A Look Back: Aug. 1

50 Years Ago

■John L. Banner, 64, a prominent businessman and bank official in Northampton, who was known throughout the state as Mr. Three County Fair, died this morning at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital. About 25 years ago, he established the Banner Insurance Agency, one of the important businesses in Northampton.

■Dr. Peter A. Schwartz has joined Dr. Donald R. Freund and Dr. Samuel Topal as a member of Hampshire Obstetrical and Gynecological Associates Inc. Dr. Schwartz comes to this area from Yale Medical School where he was an instructor in obstetrics and gynecology for the past year.

25 Years Ago

■This fall, the Recreation Department will launch a campaign to educate parents about youth sports and to encourage them to keep young people involved in athletics. A brochure, “A Guide to Keeping Youth Sports Fun,” will be distributed to parents of elementary school students in Northampton and several other communities.

■Though some city residents have suspected otherwise, Firefest ’98 is a legitimate fundraiser for the local firefighters’ union. Some city residents, wondering if calls selling tickets for an October concert were actually a telephone scam, called the Fire Department asking for reassurance, according to Paul Lococo, who is producing the fundraiser.

10 Years Ago

■West Nile virus was detected Tuesday in mosquitoes collected from Northampton and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus in mosquitoes collected from Amherst, the state Department of Public Health announced. No human cases of either of the two mosquito-borne viruses have been reported this year.

■An Easthampton native who cut his culinary teeth at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School and area restaurants will be featured on a new Food Network cooking competition. Gary Gianchetti Jr., 30, who now lives in Boston, will compete with three other top chefs on the premiere episode of “Cutthroat Kitchen” Aug. 11.

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