4-H plants 450 trees

May 9, 1963 – The Rev. L. D. Kramer, pastor of the Assembly of God Church in Glenwood, announced that he would leave his position as pastor of the church to devote full time to his job as head of Assembly Homes, Inc. in Minnesota. He had also been named to the board of benevolences of the Assembly of God Church nationally.

Two incumbents and a third candidate filed for openings on Glenwood’s school board. Incumbents, Dr. Gordon Lee and Jim Stradtman, were to appear on the ballot, as was Harry Schmiesing. Holdover members included Jim Gremmels, Grant L. Hustad, Earl Fingerson and Gordon Moe.

The grand opening of the Rogers Hotel and Cafe, under new management, was set. New owner was Donald Brokhausen, Formerly of Clifford, S.D. He had purchased the hotel from Howard “Mickey” McDonald.

Mrs. Clifford Hansen was named to fill a post on the Glenwood Community Hospital Board. 

May 10, 1973 – The Pleasant Hill Troopers 4-H Club, the outstanding 4-H club in the county for the year, planted 450 trees in Minnewaska Township as part of a program established by the John Morton Memorial Fund. Morton was a county farmer who established and followed a variety of conversation practices on his farm and was named the Conservation Farmer of the Year in Minnesota in 1959. Morton had died in 1970.

Minnewaska Lutheran Church in Starbuck was about to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its inception as a congregation. Committee members planning for the event were Ray Kyvig, George Aune, Mrs. Ednard Barsness, Mrs. Hilmer Erickson, Lisa Kirkwold and Gertie Larson.

Villard sports fans attended the annual mallard sports banquet to listen to Paul Swan speak. Jeff Gaffaney was given awards for being named to the all-loop football and basketball teams. Leonard Heidelberger was named fan of the year. Other awards were presented to members of all of Villard’s teams.

May 12, 1983 – Waterama Admiral Bill Endres announced that there would be some changes in the upcoming annual celebration. The big Waterama float was to be redesigned and re-built, weighing up to 2,300 pounds less since cars had become smaller. The water thrill show was to feature a show other than the Prior Lake Ski Club, which for years had provided the entertainment.

The Minnesota State Patrol credited a child’s auto restraint with saving her life in a bizarre accident on Hwy No. 28 between Glenwood and Starbuck. A Chaska man and his infant daughter were traveling east when a pickup truck they met lost the fish house loaded on it. The fish house flew through the air and could not be avoided by the east-bound motorist. The child was strapped into her infant seat and thus avoided striking the windshield in the accident. 

May 10, 1993 – Pope County deputy, Mark Hedner, who had been serving as acting sheriff, was appointed by the county board as Pope County Sheriff until 1994 election. Pope County attorney, Bruce Obenland, pointed out that the county board was required by state statute to fill the sheriff’s position for the balance of the term. 

Two youths had been found early Sunday morning on Lake Villard after being reported missing on Saturday night. The Pope County Sheriff’s Department had received a call at 11:34 p.m. on Saturday from Elton Davis, Bloomington, who reported that a nine-year-old and 14-year-old youth had not returned to the Davis cabin after going fishing on Lake Villard in a rubber raft at 7 p.m. The youth were found in the raft at 12:06 a.m. The raft was hung up in bull rushes approximately 200 feet from shore on the west end of the lake. The youth were treated for hypothermia in the ambulance  and released. 

May 12, 2003 – The Pope County Board voted to accept an agreement with Stevens County to share a Veteran’s Service Officer.

The forthcoming departure of county’s current VSO, Richard Mollers, prompted the board’s decision to look into sharing the position with another county. Few Minnesota counties the size of Pope maintain a full-time VSO of their own.

May 6, 2013 – Anyone passing through Glenwood Thursday evening at 5 p.m. was treated to a head turning toe-tapping (and traffic-stopping) surprise. Broadway singer and actor J. Mark McVey, who was in town for a concert at Central Square, organized a flash mob, what looked like an impromptu performance of Anything Goes. Community members participated in the flash mob and also had an opportunity to work with McVey at a master class Thursday night. McVey also spent time with MAHS choir students on Friday.

For just more than a year now, staff and patients at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood have been pioneers of medical technology. In February 2012, two virtual medicine systems, or eCare systems, were installed at GRHS through a $730,085 grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. 

What a difference a year can make. Last Year, Lake Minnewaska set a record for the earliest ice-out date in the 107 years of recorded history. This year, it is possible the record for the latest ice-out date, set on May 7 of 1950, could be shattered with the ice still on many area lakes with just days to go before the Minnesota fishing season opens on May 11.