20 YEARS AGO
Tallahassee Community College’s Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy (PTLEA) requested annexation into Midway. Academy Director and TCC Assistant Vice President Jim Murdaugh addressed the Midway council saying the academy was finding itself identifying more with Midway than Havana, whose address it shared although ten miles away from that town. “We feel we can contribute much to Midway’s economically.”
Cook Brothers, Inc., the firm building the new county library in Quincy, donated over $27,000 in excess funds back to the county. Part of that money went toward furnishings for the new facility, which was opening in the spring, according to Library Director Jane Mock.
30 YEARS AGO
Other than busted water pipes and a few power failures there were no reports of serious damage in the county after frigid weather passed through the area. The official low temperature was 16 degrees but reports received at the Havana Herald from area residents ranged from 10 to 17 degrees.
In a compromise move to get past the issue of grading private roads, county commissioners voted 4-1 to raise the fee paid by residents from $50 an hour to $90 an hour. Commissioner Sterling Watson felt the county was subsidizing private property owners while Commissioner Hentz Fletcher felt the $50 rate was sufficient.
40 YEARS AGO
The Rev. Jesse Jackson was in Quincy at Shanks High School to speak to approximately 1,100 Gadsden County school students. He spoke about the evils of drug use and sexual promiscuity and urged students to get a good education.
With new DEP regulations taking effect in 1986 mandating 10 monitoring wells at landfill sites, both the soon-to-open Chattahoochee landfill and the existing Havana landfill were in jeopardy of being closed by the state. Each facility had only three monitoring wells.
50 YEARS AGO
R.L. Massey, General Chairman, said the Gadsden County Chapter of the American Red Cross Fund Drive would begin the week of March 1st. He said the chapter had a goal of $13,800 that must be met to continue services in the county.
Fert R. Richardson, of Havana, a senior sociology major at Florida A&M University, was selected for induction into “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges”.
60 YEARS AGO
The Gadsden County Alumni Club of the University of Florida met at Kittrell’s Restaurant in Quincy, Hal Davis reported. The Hon. Stephen C. O’Connell, justice of the Florida Supreme Court and president-elect of the Alumni Association, was the guest speaker.
Travis J. Ouzts, Jr., a 35-year-old principal at Troup High School, LaGrange, GA, entered a contract with the school board to be supervising principal of the Quincy Public Schools, replacing James A. Shanks who held the position since 1934.
70 YEARS AGO
Fire completely destroyed the old Faircloth store in Hinson, fireman Ladd Maxwell reported. The store, owned by Mr. R.H. Hurst of Darsey Crossing, was engulfed when discovered. The stock and the building were both partially covered by insurance.
Two water extension projects were authorized by the Havana Town Council to Planter’s subdivision and Butler subdivision. The $5,000 project included fire hydrants near the homes of E.N. Bass, Dr. Adrian L. Wright, and R.C. Harbin.
