Dusting Off the Archives

News from Verndale's Past

40 Years Ago, July 9, 1986

• Crews from Minnesota Power and West Central Telephone worked feverishly to restore services to some of the areas where lines were disrupted. Pictured, they are working in front of the home occupied by Lena Rieck following the storm which whipped through a five block area of Verndale only minutes after 1 a.m. on Friday, July 4. Scott Miller, police chief, reported his car was blown from the road as he rounded a curve in the south part of town, lifting it into the ditch.

• Superintendent Jim Madsen opened a special meeting on July 1 for the purpose of reorganization of the school board until a new chairperson was chosen. Theresa Wutzke was again named chairperson, Bill Fisher renamed vice chairman, Jim Runyan returned to the office of treasurer, while Dave Heitala replaced Rodney Bounds as clerk.

• Reverend Fred Kutter, who was installed on Sunday, June 29, in services at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bartlet Township, is looking forward to meeting and getting together with the people of Verndale. He will also be serving as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Verndale and living in the rectory here, and he says the doors are open to anyone wishing to attend their services.

• Two trees were broken off and one uprooted in the Catholic church parking lot. One fell onto and damaged a shed belonging to Wally Gronlund who indicated it would be removed. Over 30 dead birds were found in the church and rectory yard.

15 Years Ago, July 7, 2011

• In the words of Verndale Mayor Ardith Carr, the Verndale City Council is employing “trial and error” to complete necessary city maintenance tasks in the absence of a full-time maintenance supervisor. Jim Burgquist, an 18-year city employee resigned to take a position with the city of Moorhead. Bertha’s part-time water/sewer maintenance employee Mark Woeful was hired on a part-time basis for two hours per day.

• On July 29, the University of Minnesota Department of Archaeology and the Wadena County Historical Society gave two tours of the Little Round Hill archaeology site in Old Wadena Park. The lead archaeologists for the new team is Kat Hayes. Many of the other members of the team are college students. They have been there for two years and found remnants of people connected to about 10 families in the area.

• One of the most historic, successful and cherished businesses in Wadena was and is the Cozy Theatre. Currently, David Quincer owns and operates it. The business has been in the Quincer family for approximately 88 years. The two men who built the Cozy, A.D. Beardreau and O. Calkins, had originally owned a different movie theatre. It was called the Savoy Theatre and it was located across the street from where the Cozy would be later built.

• The BHV Raiders Legion baseball team notched three victories and one loss last week to extend their regular season record to 14-2. Nick Jasmer earned the complete game victory over Eagle Valley, tossing a three-hitter while walking three and striking out three. Dakota Aeling, Patrick Riewer and Dustin Motschenbacher paced the Raiders with two hits a piece, with Hared Hoemberg, Ethan Bakken, Jasmer and Mike Mosseau also hitting safely.

Subscribe to get more of your current news!