Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, February 12, 1948
• Bids will be received by the Minnesota Highway Department on February 27 for three trunk highway paving projects, totaling 25 miles, one 5.4 mile grading job, and six bridges, commissioner M.J. Hoffman announced. Two of the paving projects are on U.S. Highway No. 10. Once proposes 11.8 miles of hard surfacing from Verndale through Wadena to Bluffton. The other is a 4.1-mile job from Staples northwest. The contemplated construction will provide 36 miles of continuous concrete from Staples to a point midway between New York Mills and Perham.
• In The latter part of last week two warrants were sent to each of over 800 corporate communities representing the first apportionment of taxes collected under the new 1947 laws levying additional liquor gallonage tax and a three-cent additional tax per pack of cigarettes. The secretary of state is directed to certify to the state auditor the number of incorporated cities, villages, and boroughs, to which the auditor distributes the funds on the basis of the 1940 census at the rate of 30 percent of the liquor and 33 and a third percent of the net cigarette tax. Verndale received $265.50 in the cigarette tax and $578.31 in liquor tax for a total of $838.81.
• With this slogan “Have A Heart”, residents of Verndale will be approved on Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14, and the following weeks, by members of the American Legion and Auxiliary to contribute to the Legion’s Heart Research Professorship, to be established on the University of Minnesota campus.
40 Years Ago, February 17, 1983
• Plans are progressing rapidly for this year’s Miss Verndale Pageant which is being planned for the first part of June. A spectacular event is being planned, complete with a runway and an hour-long program featuring, of course, the candidates, plus other entertainment. Low-cost advance tickets will be on sale in the near future. Monies collected from the ticket sales and sponsors for the queens will make it possible to provide the prizes of a $100 savings bond and two $50 bonds to the first three winners. Junior and senior girls entering the competition this year will have from six to ten two-hour training sessions on building self-confidence, poise, choosing apparel, hair care and makeup, as well as practicing the routines for the program.
• Hostesses for the open house held in honor of the 10th anniversary of the local Senior Citizens Club on Monday were Sue Sowder, Evelyn Halvorson, Evelyn Erckenbrack and Margaret Miller. Coffee and cookies were served to the many who took time to stop in for a visit.
• Both the Legion and Auxiliary paid homage to their guests, Ambrose and Lois Koll of Sebeka, when they attended meetings of the two groups on Monday evening, then convened to celebrate together, the birthday of the Legion. Ambrose was recently elected Sixth District Commander and Lois serves as District Department Leadership Chairwoman. They posed for pictures before the meeting with Beth Yule and Andrew Schmith, local officers.
15 Years Ago, February 14, 2008
• Verndale City Maintenance Supervisor Jim Bergquist has recommended raising residents’ water and sewer rates in May or June to help the city keep pace with rising costs. Bergquist issued his recommendation during the Monday, February 4, regular meeting of the Verndale City Council. Bergquist’s recommendation includes raising the base water rate by an additional $2.50 or an additional 45 cents per thousand gallons; and the base sewer rate by an additional $1.60 or an additional 35 cents per thousand gallons. The council tabled the decision.
• Recently, the Verndale School has dug deep into a sport that hasn’t been a big part of the fine arts program for a few years. The art is otherwise known as speech. Verndale’s team this year consists of an average of 15 students involved. These students practice and perform speeches that have been broken down into 13 different categories including expression, discussion, extemporaneous reading and more.
• This year’s contest was to find the largest living green ash tree in the county. The Wadena Soil and Water Conservation District promotes and takes pride in the trees of our county and likes to recognize local citizens for their tree ownership. First place was Isidor Macho in Rockwood Township with an 88” circumference; second place was James Tyrrell in Thomastown Township, 83” circumference; and third place was Dave Kleis in Bullard Township with a 60” circumference.