As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from March 30. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from historic weather patterns and wartime returns to modern-day community resilience.
1926: The Woodstock Daily Sentinel
On March 30, 1926, the Woodstock Daily Sentinel led with a dramatic weather report: “BLIZZARD SWEEPS MIDDLE WEST STATES.” The sub-headline noted that the “raging blizzard” struck as March prepared for its last day, causing chaos from the Rockies to the Gulf of Mexico. Locally, the paper focused on civic engagement, reporting that “Candidates for Annual Township Election Have No Opposition,” and highlighted the end of the high school sports season with “Bill Weeks Leads W.A.A.C. Scoring.”
1973: Dixon Evening Telegraph
By March 30, 1973, the front page was dominated by the human cost of the Vietnam War. The lead story featured an “Illinois POW” who shared the harrowing “story of his ordeal” and “tales of horror” including torture and brutality during five years of captivity. Domestically, the paper tracked the economy with a massive chart titled “Rising Cost of Food,” reporting on President Nixon’s decision to “freeze meat prices” in an attempt to curb inflation.
2012: Kane County Chronicle
The March 30, 2012, edition of the Kane County Chronicle took a highly visual approach to local government education. The entire upper half of the page featured a “photo illustration” of a house constructed from construction paper to “Break Down Your Tax Bill,” showing readers exactly where their money goes—with school districts taking the largest share at 66.7 percent. In sports, the paper welcomed a “Familiar Face” as STC East graduate Wayne Randazzo was named the new voice of the Kane County Cougars.
2020: The Times (Ottawa)
Rounding out the collection, the March 30, 2020, edition of The Times captured the early, somber days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lead headline, “Oh my gosh, it was so heart touching,” described a car parade held for isolated residents at Ottawa Pavilion. The page also marked a grim local milestone, reporting the first death from coronavirus in LaSalle County. Despite the crisis, the paper tracked the state’s response, noting Governor Pritzker’s goal of “10,000 tests in next 10 days.”
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