Here are some newspaper stories published this week in years past.

Deals and watermelon draw shoppers to downtown

By Rebecca Anderson

A steady stream of shoppers toured downtown Chico on Saturday to munch on 2,000 pounds of free watermelon that left the street sticky underneath fruit-slicers’ feet.

Katrina Davis, executive director of the Downtown Chico Business Association, said constant crowds on downtown streets rivaled any she’s seen at Slice of Chico, one of two sidewalk sales held downtown each year.

Chico police officers who toured the scene on patrol bicycles estimated at 2 p.m. that 2,000 people at a time tooled through downtown streets from the sale’s start at 9 a.m.

“It’s one of our biggest (selling) days of the year,” said Debbie LaPlant, owner of clothing store Beach It.

“We’ve got swimsuits for $10 today, and great surf posters,” she said. “It’s a great day for us to kind of showcase the store.

“But in addition to the sales, it’s great to have the community come out. You run into a lot of friends downtown. The community atmosphere is what really makes this event.”

For Bob Malowney, owner of downtown shop Bird in Hand and one of DCBA’s original members, the sale was a sign that the “traditional marketplace,” with face-to-face contact with local merchants, survives in Chico.

“It’s a part of old Chico that comes around and says, ‘We’re not ready to let that go,’” he said. “It’s a tribute to the people of Chico.” …

— Enterprise-Record, July 16, 2000

CARD Renames Pool to Honor Longtime Civic Leader Shapiro

The Chico Area Recreation District (CARD) swimming pool at Chico Junior High School was renamed last night to the S.E. “Chick” Shapiro Pool.

CARD directors approved the redesignation unanimously in honor of Shapiro, longtime Chico civic leader, businessman and member of the original Chico Recreation Commission, which was the forerunner of CARD. Shapiro died Dec. 28, 1973, at age 64. …

On hand for the tribute … were Mrs. Shapiro and William H. “Old Hutch” Hutchinson, who led the delegation proposing the renaming along with former Chico mayors Gordon Casamajor, Ross Lawler and Harry McGowan.

Mrs. Shapiro presented CARD board Chairman Eddie Booth with a $418 check to cover the cost of an 18-by-28-inch plaque to be installed at the pool.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she presented the check. “I would say more but I’m getting kind of choked up.”

Shapiro came to Chico in 1939 as a wine company representative, later bought a real estate firm, then owned the Chico Hearing Aid Center.

He was elected to the Chico City Schools System board in 1954 and served until 1962 when he resigned. He also served on the Butte County Board of Education and was a member of the Chico Planning Commission at the time of his death.

His long list of civic involvement also included such positions as chairman of the Butte County Democratic Central Committee, county Grand Jury member, candidate for the state senate, and member of the Selective Service Board. He was a former water safety director for the Red Cross.

He held membership in the Rotary Club, Elks Lodge, the Lassen Ski Patrol, the Congregation Beth Israel and others, and conducted many funding campaigns for youth organizations and charitable groups.

— Enterprise-Record, July 11, 1975

150 Listed as 1-A on Butte Draft Records

OROVILLE — Members of Selective Service Local Board 11 met here yesterday and reclassified about 150 Butte County men into the 1-A classification, according to draft authorities.

Although no official quota has been received locally, it is anticipated by draft officials that the county’s quota will be either two or three men in the first draft. The state’s quota among the 20,000 men needed in the initial call has been set at 1,200 men.

It was announced in Sacramento this week by Col. Kenneth I. Leitch, state draft director, that draft offices will be reopened in Willows, Red Bluff and Colusa, as well as other places throughout the state. No official word has been received about opening of a draft office in Chico.

Address changes and registration for the draft can be made at the city halls in Chico and Gridley, at the post office in Paradise, and at draft headquarters in Oroville.

— Enterprise-Record, July 13, 1950

A.N. Scott Completes 25th Year With Postoffice; Traces Growth

A.N. Scott, assistant postmaster in the Chico postoffice, who on July 1 of this year concluded his 25th year of service in the department, this morning related many interesting changes heh as noted in the system since he first became identified with the office in 1900.

The postoffice at that time was in the building now occupied by the Golden Poppy confectionery store on Second street. … A robbery of the postoffice one night early in 1900, led to the appointment of Scott as night clerk more as a matter of protecting the mail than as supplying additional help in the routine work of the office.

Scott, who is as quiet and unassuming as he is efficient, calmly remarked this morning with a suspicious twinkle in his eyes, that there had never been a robbery of the postoffice in Chico after his appointment.

The postoffice was next moved to the building occupied at the present time by the Clark Hardware company, and then to its present location in the Federal building.

ANNUAL RECEIPTS SHOW GROWTH

The annual receipts have grown, Scott said, from something like $8000 in 1900 to more than $60,000 at the present time.

Scott showed figures … which were indicative of the growth of the receipts of the last local postoffice during the past five years.

In 1920 the total receipts were $53,984; in 1921, $53,526; in 1922, $55,530; in 1923, $58,900; in 1924, $57,687, and in 1925, $60,292.96. …

HAS FILLED ALL PLACES IN OFFICE

After filling practically every position inside the postoffice, Scott was made assistant postmaster in April, 1919, though he had been acting assistant for some time previous.

One of the more marked changes which Scott recalled this morning is in the manner in which registered mail is handled. Formerly three card forms had to be filled out by the sending office and then each registered letter had to be sealed in a separate registry envelope and addressed to the receiving office.

This involved a great deal of time and labor, Scott said, and often actually caused unnecessary delay. Nowadays, all three card forms have been abolished and registered letters are numbered and entered on a sheet, a copy of which is sent to the receiving office. All registers going to one office are now sealed in a jacket prepared for the purpose and forwarded with the enumeration sheet.

MAIL ROBBERIES SHOW DECREASE

Speaking of mail robberies, Scott stated that following the issue of trench shotguns and .454 caliber army revolvers to the postoffices throughout the United States, robberies had decreased 75 per cent in the number in the first year. …

— Enterprise-Record, July 17, 1925

Again Thrown Out

Wm. Thomas, who a few weeks ago suffered severe injury in a runaway accident, was this morning thrown from his buggy by a skittish horse, and though not seriously hurt, was considerably bruised, Mr. Thomas and brother were driving up Fifth street, and when at the corner of Salem, their buggy horse shied sharply and collided with a tree, tearing himself loose from the buggy, and throwing Mr. Thomas heavily to the ground. After getting loose the animal ran to the Barnard stables.

Mr. Thomas states that he will now sell some of his fractious horses.

— Chico Enterprise Weekly, July 13, 1900

Philadelphia Lager

As an evidence of the favor in which this celebrated lager is held, it is only necessary to state that Mr. E. Rose, agent, has sold during the present month about two hundred and fifty (cases) of the same.

COLD LAGER

Gardner, mine host of the Junction Hotel, has contrived an arrangement for keeping lager cool during this warm weather that answers the purpose admirably. The keg is kept in the cellar, and the pipe from it is passed through the ice chest, being cooled several times during its passage. The lager “tunnels in the coils,” and when drawn from the fountain, is of course ice cold.

— The Weekly Butte Record, July 17, 1875