A Look Back At The Times
10 YEARS AGO
APRIL 12, 2012
Nearly 70 children flocked to the Turtle Lake Village Park last Saturday for the annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Turtle Lake Public Library. Although the weather didn’t cooperate totally everyone got their free eggs in which were turned in for an Easter goodie bag. The event followed the annual Easter program and activities at the Library. Pictures with the Easter Bunny were taken and cookies were provided.
The Turtle Lake School Board faced some tough decisions at their last board meeting Monday night, April 9, due to the defeat of the referendum that was asking for additional non-recurring spending over the revenue cap for the next three years. With little time to discuss non-renewals following the defeat of the referendum effort due to a mandatory April 15 notice date as per negotiated agreement, the board agreed to issue non-renewal notices to all co-curricular contracts. This effort will give them time to review the contracts for possible future non-renewal. In all, thirty-three teachers, advisors and coaches wre on the non-renewal list.
An anonymous donor has promised to match $25,000 if the Friends of the Turtle Lake Public Library can raise an additional $25,000 by September 15, 2012. The Friends board met soon after the offer was made and have decided to accept the challenge. Fundraising events are being planned for the upcoming months along with a membership and donation drive.
In an attempt to raise awareness of the perils of high school students drinking and driving following annual Prom celebrations, the Turtle Lake Chapter of the National Honor Society, along with the Turtle Lake Police Department and numerous other emergency agencies, will hold a Mock Car Crash Wednesday, April 25, at 1:30 p.m., on the Turtle Lake High School football field.
Sally Gores and Linda Flottum were sworn in as school board members Monday night at the regular school board meeting. Both Flottum and Gores ran unopposed in the most recent election held Tuesday, April 3. Flottum was the high vote getter with 718 votes. Gores received 696 votes. There were 44 write-ins.
Three newly elected Village of Turtle Lake Trustees were sworn in Monday at the Village Hall. Challenger Sheryl Gehrman, along with incumbent Ruth Morton, were the top vote getters with 150 votes each. Incumbent Pat McCready received 143 votes, McCready had been appointed to fill Ryan Braastad’s vacancy.
20 YEARS AGO
APRIL 11, 2002
A very light turnout at the polls last Tuesday provided no new changed in either the Turtle Lake School Board or the Turtle Lake Village Board. Tom Flottum led the Village Trustee incumbents with 42 votes. Dennis Becker collected 39 and Bill Scribner go 34. LeRoy Anderson gathered 42 votes as Municipal Judge. In the school board election Joe Molls was re-elected with 171 votes, as was Bob Benson with 155 votes.
The Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ed Thompson, will present the final concert of this season on Sunday, April 14, at 4:00 p.m in the UW-Barron County Fine Arts Theatre. Ellen Skrupky, of Turtle Lake, will be heard as soloist on the Horn Concerto No. 1. The daughter of Diane and David Skrupky, she is a high school senior and plans to pursue a degree in music education at UW-Stevens Point. She currently plays in the Minnesota Youth Symphony, the Communiversity Band at UW-Barron County and the Rice Lake Municipal Band.
On Saturday, March 30, the Turtle Lake Booster Club held their annual elementary wrestling tournament for wrestlers in grades K – 8. The tournament drew 551 wrestlers from over 50 different schools. Cadott won the team championship with 90 points, followed by the Wisconsin Wrestling Club with 87 points. The Turtle Lake wrestlers finished in a tie for fourth with 67 points. Laker champions included Tanner Arnold, Hunter Cardinal, Matt Connell, Mitch Wanner, Jim Klingelhoets, Patrick O’Connell and Gabe Stoppelmoor.
30 YEARS AGO
APRIL 9, 1992
Russell “Marty” Swagger, a Criminal Justice student at the United Tribes Technical College (UTTC), received the prestigious Outstanding American Indian Student Award from the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the American Indian College Fund at thew 11th Annual AIHEC Conference in Billings, MT, March 29, 1992. Marty, age 22, from Turtle Lake, the son of Vicki Morgan, Turtle Lake, and Russell Swagger, Sr., Minneapolis, MN, also received a $1,000 education scholarship.
A total of 141 voters went to the polls Tuesday in the Village of Turtle Lake. Village voters gave Eugene Danca a 79-54 edge of challenger James Gores for the seat on the Turtle Lake School Board. At press time the total vote for the School Board position was not available. Three incumbent Trustees on the Turtle Lake Village Board were re-elected with the following totals: Dave Pabst 122; Linda Flottum 116; and Rose Klingelhoets 111. Municipal Judge Jack Bartels was re-elected to his position on a write-in vote, gathering 46 votes.
Nine Turtle Lake high school students will compete in the State Forensics Contest in Madison this Friday and Saturday, April 10 – 11. They include Jennifer Tornio, Angie Pich, Anna Brenna, B.J. Brenna, Lisa Niemann, Tara Broker, Amy Adamczyk, Shelly Greschner and Beth Ramis.
Five Turtle Lake high school students were named Academic Award winners for two consecutive semesters, ending with the first semester of the 1991-92 school year. They are, Gold winners: Jackie Young, Heidi Scribner, Melissa Glinski and Kim Hansen. Earning the Silver Award was Alicia Kasper.
40 YEARS AGO
APRIL 8, 1982
A near record number of 267 voters went to the polls Tuesday in the Village of Turtle Lake for the Spring Election. The much discussed issue of constructing a softball field in the Village Park was decided. Voters chose to not allow the construction in the park by a vote of 184 No to 82 Yes. Two new members and one incumbent were elected to the Turtle Lake Village Board. Those earning the Trustee seats were Frank Klingelhoets, with 203 votes; Nick Kathrine, with 179 votes; and Jimmy Messicci, with 137 votes as a write-in. Incumbent Richard Oldroyd was narrowly defeated in his bid for re-election as he gathered 136 votes. LeRoy Kingsbury received 372 votes and Donovan Niemann 370 votes as they defeated their challenger, Bonnie Broker, who received 123 votes for positions on the Turtle Lake School Board in the unofficial tally.
Members of the public are cordially invited to attend a federal grant closing for Northwest Homes of Barron County, Inc. Northwest Homes will be awarded a 2-year contract. A minimum of 34 FmHA borrowers will receive technical assistance in the building of their own homes through the Self-Help method.
State Treasurer Charles P. Smith, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, today announced the disbursement of a state trust fund loan of $65,000 to the Turtle Lake School District in Barron and Polk counties for replacement of auditorium seats.
Six grade school boys from Turtle Lake qualified for the State AAU Wrestling Tournament last Saturday at Amery High School. The top four boys in each weight class and age division qualify for the State meet. Over 400 boys from northwester Wisconsin competed in the tournament. Some weight classes had 20 – 25 boys in them. The Turtle Lake wrestlers were led by Jared Yeske, a third grader who was champion of his 18-man weight class. Others who placed in the top four were Mike Askin, 3rd grade (2nd); Jeff Heintz, 6th grade (2nd), John Andren, 4th grade (3rd); Shad Torgerson, 3rd grade (3rd); and Tim Haselhuhn, 5th grade (4th).
For the third consecutive year, Mike Hermann has won the spelling championship at Turtle Lake Elementary School. Mike, a seventh grader, emerged as winner over a field of eleven finalists. Second place honors went to Steve Yousten, a seventh grader, and third place went to Marvin Flettre, an eighth grader.
50 YEARS AGO
APRIL 6, 1972
A surprisingly good turnout of voters attended many of the area local elections Tuesday, April 4th. In the Village of Turtle Lake 235 voters cast their ballots for the person of their choice, locally as well as nationally. On the local scene in the Village of Turtle Lake, there were six men running for a two-year term as Trustee of the Village Board, with three to be elected. The results of the polls are as follows: William Anton 65, Louis Breneman 89, Gerald Cornwall 142, Frank Klingelhoets 174, Melvin Melby 165, and John Stary 39.
Tuesday of this week it was announced by Mr. Bill Shumpert, manager of the local AMPI plant, that this plant will swing back into production. Since the end of February the local milk has been diverted to the Blair plant to be used in cheese making. The reason for this move was that the wholesale price of cheese went up two cents a pound, which when put into terms of milk, is twenty cents per hundred-weight. At that time AMPI had about 40% of the northern region milk in cheese plants and 60% in powder plants. At this point AMPI made the decision to divert additional milk into the cheese operation in order to take advantage of this price.
The Valectictorian and Salutatorian were announced for the Turtle Lake High School Class of 1972. Miss Linda Sue Becker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Becker, is the top ranking student in the Turtle Lake High School Class of 1972. Her final average is 93.5454. Mr. Steven John Lueck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Lueck, is the second ranking student. His final average is 93.1578.
