Remember When 6-5-2019

(Above) Baby boom in 1969 - When members of the Beta Omicron Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi got together in 1969, it was assured a “howling” good time was to be had.  The babies have been born to the 10 mothers within a period of eight months.  Pictured (L-R) is Mrs. Bob Whelan and Tom; Mrs. Vernon Nagel and Brett; Mrs. Paul Erickson and Tricia; Mrs. James Garrett and Aaron; Mrs Richard Dunn and Amy; Mrs. Lyle Abbas and Doug; Mrs. David Long and Larry; Mrs. Brian Armstrong and Stephanie; Mrs. Joe Scott and Keely and Mrs. Dale Kuhlmeier and Diane.

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

June 1994

Three men with business located along 4th Ave. S.  (formerly Highway 106) expressed their concerns with proposed zoning changes along that street as part of the city’s comprehensive plan.  Committees have been working one the plan for nearly two years.

The Ventura High School Marching Band, under the direction Nate Benzing, capped its season with top honors at the Mason City Band Festival Saturday.  The group was awarded the first place trophy for Class A bands.  The Clear Lake High School Marching Band, under the direction of Dan Djuren, claimed second place in the Class 3A competition.  Led Wangberg, of Clear Lake, was presented with the festivals Bandmaster Award.  Wangberg was a longtime music educator at Clear Lake and currently directs the Clear Lake Municipal Band.

The Lake Level dropped .48” to its new mark of +2.28” above the weir.

Daisy Myhr, of Clear Lake, will celebrate her 102nd birthday on June 14, with friends and family.  All are invited to an open house in her honor at 15 Timberlane Dr., where she lives with her daughter and son-in-law.

Sharon Albers and Diane Wilson are the owners of the newly opened Lake Coffee House and Cottage Treasures, 412 N. Shore Dr.  The house specializes in gourmet coffees, teas, espressos, mochas and rich desserts.  Lunch is also served inside the remodeled house and outside on the new deck.  The original cottages are specialty shops that include giftware, teddy bears, pottery and collectibles.

Helen Estergard, of Clear Lake, recently received a plaque honoring her for reaching 4,000 hours of cumulative volunteer service and Handicap Village.

A farm Safety Day camp for children ages eight to 13 is being planned for June 22, at the Spence Abrams farm six miles north of Ventura from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.  Hands-on demonstrations will teach participants lifesaving first aid techniques and reveal the hidden hazards of farm surroundings.  Camp demonstrations will focus on farm hazards presented by livestock, chemicals, electrical systems, grain bins, tractors and lawn mowers.

One of the world’s top triathletes will compete in the McIntosh Triathlon Sunday at McIntosh Woods State Park.  Tony DeBoom, of Denver, Colo., has entered the triathlon.  DeBoom, an Iowa native, is considered to be among the world’s best triathletes.

The Clear Lake softball team is off on the right foot in the batter’s box with 34 runs in the first six games.  Unfortunately, the defense is still playing catch-up.  Errors in key innings have left the Lions with a 2-4 mark and 0-2 in the North Central Conference.

The Lady Vikes are off to a 6-1 start for new coach Tim Larson.  Larson has installed a three-girl rotation of freshman Danielle Hughes, sophomore Allison Cooper and junior Angie Bieber.  All three are pitching solidly, even Cooper, who didn’t pitch last year.  Ventura has scored 83 runs in their first seven games, almost 12 a game.

Buena Vista’s Megan Coe, a Ventura graduate, has been named to the NCAA Division III Coaches Association All-American team.  Coe, a junior second baseman, was named to the second team.  Coe lead the Lady Beavers, 33-5 and ranked number one for much of the season, in nine offensive categories.

50 Years Ago

June 1969

Jack Kennedy, president of the Clear Lake Board of Education, presented 146 seniors with their diplomas during commencement ceremonies Tuesday evening.  Theme speakers were John Kennedy, Vicki Craig and Rick Schuler.

Lt. Loren G. Bitker, son of Mrs. Leroy Bitker, of Clear Lake, was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in U.S. Army Military Intelligence at Officer Candidate graduation ceremonies at Fort Belvoir, Va.  Lt. Bitker is now attending Military Intelligence School at Fort Holabird, Md.

Clear Lake’s young track and field forces had a strong showing Saturday in the State Class A meet at Jefferson.  Coach Dave Long’s Lions finished 10th among a field of 96 teams in the meet.  They also set three new school records.  Clear Lake’s mile relay team finished second in the state meet.  The unit chopped six seconds off its previous best time.  Flying for the Lions were Tom Lewis, Mike Byington, Tom Leonard and Bill Wistey.  Wistey finished third in the 440-yard dash with a time of :50.8, a new school record.  Clear Lake’s 880 team of Byington, Lewis, Leonard and Al Kappmeyer also set a school record with a time of 1:33.3.

65 Years Ago

May 1954

The Burns D-X Service Station at 203 Main Ave. won the “Cleanliness Award” for the 16th time in 17 years.  The award is given to the cleanest and best kept station in the northern division, which consists of more than 50 stations.

One of Clear Lake’s newest motels is the Lake View Motel located on new Highway 18 on the northwest edge of Clear Lake.  The motel was built entirely by the Carl Ashland family who own and operate it.

The Clear Lake Globe Gazette now has an office of its own on Second Place North across from the Surf parking lot.

90 Years Ago

May 1929

Sam Kennedy shipped out a carload of potatoes to Des Moines.

At a meeting of the Clear Lake track men, Keith McGowan was elected captain of the next season’s squad.  He will succeed Capt. Harley Francis, who was graduated this year.

When you see a brightly painted, new half-ton G.M.C. truck on the city streets this week you will recognize another forward step by this industrious lad, W. Kenyon Verbeckmoes, owner and manager of the Kenyon Dairy.  Some day he said he wants to be appointed mayor of Clear Lake, his first action being to abolish most of the stop signs so the dairy men can drive across the city before the milk sours.

Several Mason City High School seniors were badly injured in an auto accident yesterday morning just opposite of Tourist Park, on the Bayside road.