Barnes County: A Moment in Time
1920 100 Years Ago...
Although legal holiday, no plans to observe Armistice Day
This is a legal holiday but no steps have been taken to close the stores or observe Armistice Day in this city. Today at Normal Auditorium the American Legion will give their play “Are You A Mason.” Today at noon the auxiliary to the American Legion served a dinner to all soldiers and sailors who were in the service that felt like going over and partaking of their hospitality.
North Dakota has total of 290 Army Deserters
North Dakota has a total of 290 army deserters from the recent world war, according to figures made public by Adjutant General G.A. Frazer. This total is divided between 29 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. A price is said to be set on the “heads” of each one of these men, and they are being rounded up as rapidly as possible for military trail. Two from this state were recently given trial at Fort Snelling and found guilty and sentenced to Fort Leavenworth prison. Barnes county is listed as having 16 deserters somewhere within her borders at the present time. Burleigh county tops the list with a total of 44 alleged deserters.
1945 75 Years Ago... Body of Henry McLaflin Recovered
Mrs. Carrie J. McLaflin of Valley City this morning received a telegram from the Navy department notifying her that the body of her son, Henry James McLaflin, EM1’c, was recovered yesterday from San Francisco bay. McAllen was reported missing over a week ago. The body will be brought to Valley City for burial.
Orville Mason Re-Enters 20th Year In Army
The army is in his blood and that’s where he’s going to stay. So says Orville Mason, sergeant technician, who is visiting here today with his father, Harry O. Mason, shop foreman at the Times-Record.
After over 19 years in service, Orville recently received his discharge but re-enlisted at Fort Snelling again with the same rank. He is now en route to Fort McDowell, Calif., and expects to go to the Philippines. He wears battle stars for action in the Philippines and Guinea.
1970 50 Years Ago...
Mary Gray to Display Artwork During November “Doorway” pained by Mrs. Mary Gray, is among many on display as Artist of the Month chosen by the Fine Arts Club of Valley City. Each month the club selects an artist to show their finished work in the lobby of the First National Bank.
Mrs. Gray enjoys painting with a combination of oils, water colors and drawings, in a surrealistic nature. She has pursued her artistic talents since childhood. Painting, sketching, expression of feeling and accomplishment has always been a way of life with here. Landscapes also are to her likeness.
“Doorway” which she recently finished, as the others complete within the last year, is a replica of a doorway of the abandoned Nicoli farmhouse south of the Peak Exchange. These and more canvas pieces were hung at North Dakota State University in the Arkanasa Hall, a new theatre on campus during the month of October. Most of Mrs. Gray’s work is for sale with the exception of favorite pieces. She recently began weaving wall hangings as are on display in the Serendipity Store in Valley City. Using coordinating colors, knots and wooden pieces carved by her son, the various sized works are something of new direction for her creative talents. Mrs. Gray is one of six artists chosen from North Dakota as were six others from four individual states south to comprise the Great Plains Federation of the Arts and Humanities Council to tour the Midwest. She contributed a painting “Suddenly It’s Thursday” to travel on tour with the Arts and Humanities Council. This particular work is an arrangement of adult dummies around spatially disoriented grandfather clocks. One of the viewers became especially fond of it and returned after hours and helped himself. The painting was later brought back to the exhibit hall by a minister. The artists name had been removed and some damage had been done to the frame. The Great Plains Federation of the Arts and Humanities tour will appear in North Dakota at the Red River Art Center in Fargo and in Bismarck in May and June of 1971.
With Our Servicemen
Airman Jeryl E. Gahlhoff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Gahlhoff, Valley City, has graduated at Lowry AFB, Colo., from the U.S. Air Force weapons mechanic course. The airman, who was trained to load and inspect the weapons used in the Air Force fighters and bombers, is being assigned to Minot AFB, N.D., for duty with a unit of the Strategic Air Command. Airman Gahlhoff, a 1969 graduate of Valley City High School, attended North Dakota State School of Science.
1995 25 Years Ago... Arneson Completes Deployment
Navy Airman Andre G. Arneson, son of Janet M. Arneson of Valley City, has returned to Oak Harbor, Wash., after completing a six month overseas deployment with Attack Squadron 95 embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which included duty in the Persian Gulf near Iraq.
Arsenal is one of 190 squadron members aboard the ship who completed the more than 38,000-mile voyage. Arsenal’s unit was part of the USS Abraham Lincoln Battle Group which included more than 80 tactical aircraft, as well as ships and submarines armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles. While on deployment, Arneson and fellow sailors helped enforce the international no fly zone over southern Iraq. Aircraft from Arneson’s squadron flew more
than 1,400 missions to prevent unauthorized aircraft from flying over southern Iraq. In all, aircraft from Arneson’s squadron flew more than 1,000 hours and completed more than 1,500 arrested landings aboard the carrier-nearly half of them at night. Arsenal’s squadron, home-ported at Navel Air Station, Whidbey Island, Wash., flies the all weather A- 6E Intruder, capable of conducting longrange strikes against targets ashore and at seas. The twin engine Intruder carries a two-person crew. In late August, Arneson and fellow sailors took part in contingency operations in the northern Persian Gulf in response to Iraq’s increased military activities in the area. Because of the deterrent value generated by USS Abraham Lincoln’s forward presence and its firepower capability, Arneson and other squadron members remained in the Persian Gulf until they were relieved by the USS Independence Battle Group.
While spending 151 days at sea, Arneson also visited Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During the six-month voyage, more than 7,000 people visited the ship including dignitaries, news media and local citizens.
Arneson’s involvement in the deployment is an example of how U.S. sailors and marines are serving aboard aircraft carriers around the world from the Persian Gulf to the Adriatic Sea. The 1993 graduate of Valley City High School joined the Navy in July 1994.
New Men’s Department Opens In Downtown VC
A new mens’ department has opened in Valley City-it’s in the Fair Store on Central Avenue. Ron and Bette Munkeby opened the store Oct. 26 and are planning a Nov. 16 grand opening. Bette said the store offers clothing from sport coats to handkerchiefs in all different price ranges and sizes for men of various ages. Some of the brand names include London Fog, Field and Stream, Van Hussen, Janzen, Savane, Jack Nicholas, Bugle Boy and Sansabelt. The lines they chose to sell were based on their own knowledge of mens’ clothing as well as knowing what sold well at Shermans and the former Straus store. “It looks like a mens’ store up here,” Munkeby said. By giving part-time employees more hours
and hiring new employees, the business was able to increase to two and one-half fulltime equivalents. That brings the total number of employees to 16, including Bette and Ron. Bette said the mens’ store saved jobs at the store because otherwise they would have had to reduce their staff.
Munkeby said this move was prompted by the closing of Sherman Clothiers in May. “We just didn’t feel we could leave it go without a mens’ store here for the holiday season- or any season,” she said. “We decided we would go for it.”
Going for it meant traveling to a spring show in Las Vegas. But getting the fall line, which established stores already had purchased, was a little more tricky. Munkeby said they were able to join a buying cooperative and work with a buying office in New York to get the clothes on the shelves. Munkeby said she and her husband believe opening a mens’ department is part of giving customers what they want. “If we ( Valley City residents) have to travel elsewhere to do our shopping, it’s an inconvenience, and we really don’t want to become a bedroom community,” Munkeby said.
In the short time the mens’ department has been open, Munkeby has noticed a difference between men and women shoppers. She said men know what they want and there make buying decisions faster. But women are more willing to try new things, she said. The displays for the mens’ department come from the gift shop on the lower level of the store.
The store will soon carry formal wear, and in February it will be getting spring clothes.