The following are segments of stories taken from the front pages of the Whidbey Island Record 50, 25 and 15 years ago on Thursday, April 7, 1966, Tuesday, April 9, 1991 and Wednesday, April 10, 2001.

50 years ago

Editor: Lana Townsend

Killer whale rams boat

“ ‘Guess what! We got hit by a whale!’ said 14-year old Doug Archer after climbing out of his uncle’s boat last Saturday. Bystanders at Robinson’s Resort on Mutiny Bay were skeptical to say the least. But the boy’s uncle, Bob Mills and his 14-year old son, Jim, backed up the story, which soon brought a rash of phone calls from off Island news media. However, scratched and bruised as they were, the three lived to tell that their 16-foot boat was rammed by a 30-foot whale.”

25 years ago

Editor: Jim Larsen

Thrown bottle endangers two women

“Two South Whidbey women narrowly avoided serious injury when an apparent beer bottle crashed into their car’s windshield on Thursday night. Della Lloyd, driver of the Toyota sedan, said she was coming home from a college class in Oak Harbor at about 9:30 p.m. In the passenger seat was her mother, Joy McClellan. Lloyd said they had reached the Terondo West area north of Greenbank when a vehicle passed them on the straightaway and an occupant of the vehicle threw a bottle out the window.

“ ‘It was horrible – we almost got in an awful wreck,’ said Lloyd.”

15 years ago

Editor: Jim Larsen

Car, wind generate power problems on Southend

“Hundreds of residents living just south of Langley lost power for a short time Friday when a car struck a power pole on Bayview Road. The accident occurred on the hill above the intersection with Andreason Road. According to the Washington State Patrol, a 1989 Nissan Maxima driven by Chris Sargent, 18, of Clinton was southbound when he lost control and left the roadway, striking the power pole.”