Dusting Off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, January 11, 1945 • The 1945 Red Cross drive, which ended last week, found Verndale going over its quota of $495 by $15.63. Total contributions including the collection at the Verndale Theatre amounted to $510.63. Mr. A.C. Johnson, local chairman of the drive, and his solicitors: Mrs. F.E. King, Mrs. C.E. Anderson, Miss Marie Janutka and Mr. C.W. Horn wish to thank everyone for their kind cooperation in helping Verndale go over its quota. • The Central 4-H Club meeting was held at the Dewey Edin home Friday night, March 23. Enrollment cards were handed out. Miss Rustad was present and talked particularly to some of the older members about demonstrations for the council meeting. After the meeting was adjourned, Mrs. Edin served a nice lunch. Patricia Thompson, reporter. • The Verndale Volunteer Fire Department was called out twice Thursday afternoon. The first time to a haystack fire at Earl Jenkins that was put out with no further damage being done. The second fire alarm came a few hours later the same day to the Harold Fischer farm home just north of town. An overheated oil stove at the Fisher farm brought the call, but no damage was done.
40 Years Ago, April 3, 1980 • The Wing River Town Board meeting was postponed on Monday when members arrived to find the town hall had been broken into and vandalized. Entry had been made through a window and vandals had emptied the fire extinguishers about the premises and threw them onto the ground nearby. Nothing appeared to be take, board members told the sheriff’s department when reporting the incident. It is not known when the destruction took place, but occurred sometime since the annual meeting and election held on March 11. • Betty Radeke, whose family has over 200 years of service in the American Legion and Auxiliary, will be a guest of the Verndale Auxiliary at the fellowship dinner held on Tuesday, April 8. District President Lois Cole of Sebeka will also be present. • Over 20 dogs of the Police K-9 Corps were put through their paces in a training session held last Thursday and Friday in Staples. Al Hancock of the Minneapolis Police Department was the trainer conducting the workshop, teaching the “team” to work together. Pictured, Justice, Police Chief Oscar Forcier’s dog, began his attack on Hancock. Policemen and their dogs came from the counties of Wadena, Todd, Cass, Otter Tail, Becker, Hubbard, Crow Wing, Morrison and Douglas. Wadena County was represented by Tom Dempsey of the county sheriff’s office.
15 Years Ago, April 7, 2005 • Last Friday I had the privilege of participating in a “ride along with Officer Jon Cline, Interim Police Chief for the Verndale Police Department. For four and a half hours from 5:43-10:20 p.m. we rode in the unmarked Verndale squad car to observe Cline patrolling and responding to “situations” that the police call circumstances that require some kind of action or decision. • Verndale High School band members and trumpet players Josh Kern, Drew Hill and Andy Bramer worked with Jeremy Duresky from Minneapolis. Mr. Duresky volunteers to spend vacation time working in different schools. • Ethan Kern, Josh Denny and Jasper Oyster all participated in the State Wrestling Tournament. Josh Denny was also awarded the most pins as he tied with Ethan Kern. Next year’s wrestling captains will be Josh Denny, Jasper Oyster and Aaron Moenkedick. Steve Techam was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame in March.