EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

SAWYER AIR FORCE BASE — Increased security has kept Sawyer Air Force Base personnel alert since the outbreak of war in the Persian Gulf a week ago, but a surprisingly quiet town sits just minutes away.

Forsyth Township Supervisor Evelyn Valente-Heikkila says she hasn’t been contacted for extra police help for increased security and hasn’t noticed any changes. Kenny Ketola, a bartender at the Family Tavern in Gwinn, said he hasn’t heard or seen anything unusual about security in the area, and that no one seems concerned about it. Paul St. Andre, owner of the Hide-Away bar in Gwinn, agreed things are pretty much business as usual.

That sense of security in town hasn’t kept Sawyer personnel from checking the identification of every person who enters the base.

The 100 percent identification checks are part of increased security measures resulting from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s threats to send terrorists against military, industrial and commercial targets within the United States. “I can tell you that every occupant of a vehicle must have a valid identification,” said Staff Sgt. Steve Smith. “We do have tight control.”

Smith said he couldn’t confirm whether base security has ever been this tight, but anytime there is a world crisis, security is a prime concern.

60 years ago

ISHPEMING — It was the coldest weekend of the winter Saturday and Sunday in Ishpeming. The temperature got down to 14 below zero both nights. Yesterday’s high was two above zero.

Fourteen miles to the west, at Van Riper State Park on Lake Michigamme, the reading was 23 below zero, and the high yesterday was three above.

There are 10 inches of snow on the ground here at the hard ore location, according to the records section of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. The low here Friday night was eight below. It was 13 below at 8 a.m. Sunday.

At the Negaunee sewage disposal plant, where readings are taken from an accurate but unofficial thermometer, lows recorded the last three days include 21 below Saturday morning, 20 below early Sunday and 19 below this morning.