30 years ago

MARQUETTE — The official count of people preregistered for FinnFest USA ’96 has now passed the 4,000 mark. The benchmark comes just one month after the count had’ passed 3,000 –and still two months before the national ethnic festival set to take place in Marquette, from Aug. 7 to 11. The 4,000 pre-registrants have: Surpassed the final counts of registered participants for all but one of the previous 13 FinnFest USA festivals. Signed up for the “World’s Largest Sauna” in sufficient numbers to assure that a new record will be set. Bought enough tickets for the Gala Festival concert to fill one-third of the spacious Lakeview Arena. Bought up all the seats for two luncheon fashion shows, and all but about 30 seats each for the two afternoon coffee fashion shoes.

60 years ago

ISHPEMING — To commemorate Flag Day, the Ishpeming National Guard will fly a 70-year-old historical flag over its armory tomorrow. Containing 45 stars, the large silk colors mark the admission of the State of Utah to the Union in 1896. The flag was donated to the armory’s flag collection by Ralph P. Doto, an officer in the Guard unit.