The following stories happened this week, 25 and 50 years ago, as reported in the Snoqualmie Valley Record. From the Record’s archives:

Thursday, Dec. 24, 1992

• The city of Snoqualmie recently found itself on the wrong side of the law during a fund-raising effort to finish renovations at its historic city hall. When the city sold raffle tickets for a wooden cigar store Indian statue, the state gambling commission declared the raffle illegal. The raffle was called off, money was returned and the whole incident ended up in the Seattle Times.

• When a recession hits and money is short, it can be easier to fill municipal coffers by laying claim to existing funds rather than create new sources of revenue. In Snoqualmie, City Administrator Kim Wilde has just such a plan. He wants the city to collect an existing tax on hotel and motel patrons. The tax is designed to support the tourist industries.

Thursday, Dec. 21, 1967

• Leading nominee for the meanest man of the Christmas season: the yuletide enthusiast who chopped down the seven-foot noble fir tree in John Anderson’s yard while he was at work. Lou Towne, Manager of Tanner Electric Co-op where Anderson works, said only a stump remained of Anderson’s tree, which has been featured in the past as the center of his outdoor Christmas decorations. “I’m convinced somebody got themselves a Christmas tree the easy way, and I hope whoever it was chokes on his Christmas carols,” said Towne. Anderson has won several prizes for Christmas decorations at his home just west of Middle Fork bridge on Mount Si Road.