75 years ago
February 18, 1944
An all-time minimum record for forest fire damage in Grays Harbor county was set in 1943, with only 37 fires burning a total of 262 acres, State District Fire Warden O.D. Wedekind announced today.
“Grays Harbor’s worst forest fire year was in 1938, when 122-fires burned 17,940 acres, destroying timber lands, reforestation cut over and upland grazing areas,” he said.
Cause of fires during 1943 were: 14 incendiary; 12, smokers; five logging; two, hunters; three, miscellaneous; one, dwelling burned setting fire to surrounding woods.
50 years ago
February 18, 1969
The monthly premium older people pay for the voluntary medical insurance part of Medicare will remain at the present $4 for the period July 1969 through June, 1970, Arthur Kalkwarf, Aberdeen Social Security district manager, noted today.
The premium covers half the cost of protection that helps pay doctors’ and surgeons’ bills and a variety of other health care expenses. The other half is paid out of Federal general revenues.
Of the population 65 and older, 95 per cent are not enrolled in the supplementary medical insurance program, up from the 91 per cent enrolled when the Medicare program began in on July 1, 1966.
25 years ago
February 18, 1994
A new, $3½ million hotel at Ocean Shores doesn’t offer just a room with a view — every room has a panorama of the Pacific.
The Lighthouse Suites Inn, a Best Western franchise and the first hotel in nearly a decade to be built on the North Beach, opened today in time for the long Presidents’ Day weekend.
Every room is booked, the Portland-based owners reported on a tour on the building Thursday. The building, located at the end of Damon Road on the last buildable parcel with direct beach access, pulsed with last-minute fervor Thursday as construction workers completed their tasks amid employees trying to set up for a grand opening reception.
Rooms rent for $87 to $157, with the average price $107 for a king or double-queen suite. Every room has a fireplace, microwave, coffeemaker, refrigerator and television with tape player.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
