Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, May 1, 1947
•The Desrocher’s restaurant this week had men begin work installing a new linoleum tile floor in their place of business.
•Work was started last week on the building of a 32 ft. x 36 ft. cement block garage for the three Verndale creamery milk and cream trucks on lots just west of the creamery. N.O. Nelson, of Wadena, has the contract for the building.
•Ed Bushinger and his crew who have the contract for tearing out the old floor of the Verndale Theatre and running on an elevated cement floor is making good progress and expect to be pouring cement this weekend. Mr. Payne, the new owner of the theatre reports that he purchased reupholstered seats in Minneapolis last week for installation here as soon as the floor and other work is finished. Sam Chilberg has been hired to do the carpenter work of the remodeling of the canopy, putting in washrooms, etc.
40 Years Ago, May 6, 1982
•Lions Club Members Rich Brown and Jim Neuerburg presented a proposal to the Verndale City Council for consideration at its regular monthly meeting, which could mean that Verndale might have an activity center available for the community. They indicated that the Lions Club is interested in purchasing a 50’x150’ Quonset building from Great Plains Supply if the council was willing to accept it as a gift for use by the community as well as provide water and sewer service.
•Verndale art students who entered the Staples Skills Fair and Art Show last week and receiving recognition for their talents were: Matt LeFebvre, holding his pencil drawing and trophies he received for first place and grand champion; Devon Dougherty, second place winner in drawing; and Marcia Hines, second place winner in graphics with one of three photographs she submitted.
•On Saturday afternoon, the Verndale Fire Department traveled to the northeast corner of Wing River Township to the Ray Krell farm, 14 miles northeast of Verndale to extinguish brush that “exploded” into flame after the gas had been spilled. A group of woodsmen is reported to have stopped to cooked their noon lunch over an open fire. They extinguished the flames and were returning to work. As they drove away, a can containing gasoline tipped over, which apparently came into contact with and brought back to life the dying embers. About four acres of brush were burned.
15 Years Ago, May 2, 2007
•Mike Mahlen’s former coaching partner, Brad Schmitz was one of a handful of people who had the opportunity to roast Verndale football coach Mike Mahlen Saturday, April 28, at T-Maxwells. The proceeds of the roast will go towards the Friday Night Lights project of putting up stadium lights on the football field as well as new bleachers, concession stands and indoor bathrooms. All kidding aside, Mahlen was presented with a plaque that stated the Verndale football field would now be known as Mike Mahlen Field.
•Shane Finck, Josh Kern and Wayne Kopp represented Verndale on one of four teams at the 2007 North Central High School All-Star Basketball Games on April 14 at Bemidji State University. Their scoring, rebounding, and a lot of nice assists helped their Blue Boys I team to defeat the Maroon Boys I team by 20 points. Finck took second place in the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.
•The Verndale Girls softball team split two games this past week. In the first game of the week, the Pirates hosted Parkers Prairie and won 3-2 in nine innings. The Pirates scored the winning run on a double play by Alicia Johnson. She moved to third on a passed ball and scored an error for the exciting victory. Johnson was the leading hitter going 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
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