Turn back the pages — July 24, 1975
Compiled by Julie Rosier
Local Woman Still Missing — The Seward Police Department is continuing its search for a missing young woman with the assistance of the State Troopers. Mrs. Mary Thill is the object of the search. The investigation involves contacting numerous people and trying to ascertain what information is available regarding the disappearance. Mrs. Thill was last seen on July 5 wearing a gray pullover sweater, Levi’s and hiking boots. She was carrying a small pack. She is 23 years old, 5 foot 5 inches tall with wavy red hair. She weighs about 130 pounds. She wears thick, round glasses in pink frames. The young woman was living at Lowell Point at the time she disappeared. Friends gave her a ride to town on July 5th and have not seen her since. They dropped her off in the downtown area. The woman’s husband, Michael Thill, was working on the Slope when he heard about the disappearance. He returned to Seward as soon as he was notified that his wife was missing. From all information gathered from friends and relatives, it is not at all likely that Mrs. Thill would leave without notifying anyone and they fear foul play. A reward of $1,000 has been offered by friends and family for any information leading to location of the missing woman. The Seward Police and State Troopers would appreciate any information, no matter how minor it may seem, regarding the missing girl herself or any woman matching the description of Mrs. Thill.
Drivers Alcohol Info School Coming Up — The Seward Council on Alcoholism is pleased to announce the first Drivers Alcohol Information School is to be held in Seward. “Previously people had to travel to Anchorage to attend, but we have finally been able to finance the purchase of the necessary films and literature necessary for the school,” said Reistad, Council Director. Target date for the school is August 26th and 28th, the September 2nd and 4th. There will be a session on each of these evenings, for a total of four sessions — the required number. The DAI School requires the use of people outside the office for three of the evenings — the first evening requires a physician, the second evening requires a state trooper or chief-of-police, and the third evening requires two Alcoholics Anonymous Members — the fourth, and final evening requires the use of the Director of the Alcoholism Center. “We hope to make this school successful so that we can have other schools periodically. In addition to people who are referred to us by the Court, we also hope to have other people in the community who have an interest in Driving and Alcohol and Drungs,” said Riestad. This program has proven itself very valuable and rewarding wherever it has been used according to Reistad.
Assembly Nixes Added Courts — Though black-topped areas are available for tennis courts in the Soldotna Homer, and Seward school grounds, the Assembly balked last week at the $60,000 which would provide nets, backstops, and fences at these three schools plus two additional courts for the Kenai Central High School. Donna Hein, a substitute teacher, presented a petition of 200 signatures asking that nets be put up at the Soldotna Junior High so the area could be used for tennis playing. “Students wish for more recreational activities,” said Mrs. Hein. Seward has presented a similar petition for tennis courts, and the concensus appeared to be providing facilities at one school meant providing them for all. Nets plus a backstop would come to about $7,000, according to the borough administration, and fencing was also necessary for a satisfactory court. “To do the job properly would be $15,000. This would be true for each school.” Seward Assemblyman Bob Lutz brought out that the dual use of these areas for hockey rinks and tennis courts was part of the design. “That facility is sitting idle all summer long. we have such limited recreational facilities in Seward. I believe we should follow up with the original intent.
Seward Base For Test Drill Says ARCO — Tuesday Atlantic Richfield made offical its plans for drilling a test hole in the northern Gulf of Alaska. The announcement said the drilling ship would be supplied out of Seward. Atlantic Richfield says the drilling will provide itself and three partners information on the rock fromations in the Gulf of Alaska. The well, a stratigraphic test, started Tuesday by the drilling vessel Glomar Conception, a 400-foot drilling ship operated by Global Marine of Los Angeles. A federal permit was received for the test on Friday, a day after the ship completed a month-long voyage from Singapore. Participating in the venture are Sun Oil Company, Gulf Oil, U.S. Amoco and Atlantic Richfield. Other interested parties are invited to join the project by paying a proportionate share of the expenses involved. Deadline for joining without penalty is August 15. The well will be drilled as a deliberate dry hole. It is sited away from any structure with expected oil or gas potential. The location is 18 miles from shore location. It is a 28 miles southwest of Yakataga. The vessels assignment is to acquire information about the rock layers below the gulf waters for use in later exploration.
Rocking the Boat — Leukemia is still a word that strikes fear, especially among parents of young children. Understandably, since cancer, next to accidents, is the greatest cause of death among children under 15. Half of these deaths are from leukemia, a cancer of the blood-forming organs of the body. That is one reason why the American Cancer Society has devoted so much of its research funding to leukemia. Together with related lymphomas the society devotes more than $3,000,000 a year to the research attack against this type of cancer. The fight against leukemia is very important to a local family. Terri Toloff, in her early 20s, is a victim of that disease. Right now she is receiving treatment in Seattle for that disease. She has received bone marrow transplants from her sister Marilyn Sieminski, also of Seward. Most of the Toloff family is in Seattle now waiting out the long, painful process with Terri. And the work that is being done now with leukemia does give hope, and Terri is lucky that she has been accepted into this program in Seattle, which was written up recently in “Readers Digest.”