The following are segments of stories taken from the front pages of the Whidbey Island Record 50, 25 and 15 years ago on Thursday, Dec. 9, 1965, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 1990, and Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000.

50 years ago

Editor: Ace Comstock

30-ton gravel hauler smashes 1960 Chevrolet

“A local construction worker smashed a 30-ton gravel hauler into his own 1960 Chevrolet last week. Roy Hagglund, 28, from Midvale, was driving the big machine into a gravel pit just north of Saratoga when a car backed in front of him. Turning to avoid the car Hagglund was unable to stop before hitting his own car.”

25 years ago

Editor: Jim Larsen

Neo-Nazis return to state park

“Members of the White Arian Resistance (WAR) gathered at a South Whidbey State Park campsite Saturday, but no incidents resulted. The group is a self-proclaimed white supremacy organization with ties to other neo-NAZI groups.

“WAR reserved the site to hold a ‘vigil to commemorate’ the death of Robert Matthews, a former leader of ‘The Order,’ a WAR splinter group. About 12 to 18 people of unknown affiliation visited the site, according to the Island County Sheriff’s office.

“Matthews was killed Dec. 8, 1984, in a long confrontation with federal and county authorities.”

15 years ago

Editor: Jim Larsen

No green light for new traffic signal

“A new set of stoplights installed this week at the intersection of Fish Road and Highway 525 will hang dark over the roadway for another month-and-a-half.

“Despite the best efforts of the Department of Transportation engineers who designed the $1.2 million intersection project, the poles holding the traffic signals are too high and are in danger of interfering with high-voltage electric lines nearby.”