125 Years

January 23, 1896

From present indications, Sidney will have a new opera house before next season. Although the matter is still in embryo, there is every reason to believe that the opera house will be built. Those interested in the matter expect to form a stock company and have already formulated plans to push the enterprise. The amount of money expected to be put in the building is $30,000. Among those reported interested are, J.C. Royon, H.T. Mathers, Dr. W.D. Snyder, H.C. Ayers, Henry Wagner, and John Steinle.

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The dance given at the armory last night by the Jolly Broom Makers was a grand success. A good time was had by all from the beginning of the grand march, which contained 72 couples, until the close of the home waltz. The music was furnished by the Sidney orchestra.

100 Years

January 23, 1921

The first exhibition given by the Shelby county Fancy Feather and Pet Association at the assembly room of the court house last week was a success in every way. More than 600 birds were shown at the exhibition. The grand award was won by William Woolley with bug wyandottes.

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Dr. A.R. Edwards was elected commander of the Anthony Sherman Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the charter meeting last evening. Cecil Webster was named vice commander; Frank Smith, junior vice commander; Louis Boyer, adjutant, and W.W. Masteller, quartermaster. The post has been named in honor of the first Shelby county boy to meet death on a foreign field in the World War.

75 Years

January 23, 1946

CIO employees of the Dayton Power and Light Co. today spurned a company proposal for a sliding wage increase and voted 412 to 13 to strike at midnight, Jan. 29, if a settlement is not worked out. Negotiations were continuing today at Dayton.

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Mrs. Stanley E. Young was elected president of the Von Bora society of St. John’s Lutheran church when members met yesterday. Mrs. C.C. Curtner was named vice president; Mrs. Robert Bertsch, treasurer; Miss Christine Heintz, secretary.

50 years

January 23, 1971

Two federal agencies continued a probe today into the crash of a twin-engine plane into a Sidney home early Sunday morning that took the life of a Michigan pilot.

Ralph W. Evans, 45 of Linden, Michigan, died in the wreckage of the Cessna 310 after it plowed through the front of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Linker at 618 Russell street about 12:10 a.m., Sunday.

The Linkers fled to safety out the front door as the ranch-style house was wracked by a series of explosions and fire that sent flames 30 to 40 feet in the air. Neither was injured.

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William F. Kingseed, 78, president of the Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association and a life-long resident of Sidney, died shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday in Wilson Memorial Hospital.

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Bruce R. Henke, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Henke, 411 East Pinehurst street, Sidney, is one of ten new undergraduate members inducted into the Miami University Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society. Mr. Henke is a junior at Miami University, Oxford.

25 Years

January 23, 1996

DETROIT (AP) – If thieves gave a car-of-the-year award, it would go to the Olds Cutlass Supreme.

For the fourth year in a row, it topped the list as the nation’s most stolen car.

In fact, Cutlasses captured the top three spots on the 1995 list compiled by CCC Information Services Inc. The 1986 Supreme was No. 1, the ’87 model second and the ’84 third.

The top 10 also included the 1994 Toyota Camry, the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice and five Honda Accords.