Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, June 6, 1946
•The attention of residents of this area will be focused on Wadena on Sunday, June 9 when the municipal airport will be dedicated with fitting ceremonies and a thrilling air show. Never in Wadena’s history has an aerial show of this proportion been staged and approximately 5000 visitors are expected to join in the day’s activities.
•The Verndale Fire Department was called to the Verndale Hatchery on Saturday night at about 10 p.m. to put out a fire in one of Jacob’s chicken brooder houses. The fire was soon extinguished, but 700 six-week-old chicks were smothered by smoke.
•Art Heinemann sold his building in Verndale that is now occupied by Lynch’s Cafe to Mr. and Mrs. Nick Taberry of Wadena. Just what the plans of Mr. and Mrs. Taberry or Mr. and Mrs. Lynch are, we cannot state at this time.
40 Years Ago, June 4, 1981
•Winning top prizes for their American Legion poppy posters were the following sixth graders: Dan Dougherty, Jennifer Ninneman and Rochelle Adams. Honorable mention winners were: Cindy Crowe, Synette Plautz and Jennifer Erkenbrack.
•Kathy Techam displayed a trophy designating her as District Girls Track Coach of the Year. This is the second time in succession that she has been honored. This past weekend she was also named the Region Coach of the Year. Kate Wutzke received a plaque identifying her as the Girl’s Athlete of the Year at the Athletic Awards Banquet held last Thursday evening in the high school auditorium.
•Qualifying for region competition were three Verndale Pirates: Todd Pilgrim, Bill Blaha and Ken Kneisl. Coach Mike Mahlen said the scores were extremely close. Ken finished third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.6; third in the 400-meter dash with 51.17; fourth in the 200-meter dash with 23.46. Todd came in fourth in the pole vault at 11’6” after completing a season of several 12’ attempts. Bill entered the 110-meter hurdles and failed to place.
15 Years Ago, June 8, 2006
•Wadena Police Department Officer Ron Noon has announced he will run for Wadena County Sheriff in the upcoming 2006 election. Noon is a 20 year veteran of law enforcement. He started in 1986 working for the Granite Falls Police Department and in 1987 accepted a position with the Wadena Police Department.
•The legend of the Verndale “Sorehead” began 20 years ago with Bill Beven having the distinction of being the first “Sorehead” in 1984. The voting for “Sorehead” that first year garnered over 1700 votes with 67 persons vying for the honor. There was a chainsaw sculpture that took a place of honor at “Sorehead Park” which was on the corner of Farwell and First Avenue at that time. With Beven’s death in January 1987, a second “Sorehead” statue was commissioned, which presently has a home at the Verndale Fire Department. Beven was a firefighter and was involved in the community through service on the school board and VFW.
•Mia Moyer and Wyatt Roggenkamp, seniors at Verndale High School, have been named the Outstanding Vocational Education Students for the 2005-2006 school year. Freshwater Education District sponsors this award. A committee of vocational education instructors selected these fine students. Mia has taken agriculture, career and technical classes. Wyatt has taken several vocational classes and plans on entering a career in the area of agriculture.