Archive for: August 2009

By Mary Zielinski
Asked to provide a 10 percent local match for the Washington School District to leverage a possible $2 million in Department of Education energy efficiency program loans, the Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) declined the request by a 9-4 vote.
The request for a mid-term WCRF grant, was discussed at the WCRF’s August 18 meeting. The district sought $100,000 match each for a possible two $1 million loans to pay for installing geothermal systems at its two elementary schools. Deadlines for the loan applications came before the regular WCRF grant application and awards cycle.
Board member Ed Raber outlined what the funds would be for, stressing that the grant would be conditional on the district receiving the DE funds and that the district probably will not apply for any further WCRF funds for some time.
He noted that the board has previously given mid-term grants including to the Washington Chamber of Commerce after its office was destroyed by fire. There also was an $85,000 allocation to leverage $1.5 million in federal funds to aid with multi-county economic development.
However, Chairman Tim Putney noted, “We also turned down requests,” adding that he had investigated the loan issue, finding that no district has received more than one $1 million loan at any one time.
Board member Michel Blum said giving the funds could “open a can of worms.” As for the emergency nature, she said Crawfordsville (where she is a council member) needs $90,000 for a water system, asking if they could apply.
Board member Patricia Koller indicated yes, that by doing the earlier other mid-term grants, a precedent was set “for anybody at anytime.”
Blum and others said it was not something known to the general public.
Treasurer Ted Drain said the school district request is not an emergency and earlier had said this grant cycle would not have more than $800,000 to award.
“If we give $200,00 then that leaves us just $600,000″ said board member Liz Hall.

1935 – 2009
Bueford “Jack” Martin, 74, of Lone Tree, Iowa, died Thursday, August 13, 2009, following a sudden illness.
Funeral services were held Monday, August 17, 2009, in the Sorden-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation …

Howard J. Walsh, 86, of Riverside, Iowa, died Sunday, August 9, 2009, in his home.
Funeral Mass was Wednesday, August 12, 2009, in Sacred Heart Church, West Des Moines, Iowa. Burial was in Glendale …

April 29, 1937 – August 11, 2009
James Victor “Vic” Bowen, 72, of rural Keota, Iowa, died Tuesday, August 11, 2009, near Rose Hill, Iowa.
A memorial services was Saturday, August 15, 2009, in Powell …

The first step toward a permanent building for the Washington County Public Health Department came at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting when the low bid for the first phase was accepted.
Winning bid was $2,000 from Solum Lang Architects of Cedar …

By Mary Zielinski
If it accepts the gift, Riverside will gain a nearly 11 acre park, courtesy of the Washington County Conservation Board (WCCB) that August 12 approved transferring Iowa Township park to city ownership. The park, which borders Mt. …

Despite objections from council member Todd Yahnke, Steve Miller of Sharon Center Monday was named to the committee to review the use of the $100,000 that resulted from Invasion Iowa. Miller, who is the acknowledged creator of Trek …

New signs, downtown revitalization, major landscaping and pedestrian areas highlighted the final public presentation of the Riverside Community visioning Committee August 13. The meeting, in the gym of the Riverside Elementary School, showed plans for landscaped medians, possible bumpouts, colored crosswalks, hand railings, improve sidewalks and new signage for the city’s roadway entrances.
Presented by Loren Hoffman of Hoffman Design Consultants, the plans are the result of study financed by an approximate $20,000 grant through Trees Forever (Roger Hunt, field coordinator) with assistance from the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa State University Extension. Emphasis, said Hoffman, was to incorporate the cultural, natural and visual resources of the community.
Issues addressed included landscaping and other items to make the S-curve on Highway 22 more safe, hand railings along the city’s elevated sidewalks, major sidewalk repairs and new access to the walks, possible bike trail connections along the old railroad right of way, and new signs.
Four of the sign designs featured Star Trek themes and a fifth a river one.
Hoffman noted that the city has long had signs noting that Riverside is where “the Trek begins.” It also was suggested that welcome signs be lighted.
Following the power point presentation, the approximate 50 people attending were asked to complete a brief survey, including voting and ranking the sign designs.
There also was a question and answer session in which some stressed that Riverside needs to have a theme and is world known for its Star Trek connection.

by Mary Coblentz
The end of an era was a long time coming, but it arrived last week when what remained of The Hiland Palace was “cremated.”

“We were closed down for a time. Somebody turned us in. We were not bootlegging, but we were aware it was going on.”

Richard Swailes was 7 years old when he helped his parents, James E. and Helen Swailes, build The Hiland Palace, a dance hall which was located in rural Ainsworth, near the Washington County/Louisa County line.
“I sawed and I drove nails,” Swailes, now 84, recalled. “It was amazing what you did at a young age back then.”
Back then was 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression. James and Helen held the first dance in The Hiland Palace June 10 that year. Horacks Orchestra provided the music, and the take was $40. One hundred people attended the dance with a charge of 35 cents per couple. The rest of the take, Swailes surmised, came from the sale of food. That first dance took place near the end of Prohibition, which was abolished December 5, 1933, so the sale of alcohol was prohibited. But at some point in the early days of The Palace, it took place anyway.
Swailes recalled, “We were closed down for a time. Somebody turned us in. We were not bootlegging,” he qualified. “But we were aware it was going on.”
Swailes recalls finding the empty liquor bottles when he was cleaning and turning them in so they could be re-filled. “It was pure alcohol in half-pint bottles,” he said. “I’d sure like to find one of those bottles.”
His main job was to clean up between dances. Before she was married, his sister, Marie Swailes Shalla, helped, too. His two brothers, Ernest and Don, weren’t around as much to help since they were older.
His father took care of the heating and cooling of The Palace, and his mother was the cashier and “made the hamburgers.”
Helen was a meticulous bookkeeper, and many of her records survive. One book, the front pages of which are torn out, records the details of the first 98 dances held at The Hiland Palace. Bands that played were many and included Petru’s Band, Grooms Orchestra, Shalla Band, Ikes Ramblers, Ruby’s Orchestra, Howards Blue Aces, Happy Harpers, Mac’s Music Makers, Hardy Old Timers, Boyds Orchestra, Nelsons Orchestra, Rhythm Rascals, Casino Night Club, Yellow Jackets, and the Maids of Malady. There were 66 dances held the first year.
In another record book, the wedding and anniversary and charivari dances were recorded for the years 1933 through 1958. On the one-year anniversary of The Highland Palace, Louis Havel and Ruth Shalla’s wedding dance took place. A 25th wedding anniversary dance for “Franks and Malichky” took place Friday, October 6, 1939. January 6, 1945, The Highland Palace was the site of the Elmer Kron wedding dance. A double wedding dance, “Thoman and Kiene” took place Saturday, June 16, 1950.
July 29, 1950, Norma Kasper and Ernest Swailes had their wedding dance, and less than a month later, Richard married Mary Ann Havel on August 23. Twenty-five years later, the two couples held a joint anniversary dance at The Palace.
A wedding dance for Cliff Shalla and Evelyn Waldsmith took place Monday, June 17, 1957.
There is some dispute about who had “the last dance” at The Palace, but Swailes knows it was sometime in the 1970s. September 19, 1975, there was a dance for Kenny Wieland which was among the last. There was a record of a dance “Shallas married Regan 55th dance” November 15, 1975.
Swailes said, “Wayne Shalla’s might have been the last one, but the date wasn’t written down. I’m sure we’ll hear about who had the last dance after people read it in the paper. A lot of people got acquainted at the dance hall and married.”

Highland Board of Education members Monday expressed concerns about delays in the $3.5 million school improvement project, to the point they were reluctant to approve further payments to the contractor.
However, Superintendent Chris Armstrong stressed that the payment is for work …

By Mary Zielinski
In less than an hour Monday, the Riverside council approved Mann & Mann Properties Enterprise Park Final plat (Part 1), nine easements and a quit claim deed for the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, reviewed revisions for Kum & Go, and approved several other items of business.
The Enterprise Plat had been deferred from the July 20 meeting, largely because of items in a supplemental subdivider’s agreement that Monday also was approved by the council.
Enterprise Park is at the east edge of Riverside and immediately north of Highway 22 near the Highway 218 interchange and also includes the site for the $1.2 million Kum & Go new business. The council reviewed the revisions in the Kum & Go plan that mainly is a change form six to eight fuel pumps on the east side of the property and lowering a driveway. Kum & Go expects to start construction this month and previously told the council it could have the facility completed within 90 days.
Although owner Steve Mann and representatives from his engineering firm, MMS Consultants, Iowa city, were present, there was virtually no discussion Monday about the projects which also have received Planning & Zoning Commission approvals.

1936 – 2009
Virginia L. Pratt, 73, of West Liberty, Iowa, died Friday, July 31, 2009, in the Simpson Memorial Home in West Liberty.
A memorial services was held Monday, August 3, 2009, …