Warmer temperatures break long cold spell

Jan. 16, 1964 – Pope County property owners would pay a record tax bill of over $1,700,000 into state, county, city, village, township and school coffers during 1964. The 1963 tax abstract, prepared by county auditor Bill Boyle, revealed that the amount was perhaps the single largest increase in the history of the county. 

Four churches joined the corporation which ran Glenwood Nursing Home. The four were St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Lowry, West Lake Johanna Church, Rolling Forks Lutheran and Big Grove Lutheran. Expected to vote soon in the matter were Barsness Lutheran Church, Trinity Lutheran of Brooten, Glenwood Lutheran Church and the Chippewa Falls Church. 

The annual Boy Scout Fishing Derby was expected to draw more fisher-kids than ever. Over 2,000 youngsters and their leaders were expected on Lake Minnewaska for the event to be held in front of the Lakeside Ballroom. Local Cubmaster Adolph Olson also anticipated national coverage on the derby as Boys’ Life Magazine had sent a reporter to attend 

Jan. 17, 1974 – Grant Hustad Jr. was head of the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce. At the age of 24, he was the youngest ever to chair the organization. The four new directors elected to the chamber board were Jim Stradtman, Vic Johnson, Steve Nestor and Dick Noss. 

Warmer temperatures moved into Pope County, breaking a long cold spell. For two weeks, the thermometer had not climbed above the zero mark. Beginning on a Sunday morning the mercury moved to eight above then up to 30 degrees by Monday afternoon.

Two downtown Glenwood buildings changed hands. The bowling alley, owned by Douglas Tiegen, was sold to Assured Funds which would lease it to Assembly Homes for storage purposes. The Rogers Café building was also purchased by Assured Funds from August Schmitz of Villard. The café itself, under the ownership of Don Brockhausen, would continue to do business in the building. 

Jan. 19, 1984 – Pope County officials announced that the Minnesota Waste Management Board had approved over $1,000,000 in grant/loan monies to a joint board in Pope and Douglas counties which was working on a solid waste incinerator project. Mike Howe, Pope County’s solid waste officer, said that this money was another big step in the completion of the project.

Negotiators for the Glenwood Education Association and the Glenwood school board were headed toward mediation. The GEA had filed for mediation when it was felt that an impasse had been reached. Compensation for a sixth hour of teaching and the general salary package were items which had not yet been agreed upon. 

School officials were saying that head lice was not a serious problem in the district but that some had been found. Parents were asked to keep an eye on their children for the mites. 

Glenwood Jaycees were observing Jaycees Week. Officers for the local group were Gordon Stock, Wally Rajdl, Phil Stumpf, Jeff Disrud, Dennis Jones, Clayton Aaberg, Steve Utech, Jim Quinn, Alan Clairmont, Bruce Wagner, Jim Suckstorff, Russ Anacker and Steve Bodeker.

Jan. 17, 1994 – Nine wild turkeys of a projected 25 were released in Lake Johanna Township by the wildlife division of the Department of Natural Resources. An equal number were to be released in Douglas County. “This is an experiment to see how they survive and reproduce,” said Gerald Larson, area wildlife manager for Pope and Douglas counties for the DNR.

Temperatures dipped to 35 below zero on Friday, and all day Friday and Saturday wind chill figures were over 40 degrees below zero or lower, even hitting 50 degrees below zero. The blast of cold air had moved in Wednesday evening and had progressively gotten worse. 

Gerald Larson, Pope County’s wildlife manager, was completing 39 years with the Department of Natural Resources. He had been stationed in Glenwood since 1956. The releasing of the wild turkeys in the area was to be one of his last acts with the DNR.

Jan. 12, 2004 – The Glenwood City Commission will allow the Alexandria architectural firm of Widseth, Smith, Nolting and Associates to provide the city with a new plan to build Lakeside Ballroom at a cost of construction not to exceed $1.8 million. 

There was a trash bin placed by the Lake Minnewaska swimming beach in Glenwood meant to be used by ice fishermen to keep the lake clean of garbage. They’re not the only ones using it however. There was enough trash dumped there to fill up three bins, and only a small portion of it came off the lake.  

Jan.13, 2014 – Belvin Doebbert, the founder and force behind an endeavor to see a historically accurate, steam-powered vessel once again sailing the waves of Lake Minnewaska, may have found a fiscal agent for the project. At the Dec. 17 board meeting, Doebbert had asked the Pope County Board of Commissioners to serve as a fiscal agent for a proposed Minnewaska steam launch vessel, “Owotonna Wohdaka.” As outlined, the vessel would be used as a creative way to preserve and present the rich history of Pope County, Minnesota and the nation. 

The city of Glenwood submitted a preliminary proposal application to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (Deed) for  grants to help homeowners in a designated target area of Glenwood to rehabilitate homes that they own and live in. DEED received 78 preliminary proposals and has narrowed the competition to 36, one of which is the City of Glenwood. 

Dr. Robert Bösl, of Starbuck, received Staff Care’s 2013 County Doctor of the Year award. A ceremony recognizing his efforts and accomplishments in the medical field was held last Thursday at the Starbuck Community Center.