January 18, 1946

• A fire alarm which was sounded Thursday afternoon of last week sent firemen and others to Erich Ernsting’s electrical store, where black smoke was pouring out of the front door. A container of wax which had been placed on a stove “went haywire” and caught fire, sending up heavy smoke, smudging the walls and charring some woodwork. Quick action stopped the blaze before material damage was done.

• One of the Mail’s good friends called the office Tuesday morning deploring the lack of care by some persons of horses during the winter weather and suggested that a humane society should be organized and such cases investigated by that body.

• Royal Harmon, who served in the army for 38 months, was a business caller at the Mail office Monday afternoon to renew his subscription and to report that while he was on Okinawa, he got exceptionally good mail service. He stated that The Mail, through first-class postage, often reached him in eight to 12 days.

January 21, 1971

• The Corn-Hog Short Course presented last week in Rock Port was attended by 32 Atchison County farmers. A variety of swine subjects were discussed at the new Atchison County Extension Center. Leading the discussion were Ambrose Winn, area agronomist; Bill Wedekind, area farm management specialist; Don Mobley, area livestock specialist; and Bob Chapple, area farm mechanization specialist.

• French students at Rock Port High School have turned to Home Economics, at least they did on January 11. That evening, 14 sat down to a scrumptious French banquet which included French onion soup, tossed salad with Vinaigrett au Sucre dressing, les petites pois (peas), Coquavin, La Buche de Noel or Yule Log Cake and French hot chocolate.

•The Rock Port Country Club held their annual meeting January 16. Virgil Watts was elected president, replacing Bill Corken. Robert Phelps and Bill Corken were newly appointed to the board of directors and will serve with Bruce Gibbs and Marion Kline in that capacity.

January 18, 1996

• Sunday, January 14, was a big night at the Paramount Theatre in Rock Port as “Toy Story” played to a capacity crowd. Patronage was so high that owner Jeff Pettepier had to tell more than a dozen disappointed parents and children that the theater was full. As a gesture of goodwill, he announced that he would show the movie again the next night, even though the theater has been closed on Mondays for some time now.

• Bank Midwest recently donated $344 to the Atchison County Visual Correction Fund through its employees’ Casual for a Cause Day. The Rock Port branch chose to support the visual correction fund. Employees donated $172. Bank Midwest then matched the money raised.