(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 in…

1950 – Thursday, Nov. 2 Issue

‘Former Mussolini Aide Speaks at Initial Forum’

Lisa Sergio spoke to in the first of the Chippewa Valley Forum series on Oct. 23. Sergio has received wide acclaim as an interpreter of events. Born in Florence, Sergio was Italy’s first female commentator. After being invited by Benito Mussolini to become a commentator on the “Golden Voice of Rome,” she became a strong supporter of fascism. This support lasted until the invasion of Ethiopia, after which she became defiant and was forced to leave

Miss Sergio told her audience that we are a bewildering nation to others. Much of the trouble in the world today is due to our lack of understanding of other peoples and their lack of understanding of us. It is important, therefore, that we learn to understand others and learn to sell capitalism to them.

1975 – Thursday, Nov. 6 Issue

‘Halloween brews street chaos’

Thursday night many Water St. bars offered “Halloween parties.” People came in costumes — women dressed as antelopes, men dressed as women, women dressed as Schlitz cans and men dressed as gangsters.

AT about 10:15 p.m., people began to filter out onto the streets. A small group of men dressed as gangsters staged a murder in front of She-nanigans. A crowd gathered, but the incident was over in seconds as the group began to carelessly walk in front of cars as they tried to cross the street.

Officers were dispatched to prevent pedestrians from disrupting the flow of traffic. At 11:00 p.m., officer instructed bar owners to close down immediately or face possible arrest.

As more bars closed, more people filled the streets, chanting, “We want the street.” Police barricaded the street with squad cars. Many people in the crowd stood in amazement, believing it was some sort of a joke. Some began breaking glasses and bottles against bottles.

Officers said they rescued a driver of a car being rocked by a group. Another automobile suffered considerable damage when a group, including an individual dressed as Superman, jumped on it.

One policeman lost his hat and nightstick in the chaos. Another lost his nightstick. A plainclothesman, working for the department, drifted through the crowd taking pictures.

By 11:45 p.m., bars were given permission to reopen. Water St. remained barricaded until 4:00 a.m. Eight people were arrested that night, six of whom were from out of town. Two others face charges for stealing the officers’ hats and inciting the riot.

2000 – Monday, Nov. 2 Issue

‘Kennedys to visit UWEC’

As Tuesday’s elections draw closer, Sen. Ted Kennedy and his niece Caroline Kennedy will be on campus to gain support for presidential candidate Al Gore.

The Kennedy’s will speak on at 9:30 a.m. Friday in the Schofield Auditorium. Admission is free and open to the public. The pair will speak for about 45 minutes before moving to their next stop in Oshkosh.

It is also reported that Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney plans to make a campaign stop in the Eau Claire area Saturday afternoon.

Fuerstenberg can be reached at [email protected].