From the Mascot Files: 100, 75, 50 or 25 Years Ago

100 Years Ago
(July 8, 1921)

Sanderson elected VP of
state advisory committee
Dr. E.T. Sanderson was in St. Paul last Friday attending a meeting of the State Advisory Commission, of which he is a member. This was an organizational meeting, and the doctor was honored by being selected vice president. Dr. Sanderson has been on this commission for a number of years and is one of the most active and progressive members. He was accompanied to St. Paul by his sons, Edward and Eric.

Petition sent for an
additional mail route
A petition has been sent to Washington for an additional mail route from the Minneota office. This route would run in a westerly direction from here. The matter is now in a state of communication and whether it will ever go farther is some question. However, it would be a great inconvenience to a lot of deserving people if the department could see its way clear to grant the petition filed.

Gravel streets here
better than mud hole
The work of graveling the streets is being pushed with vigor and it now looks as if Minneota will soon have a few blocks of streets that will be something better than a mud hole.

75 Years Ago
(July 12, 1946)

Family injured in
auto accident here
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Gudmondson and two young daughters, who live southeast of Minneota, are all in a Hendricks hospital with serious injuries suffered in an automobile-truck collision on Highway 19, four miles east of Ivanhoe last Saturday evening. The Gudmondson car collided head-on with a truck driven by Stanley Jerzak just before dusk. Mrs. Gudmondson was pinned under the truck, while other members of the family were thrown out of the automobile. Mrs. Gudmonson suffered a broken arm and internal injuries. Her condition, as well as that of the younger daughter, is considered serious. Mr. Gudmondson was badly bruised and cut and suffered broken bones in one hand and arm. The older daughter suffered a broken nose. Mr. Jerzak suffered minor injuries.

Rans wins election for
Sheriff of Lyon County
Roland Rans of Marshall received 1,042 votes to defeat eight other men running for Lyon County Sheriff last Monday. Vincent Marcotte of Tracy was second with 871 votes. Paul Falk of Minneota came in fifth with 665 votes. Falk received 309 of the 369 votes cast in Minneota.

Cost to run school
higher than expected
The cost of running Minneota's Public School this past school year was $6,000 more than the previous school year, according to the annual financial statement of Independent School District No. 20. While expenses for the school were higher than expected, receipts also were higher, the statement shows.

50 Years Ago
(July 8, 1971)

Corn Borer threat
at critical threat here
Commissioner of Agriculture Jon Wefald said the European Corn Borer problem in Minnesota has reached a critical stage. This means that the corn borer infestation is the most serious since the 1950s. Wefald said the need for control is immediate to prevent severe injury to many fields. The corn crop loss could be severe in Minnesota this year. For every corn borer in a stalk of corn there is a three percent loss in yield. If farmers do not apply proper control measures in the next two or three days, it could be too late, Wefald said.

Council dealing with
garbage problem here
Minneota's City Council members held a lengthy 3 1/2-hour meeting on Wednesday evening of last week with almost all the discussion at the session confined to garbage and how to dispose of it before or when state laws covering it go into effect July 1, 1972. Present was William Ritter. who has a contract for picking up and hauling away garbage in Marshall and Ghent, and also owns the landfill north of Balaton.

Local girl injured when
struck by motorcycle
Sandra Hasner, 13-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Hasner of Minneota, sustained a fractured left leg and cuts on the calf of the same leg Monday evening when she was struck by a motorcycle being operated by Brian Gossen of Minneota. The accident occurred on Highway 68 at the east edge of town. Chief of Police Alphonse DePestel, who investigated the accident, said Tuesday that no charges have been made.

25 Years Ago
(July 10, 1996)

Holm publishes new
book about Minneota
Bill Holm has written another book, and this one takes a close-up look at many interesting people who have called Minneota home. As most would agree, Holm is also one of our most interesting characters in Minneota. His books centers of the people of Minneota whom he has known personally from the past. Published by Milkweed Editions, "The Heart Can Be Filled Anywhere on Earth: Minneota, Minnesota", is a tribute and narrative of so many people we have heard snippets about. This Holm's sixth full-length book in print.

Fire does damage
in two sites at Ghent
Firefighters from Ghent, Minneota and Marshall were called to the Fran and Camiel Vierstraete home in Ghent at around 1:45 a.m. on July 5 to distinguish their house fire. The Vierstraetes are fortunate to have had a dog that summoned them with his barking when the smoke billowed from the first floor, and the couple escaped their home and ran next door to call 911 for help. The fire was contained to the first floor of the home, but both levels received a considerable amount of smoke damage.

Konold receives award
from Minneota Rotary
Jeannette Konold was presented with the Minneota Rotary Club's Outstanding Service Award by Rotary President Wayne West at their annual banquet on June 25. Konold had been the bookkeeper for the family business, Konold Oil Co., for many years. She has given volunteer time and effort to our community in a variety of ways, including the Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society board, Lyon County Enterprise board, Minneota Park board, and Boxelder Bug Days committee.