Lake Minnewaska swallowing up motor vehicles

Dec. 20, 1962 – Area residents were getting ready for Christmas. It didn’t appear that the area was going to have a white Christmas as there was no snow on the ground just five days before the big day. 

It had been decided that the proposed new county historical society building would be constructed on  a three-acre site near Barsness Park. Previous plans would have had the building located at North Court Street and Minnesota Avenue, but the size of that lot was limiting, according to J. H. Peterson, president of the society.

Last minute Christmas shopping ads in the Tribune offered hairdryers for $13.88, transistor radios for $16.96, an electric razor for $12.95, a Zeiss Ikron automatic camera kit for $84.50 and fresh lutefisk at Bob’s Food Market at 25 cents a pound. 

Dec. 21, 1972 – The Glenwood City Commission had decided to cover the city’s parking meters in a gesture of good will for the holidays. It had earlier determined that the tradition of covering the meters would not be observed this year, but commissioners apparently changed their minds.

Pope County and its political subdivisions were the recipients of over $92,000 under a recently integrated federal government revenue-sharing program. The county itself received just over $61,000.

Dr. Frank Stone, a dentist who had practiced in Glenwood for 28 years, was about to retire. He had his office in the Swedenburg Clinic. He was also active in the American Legion, the Masons and other local activities as well as area dental associations.

Dec. 23, 1982 – Bob Moe resigned from his position as Glenwood’s city administrator though it was also announced that he would devote full time to administering the city’s sewage facility project and grant programs.

Superintendent N. H. Kerfeld warned School District No. 612 that fiscal times in the district were tough. Enrollment figures were down and going down further, and Kerfeld said that some grim days were ahead as the school board would need to decide where cuts would be made. 

Lake Minnewaska was swallowing up motor vehicles like Christmas candy eaten by a small child, according to the Tribune. Five vehicles had gone down between Thursday and Monday, with two of them still in the lake. Pope County Sheriff Gerald Moe advised extreme caution.    

Dec. 21, 1992 – Greg and Shelly Peterson’s home was pictured on the front page of the Tribune. There were over 3,500 lights brightening their home in Starbuck. It was said to be one of the most illuminated homes in the area. Other homes featured throughout the Tribune were those of Dr. Jeff and Mary Beth Schlueter, Bruce and Donna Schlueter, Gordon and Ann Wagner and Stan and Carol Dokken, all of Glenwood. 

It was to be merrier Christmas for nearly 120 families in Pope County this year. These families, which included over 300 adults and children, received gifts and food baskets through the Armful of Love program. This program was organized as a united effort of individuals, organizations, churches and businesses to provide gifts for needy families in the county. 

Property taxpayers were to notice an increase in taxes as Glenwood-Lowry school board approved a proposed tax levy of $1,428,076. This would be an increase of 17.86 percent from the actual dollars levied the previous year.  

Dec. 23, 2002 – After holding one final public hearing Wednesday on the proposed 2003 budget and levy, the Pope County Board unanimously passed a motion to collect just over $4 million in property taxes next year, a figure which includes a $220,000 special levy above and beyond the county’s limit-to begin paying for a $1 million capital-note issuance. 

The annual district audit was presented to the Minnewaska Area Board of Education on Tuesday evening by Jeff Dinham of Dinham, Folker and Associates. Besides a few noted miscues and a slight decrease in the fund balance, Dinham said the district’s record and financial condition was satisfactory.

Dec. 24, 2012 – The Minnewaska Parent Teacher Association (PTA) hosted a discussion with three area legislators at its Dec. 17 meeting. Rep. Paul Anderson (R) District 13A, Rep.-elect Jay McNamar (D) District 12A, and Minnesota Sen.-elect Torrey Westrom (R) District 12, stopped by the Minnewaska Area High School media center to hear PTA members’ concerns and talk about how the upcoming legislative session may affect Minnewaska schools. 

Community gives gift of Christmas dinner. In an annual tradition at Minnewaska Area Day Treatment, all 65 students were able to bring home a gift for their families: a box filled with everything needed to prepare a Christmas feast. 

The Pope County Housing Redevelopment Authority/Economic Development Authority (HRA/EDA) Executive Director Dick Dreher told the board at its regular meeting last Tuesday that he has signed the purchase agreement with Mike and Cindy Senf for the Starbuck Lakeview RV Park home. Dreher said the Senf’s gave him $5,000 nonrefundable payment as well as another $5,000 payment towards the purchase price.