by Michelle Watson
25 Years Ago
August 1998
Clear Lake still remains under a microscope. Clear Lake residents got more of a pep talk than precise answers from the state about the lake’s quality at the annual meeting of the Association for the Preservation of Clear Lake. Some 125 persons attended the association’s picnic at Clear Lake State Park looking for answers concerning the water quality of Clear Lake. Iowa Department of Natural Resources leader Larry Wilson was the guest speaker. Wilson’s comments were met with frustration by residents who said they feel uninformed, helpless and extremely concerned about the future of the lake.
All public beaches in Clear Lake have been reopened to the public, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced.
The Clear Lake City Council has given its endorsement to two housing proposals recommended by the city’s Housing Task Force. The first proposal involves the Central School site, while the second is the 17-acre Lakeland property donated to the city.
The Ventura Community Action Club has announced a full slate of activities for the upcoming Annual Septemberfest to be held Saturday, Sept. 5. Items planned include Mutton Bustin’ Contest, a co-ed volleyball tournament and a parade. There will also be a bake sale, flea market, bingo, midway activities, gurney races, softball tournament, Cow Drop Bingo and Tae Kwon Do demonstrations.
The Ventura School District announced the addition of two more staff members. Bob McIntyre and Stacie Heitland.
A new condominium development is under construction at 1310 Village Drive in Clear lake. The first of seven units is scheduled for completion in September.
The Longaberger Company recognized Alice Hanley, of Clear Lake, as a 1998 National Sales Award winner at its annual convention held in Columbus, Ohio, for generating annual sales of more than $75,000.
Terry Rauk and Bill Purviance were recently named to the All-North Central Conference First Team baseball roster. Nate Carney , Jeff Hall and Jake Sorenson were named to the Second Team.
Chris Robinson and Andy Turnbull, both from Clear Lake, will compete as members of the North Iowa Area Community College’s football team this fall.
Shad Muth, a member of Clear Lake High School’s state championship golf team, tied for 13th place in the prestigious Independent Insurance Agent Junior Classic at Oak Tree County Club in Edmond, Okla. Muth fired an opening round go 37-36/73. His four-day total was 290.
Grocery specials for the week at Easter Foods include: Dole Bananas, lb., 33¢; Ruffles Potato Chips, 18 oz. bag, $1.79; Pepsi Products, 12 pack, 3/$8.89; Easter’s 2% Milk, gallon, $1.79; Red Baron Pizza, 12”, 2/$6; boneless sirloin steaks, lb., $2.79; John Morrell Sliced Bacon, 16 oz., $1.69; and pork chops, lb., $2.29.
50 Years Ago
August1973
Mrs. Loren Sadler, 2709 S. Lakeview Dr. found a dead blue heron in her yard on Friday morning. It is assumed that it flew into a wire during the night. It had a broken wing and other injuries.
Ventura will start classes on Aug. 29. Eight new teachers have been hired according to Supt. Lovell Diddy. New faculty members are: Diane Hentscher Anderson, Robert Elsbury, Milan Brousek, Jean Baskerville, Carol Sharp, Greg Wildman and Dennis Steigerwalt.
The lake level was 1.44” below the weir.
SR Doris Knopf, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Knopf, Sr., has graduated from Navy Recruit Training Center, Women, Orlando, Fla. and is now stationed in Memphis, Tenn., where she will attend Aviation Storekeeper School for nine weeks.
Playing at the Lake Theatre is Roger Moore as James Bond in “Live and Let Die.”
75 Years Ago
July 1948
Jack Dominic is building a new year-around roller rink between here and Mason City.
New roads have Clear Lake all bottled up. They are getting ready to black top Highway 18 and they’ve been working on the highway south to Thornton.
The Clear Lake State Park shelter house is booked up solid every day until Aug. 25.
A&P Market on Highway 18 has eggs for 47¢ a dozen; 3 lb. bag of Eight O’Clock Coffee is $1.15; 10 lb. bag of sugar is 91¢; fresh milk is 18¢ a quart and butter is 84¢ a pound.
A group of Girl Scouts attended camp on the Island last week.
Clear Lake is getting its third car dealer, Kaiser-Frazer cars.
A new city census is to be taken by the Chamber of Commerce. The last census, taken in 1940, showed a population of 3,764
99 Years Ago
August 1924
The passenger boat, Bobolink, caught fire while standing at the White Pier Dock Sunday.
Every few weeks more fish are being placed in our beautiful lake. Early in the spring 15 million fish were dumped into the lake. Last week, 140,000 black bass from Mississippi were dumped here.
Standing this week in the Tourist Park at Clear Lake is a mammoth house on wheels. The huge truck weighs between four and five tons and is 23 ft. long. It was built from a Clydesdale truck, covered with light sheet metal and is owned by Lt. C.A. Martin, a vaudeville artist.
Frank Young is in the junk business and is now buying rags, paper, magazines and junk of all kinds.
One hundred or more people in Clear Lake had the city water turned off last week because they ignored the statements sent out by the water commissioner. The council, as a unit, is demanding that water bills be paid the same way as we pay other bills.
