Blair/Orlowski steps down as fire chief

Jan. 27, 1965 – The Rev. Wayne Braden of the Glenwood Congregational church announced that he had accepted a call to the church in Freeborn. The Bradens had been in Glenwood for five years, during which time much remodeling and repair was done to the church building. He had also been active in the community.

The Lowry Hatchery was set to hold an open house. Sig Rykhus, owner, had enlarged the facility to add brooding rooms and incubators for 160,000 eggs. The brooder rooms were planned to hold 65,000 chicks.

Myrna Johnson was off to represent Glenwood at the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Jan. 28, 1965 – Glenwood law enforcement officers answered a record number of calls in 1964. The annual report, submitted by Chief Chuck Kettalls, showed that police responded to 796 calls, an increase of 97 over the previous year. They also made 72 arrests during the year which was only one more than the previous year. The number of accidents dropped from 42 to 38.

Twelve city firms were reported to be paying over $1,000 in property taxes for the year. The 12 were Northern States Power, Town-Country Gas Co., Marvin E. Lund Contracting, Grant Hustad Co., Clem’s, Glenwood Lumber Co., Glenwood Implement, Callaghan Hardware, Gloege’s Chevrolet, Haldorson Hardware, Corner Drug and Ben Franklin.

The Glenwood High School one-act play cast triumphed over seven other schools in region competition. They were Alexandria, Little Falls, Brainerd, Fergus Falls, Lake Park, Breckenridge and Morris. Among those involved were Rosalie Ofstie, Nancy Danter, Teresa Stone, Marilyn Hagen, Sandy Strommen, Cedric Zemke and Steve Vego. 

Jan. 23, 1975 – Bill Blair retired as city fire chief. Blair, who had served Glenwood in that capacity for seven years, turned the position over to Bud Hoven. Blair had served 28 years with the firefighters, and Hoven had been with the department since 1954.

The Western Pope County Hospital District filed a letter of intent indicating that it would request a new 20-bed hospital for the Starbuck area. Plans at that time called for the hospital to be attached to the Minnewaska Lutheran Home.

Jan. 24, 1985 –  The Glenwood Development Corporation heard at its annual meeting that things were going well. The corporation also thanked Myrl Johnson for his many years of service to the board. Johnson had announced that he would decline to serve again after 15 years as a director and nine years as president.

According to discussion at the District No. 612 school board meeting, Glenwood might soon be adding adult farm management to its curriculum. Ron Nelsen, ag instructor for the school, was in charge of the program.

Among those on the “straight A” honor roll at Villard High School were Mark Justice, Heather Pennie, Andrew Volkmann, Reed Heidelberger, Jay Abraham, Gerry and Top Zitzmann, Jenie Cheadle, Aaron Cheadle, Lynn Daniels, Deanna Ness, Kathy Malecha and Sharie Massman.

Jan. 23, 1995 – The east end of Lake Minnewaska was to draw fishermen and women for the third annual Lake Minnewaska ice fishing contest. The contest offered $45,000 in prizes and a guarantee of $20,000.

An earthquake in Japan was felt in Pope County. The ground didn’t shake, but two families were concerned for their children’s safety. Andy Dziengel, of Villard, and Ann Ogdahl, the daughter of Bill and Marie Ogdahl, of Glenwood, were college students who were studying in that country. Both students had reported home and were fine.

A group of 12 varsity cheerleaders from Minnewaska Area High School placed second in Class A competition of a statewide cheerleading contest sponsored by the Minnesota Cheerleading Coaches Advisors Association in the Twin Cities. Pictured in the Tribune were Amy Tessman, Tami Hoium, Jenny Smith, Jamie Jenniges, Anne Bosl, Nancy Nyhammer, Sarah DeSmith, Abby Domier, Trisha Rust, Alicia Schumacher, Charity Skogrand and Tracy Stein. The coach was Paddy Domier. Smith had also qualified for the all-state second team.

Jan. 17, 2005 – Sixth-graders at E.N. Nordgaard Elementary School were honored by families, local law enforcement and fire department members and teachers Tuesday night for their completion of the D.A.R.E. Program. The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program is a 10-week in-call program that teaches students strategies for taking a stand against drugs, alcohol and violence.

Kindergarteners and second-graders at E.N. Nordgaard learned about how much their letters mean to soldiers when Lance Corporal Cory Prescott, of Villard, came and spoke to the group about his experience overseas. The group gathered in Deb Hoven’s classroom. Prescott, age 23, had himself been a student of Hoven’s years before at Villard Elementary.

Jan. 12, 2015 – In just six years, Minnewaska Showstoppers has served up well over $15,000 to Pope County nonprofits through its winter dinner theater productions. Heading into year seven, Showstoppers volunteers were aiming to add to that total with “Death By Chocolate” by Craig Sodaro. Proceeds from this year’s show were slated for the Pope County Historical Society and Pope County Lions Clubs’ projects.

Minnewaska Area High School students involved with the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group had starred in a video, One Good Reason, which aired as part of Midway Cinema 9’s preshow promotions. In the video, MAHS students urged their peers to be leaders by choosing to live tobacco free. Some of the students appearing in the video were SADD members Drew Opdahl, Blair Andersen and Ryan Majerus, Greta Serrin, Mike Maus, Hunter Dougherty, Jordyn Roggenkamp and Grant Hitchcock. 

Dave Orlowski, who served as Glenwood Fire Chief for the past eight years and assistant fire chief for four years before that, stepped down as chief with Dan Douvier taking over the position. Douvier has been assistant fire chief and was announced as chief at last Tuesday’s Glenwood City Commission meeting.

Newly elected Mayor Scott Formo, Sr. and Commissioner Sherri Kazda took the oath of office from city attorney Todd Roth at the first regular meeting of the Glenwood City Commission last Tuesday night. Commissioner Kyle Thompson was also re-elected but was not at the meeting.