Remember When 1-6-16

(Above) Ice jammed, 1965 - Touristville Boat Co. put a manufacturer’s guarantee to a tough test in 1965.  The Dubuque Boat and Boiler Works guarantees that the eight-ton “Showboat” will not be harmed by the ice, as long as the outside openings are greased and the water turbines are out of the water.  The boat may appear to be sinking, but it is actually weighted down in the front with concrete blocks to raise the back end and the turbines out of the water.  Mother Nature also helped by adding a heavy layer of ice to the front end of the boat.  The boat has been in operation for three years and is capable of carrying 109 passengers and crew.

25 Years Ago • January, 1991

The top story for 1990 was members of the 1133rd National Guard medium truck transportation company in Mason City being called to active duty by the President of the United States.  The unit was ordered to report to Fort McCoy in Wisconsin for additional training and by mid-November was bound for Saudi Arabia.  Thousands of North Iowans lined old Highway 106 between Mason City and Interstate 35 at Clear Lake to show their support for the unit.  The number two story was the third phase of North Shore Drive reconstruction project, which proved to be quite the soap opera with many delays and problems.

In November, 38 Clear Lake High School sociology students learned how to conduct a survey.  They brainstormed topics they wished to question Clear Lake citizens bout and wrote close-ended questions dealing with issues.  A few of the general conclusions included:  80 percent believe that the drinking age should remain at 21; 60 percent felt that teens who drink should suffer tougher punishment; 89 percent believe the school system should require all student to take a sex education course in high school; 63 percent believed that the federal government should not fund abortions; 71 percent favor a law requiring the consent of both parents prior to an abortion for a person under 18; and 87 percent do not believe flag burning to be a form of free speech.

The value of farmland in Iowa increased by 6.6 percent in 1990, according to the annual Iowa State University survey of land values.  The average value of all grades of agricultural land reached an estimated $1,214 per acre, up $75 from last year.  Values are now about 54 percent higher than the 1986 low about 43 percent below the peak statewide average of $2,147 reached in 1981.

A recipe shared in the “Good Taste” feature was Corn and Cilantro Soup:  2 tsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. safflower oil, 1 chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 chopped green pepper, 1 chopped sweet red pepper, 1 chopped jalapeño pepper, 1 chopped tomato, 2 cups corn, 2 cups unsalted chicken broth, 2 Tbls. cilantro.  Heat the butter and oil together in a large soup pot.  Add onion, garlic and cumin.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Stir in the peppers and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.  Add tomato, corn and chicken stock.  Reduce heat and simmer five minutes.  Stir in cilantro before serving.

Specials for the week at Ben Franklin include:  Wild Bird food, 2 lbs., $1; Liquid Drano, 32 oz., $1.20; Dr. Scholl’s Warm-Eze fleece insoles, $3.

50 Years Ago • December 1965

Thieves took a portable TV set and $52.05 in cash in a Thursday night break-in at Ken’s Champlin Service, 101 S. 3rd St.

Members of Clear Lake Saratoga Post 4868 of the V.F.W. are donating 116 pheasants to the Christmas dinner tables of service veterans at Des Moines Veterans Hospital.

Since the year 1929 there have been but four years in which precipitation was over 40-inches according to L.S. Knutson, M-R weather statistical.  Through Dec. 20, 1965 we have received 42.43” of precipitation.  The normal yearly precipitation is 30”.

The Clear Lake Lions will try to get their basketball season back on the winning note.  The Lions dropped their first cage game of the season at Algona, 69-58.  The loss knocked them out of first place in the conference.  Bill Moresby scored 21-points to lead the team, while Don Anderson added 20-points.

45 Years Ago • January 1971

Eighteen inches of snow buried Clear Lake.  Old Man Winter made a repeat performance of about three weeks ago.  It was the same story all over again, only maybe a little worse this time around.  Cancellations, stranded cars, snowed in residents were all part of the fun.

Steve Grabinski, a 1969 graduate of Clear Lake High School, is currently a member of the starting team of the North Iowa Area Community College basketball squad.

Elmer Luscomb was honored by men from the Clear Lake County Shed and County Engineer’s office.  Luscomb was presented a purse in recognition of his service as County Supervisor.

100 Years Ago • December 1915

The practice of boys jumping on bobs should be stopped.  Saturday, one boy was dragged about 200 feet and the wonder is that his leg was not broken in several places.

Enjoy your Christmas and New Year’s sleigh rides by keeping warm under Patterson’s cutter robes.

Lost on streets of Clear Lake: 22 calibre Winchester rifle with broken stock.

Skating is fine on the creek in Grant township these moonlight nights and the sport is greatly enjoyed by the young, and also some not so young.

Irritable children often need Kickapoo Worm Killer.