Archive for: March 2010

April 18, 1968 - February 14, 2010
Sandra L. Donovan, 41, of Iowa City, Iowa, died Sunday, February 14, 2010. A memorial mass was held Thursday, February 25, 2010, at St. Wenceslaus …

The Voyage Home History Center in Riverside is seeking any information about or artifacts from one-room school houses in Iowa Township or surrounding townships.
Local history buffs Jan Musser and Mary Jane Stumpf have been researching and working on a …

Riverside and Kalona Fire departments recently completed a 16-hour Confined Space Rescue course February 20 and 21 at the Riverside Fire Station.
The 2-day course had both classroom and hands-on skill evolutions. It was instructed by members of Professional …

by Ranee Fladung
Riverside residents, including four with prepared statements asked the city to reconsider its elimination of the Riverside Scholarship program at Monday’s council meeting.  Their requests took nearly a half hour.

It’s taking away a gift to our students

“It’s taking away a gift to our students,” said  resident Megan Allen. “It’s very important to them.” She told the council that criticism and complaints go with the job and they should be able to handle it.  Referring to the elimination of the $7,500 program, she said, “It’s the children who are punished.”
Leanne Sexton, a parent of a previous scholarship recipient, said it made a difference because it was one of very few her daughter was eligible for. “It made a difference.” She advised the council against listening to the vocal minority and to listen to those now speaking because they are the majority. She asked that they reconsider their vote as did  the four others.
Dana Merritt, who was a scholarship recipient, told the council they had forgotten the real purpose of the awards. That it provided an opportunity that many don’t have and makes students feel they have reason to come back to the community that supported them.
The council did not respond until the end of the meeting when all of the attendees had left and council member Ralph Schnoebelen requested it be put on the next meeting agenda.
Mayor Brian McDole polled the council adding that he was in favor of reviewing the issue  but admitted he thought “it was a losing battle.”
Council member Rodney Waldschmidt said he didn’t want it back on the agenda. Council member Betty Kaalberg in agreement said “It just doesn’t help enough people in the town.”
Council member Kevin Kiene shook his head no.

By Mary Zielinski
Seven months of discussion and debate ended Tuesday when the Washington County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to adopt the hotly contested county zoning ordinance. The measure goes into effect July 1. Voting yes were Chairman James Miksch, Wesley Rich and Adam Mangold. Voting no were Steve Davis and Jim Rosien, both of whom also told the group they will seek re-election in November.
Before the end of the meeting, several of the more than 50 attending the session started talking about filing a petition to have the measure rescinded, as well as petitions of recall for the supervisors. There also were comments about a petition for a referendum to return to three supervisors.
Prior to the votes, which was the third reading and passage for the ordinance, the board approved some amendments to the document’s wording, items that, as acting county engineer Jacob Thorius noted, amounted to “corrections of typos and clarifications.”
However, a motion by Mangold to “strike all of Article 8 (sign regulations)” died for lack of a second. After some further discussion, including Thoris noting that when the county passed the subdivision oridiance, they had been some problems. He noted that much of them related to how the administrator interpreted the ordinance, and that changes were made, indicating that probable changes will come to the zoning ordinance as well.
Both he and the board stressed that residents would have access to a zoning board of adjustment for appeals and variances, and beyond that, district court. Prior to the vote, Miksch asked that any comments from the board be made at the time of voting.
Mangold, who went first, read a prepared statement indicating he had talked to all sides and initially was planning to vote no, that he thought preservation of land and property rights would be best served without more legislation. However, referring to John Adams statement about the land being a sacred trust, and that the “free market is not so free,” Mangold said he had changed his mind, that the ordinance is the best way to protect property values. So, he said, he vote yes.
Rich, in shorter statement, aid he his yes was voting for the future, to protect property values and to promote economic development.
Rosien, noting he had prepared no statement said “I will vote form the heart,” that he had talked with all his constitutes and noted a supervisors represented all the county. He stressed I am not for large government, that the ordinance creates yet another department, and he voted no.
Davis, stressing he had read and re-read the ordinance,had talked to both sides and admitted there were section s of the ordinance, “I still don’t understand,” said the best for his constituents was to vote no.

by Ranee Fladung
After losing a son in a grain bin accident, Roger Stutsman of Hills has made farm safety his mission so other families don’t have to feel his pain.

[caption class=”floatleft” id=”attachment_662″ align=”left” width=”260″ caption=”Hills Fire Captian Jason Vannevel …

by Ranee Fladung
Riverside Elementary school will have another outlet even though the price tag has doubled. Riverside Mayor Brian McDole informed the council Monday night that the original estimate to extend Kleopfer Avenue has risen to approximately $153,000. Following a meeting with City Engineer Mike Hart, council members and Highland school board members, McDole said several additions where made which were not included in the initial estimate. They were a sanitary sewer, storm sewer, driveway and adding a double sealcoat to the driveway. A sidewalk estimate was added as an option for the school district to lay at a cost of $15,000.
McDole said a 40 to 50 foot section of the road also will be widened at an increase of $8,000 to help prevent “bottlenecking.” City Clerk Tina Thomas said $72,000 had been budgeted this year which was not used but the council discussed using Local Option Sales Tax to make up the difference.
In a three to two vote Monday, council members Rodney Waldschmidt, Betty Kaalberg and Kevin Kiene voted to discontinue the city of Riverside scholarship. Waldschmidt said he agrees with the premise but he has been “disheartened with the complaints. We don’t need to hear what we have been hearing. I would rather spend money to help all the kids with a school road than half a dozen.”
Council members Ralph Schnoebelen and Todd Yahnke said they agreed it is rewarding and don’t see where the controversy is if applicants follow the guidelines. Kaalberg said she went along with it for two years but “I don’t think it is anything good for Riverside” noting it was dividing people. McDole, who said he was in favor of the scholarship, said “It’s as simple as following guidelines.”
The $7,500 scholarship available to city of Riverside Highland seniors was established two years ago and run by the Riverside Foundation.

Roughly 30 percent of the population rent the dwellings they live in. Over half of those renters (54 percent) have no insurance to protect their possessions. Most don’t realize the risk they’re taking by not having coverage. The following information …