|
2008: The Year in Review
by David Namanny, Press-News Editor
The year 2008 was one for the record books. On a national level, local residents witnessed the election of America's first black president, watched as a financial meltdown scorched through the economy and dealt with their own problems at home, like the massive June floods.
Of course, here in Mitchell County, there were more positive stories than negative. We saw the completion of the CRC Events Center and broke ground on a new auditorium, wellness center and indoor pool.
Many things happened during the past 12 months, and the Mitchell County Press-News was there every step of the way, recording it all for the first draft of history here at home. Following are the highlights in both works and photos:
January 2008
After several presidential candidates and/or their surrogates made their way through Mitchell County prior to the 2008 January caucuses. Among those who visited Osage in person were Republicans Tom Tancredo and Jon Cox, and Democrats John Edwards, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.
While the overall state results picked Presidential candidate Barack Obama to win the Democratic nomination, here in Mitchell County, voters chose Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, who came in first and second respectively.
Clinton won locally by a five-point margin, receiving 37.5 delegates. Edwards garnered 32.5 delegates, while Obama received an even 30.
On the Republican side, presidential candidate Mike Huckabee topped local preferences, receiving 29.1 of the delegate vote. John McCain followed with 23.3 and Willard "Mitt" Romney garnered a mere 13.3 percent.
Despite his criticism of ethanol subsidies, Osage voters picked Republican Presidential nominee hopeful and Vietnam veteran John McCain over the Baptist Minister and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who took the state of Iowa in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses.
Jason Huisman was just a December 2007 graduate from college, but he felt he had a pretty good grasp on the fundamentals and needs for a solid agriculture program within a school system. So did Osage School administrators, who hired Huisman as FFA advisor and ag instructor to replace former FFA advisor Frank Kisley, who resigned in controversy the previous fall. Huisman would also resign later in 2008.
A Stacyville man suffered fatal injuries last January after losing control of his snowmobile and colliding with a tree. According to reports from, the Mitchell County Sheriff's Department, Bradley Joseph Blake, age 40, was eastbound in a field along 465th Street when he lost control of his 1999 Yamaha snowmobile. Blake was thrown from the snowmobile as it crashed into a tree. Blake was found by a passer-by who called authorities. The accident occurred about 2 1/2 miles east of Stacyville.
United States Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced last January the guilty pleas of two local men involved in drug trafficking and firearms offenses uncovered by a joint federal, state, and local law enforcement effort in the Mitchell County area.
-Leslie Gocha, age 31 of Osage, pled guilty on January 16, 2008 in Cedar Rapids to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possession of firearms in futherance of a drug offense, and money laundering.
His co-defendant, Troy Comisky, age 34, also from Osage, pled guilty to the same charges on December 13, 2007.
In plea agreements, Gocha and Comisky admitted to participating in a conspiracy involving the manufacture and importation of methamphetamine from approximately 2001 through 2007.
The manufacturing took place at various locations in and around Osage from 2001 until May 2005, when an Iowa law went into effect placing pseudoephedrine behind pharmacy counters.
FEBRUARY
Osage Municipal Utilities recently entered into a new wholesale power agreement with Dairyland Power Cooperative of Wisconsin, which was effective May 1, 2008. The local utility was formely under contract with Alliant Energy for the purchase of electricity.
Members of the Osage City Council this past February voted in favor of giving another $1.5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to help pay for the expanded indoor pool in the future Cedar River Recreation and Fine Arts Complex.
Officials said rather than spending $3 to $4 million for a new swimming pool in three to five years, it would be wiser to expand existing plans for the future indoor pool that the public can use year-round. It is all part of $13.5 million project, which had the entire Mitchell County area buzzing in 2008.
The old city pool, constructed in 1952 was razed in the summer of 2008.
MARCH
Vivian (Emerson) DuShane of Osage and her sister Zola (Emerson) Mullenbach from Stacyville were featured in a new Iowa Public Television documentary about girls six-on-six basketball last March. The show, called "More than a Game," debuted Sunday, March 2 on the statewide television network.
DuShane played for the 1928 Little Cedar team that won all but one game, being defeated by Wellsburg for the State Championship 80 years ago. Mullenbach played for the Little Cedar team during the 1930s.
In the show, Vivian talked about how, as a farm girl she was considered strong and athletic. She regularly helped her dad in the fields.
Her sister Zola talks about riding her pony to school so she could stay late and shoot baskets -there were no school buses at the time and this would have been during the winter.
Overall, the documentary took a look back at six-on-six basketball and its impact on generations of Iowa girls and communities. In 1993, the era of girls six-on-six basketball came to an end.
Bryce Hickle can grow 'em big. In fact, a 32-pound cabbage he grew briefly put the Osage fourth grader in the statewide spotlight. As a result of his green-thumb success, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey visited Washington Elementary School in Osage on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 where he spoke about agriculture and honored Hickle, who received a $1,000 scholarship for winning the "Bonnie Plants Largest Cabbage Contest."
The Hickle family did not cook the award-winning cabbage, but instead donated it to Faith Lutheran Home in Osage, where Bryce's mother Angie works as a registered nurse. Bryce's father, Brian Hickle, works with the Mitchell County Secondary Roads Department and also farms.
The Osage School Board last April unanimously approved the hiring of a new principal for Osage High School. Tim Hejhal (pronounced hay-hall) of Monona, Iowa, began his new duties in Osage August 1.
For the past 22 years Hejhal had been a successful administrator, teacher, juvenile court liaison officer and coach at both the middle and high school levels. Hejhal succeeds Dr. Steve Nicholson in the position. Nicholson, who served the Osage School district for 25 years, has been hired as Superintendent at New Hampton.
Osage's new skate park is example of what a community can do with a combination of desire, cooperation and effort. The $50,000 complex was funded with the help of a determined group of young skateboarders, support from parents, civic and business groups, community members and the city of Osage and was completed on Tuesday, April 15. Local skateboarders were utilizing the complex even as the final bolts were being tightened down.
The new skate park is located at Davidson Park, which is south of the Osage Middle School.
MAY
The Osage and St. Ansgar school boards were in the process of discussing a possible shared superintendency arrangement last May.
After the departure of Superintendent Dwight Widen, the St. Ansgar School District was attempting to cut approximately $400,000 from its budget for the 2008-09 school year. The St. Ansgar School board had made it known that they were looking into a possible shared superintendency with a neighboring school district as a possible major cost cutting move.
The Osage and St. Ansgar School Boards met on Tuesday, May 20 to discuss the possible sharing and met again on June 5 for further discussions. After these two meetings, it was decided that Osage would not enter into a shared superintendent agreement.
JUNE
Myron Kuper stood alone on Monument Ave. this past June, looking out over a sea of water that used to be his cornfield. In the distance a small beaver swam through the floating debris of old corn stover and twigs.
"This is worse than the flood of 1993," said Kuper, who farms with his son Ross on land located just off 218 at the Stacyville turnoff. "I don't know how much rain we got, my gauge stops at six inches and it was spilling over this morning."
This was one of many scenes of flooding that Mitchell County residents awoke to last June, as heavy rain, thunderstorms, high wind and hail combined for a wicked weather pattern that lasted most of the previous evening.
Flooding from the Cedar River and various streams and creeks were reported across the county. During the floods, the Iowa Department of Transportation closed off Highway 9 east of Osage, as well as part of U.S Highway 218 over Spring Creek.
Hardest hit appeared to be the St. Ansgar and Stacyville areas.
"The rain and wind were so overwhelming between 6 and 7 p.m. that we actually went to the basement because we thought it might be too dangerous," said Kuper.
While Mitchell County was declared a disaster area, authorities say no injuries had been reported but the extent of damage to crops and property was extensive
In this modern day of big city shopping malls, mega-marts and the Internet, Osage's Ken Emerson proved last summer that an old-fashioned small town clothing store can not only survive, it can prosper. In June 2008, Emerson, who has owned and operated Osage's popular Fleming's Clothing for the past eight years, opened a similar business in Clear Lake. He dubbed it "Emerson's by the Lake," and it is located at 308 Main Ave., beside the Starboard Restaurant.
St. Ansgar native Wes Hardy says he became interested in the Marines at a very young age. That original interest, combined with his scholastic and leadership abilities, plus a lot of time and hard work, resulted in a $150,000 Marine ROTC Scholarship for the 2008 St. Ansgar graduate last summer.
Funnel clouds and hail made a few nights last June anxious ones in Mitchell County. Lori Mehmen, who lives on Main Street in Orchard, took a photo from just outside her front door of a large funnel cloud forming shortly after 9 p.m. on one of those particular evenings.
"It almost looked like it was going to take the (grain) elevator," she said.
The funnel cloud came near the ground just briefly and then went back up in the clouds.
"It was like deja vu," said Mehmen, who survived the 1968 Charles City tornado.
Funnel clouds also were sighted south of Mitchell and south of Osage. However, authorities say none of the funnel clouds touched the ground.
People in Mitchell County reported hail anywhere from pea-sized to golfball-sized Tuesday night.
One witness who was driving on Highway 9 near the intersection with County Road T28 at around 8:30 p.m. said the hail was coming down so thick and fast it was impossible to see. "
Ray Huftalin, emergency management coordinator for Mitchell and Worth counties, said during the time the hail was coming down in Osage the temperature dropped from 79 degrees to 36 degrees.
Crop damage was particularly heavy between Orchard and Osage, he said.
The Osage FFA Chapter was named the Champion Team in the annual Iowa FFA Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event held at Iowa State University in Ames on Thursday, June 5, 2008.
Members of the champion Osage team included: Justin Chambers, Ross Cockrum, Ben Hartogh, and Joseph Klaes.
JULY
It was the end of one milestone and the beginning of another for Mitchell County's $13.5 million Cedar River Complex (CRC) this past July in Osage.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the largest phase of the multi-faceted, multi-million -dollar complex, the Recreation and Fine Arts Center, took place in early June just east of the actual location of the future structure at Osage City Park.
The 31,000 square-foot facility will include check-in area; offices; lounge area; kitchenette; multipurpose room; fitness/weight area; gymnasium with perimeter track; elevated walking and jogging track; racquetball courts; four-lane zero-depth entry leisure pool; men's and women's locker rooms with steam rooms; and several storage areas.
This second phase of the CRC project will also include a 610-seat auditorium with lobby areas, 4,000-square-foot stage, and lighting and sound room, as well as a large amount of space for historical displays from the Mitchell County Historical Society. The project is expected to be complete sometime in late 2009 to early 2010.
Osage native-turned 2008 Olympic celebrity, Doug Schwab made a surprise appearance in the annual July 4th Parade in Osage. Schwab, 30, wrestled for the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which ran Aug. 8-24. He was eliminated in the first round.
Doug Roll of St. Ansgar relived an event of 63 years ago when he got out of a B-17 bomber this past on July 21 and kissed the ground at Mason City Municipal Airport.
Roll, 86, got a ride in the bomber, aptly named "Sentimental Journey," as part of festivities marking the beginning of the plane.
Roll rode near the nose of the plane , the same position he had in August of 1945 when his bomber came home from England and landed at Bradley Field in Connnecticut. He kissed the ground then and a photo of him appeared in Life magazine.
He kissed the ground in Mason City this time, admitting that getting on the ground and getting back up was a little harder than it was 63 years ago.
"That was really something," he said as he emerged from the plane. "It was a sentimental journey, I'll tell you that. I thought I'd cry but I didn't."
Then he flashed a "thumbs up" to family and friends who had gathered to watch the flight.
The B-17 "Flying Fortress," as it was called, was famous for daylight bombing raids over Germany during World War II. Only about 10 restored and airworthy examples remain of the 12,731 that were built.
AUGUST
Richard Schaufler may have spent most of his teaching career in Minnesota, but he has several direct connections to Osage High School, as well as its Ag Education Department. Not only is he the father of high school counselor Michelle Dohlman, he has connections that go back to the late Lewis Lauterbach, who taught Ag Education in Osage for many years until his retirement in the early 1980s.
In August, Staufler, who came with over three decades of experience in Ag Education, began his duties as Osage High School's new Ag Education and FFA Advisor.
Coming out of semi-retirement to take the Ag Education position, Schaufler had 32 years experience teaching Ag Ed in the Leroy-Ostrander school district. Most recently, he taught Ag Ed in Spring Valley, Minnesota and has been on call as a substitute in Cresco. Schaufler succeeded Jason Huisman in the position here at Osage.
SEPTEMBER
What started out in 1990 as a far-fetched idea to critics, "but as a dream for the future" for proponents of the project, came another step closer to realizing its potential last fall.
The Wapsi Trail, or in more specific terms, The Wapsi Great Western Line Trail, with its point of origin starting in Riceville, was awarded $1.3 million from the Vision Iowa Board.
The massive award, however, like others given out by Vision Iowa - is contingent upon Howard and Mitchell Counties completing the funding. The total cost of the project is estimated at $6.5 million. While much has been raised, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars, still need to be raised by local organizations, individuals and businesses in Howard and Mitchell counties.
The project includes the construction of 25.5 miles of trail spanning Mitchell and Howard counties and the communities of Riceville, Elma and McIntire, as well as the construction of four bridges, three new walking bridges and one vehicle/walking bridge. The trail will eventually connect with the Root River Trail in Minnesota.
The display was an impressive one last September. As Deputy Gregg Halbach put the new Mitchell County drug dog, "Winnie" through her paces in a simulated training situation at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds in Osage, you had to be extremely aware of how well trained and efficient both Winnie and her master are. The canine cop was officially on duty for the residents of Mitchell County.
Winnie was purchased by the Mitchell County Sheriff's office through a series of donations from businesses, civic groups and individuals throughout the county.
The money needed for the purchase of the dog and handler training for the K-9 program was around $8,500.
The ladies of the Osage VFW Auxiliary Post #7920 welcomed their organization's national president to the local community with a special meal and ceremony in September 2008.
Dixie Hild, National Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Ladies Auxiliary President spoke to the members, of Osage VFW Post #7920 on Sunday, September 14.
The National President, along with the Iowa VFW Ladies Auxiliary President, Carol Holmes and other state officers attended a special supper hosted by the Osage VFW Auxiliary ladies.
Also on hand was State Rep. Mark Kuhn and State Sen. Amanda Ragan, along with various dignitaries from the City of Osage including Mayor Steve Cooper, Police Chief Russell Slight and Fire Chief Kurt Angell.
OCTOBER
Horizon Wind Energy, LLC, a wind project developer, set in motion its first turbine at its Pioneer Prairie wind project in Mitchell and Howard counties last October.
A ribbon-cutting celebration for the new wind farm took place just off of Addision Avenue between McIntire and Riceville. Among those attending the invite-only event were Mitchell County Economic Development Director Brenda Dryer, State Rep. Mark Kuhn, State Senator Amanda Ragan, Mitchell County Supervisors Stan Walk, Joel Voaklander and Bob Marreel, as well as Rick Bodensteiner of Home Trust and Savings Bank, County Assessor Dean Pohren and County Sanitarian Mark Ross .
Now fully operational, the wind farm has an installed capacity of 300.3 megawatts of renewable energy, with enough power to provide more than 90,000 Iowa homes with energy. Horizon operates the Prairie Star Wind Farm in Mower County, Minnesota, which opened in 2007 and provides 100 megawatts of generating capacity, enough to meet the needs of 30,000 homes.
Apple Valley of Osage celebrates grand opening
The new assisted living facility, Apple Valley Osage, L.L.C. celebrated its grand opening in October 2008 after over a year of construction. Dean Snyder Construction of Clear Lake was the general contractor. The 39-unit facility has added senior housing and created 20 employment opportunities as well in Osage Mitchell County.
Apple Valley operates a similar 39-unit facility in Clear Lake. The apartment community provides services in environment luxury, comfort, and security. Services and amenities include meals, housekeeping, laundry, individual response systems, and 24-hour staffing.
"Apple Valley is not a replacement of any facility or services now being offered in the area," said Kevin Kolbet, President of the Osage Development Corporation. "It will provide for the further continuum of care to meet the needs and desires of our population into the future. We want to attract family members to our region and retain those here as opposed to having family members choose to leave our area in their advanced years. Apple Valley has a stellar record of being an exceptional provider for these services."
Drunken Combine ride
At approximately 2:30 a.m. early one October morning in 2008, the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to 4595 Windfall Ave., south of the town of McIntire in reference to a complaint of a combine that had driven through several yards, striking numerous vehicles and a garage. The combine drove away and later came to a stop down the road. The driver of the combine was identified as Dominic Andrew Bjerke, age 21 of Leroy, Minnesota.
The combine was later reported stolen from the Ernest Schofield residence at 4675 Windfall Ave. and could be considered a total loss.
The combine caused damage at 4583 Walnut Ave. (Robert Starry residence), 4590 Walnut Ave. (Terry and Deb Tetzner residence) and 4595 Walnut Ave. (Marty Miller residence). Several street signs and a bridge were also damaged.
Bjerke is charged with Operating While Intoxicated-1st offense (serious misdemeanor). Burglary-3rd degree (aggravated misdemeanor). Theft-3rd degree (class "C" felony) and Criminal mischief (class "C" felony).
NOVEMBER
Snowflakes lined the streets of Osage in November. But they were not real snowflakes, they were the city's brand new Christmas decorations.
Workers from Osage Municipal Utilities were putting the 72 assorted flakes up on Main Street, just in time for Osage's Christmas Open House.
The decorations cost a total of $16,000 and were paid for with $12,000 in revenue from the Osage's hotel/motel tax . The remaining $4,000 was paid through Osage Municipal Utility's "More Cents" program.
"The city council agreed to pay for the ornaments if OMU would pay for the cost of LED lights in place of the incandescent bulbs," explained Heuton.
Riceville Fire
A fire of undetermined origin destroyed two businesses and heavily damaged another one in late November. The blaze started in the rear of County Line Locker and spread to the nearby True Value Hardware store, gutting both of them, fire officials said.
The upper level of the hardware store was the site of the former Riceville Theater and Opera House.
"It had some historic value in the community," said Fire Chief Lyle Eastman. "The building dates back to the early 1900s. But there isn't anything left of it."
The lower level of the building, which housed the hardware store, received massive water and smoke damage. A NAPA Auto Parts store near the locker was also damaged in the fire.
The election of 2008 was one for the history books - and it showed, with a 73 percent turnout of registered voters in Mitchell County - a number exceeding George Bush's election four years ago, as well as John F. Kennedy's in 1960.
A majority of voters across the county went democratic in the presidential race, electing Barack Obama by 3,175 to 2,465 margin over John McCain on Tuesday, Nov, 4. On the state level, it was a mixed bag with voters re-electing Republican for the U.S. House, Tom Latham, as well as Democrat for U.S. Senate, Tom Harkin. In the race for State Representative, District #14, Democratic incumbent Mark Kuhn of Charles City was re-elected by a 3,924 to 1,695 over Republican Jeff Mosiman of Nora Springs.
Moving on to the local level, it was a clean sweep for Republicans. While there were challengers in the three major races for Sheriff, Auditor and Supervisor, all the incumbents held their seats.
For Mitchell County Sheriff, voters chose incumbent Republican Curt Younker over challenger Gary "Mick" Comisky 3,615 to 2,028.
In the heated battle for District #2 Mitchell County Supervisor, incumbent Stan Walk, running as an independent, defeated Republican Lee Boerjan 872 to 733. Democratic candidate Bill Squier received 319 votes and Democratic candidate Dave Feldt received 117 votes.
For Mitchell County Auditor, Republican incumbent Lowell Tesch retained his post with a 3,261 to 2,374 margin over Democratic challenger, Deneen Schweiger.
DECEMBER
Members of the Mitchell County Compensation Board last in December recommended across-the board pay raises of 3.5 percent for the three county supervisors as well as increase of the same amount for all other elected officials during a special meeting at the courthouse.
The local comp board meets annually to set wages and cost of living increases for those county department heads who are elected by the voters.
If this latest recommendation is approved by the Mitchell County Board of Supervisors, the salary increases would go into effect July 1, 2008. The board is expected to act on the proposed pay either this week or the following Tuesday as members review budget numbers for fiscal year 2009-10.
During the initial negotiation meeting on Dec. 12, the compensation board recommended a salary increase of $1,540 each (3.5 percent) for County Auditor Lowell Tesch, County Recorder Pat Skuster and County Treasurer Carol Zerck.
If accepted, the salary for each would be increased to $45,540 annually.
County Attorney Mark Walk would get a $1,750 pay raise (about 3.5 percent), which would increase his annual salary to $51,600.
A $2,100 raise (3.5 percent), as proposed for Mitchell County Sheriff Curt Younker, would push his annual pay to an even $62,100.
The compensation board also recommended a $1,050 or a 3.5 percent salary increase for each of the three county supervisors, who include supervisor Bob Marreel, in district three; supervisor Joel Voaklander in district one and Stan Walk in district two. The move would increasing their salaries to an even $31,050 per year with an additional $100 per month for the board chair.
Osage Superintendent Williams to retire
at end of the school year
Osage Superintendent of Schools Steve Williams announced at last week's school board meeting that he plans to retire at the end of the 2008-09 school year. Williams has been with the school district for seven years.
He accepted the superintendent's position at Osage in 2002 after serving for six years as the superintendent for the Central Decatur and Morman Trail school districts.
A special school board meeting will take place on Monday, Jan. 5 to start the process of the search for a new superintendent to replace Williams.
"The timing just seemed right for me to retire at the present time," said Williams.
Story created Jan 06, 2009 - 11:14:50 CST.
|
