Thursday, April 18, 2024
Ashley Inge
LOOKING BACK
Originally from Jacksboro, Ashley Inge is a 2018 Tarleton State University graduate. She wrote for the Stephenville Empire-Tribune for two years as a staff writer before joining the Hood County News team in October 2020.
Looking Back is a column that highlights former articles retrieved from local newspaper archives that were published in years past.
89 YEARS AGO
Aug. 5, 1932
Texas Gov. Ross Sterling spoke from the courthouse steps in Granbury. A crowd of about 400 residents assembled for the event. Sterling commented on the work of the Highway Commission, in restoring federal aid that had been withdrawn during the Ferguson Administration. At the time, Texas received $7,500,000 from the government for highways and bridges. In 1932, the state had enough bridges that if “placed end to end would reach 39-1/2 miles.”
56 YEARS AGO
Aug. 5, 1965
A bizarre front-page article in the Hood County News-Tablet reported that a “little green man, possibly from Mars” landed on the southeast corner of the courthouse square, with the message “take me to your leader” pinned to his chest. He was described as small, possibly 14 inches high and apparently came in a “space vehicle,” in which a “light burned most of the night.” The News-Tablet reported that a staff photographer “made” a picture of the visitor, but it didn’t get back from “the engravers” in time for the paper’s run. No other information was provided.
40 YEARS AGO
Aug. 6, 1981
Elvis Presley’s cousin, Duke Presley, performed for one night only at the Granbury Opera House, sponsored by the Hood County Sheriff’s Posse. Presley was said to present a “reincarnation” of his famous cousin’s music and stage performance.
21 YEARS AGO
Aug. 8, 2000
A man was stopped at the traffic light at the 377 bypass at Kroger supermarket when he felt something strange hit his forehead. He noticed paintball paint on the inside of his passenger side window and realized that someone had shot him in the head with a paintball through his driver side window, which was down at the time. “That could have put somebody’s eye out,” Granbury Police Chief Ron Berryman said.
14 YEARS AGO
Aug. 8, 2007
Mary Weigant and her dancing poodle Ditzah would frequent the Hood County Library, allowing children to witness Ditzah’s many tricks all while encouraging children to read. Weigant used to direct Ditzah in a “dancing” performance, after which she would read a book — most often about dogs — to the children. “If I can associate joy in a child with a book using Ditzah, then maybe that memory will stay with them,” Weigant said. “Maybe they will remember that it was fun, or they’ll just feel happy when they pick up a book because they saw Ditzah dance. That’s why we’re here.”
6 YEARS AGO
Aug. 8, 2015
Bystanders came to the rescue and may have saved the life of a Tolar man who was trapped in a burning Chevy Blazer after a four-vehicle collision. Fort Worth firefighter and Hood County resident Shane Harmon was driving one of the vehicles involved. Harmon and truck driver Clay Schellenberg of Denver extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived.
Harmon, Schellenberg and truck driver Stephen Beasley tried to get Dickie Snider, a Tolar resident, out of the vehicle. They “managed to get the driver’s door partially open using a pry bar, but Snider remained stuck until first responders used a metal-cutting device to get him out.” Snider was flown by air ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. His injuries at the time were not believed to be life-threatening.
