10 years ago (2007)
•Even though prior businesses have done so, Clyde’s Wash and Detail and U-Haul business may not park on the boulevard because of a 2003 city ordinance forbidding it.
Chris Johnson represented the business Tuesday at the Luverne City Council and asked for a variance to that city code.
“I’m just trying to make a living,” he said.
The business on the corner of Estey and Main does car washing and detailing but also sells used cars and rents U-Hauls. The boulevard on which he wants to park U-Hauls is packed gravel and he said, “I don’t really think it’s eating up that much space.”
Councilwoman Frakes said that it infringes on sidewalk space and is simply unlawful according to the ordinance.
25 years ago (1992)
•It’s proving to be more of a hassle than a major concern for Ellsworth residents.
On Thursday, the Ellsworth City Council received word from the Minnesota Department of Health that residents should stop consuming water from the Ellsworth water system until a bacteria can be removed.
Mayor Joel Farrell said the bacteria was discovered during a standard monthly test. …
Donny Harkema, Ellsworth sewer and water, flushed the system with Clorox for five days. It was tested again this week and the results of the second test will be in next week.
If the bacteria is still present, the system will be flushed for another five days. If the second flushing doesn’t remove it, Ellsworth will be required to put Clorox in its system permanently, Harkema said.
50 years ago (1967)
•Two boys, ages 9 & 10 admitted to the deputy state fire marshal and local police that they had been smoking in the livestock barn at the fairgrounds before it was destroyed by fire Sunday evening.
The spectacular blaze, which was reported about 6:10 p.m. Sunday, destroyed the barn which had housed thousands of dollars worth of livestock during the Rock County Fair, just eight days earlier. Except for fair week, the barn, with an adjoining sales pavilion and a small office building to the north of it, was rented by Marcel Reisch, owner of the Luverne Livestock Association. Reisch came here in April, after purchasing the business from Gerrit Smith. He conducted livestock auctions there each Saturday.
Best estimate as to the amount of the loss to the Rock County Agricultural Society, which owns the fairgrounds and buildings, was between $30,000 and $40,000. This figure was based on one property appraiser’s estimate. However, it is generally agreed that a building like it could not be built today for that figure. The fair board had the barn and sales pavilion insured for $21,600. The small office building was insured for $300.
75 years ago (1942)
•Dick Wildung, Luverne’s All-American tackle, has been chosen by Herb Graffis and Ralph Cannon, sports writers in the current issue of Esquire magazine, as one of the 10 outstanding players who will be seen on the nation’s gridirons this fall. Unusual is the fact that Wildung was the only lineman in the group of 10, eight of them being halfbacks and one quarterback. This bears up the statements made by Coaches Bernie Bierman and George Hauser that Wildung is the greatest tackle they have ever coached.
In the same article, which was the leading sports article in the magazine, Minnesota was again selected as the top team of the year.
100 years ago (1917)
•One of the instructive features of the eighth annual Rock County fair, to be held September 11th to 14th, will be the boys’ and girls’ live stock judging contest.
There will be five classes to judge – horses, beef cattle, dairy cattle, hogs and sheep- and it is expected that there will be at least four exhibits in each class
Fifteen minutes will be allowed for judging each class, with ten minutes for placing the awards, and five minutes for giving reasons for doing so. Four prizes will be awarded, with the first prize $10, second $5, third $3, and the fourth $2, the first and second money being donated by the Minnesota Live Stock Breeders’ association.
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