Out of the Past: 02/25/2026

100 Years Ago—

CHEWELAH – George Benninger, who with Frank Weist, has been working at the Triple Ledge Mine, suffered a badly cut face, arms and feet Thursday night when he dove through a window while asleep. His dream must have been a heavy one, for it is reported by Dr. S.P. McPherson, who attended to him, that even after he had been badly cut by contact with the jagged glass in the window, he had to be carried back into the house and shaken and pounded before he awoke.

The Minzel-Randall Motor Company’s Ford station has added a large gas tank and a modern pump to its equipment on North Main Street.

The Colville school gymnasium was sold for $210, and the George residence property for $255, by the school board. The residence will be moved to East First Ave. These sales are to clear the school grounds so that construction may start on the new school building.

75 Years Ago—

MARCUS – Marcus’ basketball squad, really playing as a unit for the first time this year, earned a right to its “Mighty Marcus” title again Monday when they beat Kettle Falls 56-30.

Local theater-goers may find things a bit more comfortable this week. New seats – the automatic kind that come up when you get up – are being installed.   

50 Years Ago—

Colville’s largest celebration in history, the “Colville Valley Bicentennial Pageant Week,” was unveiled to the Colville Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. The giant eight-day celebration is planned for June 13-20.

Washington state’s youngest prosecuting attorney was sworn into office Tuesday morning when Andrew C. Braff repeated the oath before Stevens County Superior Court Judge Sidney R. Buckley.

During Tuesday evening’s city council session, the question of chain of command was the topic of discussion. For a period of over two hours, council members debated numerous aspects of the chain of command in city government, and who should be vested with the ultimate power to hire and fire city employees.

25 Years Ago—

With waters being drained to meet energy demands, the Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt, a 130-mile-long reservoir formed by the Coulee Dam, are at nearly record low levels. In the midst of the fourth worst winter drought on record, Lake Roosevelt is so low it’s not expected to refill until late July. 

“The Sound of Music” is being performed at the Woodland Theatre in Kettle Falls for three weekends beginning March 1.

10 Years Ago—

Colville is finally able to open its roads to wheeled all-terrain vehicles with some restrictions.  Colville City Council approved a new WATV (Wheeled All-Terrain Vehicle) ordinance on Feb. 22. The ordinance takes effect March 7.