Remember When 3-4-2020

New books at Ventura, 1995

(Above) Seventy-three new books were added at the Ventura Library in 1995 to the children’s collection.  Aid Association for Lutherans Branch 3200 and the Libre Foundation donated $350 to the library which was matched two-to-one by the Libre Foundation allowing he library to purchase the books.  A large crowd of children were on hand to check out the new titles.

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

March 1995

Clear Lake received a total of 10-inches of snow on March 7.

The Clear Lake City Council accepted the final recommendations of its special Lake Access Committee.  The committee, formed by the city in an effort to study ways to make accesses more available to the general public, signage and maintenance.  Boat slip space for public docks was also addressed.

For the first time in more than 20 years, fines issued for parking violations will rise in Clear Lake.  Police Chief Dan Jackson asked the city Council to consider raising fees from the current $5 fine to $10.  The Council voted to raise fees by 415 across the board.  For each 30 days a fine is unpaid, the amount rises by $5.  Jackson said 537 parking citations were issued in 1994, many due to snow ordinances.

The Surf Ballroom has announced that due to the fantastic response to the Confederate Railroad Concert, the band has scheduled another night of entertainment at the Surf, March 23.  Ticket prices are $18 for premium seating and $15 for dance tickets.  Booths are available for $10 for a four person booth and $15 for a six person booth.

The Mason City Municipal Airport received a new snow blower in time to remove 10-inches of snow from the runways.  The snow blower cost $221,500.  They also obtained a 16-foot wide tow behind runway sweeper.  The $77,300 snow sweeper is powered by a 250 h.p. six cylinder Caterpillar diesel engine that operates a 16-foot side, 36-inch diameter steel bristle broom and a high capacity rear air blower.

Nicky Berge, of Clear Lake, has assumed a new position of Volunteer Coordinator for Hospice of North Iowa.

Lowell and Carol Washburn, of Clea Lake, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with an open house at the Clear Lake Baptist Church, Clear Lake.  Host will be their son, Matthew.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas R. Hejlik, son of Sandra Hejlik, of Clear Lake, was cited for superior performance of duty while assigned at Naval Submarine support Facility New London, Groton, Conn.  The 1982 graduate of Clear Lake High School joined the Navy in April 1986.

The Clear Lake basketball team had played much better than their 3-17 record indicated, with 10 losses by seven pints or less.  But against second rated Humboldt squad they were handed one of the worst losses in school history, 103-56.

Loren K. Schermer, Dave Broadie, Steve Bledsoe, Randy Spilman and Marcus Majerczyk, all from Clear Lake, received the 1994 Trophy Fish Print Award at the Easten Iowa Sports, Boat, R.V. and Vacation Show held in Cedar Falls, in recognition of the trophy fish caught in Iowa waters and registered with the DNR in 1994.

Clear Lake Bank and Trust has announced the promotion of four employees.  They are Robin Bratvold; assistant vice president, real estate; William M. Seeger, CPA, assistant vice president/auditor; Michele Bush, assistant cashier/assistant auditor; and Matthew Ritter, assistant cashier/data processing.

Calculating junior high students from Clear Lake will compete in a showdown of math wits at the Iowa State Mathcounts competition.  Jeff Scudder, Robbie Stangel, Ryan Whaley and A.J. Roper will travel to Des Moines with their coach, Kirk Mueller, to square off against 123 contenders, also known as mathletes.

50 Years Ago

February 1970

James Frampton, Clear Lake, will assume the position of town marshal and maintenance supervisor in Ventura March 1.

The Chamber of Commerce board of directors appointed a committee to investigate possible uses of the Surf Ballroom.  Members of the committee are Robert Halford, Joe Roth, DuWayne Jensen and Wendell Wilcox.  

Two walls are now exposed and work continues on other walls of the new Fareway Store at the corner of Main Ave. and 8th St.  Cost estimate of the 94 by 170 foot store is valued at $91,000.  A fall opening is planned.

Clear Lake’s Denny Cooper, 130-pounder, and Rick Ott, 165-pounder, have won spots in the 1970 Iowa State High School wrestling tournament in Des Moines on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28.

65 Years Ago

February 1955

Nels Larsen, who has been a member of the Clear Lake Police Department for three years, will be appointed Thursday as the Dep. Chief of Police by Mayor M.A. Hintzman at a session of the new City Council.

Louis Krall, better known to movie patrons young and old as “Louie,” has resigned his position as Doorman at the Lake Theatre after 10 years of service.

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Schmoke has purchased Minkner’s cottages on South Shore from Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Minker.  The transaction consisted of four cottages located just south of the Clear Lake State Park.

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Ritter, from Forest City, moved into the Howard Casey home at 204 North 10th St. this week.  Mr. and Mrs. Ritter plan to open a nursing home in Clear Lake.

75 Years Ago

February 1945

A large convoy brought Delmar Jacobson and his unit of the army signal corps to the Philippine Islands, according to a letter received by his sister, Mrs. Rex Westcott.  No ship or plane were lost, although they were attacked.

The Great Lake’s Pipe Line Terminal on Main St. will employ 30 persons when completed.  With its 172,000 barrel storage capacity in seven huge tanks fed by two six-inch lines, the terminal now is ready to operate.

Sales of better than half a million dollars were made by the Clear Lake Co-Operative Creamery in 1944.  Butter, poultry and eggs totaled $560,000.  Farmers brought in 630,000 dozen eggs, 620,000 pounds of poultry, while the creamery manufactured and sold 354,000 pounds of butter.