Dusting off the Archives

News from Verndale's Past

40 Years Ago, July 31, 1985

• The Verndale Lions Club members have been working furiously to prepare the new community center for use, if needed, during this year’s celebration. Should it rain this weekend, the street dance can be moved indoors. Although far from being finished, restrooms should have been installed and lighting provided so that it is serviceable. Work is progressing as donations become available. The floor plan has been changed from that previously announced. The door on the south is a service door, while public entry is the set of double doors on the left or east side of the building.

• When you mention rafters in Verndale, most people think of hammers, saws, nails, etc., from the days of the old Tomlison Rafter Shed. The saws, although larger and more sophisticated, are still an integral part of the business, but now instead of hammers and nails, a 25 ton, 50,000 pound press which hangs from overhead rails, is used to force plates into both sides of each connection. Pictured, Dave Gould, owner of Verndale Truss, one of Verndale’s newest businesses, aligns the board then moves the press into place and presses large plates having hundreds of “nails” to each joint of a 44’ rafter.

• Two girls from Verndale represented Verndale admirably at a recent Volleyball Camp held at Sebeka from July 15 through 19. Jennifer Ninneman received the Most Valuable Player award while Deanna Davis received the Sportsmanship Award for the younger age group.

• Earning the showmanship beginner trophy was Tracy Uselman with her chocolate lab/retriever, Clay. Kyle Arenkeil with his cocker spaniel also placed. They are members of the Blue Grass Ramblers 4-H Club. Tracy was recently named first runner-up princess in the 4-H Otter Tail-Wadena County 4-H Essay Contest when she submitted a 100 word essay on “Why My Dog is Special”. She earned the privilege of riding on a special float in the area parades.

15 Years Ago, July 29, 2010

• There are few places more remote and further from the familiarity of the comforts of home back in the United States than this small fighter base on the southwest coast of South Korea. The son of a Verndale woman is spending a year of his life experiencing the realities of a 60-year-old war and life at one of the Air Force’s most isolated assignments. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dale Sickels, son of Margaret Sickels of Verndale, is assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing, an F-16 unit responsible for protecting the sky against a potential enemy less than 100 miles away. Sickels is an air traffic controller with the 8th Operations Support Squadron.

• A month has passed since the destruction of Wadena and the surrounding area due to the massive tornado that tore though the town. Area businesses and homes were damaged, including the community center, public swimming pool, and the Wadena-Deer Creek High School building. With the extensive damage done to the school, students are left looking for a new location to call home. The Riverport Insurance report has not been finalized as of yet, but Superintendent Virginia Dahlstrom has a strong feeling the building is far to deteriorated to be repaired in any way. St. Ann’s School, which recently closed, will be used for the ECFE program, WDC preschool and head start. WDC Elementary students in grades K-6 will remain in the current elementary building. Reportable damage was not sustained. The seventh and eighth grade students will be located in the Deer Creek School. Half of the Deer Creek facility will be designated for the White Pines and Leaf River Academy, a separate program from the junior high. The ninth through twelfth grade students are moving into classrooms offered by the M-State Technical School. Classes were moved around within M-State to accommodate the high school.

• Hallie Katnic is the youngest living descendant of General Lesley J. McNair and she couldn’t be prouder. On Thursday, July 8, Katnic, 18, and her two friends made a visit to McNair Park in Verndale. The park is named for Katnic’s great-great-grandfather, General McNair. The three girls recently graduated from high school in Santa Barbara, California. The trio had planned a nationwide road trip to celebrate their graduation. The girls wanted to see Nashville, New York City, Route 66, and more. Katnic’s choices to see were on a much smaller and personal scale, Verndale being one of them. The other location was Fort McNair in Washington D.C.

• The number three seeded Verndale Bison pulled off a couple of mild upsets in the Lake and Pine South playoffs when they defeated number two seeded Nisswa Lightning on Saturday. On Sunday, the Bison went to Nimrod and downed the number one seeded Gnats 6-4. The two wins put the Bison into the regional playoffs starting on Saturday, August 7.

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