Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, October 2, 1947
•Vine Bretz of Wadena, well known young man of Wadena and Verndale, completed a business transaction here Monday of the last week for the purchase of the Verndale Food Market and Locker Plant from Arnold Voelk. Mr. Voelk purchased the above place from Clarence Horn last June and since has operated the business very successfully but stated it was too hard of work for him to carry on.
• The Thompson Super Service Station on Highway 10 is nearing completion, and Mr. Thompson stated they may be ready for their grand opening about October 15.
•The famed United States Marine Band, “The Presidents Own”, will appear at the Wadena Memorial Auditorium on Sunday, October 12, under sponsorship of the Wadena Civic and Commerce Association. Two concerts will be presented by the band, the first being the students' concert at 3 p.m. for all grade and high school pupils. This will be a distinctly different concert from the one to be given at 8 p.m.
40 Years Ago, October 7, 1982
•Congressman Arlan Stangeland has announced that federal funding has been approved for nine public housing projects including a nine-unit apartment project in Verndale for $222,300. Preparations are being made for construction on the project to begin this fall.
•The line was long Tuesday as people came to the north entrance of the Verndale School to receive an allotment of surplus dairy products distributed free by the federal government. Because the state claimed to be short of funds to undertake the project, local dairy associations assumed the task. Each sack or box that was dispensed contained (2) four-pound cartons of dry milk, four pounds of butter and one five-pound box of processed cheese. One of the dairymen assisting with the program estimated that approximately 40 cases of each of cheese and butter had been brought in for distribution and 100 cases of dry milk.
•The Pirates charged onto the playing field to crash through the booster sign held by Mary Line and Sherrie Thurston, for the opening of the homecoming game held last Friday afternoon. The Pirates and the Clarissa Bucs met for their first battle in the newly formed Prairie Conference. The Bucs scored as the first half ended, and succeeded in keeping the Pirates scoreless for the remainder of the game.
15 Years Ago, October 17, 2007
•The Verndale School helped students recognize Fire Prevention Week on Tuesday, October 9 with a K-6 grade trip to the Verndale Fire Hall. Verndale Firefighter Don Weniger talked with the students about fire drills both at school and at home and made sure they all had an escape route out of their houses in case of a fire. He also talked about how dangerous it is to play with fire, and how to put out a grease fire. Fellow firefighters, John Rousslang, Ryan Sundby and Erik Anderson, were also there to show the kids their fire suits and gear and how they work.
•Mike Mahlen was pictured standing with Taryn Fuller and Becky Righter with a sign reading 300 wins after the Pirates' victory last Friday over Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley. Mahlen is now the second coach ever to reach this feat in Minnesota. He is the second to George Larson of Cambridge who retired from coaching last year with 307 wins. This is a huge honor for Mahlen who has been coaching Verndale for 39 seasons and has a 300-93-3 record overall.
•Last Friday, Wadena County Sheriff Mike Carr and Deputy Sheriff Luke Manderscheid visited Verndale Elementary students to talk to them about Danny, their K-9 unit dog. Danny helps the sheriff’s department find drugs, people and to protect its deputies. Manderscheid demonstrated how Danny can find drugs in someone’s school bag. It was a very interesting session for the students.