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

30 years ago

CALUMET — The sight of a bear on the loose would be enough to send most people scurrying in the other direction. But a group of bold children last week turned the tables on a hungry young bruin that wandered into town near the Park Avenue Housing Complex. They chased the bear up a tree. “We’ve had many reports this summer about bears being in the village,” police officer Donna Beels said Wednesday. “It’s become a real problem.” Beels said the bear chased up the tree was “probably about a year old.” The Department of Natural Resources was called in, but the bear left on its own.

60 years ago

ISHPEMING — Some interior remodeling is under way at the J.C. Penney Co. store in Ishpeming as part of a nation-wide store modernization program designed to speed customer service on pre-packaged items. The remodeling, which mainly concerns construction of five central wrapping stations in the store and involves counter rearrangement, will be completed by Wednesday of next week, William H. McLaughlin, store manager, said today. To affect the changeover to the new system, however, the store will be closed all day Aug. 29. The new J.C. Penney system, according to store officials, has evolved from the increasing popularity of pre-packaged merchandise and consumer buying habit changes which have made self-selection very popular. The new checkout system, denominated “plus service” by the Penney organization, will mean that self-service is available to customers, as well as the services of the traditional Penney Co. sales staff. McLaughlin noted that there will be no change in the number of store personnel as a result of the new store layout and adoption of “plus service,” and that sales people will continue to offer customer service and to advise on items that demand special sales attention. “The new service,” McLaughlin said, “is expected to make shopping more convenient and faster for customers who may be in a hurry, while increasing personal service for those who prefer the more traditional way of shopping.”