville alleged he was beaten by Martinez and friends. Sommerville claimed he acted in self defense.
10 Years Ago
• Two Nevada women and one small child escaped death or major injuries in a two vehicle accident on Friday, Dec. 21 on U.S. 95 and near the SR 360 junction just south of Mina. Rosalina Hoof of Sparks, Nevada and her juvenile grandson were traveling north on US 95 in a Chevy Suburban and apparently drifted left into the southbound lane and into the path of an oncoming Crown Victoria Ford driven by Mary Hardisty of Pahrump.
• Mineral County Sheriff’s Department presented awards to personnel at their annual Christmas Celebration. The names and recipients were given, but one was missing from the “line up”. “MCSO Supervisor of the Year” to Bryn Skvarna.
• Lou and Shirley Thompson were married fifty years ago on Christmas Eve in Hawthorne by Bishop John Clark.
20 Years Ago
• Miss Amber Dow, a student at Mineral County High School, won the local Veterans of Foreign Wars “Voice of Democracy” speaking contest.
• Elks “Student of the Month” awards were presented by Doy Skidmore of Hawthorne Elks Lodge 1704 to Ronnie Bryant and Reanna Dela Vega of the Hawthorne Junior High School and to Jessica Meier and Jared West of Mineral County High School.
• Long-time resident of Hawthorne Vern Babb, celebrated his 101st Birthday on Dec. 15. Babb was well known and had worked many years at the Hawthorne naval Ammunition Depot.
30 Years Ago
• Lacana Mining Corporation of Toronto, Canada announced plans to start production of the Santa Fe Gold property 32 miles east of Hawthorne, near Luning.
• Hawthorne Elementary/Junior High “Rockets” basketball team was still undefeated after they defeated Gerlach and Fallon in an invitational tournament held in Hawthorne.
• The Serpent JV Girls basketball team was running strong with a 5-1 record in season play. The only team the Bishop, Calif. team.
40 Years Ago
• Minimum wage rates started Jan. 1. The present $2.30 per hour federal minimum wage was increased to $2.65 with further increase set: $2.90 per hour Jan. 1, 1979. $3.10 per hour Jan. 1, 1980 and $3.35 per hour Jan. 1, 1981.
• Hawthorne Elementary/Junior High School Parent-Teacher Organization was making plans for a “Gong-Show” to be held early in January that year.
50 Years Ago
• Sp-5 Edward Leffler was awarded the Silver Star Medal he had won while serving in Vietnam. The ceremony was held at the local National Guard Armory. Col. Frank D. Pryor presented the award to Leffler.
• Kenneth L. Mann was scheduled to be sworn in as the new judge of the Fifth Judicial District on Jan. 2, 1968.
• His community was saddened during the holiday weekend by the deaths of two children resulting in two separate accidents. Laura Leann McGoldrick, age 7, was the victim of an accidental gun discharge. Cathy Ann Mashek, age 4 months, died from injuries received in an automobile accident.
• The Department of Highways officially accepted the “Super-john” comfort station in Lady Bird Park as a completed project. Super-john was paid for by the federal government since neither the state nor the county had the $14,000 to build it.
• The Serpents traveled to Stewart and were beaten by the Braves 82-63.
60 Years Ago
• Three California men were indicted by Almeda, Calif. county grand jury on charges of selling uranium stock without a license. Indictments followed a probe into stock selling in Mineral County Uranium, Inc.
• Mineral County High School Serpents downed the Bishop, Calif. Broncos 45-32 to enter the win column.
• Uncle Vane Day said “The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer somebody else.”
70 Years Ago
• NAD Marines and Knights of Pythias looked good as the Marines defeated the Tonopah 20/30 Club 41-37 and the KP’s trimmed Daughtery’s Bar of Reno 43-21. Castellani and Hynd topped the Knights in scoring, while Thornburg was high man for the Marines in their game.
• A big New Year’s Eve frolic was being planned by the Hawthorne America Legion Post. The event was to be held in the Hawthorne USO Building.
80 Years Ago
• The High School trustees planned to improve heating of the gymnasium by installing an oil-burning furnace to replace wood and coal stoves. Experimental effort to heat the large building with circulating hot water from the basement boiler proved unsuccessful.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2313 obtained a building next to the Lodi Hotel in the 400 block on E Street to use for meetings and social events, and announced that the first event would be a public dance.
• The Serpents defeated the Stewart Braves 28-27 in a home basketball game but lost to Bishop, California, at Bishop, 10-17.
• Hawthorne 20/30 Club officers were installed by Wyman Saxton, deputy district governor, who was accompanied from Minden by Duane “Scotchy” Mack. New officers were: Bud Leavitt, president; Bill Merchant, secretary-treasurer; Jim Pedrojetti, sergeant-at-arms; Al Bernes, Jake Butherus, Bill Reeder and Jack McCloskey, outgoing president, directors.
