Dusting Off the Archives

News from Verndale's Past

40 Years Ago, September 4, 1985

• Help from all Verndale city residents will be needed if the work of a new council-appointed committee is to succeed. The members of the Verndale Planning Committee met at an initial meeting on Wednesday evening, August 28, to draft a comprehensive plan to determine what we want for Verndale in the future and to group policies and objectives of the private and government sections. Committee members present were: Dale Paulsen, chairman; Merlyne Bissel, Wayne Mills, Dennis Johnson, councilman; Mark Gades, vice chairman; and city clerk Madonna Desrocher.

• Verndale School has four new staff members this year, one in administration, one in high school and two in the elementary. A new assistant volleyball coach has also been added. They are: Jon Hardin (industrial arts), Faith Rudniteki (administrative assistant and high school counselor), Dixie Hosner (kindergarten), Sharon Haberman (4-6 split elementary room and head volleyball coach).

• The Verndale Sun building received a new look this past summer, and a new sign making it easier for visitors to locate. The building received a new layer of insulation as well as blue steel.

• On Sunday, August 25, the Verndale Astros participated in a softball tournament in Wadena. The Astros tucked away 18 runs in an action packed game with the Out-of-Towners from Hewitt. Five home runs—two by Mark Callahan and one each by Joe Struder, Wayne Mills and Tony Tuseth—along with many lesser hits, and ten base runners scoring in the sixth period brought about the win.

15 Years Ago, September 2, 2010

• The 31st Annual England Prairie Pioneer Days celebration was held August 27-29 near Verndale. There were hundreds who enjoyed seeing the displays and participating in the various activities over the weekend including the tractor pull on Saturday. Pictured, Al Jeske of Browerville is making wooden shingles from solid blocks of wood and a threshing demonstration is shown where several loads of oats were threshed the “old time” way. Nashville recording artist and former Browerville resident Mike Turner conducted the church service in the log chapel and played a dobro.

• The Verndale football team held their annual scrimmage on Saturday morning. Five teams traveled to Verndale this year for the scrimmage including Bertha-Hewitt, Eagle Valley, Isle, Onamia and Underwood. All the teams took their turn on offense and defense against each of the teams. The JV teams also got a shot at running a few plays. The morning concluded with the Verndale cheerleaders serving lunch to all the participating teams.

• Katie Miron, 19, from Hugo, was crowned the 57th Princess Kay of the Milky Way in an evening ceremony at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on August 25. Kelsie Trosen of Verndale, representing Wadena County, was name Miss Congeniality.

• Dr. Ryan W. Hess has been named one of the recipients of the 2010 Best PGY-3 Orthopedic Teaching Resident of the Year awards given by the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma. Dr. Hess has recently begun his fourth year of Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and will complete his residency in 2010. Dr. Hess graduated from Verndale High School in 1998.

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