Remember When 4-1-2020

(Above) Showing their pearly whites in 1995 - In 1995, Carolyn Pike, a dental hygienist  from Dr. Bieber’s dental practice, visited the Monday/Wednesday morning class at Sonshine Center Preschool during their Health Unit.  Pike shared information about caring for teeth.  Pictured are front row (L-R): Maria Wahl, Alesha Floy, Mark Dickson, Joshua Huang, Zachary Bartlett and Jake Plagge.  Center (L-R):  Daniel Richards, Kelli Klein, Megan Rosel, Beau Bonner, Luke Humberg.  Back row (L-R): Ethan Grismore, Cameron Law, Tahara Khan, Matthew Harken, and Ben Hunt.

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

April 1995

A project coordinator has been named to direct an effort to make Clear Lake clear again.  Ric Zarwell, 48, of New Albin, Iowa, has been hired to direct the C.L.E.A.R. (Clear Lake Enhancement and Restoration) Project.  The effort is funded by federal and state dollars.

How long can Clear Lakers hold it?  Clear Lake City Administrator Tom Lincoln reminded City Council members that if the community’s downtown is to have a restroom this tourist season, they will need to start the project moving soon.  Originally, the city had budgeted $36,000 for the restroom, which is to be built in a 16-foot space between Gwen’s Hallmark and the I.O.O.F. building on Main Ave.

The City Council granted an amusement license to Coffman’s Carts, a new go-cart racing and miniature golf attraction located on Highway 18, one-half mile east of Interstate 35.

The level of Clear Lake was measured Tuesday, April 4, at 5.40 inches above the spillway.  Ice was declared out of the lake on March 24.

There’s a turkey on the lam in Clear Lake.  According to Clear Lake police, Clear Lake residents have been reporting a turkey wandering the streets and neighborhoods over the past few days.  Since no wild turkeys would ever come to town, it is believed the bird is a wild turkey which has become domesticated.

Clear Lake Junior High School Principal Robert Mondt has been named runner up in the School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) Middle Level Principal of the Year competition.

Tom and Janice Nelson will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house on April 9, at the Evangelical Free Church.

A pair of Clear Lake seniors were named to the 1994-95 All North Central Conference boys basketball team.  Mark Ebeling earned Second Team honors, he also earned Honorable Mention recognition from the Iowa Newspaper Association.  Jon Kollman was named to the Third Team.

The Clear Lake and Ventura girls track teams both took a large contingent to the Dickinson Indoor Relays on March 30, each coming home with a pair of placewinners.  Clear Lake’s Megan Plagge was second in the open 400 with a time of 1:03.65 and Krista Fritz long jumped 15’6” for fifth place.  Ventura’s Sarah Hindrichs was third in the 55 meter dash with a time of 7.67 and joined Jami Sonney, Ellie Pueggel and Allison Cooper to propel the distance medley relay to a sixth place finish in 4.44.6.

50 Years Ago

March 1970

William L. (Bill) Nicholas, manager of the Nicholas Turkey Farm, surveyed damage following a fire early Thursday morning that destroyed a large machine shed and gutted a nearby smaller building.

Four Clear Lake boys earned All North Central Conference basketball honors.  Tom Lewis was named to the First Team, while Mike Chaney and Brad Heitland earned Second Team honors and Ross Klongebro earned Honorable Mention.

Al Budlolfson, of Clear Lake, was one of five former players inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the state high school basketball tournament at Veterans Memorial Auditorium.  Born and raised at Rolfe, Budolfson played on Rolfe’s 1937-38 state tournament squads and was a top scorer in the tournament that year.

65 Years Ago

March 1955

Army PFC Thomas H. Ouverson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emery Ouverson, of Clear Lake, is playing basketball in Japan with the 806th Army Unit team.  Ouverson, a teletype operator with the unit’s Signal Operations Company, has been overseas since last December.

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Nelson are the parents of a son, Kim Matt, weighing 6 lbs. 12 oz., born at Mason City Hospital.

James R. Kennedy, incumbent, was re-elected to the Clear Lake School Board Monday.  He received 729 voted.  His opponent, Dr. Edward L. Chappell, received 639 votes.

Richard Oulman has announced that he plans to build a bowling alley at 514 Second Place North between the Medical Clinic and Nesbit’s Motel.  Oulman was granted a building permit session of the Clear Lake City Council.

Dick Van Slyke was elected commander of Saratoga Post 4868, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

100 Years Ago

March 1920

Fire early Saturday morning destroyed the Cecil Hotel causing damage estimated  at more than $200,000.  Maurice Alpin, clerk, was overcome when arousing guests and died shortly after.

Due to the high cost of labor and supplies, plans and hopes of a community building here have been abandoned. 

P.J. Pederson and Samuel Kennedy Jr. established a new high priced record for Cerro Gordo County land when the latter bought the former’s 40 acre tract near the city limits for $1,000 an acre.

A Clear Lake boy, Lester Barlow, inventor of the famous depth bomb, will give an address at the Electric Theatre.  Lester is state organizer of World War I veterans and will no doubt draw a large crowd.

Clark Branson, who has had the Electric Theatre under lease is to be congratulated upon the character and excellence of the pictures shown.  He is a young man full of pep, energy and ambition and is showing pictures that towns ten times the size of Clear Lake would envy.