100 years ago – April 12, 1923
Fitch Mountain Tavern Season to Open
Fitch Mountain Tavern will open for the summer season on May 1, according to an announcement by A. M. Ewing.
Numerous improvements have been made at the resort, situated a mile up Fitch Mountain Road, among these being included the automobile camp, which will be opened for the first time this year.
Mr. Ewing states that he has had numerous inquiries concerning accommodations already, and looks for a big season.
75 years ago – April 9, 1948
Healdsburg Police to Enforce Commercial Lighting Use
At the last regular meeting of the Healdsburg City Council for the present term of office, councilmen heard Tom Ludcke, local manager of the P. G. & E. Company, discuss the laxity of power use by Healdsburg merchants.
Appealing to the council to act on the infraction of power use, principally in the use of electricity for sign lighting purposes by local merchants, Ludcke detailed that signs were not to exceed 75 watts. Ludcke maintained that neon signs were lighted throughout the day and that almost every bar in town is well lighted at night with neon signs.
He mentioned that in Cloverdale and Santa Rosa all lights were turned down to a minimum. The city of Ukiah, a municipally owned system similar to our own, Ludcke continued, has adopted an ordinance for the curtailment of electricity patrolled by the local police force.
The council placed the matter in the hands of the police department with instructions to persuade rather than arbitrarily enforce the use of electrical power, unless later enforcement was deemed necessary.
50 years ago – April 12, 1973
Worldwide Industry Buys Sunsweet Plant
The most significant industrial news to hit Healdsburg in a decade was received by the Tribune early Wednesday morning. Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corp. has made it official: It has purchased the Sunsweet plant and will use it to produce silicon materials, the basic element used for the company’s semiconductor manufacturing operations.
Silicon is used in integrated circuits and other solid state electronic components for computers, scientific instruments, aerospace equipment and a wide range of consumer products. Reportedly large amounts of electricity and water are needed in the silicon manufacturing process. The City Council has given the sale its blessing and has extended cooperation to provide the necessary water and utility services needed by the company.
Initial employment will be 25-50 persons with gradual expansion to a maximum work force of 400 over the next three years, according to Charles H. Smith, general manager of central operations for Fairchild.
