Remember When 1-9-2018

(Above) K of C Free Throw winners, 1994 - The Clear Lake Knights of Columbus held its annual Free Throw contest in 1994.  The event was held in Ventura with 46 participants.  The winners, their age group and score are front row (L-R): Ashley Avery, Ventura, girls age 10, 5-15; Kristin Cochran, Clear Lake, girls age 11, 11-15; Katie Gerhardt, Clear Lake, girls age 12, 7-15; Angie Avery, Ventura, girls age 13, 7-15; and Nicole Young, Clear Lake, girls age 14, 11-15.  Back row (L-R): Will Hendrickson, Clear Lake, boys age 10, 9-15; Brian McIntire, Clear Lake, boys age 11, 11-15; Jack Hyde, Ventura, boys age 12, 10-15; Chris Finnegan, Clear Lake, boys age 13, 11-15; and Luke Brager, Ventura, boys age 14, 9-15.

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

January 1994

The resignation of longtime Clear Lake elementary school principal Armand Oetken was accepted by the Clear Lake School Board on Monday night, Jan. 10.  Oetken, 62, asked the board to accept his early retirement after 26 years of service in the district.  School Superintendent Steve Voelz said the School Board will search for Oetken’s replacement over the next three months.

The Clear Lake City Council voted unanimously to go ahead with plans to construct a public restroom in a downtown alley.  The Council voted Tuesday to vacate the alley between Gwen’s and the I.O.O.F. building, clearing the way for the restrooms to be constructed this year.  The city already has $36,000 in its budget for the restroom construction.

You might call it “Cool Runnings,” Iowa style.  Karlos Kirby, of Clive, Iowa, was in Clear Lake and Ventura to talk to students about achieving their goals - even if those goals seem unlikely.  And no one knows more about unlikely goals than Kirby.  After all, what are the chances of an Iowan, who attends graduate school in balmy New Mexico, making the USA’s Olympic bobsled team?

Governor Terry Branstad will bring his State of the State and Budget Presentation to North Iowa on Thursday, Jan. 13, at the Area Education Agency, located at the Mason City Airport.

An exhaustive manhunt has rounded up Clear Lake’s “12 Most Wanted” for the American Cancer Society’s Jail & Bail.  The 12 participating in the fundraiser are Don Hauge, George Klaassen, Edna Klaassen, Charles MacNider, Sharon Albers, George Fountas, Kim Dwyer, Jerry Sedars, Mark Whaley, Denni Erickson, Kim Pleggenkuhle and Dano Morf.

Charles Norris, a rural Clear Lake farmer, is one of 78 farmers appointed to advisory committees for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) for 1994.

For two and one-half quarters Ventura looked to have their game with CAL easily in hand.  But then the Cadettes began to cut into the lead.  The Lady Vikings saw a 42-28 margin in the third quarter dwindle to a 49-49 tie late in the fourth quarter.  Angie Bieber and Heather Nordman stepped it up in crunch time to save the game and keep their five game winning streak intact with a 53-51 victory.

2, 0, 1, 2.  In the last four games for the Clear Lake boys basketball team, those are the loss totals for the Lions’ opponent.  The young Lions emerged from that difficult stretch more mature, but still winless.

The Ventura boys basketball team went into the holiday break on a two game winning streak.  They picked up where they left off, as they upset CAL, 70-67, at Latimer.  The Cadets were undefeated in the North Star Conference.  Wade Humphrey, a 6’4” senior, led the team with 16-points and 10 rebounds.  J.D. Shaffer and Brad Hollatz also had good games.  Shaffer had seven points and seven rebounds, while Hollatz added five points and five rebounds.

The team trophy for the Clear Lake Invitational went to the eighth-ranked Lions for their third tournament trophy this season.  The Lions crowned five champions, Sean Harlan, Craig Billings, Ryan Boeshart, Kevin Salge and David Doebel.

Specials for the week at Easter’s Super Valu include: Swiss Valley Yogurt, 8 oz., 3/$1; Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, 12 oz., $1.69; Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, 15 oz., $2.99; Nabisco Chips Ahoy Cookies, 14.5 oz., $2.39; Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, 12-12 oz. cans, $3.49; Mardi Gras Paper Towels, jumbo roll, 2/$1; split fryer chicken breasts, lb., $1.39; beef top sirloin steaks, lb., $2.69; and Dole Bananas, 3 lbs., $1.

50 Years Ago

January 1969

Iowa Highway Commission plans of linking all segments of Interstate 35 from Des Moines north to the Minnesota state line have been pushed back one year

The year 1969 marks the centennial anniversary of weekly newspaper in Clear Lake.  Weekly newspapers established its permanent niche in Clear Lake history in 1869, when The Observer was established by George E. Frost.  It was printed on the first abolition press used in the United States.  In 1879, the newspaper’s name was changed to the Clear Lake Mirror.  In April 1896, J.S. Davenport established the second weekly newspaper here, naming it the Clear Lake Reporter.  In July 1951, the city’s centennial year, the papers came under the ownership of B. Dayton Merriman.  Merriman later consolidated the papers into a single weekly, the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter.

The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce will officially introduce the public to its new office facilities at the corner of 3rd and Main.  The interior of the building has been completely remodeled with extensive improvements of the exterior.  M.A. (Curly) Hintzman is the Chamber Manager.

Playing at the Lake Theatre is The Beatles, “Yellow Submarine.”

65 Years Ago

January 1954

Clear Lake’s new professional building will hold an open house,  The Chappell Clinic will be host to the general public in their new location at the corner of 7th Ave. N. and N. 3rd St.

Ice fishing is getting into high gear in northwestern Iowa, and the State Conservation Commission expects a good season for one of Iowa’s newest sports.

Mr. and Mrs. Verden Tarbox left Sunday for the Rose Bowl game at Pasadena, Calif.  Mr. Tarbox won the trip by being high guesser for the season in the downtown Quarterback Club with a score of  141 out of 200 correct.

The sixth annual “Man of the Year” award was presented to Armor M. Pugh by B. Dayton Merriman, editor of the Clear Lake Mirror and Reporter.

90 Years Ago

January 1929

W.A. Ames has his toboggan slide built and in a few days it will be ready for use.  It has a drop of about 50 feet.

B.W. Burzette, while working on the lake Sunday clearing the snow from the ice, fell over in an unconscious state. He was picked up at once by near by friends who carried him home where he was cared for. He is still in an unconscious condition.

Two brothers, who will remain nameless, were out hunting Sunday.  As one of the brothers kicked in a bunch of grass to scare out a rabbit, his brother shot at the rabbit with a .22 rifle.  The bullet lodged in the brother’s foot.  No bones were broken, but one brother sure is doing the other brother’s chores.