greenbelt offers assurances - newz group · 15/3/2019 · the caldecott medal is awarded annually...

TuesdayDecember 26, 2017

$1.00

By Rick PatrieNews Editor

ELDORA – Staff and administration in the E-NP elementary school noticed something being done in the neighboring Grundy Center Schools to stimulate interest in reading, and they thought it might translate here. What they found in Grundy was a project that enlisted a fairly well known literary honors program that cites authors producing work scaled to small children. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to an author whose work is loved by children, and which is judged the most distinguished American picture book for children. The award’s been around since 1937. The American Library Association makes the announcement in a big ceremony each February. Against the backdrop of that upcoming award ceremony, children here have been reading a series of books chosen from the Caldecott library. It is a mock Caldecott award they are approaching, but the literature is the real thing. Students in the E-NP school received books from a selection of 21 children’s stories. The choice of books came with some guidance from the Caldecott origination, which

by Rick PatrieNews Editor

ELDORA – Now that the renovations are complete, research is on the minds of volunteers at the CCC-POW Recreational Hall and Museum in Eldora. Right now they have four volunteers and four board members, and they say they sure could use more. If you decide to help out, one

gaps in George Raizel’s “Happy Days in the CCC,” an autograph

and photo book compiled by the one time worker here in the Eldora camp that was located on the Hardin County Fairgrounds. Camp Flying Goose operated from 1933-1941. And one of the teams which did so much work on Pine Lake State Park, was George Raizel’s. Workers at the present day museum site dedicated to the CCC and area veterans, say it looks like George was from Eldora and entered the Civilian Conservation Corps on April 1, 1934, joined Company 1755


HARDIN COUNTY – The news sounds more fraught with

Yes, Hansen Family Hospital is saying it would like to relinquish its share in Greenbelt Home Care, which it “owns” along with the city of Eldora and Hardin County. Hansen Family, formerly Ellsworth Hospital has held a stake in the home health service since way back in 1998. But in reality, Greenbelt

always the county health nurse

Any one of the partners

bearing on the county service. The joint ownership between the three bodies has been primarily a statement of support on the part of each entity, and only Hardin County makes any substantial contribution to the service money-wise. That is to help pay cost of Greenbelt offering indigent care. Greenbelt administrator Julie Towne sought to allay community concerns about the hospital’s recent announcement, saying that the departure of the hospital won’t change a thing in terms of services offered or the future of Greenbelt. That will also hold true if the city of Eldora decides to make

its own exit from the project. Right now a meeting is set for December 28 at 6 p.m. in city hall where the town council will decide whether it wants to initiate formal action to withdraw from the three-way combine. The proposal to withdraw wouldn’t commit the city to actually following through, but Eldora could possibly leave the Greenbelt combine as early as next June. Towne said that would effectively leave Hardin County the sole “stakeholder” in Greenbelt, but she said, this

county health nurse services all over Iowa.

In any case, Greenbelt Home Care is a self-sustaining and self-funding organization drawing an outside assistance and on receipts from services rendered. She made a special point of reiterating that no one who’s a

should be concerned about its future here in Hardin County. Nor should they concern about the scope of services offered. In fact, Towne had told the city council earlier this month that Greenbelt’s actually expanding its reach, saying it is now working more in some of the western townships in Grundy County.


SOUTH HARDIN – People in education will tell you that when students sit down to those Iowa Tests of Basic Skills they are not only under examination themselves, but they are carrying the standard for their school and their instructors as well. Fill in those circles with your number two pencil and everyone, administration, students and teachers, hold their collective breath and hope for the best. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills have undergone several name changes since the parents and grandparents of today’s students last took the exams, but they are essentially the same creatures. And this time of the year the school districts around the state get their own report card back, the grades based on how well their students have done in the exams. The important information from the tests always deal with reading and math features of the tests. Here in Eldora, school superintendent Jay Mathis says he hasn’t been able to talk with administrators in depth yet, but he was relatively comfortable with where the district seems to stand, but is curious about the test’s suggestion students in the South Hardin High School are progressing, but not as fast as the Department of Education


ELDORA – The robots have arrived – right here in Eldora. USM Wear Technologies says robots are playing an increasing role in testing the structural integrity of USM’s Caden EdgeTM reinforcing process used to strengthen tillage sweeps, ripper points and biomass grinder parts

Robots are at work on the

are similarly part of assessments on the Caden Edge process being done at Iowa State University. The school’s recent “Automation in Manufacturing” conference sponsored by the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) at the Gateway Hotel in Ames,

showed the public what robotics in a shop looks like. ISU is currently establishing tillage testing center to similiarly study the performance of the tillage equipment. Loran Balvanz, President and CEO of Eldora based USM has used robotics to manufacture its CADEN EdgeTM reinforcment

Awardwinningreading

Faces from pastare of renewed

interest

Greenbelt offers assurances

Reportcard forschools

Robots are key to quality

and worked on the construction of the upper lake at Pine Lake State Park. In his book they found several photographs of other camp members that

museum are wondering if anyone recognizes any of the fellows or has a photograph of George Raizel himself. Here is a list of names in the book if it helps someone tie

a name to a photo. Find more photos on page .3Clarence Kientop - Charles City Donald Ahrens - Dumont Clinton E. Rowe - Denison David Sheppard - Greene

Robert W. Kennedy - Iowa Falls Harold C. Geronsin - Fenton

Lloyd C. Kumow - Buckeye

Newsbriefs

The CCC-POW museum staff are seeking the identities of these Eldora camp members from three quarters of a century ago.

Accelerated Wear Test Unit

Photo from the Greenbelt Home Care website. The staff of the county health nurse agency. Administrator Julie Towne at the center.

Eldora Newspaperearly deadline for

Jan. 2 edition The Eldora Herald Ledger will have an early deadline for their January 2 edition. Deadline will be on Thursday, Dec. 28 by 11 a.m.

(More briefs on page 3)

First Baby of 2018 ContestIn the Friday Index

(continued on page 3)


(continued on page 2)(continued on page 2)

TuesdayDecember 26, 2017

$1.00


ELDORA – Staff and administration in the E-NP elementary school noticed something being done in the neighboring Grundy Center Schools to stimulate interest in reading, and they thought it might translate here. What they found in Grundy was a project that enlisted a fairly well known literary honors program that cites authors producing work scaled to small children. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to an author whose work is loved by children, and which is judged the most distinguished American picture book for children. The award’s been around since 1937. The American Library Association makes the announcement in a big ceremony each February. Against the backdrop of that upcoming award ceremony, children here have been reading a series of books chosen from the Caldecott library. It is a mock Caldecott award they are approaching, but the literature is the real thing. Students in the E-NP school received books from a selection of 21 children’s stories. The choice of books came with some guidance from the Caldecott origination, which


ELDORA – Now that the renovations are complete, research is on the minds of volunteers at the CCC-POW Recreational Hall and Museum in Eldora. Right now they have four volunteers and four board members, and they say they sure could use more. If you decide to help out, one

gaps in George Raizel’s “Happy Days in the CCC,” an autograph

and photo book compiled by the one time worker here in the Eldora camp that was located on the Hardin County Fairgrounds. Camp Flying Goose operated from 1933-1941. And one of the teams which did so much work on Pine Lake State Park, was George Raizel’s. Workers at the present day museum site dedicated to the CCC and area veterans, say it looks like George was from Eldora and entered the Civilian Conservation Corps on April 1, 1934, joined Company 1755


HARDIN COUNTY – The news sounds more fraught with

Yes, Hansen Family Hospital is saying it would like to relinquish its share in Greenbelt Home Care, which it “owns” along with the city of Eldora and Hardin County. Hansen Family, formerly Ellsworth Hospital has held a stake in the home health service since way back in 1998. But in reality, Greenbelt

always the county health nurse

Any one of the partners

bearing on the county service. The joint ownership between the three bodies has been primarily a statement of support on the part of each entity, and only Hardin County makes any substantial contribution to the service money-wise. That is to help pay cost of Greenbelt offering indigent care. Greenbelt administrator Julie Towne sought to allay community concerns about the hospital’s recent announcement, saying that the departure of the hospital won’t change a thing in terms of services offered or the future of Greenbelt. That will also hold true if the city of Eldora decides to make

its own exit from the project. Right now a meeting is set for December 28 at 6 p.m. in city hall where the town council will decide whether it wants to initiate formal action to withdraw from the three-way combine. The proposal to withdraw wouldn’t commit the city to actually following through, but Eldora could possibly leave the Greenbelt combine as early as next June. Towne said that would effectively leave Hardin County the sole “stakeholder” in Greenbelt, but she said, this

county health nurse services all over Iowa.

In any case, Greenbelt Home Care is a self-sustaining and self-funding organization drawing an outside assistance and on receipts from services rendered. She made a special point of reiterating that no one who’s a

should be concerned about its future here in Hardin County. Nor should they concern about the scope of services offered. In fact, Towne had told the city council earlier this month that Greenbelt’s actually expanding its reach, saying it is now working more in some of the western townships in Grundy County.


SOUTH HARDIN – People in education will tell you that when students sit down to those Iowa Tests of Basic Skills they are not only under examination themselves, but they are carrying the standard for their school and their instructors as well. Fill in those circles with your number two pencil and everyone, administration, students and teachers, hold their collective breath and hope for the best. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills have undergone several name changes since the parents and grandparents of today’s students last took the exams, but they are essentially the same creatures. And this time of the year the school districts around the state get their own report card back, the grades based on how well their students have done in the exams. The important information from the tests always deal with reading and math features of the tests. Here in Eldora, school superintendent Jay Mathis says he hasn’t been able to talk with administrators in depth yet, but he was relatively comfortable with where the district seems to stand, but is curious about the test’s suggestion students in the South Hardin High School are progressing, but not as fast as the Department of Education


ELDORA – The robots have arrived – right here in Eldora. USM Wear Technologies says robots are playing an increasing role in testing the structural integrity of USM’s Caden EdgeTM reinforcing process used to strengthen tillage sweeps, ripper points and biomass grinder parts

Robots are at work on the

are similarly part of assessments on the Caden Edge process being done at Iowa State University. The school’s recent “Automation in Manufacturing” conference sponsored by the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) at the Gateway Hotel in Ames,

showed the public what robotics in a shop looks like. ISU is currently establishing tillage testing center to similiarly study the performance of the tillage equipment. Loran Balvanz, President and CEO of Eldora based USM has used robotics to manufacture its CADEN EdgeTM reinforcment

Awardwinningreading

Faces from pastare of renewed

interest

Greenbelt offers assurances

Reportcard forschools

Robots are key to quality

and worked on the construction of the upper lake at Pine Lake State Park. In his book they found several photographs of other camp members that

museum are wondering if anyone recognizes any of the fellows or has a photograph of George Raizel himself. Here is a list of names in the book if it helps someone tie

a name to a photo. Find more photos on page .3Clarence Kientop - Charles City Donald Ahrens - Dumont Clinton E. Rowe - Denison David Sheppard - Greene

Robert W. Kennedy - Iowa Falls Harold C. Geronsin - Fenton

Lloyd C. Kumow - Buckeye

Newsbriefs

The CCC-POW museum staff are seeking the identities of these Eldora camp members from three quarters of a century ago.

Accelerated Wear Test Unit

Photo from the Greenbelt Home Care website. The staff of the county health nurse agency. Administrator Julie Towne at the center.

Eldora Newspaperearly deadline for

Jan. 2 edition The Eldora Herald Ledger will have an early deadline for their January 2 edition. Deadline will be on Thursday, Dec. 28 by 11 a.m.

(More briefs on page 3)

First Baby of 2018 ContestIn the Friday Index



(continued on page 2)(continued on page 2)

All-StateBasketball Teams

Page 7

DickinsonChampsPage 8

FridayMarch 15, 2019

V O L U M E 153 • N O.11 • $1.00 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF HARDIN COUNTY E L D O R A, I O W A 641-939-5051 www.eldoranewspapers.com

NewsbriefsEarly Childhood Brd. The Iowa River ValleyEarly Childhood AreaBoard will meet Tuesday,March 19, at 4:30 p.m.at the BCLUW MiddleSchool Library in Union.The agenda includes a midyear performance reviewand approval of the FY’20Request for Proposal. Themeeting is open to publicand interested persons areencouraged to attend. FormoreinformationcallCarrieKube at 641-648-6575 oremail [email protected].

Eldora Welcome Ctr.and RR Museum mtg. There will be a planningmeeting for the EldoraWelcomeCenter&RailroadMuseum on Tuesday,March19at5:30p.m.attheWelcome Center. Anyoneis welcome, so come outto hear the exciting updateabout the caboose andhelpget ready for the2019season!

NAMI Family Support NAMI Family SupportGroup (formerly knownas “Families SupportingFamilies”) will be meetingMarch19,attheFriendshipClub,302SouthOakStreet,Iowa Falls from 6:30 to 8p.m. The support group isfor family members andcaregivers of persons withmental illness. Drinks andsnackswillbeprovided.Wewill continue meeting onthe third Tuesday of eachmonth. Please join us! Formore information call 641-939-8167.

Walter Sayer Post 182 Walter Sayer Post 182,American Legion meetingwill be held at 7:30 p.m.on Wednesday, March 20at the Legion Post at 1215WashingtonSt.,Eldora.

Sr. Discussion Group of Hardin County

The Senior DiscussionGroupofHardinCountywillmeetonThursday,March21at 9:30 a.m. at Dorothy’sSenior Center in Eldora. Ifyou are a senior in HardinCounty or an interestedbusiness professional, weinvite you to attend. Formore information, contactLoraJuhlat(641)648-4671,extension8002or by [email protected].

Dyslexia Parents Support Group

There will be a DyslexiaParents Support Groupat the Eldora Library onThursday, March 21 from6:30-7:45p.m.Meetingsareforparentsof childrenwithDyslexiatoprovidesupportand share information tohelp their children succeed.Nochildrenplease.

Free health screenings at Eldora Library

Join us Tuesday, March26forfreehealthscreeningsattheEldoraPublicLibrary!Time TBA. Brandy Tripp,RN, BSN, CCRP fromGrundy Memorial Hospitalwill be providing thisservice. Reservations arerequired, please stop in orcall the library for moredetails.939-2173.


E-NP SCHOOLS - Tocompletely re-create thetiger look that has become atrademark of the SouthHardinHighSchoolgymwouldrequire$60,000. Art does not come cheap,and jaws dropped, and eyeswidened, for several membersoftheboardofeducationwhentheestimatecameout. As a result, the board chosesomethingalittlesleeker,moremodern, and with not quite somanytigersonthewall. The design shown here wasthe preferred look, and theproject is being put out forquotes. There were no firmestimates, but the board wastold they might be looking ata mural more in the $20,000ratherthan$60,000range.

One proposed gym repainting view.

New look for the South Hardin gymwill cut the tiger count


E-NP SCHOOLS –Negotiations are apparentlyin the final stretch betweenthe Eldora-New ProvidenceSchools anddistrict employeeswho are covered by collectivebargaining. Indicationsarecontract talkswereveryamicable. Theemployeerepresentativespresenteda2.78percentoverallcompensationpackage increaseforboardconsiderationMondaynightduringtheschoolboard’sregular meeting. The mathbehind the proposalwas basedlargelyonchangesinthecostoflivingoverthelastyear. The public presentation of aproposal isa littleunusual,butrepresentative Annette Bakersaid itwaspartofa thankyouthe employees were extendingto the board of education andthedistrict. Big changes in the IowaA mouthful.


HARDIN COUNTY –County Engineer Taylor Rolltoldtheboardofsupervisorsthathis department appreciates thehelp, but if private landownersalong the county gravel roadswanttoclearsnow,theyshouldfirstgetapermit. It is less a matter of beingstingy with the snow removalworkload than it’s a matter ofcovering the county’s liabilityneeds. Iftheyplowtheirownroads,the neighborhood folks willassumetheliability,Rollsaid. But,he said, asa rule, thosewhowanttohelpwiththesnowremoval will find the countyprettyliberal intheissuanceofpermits. Months like the lastonecallfor all the help the county canget,Rollsaid. He said the county takes amuch different attitude towardoutside help in the wintermonths. Mainly because the

Contract talks have been amicable

public bargaining law a yearago had given districts likeE-NP wide authority to refuseto negotiate on most issuesin a contract. That has led tostrains between employees andsomeschooldistrictsasthenewregimetookaffect. Under the new bargaininglaw, there’s little left on thestate’smust-negotiate listotherthan theamountadistrictpaysastarting teacherwithnopriorexperience. Broadly speaking, the rest isattheschoolboard’sdiscretion. And when the Eldora-NewProvidence bargaining unitpresented its proposal to theboard,therewasthatthankyou,becausetheE-NPboardhadsooftenoptedtodealwithteachersonoptionalissues.

The county will take help, but get permission first to conduct snow removal out in the country.

Do it yourself snow removalsurfacesarefrozeandhardertodisruptthanthosesamesurfacesinthesummertime. Moving snow doesn’t fallunderthecategoryof‘makinga

physical change to the right ofway.’Thatistheissueonwhichthematterturns. Moving snow, is simplifydealingwithMotherNature,hesaid.

Hard at work improving Pine Lake St. Park By Rick Patrie

News Editor ELDORA – They are a lotlike us. If their surroundingsdon’t suit them, they changethem, and park ranger DonPrimus has been watching thefascinatingprocess. Primus is guessing thatsomewhere in the back of the

busy beavers’mindmay be anoversize plan to dam up thespillwayjustbelowPineLake. Clearly, some heavy-dutyengineeringisintheworks. Workcanbefoundalongtheup stream in the neighborhoodof the stone cabins, and nowthere is a beaver at work ona tree, which has long been

a companion of the spillwayfootbridgenearby. Primus says the beavers’workisallbutdone. Beaver chew for the samereasondogsbark.Theyhavetoortheywouldn’tbebeavers. Andtheconstantchewinghasthenaturalbenefitofkeepingthebeavers’ famous font incisorshoned down and not growingbackintotheirheads. The consensus amongnaturalistsnowadaysisthatthebeaver are good neighbors tohavearound.Theytendtocreatesprawling healthy wetlandswheretherehadbeennone,andeven where you already havethe Iowa River, the beaver atwork tend to push the habitatin directions healthy for otherspecies. And there is lots ofentertainmentforus. Primus says staff are onlyguessing the beaver den at thecenter of all this constructionis somewhere in the area justbelowthespillway. See contract talks:

Page 2


HARDIN COUNTY – Foranyone who’s looked at thewinterof2019andaskedhimorherselfwhat’snext? Hereiswhat’snext. “Travelisnotadvisedwithoutyour4-wheeldrive.” The subject came up atthe Hardin County Board ofSupervisormeetingWednesdaywhere Supervisor LanceGranzow addressed the stateof the county’s gravel roadssuccinctly. “Terrible.” But Granzow deliveredthe verdict with considerablesympathyforthecrewsworkingto dealwith the side effects ofawinterofincredibleextremes.Too warm, too cold, too snowfilled,tooraindrenched. Thecounty’sgravelroadsarenowshowingthewearandtearofitall. WinterstartedsomildthatinJanuary they were cancellingthe Winterfest in Iowa Falls.

Therewasn’tenoughwinter. ThenFebruary roared inandtheworld turned upside down.Then roared March, a littlemore. Record colds can impactroadways,drivingfrostdeeper. The county is responding,prepared to apply rock acrossthe whole network of gravels,according to Engineer TaylorRoll, but without a letup intheweather, thiswillbeaverygradualprocess. It has reached the point theE-NP Schools were pullingbussesoffthegravels. Rollsayseveryoneislookingto at least nextweek, ormore,beforeimprovements.Thatisiftheweathercooperates. Crews had been out withthe motorgraders while thesurfaceswerestillfrozen,butasof Wednesday rain and highertemperatureshadsetin.

What’s Next?

See what’s next:Page 2

greenbelt offers assurances - newz group · 15/3/2019 · the caldecott medal is awarded annually...

Documents