Remember When 11-13-2019

(Above) Ventura playground gets donation in 1994 - Linda Hale (left) represented the Ventura Playground Group in 1994.  She was pleased to receive a $100 donation to the playground equipment drive from Ventura Education Association President Lorie Huffman and VEW members Polly Suntken, Patsy Stuffy, Nate Benzing, Judy Whitte, Michele Penning, Charlie Schroeder and Carolyn Luscomb.  The group raised money for new playground equipment at Ventura School.

By Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

November 1994

Following more than two hours of discussion Thursday, the Clear Lake City Council approved a request made by the Clear Lake Independent Telephone Co. to vacate an alley.  That vote was followed up Monday by setting a price for the alley and establishing a hearing date.  The Telephone Company has asked the city to vacate a portion of an alley running north and south between 1st Ave. N. and 2nd Ave. N.  The evacuation will allow the business to join two existing garages as part of a $3 million expansion and renovation project.  The Council approved the request to vacate the northern 66 feet of the alley at a cost of $4,540 to the business.  The price was based on a $4.30 per square foot price for the 66 by 16 foot alley.

Clear Lake voters reflected the national trend and favored Republicans candidates over their Democratic rivals in Tuesday’s election.  Clear Laker voters helped to return Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to office by a 1,507 to 1,022 margin in Clear Lake’s three voting wards.  Another incumbent and Republican, Jim Nussle, was a big winner locally.  Nussle garnered 1,619 votes to Democrat Dave Nagle’s 913. Democrat incumbent Dennis May was also returned to the Iowa Senate, thanks in large part to his strong support in his home county, Worth County.  May defeated former Mason City Mayor Bill Schickel, 5,221 to 5,112  Schickel carried Cerro Gordo County by a 3,740 to 3, 145 ,margin.

The Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner, sponsored by the Interfaith Fellowship for Community Action (IFCA) will be served at Zion Lutheran Church.

DeWayne Hughes and Kevin Wind will represent Ventura Schools at the 1994 Opus Vocal Music Festival in Ames.

Clear Lake Junior High School band student Carolyn Nicholas was awarded the position of top eighth grade flautist in the North Central Iowa Bandmasters Association Middle School Honor Band.

The North Iowa Christian Coffee-House series will be revived this weekend at St. Patrick’s Church.  The coffee house entertainment will feature the group, “Quiet Fire,” and gourmet desserts will be served.

The Petal Shoppe will host its annual Christmas Open House this weekend.  The Petal Shoppe is located at 1714 7th Ave. N., Clear Lake.  Owners Shirley and Jerry Pearson will offer homemade refreshment and door prizes while customers browse in the rooms full of beautiful holiday trimmings.  The Petal Shoppe carries the popular Snow Babies, Kewpie Dolls, Victorian pictures and Wax Works Candles.  They also carry brass items, plush animals, music boxes and a large selection of crystal items, in addition to their green and flocked trees, garlands, wreaths, swags and poinsettias.

Clear Lake “restored the roar” in 1994 as they finished third in Class 3A Districts and posted a 5-4 mark on the season.  The offense played a big part and that was reflected by the all-district selections as five of the six Lions selected were on the offense.  The Lions trio of senior running backs, Nick Henningsen, Kevin Boeshart and Vince Chmielewski were all named to the team.  Two members helped propel the team to a district leading 281.5 rushing yards per game were named as well, Jon Murray and Caleb Ewers.  Defensive end Tom Rauk was the Lions lone defensive representative.

The Ventura football team finished the season with an 0-9 record and 0-4 in the district, but still managed to place players on the Class A District 3 all-district team.  Those named to the all-district team were Mike Menke, Andy Muff, Mitch McNulty, Ryan Hiscocks, Dan Fields and Andy Luscomb.

50 Years Ago

October 1969

Dale Pattschull edged incumbent Floyd Nesbit in Clear Lake mayoral election, 748-739.  In the three-way race for two at-large posts on the council, Tom Hartin won handily and incumbent Wendell Johnson was re-elected.

Future streets and utilities in the Handicap Village tract were discussed Monday night by the Clear Lake City Council.

Several thousand curious North Iowans turned out at the Mason City Municipal Airport Tuesday at noon to catch a glimpse of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Enroute from Sheridan, Wyoming, to Washington D.C., he landed his Andover plane at the airport on a refueling stop of 45 minutes.  Decoyed to the restraining fence by a small boy with a Canadian maple leaf flag, he stopped briefly and shook hands.

Mrs. Jacqueline Day, of Des Moines, secretary to Governor Robert Ray and better known as the “Mom in Vietnam,” will be the special speaker at the fifth annual Armistice Day program, Nov. 11, at the Clear Lake High School auditorium.

75 Years Ago

September 1944

This is Homecoming week for Clear Lake High School.  Lt. Victor Jensen, Clear Lake High School graduate, now home on furlough from completing 50 air mission is Italy, will be the speaker at the rally.  Audrey Mack, a junior, is Homecoming queen.

Ventura’s population is 280 and still growing.

A reception for Rev. and Mrs. Warren Hubbard, the new Methodist Church pastor, was held Friday and drew a crowd of over 250.

Lt. Don Nesbit is home on furlough visiting his dad, Nibbs Nesbit and family.  He has exchanged many experiences with Vic Jensen, home from the same area.  Both Jensen and Nesbit were based in Italy.

100 Years Ago

October 1919

Miss Hanna Schonhood leaves this week as a missionary to Kurdistan under the Lutheran Church Mission.

Last Friday night evening a group of young people, in attempting to have a Halloween party in a lakeshore cottage were so disturbed by masked intruders that they party was broken up.  However, they did not miss out on their eats by the masked offenders as they had previously made arrangements at Silsby’s Restaurant.  After refreshments, they went to the home of Miss Ethel Cooke where they spend the remainder of the evening.

William Carr suffered a broken leg.  It seems that some of his chickens instead of going to the hen house to roost decided to spend the night in a nearby tree.  While trying to dislodge these fowl, a limb of the tree broke, causing Mr. Carr to break his right leg.  He was alone at the time, but managed to crawl to the telephone and call for help.