LOOKING BACK From our archives; compiled by Howard Stitt

10 Years Ago Dec. 13, 2012 Friends and family have done what they can to help the Kidwell family of Loomis as Susan Kidwell battled melanoma. Expenses for treatment have taken a financial toll on the family. Friends and members of the First United Methodist Church of Loomis have delivered meals to the Kidwells. A close friend, Cindy Saldano, made and sold sports water bottles and set up a website where donations could be made. Danny Saldano made an electronic shadowbox featuring a running slideshow of Kidwell family photos. The Del Oro High School leadership class, led by junior Courtney Cline, organized a talent show with ticket sales benefiting the family. Susan's husband, Alan said, "The people in this town are amazing." The Mclaughlin Theatre Company in Loomis presents "The Grinch." Among the cast members are Valerie Brown, Jack Galloway, Mykenzie Evans, Eric Livezey, Elaina Hanson and Sasha Brown. Jan Struble of the Struble Mandarin Ranch puts finishing touches on a barn quilt to be displayed during the Mountain Mandarin Growers Association's "Orchard Days." The Struble Ranch is located off of Dick Cook Road in Loomis. Baby Eliana Somers, daughter of Del Oro High School art teacher Rory Somers, was not sure who she was staring at as she sat on Santa's lap at the Flower Farm Cafe. Youngsters Yana and Phillip Seminov, along with Denis and Anika Lakeev, use their lemonade stand to raise money to help children in Africa. Nancy and Rich Colwell of Penryn create gourmet award-winning mandarin- and Meyer lemon-flavored olive oils using fruit from their Thundering Herd orchard. Three generations of the Colwell family help in the orchards. The company name came about one Saturday morning when all five children jumped on their parents' bed. "I looked at Nancy and said, "What is this, a thundering herd." Those five kids, who helped clear the land, plant the trees, do the mowing and picking by hand, continue to be an integral part of the business," Rich Colwell said. The children, all Del Oro High School graduates like their parents, are Katinka, Michael, Suzy, Nancy and Kristin. The Colwells use a balsamic vinegar imported from Italy to complement their oils and found a Napa chocolatier to produce gourmet orange liqueur and cabernet chocolate sauces. 25 Years Ago Dec. 18, 1997 Russell Gruver, 95, died in the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Gene and Doris Gruver of Loomis. Russell Gruver had a deep sense of attachment for the small town of his youth, Clermont, Iowa. Del Oro High School student Katrina Leupp was in charge of a canned food drive to benefit the Loomis Basin Christmas Basket program. The food drive was sponsored by the Student Government, led by Student Body President Sherri Bender. Sierra College Board of Trustee members James Bush of Roseville and Barbara Vineyard of Lincoln voted to continue the operation of the dorms at the college. An annual fundraising event for the Loomis Community Nursery School is the "Children's Christmas Store." Among the preschoolers choosing presents in the store are Kelly Clifford, Sheila Brown and Allison Clifford. Sabrina Cole Higby of Loomis was honored by Sierra College for academic excellence during the 1997 Accounting Awards Banquet. Local fire districts used the razing of an old house as a training exercise. The house was owned by David Rosenaur on his Turtle Island site in Loomis. The Turtle Island project manager, Karen Fox, said it was determined that the house had no significant architectural features. The home team Golden Eagles won the Del Oro Invitational Basketball Tournament with Kent Keller, Mike Dominguez and Donovan Nimmo making the All-Tournament team. Cindy Paulsen and Jack Pschelkin collected donations for the Del Oro High School FFA program to be used to help a family in need living in the area. Enjoying their meal during the Loomis Congregational Church's annual pancake breakfast included Marge Crossley, Louise Black, Evelyn and Richard Hubbard, and the Owen family, David, Susan, Loralyn and Deanna. Loomis Lions Club President John Winger honored two members, Skip Anderson and Jim Makimoto, who received 20- and 25-year membership pins. Also honored was Ed Bonner for his work as past president. Two new members were Jim Struble and Ed Horton. 50 Years Ago Dec. 21, 1972 Masonic services were conducted for Linton Ross Bradley, a veteran of World War I and a member of the Richard W. Townsend Post of the American Legion. A Sacramento native, Bradley lived in Penryn until 1939 when he was transferred to Hayward by the State Department of Employment. He lived in Newcastle for the past four years. Bradley was a member of Penrhyn Lodge No. 258 F.&A.M., Delta Chapter No. 27 Royal Arch Masons of Auburn and Scottish Rite Temple of Sacramento. Airman 1st Class Ernest Sakamoto, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cosma Sakamoto of Loomis and a 1968 Del Oro High School graduate, was honored as Outstanding Airman in his unit at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. Newcastle barber Willie Slade, also known as Admiral Slade, is the author of much publicized bumper stickers such as Save Ophir Prison, Foothill Area Rapid Transit, Newcastle Deep Water Port, Save the Pupfish, and Resume Hydraulic Mining. Rocklin Chambermaid Connie Gayaldo signs up young Chamberettes Susan Olson, Kim Carl and Toni Blanton as part of the new "youth division" of the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce. A lawsuit to halt the Auburn Dam was filed by the Natural Resource Defense Council, Save the American River Association and the Environmental Defense Fund. Millie Rasmussen hosted the Loomis Grange Committee on Women's Activities and served a delicious cherry pie. As a result of many state and national awards, the Del Oro High School Band has been invited to the 1973 International Band Festival in Vienna, Austria. Band members are working to raise the $141,000 necessary for the whole band to make the trip. Del Oro defeated the Folsom basketball team 59-51 in Oakmont's first annual Christmas Classic. The Golden Eagles were led by Miles Weber, Randy Jeffrey, Vance Thomas and Terry Smith. Cattle and sheep head tax forms were mailed by the office of Placer County Assessor Frank Chilton, Jr. Severe penalties are imposed if these returns are not filed timely, Also, people owning race horses must file a property return. A race horse, according to Chilton, means each live horse that is or will be eligible to participate in or produce foals which will be eligible to participate in a horseracing contest in California. 75 Years Ago June 1947 Services were held for Charles F. Fobes, a native of this area. He moved from Loomis about eight years ago to live in Petaluma. He was a cousin of Charles Woodworth of Loomis. Albert Pilliard, a local boy, went back into the Army and is attending Radio School in New Jersey. Juvenile authorities are concerned that gangster movies contribute to some degree the crime involving youngsters. Gangster movies also give citizens in other countries a distorted view of the U.S. Ingrid Bergman, First Lady of Moviedom, said, "When I first came to America, I had my child with me. I was sure she would be kidnapped by gangsters the minute I let her out of my sight." Fire broke out at Cal-Ida Lumber Company, a new business near Auburn. It destroyed about 6 million feet of piled lumber. Fire trucks were brought in from outlying districts, including Loomis and McClellan Field. One local volunteer firefighter, Merl Coburn, said the Loomis truck was close to the action, due to the fact it was able to draw water directly from a nearby irrigation canal. Using a Loomis school bus driven by Mrs. Elsie Briscoe, over 40 local residents were driven to Auburn to take swimming lessons sponsored by DeWitt General Hospital. For sale at Ward & Sons Market in Rocklin - a 1930 Nash 4-door Sedan A-1 condition… $265. Phone 26-J. Offered at Shupe's Market in Loomis - HI HO Crackers, 23 cents for a 1 lb. pkg. (Standing Guard-oral histories) By now, many local families who had spent years living in internment camps around the country are starting anew. The Kageta family, for example, needed to purchase items for their home as everything they stored at the Methodist Church in Loomis during the war was gone.