a week in the life of benton county

A Week in the LifeIn Benton County

Autumn scene outside of Belle Plaine.

A supplement to the Star Press Union. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. 12 pages.

Star Press Union, Week in the Life, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012

Fall funAt Bloomsbury farm

Devin Boehmke, 4, Cedar Rapids, enjoyed a visit to Bloomsbury Farm north of Atkins Oct. 11 with his mother, Holly, and two-week-old sister, Xuxa. Holly is originally from Norway, IA.

Bloomsbury Farm’s pumpkin patch is ripe for the picking this month. The agri-tainment business north of Atkins is hopping with fall fun for the entire family.

Visitors to Bloomsbury Farm north of Atkins pose for a picture Oct. 11.

A tractor enters Bloomsbury Farm’s Scream Acres as it takes riders on a hayrack ride Oct. 11.


Locally Owned & Operated!Locally Owned & Operated!703 12th Street, Belle Plaine, IA 52208703 12th Street, Belle Plaine, IA 52208

Phone: (319) 444-2747 • Toll Free: 1-800-332-2228Phone: (319) 444-2747 • Toll Free: 1-800-332-2228

AUTO PARTS STORES

CARQUEST of Belle Plaineof Belle Plaine

HYDRAULIC HOSE

ASSEMBLY & REPAIR

Complete Machine Shop Services

Daughters of the late Ray Hines gather for their weekly “sister coffee” at Belle Plaine’s Lincoln Café Oct. 8. Katy Grieder, left, Belle Plaine; LaDonna Zhorne, Toledo, IA and Luella Johnson, Vinton, enjoyed coffee with their father every week before his death March 18 and continue the get-togethers every Monday at the Lincoln.

Members of the men’s morning coffee group share a laugh at Belle Plaine’s Grand Central Station Oct. 10. Between four and 15 gather every weekday to discuss hot topics such as politics, gas prices and local happenings. One member jokingly pointed out only two are Democrats and they usually sit together. An honored tradition is for members to treat the group to coffee on their birthdays. The men have been meeting at Grand Central Station several years. Former gathering locations were the Lincoln Café, Moore’s Bakery and Jonesy’s. Dave Hrabak (rear, third from right) has been with the group since the early 1970s. Dave Riherd, not shown, is another long-standing member. Pictured, from left, are Joe Hanzelka, Ben Rhoades (partially hidden), Bob Storm, Marv DeRycke, Hrabak, Don Kress, Dean Johnson and Don Walton (back to camera.)

CoffeeIn Belle Plaine


Member FDIC

$AVE$AVESTOP IN FOR ALL YOUR FLOOR COVERING NEEDSSTOP IN FOR ALL YOUR FLOOR COVERING NEEDS

★ ★ Mohawk, Shaw, Beaulieu and area rugsMohawk, Shaw, Beaulieu and area rugs★ ★ Ceramic Tile Ceramic Tile ★ ★ Laminate Floors Laminate Floors ★ ★ Pre-fi nished Wood FloorsPre-fi nished Wood Floors

★ ★ Armstrong, Tarkett, Adura, Mannington Vinyl, CongoleumArmstrong, Tarkett, Adura, Mannington Vinyl, Congoleum

Country Floors and InteriorsPhone 319-223-5744 ~ Newhall

NICE DISPLAY of PICTURESNICE DISPLAY of PICTURES

Working on a good hand.

Cards are enjoyed in the afternoon at the Van Horne Legion Hall.

CardsIn Van Horne


Belle Plaine Prep-kindergartners check out the Jaws of Life held by Belle Plaine Fire Chief Russ Spading Oct. 9. The department visits the school annually during Fire Prevention Week to discuss fi re safety and to show the children the fi re truck and equipment used in fi ghting fi res. Russ Spading, Belle Plaine Fire Chief, talks with Erica Sparks’ prep-kindergartners about fi re safety during a visit to

Longfellow Elementary Oct. 9. The fi re department makes an annual visit to the school during Fire Prevention Week.

Quentin O’Leary, 3, heads back to his parents, Ryan O’Leary and Tara Buckley, left, after viewing the interior of a Belle Plaine ambulance during Preschool Family Fun night at Belle Plaine’s Longfellow Elementary School Oct. 11. Ambulance crew members Alyson Clark (rear, left) Elana Johnson (rear, right) and Tim Steies (not shown) were on hand for the event, which also featured the Belle Plaine fi re and police departments and Benton County Sheriff’s Department.

SafetyIn Belle Plaine

Belle Plaine Nursing & Rehab CenterBelle Plaine Nursing & Rehab Center

• Short- and Long-term nursing stays• 24-hour professional nurses on staff• 24-hour, 7-day-a-week admissions • Medicare certifi ed• Medicaid certifi ed• VA certifi ed• Private & semi-private rooms • Hospice care • Respite care • Physical therapy • Speech therapy• Occupational therapy • Respiratory therapy• Restorative nursing programs • IV therapy • Whirlpools• Barber & Beautician services

EOE/AAPEOE/AAP

A 66-Bed non-profi t

skilled nursing facility

1505 Sunset DriveBelle Plaine, IA 52208-1319

319-444-2500

Outpatient TherapyServices


Joe Schwab untangles an American fl ag in downtown Belle Plaine Oct. 8. Schwab, manager of Barron Motor Supply, straightens the fl ags daily from Memorial Day through Thanksgiving weekend, when they are replaced by Christmas decorations. Schwab has been the business districts’ volunteer fl ag tender since 2000.

Pharmacist Rory Spencer fi lls a prescription at Belle Plaine Pharmacy Oct. 8.

Don Drahos repairs a purse Oct. 8 at Drahos Shoe Store, Belle Plaine. Don is the third-generation of shoe repairman in the Drahos family. His grandfather, Joseph, started in the business in Bohemia in 1898 before immigrating to America in 1904. Joseph operated a shoe repair shop in Belle Plaine from 1937 to 1953, when Don’s father, Weaf, relocated the business to its current location. Local residents know Don is the go-to man for all sorts of repair needs, from broken zippers to ripped leather gloves.

Vicki Mumm gives Tracy Osipchack, Belle Plaine, a haircut at the Wave Station in Belle Plaine Oct. 8. Mumm, of Hartwick, opened the salon four years ago.

Gene Ledvina works the dairy case at Belle Plaine’s Country Foods Oct. 12. Ledvina is a jack-of-all trades at the store, doing everything from stocking shelves to maintenance to carryout.

At WorkIn Belle Plaine


Enjoying a break during the 4-H Awards Program in Vinton.

Dan BlanchardA+, Net+ & Microsoft certifi ed

813 12th St., Belle Plaine, IA 52208

(319) 434-6379 • [email protected]

“Locally Owned and Operated”“Locally Owned and Operated”Contact us for all of your computer needsContact us for all of your computer needs

Laptop and Tower computers, Printers, Monitors, and accessories

Ice cream is served at the Benton County 4-H awards program in Vinton.

4-H FunIn Vinton

Kimm’s Ready Mix, Inc& CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

P.O. Box 135 306½ Cedar Street NEBlairstown, IA 52209-0135

319-454-6200 • Fax: 319-454-9062You Call ... We Haul

• Rock • Sand • Ag lime • River Rock • Dirt


Proud to be a member of this community!

81 Main St., PO Box 367Keystone, IA 52249www.ksbiowa.com 319-442-3218Family owned since 1927

81 1st Ave., Atkins, IA 52206Phone: 319-446-7654 • Fax: 319-446-7653

Email: [email protected]

For all your building needs.

Genesis Development consumers Cody Trealoff, front, and Adam Herzberger scrape peeling paint from the Belle Plaine Chiropractic offi ce of Dr. Tad Jacobi Oct. 8. Weather permitting, the building will receive a fresh coat of paint before winter arrives.


BINGOIn Belle Plaine

Bingo is a popular activity at the Belle Plaine Community Center. This group is keeping a close eye on their cards Oct. 9.

Drahos Shoe StoreBelle Plaine 319-444-2707

Including: ★ Hawkeye Apparel ★ Park Designs Kitchen Textiles ★ Several Iowa made Gift Items.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW GIFT ITEMS

REDWING • LaCROSSE • TINGLEYShoe Repair And Zipper Replacement On Site

Closed Wednesday & Sundays

Thank you for helping to keepour community running!

Thank you for helping to keepThank you for helping to keepour community running!our community running!

Atkins Savings Bank & Trust

is proud to be a locally owned,

independent bank in Benton

County. We believe in forming

lasting individual, business and

agricultural relationships.

97 MAIN AVENUE, ATKINS, IA 52206(319) 446-7700 • www.atkinssavingsbank.com


We are #1 on service, #1 Selection

409 13TH Street, Belle Plaine319-444-2259 • 1-800-326-1348

www.johngriedermotors.com

Serving Benton and surrounding counties since 1990

Full Service Chevrolet Truck, Car and Buick Dealer

We are proud to employ GM Certifi ed & Master Technicians

John

MOTORS

See us for all your Fuel, LP and Agronomy

needs!

LINN CO-OPOIL CO.

319-223-5191Newhall

Bobcat Dash!The fi rst annual Key-

stone/Van Horne PTO Bobcat Dash was held earlier this month at Van Horne Elemen-tary. Twenty-one teams comprised of 103 participants trudged through eight whacky obstacles for some friendly family fun. Teachers wore tutus, some wore swimsuits, and there were even fi re-breathing rubber duckies who showed up to get messy in the dash! The profi ts from the fundraiser to-taled over $4,600 and will directly benefi t students at both Key-stone and Van Horne Elementary Centers.

A special congratu-

lations goes out to Mr. Casey’s fi fth/sixth grade homeroom. This class-room had the most par-ticipants out of all of the classrooms at Key-stone and Van Horne Elementary Centers,. which earned them the title, “2012 Bobcat

Dash Class of the Year”. The family raising the most money had 15 participants and raised over $300. Congratula-tions to Bridgewater and Company for being the “2012 Bobcat Dash Family of the Year.”

Meetings for the Key-

stone/Van Horne PTO are held on the fi rst Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Locations rotate between both Keystone and Van Horne Elemen-tary Center. They are always looking for new members, so please, check them out!

Touch teachers.

Swamp Slither.

Bobcat Dash participants.

Road Rage. Whacky Wheels.


A Day at Belle Plaine Medical Clinic

Karl Holmes and Linda VawterDeb Mescher and Cindy Becker

Physicians and ClinicsBelle Plaine Family Medicine

1010 8th Ave., Belle Plaine • 319-444-2840

C.R.O.P. WalkThirty walkers and other

volunteers attended the CROP Walk at St. Patrick, in Watkins, on Sunday, October 14. Pledges were gathered and will be sent to help feed the people of impoverished areas of the world. A fourth of the money gathered will be sent to the Benton County Food Pantry in Belle Plaine, at a later date. Allen and Jolene Walter lead the event, and Altar and Rosary members helped serve ham sandwiches, chips, cookies, and candies, water, coffee and lemonade. Pastor Moser from Trinity Lutheran Church in Walford, opened with prayers for the walkers and the hungry of the nations. Several Queen of Saints confi rmation candidates were in attendance, with sponsors, for their support and participation in the event.

Cheering in Belle Plaine.

Adam AndersenAgent

128 E High StreetToledo, IA 52342-1510Bus: 641-484-3163 Fax 641-484-4365

NMLS MLO #827212Providing Insurance and Financial Services

Preschoolers get a close look at a fi re hose nozzle held by Belle Plaine fi reman Nick Palmer during preschool story time at the Belle Plaine Community Oct. 12.


The Benton Community area Legion posts take part in pre-game fl ag-raising ceremonies.

Legion

Ken Hartkemeyer marches before the varsity football game with the Benton Community area Legion members.

In Benton County

Sharon Vogt, left, and Diane Herman, Atkins, served as barmaids during the Atkins Memorial Hall building improvement fundraiser Oct. 6

a week in the life of benton county

Documents