(Editor’s note: Old News is a biweekly column featuring articles in The Spectator from the past. These are brief summaries of past articles.)

This week …

Twenty years ago – Feb. 8, 1999 Issue

‘Condom week promotes awareness’

Feb. 14 is commonly known as the holiday of love and affection. And in 1999, National Condom Week will kick off on the same day as the affectionate holiday and will continue through Feb. 21.

The idea came out of a men’s support center. The center would send out information about condoms and safer sex, Beth Jansen-Bonde, educator for Health Services, said.

Planned Parenthood of Eau Claire will be handing out free condoms during the week.

“Come into Planned Parenthood or stop by our booth at the Wellness Fair for free condoms,” Cheri Dubiel, Planned Parenthood’s public outreach coordinator, said.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin last year alone screened and tested 30,000 people for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, Dubiel said.

“This, like other awareness weeks, is a time for people to integrate the information learned from this week into their lifestyle choices,” Jansen-Bonde said. “If people are sexually active, they should be safer and keep that in mind at all times.”

Peer Health Educators is sponsoring a kissing booth on campus Thursday in preparation for National Condom Week.

Forty years ago – Feb. 8, 1979 Issue

(The following is an advertisement as seen in 1979)

‘Student Rental Headquarters’

$40 – Walk to U, Furnished, Garage

$65 – No lease, Spacious

$75 – Spacious, All Utilities Paid

$80 – Heat Paid, Furnished

Rental Directory

Call us on our Student Special!

Sixty years ago – Feb. 12, 1959

‘Queen of Hearts Dance Set Tonight’

A Queen of Hearts will be announced at Phi Sigma Epsilon’s annual Valentine Dance tonight at 8 p.m. in the college union. She will be presented with a bouquet of flowers and her portrait, and will run as the fraternity’s candidate in the Winter Carnival Queen contest.

“Chuck Mehls will play for the dance, and we are planning a special surprise during the evening,” reports Jim Watson, publicity chairman.

Fuerstenberg can be reached at [email protected].