Time Machine Trip to July 1988

By Lyle Hansen

July 6, 1988

Movie and TV actor Leslie Niesen visited here with Ken Vils, former Kaukaunan and retired Los Angeles Police officer. Vils works as a movie stand-in for Nielsen while movies scenes are prepared. The Vils family is having a reunion and Leslie Nielsen attended with his friend Ken Vils.

The effects of the summer’s dry weather will be felt not only by farmers but also by the general public and one of the first of those effects will be bigger electric bill. Power demand by greater use of air conditions, fans and hard-working refrigerators are a large part of the demand. Lack of rain has lowered the river and reduced the output of electricity by the Kaukauna Utility.

Citing pre-trial publicity Outagamie County Circuit Court judge ruled that the trial of a former Kaukauna man will be held before a jury from outside the county. Vincent Fisher, 40, is accused of second degree murder in the March death of six-year-old Jessica Miller.

Johnathan Dresang wears the blue T-shirt he received from Walton County, Florida, the finder of the helium filled balloon that he released at the Bethany Church Vacation Bible School on June 10. The balloon was found by Mr. Dan Cox the day following the release.

July 8, 1988

Kaukauna’s Post Office will move to its new Northside location on Friday, July 15 according to Postmaster William Schriver. The curbside collection boxes to the rear of the present post office will also be moved on Friday.

Kaukauna’s City Attorney along with eight other Kaukauna residents and VandenBroek residents will begin meeting to determine the likelihood of having a greyhound racing track on the Northside. The track is proposed to be built on a one-hundred-acre farm on which Delaware North Company has taken out an option.

July 14, 1988

Tom Hultman, 22, has been selected from numerous applicants to become the new sports editor for The Kaukauna Times. He will take over for Mike Bates, who has been the sports editor at the Times since 1980.

July 21, 1988

In front of the largest Thursday night crowd in three years, Green Bay’s Scott Hansen blasted to his eight late model feature victory of the season at the Wisconsin International Raceway south of Kaukauna. The 5280 fans were treated to a stirring demonstration of the Budweiser Clydesdales during intermission.

July 26, 1988

Ron VanderVelden helped coordinate the 10^th annual Kaukauna High School Wilderness Trip to the Canadian Quetico this past spring. He said the 43 KHS youths who attended the 10-day trip are convinced that they witnessed a change in themselves. The trip consists of camping, rafting and mountain climbing along with basic wilderness skills.

July 28, 1988

The names were announced, and Jennifer Schwalenberg was smiling. Even though it was probably one of the toughest smiles she every had to give. Kaukauna’s Schwalenberg who was named Miss Wisconsin Teen-USA last fall competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant Monday in San Bernadine, California. Although she appeared to score highly in the event she was not among the ten named as semifinalists. Dick Clark hosted the show and was televised nationally and in 25 countries.

A Concorde supersonic jetliner from Europe and a B-1B bomber from the land of secrecy are confirmed for the weekend’s opening of Oshkosh “88, the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual aerial extravaganza for the next ten days in Oshkosh.

The streets close, the merchandise comes out of the stores, the sales abound. It’s Sidewalk Sale Day in Kaukauna. The 26^th annual event will take over parts of Wisconsin Avenue and Second Street in Kaukauna today.

Plenty of tickets for the initial Green Bay Packer game under first year Head Coach Lindy Infante are still available at Looks Drug Store in Kaukauna. The Bishop’s Charities Game on August 6 will be between the Packers and the New York Giants Tickets are available at $14 and $17 apiece. 

Volunteer of the year honors from Kaukauna Kiwanis went to Roy Vande Yacht, second from the right front row. Kiwanis President Dick Sauer 2^nd from left presented the award as Harold Kahler, left and Bruce Werschem looked on. Vande Yacht is a long time Kaukauna Community Hospital volunteer. Kiwanis members in the back are Robert King, Les Abel, Bob Knapp, Ken Pawlak, Dennis Kickland and William Rammer.