Fall arrives in Fraser
By Norma Brand
The fall season is here and our temperatures in Fraser have started to cool off. The farmers have started seeding next year’s winter wheat crop. Rain is forecasted for this area during the week, the moisture would give the newly seeded fields the right conditions for germination. Another farming season has begun.
Steve Brand has been following the progress of the Verizon fiber optic installation. The last connection on the route from Uniontown, WA to Weippe was in the vault on Lower Ford’s Creek Road, just south of the Brand’s driveway. On Monday, Steve spoke with John Taylor, an employee of Verizon. John’s job is to splice this last connection then to help complete the final connection in the Weippe central office.
Donna and Danny Brown drove to Pendleton, OR to attend the bull-riding exhibition at the rodeo, on Friday, Sept. 11. Their daughter Danette McIntosh and her husband Josh and their daughters, Grace and Lydia arrived in Pendleton the same day. They visited with Danny’s brother Neal and his wife Sherry between rodeo events. On Wednesday they drove to Nampa to spend time with Danette’s family, and then returned to Fraser on Saturday.
The Browns attended the 4-H animal auction on Saturday afternoon and won the bid for two swine. The second swine was purchased in memory of Donna’s brother, Lyle Thornton, who supported the Clearwater County 4-H program for many years. Austin Hengen, a 4-H member from Orofino raised this animal. There were 68 animals for auction this year. What a big responsibility it is to raise an animal for this program. Congratulations to all the 4-H members for their efforts.
Cory and Michele Brown joined family members at the Pendleton Rodeo on Monday, Sept. 14, they returned to Fraser on Wednesday.
Marie Green reported she received a telephone call from her son Steve last week. He had spoken with his Aunt Elvita Judd and heard about the death of Dorothy Smolinski Delaney. Dorothy was the daughter of Elvita’s sister Francis. The Green family moved to Fraser from Nebraska during the depression. Dorothy’s mother and father worked at the Schmidt’s mill and she attended high school in Weippe. At the time of her death she was living in California. How many of you remember Dorothy and her family? Our condolences go out to the family.
We hope you read your Clearwater Tribune on Thursday, Oct. 1 before the Duke Day celebration takes place. The gala celebration will commemorate the legacy of Weippe founder, Wellington “The Duke” Landon. On December 30, 1892 Landon founded the city when he filed a platting for Weippe Town Site on the land he had homesteaded. The celebration will start at the Weippe Cemetery at 4 p.m. An open house will follow at the Heritage Museum in Weippe. Refreshments will be served. Come and join the fun. For more information contact Mike Green at 208-435-4427.
Ronatta’s Cakery has opened at 221 Main Street in Orofino. She serves pastries, old fashion do-nuts and specialty cakes. The store is right next door to the Orofino Flower Shop; their decorations extend all the way to the Cakery. Not only do you get to enjoy the taste of the goodies, but also, you have a pleasant pathway to the door. Stop in the next time you are in town. For more information call 208-476-4400.
The Old Fraser School (now the Fraser Community Club) served as the meeting place for the September meeting of P.E.O. Chapter CD. Donna Stickney and Norma Brand were the hostesses for this meeting. After the meeting, Donna Stickney gave the program on the history of the Fraser School, which opened in September of 1904. Classes were held there until the fall of 1945. That was the year Fraser School was consolidated with Cottonwood School. In January of 1946 the Fraser Grange moved into the building, they took over the responsibilities of the building until 1999 when it became the Fraser Community Center.
Mark and Karen Fowler drove to Winchester after church on Sunday, Sept. 13. They visited with Randy and Joan Tiede who were written up in the August issue of the Clearwater Power magazine “The Ruralight”. Mark grew up in Winchester, it turned out the family had been friends with the Tiede’s. During the afternoon they rode on the 1946 John Deere combine that was pulled by a 1937 Caterpillar RD6. Karen enjoyed the taste of the freshly combined wheat.
Norma visited with Janet and Pete Kingen on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Janet is feeling better and Pete had just completed cleaning the cattails out of the pond just south of their house. The black birds that live and nest in the pond have been a problem for his garden this year. They have eaten on the ears of sweet corn and enjoyed the fruit in the orchard. Pete doesn’t mind sharing the bounty of the garden with his friends but he does have a problem with the birds helping themselves.
E-mail was received from Robin Marquiss with the subject “the northern Vanderpool sister”. She says “I was reading Norma’s Fraser News and noticed the bit about the Vanderpool family reunion. I am Robin Vanderpool-Marquiss and couldn’t be there that weekend. My two best friends since too long ago to admit, Adele Piriano and Brenda Bies-Meadows, flew here to Fairbanks, Alaska to surprise me for my birthday. We spent a wonderful weekend together, and it made it easier that I couldn’t attend the party at Monte & Colleens.”
A late happy birthday to Ruth McHone on Sept. 27 and to Jonathan Walker on Sept. 30.
Happy birthday to Janet Kingen on Oct. 1.
Happy birthday to Mike McHone on Oct. 3.
Happy birthday to Peggy Ball on Oct. 6.