Year in Review 2010 by SouthwestIowaNews.com

Person Of The Year

Story Of The Year

A man on a mission

City has a food boom

CHAD NATION News Editor cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

The call came in at 2:22 on the morning of Sept. 20. A fire call at 705 Hillcrest Ave. There would be injuries; there would be a fatality. A father lost a son. No one in the home saw or heard a smoke detector before the fire ripped through the two-family residence. Firefighters arrived within five minutes of the first 9-1-1 call. When they arrived, the fire was so hot the first fire captain on the scene was concerned that the fire truck was too close to the structure. The grass was starting to burn around the house, and most of the home’s windows were blown out. It took crews 45 minutes to put out the blaze. They were too late to save 7-yearold Alex Buzzetta. The fire caused Council Bluffs Fire Chief Alan Byers, a professional firefighter for more than 30 years, to question everything. There has to be a better way. Byers was angry as he sat his desk the day after the fire. In the past, the Council Bluffs Fire Department had a program to give away and install free smoke detectors for anyone in the city who was interested, but that was several years ago. He sat down and wrote a letter to Ameristar and Harrah’s casinos that said, “Here’s where we’re at.” That morning the Alex Project was born. Because of his need to turn the tragedy into a proactive movement, Byers has been named The Daily Nonpareil’s Person of the Year for 2010. “I didn’t get into this business for personal accolades,” Byers said upon finding out about his selection. “But if it will help to get the word out about this project, I will accept it. “I have been in the fire service since 1975, and I have always been passionate about it, but I have never been this emotional about an issue.” “A project like this will only succeed if there is a voice out in the wilderness calling out,” said Tom Schmitt, publisher of The Daily Nonpareil. “Alan is that voice.” Mayor Tom Hanafan said Byers came into his office the morning following the fatal fire. “Alan said that in this case, (the fatality) shouldn’t have happened,” Hanafan said. “When you serve in the department as long as he has, you know when things shouldn’t happen. He took this on personally.” Byers said that while a smoke detector wouldn’t have saved the house, he is almost certain it would have saved the life of the 7-year-old.

Staff photo/Cindy Christensen

Council Bluffs Fire Chief Alan Byers has been named The Daily Nonpareil’s Person of the Year for 2010. “Property is all replaceable; it’s the people we are worried about,” he said. Hanafan said Byers has been able to keep the issue at the forefront of the community. “He has gotten the department and people excited about it,” he said. “He’s always been a firemen’s fireman. He believes in the department, and it has been his life.” When the casinos received Byers’ letter, they immediately donated money to the project. They were followed by donations from Woodmen of the World and Wal-Mart. Menard’s came forward to offer discount prices on the purchase of smoke detectors. Interstate Batteries donated batteries and vowed to help on cost with future purchases. Energizer also stepped up with a battery donation. Individuals began donating as well. Gabe Sullivan wanted to honor his father, Mike Sullivan, who worked at the Council Bluffs Fire Department for 27 years, before retiring in 2001. Unfortunately, Mike Sullivan died in January after a battle with cancer. To honor his father and raise money for the Alex Project, Gabe Sullivan hosted a community event in October. “Basically, I wanted to do something in my dad’s name,” Gabe said. “This would have been something I know he would of done if he were still here.” Byers said anonymous donations have also come to the department, and some not so anonymous. As part of the project, Council Bluffs firefighters are checking homes BYERS/See Page 4C

JON LEU Managing Editor jleu@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5728

The buffet of options available to those who like dining out in Council Bluffs grew far more sumptuous in 2010. New dining options include everything from pasta to pizza, from tacos to egg rolls and from steak to chicken. While there were, as always, a number of interesting and important stories in the year now ending, the substantial growth of the smorgasbord of dining options in the city – when added to the host of options that already existed – made it our odds-on pick for the story of the year. Despite a winter for the record books, Culver’s, a national chain famous for its frozen custard and the freshly cooked butter burgers, opened its doors Feb. 21 at 3245 S. 24th St. in its stand-alone section of the Market Place shopping center. As the restaurant opened for business, general manager Cole Richardson said the restaurant, which seats 89 inside and also offers a number of outside tables with umbrellas for those days when the weather cooperates, would be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Culver’s butter burgers – the crown of the bun is lightly buttered and toasted – are a staple. But there are also three different melts, the Reuben, the Wisconsin with Swiss cheese and the sourdough, that features cheddar. Culver’s is also known for its fried chicken as well as for cod from the north Atlantic. Walleye is available during Lent. Other dinner entrées include shrimp, beef pot roast and chopped steak. Sandwich favorites, in addition to the butter burgers, include chicken tenders, pork tenderloin, grilled ham and Swiss on rye and hot dogs. French fries, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and onion rings help round out the menu. Known for its frozen custards, Culver’s offers chocolate and vanilla on a daily basis along with the flavor of the day. For those who enjoy Asian dishes, China Wok restaurant opened this year at 2412 W. Broadway, for years the home of Kentucky Fried Chicken. China Wok, owned by Randy Gao, features a wide variety of appetizers, soups, fried rice, chow mein or chop suey, egg foo young, noodles, pork, chicken, beef, seafood, Szechwan- and Hunan-style menu, and numerous house specialties and combination platters. Among the most popular items are sweet and sour chicken and General Tso’s chicken, which Gao described as crispy, sweet and spicy. Other favorites include roast pork egg roll, crab Rangoon, hot and sour soup and walnut chicken. Mark Shamblen and Jack Neff, opened the Hog Stop BBQ, 3621 Ninth Ave., May 1 in a building that had long housed the Red Onion nightclub. But while “BBQ” is an integral part of the business name, the menu goes far beyond barbecue food, with

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Shamblen commenting that the menu will stretch to the far side of 250 items in the near future. “We do things differently,” Shamblen said. “That’s what we try to do – be unique.” And “unique” includes smoked macaroni and cheese as well as breaded pepper rings. The Hog Stop’s BBQ sandwich and dinner list features pork, beef or turkey, and the barbecue list also includes chicken and smoked sausage. Steak lovers can enjoy them in three sizes, including a 16-ounce rib eye for those with large appetites. Rather than wings, the Hog Stop’s appetizers are thighs, along with pepperjack cheese sticks and pepper rings. The restaurant, which seats 175 and also offers a meeting room, serves breakfast all day long. Cafeino’s Bakery Café, which opened May 26 at 3424 W. Broadway, specializes in kolaches, an authentic Czech sweet roll that is offered with a variety of fillings, including meat and cheese. Cafeino’s even offers the feeling of old-world Europe with murals of Prague’s historic buildings by Omaha artist Richard Harrison gracefully adorning the walls of the breakfast and lunch deli. Before opening, owner Tim Nelson and his son spent two weeks learning about creating the best possible kolaches from an expert chef in Texas, where the pastries are a favorite. In addition to the signature kolaches, Cafeino’s also offers cinnamon rolls and twists, lemon bars, zebra brownies and peppermint pinwheels, among other sweet treats.

For lunch, the menu includes Rueben sandwiches along with Philly cheese steak, Cajun chicken, turkey and pastrami, barbecue pulled pork, grilled cheese, turkey and Swiss, club and tuna sandwiches. Then, there’s the coffee. Patrons can select from cappuccino, Americano, mochas, lattes, the flavor of the day and the special house secret blend that owners plan to keep secret. There are nine tables seating 24, and there’s room to expand as the business grows. The Tuscan farmhouse-design Olive Garden located at 3707 Denmark Drive in Council Bluffs’ Metro Crossing shopping center opened in late October with Carla Barry as general manager. The Olive Garden focuses on classic Italian cuisine, plus chicken, beef, pork and seafood in a home-like Italian setting. Barry is one of more than 1,000 managers who have trained at Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany and visited its Riserva di Fizzano restaurant, which serves as the source of inspiration for many dishes on Olive Garden’s menu. Every year, 100 managers spend a week in Tuscany learning the timehonored traditions of Italian cooking and working side by side with Olive Garden Executive Chef Romana Neri as part of the restaurant’s ongoing culinary training program. While not a restaurant in the traditional sense, Hy-Vee’s new $15 million West Broadway facility, which

FOOD/See Page 4C

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

2C Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Top Stories

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Members of the 168th Infantry were among 2,800 members of the Iowa National Guard deployed to Afghanistan this fall. More than 2,000 people turned out for a sendoff Aug. 1 at the Mid-America Center. Sgt. Lance Morrow, a medic, said he was heartened by the 45-minute ceremony, which included two standing ovations of more than two minutes each. “It’s good to know that so many people outside of our families are so ready to show support for the troops,” he said. “I feel better knowing so many people really do care and are looking out for my family.” The troops were to spend three months training before shipping out to Afghanistan in November. It was the largest post-World War II deployment in the state’s history. Along with 300 Nebraska National Guard members, the Iowans were to be part of a brigade combat team that would train Afghan soldiers and fight insurgents in the central and eastern parts of Afghanistan. Morrow is among the 60 percent of the soldiers in the combat team who had been deployed at least once before. Morrow, 39, a registered nurse at Alegent Health Mercy Hospital and father of two girls, went to Afghanistan in 200506. Curtis Moreno didn’t want to leave for Afghanistan without seeing his first child born. The 21-year-old Iowa National Guardsman got his wish. Doctors induced his wife’s labor on July 31 – a day before Moreno left for training at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. Baby Gavin, said the proud papa, “is perfect.”

File photo

Family members and supporters wave to members of the 168th Infantry as their buses pull away from the MidAmerica Center after a sendoff on Aug. 1. Deployment ceremonies for Iowa troops were also held in Shenandoah, Denison, Carroll and Red Oak. In Shenandoah, American Legion President Marlin Tillman stressed the importance of supporting the families. About 100 members of the 168th Infantry were honored there.

“It feels like the support for the families is really here, and that is our responsibility,” Tillman said after the ceremony. “When they get home, that support can’t quit. We need to be there for them for as long as they need.” After the formal ceremony, soldiers were given an hour to be with friends and family

before loading onto charter buses. Michael Sutton, 22, of Council Bluffs said he was looking forward to his yearlong deployment. “It’s something I can say I’ve done that not many can,” he said. Mom Crystal Sutton said she was proud of her son, but “I don’t want him to go because it’s scary – he’s my only boy.” Lisa Robinson has double the concern, with two of her sons, Daniel and Cody Widman, being deployed. “I just hope they’re well trained,” said Robinson. Robinson and her husband, Jim, made their way from southeast Missouri to Shenandoah to say goodbye to 19-yearold Cody, while other family members went to Council Bluffs where Daniel’s detachment gathered. Back in Council Bluffs, Morrow said he would lend support to younger soldiers such as Pfc. Abby Brookbank of Ida Grove and Pfc. Tasha Conger of Seymour. Brookbank, 21, and Con-

ger, 20, completed their training as medics in May. Both are on their first deployment. “(They’ll) be fine,” Morrow said. “The veterans try to tell them what to expect, even as far as the emotions of the sendoff and then down in (Camp) Shelby because everything moves so fast there.” The women said they have a lot of confidence in their training. “Everything is fresh in my memory,” Brookbank said. “It helps that so many people on our team have been through this before.”

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

4C Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Top Stories Four killed by drunken driver Person of the Year: Byers is on a mission MIKE BROWNLEE Staff Writer

mike.brownlee@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5732

Alcohol and driving were mixed with disastrous results along Interstate 29 in August. On Aug. 9 at approximately 6 p.m. a drunk driver in a pickup truck traveling northbound on I-29 crossed the centerline and collided with four motorcyclists, killing them. The four motorcyclists killed were: Dennis E. Chaney, 62, of Glenwood; Steven Benscoter, 62, of Pacific Junction; Jay C. Bock, 48, Omaha; and Dale E. Aspedon, 49, of Glenwood.

Aspedon

Benscoter

The driver, Andrew Schlichtemeier, 21, of Murray, Neb., was charged with four counts of homicide by vehicle in the deaths Three of the motorcyclists were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The fourth was pronounced dead at 7:35 p.m. at Creighton University

Bock

Chaney

Medical Center in Omaha, after being flown there by air ambulance. The four were returning from their annual visit to the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D. The motorcyclists were southbound and had made it nearly to the south end of the

14-mile-long construction zone, which started about two miles south of Little Sioux. At the point the accident occurred, southbound traffic was diverted to a single lane on the northbound side of the Interstate, one lane in each direction separated by a double yellow line and 4-foot-high orange and white plastic sticks. Schlichtemeier’s blood-alcohol level measured .373 percent after the accident, more than 4½ times the legal limit, the Iowa State Patrol said. Also, the same test turned up traces of the chemical in marijuana. Schlichtemeier is scheduled for trial on Jan. 11.

Story of the Year: A food boom in C.B. FOOD/From Page 1C opened in late October, offers extensive organic and natural food selections, a deli and a food service area that offers sushi and other treats which are prepared on site for customers. Hy-Vee’s Italian Express offers a variety of daily items, including pizza, calzones, pasta and appetizers like cheese bread, breadsticks and pepperoni rolls. Italian Manager Mitch Sivard is rolling out some lasagna dishes that include meat and vegetable lasagnas and a chicken alfredo lasagna. Hy-Vee’s Chinese Express is located next to the Italian Express, with the menu changing with what ingredients are available day-to-day and season-to-season. Sushi rolls are made fresh daily and can be customized off the menus. They can also be purchased on party trays. Early November saw the opening of a second Scooter’s Coffee Shop in Council Bluffs, this one in the lobby of the new Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce office building in the 100 block of West Broadway. Although the newest Scooter’s location does not offer a drive-up window, patrons can telephone the shop and employees will bring their coffee order to the curb. Late November brought the opening of the Texas Roadhouse, a 6,160-squarefoot restaurant located at 3231 Marketplace Drive in the Marketplace shopping center. The opening of the Council Bluffs restaurant marked the chain’s seventh location – and the third in the metro area, the others being in west Omaha and Papillion. Featuring a country atmosphere, Ron Pyrz, the managing partner, said “We are all about hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, madefrom-scratch sides, freshbaked breads and our legendary margaritas and cold beers.” In addition to steaks, the restaurant is also famous for its large variety of hamburgers, chicken, fish and salads. Seating is available for about 275 patrons. The newly opened Texas Roadhouse is one of 334 restaurants in 46 states. The Pizza Ranch, located on the east side of the Metro Crossing shopping center, opened its 6,200-square-foot facility on Dec. 6. The new restaurant seats 230, with 100 parking stalls right outside the door. Pizza Ranch is a buffetstyle restaurant focusing on pizza and chicken with a full salad bar, soups, corn, beans, fries and mashed potatoes. A new pizza and salad are featured every three months, with the current featured pizza being Cowboy Cacciatore that is topped with tomatoes and fried vegetables. The broasted chicken comes in all regular portions including thighs, legs, breasts

and wings. Chicken buckets are also available. Customers on the go can pick up their orders at a drive-through window, and the restaurant will also deliver in the area. Panda Express, offering Chinese cuisine, opened at 3805 Denmark Drive in the Metro Crossing shopping center in June. Manager Kai Sayabouatheng said the restaurant offers seating for 82 patrons. The menu for the national chain, which now includes more than 1,100 locations, includes orange chicken, mushroom chicken, Mandarin chicken, broccoli beef, sweet and sour pork, chicken egg roll and fried rice. Primos, a new Mexican restaurant located at 930 Fifth Ave. with seating for 75, opened in mid-November. Owner Travis Taylor said the menu includes burritos, enchiladas, chimichanga, quesadillas and chili con carne. “We’re trying to keep it simple right now until we get a better feel for what our customers want,” Taylor said. The new restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the kitchen remains open one hour longer on weekends. Two other eateries actually opened in December 2009 but really got their feet on the ground with customers this year. Johnny’s Cantina at 1851 Madison Ave. is the latest venture for the Culjat family. The family also owns Scott Street Pub in downtown Council Bluffs and two downtown Omaha establishments, the Stadium Club and J.D. Tuckers. Decorated by co-owner Kevin Culjat’s father, Johnny’s Cantina, which specializes in Mexican food, features many photographs of

John Wayne along with other Americana. Johnny’s Cantina seats about 50 people comfortably and offers three 50-inch television screens. On the menu, patrons can enjoy soft tacos, enchiladas, burritos and green chili burritos. Appetizers include nachos, taco salads, salsa and chips, guacamole and chips, chicken tortilla or green chili soups, homemade green chili sauce and various cheese dips. Like Johnny’s Cantina, Dan’s Pizza actually opened its doors in 2009 but started picking up steam – and customers – this year. Dan’s Pizza is located at 2543 Second Ave., just south of Thomas Jefferson High School and one of the few places west of the Broadway viaduct to serve pizza. Manager Brad Lindgren said his father has owned a similar location in Onawa and wanted to expand to Council Bluffs. Dan’s Pizza features fresh dough and ingredients, and comes in four sizes: A 10-inch small, 12-inch medium, 14inch large and 16-inch jumbo. The all-meat pizzas come in pepperoni, hamburger, sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon and cheese. Also available are bacon cheeseburger pizza, Hawaiian, the Veggie and Fireball, featuring pepperoni and jalapenos. For those with more wide-ranging tastes, sauerkraut and black olives are other ingredients that are available. Seasoned breadsticks and hot and spicy unbreaded chicken wings round out the menu. There is more to come in the form of new dining options in the coming weeks. Coming to Metro Crossing is Smashburger, a fast-casual “better burger” restaurant. The Council Bluffs facility

will be the chain’s third location in the metro area. The 2,500-square-foot restaurant will offer seating for 95. Named for the cooking method used “to create the perfect burger,” Smashburgers are a one-third or halfpound of 100 percent certified Angus beef smashed on a flat grill to sear in the flavor. Although Smashburger is known for its burgers, the restaurant also serves up Smashchicken sandwiches, Smashdogs and Smashsalads with sides that include veggie frites and rosmary- and garlic-seasoned Smashfries. Panera Bread, which currently operates a restaurant in the Mall of the Bluffs, is also planning a location in the Metro Crossing shopping center. The 3,800-square-foot space will seat about 125 customers. Panera Bread features a wide variety of bakery items including pastries, sweets, bagels, breakfast sandwiches and baked-egg soufflés. The café menu includes sandwiches, soups and handtossed salads. Finally, city officials have issued a building permit for a LongHorn Steakhouse in the Metro Crossing shopping center. According to city officials, the company plans to build a 6,270-square-foot restaurant with seating for about 100 patrons. Featuring a Western/Texas theme, LongHorn is known for its steaks and also features grilled fresh fish including hand-cut salmon fillets seasons with a bourbon marinade, baby-back ribs and a variety of chicken entrées as well as salads, soups, hearthbaked breads and desserts. Despite all of these new choices, rumors have it there are still more on the way. Local taste buds will just have to wait and see.

BYERS/From Page 1C for working smoke detectors whenever they receive a call that allows for it. Byers said firefighters checked the smoke detector at the home of an elderly woman while on a medical run. When they found the batteries needed to be changed, they changed them. The woman was so impressed, she donated $100 the next day. Firefighters have made it a priority to check detectors at homes they are called to, but Byers acknowledges that it is not enough. “We are averaging finding between 30 and 40 homes a month with no smoke detector or an old one that doesn’t work,” Byers said. “Just doing the program with my 28 guys on duty every day will never get anywhere.” Working with a $15,000 budget – all from donations – Byers figures the department will be able to continue to give anyone who asks for a smoke detector through the spring; beyond that, Byers is still working. “There are several things planned that we want to do,” he said. “But we have to find the money to sustain.” Byers said this spring he would like to challenge churches to check the area around their church to see if anyone needs an alarm or batteries, challenge volunteer groups to check a six-, eightor 10-block area, and see if social service groups can assist. “We’ll do the work installing, we’re not worried about that,” he said. “But we need people getting out and letting us know who needs the work.” The project has also forced the fire department to reexamine how they educate the community. Firefighters often talk at schools to schoolchildren, but how much of the information is reaching the parents at home, they question. “We’re finding out that it is not a lot,” Byers said. The department has

reached out to parents at elementary school conferences this fall, as well as football games. “But who comes to these games?” Byers said. “We have a number of people at the game say, ‘My detector is good, give it to someone who needs it.’” Reaching out to those who need them is the challenge, and then finding funds to produce the detectors. But it is a challenge Byers will continue. “Somehow, come hell or high water, we are going to get this done,” he said. “It is my mission until the end of my career, and hopefully beyond that. “It is a program that we will never truly know how successful it is, but I want there to be a fire where the firefighters say we installed a smoke detector in that home and that is why this family made it out alive.” And he would like to implement the program beyond Council Bluffs and into Pottawattamie County, as well as finding funding to put new smoke detectors into the homes of hearing impaired children. “Everything we are doing can be done countywide. How great would it be if a town like Carson could say every home has a working smoke detector?” he said. Byers said he never wants to go through what he went through on that morning after the fatal fire on Hillcrest Avenue. “As parents, we are too smart to let this happen,” he said. “I don’t want it to happen again – to a child or elderly person or anyone in between. We as a community shouldn’t allow this to happen.” Editor’s note: Anyone who needs a firefighter to check their detector for them, or new batteries, or a free smoke detector, should call the fire station at (712) 328-4646. Organizations or individuals wishing to donate to the free smoke detector program should also contact the fire department.

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The Daily Nonpareil

YEAR

REVIEW 2010

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

6C Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Newsmakers New Veterans Memorial Bridge opens TIM JOHNSON Staff Writer tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5750

On a warm and sunny Friday morning on May 28, hundreds gathered to witness the grand opening of what officials said is not just a bridge, but an investment in the area’s future. “The bridge will encourage commerce between Council Bluffs and Omaha,” said Gov. Chet Culver. He was referring to the new Veterans Memorial Bridge that reopened an important connection between people on both sides of the Missouri River. “This bridge is an important project for both sides of the river,” said Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman. It will benefit the city in the future, Council Bluffs Public Works Director Greg Reeder said. “We’ve got four lanes of road with shoulders so it should be much safer and accommodate

File photo

In a matter of seconds, crews imploded the west section of the old Veterans Memorial Highway Bridge on May 28. more traffic,” he said. “There’s a lot of potential for economic development.” The bridge could also become an important alternative route for motorists during the anticipated reconstruction of nearby interstates 29 and 80 in the years ahead, Reeder said. “This will be a great alternative route,” he said.

The $88 million four-lane bridge replaces a narrow twolane structure that was built in 1936. The new bridge still connects on the Omaha side at the intersection of 13th Street and Missouri Avenue, while it aligns with a new four-lane Veterans Memorial Highway on the Council Bluffs side. “It’s been a two-year work of progress,” said Bruce Husted,

100 block renovations unveiled in 2010 MIKE BROWNLEE Staff Writer mike.brownlee@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5732

After two years of construction, the renovated 100 block of Broadway was officially unveiled during a ceremony on Nov. 5. “It’s been a long journey,” Council Bluffs Public Works Director Greg Reeder said. “This is the capstone of our downtown streetscape.” The improvements included decorative brick, widened sidewalks, landscaping and new benches. Building facades were also renovated. The new street lamps are designed to resemble the style used to illuminate the sidewalk and road 100 years ago. “Our goal from the beginning, was to re-establish our downtown,” Mayor Tom

Hanafan said. “The thought was, ‘Don’t forget our past, but also look forward to the future.’” Pam Minor has owned Beauty on Broadway with husband, Jim, for 10 years. She has worked at the shop for a total of 32 years. “I never thought I’d see this,” she said. In addition to the renovations, the 100 block celebrated a new tenant: The Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, which moved to the HughesIrons Building. The new headquarters provides 8,400 square feet of office space for chamber activities, compared to 3,000 square feet at the old site at Sixth and West Broadway. A visitor’s center and a Scooter’s coffee shop are located in the main lobby. Directly to the west, 6,000

square feet is available for a possible sit-down restaurant or high-level retailers. The renovation was made possible through the Pottawattamie County Development Corp. “It’s quite a place, and we’re hoping it helps transform downtown,” Chamber President and CEO Bob Mundt said of the new headquarters. The 100 block was closed to traffic for much of the last two years, as crews worked to renovate not only the buildings but also the street surface and below. The 100 block project completes a 13-year, $17 million city project, funded in large part by the Iowa West Foundation, that refurbished 20 city blocks, spanning from First and Broadway to Ninth and Main Street.

Douglas County Commander for the American Legion. “I take my hat off to the contractors. It was like watching a musical play in motion.” It was fitting that the grand opening occurred on the Memorial Day weekend, said the various speakers, who honored those who served their country. “We are grateful for your service every day,” Culver said. The new bridge, which runs east and west, features four vehicle traffic lanes, two in each direction. Each lane is 12feet wide, as opposed to the slightly more than 10-foot wide lanes on the old bridge. A protected walk and bike lane is located on the north side of the bridge. It also features an arched truss that looks similar to the old bridge. When the previous bridge opened, it was unofficially called the South Omaha Bridge, according to Husted. The narrow two-lane road on the Council Bluffs side was known as the South Omaha

Bridge Road. In 1993, Omahan John Fenton, a Korean War veteran, along with Vietnam veteran Roger Busch of Council Bluffs, began an effort to rename the bridge to honor area veterans. Their efforts were stalled temporarily upon Fenton’s death a year later, but a committee of area veterans was formed to pursue Fenton’s dream, according to Husted. On Armed Forces Day, May 20, 1995, South Omaha Bridge Road was officially renamed the Veterans Memorial Highway. The highway departments from Iowa and Nebraska later gave their blessings for renaming the bridge to honor the veterans. Council Bluffs and Omaha officials also endorsed the plan. Following the speeches, members of various motorcycle and old car clubs took the ceremonial first drives on the bridge. Culver took a ride in the first car, followed by Heineman.

Belt wins Supervisor bid Scott Belt will no longer serve on the Council Bluffs City Council when the calendar turns over, but he won’t be leaving local politics. Belt was the top vote receiver in the Nov. 2 Pottawattamie Belt County Board of Supervisors election. “I am looking forward to meeting all of the folks throughout the county,” he

said. “The budget will be the first thing to tackle, and hopefully, I will work with the others to get it under control.” Belt said he began his campaign for the office in February and was consistent throughout the campaign. The Council Bluffs City Council and Mayor Tom Hanafan said goodbye to Belt at the last meeting of the year on Dec. 13. Belt served on the council starting in 1998. He will officially resign on Jan. 2. – News Editor Chad Nation can be reached at (712) 325-5738 or by e-mail at cnation@nonpareilonline.com

Staff Writer dennis.friend@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5746

Debora Masker and Bethene Adams were honored in May by the Council Bluffs Community School District. Masker was named the 2010 Teacher of the Year award. Masker Adams was named Support Staff Member of the Year. Masker has been the vocal

music teacher at Kirn Middle School for 10 years,but has been teaching for 33 years. She has also taught in Treynor, Shelby County and in Omaha. She also has begun teaching careers and computers. A parent who nominated Masker described her as “mentor” involved in activities like State History Day and the annual Leadership Academy. “I have not only watched the kids come in early and stay late even on vacation days and weekends, I watched a teacher with a big heart and soul come in as well,” the parent said. Masker was a finalist for the 2011 Iowa’s Teacher of the Year award. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary

TIM ROHWER Staff Writer timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5752

Don’t expect two hot-button issues to see much debate in the 2011 Iowa Legislative session, according to Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal. One of those issues involves changes in the state’s abortion law. “I don’t anticipate Gronstal anything at this point,” Gronstal said recently. The issue garnered local front page news in November when a Bellevue, Neb., doctor, LeRoy Carhart, who has performed late-term abortions there, announced his intention to open a clinic in Council Bluffs. Gronstal’s concern, he said at that time, is that courts have repeatedly struck down efforts of states trying to stiffen their abortion laws. He believes that could be the case in Nebraska. The issue of overturning a state court’s ruling to allow same-sex marriage will remain on the sideline, also, according to Gronstal. As Senate Majority Leader, Gronstal has the power to bring up or reject any issue before the other lawmakers. He has no plans to bring up the court’s ruling. “I’m not going to put discrimination into the Iowa Constitution,” Gronstal said.

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and secondary education from Northwest Missouri State and her Master of Science in elementary administration from Creighton University. She became involved in the Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy and has been the academy director for six years. Adams is secretary at Tucker College and Career Center. She has been with the district since 2002 and was a para-professional at Walnut Grove Elementary before moving to the Tucker position. She was a key coordinator of the eighth-grade career fair, and mid-year, she was assigned to track all secondary students’ registration information in the database.

‘Teen Mom’ star’s family makes headlines CHAD NATION News Editor cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

Debra Danielsen, 52, accused of domestic abuse after allegedly assaulting her teenage daughter, pled guilty to interference with officials acts on Feb. 26, according to Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber. The domestic abuse charge was later dropped. Associate Fourth District Judge Mark Eveloff gave Danielsen a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail and ordered her to complete 10 hours of community service and anger management counseling, Wilber said. After she complied with the terms of the agreement, the county dropped the domestic abuse charge. Police alleged Danielsen was in an altercation with her daughter, Farrah Abraham, 18, on Jan. 16. Abraham is one of four teen mothers starring in

Danielsen

Abraham

the MTV television series “Teen Mom,” which follows the lives of the four teens and how they are dealing with parenthood. Court records indicated when Council Bluffs police arrived at a disturbance call at

332 Willow Ave., an officer observed Danielsen with two knives in her hand. The officer reported he had to draw his gun to get her to follow his order to put the knives down. Reports stated the incident started when Danielsen and Abraham were arguing in the home’s kitchen over childcare issues and other “problems.” The altercation turned physical and Abraham alleged Danielsen struck her in the mouth. Danielsen denied her daughter’s account of the incident.

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The Daily Nonpareil

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

What To Watch All eyes on Carhart, proposed clinic CHAD NATION News Editor cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

A Bellevue, Neb., doctor who once provided late-term abortions in Nebraska announced in November he would begin offering them in Council Bluffs and Maryland and will expand a clinic in Indianapolis. But city officials have not heard any word of his plans. Dr. LeRoy Carhart said he wants to offer the abortions in other communities because a new Nebraska law prevents him from performing the operations in that state. Carhart said he plans to open the abortion clinic in Council Bluffs sometime after Jan. 1. He’s looking at two locations in south Council Bluffs. Mayor Tom Hanafan said he was unaware of any of

Carhart’s plans. “There is nobody who has stepped forward requesting information,” Hanafan added. It won’t be on Avenue G at North 15th Street. The Council Bluffs City Council, on Nov. 22, unanimously agreed to dispose of 24,393 square feet of vacant ground near that intersection but with the stipulation an abortion clinic not be built there. That drew loud applause from abortion opponents who filled the council room and overflowed into the hallway outside the chamber. There were so many who came – an estimated 300 – a police officer stood watch at the door to ensure no overcrowding. When reached by phone, Carhart said everything is still on track to open in January. “We’re still waiting for financing,” he said.

Two sites are being considered, Carhart said, but declined to say where. He also declined to say if one of those sites was the land that the council took action on. Carhart added he could probably get 300 supporters of his clinic to come to a meeting. He said his clinic will provide health care and sexual education, among other services, and that abortions “won’t be an emphasis at the clinic.” A Nebraska bill, which went into effect Oct. 15, bans abortions at 20 weeks after fertilization or later. The law permits abortions at 20 weeks or later only to protect a woman’s life or prevent major physical problems. That’s a departure from the standard of viability – generally considered to be between 22 and 24 weeks – established by the 1973 Supreme Court ruling

in Roe v. Wade. “This sort of forced us. We had to do it,” Carhart said of expanding elsewhere. “In Iowa and Maryland, we can do the later cases.” He still plans to challenge the Nebraska law, but he’s working on an effective approach; and it could be months before he and others file a challenge. “We feel it’s definitely unconstitutional,” Carhart said. Asked how he thought people would respond to his planned expansion, Carhart said, “I don’t really worry much about that. I’m more worried about the ability for women to have a place to go.” Opening the Council Bluffs and Washington-area clinics would cost about $1.5 million, he said. He plans to pay for the clinics with “some financing and a lot of fundraising.”

Construction on new Ground broken for animal shelter could new water plant begin in the spring TIM JOHNSON Staff Writer

TIM ROHWER Staff Writer timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5752

A fundraising drive for a new animal shelter for Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County began in earnest this summer. Members of the Midlands Humane Society set out to raise $1.7 million to help in the construction of a shelter near College Road and the Valley View extension. The 13,300-square-foot shelter would be nearly twice the size of what Council Bluffs and the county have been using for years, according to Leslie Southard, a member of the society’s Board of Directors. “We can hold double the number of animals compared to both the city and the county,” she said. Over a year’s time, up to

5,000 animals could be held there for possible adoption and reclaimed by owners with expansion to 7,000 if needed, Southard said. The one-story facility would provide 20 kennels in the dogadoption area, 30 in the dog holding area and eight in the dog isolation when dogs are ill, she said. There would be 40 kennels in the cat adoption area, 70 in the cat holding area and 30 in the cat isolation area. Up to 12 puppies could be held in the adoption area, plus there would be a room for other animals like rabbits or hamsters, Southard said. A nearby dog park is also planned, she said. “The hope is to break ground in the spring,” Southard said. The city of Council Bluffs pledged $1.5 million and donated the land for the shelter.

C.B. stadium renovation likely on the horizon DENNIS FRIEND

Officials broke ground May 5 for construction of a new, $35 million water treatment plant – the second in the city. The new plant, set for completion in late spring 2012, is on 100 acres of land on Gifford Road about a mile south of the Council Bluffs Recycling Center and six miles south of the city’s current facility on North 25th Street near The Narrows River Park. Council Bluffs Water Works Director Doug Drummey had to raise his voice during the ceremony, as construction had already begun. “This is a good sign,” he said of the noise. “It’s securing the future water supply for our community. We will be only the third Iowa community to have two water plants, and that puts us apart from other communities.” The new plant will be 210 feet long, 130 feet wide and 41 feet tall, similar in size to the

Study starts on port authority

Staff Writer dennis.friend@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5746

A public discussion in late November was the first step. The result could be a major renovation of the Council Bluffs Stadium. The session at Thomas Jefferson High School was intended to gather suggestions and ideas for a renovation of the run-down facility behind the Wilson Middle School campus. In October, the school board approved a study of the scope and costs of repairs needed at the stadium and voted to give Olsson Associates and Alley Poyner Maccietto Architecture a $19,900 contract to put together a priority list and a master plan. The generally poor condition of the facility has been a problem for the district for several years. Council Bluffs stadium is where both Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln high school teams play football, soccer and softball, and it’s the home baseball field for Thomas Jefferson High School. The stadium was built in 1965, the track completed in 1971. In 1988-89, the concession stands and bleachers were added. School board members have expressed concerns that the facility is in disrepair, citing such problems as missing boards in the bleachers. The public discussion yielded one common theme: The community seemed to favor creation of a sports area that shows community pride. Issues range from the condition of the facility to parking and traffic flow, improving

tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5750

CHAD NATION News Editor cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

File photo

Many of the stadium handrails are covered with rust and need to be replaced. restrooms and concession areas and improving relations with people who live near the stadium. The next steps will be to compile a list and have the architects prepare drawing and cost estimates for updates to the football field and stadium, track, baseball and softball fields, parking lots, seating and adjacent areas. The district also will seek ways to pay for the work through grants and donations or resources other than property or sales tax revenue. Until now, an improvement plan has been low on a list of district priorities. The school district hopes to improve the site, but not to create a project that is too costly to complete.

The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors selected an Omaha firm to study the feasibility of developing a port authority north of Council Bluffs on July 12. Kirkham Michael was selected as the consulting firm to head the Gateway Commerce Port Authority Economic Feasibility Study. The study will determine whether or not a port authority project on the Missouri River is plausible. Pottawattamie County, Douglas County, Council Bluffs, Omaha and the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency are all involved in the project. A $100,000 federal grant has been received to fund a feasibility study of an inland port authority, where the multiple jurisdictions work together for improved economic development. A second $100,000 grant, this one from the Iowa West Foundation, will also help pay for the study. Supervisor Lynn Grobe – who, along with Hansen, was on a five-member committee to select a recommendation for the board – said the project could benefit the entire area.

current structure. When completed, it will initially treat up to 5 million gallons of water daily, a figure that could be increased to 10 million gallons if needed in the future, he said. The purpose is to ensure that the growing community of Council Bluffs has an adequate water supply for the next half-century, if not longer, he said. A safe, abundant supply of water helps improve public health, public safety and is a positive factor in economic development, Drummey said.

Submitted photo

An artist’s rendering of the proposed new addition to the Council Bluffs YMCA.

Y announces expansion plans TIM JOHNSON Staff Writer tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5750

A $7 million fundraising campaign has begun for a major addition to the Council Bluffs YMCA that would make it the second largest in the Omaha/Council Bluffs organization, Director Leo McIntosh announced Nov. 18. The project would include a 22,000-square-foot, two-story addition directly to the south of the swimming pool, currently the site of a parking lot, McIntosh said. A second floor would also be built directly above the swimming pool for a walking and running track. A children’s swimming pool would be built to the east of the pool, he added. The YMCA plans to move its current cardio room to the new addition’s second floor and its weight machines and free weights to the first floor, he said. An aerobics studio and a group cycling room would be built in the new section, along with adults-only

locker facilities. The current lockers would then be used for children and families only, McIntosh said. An expanded coffee area is also planned. The rooms that currently house the weights and cardio machines would be renovated for teen fitness and pre-school programs, he said. A parking lot that will provide more than 45 spaces would be built to the south of the new addition, he said. A vacant house that the YMCA owns in that area now would be torn down, along with the redevelopment of three empty ground lots further south, he said. To expand to the east to include room for the children’s pool, the YMCA would dig out part of a dirt wall directly behind the facility and build a retaining wall. The renovation offers two advantages from other possibilities, according to McIntosh. “We did a community needs assessment and got a lot of feedback to keep the YMCA downtown,” he said.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

8C Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Who To Watch Rep. Mark Brandenburg

Sheryl Garst and Sharon White For the first time in Council Bluffsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; history, there will be four women serving on the fivemember City Council beginning in January. Sheryl Garst and Sharon White will replace outgoing council members Scott Belt and Matt Schultz. The women were the unanimous choice of the three remaining council members, Lynne Branigan, Melissa Head and Matt Walsh. Garst and White will officially be sworn in at the councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next meeting on Jan. 10, 2011. They White will serve until next Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city election. Garst and White were among 30 applicants for the two seats. An advisory committee, formed by Garst Branigan, Head and Walsh, narrowed that number to 10 finalists, a number that included Garst and White. The 10 were all interviewed on Nov. 30 by City Attorney Richard Wade with the committee members in attendance to grade each of their answers to various questions, plus an overall performance grade. Garst, White, financial advisor Jon Narmi and former Iowa House Speaker Brent Siegrist received the four highest marks from the committee. It was then up to the three remaining council members to choose among themselves the two they wanted to serve with them. Garst said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking forward to assisting in preparing next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city operating budget, as well as the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comprehensive Plan that hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been updated since 1994. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very exciting, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very honored to serve the citizens of Council Bluffs,â&#x20AC;? Garst said. White is a residential property appraiser, while Garst is a former director of redevelopment for the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce and a homemaker.

votes cast. The poor economy, government over-spending and lack of jobs are on the minds of the people he will represent, Brandenburg said. Brandenburg worked for 34 years for the Omaha Public Power District. He is the vice president of the Board of Directors of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. He also serves on the Iowa Western Community College Alumni Association board. Brandenburg will serve as vice-chairman of the Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee. He also will serve on the House Commerce, Human Resources, Labor and Public Safety committees.

Republican Mark Brandenburg defeated longtime Democratic lawmaker Paul Shomshor for the Iowa House District 100 seat that represents Carter Lake and a large Brandenburg portion of western Council Bluffs. Brandenburg, 55, trailed early, but when the last votes were counted he finished with 3,680 votes, or 52 percent of the total, to Shomshorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3,269 votes or 46 percent of the total

Doug Struyk

Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa Come January, Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa will be representing Iowa House District 99, a district that includes a large portion of Council Bluffs. Hanusa, 47, is school administrative manager at Abraham Lincoln High School and previously worked in the

Hubler for the seat held by longtime Rep. Doug Struyk. Hanusa has been tapped as vice chairwoman of the House Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa Committee. She also will serve on the Education, Labor and Veterans Affairs Committees as well as the Economic Development Appropriations subcommittee.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Doug will also help push through legislation to make those areas stronger,â&#x20AC;? Schultz said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will also help me draft bills and advocate for them to the Legislature. He will be working with the Legislature in my office.â&#x20AC;? Struyk graduated with honors from Creighton School of Law and is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association. During his years in the Legislature, Struyk served on the House Judiciary Committee. He also served on the State Government Committee that handles election law. He will remain as vice president of the familyowned Struyk Turf Ltd., though he will turn the daily operations over to family members, Struyk said.

There will definitely be a strong Council Bluffs connection in Matt Schultzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new administration as the Iowa secretary of state. Schultz has selected local businessman and former State Representative Doug Struyk as his legal counsel and policy advisor. Struyk, who endorsed Schultz early in the campaign, accepted the duties after being approached by the new secretary of state, he said. Struykâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duties will include working with Schultzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staff concerning business and election issues, Schultz said. The secretary of state is in charge of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elections.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Who Moved On Captains Joel and Ramona Arthur “Our hearts are first to God before we can offer our hand to man.” That was The Salvation Army’s previous slogan (before “Doing the Most Good”), said Capt. Joel Arthur, co-pastor of The Salvation Army of Council Bluffs. “We came here with God in our hearts, we stretched out our hand to man and we’re leaving with God in our hearts to outstretch our hand to man in another community,” he said. Arthur and his wife and copastor, Capt. Ramona Arthur, have been appointed to similar positions with The Salvation Army in Marquette, Mich. They finished up in Council Bluffs with June 27 worship service and began their duties in Marquette on June 30. “We’re excited about going to Marquette,” he said before the move. “It’s bittersweet leaving this community. We’ve watched our kids grow up in

Carol Danker, Kathy Leesley and Patsy Rageth At least three civilians also left the Council Bluffs Police Department ranks this year. After more than 35 years as a civilian employee at the department, Carol Danker bid her coworkers adieu on Dec. 31, 2009. Danker started at the department in 1974 when the police department was still located in city hall. A veteran of the records and property divisions of the department, Chief Ralph

Russ Kurth LOGAN – Harrison County District Conservationist Russ Kurth decided to put away the hand levels and residue counters and start a new segment of his career – retirement. Kurth’s last day in the office where he has worked since 1986 was Dec. 31, 2009. His career path as a conservationist began on what he calls a chance of fate. “I was at Iowa State in the Agronomy building and a sign was posted about a summer job. I applied on a whim, or maybe it was fate. That’s how I got started,” Kurth said. He graduated from ISU in 1977 with an animal science degree. Kurth worked first as a student trainee in May 1975 in LeMars, his hometown area, then Woodbury County. Between 1977-79, he worked in Logan as a soil conservationist. The family moved to Jasper County in 1979, where he worked at Newton through 1981, and then from 1981 through 1986, he was located at Shenandoah as an area resource conservationist. He landed in Logan in 1986. His job has entailed planning and providing technical assistance for good conservation practices, managing cost share programs and helping farmers apply them. Kurth said the favorite part of his job has been working with the farmers. “There’s lots of good conservation-minded farmers in the county,” Kurth said. “I’ve enjoyed helping them protect and improve their land.” He also cited the people he has worked with. “I’ve had good staff over the years,” Kurth said. “They’ve been easy to supervise and have an interest in helping people apply conservation practices.” As for the future, Kurth plans on continuing staying involved with farming. “I’m going to continue to farm my dad’s land in Plymouth County and enjoy it more now,” he said. “I will also be doing some consulting work for various crop consultant companies in the area and spending more time with the kids and grandkids.” Kurth won’t be idle. He also plans to stay involved in the Logan Kiwanis Club, Extension Council, Corn and Soybean Growers and the Farm Bureau.

this community, and (we’ll miss) all the friends we’ve made.”

The couple supervised the Council Bluffs Corps from June 26, 2002, to June 27, 2010 –

exactly eight years and one day, Ramona said. “It’s been a busy eight years,” Joel said. “The biggest highlight was seeing this campus come to completion.” Seeing the agencies on campus “work together to make the community a better place” was gratifying, too, he said. In Marquette, the Arthurs now pastor the church and oversee social services, a large, youth recreation center and at least two thrift stores, Joel said. In keeping with The Salvation Army’s mission, the Council Bluffs corps has responded to disasters many times during the past eight years. Among the larger events were the flood in Missouri Valley, assisting in Des Moines when their forces were in Mason City, the Stern Oil Co. fire and many house fires, Joel said. “I think, for us, Council Bluffs will always be in our hearts, in our memories,” Joel said. “I’ll never forget this place. The people in this community are wonderful people.”

O’Donnell said Danker was the person to go to for information. “When I worked the street and called records, Carol was the person I asked for because you knew she would know the answer,” O’Donnell said. “When she moved to property, that didn’t change.” Danker was hired by Chief Nick Sulentic and served the department through eight different police chiefs. “She was truly an asset to the department,” O’Donnell added. “She always had a smile on her face and was always pleasant.

The second retirement was in the services division. Kathy Leesley was employed as a records technician since June 1989 and retired on Nov. 30. “I must first tell you that a civilian staff for this department is an essential part of the organization,” O’Donnell said. “Without the dedicated civilian staff, the department would be less efficient.” O’Donnell said Leesley was the type of employee who was very focused on providing quality service in her area of expertise. “She, too, is a dedicated

employee who completes the work assigned to her in an efficient manner and will be missed as she always had a kind word to say and always greeted people with a smile,” he said. Patsy Rageth also left the department after 11 years of service in October. Rageth was a civilian employee who was dedicated to her job as a records technician. “I know she will have plenty to do with her family, as it was obvious that her family and grandchildren mean a great deal to her,” O’Donnell said.

File photo

Captains Joel and Ramona Arthur finished their post with the Salvation Army in Council Bluffs on June 27.

Officers Russ Mapes, Michael Petratis and Arturo Vazquez Council Bluffs Police Officer Arturo Vazquez retired on Nov. 2. Vazquez left the department after 23 years of service. During his career, Vazquez worked in several divisions including the Criminal Investigation Division and finished his career assigned to the Uniform Division. Police Chief Ralph O’Donnell said Vazquez was involved in several major cases because of his ability to speak fluent Spanish, and his expertise was needed. Vazquez was a also hostage negotiator for the Hostage Recovery Team and never hesitated to volunteer his time or work in another assignment. “Vazquez is leaving us with perhaps one of the most satisfying awards an officer can receive. He is a recipient of a life saving award,” O’Donnell said. “I can tell you back when Vazquez became a police officer, like all officers his motiva-

Karen Clark LOGAN – Harrison County Clerk of Court, Karen Clark, stepped down June 30, retiring after a 37 ½-year career with the office, including 10 years as clerk of court. Clark applied for an open position in the office in 1973 when Faye Marie Dow was serving as the clerk of court. “I had worked for an attorney in Logan before, Russell McKay,” Clark said, “so, I was familiar with the office.” At that time Clark said office employees included Dow, Joanne Ullrich and herself. “We did all the docketing by hand,” Clark said. “Everything was handwritten. Everything had to be docketed, and the records were typed into those big books.”

tion was to help people. Vazquez was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and did help someone.” O’Donnell thanked Vazquez for his insight, his dedication and his 23 years of service to this community. Officer Russ Mapes retired from the department on Oct. 2, after 32 years of service. During his career, he has worked the uniform division both on the afternoon shift as well as the day shift. He also completed several years as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Division and was instrumental in developing a working relationship with the city’s pawnbrokers. “Mapes was the type of officer who did his job and did it well,” O’Donnell said. “This became apparent in reviewing his file as several citizens wrote to comment on the professionalism and sincere manner in which he assisted them in their time of need.” Mapes also played a leadership role in the Police Benevolent Society.

“I believe the true measure of an officer is the respect he has gained among his peers,” O’Donnell added. “Russ will leave the department and will be remembered as a good police officer who upheld his oath of office for 32 years.” Officer Michael Petratis retired on Nov. 19. He had been with the department since April 1990, and worked the uniform division his entire career. “I have had the privilege to supervise Petratis as a firstline supervisor,” O’Donnell said. “I relied on him heavily during this time because I knew the task assigned to him would be done and done right.” Petratis was a dedicated employee with the true sense of community service, O’Donnell added. “Some people just have natural leadership qualities, and Petratis is one of those people,” he said. “Petratis was one member of a group that is helping to shape the future of our police reports and bring us into field-based reporting technology.”

“I enjoy working with people and helping the people of the community,” Clark said. “If we couldn’t help them directly, we tried to give them resources to solve their problems.” Clark said the most challenging part of the position for her has been “getting all the work done.”

“The work load has increased greatly. There are more people involved in the court system now,” she said. Clark said she plans to spend more time with her family and at her and husband Gary’s place up north. She will also have some extra time now to attend her grandchildren’s school activities.

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Lynn Manhart On March 31, Assistant Fire Chief Lynn Manhart joined the ranks of many other retired firefighters. Manhart joined the Council Bluffs Fire Department on Aug. 12, 1974. Manhart was promoted to engineer on Sept. 17, 1979. On Aug. 26, 1983, Manhart was again promoted, this time to the rank of captain. He reached the rank of assistant fire chief on Oct. 15, 1994, and was transferred from fire suppression to the training bureau, where he served as the department’s training officer until his retirement. Assistant Chief Jeff Hutcheson said Manhart was one of the first people he met when he started his first shift back in 1982, and they quickly

formed a friendship. “I was fortunate enough to be able to work with Manhart at fire department headquarters on ‘C’ shift for the first several years of my career,” Hutcheson said. “Manhart was a great mentor and role model as I began my own fire career, and I looked up to him as we both progressed up through the ranks.” The last several years, Manhart led the training bureau and was responsible for training two-thirds of the current fire department. He was also instrumental in the planning and construction of the new Southwest Iowa Fire Training facility at Fire Station 5. “Manhart will be missed, but I’m sure that he will stay in touch and keep tabs on us as he enjoys a much-deserved retirement,” Hutcheson said.

File photo

Asst. Fire Chief Lynn Manhart, left, is embraced by Fire Chief Alan Byers after receiving his badge incased in glass as a thank you for his years of service to the Council Bluffs Fire Department. Manhart retired March 31.

Judy O’Brien Judy O’Brien, principal at Thomas Jefferson High School for four years, moved on this year, but she didn’t go very far. O’Brien accepted a position as the school district’s new superO’Brien visor of secondary education. “I believe Judy O’Brien

brought the school a long way during her tenure,” Superintendent Martha Bruckner said. “Judy has phenomenal experience,” Bruckner added. “I wanted her to move into the new position.” According to new Thomas Jefferson principal Lisa Dale, O’Brien has been very helpful. “We’ll be able to work together in the future,” Dale said. Thomas Jefferson High School has 1,325 students and is the 25th-largest high school in the state.

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10C Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Final Farewells Wayne Kobberdahl Council Bluffs lost a key ambassador June 30, when Wayne Kobberdahl died at age 73, ending a three-year battle with cancer. “He was the ambassador,” Mayor Tom Hanafan said. “He supported everything and did so many welcoming Kobberdahl events. He was so positive and always had a bright outlook.” “He was a great ambassador for the city,” said Public Health Director Donn Dierks. “He was always so cordial and positive.” “Council Bluffs has lost a great friend,” said Mary Ann Hanusa, who knew Kobberdahl during their efforts to convert the old Carnegie Library into the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. “He was a board member when I was president in 2000 when it was still known as the Friends of the Carnegie Museum. He was a good board member and very enthusiastic about the project. He was a nice person and a hard worker.” “Wayne was a wonderful representative of the city,” said Laurel Ronk, director of the Bluffs Arts Council. “He was one of those people who never knew a stranger. He

was immediately your friend.” Kobberdahl’s achievements and honors include the 2006 Mercy Heritage Award, State of Iowa Governor’s Leadership Award, State of Nebraska Public Service Award, Iowa Ambassadors Award for Community Service, National Homebuilders Award, the Council Bluffs Chanticleer Community Theater President’s Award and many others. He was also a grand marshal for the Council Bluffs Pride Week parade. Kobberdahl was involved with volunteer work at Iowa Western Community College, the Bluffs Arts Council and the Chanticleer Theater. He also did historical portrayals of Captain William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition and Captain Smith of the Titanic. Kobberdahl came to Council Bluffs in 1973 to serve southwest Iowa as a community development specialist for Iowa State University. He retired in 2000, but continued his volunteer activities that also included being a Heartland Host for the Council Bluffs Visitor and Convention Center. He was appointed by governors to serve on the Governor’s Commission of Volunteerism, the Governor’s Task Force for Rural Health and the Iowa State Board of Education. “He was just a prince of a guy,” Ronk said.

Richard Peterson Richard Peterson, the longtime Council Bluffs attorney and community champion, died Oct. 20, at the age of 85. “Council Bluffs lost one of its No. 1 champions. He did everything he could to show his love for the city, and he succeeded,” said Peterson’s friend, Bill Ramsey. Peterson retired from Telpner, Peterson, Smith, Ruesch, Thomas & Simpson law firm in 2005. He had practiced law since 1951 – except for a brief foray as a trust officer at First National Bank in the 1970s – joining his father Henry’s law firm after graduating from the University of Iowa Law School. He moved to Telpner, Peterson, Smith, Ruesch, Thomas & Simpson in the early 1990s. Peterson served as a U.S. Magistrate from 1958 to 1999 and was a past president of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association. In the community, the Council Bluffs native and 1943 Abraham Lincoln High School graduate served as co-chair, with Ramsey, of the Veterans Plaza Memorial in Bayliss Park steering committee, and was active with the American Red Cross, Kiwanis International, the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of

File photo

Richard Peterson, center, passed away Oct. 20 at age 85. Commerce, American Legion, Metropolitan Arts Council, Salvation Army, St. John’s Lutheran Church and Children’s Square. He rose to the rank of Eagle Scout after joining the Boy Scouts at the age of 12 and stayed involved with the organization. “He was completely dedicated to his family, the community and his profession,” Council Bluffs lawyer Chuck Smith said of his former partner. On Oct. 19, Peterson drove himself to Jennie Edmondson Hospital after suffering some chest pain. Doctor’s found that he’d had

an aortic aneurysm. The possibility of surgery was discussed, according to Peterson’s daughter, Kip Sherbondy, but the chances of survival were 10 percent, so Peterson decided against it. At about 4 a.m. Oct. 20, Peterson died in his sleep, “which is a wonderful way to go,” Sherbondy said. “It was a life well lived.” That life included time as an Army infantry rifleman in the European Theater during World War II. Peterson received a Purple Heart after being injured in a firefight. Two themes come up again and again when talking about

Peterson: History and the military. And usually a combination of the two. Along with his work on the memorial, Peterson was also an active member of the American Legion and an avid reader of military history. Peterson wrote a chapter on Council Bluffs’ military history in the book “Silent Hills Speak: A History of Council Bluffs, Iowa, ” co-authored by Ramsey and Betty Dineen Shrier. “He was an excellent, excellent writer,” Ramsey said. He also served as historian for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa from 1999 to the present. “He was a very learned person – a great historian,” Smith said. “He had a wealth of knowledge about the people and the area.” Mayor Tom Hanafan said Peterson was an “interesting guy who had a great love of history. Without a guy like him, the Veterans Plaza wouldn’t have happened. When he was working on the veterans’ memorial, it was almost as if he knew the people whose names were engraved on that wall.” Peterson is survived by his wife of 61 years, Pat, and three children – Kip, Jon and Tim. He had seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

11C

Final Farewells Charlie Hickman

Lee A. Spann

William A. Cutler

Charlie Hickman was “Mr. Missouri Valley.” “Everything that was in the Mo Valley community – there he was. He was a chili judge at events, emceed parades … pretty much he’d do anything you’d ask,” said longtime friend Jeff Snyder. “I’m sure there’s things I don’t even know about that he was involved Hickman in.” Hickman died of a heart attack Nov. 12, unexpectedly passing at the age of 61. “Everybody knew Charlie,” said Kay Hinkel, a Missouri Valley resident and a friend. “He’s going to be sorely missed. It’s heartbreaking.” Hickman was involved in many facets of the Missouri Valley community, serving with the Chamber of Commerce in a variety of roles, including president, past-president, on the board and more. He worked for the Missouri Valley Times-News as sales manager for 15 years and served on a number of city boards as well, including the planning and zoning board. He was a member of the organization that restored the Rialto Theater, a movie hall that was in disrepair. A fan of recreation, Hickman was also a member of Friends of Wilson Island, the nonprofit organization that supports the state park. “He was just a very caring, outgoing guy,” said Snyder. Hickman is survived by his wife, Chris, and their three children: Brian, Kathy and Adam. He had a grandson as well, Brody.

Lee A. Spann died Oct. 16, after a brave struggle with cancer. Spann was a long time music educator in Council Bluffs, teaching vocal music for 32 years at Abraham Lincoln High School and 10 years at St. Albert Junior/Senior High. He also directed church choirs in both Council Bluffs and Omaha for more than 40 years. “He had a love for peoSpann ple – period,” said Carter Leeka, instrumental music instructor at St. Albert, who taught with Spann for almost 10 years. “His passion was life,” said Gary Fiscus, part-time vocal instructor at Iowa Western Community College. “He loved music, he loved life and he loved kids.” Spann’s passion for hunting, fishing and Husker football was well known to friends and family. As a lifelong teacher, Spann touched many lives. He led by example and embodied kindness, generosity, patience, hard work and integrity. He was involved in many community and educational activities including Southwest Iowa Men’s Chorus and Evening Musical. Spann served as president of the Bluffs Arts Council Board, served on the board of directors for The Center, and was president of the Council Bluffs Education Association, Phi Delta Kappa and other organizations. He was honored with the 2007 Heritage Award for Education and an Abraham Lincoln Teacher of the Year Award. He is survived by his wife, Idella; and daughters, Molly Gaines and her husband, Jason, and grandchildren, Ryder and Lola, of Minneapolis; and Carrie Ballas and her husband, Alex, of Boulder, Colo.

“He was a great father, a great mentor and very generous to all of his family and community,” Bill Cutler Jr. said of his late father. William A. Cutler, 86, of Council Bluffs died Nov. 25, of an aortic aneurysm. He had surgery early Nov. 23, but wasn’t able to recover. “It looked like he was strengthening, and then things just deteriorated,” said his daughter, Kate Cutler. His death came as a surprise to the family, she said. “He had had some health problems – vascular – but he seemed very strong,” she said. “He was someone who, at 86, still went to work every day and had a very set routine.” “He worked the day he got sick, which was Monday,” Bill Cutler Jr. said. The Cutler family has been in the funeral business since 1901 and has operated at the current location at 545 Willow Ave. for more than 92 years. William Cutler assumed ownership and management of

Gerald A. Lowrance A man who changed the climate in Council Bluffs died May 22. Gerald A. Lowrance, 91, of Omaha, who opened Council Bluffs’ first two Dairy Queen stores, died of leukemia. Jerry Lowrance was born May 4, 1919, and served in the military during World War II. When he Lowrance and friend Paul Wilkinson returned, they became acquainted with Dairy Queen’s first prototype store in Moline, Ill. In November 1946, they purchased the franchise for Pottawattamie County, said his wife of 68 years, Charlotte.

On May 13, 1947, the partners opened their first Dairy Queen at 1634 W. Broadway. It was just the 10th Dairy Queen in the U.S. and the first in Pottawattamie County. “It was so new, we didn’t know if it was going to be a fad and then fade out,” she said. They later operated stores at 2729 W. Broadway and in the Midlands Mall. They retired in 1986 and sold the franchise. “He thoroughly enjoyed the customers,” she said. “That was the most difficult thing when he got out of the business – the customers and the help.” He was also a good family man, Charlotte said. “He was a great grandfather to his grandchildren,” she said. “Jerry was also very active in church. Between business, church and family, he was so dedicated to all of them.”

H. Michael Cutler The community was shocked after the death of H. Michael Cutler of Council Bluffs and Miami Beach, Fla. Cutler, 58, died of a massive heart attack Feb. 1, in Florida. Although he had experienced heart problems many years ago, his death was sudden. “It was very unexpected and very sudden,” said his father, Bill Cutler, days after his son’s death. “He hadn’t

Jim Andersen The Council Bluffs community lost a transplanted son March 16. Council Bluffs Fire Capt. Jim Andersen, 54, died following a long battle with cancer. Chief Alan Byers said Andersen fought a courageous, strong battle against Andersen the disease. “I was lucky to have Jim as a firefighter on my truck early in our careers,” Byers said. “He was a very dedicated guy.” Byers said Andersen followed in his father’s footsteps. The elder Andersen was a firefighter in Omaha. “He loved the department and respected it, but his family was first,” Byers said. “I think he and his family had a lot of pride that he followed in his father’s footsteps.” Andersen was born in Omaha. Byers said while Andersen was an Omaha native, once he joined the Council Bluffs Fire Department, he truly joined the community. “Jim was one of the great

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Cutler Funeral Home in 1957. The O’Neill family became part of the business in 2001, and the funeral home later purchased Meyer-Woodring Funeral Home. Until his death, he served as a board member of the funeral home and of Walnut Hill Cemeteries, which the family acquired in 1994. He prepared son William A. Cutler Bill Cutler Jr. to follow in his footsteps. “I started working at the mortuary in fourth grade,” Bill Cutler Jr. said. “Growing up, I would spend a lot of time at the mortuary, because that’s where he always was. “He was very precise about the business and precise about the funerals and precise about the fact we treated everybody with respect. The service we provided with funerals was No. 1 priority.

He cared about people. And, of course, we always see people at the lowest time, so they need somebody who cares about them.” Bill Cutler Jr. became a funeral director in the business after graduating from mortuary school in 1969. His son, Bill Cutler IV, has become the fifth generation of the family to join the business. Cutler had a history of community service, Kate Cutler said. “I think Dad was probably among the best of the generation who really believed in taking care of their community,” she said. “What we saw was, he really gave generously to the community in a lot of ways. I think that tradition of service is something that was probably expected of his generation. To him, the community was an extension of his family.” “He loved Council Bluffs, and he was born and raised there,” finishing his days in the same house where he was born, Bill Cutler Jr. said. “He

lived there his whole life; and in his younger years, he was active in many organizations. “Even though we expanded to other locations, his heart was in Council Bluffs, and he stayed there.” An Army Air Corps veteran, William Cutler flew 54 missions as a P-38 fighter pilot during World War II. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 2; a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; member of 40 & 8; member of Rotary since 1957; past president of the YMCA; member for 11 years and two-time president of the Council Bluffs School Board; recipient of the Mercy Heritage Award in 2002; former board member of the Christian Home Association and American Red Cross; member of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association; member of Bluffs City Lodge No. 71 AF & AM; board member of The Salvation Army; trustee of First Congregational Church in Council Bluffs. In 2005, he was honorary co-chairman of the Bayliss Park Fund Drive.

been sick at all. He had had five bypasses 25 years ago but completely recovered from those.” Bill described his son as “very outgoing” and said he “loved to golf ” H. Michael Cutler play and did a lot of exercising. “His family was most

important to him, and especially his daughter, Darlene,” he said. Michael Cutler was born and raised in Council Bluffs and was a graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School, the University of Iowa and the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science. He was a fourth-generation funeral director and was part of Cutler-O’Neill-MeyerWoodring Funeral Home until about 10 years ago, when he went into real estate invest-

ment. He split time between Council Bluffs and Miami Beach and also traveled to Chicago and Kansas City on business. He was preceded in death by his mother, Darlene Cutler. He is survived by his daughter, Darlene; stepmother Betty Cutler; sisters Kate Cutler and husband, Boyd Littrell, and Beth Lawler and husband, Webster; brother Bill Cutler and wife, Susan; and other relatives.

guys in our community, he truly became from Council Bluffs,” he said. “Although we could never get him to become a Hawkeye fan.” Andersen, a 28-year veteran

of the fire department, spent the last several years in the inspection bureau where Byers said he had taken over the public education mission. “He was wonderful at it and

loved going out and teaching,” Byers said. Andersen is survived by his wife, Lori; daughter, Erin; and son, Matthew, all of Council Bluffs.

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The Daily Nonpareil

YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

2010 started off with a ‘winter for the ages’ MEGAN PARROTT Staff Writer megan.parrott@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5742

As of Jan. 29, Iowa’s request for federal disaster aid totaled $26 million in preliminary damages caused by winter weather, dwarfing Nebraska’s initial estimate of $8 million. Harry Hillake, state climatologist, said Iowa had been hit with five significant winter storms so far – Dec. 7-9, Christmas, Jan. 6-8, Jan. 19-20 and Jan. 25. The winter storms graced Council Bluffs with an onslaught of bad weather, culminating in 36 inches of snowfall through the first week of the new year. The 2009-10 winter, Council Bluffs Public Works Director Greg Reeder said, topped anything he’s seen – literally. “I never experienced this much snow on the ground at one time,” he said Jan. 5 as yet another winter storm blew in. And, the more it snowed, the more it’s cost the city in related expenses, plus more potholes popped up, according to Reeder. Snow removal outranked potholes as the city’s top priority. Reeder called it a winter for the ages. “[Residents] have to realize that this may be as bad as they may see in their lifetime.” In response to the winter conditions, the city tried out a new way to help plows move better through residential areas. The Public Works office asked residents to park vehicles on the side of the street with houses having even-numbered addressed on even-numbered days. Through Jan. 8, the winter storm kept Council Bluffs Schools closed six days and Lewis Central Schools closed seven days. Summer vacations were delayed accordingly. St. Albert Catholic Schools built in a number of bad weather days

File photo

Fairmount Lodge and the landscape was covered in ice following one January storm. in April, but used them all and also readjusted the last day of school accordingly. The area’s weather conditions caused numerous accounts of minor wrecks and traffic congestion, including a fatal wreck Jan. 25. Linda Baylis, 61, of Exira, died after her vehicle rolled over several times after leaving Interstate

80. Reports stated the wreck was caused by weather conditions, with the interstate completely covered with snow and ice. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said the snow created problems for Iowa farmers as well, including a risk of flooding if the state did not see a slow warm up. Snow made it difficult for many farmers to get into town. Pottawattamie County Supervisor and Macedonia farmer Melvyn Houser said snow and gravel roads do not mix well, especially as temperatures increased. Fluctuations in weather patterns also affected the stability of fields and created problems for livestock, such as making it difficult to get beef to market. To escape bitter temperatures, teenagers gathered at the newest edition to the Council Bluffs Public Library – Teen Central. Teen Central is a room that library Director Barb Peterson, teen librarian Anna Hartmann and the 11 members of the library’s teen advisory board planned and worked on for a long time. The room was unveiled on Jan. 30. The 1,500 square-foot center was designed by Leo A. Daly

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On Jan. 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook Port-auPrince, Haiti, toppling buildings and destroying most of the country’s infrastructure. The Haitian government estimated 230,000 people were killed, more than 300,000 injured, and more than 1 million people left homeless. Humanitarian aid began flowing into the country within hours of the quake, however it was not enough to prevent rioting in the economically ravaged nation. Architects “with input by teens,” said Peterson. The Council Bluffs Library Foundation, Iowa West Foundation and the city funded the project to the tune of about $350,000. The name “Teen Central” was coined by Katelyn Schwindt, a Kirn Junior High

School student. On Jan. 18, New York artist Albert Paley visited Council Bluffs and discussed his thenforthcoming installation on the South 24th Street bridge above Interstate 80. “It will have an incredible visual presence,” Paley said of

his sculptures. “You will not see it anywhere else.” Paley, who designed and assembled the massive sculptures in New York, read up on the history of Council Bluffs and the area as preparation for the design. When he visited the site, he was struck by the landscape, flat land and magnitude of the sky. January also saw the displacement of about 480 workers from the Tyson Food operation in Council Bluffs. Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanfan called the announcement a “a big loss to the local economy.” Makala Prudhome, 8, died after a recreational vehicle caught fire in the parking lot of A-Z Repair and Storage at 3600 Richland Drive. Fire Chief Alan Byers said there was nothing that anyone could have done.

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2D Wednesday, December 22, 2010

YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

School district stays in the news in February DENNIS FRIEND Staff Writer dennis.friend@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5746

About 150 alumni, parents, current and former teachers and local citizens gathered at the Mid-America Center to celebrate the Council Bluffs Community School District’s 150th anniversary. They looked at old photos and memorabilia, remembered their school days, talked to old friends and cheered on current students who performed at the Celebration of the Decades, as the party was called. “Everybody seems to be enjoying reconnecting,” said Diane Ostrowski, the district’s supervisor of community services and organizer of the event. The oldest alumnus at the gathering was Franklin Hemmingsen, a 1932 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School. “I lived out north of Crescent, and I drove to town every day – and a carload of kids went with me,” Hemmingsen said. The Council Bluffs Municipal Airport opened a $1 million terminal as part of its ongoing expansion. Lisa LaManita, president of Advanced Air, which oversees daily operations at the city-owned facility, said the airport should make a good

first impression on visitors. “This reflects well for the airport and the community,” she said. The 7,000-square-foot, twostory terminal includes a long receptionist desk, a pilot’s lounge, a vending machine room, several meeting rooms on the first level, rooms where college students come for flight courses and an area that will accommodate up to 80 people for larger meetings or press conferences. The terminal is one of a number of improvements in an expansion plan that dates back more than a decade with financial help from the federal government. The centerpiece of the expansion was the construction several years ago of a 5,500foot-long runway geared to larger corporate jets. Council Bluffs special education teacher Donna M. Thomas surrendered to authorities Feb. 24 on charges that she had assaulted an autistic Thomas Jefferson High School student. Charges against the 53-year-old teacher included two counts of child endangerment, two counts of serious assault, two counts of child endangerment with injury, and neglect or abandonment of a dependent person. Court documents allege all of

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD February was a month for sports fans. On Feb. 7, the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLIV, the team’s first ever Super Bowl. Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees was named Super Bowl MVP. The Vancouver Winter Olympics were Feb. 12-28. The United States led all countries in medals with 37. Golf legend Tiger Woods ended months of silence to address speculation of several extra-marital affairs on Feb. 19.

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Melissa Head, who attended Glendale Elementary, and Scott Logan, who attended Madison Elementary, reminisce about their elementary school days as they look at a picture of Madison Elementary. the incidents occurred between Aug. 12 and Nov. 11 2009. She was placed on paid leave. According to court documents, the student’s father called police after hearing from

a witness that Thomas had allegedly assaulted his son. Thomas, an educator with 21 years experience who taught in the Whiting School District before the Council Bluffs school

district hired her, denied the allegations. Eventually, a judge acquitted Thomas of all charges but the school district voted to terminate her contract. Explosive charges took down the 74-year-old, two-lane Veterans Memorial Bridge, better known as the South Omaha Bridge, on Feb. 24. The implosion cleared the way for continued work on a four-lane bridge just to the north. The implosion at 11:30 a.m. took out on “the major portion (of the bridge) that went over the river. The section that they wanted to drop into the river did just that,” said Carl Burns, a spokesman for the Nebraska Department of Roads. The Council Bluffs school board voted Feb. 23 to close

both Gunn and Washington elementary schools at the end of the 2010-11 school year. School Board members also voted to change district attendance boundaries, the effect of which leaves those school buildings without students. The process had started at the Feb. 9 School Board meeting, but was delayed for two weeks when several Washington school parents complained they only recently learned about the plans. The district has been wrestling with a dwindling student population, which now stands at about 9,000 students, and a budget that fell $4.5 million short of expectations after across-the-board state budget cuts.

March a month marked by growth, winter fallout TIM JOHNSON

street supervisor. “We did more on snow removal this year than two or three winters combined,” said Reeder. The total cost to clean up this past winter’s mess was $1.4 million, according to Miller’s figures. By comparison, the 2008-09 winter carried a total price tag of $589,000, while the 2007-08 winter’s figure was $585,000. According to the National

Staff Writer tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5750

March 2010 was marked by progress, fallout from the harsh winter and a mixture of other news. Construction of two new elementary schools – one at Valley View Drive and College Road and one next to the current Carter Lake Elementary – and the closure of Pusey Elementary School were approved by the Council Bluffs School Board on March 30. The new buildings are to be completed by July 2011, after which the current Carter Lake facility will be torn down. There’s a new way to get fit, since Council Bluffs Jazzercise opened March 22 at 28 Pearl St. The list of new restaurants in Council Bluffs keeps growing. Case in point, there’s the newly opened China Wok Chinese restaurant at 2412 W. Broadway, once the home of Kentucky Fried Chicken. “It took three months to redo the kitchen; and we put on a new roof, new paint on the outside, new ceiling, a lot of updates,” said owner Randy Gao. The Council Bluffs Public Works Department is pursuing construction of a new, $9 million facility to house several maintenance areas. The 46,673-square-foot building would be located at 1001 10th Ave., where the department built a fleet maintenance facility last year, said Greg Reeder, director of Public Works. Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy is looking to add an additional by-product to their ethanol production plant. Karen Kroymann, SIRE controller, told the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors March 3 that the company is looking at an expansion project to extract corn oil from the dry distillers grains that are a by-product of the ethanol process. The board voted to sponsor SIRE in a grant/loan application through the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Kroymann said the project is expected to cost $3.3 million. The Pottawattamie County Conservation Board observed its 50th anniversary this year – celebrating its past while at the same time focusing on the future of land conservation. “We need to be aware of what resources we have, how to use and maintain them and how we can be sure to leave the resources for future generations to enjoy,” said Mark Shoemaker, executive director of the board since 1998.

Weather Service in Valley, Neb., the Omaha and Council Bluffs area received 46.8 inches as of March 1, the fourth-highest amount during a winter season based on records that go back to 1890. A normal winter sees about 21 inches. In a highly visible case dating from 2009, an arbitrator upheld the termination of an Omaha fire captain and former Council Bluffs city coun-

cilman, calling his defense an “incredible fantasy story.” Darren Bates will not be allowed to return to his $82,467-a-year job, the Omaha City Attorney’s Office confirmed March 24. Bates appeared at an arbitration hearing Oct. 28-30 to contest his March 23, 2009, termination. He was cited in a sex sting at a Council Bluffs motel on Feb. 3, 2009, and acquitted in May.

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Melting snow from a snowy winter caused the worst flooding since 1993 at Wilson Island State Park. Ranger Chris Anunson was forced to close the park the morning of March 19 after the water rose dramatically the night before. It remained closed for most of the season. The board’s goals include providing environmental education, conservation of unique areas and outdoor recreation for the people of Pottawattamie County. In one of many consequences of the harsh winter, a portion of the Bluffs Northway shopping center where the roof collapsed as a result of the Christmas 2009 snowstorm was demolished. Dan Woellhof, the city’s former chief building inspector, said he issued the demolition permit on March 17. He said inspection by several structural engineers found it beyond hope for repair. The roof collapse occurred on the center’s northern section that housed a Dollar General store, a karate learning business, Just Nails and Weight Watchers, along with a couple of unoccupied units. Firefighters were called to the scene in the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 2009, and Woellhof arrived around 2:30 a.m. to inspect the damage. “My belief is it was caused by snow drifting,” he said at the time. A second major disaster declaration was given March 2 for Pottawattamie County and other Iowa counties from President Barack Obama. This one covers a snow and ice storm that hit the state Jan. 19-26. “It’s good news,” said Doug Reed, an official with the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management office. “At least some expenses can be reimbursed. Any little bit helps.” Besides Pottawattamie County, Harrison, Shelby, Cass and Crawford are other counties in the immediate southwest Iowa area to receive disaster declarations. Melting snow from a snowy winter caused the worst flooding since 1993 at Wilson Island State Park. Ranger Chris Anunson was forced to close the park the

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On March 23, after months of debate, President Barack Obama signed into law one of the most sweeping pieces of social legislation ever passed by Congress. It ensured medical coverage for almost all Americans. However, much of the bill will not go into effect until 2014. On March 30, the world’s largest atom smasher collided two protons at a speed three times faster than ever before. The experiment was designed to simulate the Big Bang Model, and help explain the origin of the building blocks of the universe.

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April starts with major traffic rerouting TIM ROHWER Staff Writer timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5752

A long-awaited project that impacts thousands of commuters daily began in April. On April 2, Broadway motorists saw their daily routes changed as construction began on a new Broadway Viaduct. Eastbound motorists were diverted to the two lanes on the north side to allow the project to begin on the south side lanes. Westbound motorists began to be detoured on North Eighth Street to Avenue G and west to North 16th Street and back to Broadway, a daily route covering the entire project schedule. The new viaduct should be totally redone in the spring of 2012, state roads officials have said. The following day, April 3, more than 100 people marked Iowa’s first anniversary of allowing same-sex marriage with a ceremony along the Missouri River by the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. As part of the event, Nebraskans met Iowans in the middle of the bridge where the boundaries of the two states meet. Nebraska doesn’t have a law allowing such marriages. Golfers received a treat that month with the re-opening of the Westwood course near Harrah’s Casino & Hotel. Mayor Tom Hanafan was among those who made the official announcement on April 16. The old clubhouse was renovated and improvements on the greens included new tee signs and yardage markers. Also on that day, city officials announced that $1.7 million was received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be used in various ways. A portion of that went to help the homeless. “It’s timely, we need it bad,” said the Rev. Harry Wallar of a $38,000 check to help his New Visions operations. Karl Hertz, a well-known funeral home director and Malvern activist, died on April 16. “He was a thoughtful, considerate man who put other people’s needs ahead of his own,” his son, K.C. Hertz said. Local officials reacted with generosity to the Haiti earthquake disaster. The Iowa West Foundation on April 20 awarded the American Red Cross-Loess Hills Chapter a $25,000 grant to help relief efforts for the victims of that devastating event. “We’re providing mental health services, health services, shelter and food,” said Jill Orton, local chapter director. “It’s pretty neat that we can do this within our organization.” Abbie Heiser, a first-grader at E.A. Kreft School, was named handwriting champion for the state of Iowa during April. A Council Bluffs birthday party in mid-April received a surprise guest when a four-foot long bull snake joined the fun. Some of the guests, however, thought it was a poisonous rattlesnake. When police arrived, the uninvited non-poisonous guest was already corralled

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Above, on April 2, Broadway motorists saw their daily routes changed as construction began on a new Broadway Viaduct. At right, activists marked the first anniversary of Iowa allowing same-sex marriage on April 3. Michael Gordon of Omaha, left, executive director of Citizens for Equal Protection pulls Mike Yowell of the Council Bluffs Community Alliance across the state line as a symbolic gesture of bringing equal rights to Nebraska. Below, Kreft Elementary first grader Abbie Heiser looks over her handwriting journal with her teacher, Kathy Pregon.

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD and the party continued. At its April 26 meeting, the Council Bluffs City Council gave the go-ahead for bars in the 100 block of West Broadway to serve drinks outdoors under certain restrictions. It obviously brought some cheer to bar workers and patrons there. “It will be a great asset to the block,” said Machaela Morrissey, manager of Barley’s at 114 W. Broadway. “It will make the block look like Omaha’s Old Market. It will be a draw for people and people are excited about it.” Councilman Matt Walsh said, “With the improvements in the 100 block, we wanted to mirror the Old Market in the success they’ve had.” During that same meeting, the City Council approved the construction of a new animal shelter to be run by the Midlands Humane Society. A major Council Bluffs proj-

ect moved one step closer to reality in late April when Minnesota-based Stahl Construction was awarded the contract to build the city’s $8.5 million Public Works Operations Center at South Eighth Street and 10th Avenue. When completed, the center will house various Public Works departments under one roof for more efficiency, according to Director Greg Reeder. Longtime community activist Robert Knox was honored in April by Rotary International District 5650 with the Cadwallander Award. The award, named after Lincoln, Neb., native Charles Cadwallader, is presented annually to an individual who makes outstanding contributions to community service. Another eating option in Council Bluffs opened in April. With the Cee Bee Ambassadors applauding, Dan and Brad Lindgren opened Dan’s Pizza

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Disasters grabbed the headlines this month. On April 5, an underground explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine at Montcoal in Raleigh County, W.V., left 29 people dead. It was the worst coal mining disaster in the U.S. since 1970. On April 20, The Deepwater Horizon, an offshore floating oil rig exploded, killing 11 workers and forcing other workers onto life boats. The explosion set off a three-month oil leak that reached American shores in Louisiana, Missisippi, Alabama and Florida. The leak was not stopped until July 15.

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May marked by shootout, plane crash MIKE BROWNLEE Staff Writer mike.brownlee@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5732

A shootout, bank robbery, plane crash, community garden and more mark the events of May. A long dormant patch of land was transformed into a community gathering spot and source of fresh food. The Creek Top Community Gardens, located north of the Broadway viaduct, had about 40 plots this year, according to Sandy Hull, director of Keep Council Bluffs Beautiful, with expansion to 90 plots in the future. The gardens are part of a long-range plan to create a mid-city corridor of expansive green space, parks and bike trails, said Mayor Tom Hanafan. “It took cooperation of a lot of people,” he said. “This is truly a community garden, and it’s just the beginning.” A landscape plan was designed with input from gardeners that incorporates the community garden with surrounding green space. Council Bluffs resident and Iowa State Trooper Mike Hoy helped negotiate the surrender of a Clarinda Academy runaway who tried to kill an Adams County homeowner and a law enforcement official. Early in the day May 17, Daniel Beardsley, 16, was in a Ford pickup truck with Academy staff member Rex Galloway and another student, returning from Villisca, where they had just picked up some plants for a horticulture class. At some point, Beardsley is alleged to have assaulted Galloway and the other student before taking off in the stolen Ford pickup truck. After stealing the pickup truck, Beardsley drove to Brooks in Adams County and entered the home of Matthew J. Herring, who arrived home shortly before 5 p.m. Upon Herring entering the residence, Beardsley is alleged to have fired a weapon, striking Herring in his right arm and right abdomen. The homeowner was able to escape to a neighbor’s home, from which a 91-1 call was made at 4:59 p.m. Adams County sheriff’s deputy Jason Swanson was the first to respond to the scene, and was fired upon – allegedly by Beardsley – and both he and his patrol car were hit.

WHNS

Above, Richard Watkins (left) and Mack McCain set down a small plane engine next to the plane it came from. The plane crashed on take-off in a farm field next to the Missouri Valley Airport on May 14. At right, volunteers work on the community garden that took form in May. Beardsley continued to fire shots at law enforcement officers during the standoff, but no one else was injured. With a tactical team standing by, Hoy spoke with Beardsley, eventually negotiating his surrender. Beardsley was charged with two counts of attempted murder. People’s National Bank, 333 W. Broadway, was robbed by Dana Miller, 55, of Council Bluffs. Miller entered Peoples National Bank at 333 W. Broadway at about 3:30 p.m. on May 27 and slid a threatening note to a bank teller demanding money. The teller took the money out of the top drawer and handed it to the suspect, who then pointed to indicate he wanted the money below. The teller gave him the money. He thanked her and left with an undetermined amount of money, the teller said. The bag contained a tear gas dye pack that is designed to aid in detection. The Council Bluffs Education Association, which represents about 700 teachers in the school district, voted 260-1 to accept a 2.6 percent total package increase for the 2010-11 school year. The Council Bluffs school board

approved the collective bargaining agreement on May 25. That would mean annual rates of pay would range from a low of $36,828 to a high of $68,225, depending on the teacher’s experience and education levels. The CBEA had asked for a 6 percent increase in wages at the start of negotiations. The settlement with the teachers’ union will cost the district an additional $1.4 million next year, thenexecutive director of business services for the district Greg Rodgers said at the time. The school district had faced the prospect of laying off as many as 93 employees after Gov. Chet Culver announced budget cuts in October that eliminated more than $4.5 million in revenue from the Council Bluffs school budget. The Council Bluffs school board voted in April to raise the property tax levy from $16.80 to $18.59 for each $1,000 of a home’s taxable valuation. The size of the tax increase was meant to eliminate the prospect of layoffs, and there will be 33 fewer employees for the next school year through attrition and voluntary separation. However, the agreement with the CBEA is “problematic” in some

ways. “We may decide carefully if we will fill positions or leave them vacant,” Superintendent Martha Bruckner said. The district’s annual budget of about $97 million is used to educate 9,300 students, pay 1,220 employees and maintain 20 buildings. Salaries and benefits comprise 80 percent of the budget and are locked in by union contracts. Revenues could amount to $90 million this year, with the rest coming from cash reserves. The pilot of a small, home-built airplane was able to walk away from the wreckage when his single-seat, single-engine aircraft crashed into a muddy Missouri Valley farm field on May 14. Charles McMahan, of Ft Calhoun, Neb., was transported to the hospital after the crash with minor injuries. “He was in the air when the plane got slow. He was making a turn when the plane kind of quit flying and down he came,” witness Mack McCain said. Lastly, traveling salesmen need not lug that huge pile of merchandise up to certain houses. After consistent complaints about door-to-door salespeople, in late May the Council Bluffs City Council approved an ordinance that would

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD May started out with a scare. On May 1, an attempted bomb plot shut down New York’s Times Square. Security cameras showed a man walking away from a smoking SUV. The SUV was found to have explosive materials, but never detonated. Two days later the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the arrest of Faisal Shahzad while reportedly attempting to board a plane to Pakistan. Shahzad was sentenced on Oct. 5 to life in prison without parole. Betty White lightened the nation’s mood this month. On May 9, after weeks of Internet buzz, America’s “Golden Girl” became the oldest host of “Saturday Night Live” at the age of 88. The appearance even earned her a 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series. make it illegal for such salespeople to pursue a sale if the residence has a posted sign saying solicitors are not welcome.

June filled with storms and big unveilings CHAD NATION News Editor cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

Rain and more rain hit the area in June. The Missouri and Nishnabotna rivers pushed flood stages for most of the month as storm after storm pounded the area. “How many times can I say it this week: We dodged another bullet,” Pottawattamie County Emergency Management coordinator Jeff Theulen said on June 23. “Every night, I thought, this is going to be the big one, and it wasn’t.” The uncertainty of the Missouri River caused some area residents to go without power. MidAmerican Energy cut power to residents of the Goosehaven neighborhood, located west of Crescent along the river, and Gifford Road, west of Lake Manawa, because of concerns for potential flooding. But the “big one” never came. However, stores in the Sherwood Plaza were evacuated June 10, after the morning rain caused a gas leak. Council Bluffs Fire Chief Alan Byers said a gas line was ruptured after rain washed out ground and a portion of an alleyway behind Bomgaar’s at 2703 E. Kanesville Blvd. Byers estimated that 30-foot by 70foot piece of earth shifted behind Bomgaar’s shortly after 11 a.m. The shifting ground snapped a gas line. While the rain seemed nonstop, it didn’t hamper the completion of two projects in Council Bluffs. The new $13 million student center and cyber-library on the Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs campus was unveiled June 10. IWCC President Dan Kinney described the two-story, 71,000square-foot facility as “a state-of-theart learning environment” as well as the largest building project on the campus to date. The facility includes 112 personal computers, Netbooks, Netbook Tablets and wireless Internet capabilities throughout the entire building. All textbooks and information is online. Students use a “reader” similar to a Palm Pilot to download books

The new $13 million student center and cyber-library on the Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs campus opened June 10.

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Members of the Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Camp Adventure, as well as other guests, explore the new scenic bridge across the northern section of Big Lake Park revealing many varieties of plant and wild life. The renovated park was unveiled June 15. from a disc. The disc costs less than a book and saves the student money. The new student center also houses the cyber library and cafe, an expanded bookstore and culinary arts lab. The new food service and dining area seats more than 400 students, or twice the seating capacity of the old facility in Ashley Hall. The renovated Big Lake Park was unveiled on June 15. “This is a wonderful day in Council Bluffs,” Mayor Tom Hanafan said. “This is an old park that needed revitalization.” The three-lake park, located on the northern edge of the city between Eighth and 16th streets, received a $1.2 million makeover that offers a heightened quality of life to retain and attract new residents to the city, said Bob Mundt, president of the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce. “This is the type of thing we need to continue to do,” he said. The renovation included the installation of a rock wall around a large portion of the west lake to guard against erosion, with aquatic plants

shoring up other portions of the banks to encourage more breeding of wildlife, including frogs and tadpoles. A new sidewalk circles the lake and the covered picnic area was rebuilt. “There was a shelter here, but it was in bad shape,” said Council Bluffs Parks Director Larry Foster. “The ceiling is new and the posts are new and the tables were resanded and repainted.” An elevated boardwalk was created to provide a better view of the big lake to the north, along with more parking. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has begun stocking the lake with trout, bluegill, bass and catfish. “It’s important to have fishing close to home,” said Iowa Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist Bryan Hayes. “Kids are exposed to their first fishing experience in places like this.” The funds for the project came from a partnership that included local government, along with a $400,000 state grant and a $200,000 grant from the Iowa West Foundation. “This project would not be possible without partnerships,” Foster said.

Sadly, Council Bluffs also lost a native daughter in June. Authorities identified three people found dead in a farmhouse in Calhoun County, including a 2009 graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. Paige Gallo, 19, was one of the people found dead. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office identified the other two people as Heather Campbell, 20, of Urbandale, and Luke Schleisman, 20, of Lake City. According to Calhoun County Sheriff William Davis, the Calhoun County Communications Center received a phone call on June 11 from Vicki Campbell, mother of Heather Campbell. Vicki Campbell reported to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office that she received a voice message from Heather Campbell’s cell phone. The voice message recorded a verbal altercation followed by gunshots.

Officers responding to the call located the residence at 1631 400th St., in rural Calhoun County, found the three bodies. Autopsies were conducted on all three bodies on June 12. The results of the autopsies and an investigation revealed Gallo and Campbell were the victims of homicide and died from shotgun wounds. Schleisman died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound. Campbell’s parents said she met Gallo on June 7, the first day of class at Des Moines Area Community College where both she and Gallo were nursing students. The girls planned to study together Thursday night for their clinical exams on Friday. At Abraham Lincoln High School, Gallo was part of the swim team and an ROTC student who aspired to be a nurse and who wanted to enter the Army National Guard.

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD Now back to sports. The World Cup started June 11 in South Africa. It was the first time the World Cup opened on African soil. The U.S. Men’s Team advanced to the knockout round. Spain defeated The Netherlands in the World Cup Final 1-0. The biggest headline grabber of the tournament? The monotonous sound of the vuvuzelas. A little sports side note for this month: The longest tennis match in history started on June 24. American John Isner defeated Frances Nicholas Mahut 70-68 in an 11 hour, and five minute tennis match, which spanned three days. Both players received an U.S. Men’s Soccer Team award for their efforts.

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Grant Wood segments unveiled in July MEGAN PARROTT Staff Writer megan.parrott@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5742

Eddie Haworth jump started the month of July with a big party at Super Saver’s café. The regular visits the grocery store’s café most mornings to drink coffee and share stories with a group known as “The Breakfast Club.” But on July 1, the café was a little more crowded, as family and friends had gathered to celebrate Haworth’s 105th birthday. The month saw other milestones, including a $10,000 gift from the H.H. “Red” and Ruth H. Nelson Foundation to the Boy Scouts of America to fund an after-school program. Started in August, the grant has provided programming for nearly 300 youth at the Boys & Girls Club and Children’s Square in Council Bluffs. The Bluffs Arts Council unveiled the beginning of its project to restore sections of Grant Wood’s famous Corn Room mural that once decorated the walls of a meeting room at the Chieftain Hotel in Council Bluffs. Three of the 11 segments obtained by the Bluffs Arts Council to date were displayed to the public for the first time on July 22 on the lobby wall of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse. Phyllis Otto donated the segments to the Bluffs Arts Council in the spring of 2008, initiating the quest to collect and conserve as many segments as possible. The pieces have been conserved at the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center in Omaha by Kenneth Be’, head of paintings conservation. Thomas Jefferson High School saw a significant change in July. New principal Lisa Dale hit the ground running, visiting with teachers and administrators, and attending a twoday education seminar with Superintendent Martha Bruckner. Dale replaced Judy O’Brien, who held the position for four years. O’Brien is the school district’s new supervisor of secondary education. Dale brought 33 years of educational experience to the new position at Thomas Jefferson. She has a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in educational administration and supervi-

File photos

At left, Sarah Pogge was crowned the 2010 Westfair queen in July. Eddie Haworth, right, greets family and friends at his 105th birthday celebration at Super Saver’s café on July 1.

The Bluffs Arts Council unveiled the beginning of its project to restore sections of Grant Wood’s famous Corn Room mural on July 22. Three of the 11 segments obtained by the Bluffs Arts Council were displayed to the public on the lobby wall of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse. sion from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Dale said she supports the Council Bluffs school district’s push to boost graduation rates and lower dropout rates. “I’m a big advocate of high expectations,” she said. “Many of us have not held ourselves and our students to high expectations, but you get what you ask for. If you don’t ask for much, you don’t get much.” Jim Dermody took over the helm at Lewis Central Middle School when

former principal Sean Dunphy left for another position. Dermody’s resume includes teaching at Stuart and Tri-Center schools, coaching and teaching at Thomas Jefferson High School and Wilson Junior High School, and serving as principal at Fremont-Mills School and assistant principal at Lewis Central. Dermody “has a lot of talent, vision and experience, and he has had fairly diverse experience,” Lewis Central school improvement specialist Dave Black said.

July’s weather conditions, including heat and humidity, didn’t stop folks from heading out to Westfair at the end of July to take part in annual activities of the county fair. Rick Killion, treasurer of the Westfair board of directors, attributed a spike in attendance to the economy. “People may be staying closer to home and taking in more local venues,” he said. This year’s fair featured a traditional 4-H competition, carnival rides, shows and vendors. Sarah Pogge, a St. Albert graduate, was named the 2010 Westfair queen. Rounding our the Westfair court were Anna Jo Cowan, Miss Leadership and first runner-up; Kari Ticer, second runner-up; and Carrie Hermsen, Miss Congeniality. Four inmates were charged with murder in the death of a former Council Bluffs man serving a 50-year prison sentence at the Clarinda Correctional Facility. Alfred Eugene Myre, 44, was found dead by a correctional employee in the yard area of the facility on June 14. Jeremy J. McIntosh, 27, Martin E. Dahlke, 29, Rolland W. Jacobsen, 31, and Richard J. Martin, 34, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder. The four men were serving various sentences for non-violent crimes. A state report released in July said homelessness is rising in Iowa and is being noticed at the local level. The Rev. Harry Wallar, who oversees

a men’s shelter on North 15th Street, has had to install 22 more beds to meet the growing demand, but unfortunately, has not seen a growth in donations.

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On July 21, President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The measure was the most sweeping financial reform in the U.S. since the 1930s, and promised Americans would no longer have to pay for Wall Street mistakes. On July 25, the website Wikileaks released thousands of classified military intelligence documents. The documents revealed startling information on what the Assange U.S. knew about the Taliban, Iran and Pakistan’s involvement in the insurgency, and the amount of civilian casualties. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange would not reveal the source of the leaked documents.

August was a month of kittens and art DENNIS FRIEND Staff Writer dennis.friend@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5746

Six five-month-old kittens discovered Aug. 2 in a plastic container amid some garbage cans near Harrison and Hall streets arrived at the Council Bluffs Animal Shelter. The container had acted like an oven and the kittens were “overheated” but otherwise OK, Galen Barrett, chief animal control officer for the city of Council Bluffs, said. “They’ve been handled and taken care of,” shelter volunteer Sandy Riddle said. Riddle thought the four males and two females may have been someone’s pets, and all the cats eventually found new homes. Such animal abandonment is a misdemeanor under the Council Bluffs city code, Barrett said. A Council Bluffs teenaged was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to two armed robberies on Aug. 30. Miguel Villarreal was 16 when he pleaded guilty in August to two counts of assault while displaying a deadly weapon, going armed with intent, extortion, burglary and theft. Villarreal was arrested in April after two men reported they had been held up at gunpoint. The victims said Villarreal and two other teenagers robbed them early April 14, and one said he was shot at after the holdup attempt. “If you are old enough to point a gun at someone and demand money, not once but twice, I think you are old enough to go to prison,” chief deputy Pottawattamie County Attorney Jon Jacobmeier said. The artist who created the “Odyssey” sculptures at the 24th Street bridge and Interstate 80 came to Council Bluffs Aug. 26 to explain his work to 20 Council Bluffs high school students. The four pieces “are not static, they talk of motion, they talk of bringing different elements together,” Albert Paley told the students from Kanesville Alternative Center and Abraham Lincoln High School. Kanesville art teacher Heather Mauer said she and the students wanted to meet Paley. His art work “is a hot topic around town. The buzz is in

File photos

Above, kittens discovered in a plastic container amid some garbage cans set off a search for the person responsible. At right, crews began installing the base of the first of four statues of Albert Paley’s “Odyssey” on the South 24th Street Bridge in August. The project was expected to be complete by the end of August.

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On Aug. 7, Elena Kagan, a 50-year-old woman from New York City, became the fourth-ever female Supreme Court Justice, taking the position left by John Paul Stevens. On Aug. 13, Wight County Egg of Galt conducted a nationwide voluntary recall of eggs that it had shipped after sickening several hundred people with symptoms of salmonella. The eggs were sold in 22 states under several different brand names. On a lighter note, a flight attendant made headlines in August with a spectacular way to quit his job. On Aug. 9, witnesses say after landing in New York City, JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater got on the public address system, claimed he had just been called an obscenity by a passenger, grabbed two beers, and deployed the emergency shoot. In October, Slater avoided jail time by coming to a plea deal. the paper and on TV, we’ve been talking about it in art class. The kids felt strongly about coming out here. It’s amazing to meet the artist behind the

art.” The metal sculptures went up in August as part of an Iowa West Foundation public art project and they sit

at each corner of the bridge. The boat ramp at Narrows River County Park on the Missouri River reopened Aug. 24. The ramp had been closed by high water since May 28, The river’s level normally runs between 19 and 20 feet in mid- to late August. However, levels were at 23 feet when the ramp reopened. The ramp had been closed for most of the summer because the Missouri River had remained mostly at 27 to 28 feet. Council Bluffs area schools joined officials from Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County to announce what amounted to a year-long crackdown on truancy. Council Bluffs Community School District Superintendent Martha Bruckner said she organized the effort to promote the importance of attending school every day and hoped to boost the average daily attendance at the Bluffs school district above the current 91 percent.

“We strive to have students attend school at least 95 percent of the time,” Bruckner said. More than 12,000 students attend one of the school systems in Council Bluffs. Lewis Central Community School District Superintendent Mark Schweer said it should be evident “if kids aren’t in school, there’s less likelihood they’ll achieve academic success,” and “school attendance speaks to a life lesson. Most occupations expect you to be at work and be there on time.” Both districts planned to emphasize attendance for the 2010-11 school year. At St. Albert Catholic Schools, “Attendance is generally pretty good,” school President Jim Rouse said. However, “We want to get the message to all parents and all kids.” Lester Harvey, 88, died Aug. 30 at Jennie Edmundson Hospital. Harvey was an educator for 37 years in Nebraska and was Regional Media Center director at the Loess Hills Area Education Agency for 10 years before his retirement in 1984.

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8D Wednesday, December 22, 2010

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

September a month of tragic news TIM JOHNSON Staff Writer tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5750

September had several encouraging developments but more than its share of fatalities. A Glenwood native died Sept. 1 from injuries he incurred jumping into Lake Manawa Aug. 28. Noah Murray, 28, died from spinal and brain injuries he suffered after jumping feet first into a shallow portion of the lake. When Murray’s feet hit the bottom of the lake, he reportedly jarred his spine and collapsed. He never regained consciousness, and died Sept. 1 at Creighton University Medical Center. Murray and his twin brother, Nick, won “American Country Idol” in 2008. A Minden teen died Sept. 4 in a farm tractor accident. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim of the accident as 18-year-old John Martin Dea. Dea Dea apparently tried to roll-start the tractor by going down a hill in a rural area south of Minden. The tractor went out of control, rolled over a terrace and threw him off. He died at the scene. The Phoenix Theater in Neola was awarded a pair of grants to assist in the restoration of the cinema originally constructed in 1913. Vision Iowa, through a contribution from Gov. Chet Culver’s I-JOBS initiative, awarded the theater $18,000. Keep Iowa Beautiful, a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, awarded the project $6,500. The Vision Iowa grant will pay for the glass façade of the theater, while the Keep Iowa Beautiful money will pay for the heating and cooling system, said Pete Sorenson, who is in charge of the project as a member of the Hoo Doo Corp., a nonprofit organization in Neola. Sorenson set the total budget goal for the project at about $120,000. Woodbine and Sidney also received beautification project grants from Keep Iowa Beautiful. Woodbine received $4,200 for a rain garden feature at the rehabilitated 1928 canopy gas station, while Sidney received $1,500 to continue and expand its Youth Beautification Corps program. Business and leisure travelers are finding Council Bluffs in increasing numbers, said Kathy Fiscus, director of special projects for the Convention & Visitors Bureau. Through the 12 months ending in July, 580,308 hotel rooms were rented in the city. Hotel occupancy for the first six months was up 14 percent. In June, with sports tournaments and schools getting out, Council Bluffs had an 80 percent occupancy rate. Fiscus said the economic impact of tourism is hard to verify, but it is estimated that Council Bluffs received $12.5 million in tourism dollars in the last 12 months. And the boon will hopefully continue. Requests for the upcoming printing of the 2011 Visitors Guide are nearly double what they were last year. Pottawattamie County will not be part of a Midlands Humane Society animal shelter. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Sept. 15 to not participate in the project. Humane society officials were asking the board to contribute $350,000 toward the cost of construction for the shelter and $1.25 per county resident per year, or $37,434 annually. The planned shelter, to be located near College Road and the new Valley View extension, is estimated to cost $3.2 million. The city of Council Bluffs has pledged $1.5 million and donated the land for the shelter. MHS officials said the proj-

WHNS

With his burned out house in the background, Jeremy Moore, right, lights a candle with Gary Wise of Council Bluffs, left, at a memorial held for Moore’s 7-year-old son, Alexander Buzzetta. Alexander died in a house fire on Sept. 20. ect would go forward without the county. A 7-year-old boy died in an early morning fire on Sept. 20, but he might have saved the lives of five others. Jeremy Moore, father of Alexander Buzzetta, 7, was awakened by the sound of his son coughing in an upstairs bedroom. Flames swept through the house at 705 Hillcrest Ave. The two families that lived there quickly escaped through the windows. They were not able to rescue Alexander, but everybody else made it through with only minor injuries at most. After nearly five hours of deliberation spread out over two days, a Pottawattamie County jury found Randy Cue guilty of firstdegree murder Sept. 20. Cue was found guilty of killing his Cue friend and roommate, 51-year-old Rodney Deville, on March 24, 2008, in the home they shared with Cue’s mother. He was arrested outside of a friend’s home in Omaha in the early morning hours of March 25, 2008. He was wearing bloodsoaked socks. The blood was determined to be Deville’s. During closing arguments, Cue’s attorney, Frank Robak, alluded to the possibility of another culprit. Motions for self-defense and intoxication defenses were also filed on Cue’s behalf. Robak said he would appeal the decision. Andrew Schlichtemeier, 21, of Murray, Neb., turned himself in Sept. 25 to face four counts of homicide by vehicle stemming from the deaths of four motorcyclists in an Aug. 9 crash on Interstate 29. His blood-alcohol level measured .373 percent after the accident, according to the Iowa State Patrol. Killed were Dale E. Aspedon, 49, of Glenwood; Steven Benscoter, 62, of Pacific Junction; Jay C. Bock, 48, of Omaha; and Dennis E. Chaney, 62, of Glenwood. The four were on their way home from the annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D. The crash occurred in a construction zone near Little Sioux. Schlichtemeier’s northbound Chevy pickup crossed the centerline into the path of the southbound motorcycles, officials said. Cathryn Zanker, Aspedon’s widow, filed suit against Schlichtemeier in Harrison County the previous week, alleging negligence on his part was the primary cause of the collision. Iowa Western Community College set an enrollment record this fall. The fall numbers include 6,767 students, counting both full- and part-time. That is a 12 percent increase over the previous fall semester. Iowa Western has seen its enrollment climb

more than 46 percent during the last six years. President Dan Kinney attributed the numbers to “quality academic programs and exceptional services to current and prospective students.” Kinney said he believes another reason for the increasing student enrollment is “the investment we have made on our campus,” because it “proves that we are focused on student achievement and success.” The college unveiled a new $12 million student center, library and culinary arts facility in June and will open the Nursing Center of Excellence in Spring 2011. The center will allow the college to double the size of its nursing program and will offer simulator labs, examination rooms, classrooms and surgery rooms. IWCC also continues to add to its Reiver Suites studenthousing complex. More than 1,100 students already live on campus and another 144 housing units will be built in time for the fall 2011 semester. The Council Bluffs City Council on Sept. 27 began the process that will turn nearly 90 acres of unused Missouri Riverfront property into a worldclass, signature park with many recreational options. The five-member council voted unanimously to award an $11.1 million contract to Council Bluffs-based MFT Construction for the first phrase of the River’s Edge Park. MFT’s bid of $11,110,815 was the lowest of three submitted and came in 1.5 percent higher than the engineers’ estimated cost of $10,945,175. “It’s an exciting day,” said Council Bluffs Parks Director Larry Foster. “There’s good news here in that – one, we have an excellent bid within our budget and two, it’s a Council Bluffs contractor, which means money will stay in the community with jobs for Council Bluffs.” Plans call for the park to eventually stretch from well north of the Council Bluffs landing of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel on the south. It will feature a two-lane road meandering for a mile throughout, along with paved walk/bike trails with connections to the pedestrian bridge and existing city trails. Work in this first phase would include the creation of a six-acre Great Lawn where people can relax, walk their pet or play Frisbee. Adjacent to it will be a sandy beach area with

File photo

A large pile of old furniture sits outside the abandoned Holiday Inn on Nash Boulevard. Demolition began in late September and wrapped up several weeks later. “funbrellas” where people can relax and watch the river go by. An amphitheater with formal seating is to be built for concerts. A Donor Plaza with donor recognition pillars, a plaza providing a connection to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, walkways, wetland elements and parking areas are also planned in this phase. About $5.8 million in city funds has been set aside for the project, while the Iowa West Foundation contributed a $5.45 million grant. About $2 million came from a Vision Iowa grant. Other contributors include Pottawattamie County, which approved a $100,000 grant, plus two grants from Iowa’s Great Places program that totaled $213,000. The Friends of the Parks organization raised $122,430 that secured the Vision Iowa grant, Foster said. Completion is set for mid- or late 2012, depending on weather and river level conditions. Demolition of the old Holiday Inn on Nash Boulevard began in late September and wrapped up several weeks later. The city hopes to encourage developers to build homes there, according to Don Gross, Community Development Department director. He said the city adopted an urban renewal plan for that area several months before that, along with an enterprise zone designation, would provide developers with tax break incentives. The city plans to build three blocks of paved streets with utility extension that would be paid back when developers purchase lots for building homes, Gross said. Eventually, 35 single-family homes could be built on 8.2 acres that the city owns

there. Iowa School for the Deaf opened a new science center in September. The project may have taken a little more than a year, but “The process really started around 2005,” said Jeanne Prickett, superintendent. “We needed something up to date to meet new curriculum standards,” she said.

The space in the high school had changed very little since it was set up in the 1930s. The elementary school science area was constructed in the 1950s. The age, configuration and space limitations of the high school lab prohibited adding things like a fume hood, emergency shower and gas hook-ups on the second floor and made it impossible to conduct certain physics experiments. “Students will build a project or experiment and then have to dismantle it at the end of each class because we need the space,” middle school science teacher Mel Hielen said last year. A lack of storage space meant storing supplies and equipment in seven different areas in the high school, she said. The high school lab was on the third floor with no elevator. The middle school science labs also lacked sufficient classroom and storage space. ISD began a $1.5 million fundraising campaign last August and raised almost all the money needed for the project. “We received several grants and gifts, including a $300,000 grant from Iowa West Foundation. We lacked about $77,000, but the Iowa Legislature gave us a one-time supplement; and the community and alumni have been generous,” she said. The new science center is housed in the 6,500-square-foot area that used to be a swimming pool near the high school. Middle school and high school science students will share the area as well as supplies and equipment. The new $1.5 million science center will exceed the requirements of new curriculum standards. The facility “is all-accessible and it’s on one level with a ramp,” Prickett said. The center includes updated chemical storage facilities and new technology, including new microscopes and Smart Boards. Rich Connell, facilities director, said environmentally friendly features are part of the new construction. The Cee Bee Ambassadors held a ribbon cutting Sept. 2 at AK’s Peak Fitness, 527 S. Main St., to mark the center’s official opening. The business is operated by owner-trainers Jim and Courtney Lovely. They also held a ribbon cutting at Mager Hair & Skin during the shop’s open-house weekend. The business, owned by Christy Magers, opened in late September at 715 E. Broadway.

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On Sept. 9, after nearly a month of debate nationwide, Florida pastor Terry Jones called off a planned burning of Qurans on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The congregations’ plans sparked anger worldwide, and even spurred warnings from President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for fear that such an act would put U.S. soldiers at risk. On Sept. 22, Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi was found dead after jumping from the George Washington Bridge. Clementi reportedly committed suicide after two classmates secretly recorded a homosexual encounter he had, and posted it on the Internet for all to see. The two students who posted the video were charged with invasion of privacy. The case spurred discussions on privacy issues as well as Internet and gay bullying.

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10D

YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

Wednesday, December 22,

The Daily Nonpareil

Bluffs center of controversy in October TIM ROHWER Staff Writer timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5752

Council Bluffs history was reborn on Oct. 1. That’s when opening ceremonies were held at the renovated Creston House, 215 Main St. Owners Pete and Deb Petersen undertook a massive overhaul of the threestory structure that dates back to the 1880s. The two top floors, vacant for decades, were gutted and remolded into 3,500-square-foot office suites. The building’s grand staircase was restored and an elevator was installed. Outside, the brick exterior was reconditioned and new windows were installed on the upper levels. The controversy surrounding the artwork on the South 24th Street bridge over Interstate 29/80 went well beyond local borders. That became evident in early October when nationally known radio commentator Rush Limbaugh mentioned it in his monthly newsletter under the title of “Edward Scissorbridge.” “Instead of the envisioned gateway to the city, the artwork appears to be a gateway to disaster,” according to the article. “It doesn’t help that the monstrosity has cost taxpayers $3 million.” While everyone, including Limbaugh Limbaugh, is entitled to their opinion, it was the Iowa West Foundation that paid for the artwork. “There were no federal, state or local dollars spent on it,” Mayor Tom Hanafan said in response to Limbaugh’s comments. Council Bluffs and Omaha officials kicked off a new campaign to help the homeless in October. Called “100,000 Homes,” the project was aimed to seek out the neediest 100 people for permanent housing and social services. The two communities were among more than 50 that had signed up for this national campaign since summer. In just a three-month period beginning in July, nearly 6,000 people nationwide moved off the streets and into homes. The Omaha-based Woodmen of the World provided the Council Bluffs Fire Department with a $3,000 check on Oct. 6 for smoke detectors to be available for the public. The Wal-Mart Foundation provided $4,000 worth of smoke detectors later in the month. In what appeared to be a good sign for the recovering economy, residential and commercial construction was up in 2010, according to figures released on Oct. 8. Through the first nine months of the year, 93 permits for singlefamily home construction were issued, compared to 88 during the same period in 2009. There were 18 permits to construct commercial/industrial projects, up two from the previous year. Council Bluffs Judge Mark Eveloff received a call from Gov. Chet Culver in early October in which he later described as being “honored.” The call informed Eveloff he was chosen to become one of Iowa’s Fourth Judicial District judges. “I’m very excited for the opportunity to serve,” he said. The local community lost a top education when Lee Spann died in October. The vocal instructor at St. Albert schools was praised by his colleagues. “He had a love for people,” said Carter Leeka, the school’s instrumental music instructor. “He was a great teacher, not just a music teacher, but a teacher about life.” Rebels in His Hands Ministries celebrated its 10th anniversary in October. There are up to 50 active members, many from the biker community and at-risk youths.

File photoa

Both sides of the Iowa Supreme Court justice retention debate stood their ground in Bayliss Park on Oct 25. Located at 600 16th Ave., it offers a place for worship and wholesome activities for those who may not feel comfortable or welcomed in other churches, according to its founder, the Rev. Mark Schiller. The Council Bluffs area welcomed the addition of a new business when Prairie Hawk Winery and Vineyard, 21496 Chestnut Road, opened its doors in October. Dick Peterson, a longtime Council Bluffs attorney and community champion, died Oct. 19 at age 85. A group of people from the Ukraine visited Council Bluffs in October at the invitation of the Council Bluffs Sister City Association. For about a week or so, the group met with educational, business and government officials. “They’re here to talk and listen, compare how it works here and works in the Ukraine,” said association president Leota McManus at the time. Bayliss Park was the scene Oct. 25 of a debate on whether voters in the upcoming November election retain or remove three Iowa Supreme Courts justices who voted the previous year to allow samesex marriage in the state. Telling those who oppose the justices, Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, said, “A no vote for retention is part of a new civil rights movement. We will never be ashamed to stand up for marriage.” During that same time in another part of the park, same-sex supporters had their say.

“We are not some special interest bus tour, we represent the voices of real Iowans,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal. Two businesses, one large and the other small, moved into new locations in October. Hy-Vee Food Stores moved it store from North 16th Street to 2323 W. Broadway, while Extreme Wheels moved into a downtown store on South Main Street from its longtime spot on Valley View Drive. A rather bizarre incident occurred in Lincoln, Neb. on Oct. 29. Council Bluffs resident Phil Storey, a write-in candidate for U.S. Senate, was arrested by University of Nebraska-Lincoln police on suspicion of making terrorist threats. According to police, Storey allegedly made threats

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On Oct. 6, Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell released an ad claiming “I am not a witch.” O’Donnell’s campaign also suffered scrutiny over an old MTV segment in which she denounced masturbation, and a struggling with a question on the First Amendment during a radio debate. On Oct. 13, after nearly 70 days trapped below the earth in a Chilean mine, the world watched live as 33 miners are rescued through a tiny capsule taken like an elevator up a narrow shaft. All 33 miners were rescued and were in good condition. The miners became instant celebrities. Hughes to an individual who was removing his campaign signs. A Council Bluffs woman, Mary Hughes, completed a three-month transcontinental bike ride in late October.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2010

The Daily Nonpareil

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

11D

Year closes with switch in government, schools CHAD NATION News Editor cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

File photo

Mercy Hospital is now home to five 800 square-foot operating suites, that's twice the size of the old suites, and house some of the latest and up-to-date medical technology.

Changes, tragedy make news in November 2010 MIKE BROWNLEE Staff Writer mike.brownlee@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5732

The Council Bluffs Community School District and the Council Bluffs School Board began early discussions on changing the school calendar in November, a story that sparked city-wide debate. Superintendent Martha Bruckner offered three examples of a nontraditional calendar that could become the school district’s calendar as early as 2012-13. The 2011-12 school calendar will look much like this year’s calendar. The calendar for the 2012-13 Bruckner school year could mean more breaks and a shorter summer vacation if the public, the teachers and, ultimately, the school board approves. All three examples kept the number of school days at 180, but extend them over a longer period of time, providing shorter breaks. The traditional school calendar offers a 10week summer vacation. In the three options Bruckner presented, summer breaks were shorter but had not disappeared. Moving toward a school year with shorter summer breaks could lessen the summer learning loss and reduce wasted time spent opening and closing schools for summer vacation. The nontraditional calendars also could reduce stress on both teachers and students, Bruckner said. “I’ve been pushing for this,” school board member Bill Grove said. “This has the potential to increase student achievement. I’d like to see us go to it.” Board member J.J. Harvey expressed reservations and suggested trying the calendar at one school. A series of public discussions on the matter are scheduled for January 2011. Illness racked Edison Elementary School as October rolled into November. Council Bluffs health officials confirmed norovirus as the likely reason so many Edison Elementary School students wound up with fevers, diarrhea and vomiting. More than 100 of the 425 students at Edison were sick on Oct. 29. The school began aggressively disinfecting the facility. Council Bluffs Public Health Director Donn Dierks said three samples tested confirmed the presence of the norovirus. Before winter weather hit Council Bluffs, the city council approved a new snow and ice removal policy. The City Council in November unanimously approved a Public Works Department “even-odd” formula. On even days, if snow is going to be removed, vehicles must park on the side of the street with

Michael Richard Swanson, 17, of St. Louis Park, Minn, enters the Kossuth County Courthouse in Algona on Nov. 16. Authorities charged Swanson with murdering two convenience store clerks at separate stores in northern Iowa. even numbered house addresses. The next day, which would be an odd numbered day, vehicles must park on the opposite side of the street where there are odd numbered house addresses. The new policy also states that the even-odd parking ban will have no impact on streets where parking is permitted on only one side of the street or prohibited entirely. This policy would remain in effect until the street is plowed from curb to curb or the edge of road shoulders or until the mayor orders an end to those restrictions. As always, vehicles parked on Emergency Routes must be moved when the mayor declares a Snow Emergency. An altercation in Hamburg turned deadly on Nov. 14. Jennifer L. Tierney, of Hamburg, was arrested for stabbing to death of her on-again, offagain boyfriend, Douglas

Brake, 19, of Sidney. Tierney is charged with second-degree murder. Cayla C. Binder, 18, of Sioux City, was also arrested and charged with going armed with intent and accessory after the fact for her involvement in the death of Brake. At about 7:20 a.m. on that Sunday, a physical altercation occurred between Tierney, Binder and Brake in the parking lot of the Hamburg post office. During the course of the altercation Brake was stabbed. He died at the scene. The killing was the first in the Hamburg area since 2002. The attorney for Tierney filed a written plea of not guilty of second-degree murder in Fremont County District Court on Dec. 6. Binder’s arraignment was scheduled for Dec. 13. Trial for both Tierney and Binder, is set for Feb. 15. A day later, on Nov. 15, tragedy struck again, this time in north-central Iowa. Michael Richard Swanson, 17, of St. Louis Park, Minn., is charged with killing Kum & Go clerk Sheila Myers in Humboldt and Algona convenience store clerk Vicky Bowman-Hall that night after robbing both places of cash and cigarettes. Swanson is charged with first-degree murder and firstdegree robbery in both Kossuth and Humboldt counties. He faces separate trials in each. Something lighter to end on: Alegent Health Mercy Hospital finished an upgrade and expansion of its surgery department. During the project, the hospital went from five 400-square-foot operating rooms to seven 600-square foot Ors. Altogether, the project added about 4,000 square feet to the surgery department. Five operating rooms were equipped with advanced monitors especially for use in minimally invasive procedures. “It is just exciting to have state-of-the-art equipment and to be able to offer that to the public,” said Mary Hazen, interim operations director for surgical services at Mercy. “We’re very proud of it.”

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On Nov. 2, a GOP tide rolled through Washington as Republicans won full control of the House and picked up six seats in the Senate. Most called the sweeping change a statement against the Obama agenda, including health care and rising deficit. Nancy Pelosi lost her position as House speaker. That job will likely be filled by House Minority Leader John Boehner. On Nov. 23, North Korea fired dozens of military shells at the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, killing two soldiers. The attack came as South Korea was conducting military drills. The United States condemned the attack.

Many changes came to Council Bluffs in the last month of the year. A new school calendar discussion began and the City Council saw two seats turn over. The Council Bluffs City Council and Mayor Tom Hanafan said goodbye Dec. 13 to Scott Belt and Matt Schultz, both of whom served their last meeting as council members. The council also directed City Attorney Richard Wade to craft a resolution approving the appointment of Sheryl Garst and Sharon White to replace them. Belt, who has served on the council since 1998, left to become a Pottawattamie County supervisor, while Schultz, a council member since 2005, was elected in November to become Iowa’s secretary of state. Both will officially resign on Jan. 2, 2011. Hanafan recalled appointing Belt to the Parks Board, prior to his council years, and mentioned the many civic meetings Belt attended to learn more of the public’s concerns. “If you needed something done, he would try to get it done,” Hanafan said. “He has put his heart and soul in the community.” Hanafan praised Schultz for coming to Council Bluffs a few years ago with his family and immediately becoming involved in civic affairs. Schultz, who will become the youngest secretary of state ever, worked hard to win that election, Hanafan said. “I think that says a lot to what he did on the City Council,” Hanafan said. Their replacements won’t officially be appointed until the next council meeting on Jan. 10, according to Wade. The Council Bluffs school board approved a 2011-12 school calendar at their Dec. 14 meeting that will include two additional student education days. The trimester calendar, new for the 2011-12 school year, will mean students will attend three 60-day sessions instead of two 90-day sessions. The first trimester starts Aug. 17 and ends Nov. 10. The second trimester begins Nov. 14 and ends Feb. 22, and the third trimester runs from Feb. 27 to May 24. The 180-day academic schedule includes 178 teaching days and two parent-teacher conference days. The 2011-12 calendar includes a continuation of the Monday early dismissal for all grade levels to allow professional development. Standardized testing will be conducted in February, and summer school starts in June. One snow day has been built in for February with additional makeup days at the end of the 2011-12 school year. The calendar also includes 24 days for a combination of holidays, vacation days and teacher work days, nine days off for the winter holiday and six days in April for spring break. The board unanimously approved the calendar. District officials believe the trimester plan will give students a chance to take more courses. Schedules at Abraham Lincoln High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, Tucker Career and College Center and Kanesville Alternative Learning Center have been aligned so classes at each school begin and end at the same time, allowing students to take courses available at the

File photo

With freshly painted lines and machinery being moved to the westbound lanes, construction began on the north side of the Broadway viaduct. other schools. “It’s really more like a college schedule,” Superintendent Martha Bruckner said. Ann Mausbach, the district’s executive director of curriculum and instruction, said there will be little effect at the grade-school and middleschool level, except that students will get report cards three times a year instead of twice a year. Another issue proposed in December by Bruckner was to extend the school year beginning with the 2012-13 calendar. The change would offer more breaks and a shorter summer vacation if the school board were to approve. The board has discussed the use of a “nontraditional calendar” in the past. “We want to hear from the public. We want to know to know what they think of this,” Bruckner said. The calendar still would include 180 student days, but would extend the school year over a longer time period, providing shorter breaks. For instance, the option the district proposed for discussion purposes would start the school year July 30 but would offer breaks of one or two weeks in September, October, December, February and April before ending the school year in June. That means the traditional summer break would shrink from its current 10 weeks to a little more than six weeks. Bruckner said the proposed calendar could lessen the summer learning loss, reduce wasted time spent opening and closing schools for summer vacation and reduce stress on both teachers and students. Potential problems could include conflicts with summer camps and summer jobs for students, so input from students is also sought, Bruckner said. Another issue could be juggling day care needs for parents, Bruckner said, which is one reason she felt the question should be raised and discussion should begin well in advance of any changes. A series of discussion will be held in January about the possibility of the new extended calendar. A milestone was also reached in the construction of the Broadway Viaduct on Dec. 9. Eastbound traffic was open on the new southern section of the four-lane viaduct. “It’s pretty close to being halfway done,” said Bruce Flippin, Iowa Department of Transportation engineer.

MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD On Dec. 6, President Barack Obama announced he had reached a deal with Republican leaders to extend Bush era tax cuts for all Americans for two more years. In exchange, the president received an extension of unemployment benefits. The president had been fighting the tax cuts for most of 2010, and the deal angered most liberal Democrats. On Dec. 7, Australian Julian Assange, founder of whistleblowing website Wikileaks, was arrested days after Interpol put him on its most-wanted list. Assange, under fire for posting secret military documents online, was arrested for an alleged sexual assault in Sweden. “We’re very fortunate the weather held up for us.” For months, eastbound traffic was detoured to the viaduct’s northern section to allow for the new section to be built. Westbound motorists are being detoured to Avenue G throughout the entire project and were not impacted by the opening activities, according to Flippin. The start of the demolition of the northern section has begun. The plan is for that section to be open by next September and be ready for traffic in both directions, he said. However, concrete work in the middle portion of the viaduct to connect the northern and southern section would still need to be done. Installation of artwork at the top of the viaduct is planned in the spring of 2012. The new viaduct will be four lanes like the old one, but will be 7 feet taller and 10 feet wider. That includes a 10-foot wide sidewalk. Estimated cost is $20 million with the state and the federal government picking up the tab. The project is needed because the old structure, built in 1955, was nearing the end of its lifetime, according to the DOT.

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