April 5, 1956 — The controversial armory blending bond issue was voted for by a decisive 5-to-1 margin at Tuesday’s city election. The count was 660 for, 134 against. The results mean the City will go ahead with the purchase of $65,000 in bonds to finance the blending of the municipal building with a new armory to be constructed west of the municipal building.
April 8, 1966 — Only 171 electors went to the polls Tuesday to elect Dale D. Johnson, Sr. and Merrill Firebaugh, both unopposed candidates for the alderman jobs on the city council from Ward I and Ward II, respectively. Firebaugh, an incumbent, received all 30 votes cast in the west Second ward. Altogether he has served about eight years on the council. Bruce Kirkpatrick, who served several terms on the council as alderman-atlarge, received 29 write-in votes, and previous Ward I alderman Dick Kelley and Fred Mounter each got two write-in votes.
Obituaries: Mrs. Earl Kruse, John Rettmer, Fred Fischer
April 1, 1976 — The Milroy School Board has offered the superintendent’s job to a former high school principal in the northwestern Minnesota community of Twin Valley. Present Supt. M.R. (Rod) Gaffney. who is retiring June 30, said the man is completing advanced studies at North Dakota State University in Fargo. He has been offered the Milroy job, according to Gaffney, but has yet to give the school board a yes or no because of another job he is considering. The man is expected in Milroy on Sunday to meet with Gaffney and board members.
Obituaries: Mary Noethe, Anna Carlson, Mrs. Arthur Holmes, Julius Ingebretson, John Decker
April 9, 1986 — The Dickey-john corporation, the largest manufacturer of farm electronic equipment in the world, has signed a contract to market a device developed by Balaton farmer, Albion Yearous. The Auburn, IL, based-company plans to begin production of the portable taillight unit by Jan. 1. The contract could result in the establishment of a Dickeyjohn plant in either Balaton or Tracy. Ron Waibel, who has spearheaded the efforts of a Balaton group to market the Yearous device, said he believes there is a “75 percent chance” that a plant will be located in the area. Under this arrangement, a Dickey-john plant initially employing 1215 people would produce the hardward for the portable taillight. Another Dickey-john facility would produce the electronics.
Obituaries: Walter Nelson, Fredrick Petersen, Hazel Farber, Clara Maquire, Erland Setsvold, Sandra Kae Gifford
April 3, 1996 — “Great!” The response was short and upbeat when Darrel Janssen answered his telephone on Monday morning. The question was, “How does it feel to not have to go to work: this morning?’” Janssen was honored an open house reception at the Tracy post office on Friday afternoon. Postmaster John Schuch presented Janssen with a certificate of appreciation from Robert W. Fischer, U.S. Postal Service Northland District Manager for his 41 years of service to the U.S. government. Thirty-nine of those years were spent with the U.S. Postal Service. His career as a rural postal carrier began in Vienna, South Dakota. After 17 years in Vienna. He and his wife, Jan, and their three daughters moved to Tracy. Janssen became the Rural Route 2 postal carrier and later served Rural Route I.
Obituaries: Mildred Weinberg, Mary Ann Cameron, Oliver Nelson, Julius Binnebose, Merlyn Larsen
April 5, 2006 — Parents, students, and community members gave “teachers of the year” Nancy Jones and Chris Howard standing ovations at District 417’s annual education banquet Thursday. Jones is a sixth grade teacher at Tracy Elementary School. Howard is the high school industrial arts instructor and FFA advisor. Howard, who is leaving the school district this summer to farm near his hometown of Miller, SD, indicated that his decision to resign had been a difficult one. “It hasn’t been an easy year, knowing that this is going to be my last year,” Miller told the banquet crowd. Jones said later that she is grateful for the honor. “It’s wonderful to be able to work in a community with so many good families, good kids, and supportive staff members,” the elementary mentor said.
Obituaries: Germaine Lilligren, Meghen and Kaela VanDeWiele
April 6, 2016 — A new era has dawned in Tracy health care. Sanford Health is now the owner of the hospital and clinic facilities in Tracy. City of Tracy and Sanford Health leaders made the longplanned ownership transfer official Thursday. Mayor Steve Ferrazzano and Sanford Health Network President Jesse Tischer signed documents that make the Tracy medical campus the property of the Sanford Health. Tischer said that Sanford’s new ownership was a sign of Sanford’s commitment to the Tracy area and stressed that day-to-day clinic and hospital operations would be unaffected by the ownership change.
Obituaries: Robyn Johnson, Evelyn Kaufman, James Thompson, Brett Cooper
