CLEAR LAKE – A loosely organized group of thieves that are high on a powerful drug have some Clear Lake residents on edge as they perpetrate a rash of burglaries in the community.
Sources are telling NIT that Lake police are on high alert, looking for a group of possible drug abusers who are undertaking burglaries and essentially stealing anything they can get their hands on.
Citizens have already been warned to put away or lock up anything of value as evening sets in every day. As late as Thursday night, August 14, a patron of a Clear Lake bar who lives on South Shore Drive said he was leaving early to go home and protect his property by sitting on the front porch with a loaded shotgun.
The trouble started when some gutsy burglars hit the summer home of a prominent Mason City professional late last month, NorthIowaToday.com has learned. Clear Lake police were alerted in the early morning hours one night in late July by Dr. and Mrs. Paul Gordon that thieves had invaded their unit at the lake’s historic Outing Club. The Outing Club, which dates to 1895, is located on several acres on both sides of the city’s South Shore Drive. It’s long been one of the midwest’s most exclusive private clubs, with an elite membership drawn from the ranks of wealthy doctors, bankers, businessmen, the politically connected, and socially prominent. Many South shore homeowners are shocked about this robbery, but are as seemingly as secretive, and close-mouthed about it as the club’s membership. In fact, few people that NorthIowaToday.com contacted regarding it were even willing to talk. Police are being tight-lipped.
According to a source, the Gordons were home on the second floor of their cottage when a person, or persons, entered their summer home. Stolen from the Gordons was a MacIntosh laptop computer. NorthIowaToday.com made efforts to obtain information regarding this theft from Dr. and Mrs. Gordon, but no one answered a call to their cottage. NIT also contacted another Outing Club member, Todd Blodgett, who said, “No comment.”
NorthIowaToday.com then made several attempts to contact some members of the Outing Club, and was able to actually speak with a close friend of the wife of an owner of a unit at the historic private club. This source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has been at the club as a guest on what she said are “many occasions, including this summer.”
The source said that “They’re all extremely upset over this. I’ve been told that it’s caused several club members to arrange for expensive burglar alarms to be installed. The husband of a good friend of mine there says he’ll be bringing a gun over there next week. Already, some members have guns there.” The exclusive club is actually a privately-owned corporation which operates as a co-operative. It has only 20 registered shareholders, according to documents on file with the Iowa Secretary of State. Each member family lives in its own, separate unit, with all cottages connected on the lake side by a winding, 1,100-foot-long, screened front porch. The club features a sweeping, beautifully manicured front lawn, a boat dock, swimming dock, members dining room, library, a professional kitchen, private tennis court, bricked BBQ pit, salaried staff, approximately 800 feet of prime shoreline, and other valuable amenities.
Clear Lake police are investigating the case, and the word is that there is a suspect in jail at this time that has confessed to stealing the expensive MacIntosh laptop from the Gordon’s. Some Clear Lake residents are speculating that the thieves may be among some residents of the Silver Boot Motel, which is also located on South Shore Drive, on the street side. Local police and county sheriff’s deputies are called to the motel on a regular basis. However, it’s rare for law enforcement officers to be summoned to the South Shore Outing Club.
Over many decades, it has been home to prominent, wealthy, Midwestern families. The late actor Marlon Brando and his parents vacationed there in the 1930s and early ’40s, according to documents contained in the Lee P. Loomis archives at the Mason City public library. Mr. Loomis, who was the CEO of Lee Enterprises, Inc., was a longtime Outing Club member, and also owned a unit. According to a June, 2004 article in the Mason City Globe-Gazette, in the early 1970s, the late J. Neil Reagan (brother of Ronald Reagan) and his wife, Bess Reagan, were frequent vacationers at the Outing Club. NorthIowaToday.com has learned that the break-in at the Gordon cottage occurred via an unlocked door to their screened-in back patio. Thieves then broke the locked door to the cottage, which was dark. After Mrs. Gordon heard noise coming from the downstairs, Dr. Gordon was going downstairs as the burglars made a rapid exit. “The thief, or thieves,” our source told us, “ran out of the street-side door, hopped the chain-link fence, and got away. They were just so inconsiderate. As they made their getaway, they even trampled some lovely cannas that had lined the fence.”
Burglaries at this club are “extremely rare”, according to a Clear Lake resident who is acquainted with the Outing Club caretaker. According to him, “whoever broke into Paul and Marsha Gordon’s unit are lucky they didn’t pick some other cottage to steal from. There are members over there who are avid shooters, and can legally carry firearms.” The sources we spoke with emphasized that there’s nothing of any value stored at the Outing Club during the off-season. From what NorthIowaToday.com learned, most cottages are occupied between Memorial Day and to around end of September of each year. A full-time caretaker who works year round has undertaken extra precautions to protect the club from any further potential robberies or home invasions. According to our source, the garages owned by Outing Club members are equipped with alarms, video surveillance cameras, and other anti-theft devices. “Anybody tries breaking into a garage will get photos of themselves taken, right on the spot,” the man told NorthIowaToday.com.
According to an article from ‘The Iowan Magazine’ and information obtained from a property search of the Cerro Gordo County web site, present or past owners of Outing Club cottages and members are people with prominent names like MacNider, Hormel, Pappajohn, Blodgett, Bergo, Loomis, Beck, Laird, and Ramaekers.
As for the potential burglar ring, sources tell NIT that police believe that the crooks use bicycles for transportation and are definitely users of the powerful drug methamphetamine. As police have squeezed these junkies in recent weeks, they have become more and more desperate for cash or goods to sell so they can get more meth. The source claimed that on the night of August 14, as many as 10 more locations were burglarized in Clear Lake. To accomplish these crimes, the group of lawbreakers are listening to scanners so they know where the cops are, and cops are going around the scanners by communicating via computer. Police know who the perpetrators are but are seeking proof so charges that can stick can be brought but in the meantime, the crimes will go on so the druggies can satisfy their craving to get high.
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These aren’t real postings are they?
Hang on everyone and put on your tin foil helmets, looks like Philly is gonna take us on a ride, into a world all of his own.
@ you have some nerve, calling me a liar. If I was mistaken, it is because that’s the way I heard it. My morning suddenly became dreadful as I opened up my newspaper and saw the smirking, aryan face, blue eyes and all, of the fascist, drug-abusing gun nut you defend. For all who wish to avoid a blood-curdling dose of racist bigotry, and the advocacy of militant white supremacy, you will need to avoid today’s Globb. Blodgett strikes again. Ugh.
The above reply is directed to LVS.
@Laker Liar-You are still a LIAR.
@ Philosophus, whats your problem with my tailpipes. I got kerkers, end caps, the whole 9 yards. Your a child, like a whiney little bitch.
And you’re a POS gorilla terrorist. Buzz off creep. Stop menacing the population. You want to ride in the desert in the middle of nowhere? Feel free…just pipe down when you enter into the villages…you big noisy baboon.
OMG!!! LOL!!! That is some funny shit!!! So true.
Yes these blogs make me laugh more then Robin Williams ever did. Pee Wee is a hoot! Just showed what Pee Wee said to the wife, she spits out her coffee on it. Hahahahahahaha!
If you stop acting like a child, people might stop treating you like a child. Let’s try it for awhile? I bet you can’t hear those loud motorcycles from inside your place of employment where you work for a living? You probably can’t hear them from where you choose to make your home and pay your mortgage or rent? You are probably too tired from earning your keep at the end of the day to be kept up by the roar of individuals who look like each other either. You chose none of those. You complain.
That is the stupidest inane comeback and flawed logic I’ve heard. So, if you were working, and paying your rent or mortgage, and tired at the end of the day, then you wouldn’t worry if those people next door were raping that girl at their all night loud party…right? You’d be too tired and preoccupied to concern yourself if that father was molesting his daughter. Nevermind that convenience store robbery…cuz you’re a working man, who’s earned his right to be pooped out. Unbelievable.
@ Phil, now you see the Voice of Reason is right on. Not no stupid come back, hell no. If your not working and your mooching off other people not pay no taxes, you got no right to bitch. Not about nothing. Pull your weight then you got a right to bitch. Till then, shut up. I like Harley’s to, also Harley people. They work they pay taxes they got rights you don’t.
Flawed logic is comparing sexual assault of ANY female to an offensive noise. You may want to adjust your perspective there.
Your arguments and reasoning are FUBAR. You’re basically saying that unless a person “works a job” contributing to the tax base they have no rights. This is an age old feudalism argument that used to be in effect. Fortunately SOCIETY doesn’t work that way. Financial aspects of life are only part of the equation…and finances don’t usurp “certain inalienable and God bestowed rights”. You need to go back to Constitution 101 class.
And really the argument about “wealth”, its origins, procurement,legitimacy and relevancy concerning civic responsibility and rights is an issue I’ve readily and eagerly delved into in the past. Curious that trust fund wealth or family business wealth isn’t scrutinized and individuals who hide behind rich family money aren’t called out? Natural resources were stolen in the beginning and allocated to select few audacious men…subsequent family dynasties resulted.
Until you grow up and get some responsibilities and stop continuing to complain about little crap, you will continue to be marginalized, ignored and in some cases outright attacked. How about you listen to what you are saying and consider who you are saying it to and why they should listen to the same thing over and over. Get some perspective on life. Get some responsibilities. Follow through. Do not blame others. I wish you all the luck.
A person’s value to this world does not hinge on whatever employment a person may or may not be engaged in. That’s ludicrous. By such a scale system, humans are relegated based on their perceived employment value. Who determines what job is higher than another? At the moment the McDonald’s worker is feeding your family, is their value any less than your stock broker who is shifting your imaginary money around? Is the garbage man removing trash to prevent disease less than the doctor?
Furthermore by caging humans into whatever employment status they have or don’t have limits the overall outward expansion of society by narrowing the focus into whatever limited job descriptions and businesses presently exist. Jobs come and go, businesses come and go…humans and their value remain. Behaving in a closed-loop places a form of indentured slavery over the masses (which is precisely what Rush Limbaugh wants). A pecking order based on currency is what Republicans want.
Phil. Since you are a self proclaimed guru, sage, all wise one and also part of the language and grammar police “stupidest” is not an acceptable use of the word “stupid”. A more appropriate word choice, in the context of your post would be “most stupid”.
I favor a system that de-emphasizes material wealth and increases the status and position of citizens outside of economic material models. My lobby is to increase the frequency and legitimacy by increasing the number of Roman citizens out of serfdom / slavery. I don’t owe my life or citizenship status to anyone who would Lord over me via economic means. Just because Snyder Construction employs an army of men doesn’t mean I need be dependent upon them to secure my own housing.
@ Jim Rockford, whoever you are… really. Our son just saw what you wrote about wanting to buy a reward drink for Mr. Blodgett for threatening a senior citizen with a gun at the ready. Your words of violence showed a 10-year-old that responsible adults should feel free to reward caveman-style tactics that could have led to somebody getting gunned down in his own driveway. I just hope you never had or have children, because rednecks like you belong elsewhere. I want to scream.
Excuse me, but what proof is there that Blodgett threatened anyone?
@ Mason City J.D., the proof lies with the fact that Toddy boy’s latest victim is too scared to file charges. If someone with a history of associating with beastly skinheads, Aryan Nations people, and the KKK holds a gun to my head and says the only way I get to live is to keep quiet, I will stay quiet. This is why no arrest warrant has been sworn out on this rightwingnut. The silence reveals the reality of what happened.
Stick it in your ear, Dean.
Laker Forever you’ve cast a huge net fishing for a conspiricy theory but I will concede that anything is possible. If you are right it’s damn scary.
@ Weatherman, I beg your pardon? There’s nothing conspiratorial about it. The Republitards here are extremely comfy with one another, and they protect their own. Last summer, the entitled Nazi druggie pulled a loaded gun on a young carnival worker, accusing him of stealing his billfold and cash. The kid feared for his life over maybe $25. No charges were brought against Toddy boy, even though it is unlawful to consume alcohol in a bar in Iowa while armed, even with a permit to carry!
No, it’s not illegal to carry your gun in a bar, concealed or not concealed. It’s illegal to be INTOXICATED while carrying. Also, it’s real grey area when it comes to citizen’s arrests. Technically, you’re not supposed to be able to brandish a weapon unless you fear for your life…however if you are the victim of a crime, I certainly believe you should have rights to stand up for yourself and not let the perpetrator disappear. Very tricky situation and for the most part, unresolved
@ Laker. There was two carnys robbed Todd. Not just one. They took over $500 dollars & his wallet. I have saw his wallet, it is made out of alligater skin, not cheap. He was not drunk when it happened, Philosophis is right, you can have guns if your sober in a bar. Just not drunk. All Blodgett did was keep the carny there till the cops took over. He did not get all his cash back, they got away with about $50 dollars this is what the story said on this sight & in the Globb. Your just…
@Laker-you are an IDIOT working hard to be a Moron and you are also a damn LIAR. The carny stole his wallet and his money. He was not drunk and had a license to carry and it is also his right to protect himself and his property. He didn’t point his gun he just showed it. People like you are everything wrong with this country today.
Harley dude, your right. Just seen Blodgett at our 35 reunion, down to the Quarry. The ones on here thinks Todd is crazy, not. Crazy like a fox, maybe. Have known him ever since Roosevelt 5 grade. Never seen no kid could make teachers look dumb like Todd did. A smart ass but funny as hell. Got kicked out alot, beat up some too. Seen it. But he don’t back down, he don’t know fear.
ok philosophy we get it you do not like the Blodgett’s. I tell you what I bet them people in Fergeson Miss, the good one’s I mean, they could use more Todd Blodgett’s, he could of help them keep all them looter’s away. If Blodgett got Teddy Christanson see the lite sell the Silver Boot I say good, Hell yes. Don’t matter none how he done it neither. Your a communist.
Leave me out of the Todd Blodgett talk. I never met the guy and neither like nor dislike him. I did some research on him though and discovered that he’s on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Racism Watch List along with his father Gary Blodgett. IT was true that Todd was heavily involved with racist skinhead record label, and aryan white power intellectual speakers.
@ Philosophus: “Aryan white power intellectual”? Sounds like a contradiction in terms to me! But what do I know? I’m just a lawyer who supports the Democrats.
No, there are plenty of intellectual White Power Aryans out there. Todd worked for the National Alliance leader Dr. William Pierce.
Maybe it’s just me, but what does Mr. Blodgett’s career path have to do with the Outing club being robbed?
@ Hillary, I know you will not believe me but Todd is not the kinda man thinks he is any better then you. Known him since jr High here in Mason. He just don’t like being messed with, he don’t take any shit. Ok theres my 2 cents on this.
OK, Harley dude. Right. So that’s why Blodgett owned a racist record company and hates on everyone that isn’t Republitard. Your a suck-up, you know that? Not hard to see why you like Toddy boy, he got Blimpmeyer to give you guys all that tax money. Our money. Blodgett and Minert and Blimpmeyer, out to the Country club. All those entitle Republitards can go to hell. On a Harley.
Yeah it all makes sense now how loud motorcycles and unmuffled vehicles are allowed to ride helter skelter around North Iowa. It’s connected politically to Ron Minert. Honestly, anymore I’ve come to agree that Loud Pipes Save Lives, but there’s a trade off for the right to make noise on the highway: You have to stay out of the residential neighborhoods and keep your throttling to a minimal while in town. Loud trucks have ZERO excuse to make noise.
Mr. Minert is only one beneficiary of how rich Republitards operate around here. There’s Bookmeyer, Urdahl, and Dougherty, all at their beck and call. Now comes this Casey Callanan who owes Gary Blodgett for the money he gave and raised for him to win the Republitard supervisor primary. Worst of all is old Doc’s drug-addicted son, the neo-Nazi gun nut with anger management problems. Amazed this goes on in a state that prizes openness in government. It’s democracy for the greedy few.
I saw firsthand how corrupted and closed-loop the Clear Lake city government is. I’m sure this Casey Callanan is the final piece of the puzzle to expand this group’s good old boy network into the County level. It’s just not the markings of a healthy democracy and community. Basically, most can tolerate it, but the community will not expand with such operating standards. Progressive communities advance because their framework is open and inclusive to all.
@Philly-I do not know Mr. Callahan and I am sure you do not either. Maybe you should reserve your opinion on someone until you have something to base it on other than the Democrats who practice hate.
@ Phil, our niece worked out to the country club, she says Blodgett comes in with the Minert kid. So Booky gets there, goes straight to Toddy boy’s table. Next thing Booky gets the counsel give money to the Harley. Now Todd’s daddy is buying another election, this Callahan kid use to work for him down to the capitol. Doc has Urdahl in his bag, he took down Chris Watts when he run against Phil. I seen Gary’s letter it said if Chris gets in your taxes goes up. Blodgett’s don’t play fair.
The man you call Toddy Boy is about 50, and the guy you call the Minert kid is at least 45. You talk like they are teen-agers or something!!!!!!!!
Anyone who beefs up their tailpipes to harass the general population is a child, not an adult.
People who whine as loud (and often) as you do are considered children and not adults.
Rape continues to be rape, regardless if people stop reporting it, or become indifferent to it occurring.
Sounds like you need some prophylactic protection for your ears.
How lovely to see that the neanderthal members of the Blodgett brigade are out in force here. You rednecks and your racist hatred drives me batty. Go jump in the lake and stay there.
I got news for you Slyvia them that rob that place wasnt black, their whiggers.
Just heard our local gun nut, Todd Blodgett, drove over to the home of the owner of the Silver Boot, he confronts him. So, Toddy boy, he give the old man some kind of ultramatem, must of scared him. Ok so yesterday the owner give in, to the spoiled Republitard. Teddy that owns it he offers to sell the Boot to Blodgett’s friend, the lady owns the RUMORZ. Heard since the neo nazi druggy give up crack he drinks up to the RUMORZ about every other night, always has a gun on him.
@ CLD, I do not know what may have went down between Todd Blodgett and Ted Christensen. I do know tho, lot’s of people at the lake is pissed at Ted, he don’t keep his property’s up. That Boot is full of drugster’s most of on welfare they steal, they do meth, run customers off from places ect. If what your saying and Cathy S says is true well, then I say good for Mr. Blodgett, if I ever meet the man he get’s a drink on me.
Boo hoo hoo, cry me a river. Please. So we are suppose to feel sorry for these 1% richy Richie’s. Ya right. Ok. If you don’t want your stuff stole don’t leave it where it can be stole.
Im not sure that is a fair criticism, sounds more like sour grapes. People of means as well as the poor and those in between should be able to live in a safe community. Crime and violence degrades the quality of life for us all.
How is this sour grape’s Barney. Like them wealthy’s do not have money, they got trust funds. They just go get a new laptop. I seen the nice cars in that parking lot, they got it good. If Todd Blodgett shoots somebody he should get locked up. Rich folks is no better then me, specially if there Nazis that smokes up crack.
#Hillary-You sure write like you are still on crack.
Ritzy???? Have you ever been there? The place is a hell hole!
Its quite trashy from the outside but inside there are many elegantly decorated and remodeled “cabins” as they call them. Shared dining facilities if you please and a common porch, sitting areas, dock and beach facilities. Lots of old money and old secrets out there but God help them if there is ever a fire. Quite the history to the place but I prefer chiping away at my mortgage while working two jobs and living in what used to be a middle income neighborhood.
@ Weather, I don’t give a rats if there money is old or new, whatever. Nobody has the right to make threat’s with a gun to somebody face. Secrets what secrets. Toddy boy best get his, it should of happen a long long time ago. Republitard’s they think there better.
Some Republicans are better at spelling…
If someone makes threat with a gun then that’s wrong. The accusation against Todd rising from this story is just pure rumor and inunendo. I read the article as an inditement of the growning problem crime and drugs, now surfacing in one of our most affluent neighborhoods.
Weather man you and Toddy boy in the same gun club huh. You smoke crack to, do you.
Here’s my thinking. If he did in facr make threats with a gun or use of any kind of violence then charges should be filed and he should be arrested. Then at some point his guilt or innocence should be decided by a jury. Since none of that process has been put into motion, makes me wonder why not since all the outrage?
@ weatherman, Clear Lake’s mayor and chief of police are Republitards. The county sheriff is a Republitard. The Supervisors are all politically and financially indebted to Toddy boy’s rich daddy. Even the Democrats. Terry Braindead is a Republitard who was Gary Blodgett’s guest on the Lady of the Lake last month where old doc raised him big money. Todd Blodgett, AKA the Nazi crackhead, should be in prison, at least on weapons charges. But good luck with that.
@ Ventura, your sheer stupidity horrifies me. I don’t know Mr. Blodgett, but a friend of my wife’s once met him. She said when she encountered this Republitard drug addict he was polite and respectful, even charming. Until he wasn’t. Toddy boy went off on her and her husband to the point where they feared he was about to physically attack them. This was at a private party where others were present. The spoiled drug addict you so admire is actually a very, very violent man.
Clear Lake must have bused in some of those chosen few from Detroit or Chitcago like Mason City and It;s working out fing – according to the slum loards in the blue zone in Mason. La cookaraca to you to.
Article says the Blodgett’s got a place at this club, maybe Todd will do him some target practice next time them thief’s comes over. Hahahahahahahahaha
@ Wayne, why glorify a gun nut who is known to be trigger happy? The bloodthirst you exhibit is gruesome, but you rednecks think it is stupendous, don’t you? You, my Neanderthal sir, are sick, sick, sick. Shame on you. Mr. Blodgett has anger issues, and is also known to use drugs and carry weapons. I demand you refrain from idealizing this spoiled neo-Nazi. More guns are not the answer, foolish one.
Them scum best stay the hell away, I bet Blodgett will shoot any comes over not suppose to. Bet he gets away with it the place is there’s, there stuff to his right to defend it. Bet Todd loves doing it to yes. Ok send Blodgett, all his kind over north end of Mason clean it up right good.