Ted Larson, Director of Transportation for the Webster City Community School District, poses with one of their buses in the Bus Barn.
COUNTYHAMILTON
The Daily Freeman-Journal August 2022
City Scene pg. 12
OUR hometown
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AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 3 V.8 ISSUE 11 | AUGUST 2022 EVERY ISSUE : 12 City Scene 14 Let’s Eat 16 Landmarks 18 Savvy Senior 23 Parting Shot PUBLICATION INFORMATION CONTRIBUTORS INTERIM EDITOR JANE CURTIS PUBLISHER TERRY CHRISTENSEN ADVERTISING TREVOR CHRISTENSEN RACHEL ROWE GRAPHIC DESIGN MICHELLE COLSHAN WRITING AND PHOTOS HANS MADSEN hometownOUR FLOWER CART “Your Completewww.flocart.netFlorist” 800 Second Street • Webster City, 1-800-286-4630IA832-4630 Direct inquiries to: 720 Second Street, Webster City, Iowa 515-832-435050595 Our Hometown is published monthly by The Daily Freeman-Journal, with all rights reserved, Copyright, 2022. Ted repairs.makeopportunityhethedistrict.mechanicisSchoolCityforTransportationDirectorLarson,oftheWebsterCommunityDistrict,alsoafortheDuringsummer,hasthetoadditional
4 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022 Ted Larson, Director of recently.theaadjustDistrict,CommunityforTransportationtheWebsterCitySchoolpreparestothebrakesonbusafterchangingoilintheshop
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 5 Story & Photos By HANS MADSEN
For anyone who might think that wheels on the Webster City Community School District buses stop going round and round during the summer, the answer is no. Rolling
This one, in Ted Larson’s, Director of Transportation for the Webster City Community School District office, is actually lettered for the district.
‘EmKeeping
While not strictly a job requirement, having a few model buses in your office helps set the tone.
Ted Larson, Director of Transportation for the Webster City Community School District runs through the pre-trip procedure drivers use to check the bus before heading out on the road to pick up students. Making sure everything works properly is one way to help keep the students safe.
Route planning for the new year is mostly fine “Thetuning.routes don’t change much in town or the country,” he said. Most of those minor changes are to accommodate new students or students who have moved. New stops get a visit to see how the driver can best safely pick up the Larsonstudent.starts getting phone calls in early August from parents who want to know when and where the bus will pick up their children.
6 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022
At least for some of the buses — they do keep going round and round.
Ted Larson, WCCSD’s Director of Transportation, said there’s a reason for “Schoolthat. just ended a week ago for us because of summer school.” He said there’s a short one-week break between the regular school year and the summer school routes, which keep four buses on the road daily instead of the normal 23 that make runs during the regular year. There are also summer trips for the softball, baseball and swimming teams, and camp trips. “It gets a little less busy,” he said. “I don’t have 22 drivers in here every day; I have four or five.”
With most of the fleet not seeing daily use, Larson uses the opportunity to perform maintenance tasks such as transmission fluid changes and to catch up on repairs that require more time. His staff of mechanics? “You’re looking at him,” he said. Another summer task is getting any new buses the district has purchased ready for service. New buses have a few items that need to be installed by the purchaser. “I’ve got two that will be landing next week,” he said. Once they arrive, he’ll install the district’s radios, trash cans, body fluid and first aid kit, as well as a fire extinguisher. But wait, there’s more. “We wash and detail every bus,” he said. “There’s also body work. Bright is safety.”
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 7
The district covers 480 square miles, he “Theresaid. probably isn’t a road I haven’t been on,” he said. Even up until the final go, routes might still have to be altered slightly. “That continues right up to the night before we Thego.”first day of school, Aug. 23 and 24, this year, will also involve Larson and other staff members making observations at the various “scramble” or transfer points as well as the schools. “We have someone from the transportation department at each school,” he said. “We have a lot of scrambling to get them to the correct school.”
One of the final steps before the year starts is a meeting with the drivers. “We have a three-hour in-service before we start,” he said. “It incorporates a safety meeting and changes in the routes. We like to start the year on a positive note.”
So when’s Larson’s summer vacation? “I’ve never taken more than a week off,” he said. “You do have to step back and take a break once in a while, but I absolutely love my job. We have a great staff, I love the kids, and our community has been nothing but good to me and the school.”
Crouch and Jacobson have help this year from summer custodian Chris Blunk — he’s also the Title 1 Reading teacher. “I like being able to help make improvements in the place I work,” Blunk
Squeakysaid. Clean
— That wonderful clean school smell and that wonderful sparkle from the freshly waxed floors is a pleasant memory from many people’s memories of their childhood. It might have seemed pretty magical in third grade, but it doesn’t just Ithappen.takes a dedicated crew like those working at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg a lot of time and a few buckets of elbow grease to make it happen. Cody Crouch, head of maintenance at the building, said his crew starts as soon as they can.
“As soon as the teachers are out,” he said, “everything comes out of the rooms. Everything.”
The floors are one of the things a visitor notices. They are beautiful. Even the hallways in the basement have a fresh sparkle.
Photos and Story By HANS MADSENBLAIRSBURG
Much like a masterpiece painting, her work needs to set for a bit. “We let the floors cure for a week, then we start putting them back together,” Crouch said.
The first order of business is a deep clean. Then they strip the floors of wax “as close to the original finish as we can,” then they give it another deep cleaning. That’s when custodian Pat Jacobson brings her talents to the game. “That’s when Pat works her magic,” Crouch said. “She’s the queen of wax; there’s nobody better than her and our building shows it.”
8 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 9
“Things have moved, things have fallen off shelves,” she “It’ssaid.silly and fun,” Blunk said. “The new teachers,” Jacobson added. “We tell them. It’s spooky in the lower level if you’re there by yourself.”
Jacobson is in her 15th year. Her husband, Wendell, was the building’s custodian until he tried to retire after 28 years of service. “Every time they hired someone they’d quit and he would get called back,” she said.
The couple even worked together for a few years after she joined the staff. Even if he wasn’t there, the custodian in him never left. “He was trying to tell me how to do it,” she said. “I finally had to tell him you don’t work here anymore. We both take a lot of pride in our school.”
Custodian Pat Jacobson, at left, along with Head of Maintenance Cody Crouch, put a few chairs away at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg as they work to get the school ready for students and staff.
Crouch enjoys the different pace and tasks that the summer brings. “During the school year it’s the same every day, you do the same thing on the same minute,” he said. “During the summers, you get to go with the flow.”
The school is also a challenge because it’s, in fact, several buildings in one. The oldest section was built in the early 1900s. Old buildings, of course, come with old systems that can challenge even the most Itpatient.alsocomes with ghosts. “There’s a lot of noises at night,” Blunk said. “It’s eerie,” Jacobson added. “Strange things have happened.” So what happens?
Blunk shares the feeling, and he too has a history “Ithere.feel a lot of pride working here,” he said. “I actually graduated from the high school that was Jacobsonhere.” gave him a look. “You’re a good worker,” she told him. He broke into a huge grin. “I finally got Pat’s approval,” he said. The crew does miss the school being filled. “We miss our staff,” Crouch said. “For me, it’s the kids though; that’s why I do my job, that’s why I work First-gradehere.”teacher Kim Schimp was among the staff who had stopped in to work on her room; she saw the crew gathered. “Once again,” she told them, “my room looks awesome.”
Jacobson has a slightly more amusing take on it. “He was nagged into it,” she said. “She’s the one that cracks the whip,” he replied. Being grumpy at work is not allowed. The crew obviously enjoy each other’s company and Crouch said they work well together as a team. The floor work is extensive. About 20 rooms, hallways, lunch room and a commons area. Then, there’s the carpet. The crew needs room to work. “We keep the teachers out till July 20th,” Jacobson said. “It would be hard to work around them.”
Summer Custodian Chris Blunk puts a few chair away in a classroom at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg.
10 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022
Summer Custodian Chris Brunk, at left, Custodian Pat Jacobson and Head of Maintenance Cody Crouch pose Charlie’s Angels style in the hall at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg.
As Custodian Pat Jacobson looks on with approval and a smile, Head of Maintenance Cody Crouch gets a surprise visit from his daughter Kendall and wife Jennifer at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg.
How shiny and smooth can you get a floor?
The crew has had a busy summer getting the school ready for students and staff to return.
The building crew at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg has the answer and it is... very.
Custodian Pat Jacobson works to make sure the lockers are spotless for returning students at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg. Pat Jacobson, a custodian at Northeast Hamilton Elementary in Blairsburg, makes sure the lockers are spotless recently as she works to help get the school ready for students and staff.
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 11
Head of Maintenance Cody Crouch, at left, Custodian Pat Jacobson and Chris Brunk, Summer Custodian, pose in a classroom in the oldest part of the building at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg. It was built in the early teens and still has the original wood floors that the crew has proudly waxed to mirror shine.
Head of Maintenance Cody Crouh poses with the pallets of supplies that have arrived for the staff and students at Northeast Hamilton Elementary School in Blairsburg.
School days bring a new set of challenges to those who are used to being out and about during the summer. School buses are picking up passengers, kids are on bikes trying to get to school on time, parents are trying to get their kids to school and get to work on time…it’s a busy time for everyone. Whether you are going to school yourself, dropping off or picking up a student or merely heading to work we all need to slow down and pay attention. If you are dropping off before school or picking up after school, keep in mind each school has procedures in place for both parents and students. Make sure you take the time to learn what your school procedure is. If you are new to school drop off or pickup talk to the staff at your school, they will be more than happy to help you through this confusing time!
Chief Shiloh B. Mork, Webster City Police Department
12 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022 CITY SCENECITY SCENE
A couple of tips to help keep everyone safe include:•Don’tdouble park, even if for a brief time; it blocks visibility for kids and •vehicles.Don’tload or unload kids in areas other than those declared as such by the •schools.Ifatall possible, carpool to reduce the number of vehicles going to and from the schools.
SchoolEveryone’sSafety,Responsibility!
It’s hard to believe that a new school year will be starting shortly. This is the time most kids dread and most parents celebrate. This is the time we all need to sharpen our skills to ensure this will be a safe school year for everyone.
• Don’t block crosswalks when stopped at a light or stop sign or when waiting to make a turn. Forcing pedestrians to go around you could put them in the path of moving traffic and be disastrous.
• Don’t be a jerk! Honking your horn or revving your engine to intimidate a pedestrian is childish and unacceptable.
• Never pass a school bus from behind or from either direction if you are on an undivided road if it is stopped to load or unload children.
NEVER PASS A SCHOOLSTOPPEDBUS!
• Never pass a vehicle that has stopped for
• The area 10 feet around the school bus is the most dangerous for children, stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus.
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 13 CITY SCENE
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, all traffic must stop.
• Always stop for crossing guards or school staff working crosswalks. These people are putting their lives in jeopardy to protect our kids.
Schoolpedestrians.buseshave an important job, transporting our kids safely. When approaching a school bus, SLOW DOWN. Don’t speed up to get around the bus before the stop arm goes out. Just as with a traffic light, when you see the yellow lights start to flash it doesn’t mean speed up! Maintain a greater distance between you and the school bus when following it. School buses have declared stopping points and giving yourself a greater distance between you and the bus will allow you to have more time to slow down and stop.
• Stop and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Iowa law requires vehicles to stop for pedestrians in a clearly marked crosswalk.
• Pay close attention to school zones, crosswalks and playgrounds when out and about. In residential areas be alert to kids who may not be paying attention.
This is against the law in Iowa and results in a citation, fine and suspension of your driving privileges. Don’t think you can get away with it, the school buses have cameras and trained drivers that document illegal passes and report them to law enforcement. Here are some safety tips when dealing with a school bus;
Be alert to pedestrians! The National Safety Council states that most of the kids who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they’re walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped school bus. Taking the following precautions can help ensure the safety of our kids:
• Be alert, children are often times unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks. Everyone has a duty to exercise extra care and caution during the school year. If we all work together we can safely accomplish another school
dessertsummerthatisjustpeachy
Today’s cobbler bakers enjoy the benefits of having more direction when putting together their desserts. This recipe for “Southern Peach Cobbler” comes courtesy of Paula Deen.
Cobbler gets its name from the fact that early American settlers didn’t have strict recipes with exact measurements for ingredients, so they took what they had and “cobbled” them together.
Cobbler is a type of dessert that gained popularity in the United States during the 19th century. It is made by putting fruit in a deep baking dish and then topping it with a drop biscuit batter and sometimes a crumb topping. Any number of fruits work well in cobblers, including apples, pears and various berries. However, peach cobbler is the quintessential summertime treat.
A
Peaches are a nutritious summertime favorite. Peaches are antioxidant-rich, include a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and are rich in fiber. And there is no denying how sweet and tasty peaches can be, whether they’re plucked right from a tree or enjoyed in any number of recipes.
14 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022 Our Hometown Recipe Corner LET’S EAT
CobblerPeachSouthern Serves 15 1 1⁄2 cups
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 15
1 stick butter 1⁄2
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. self-rising flour cup water cups sugar, divided cups peaches, peeled and sliced
2
4
1 cup Groundmilkcinnamon (optional)
16 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022 Photo #1 How well DO YOU know Hamilton County? July Answers: WINNER-WINNER: Photo #1 Cast of Church Basement Ladies performing at Thursday Market Night at Availa Plaza Photo # 2 Metal Art Sculpture at West Twin Park Patty Johnson Look at these photos and see if you can identify these local landmarks. LANDMARKS
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 17 Please include the name of the building icon on which the Landmark is located, your name & phone number. Submit your entry to jcurtis@freemanjournal.net or deliver to The Daily Freeman-Journal at 720 Second St., Webster City, IA Photo Submit#2 your entry Correct answers will be entered into a drawing for 2 FREE MOVIE PASSES to the Webster Theater
18 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022 SAVVY SENIOR by Jim Miller SavvyDearSenior , What types of financial resources are available to help seniors pay for long-term care? My 86-year-old mother will need either an assisted living facility or nursing home care in the near future, but she doesn’t have long-term care insurance and her savings are minimal. ResearchingDaughter Ways to Pay for Long-Term Care Without Insurance or Savings
Life insurance: If your mom has a life insurance policy, find out if it offers an accelerated death benefit that would allow her to get a tax-free advance to help pay for her care. Or consider selling her policy to a life settlement company. These are companies that buy life insurance policies for cash, continue to pay the premiums and collect the death benefit when she dies. Most sellers generally get four to eight times more than the policy cash surrender value.
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 19
There are also many states that now have Medicaid waver programs that can help pay for assisted living. To get more information on Medicaid coverage and eligibility, call your state Medicaid office (see Medicaid. gov). You can also check your mom’s Medicaid eligibility at VeteransMedicaidPlanningAssistance.org.benefits:Ifyourmomis
Dear Searching, The cost of assisted living and nursing home care in the U.S is very expensive. According to the Genworth cost of care survey tool, the national median cost for an assisted living facility today is over $4,600 per month, while nursing home care runs more than $8,100 per month for a semi-private room. (See Genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-ofcare.html to look up costs in your area.)
Most people pay for long-term care (LTC) – which encompasses assisted living, nursing home and in-home care – with either personal funds, government programs or insurance. But if your mom is lacking in savings and has no LTC insurance to cover her costs, here are your best options to look for funding. Medicaid (not Medicare): The first thing you need to know is that Medicare (the government health insurance program for seniors 65 and older and those with disabilities) does not cover long-term care. It only provides limited short-term coverage, up to 100 days for skilled nursing or rehabilitation services after a three-day hospital stay. Medicaid, however, (the joint federal and state program that covers health care for the poor) does cover nursing home and in-home care. But to be eligible for coverage, your mother must be very low-income. Her countable assets can’t be more than around $2,000, including investments. (Note that most people who enter a nursing home don’t qualify for Medicaid at first but pay for care out-of-pocket until they deplete their savings enough to qualify.)
a wartime veteran, or a spouse or surviving spouse of a wartime veteran, there is a benefit called Aid and Attendance that can help pay toward her long-term care.
If she owns a policy with a face value of $100,000 or more and is interested in this option, get quotes from several brokers or life settlement providers. To locate some, use the Life Insurance Settlement Association member directory at ToLISA.org.look for these and other programs in your area that can help pay your mom’s long-term care, go to PayingForSeniorCare.com and click on “Find Financial Assistance for Care.”
?Sendyourseniorquestions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
To be eligible, your mom must need assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing or going to the bathroom. And her yearly income must be under $15,816 as a surviving spouse, or $24,610 for a single veteran – after her medical and long-term care expenses. Her assets must also be less than $138,489 excluding her home and car. To learn more, see VA.gov/geriatrics, or contact your regional VA office, or your local veterans service organization. Call 800-827-1000 for contact information.
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AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 21 PeTpix Submit your pet photos to lifestyle@freemanjournal.net Please include pet’s & owner’s name Woody Loved by Jane Curtis
22 OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2022 PeT pix Loved by Jane Curtis Sticky
AUGUST 2022 | OUR HOMETOWN 23 Parting SHOT
M A RK YOUR CALEND A R 7th Annual Golf Outing 4 - P e r s o n B e s t S h o t T o u r n a m e n t , 1 8 - H o l e s o f G o l f i n c l u d i n g L u n c h , w i t h F l a g E v e n t H o l e s f o r P r i z e s ! SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2022 9:00 AM $ 2 5 0 P E R F O U R S O M E T E A M S P O N S O R S H I P L E V E L S O F $ 3 5 0 & $ 5 0 0 * R E G I S T E R O N L I N E A T V A N D I E S T M C . O R G / R E G I S T R A T I O N * R e n t a l c a r t s n o t i n c l u d e d i n f e e ; r e s e r v e d i r e c t l y a t B r i g g s W o o d s G o l f C o u r s e C H E C K - I N B E G I N S A T 8 : 0 0 A M , S H O T G U N S T A R T A T 9 : 0 0 A M T o b e c o m e a s p o n s o r , o r r e g i s t e r f o r t h e e v e n t , v i s i t v a n d i e s t m c . o r g o r c o n t a c t L o r i F o s t e r a t l f o s t e r @ v a n d i e s t m c . o r g S p o n s o r s h i p c o n f i r m a t i o n m u s t b e r e c e i v e d b y M o n d a y , S e p t e m b e r 1 9 t h t o b e i n c l u d e d i n p r o g r a m p r o m o t i o n . P r o c e e d s f r o m t h i s y e a r ’ s g o l f o u t i n g w i l l b e u s e d t o p u r c h a s e n e w E K G m a c h i n e s i n e a c h o f o u r s a t e l l i t e c l i n i c s
