Looking back...

10-20-40-100 YEARS AGO 100 YEARS AGO....

The flu pandemic would not loosen its grip on Rock-dale. The Reporter noted 14 members of a Forest Grove family had contacted the disease and one had already died.

A flu-stricken woman in Rockdale developed gangrene in one of her feet and an emergency operation in Cameron removed one leg just below the knee to save her life.

Rockdale’s Dixie Theater was re-opening under new owner Elmer Wade. The theater had closed in the summer of 1918 and its equipment was sold and hauled away in the fall.

A Rockdale Chamber of Commerce was organized with 75 members. President was E. A. Camp. Members adopted a “Chamber yell” to be used during public occasions.

FORTY YEARS AGO....

The Rockdale City Council was studying bids for a proposed new civic center, plus expansion of the city library, both to be funded from the estate of late Dr. George H. Patterson of Los Angeles.

Representatives of Alcoa were asking Milam County Commissioners to seek expertise in reappraisal work to reappraise all 23,000 parcels of land in the county.

Bill’s Dollar Store, in the 200 block of East Cameron (US 79) was robbed by a woman claiming to have gun. Seven minutes later police arrested a suspect across the street in front of Gaither Motor Company.

Perennial girls basketball Pflugerville defeated June Owen’s Rockdale’s Tigerettes in bi-district action, running the Pantherettes’ season mark to 34-1.

TWENTY YEARS AGO....

Faced with declining industrial values—a $30-million drop in Alcoa’s Rockdale Operations—and a state tax cap, Rockdale ISD trustees were looking to cut spending in the 1999-2000 school budget.

Door-to-door “tree trimmers,” operating a scam targeting elderly residents, had bilked three persons out of more than $2,000. One of the victims was a Rockdale resident.

Rockdale institutions were preparing contingencies to deal with possible consequence of the “Y2K bug,” theoretical problems which might result from Microsoft-based systems when 1999 rolled over into 2000.

A three-year-old boy died in a fire on a county road near Pettibone. The sheriff’s department said the boy was trapped in a back room.

Janet Havelka’s Lady Tiger cagers knocked off Palestine Westwood and Robinson and roared into regional action. Rockdale took a 24-7 record into regional.

TEN YEARS AGO....

Construction on the Sandow 5 Power Plant was termed 90-percent complete and there were still 950 workers on the job site. The unit was to open later in the year.

It was move-in day at Rockdale Junior-High School as a new 7,299-square foot wing extension was set to open. It was part of the school district’s bond issue which also provided for a new intermediate campus, expansion/renovation at the high school and a new RHS AG Shop.

Alcoa officials said between 60 and 85 jobs would remain, mostly at the atomizer and carbon plant—when smelter layoffs were complete at Rockdale Operations.

The No. 1-state ranked, 27-3, Thorndale Lady Bulldogs were set to begin the post-season against Iola.