Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, February 13, 1947
• Mr. and Mrs. Nick Tabery, who have been operating the B.J. Cafe in Verndale for the past several months sold their place of business Saturday to Mr. and Mrs. Verner Monson of Malmo, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Monson, who have had previous restaurant experience, expect to take possession sometime next month. They have one son, 10, and a daughter, 14. Mr. and Mrs. Tabery have not stated just what their future plans are, but plan a vacation trip to California when they leave Verndale, before making any permanent plans.
• William James Wensmann, 16, who has been held in custody at Fergus Falls in connection with the killing of his stepfather, Alfred Wensmann, and robbery at Aldrich on December 4, 1946, last week entered a plea of guilty before Judge Rol E. Barron at Fergus Falls and was sentenced by Judge Barron for first-degree manslaughter and first-degree robbery, to imprisonment in the state reformatory until released by law. The sentence carries a maximum imprisonment of 40 years.
• Art Attleson, local boxing promoter expects to put on another 10 or 15 bout boxing card in the Wadena Memorial Auditorium on Monday, February 24, Art says he expects to have a good bunch of boxers having already contacted boxers from Fergus Falls, Hewitt, Park Raids, New York Mills, Wadena and Verndale.
40 Years Ago, February 18, 1982
•Approximately 500 people responded to the invitation of England Prairie Pioneer Club to participate in sleigh rides last Sunday. Four teams were kept busy giving rides. Drivers were Vern Burgeson of Wadena, Don McIntyre of Hewitt, Les Bain and Merle Horan of Verndale. While warming up in the clubhouse, many also enjoyed lunch while socializing.
• The suspense is over! Denice Dalen expresses surprise and Mike Hokanson looks up as if to verify that the crown is actually being placed on his head at the Snow Coming coronation which took place in the high school auditorium last Friday evening. Last year’s king and queen, Bill Blaha and Shelia DeWald Finck revealed the identity of the winners by placing crowns. Other candidates, Bruce Beaver and Roxy Kern, Jay Weiher and Janice Moyer looked on. Junior attendants were Jason Hensley and Robin Adams and sophomore students were Mike Wutzke and Patty Lovelace. Music was provided by Ted Masog at the piano and Sandy Piepkorn who sang, “Sweet Dreams.”
• The girls’ varsity lost a close 33-30 battle on the Menahga Braves home court, Tuesday, February 5. The Braves led throughout the game and maintained enough of a margin to thwart the Pirates’ 13 point scoring surge in the final quarter. Kathi McCormick and Cam Nelson dumped in nine points each for the Pirates.
15 Years Ago, February 14, 2007
• On January 11, Rob and Melissa Olson thought their daughter Maizie was coming down with the flu. Maizie had a headache, body aches and pain down her neck and upper body. On January 15, Rob and Melissa decided to take Maizie to the Emergency Room in Wadena. It was then learned her condition was much more serious than they could imagine. Their eight-year-old girl had been diagnosed with Miller Fisher Syndrome. A rare condition that is considered to be a variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
• Megan Richter competed in the MMTA (Minnesota Music Teachers Association) district piano contest at the University of Minnesota Morris on January 27. She was declared a winner at the district level and will compete in the MMTA state piano contest on March 11, at the University of Minnesota Minneapolis. Her teacher is Alice Gronlund of Sebeka. Megan is the daughter of Brian and Michelle Richter.
• It was a pretty average day for John Price. He was at a basketball tournament at Concordia College. He had no idea this would be no ordinary day. About three minutes into the very first game of the tournament, John landed wrong after trying to block a shot from his opponent and tore his ACL. After getting an MRI that showed the ACL was torn but suffered no cartilage damage, he was given the okay to play his senior year in basketball and have surgery after the season.