Remember When 10-27-2021

(Above) Famous students, 1996 - Clear Lake ExCEL students from Lincoln Elementary School participated in a program called “Night of the Notables” in 1996.  Each student portrayed a famous gifted person. They also filmed their program at the Northern Trails Area Education Association with hopes of being televised on Channel 2.  Participating students included (kneeling L-R): Rebecca Cory (Ludwig Van Beethoven) and Ingrid Narum (Amerlia Earhart.)  Standing (L-R): Ryan Beens (Lou Gehrig), Sara Hansen (Helen Keller), Hannah Geilenfeld (Florence Nightingale), Lynette Hunsaker (Abe Lincoln), Kevin Hampton (Albert Einstein), Mackenzie Lowry (Eleanor Roosevelt), Danny Scarrow (Squanto), Tyrelle Campbell (George Washington), Kaitlyn Zenner (Jane Addams) and Alicia Rasmussen (Laura Ingalls Wilder).

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

October 1996

Wet and colder weather this week has sparked an eerie reminder of Halloween week five years ago.  It was then that forecasters in Iowa were warning us that the first winter storm of the season was a real possibility.  A day later, on Oct. 31, rain turned to ice and Clear Lakers, as well as those in a large portion of North Iowa were without power for days and even weeks.  Millions of dollars in damage were left in the wake of the storm.  As evening fell on Oct. 31, 1996 rain turned to ice and propelled by 50 mph wind gusts by Friday, the ice had downed power lines and shattered power poles like toothpicks.  By Nov. 1, the storm was at full intensity and all of Clear Lake was without power.

An audit report has been released on the Clear Lake Community School District.  Bertram Cooper & Co. L.L.P, reported that the District’s General Fund receipts totaled $8,027,150 for the year ended June 30, 1995, a 1.7 percent increase from 1995.  General Fund Disbursements for the year totaled $7,955,643 a 4.4 percent increase from the prior year.

The Clear Lake City Council has approved spending $4,100 for new aerial photos to be taken of the city, with an eye toward using the photos for reference in planning development.

Clear Lake High School will present the musical show “Guys and Dolls” in E.B. Stillman Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9. 

A total of $1,450.12 was raised at a Halloween party held in Ventura to raise funds for repair of the Ventura Community Hall.

Three Clear Lake students have been selected to sing in the 11th Annual Opus Honor Choir.  Lindsay Arispe and Luke Langholz have been selected to sing in the 180-voice Fifth-Sixth Grade Select Honor Choir.  Derek Bauer will sing in the 180-voice Ninth-Tenth Grade Select Honor Choir.

A public open house will be held Monday, Nov. 4, to honor Robert Halford, who will retire as general manager of the Clear Lake Independent Telephone Company.  He has served as general manager since 1980 and has been with the company since 1954.  He will serve on the Clear Lake Independent Telephone Company Board of Directors.

The Clear Lake boys cross country team placed fourth at the Algona meet, which was good enough to send them to the State meet as a team.  Tom Zirbel was the only top 10 finisher for the Lions, he placed third with a time of 16:31.  Also competing were David Oelschlaeger, Leif Kennedy, Nate Otis, Matt Otis, Landon Plagge and Dean Walston.

They would rather be playing in the State finals a few weeks from now, but the Ventura football team will play its final game of the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the UNI Dome.  They will face Rockwell-Swaledale at 4:30 p.m.

Clear Lake Football Coach Fred Wieck got his 100th win as a head coach Friday night when the Lions defeated Forest City, 40-14.  Nate Carney had two touchdowns for the Lions.

Grocery specials for the week at Fareway include: Butternut Coffee, 34.5 oz. can, $3.99; Northern Bathroom Tissue, 4 roll, 88¢; Gold Medal Flour, 5 lb. bag, 79¢; Coke products, 24-12 oz. cans, $4.99; Liquid All Detergent, 64 oz. bottle, $2.19; boneless, skinless chicken breast, lb., $1.99; boneless beef ribs, $1.69; and whole in the bag ribeye loin, 12-14 lb. average, $3.99, a lb.

50 Years Ago

October 1971

The new political party in Clear Lake - the Citizens for Community Progress - is planning a coffee hour reception for its team of candidates.

Clear Lake’s cross country team, in a four team invitational at Webster City, placed third with 101 points.  Competing for Clear Lake were Steve Haxton, Paul Allen, Byron Allison, Greg Nicholas, Craig Humburg, Jon Own and Lonnie Bosch.  

Playing at the Lake Theater is “Klute,” starring Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland.  Coming soon is, “The Hunting Party,” starring Oliver Reed, Candice Bergen, and Gene Hackman.

Judy Lincicum was featured with her favorite recipes.  She shared her recipe for Pumpkin Squares: 4 eggs, 1 can pumpkin, 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.  Mix all and spread in a shallow sheet cake pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Frost with a powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting.

60 Years Ago

October 1961

The first sign of political activity preceding the coming election emerged this week with the announcement that B.C. Myhr would be a candidate for mayor and John Bohning for councilman.

Thousands upon thousands of “SK” brand bags of potatoes are pouring into grocery stores and supermarkets throughout the country from Clear Lake as harvest reaches its peak from Sam Kennedy and Sons huge farm enterprise.

From the deep south come Mr. and Mrs. Leo Stattelman, of Montgomery, Ala.  They have a nine month old daughter.  He teaches high school English.  They attend the Catholic Church.

Savings and Loan plans a drive-in service window to be installed on the north side of the present building.

100 Years Ago

October 1921

The Lions Club is to be commended for their public spirit.  The club will install in the city park a cooling system for two drinking fountains.  A reservoir will be filled with ice and water coils will run through the fountains.

C.E. Geist has bought the house boat commonly known as Noah’s Ark for $500.

Buy your milk at Bieber’s Meat Market for 10¢ a quart.  It’s absolutely clean and of the finest quality.

Roy Tesene met an untimely death when he was struck by lightning as he worked around a haystack in his field.  He was killed instantly.  This is one of the saddest deaths that has occurred in this vicinity for many years.  He had been putting up some clover hay when he noticed a storm approaching.  He went to cover the fine hay and to prevent the wind from blowing the cover off.  His wife and little son went out with him on the wagon.