Dusting Off the Archives
- Trinity Gruenberg
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
News from Verndale's Past
40 Years Ago, November 6, 1985
• Sign-up sheets for guys interested in entering the second annual Miss Tootsie contest sponsored by the Verndale PTSA are located at the municipal liquor store and Dorie’s Diner. More contestants are needed and will be welcomed right up to the time of the show, which will be held in the high school auditorium at 8 p.m.
• Winning first place in the jack-o-lantern contest for pre-school and elementary students were: Jennifer Madsen, Trent Lehner, Lori Johnson, Craig Lehner, Brent Lehner, Dan Johnson, Noelle Lehner, Katie Kern and Lori Derby.
• The Verndale Pirates won their first playoff game 32-14 over the Audobon Zephyrs. With 1:21 left in the first quarter the Zephyrs scored a one yard touchdown run, the PAT was no good so the Pirates were behind 6-0. Ten seconds into the third quarter Sean Buckreis returned a kick 62 yards for a touchdown, the PAT was no good. With 7:45 left in the fourth quarter, Wayne Hess scored a three-yard touchdown but failed in the PAT attempt. The defense was led by Hess with 14 tackles, Chris Scholl, 11, Terry Ackerman, Jon Shereck and Sean Buckreis were each in on 10.
• The Verndale Public School Music Department will present its annual Fall Music Concert at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, in the high school auditorium. Participating groups will be the Junior and Senior High School Bands, Stage Band, Clarinet Choir, and the Junior and Senior High School Choirs. Directors are Jan Heins and Ted Masog.
15 Years Ago, November 4, 2010
• The Verndale City Council has officially designated the city lot south of Tools and More as the official site of the future Verndale City Fire Hall. The designation came through an adopted resolution proposed in a motion by Council Member Tara Erkenbrack and seconded by Council Member Louie Randall during the council’s Monday, November 1, regular monthly meeting. The city of Verndale had purchased the property in August 2007 from James C. Otremba and Maureen T. Otremba for a total of $18,912.
• During the months of September and October, the Wadena Historical Society had a display especially for the city of Verndale: The Women Who Shaped Verndale. One such woman barely saw her 13th birthday, Helen Verne Smith was born in Iowa on September 11, 1875 to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Smith. She was the only daughter and favorite granddaughter of Judge L.W. Smith, who when he platted the village of Verndale name it in her honor. She died in Verndale on Sunday, April 21, 1889 at the age of 13 years , seven months, and 10 days.
• The winner of the Red Ribbon Week door decorating contest was Mr. Carlson’s ninth grade. The door had a theme of the “Hall of Shame” featuring numerous celebrities for drug use or death resulting from drug use.
• The number four seeded Verndale Pirates hosted the number five seeded Menahga Braves on Thursday, October 28. The girls have been playing well as of late and they came out fired up and ready, beating the Braves in four sets. Individual game scores were: 27-25, 25-17, 25-15 and 25-10. The win advanced them into the second round of playoffs to face the Bears of Bertha-Hewitt.
