Remember When 11-4-2015

(Above) Ventura High School play, 1990 - The Ventura High School Drama Department staged “Once Upon a Mattress” in 1990.  The Saturday performance was a dinner theater.  “Once Upon a Mattress” featured Prince Dauntless (left) played by Troy Meier, Princess Winifred the Woebegon (center) played by Shannon Quinn, and Jester, Jennifer Shaffer.  This was Ventura’s first musical.  A cast of 30 was under the vocal direction of Bonnie Stewart and the drama direction was under Sarah Shaefer.

25 Years Ago

October 1990

Clear Lake officials, representing business, education, medical services and various other parts of the Clear Lake community, showed leaders of the Pella Rolscreen Company numerous reasons why this should be the site for their new factory.  Clear Lake is one of four finalists vying for the company to locate in their community.

Vice President Dan Quayle will be in Clear Lake as part of a campaign swing through the state for U.S. Senate candidate Tom Tauke.  Tickets for the event, which will be held at the Holiday Motor Lodge, are $50.

This Friday Ventura will host another representative from its sister city, Ventura, Calif.  Mayor Bob Wolfram said a photographer from the Ventura County Star-Free Press will be in Ventura to take photos for a future color photo display of the Iowa town.  The photographer will also do an interview with the former Ventura High School basketball standout, Lynne Lorenzen, who is now playing at Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa. The photographer will also photograph farm scenes, the local elevator, the lake and a school class and more.

Jim and Grace Rich have assumed management of the Clear Lake Ben Franklin store.  The couple is formerly of Webster City where they operated the Ben Franklin store there for five years.

Aaron Marken shattered Clear Lake’s all-time rushing record by gaining 136-yards on 28 carries Friday night against Humboldt.  However, even with his efforts Clear Lake came up short against the undefeated Wildcats, 16-8.  Marken brought his season rushing total to 1,188, surpassing Dave Ward’s total of 1,137 in 1974.

The Clear Lake cross country team competed in their final meet of the season at Eagle Grove.  The boys finished 16th out of 21 teams.  Robert Doebel led the Lions, finishing 50th with a time of 18:58.  The girls were led by Elise Den Hartog, who was 51st in 14:25.

Ventura’s football team closed out its regular season at home by losing 47-12 to undefeated Twin River Valley.  Ventura scored both touchdowns in the second quarter.  Tim Bray ran one-yard into the end zone for the first score and passed 61-yards to Scott Hinrichs for the second TD.

Food specials at Perkins for the week include: all you can shrimp, fries and coleslaw, $5.99; all you can eat spaghetti and meatballs, French bread and salad, $4.99; and turkey or roast beef dinner with soup or dinner salad, vegetable, potato, bread and dessert, $6.99.

50 Years Ago

October 1965

The weather has done an about-face so far this month.  After record rainfalls in the month of September, we have received a mere .05 inches of rain during the first 17 days of October.  We had frost and freezing temperatures on Oct. 13 when the temperature dipped as low as 31 degrees.  Now Clear Lake is experiencing Indian Summer, which is warm weather after we have experienced a frost.

The Clear Lake Lions dropped their seventh football game in as many starts Friday night at Lion’s Field.  The Lions did manage to get on the board in the 32-6 loss.  The Clear Lake score came early in the second quarter on a one-yard run by Roger Ashland.

Eight seniors wrapped up the 1965 season at Ventura: Tom Anderson, Mike Cash, Russ Hanson, Mike Hollatz, Doug Robbins, Jim Cash, Dave Hanson and Randell Odegaard.

75 Years Ago

October 1940

With a broad, clear view of the lake to the front of her summer cottage and many changing colors of Frost’s Woods extending off to the rear, such is the beautiful setting that Mrs. L.E. Ashland and her co-hostesses, Mrs. C.R. Woodford and Mrs. J.R. Aurdal, have been having for a series of luncheons served to groups of ladies during these beautiful autumn days.

H.E. Reassume, who had 90 head of fine spring pigs has lost all of them but 20 to a strange disease.

Art Rawson had 200 chicken stolen.  Art does not understand how anyone could drive into his yard at night and steal them without some commotion.  All he knows is that this was one wily chicken thief.

100 Years Ago

October 1915

Last Saturday evening just as pavers had completed a block of cement base for the asphalt pavement on 2nd Street, north of the city park, a certain gentleman with an auto drove the entire block, plowing his way through five inches of fresh cement and crushed stone.  One of the contractors stopped the intruder and told him the carelessness would cost him $20.  After an argument, the man paid and went on his way, a wiser man.

The skating rink at the White Pier is now open.

The seats in city park were gathered up and placed in the vacant livery barn just east of the Lumberton garage.

The large plate glass window in the Renz Racket Store was broken by the wind.