Siouxland Life - January 2015

Taking screenings to a new level

All in the family: Police work abounds

In a new court: Basketball changes

A GUIDE FOR LIVING IN SIOUXLAND

NEW BEGINNINGS MATTHEW UNG TAKES HIS FIRST ELECTED POSITION, OTHERS FIND NEW CAREERS

FUN WITH FARMING

TWO JOBS EMERGE FROM ONE PASSION

MONTH 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE IS ON THE WEB! VISIT WWW.SIOUXCITYJOURNAL.COM/SIOUXLANDLIFE SIOUXLAND LIFE JANUARY 2015

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January 2015

Siouxland life

CONTENTS January

2015

This month, we look at the rookies – folks who are taking new jobs for the first time. What apprehensions do they have? What goals have they set? Where are they headed? Join as we learn what it’s like to have a new beginning.

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FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD What do you need to know to cook for hundreds?

FEATURES 4 HOME kitchen ideas 9 NEW BEGINNINGS work meets play 12 NEW BEGINNINGS car sales 16 NEW BEGINNINGS the body politic 20 NEW BEGINNINGS a different game 24 NEW BEGINNINGS a fast-paced life 26 NEW BEGINNINGS the family job 28 NEW BEGINNINGS the right blend 30 NEW BEGINNINGS learning, teaching 32 NEW BEGINNINGS trade secrets 34 NEW BEGINNINGS a great spark 36 NEW BEGINNINGS the write stuff 39 NEW BEGINNINGS on your toes 42 HEALTH new screenings 45 HEALTH doc answers 47 Parting Shot

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On the cover Matthew Ung was elected to serve a term as a Woodbury County supervisor. He got an early start on the job when the current officeholder resigned. Discover what the new job means to him.

Photograph by Dawn J. Sagert

PUBLISHER Steve Griffith EDITOR Bruce Miller EDITORIAL Dolly A. Butz, Tim Gallagher, Earl Horlyk, Nick Hytrek, Ally Karsyn, Michelle Kuester, Marcy Peterson PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Hynds, Jim Lee, Dawn J. Sagert DESIGN Andy Neumann ADVERTISING SALES Nancy Gevik ADVERTISING DESIGN Kayla Fleming

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THIRD CAREER Car salesman says some skills apply, others are newly learned.

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A NEW BOUNCE A Morningside College basketball player says the game is different than it was in high school.

©2015 The Sioux City Journal. Siouxland Life is published monthly by The Sioux City Journal.

For advertising information, please call (712) 224-6275. For editorial information, please call (712) 293-4218.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

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HOME kitchen

changes

Shaker style cabinets offer clean-lined look. According to a recent Houzz survey, 49 percent of homeowners are choosing white cabinets for their kitchens, and when it comes to style, 37 percent select shaker.

CLEAN Text by Ally Karsyn

KITCHEN TRENDS

f

FOR MANY HOMEOWNERS, the relationship with their kitchen is a long-term commitment, one that can last 30 years or more.

Flexibility, functionality and personality drive kitchen updates. When it comes to renovations, it’s out with the ‘80s.

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JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Forty-one percent of homeowners are remodeling kitchens that are more than 15 years old, and another 25 percent are updating kitchens more than 30 years old, according to the 2014 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Remodeling Survey of more than 3,500 Houzz users who are in the midst of, planning or have recently

SLATE TO WATCH IN 2015 completed a kitchen remodel.

“We already know that kitchens are the biggest driver of discretionary spending in the remodeling market,” said Nino Sitchinava, principal economist at Houzz. “As the economy has improved, many homeowners who delayed spending on kitchen updates feel like they

now have the means to remodel. We should continue to see an uptick in discretionary spending on home improvements into 2015.”

Kitchen renovations are a major investment, commanding the largest spending levels among remodeling projects. Homeowners make choices they

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JANUARY 2015

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can live with for years to come, selecting products and designs with staying power.

The Houzz study found they’re sticking to the classics with finishes. We’re talking white cabinets in shaker or raised-panel styles, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Broken down by demographics, farmhouse and traditional kitchens claimed top spots as the most popular styles in rural areas. Urban and suburban dwellers trended toward transitional and contemporary designs.

Breezy Struthers Drake at Modern Kitchen Design, 514 Iowa St., and Naomi Anderson at Central Kitchen and Bath, 844 Gordon Drive, shared their insights on what was popular this past year and predictions for 2015.

MODERN-TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

Farmhouse kitchens are more than three times more popular in rural neighborhoods, according to a Houzz survey.

Those living in suburban neighborhoods are split between traditional and transitional styles (shown here), while urban dwellers prefer contemporary and traditional.

Inspiring Designs For

Every Room

Midwesterners may love the modern look but can’t quite commit. The solution: something transitional. Clients don’t have to break up with their traditional style.

“In our showroom, we have a shaker door from Mid Continent Cabinetry, out of Eagan, Minn., on display, in a dark briarwood stain on cherry wood. We’ve incorporated a hammered copper farm sink with some sleek black appliances and black pulls,” she said. “Right now, that is one of our top sellers. With that said, many are starting to transition to some gray tones.”

TAKE A SHINE TO IT “We are using metals in so many ways whether it is as a copper range hood, aluminum backsplash or gold accents on lighting. It adds a completely different dimensional depth to the space,” Struthers Drake said.

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SIOUXLAND LIFE

“The shaker style is very popular today,” Anderson said. “That straight-lined look is still many clients’ go-to favorite.

Clean lines are in high demand, whether it is a kitchen or bathroom. Many are considering the ease of cleaning as a necessity, not just the look.”

DECORATIVE DESIGN As living rooms and kitchens have all but merged into one, some design elements from each space are starting to mingle.

“Furniture-style designs have been quite the trend for islands as well as other pieces,” Struthers Drake said. “The key is to hide the plumbing and electrical outlets so that it still remains very functional.”

WIDE OPEN SPACES “Many are watching HGTV or going on Pinterest or Houzz and seeing a more open concept, and they’re requesting accents of open shelving,” Anderson said.

“We are also seeing statements with bold colors or accents with the open shelving, especially if they want to set off their favorite bowls, glasses, etc.”

Done right, open shelves can make a small space look larger. The trick is picking the right kitchen wares to put on display.

WALLPAPER POW While much of the ‘80s is on its way out, wallpaper continues to make a comeback – often covering one accent wall to make a bold statement, Struthers Drake said.

Flexibility, functionality and personality drive kitchen updates. When it comes to renovations, it’s out with the ‘80s.

LIGHTS ON “Lighting is another aspect many people fail to remember or incorporate into a kitchen. Layering your lighting can bring a new look to your kitchen design.

Ambient lighting in a kitchen can consist of strategically placed recessed lights, especially in more modern or transitional home décor,” Anderson said.

“Task lighting is great for illuminating a backsplash, or better yet, being able to chop vegetables. Many will do undercabinet LED lighting for this. Decorative and accent lighting can bring the ‘bling’ to any kitchen design – like a line of gorgeous glass pendants to set off an island or an elegant chandelier hanging over your dining room table.

“Lighting can be so effective is completely changing the look of the kitchen or bathroom. There are so many options available.”

Reinvent Your Kitchen

Designer Jamie Lindemann will work closely with you to create the kitchen or bath that works for you!

LOOK UP “So much can be done with a ceiling for it to accent the room’s design,” Struthers Drake said. “We have done various floating glass ‘clouds’ in a kitchen space to mimicking the island shape with a bulkhead. If nothing else, the ceiling should be painted to compliment the colors of the room so it is not just white.”

Jamie Lindemann, AKBD Designer 715 East Ninth Street South Sioux City, NE 68776

402-494-5411

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JANUARY 2015

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January 2015

Siouxland life

NEW BEGINNINGS work

meets play Mark Nelson, 23, recently opened a store for his business, Mark’s Farm Toys. Nelson, a farmer, buys and sells collectible farm toys.

The business site is open each Saturday, or by appointment. It is located along Frontage Road on the east side of Moville.

AT WORK (AND AT PLAY)

t

ON THE FARM

THE NEWEST BUSINESS ALONG Frontage Road and Highway 20 in Moville is owned and operated by the town’s newest farmer.

Meet Mark Nelson, a 23-year-old rookie tackling two business opportunities in his hometown.

Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

Nelson, the oldest of five children raised east of Moville by Eric and Carol Nelson, came home to the farm after securing his ag studies degree at Iowa State University in May 2013.

He rents a farmstead from his folks while tending to his cattle and those

IF YOU GO What: Mark’s Farm Toys Where: Frontage Road, Moville, Iowa When: Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays or by calling owner/operator Mark Nelson at (712) 540-1259

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

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NEW BEGINNINGS work

meets play

Internet sales showed there was a market for farm toys. Now Mark Nelson has a store to attract buyers.

raised by his family. Mark also helps his dad in raising corn and soybeans on land near Moville and Marcus, Iowa, where Eric was raised.

“I built new pens this summer where I live and I’m excited to have cattle yearround,” Nelson says. “I love the cow-calf end of things.”

Nelson brought some herefords in to cross-breed back to his family’s angus cows, a trend he’s seeing emerge in other operations.

While corn yields dropped in 2014, cattle prices remained strong, perhaps due to an early-season blizzard in the Dakotas in October 2013 and an ongoing liquidation of herds that began as corn prices soared toward $8 per bushel in the 2012 drought.

“When corn is $7 to $8 per bushel and hay is $320 per ton, it doesn’t pencil out,” Nelson says. “Hay is now $100 per ton 10

JANUARY 2015

and corn is $4 per bushel.”

When crops and cattle don’t pencil out, Nelson has a toy market upon which he can stake a business claim. Nelson has already diversified his ag operation by opening Mark’s Farm Toys on Frontage Road, just north of US Highway 20 on the eastern edge of this Woodbury County town.

Mark’s Farm Toys enjoyed a grand opening three weeks before Christmas.

The celebration allowed Nelson to show his toy collectibles to a wider audience, many of whom are in the market to buy.

“I’ve done this (buying and selling of toys) for three years,” he said. “I began collecting toys when I was 10.”

Nelson said his parents always searched for farm toys to please their four boys: Mark, Eric, John and Paul. All four would set up different farmsteads in their basement, often inviting friends

SIOUXLAND LIFE

“You can’t believe the number of people who are looking for toys.

And the number of people who just come in off Highway 20.”

MARK NELSON over to play.

Imaginations soared as the “crops” came in and the toy livestock went out.

Those play dates helped solidify an ag interest for Mark, both on- and off-thefarm.

“Ninety-nine percent of my stuff is

NEW BEGINNINGS work

meets play

10 to 30 years old,” he said while scanning the shelves of toy farm sets, tractors and more made by the Ertl toy company, among others, such as Spec Cast, Scale Models and Standi. “I’m an avid collector, but the majority of what I do get, I’ll sell again.”

And, sell he will. Nelson sold 25 toy farm sets during the first weekend in December, aided by being in a small, but visible storefront.

“You can’t believe the number of people who are looking for toys,” he said.

“And the number of people who just come in off Highway 20.”

Craig’s List, eBay, implement dealers, toy stores and auctions represent fertile grounds for Nelson’s toy drive.

Among the rare finds are sets featuring sale barns. He recently located two sale barn sets and both were sold in 48 hours, commanding prices of $175 and $225, respectively.

As far as tractors go, Nelson, an avowed International Harvester man like his father, says he has “a hard time keeping the red ones around.”

The farm and this store helped keep him around. Nelson probably could have taken his diploma and found work with

Dow or Monsanto or any of a number of ag conglomerates. Instead, he sought greener pastures back home, a place where he could work on his own terms while feeding his independent streak.

And having a store for his toys will now help him – and his business – grow.

“I’d grown the toy business and keeping the office at home wasn’t really what I wanted,” Nelson said. “I was having people stop at the house to look at what I had, it wasn’t the most professional.

Having a site like this is more conducive to storage and in showing the public what I’ve got.”

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JANUARY 2015

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NEW BEGINNINGS

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car sales

JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

REVVING UP FOR A CAREER IN CARS

g

Text by Earl Horlyk Photographs by Tim Hynds

Rookie car salesman Gary Troth is in his third career.

Troth previously worked as a teacher and in health care administration.

GARY TROTH IS REVVED UP by the third big twist in his career.

After all, the 61-year-old Sioux City resident began his career as a high school science teacher and coach before working in the health care industry for more than 20 years.

When he left the position of executive director of Northern Hills Retirement Community earlier in 2014, Troth was ready for a complete change of pace: becoming a car salesman at Jensen Imports.

“I have people skills, communication skills and networking skills,” Troth noted inside Jensen Imports’ lot. “Now, I just need to hone my product knowledge.”

That’s easier said than done for someone who hasn’t always been a “car guy.”

“Like most men, I’ve always loved cars,” said Troth, whose first vehicle was a 1971 International Scout. “But I know I’m no expert on the mechanical end of cars.”

This is why he leans on all of the dealership’s auto technicians for support while concentrates on sales.

Indeed, that’s where Troth shines.

“I’ve devoted my entire life establishing and building long-term relationships,” he said. “That’s exactly what I continue to do here at Jensen.”

Though Troth sometimes has problems relying on past instincts.

“When I was working at Northern Hills, I could easily draw on experiences I had teaching school,” he admitted.

“Selling cars require a different set of instincts that will take time and experience to nurture.”

For instance, Troth had become accustomed to being the chief decision maker.

“In sales, it’s all about teamwork,” he said. “We all work as a team in order to ensure the customer’s automotive needs are met. The key is making sure the

SIOUXLAND LIFE

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customer’s experience is a happy one.”

Which, once you think about it, isn’t that different from the students or the residents whom Troth once worked for.

“As much as things change, some aspects will always be consistent,” Troth said. “Whether you’re a teacher, an administrator or a salesman, being a strong communicator is major component of your job.”

Luckily, he had that experience to fall back on.

“When I was being replaced at Northern Hills, I didn’t let it get me down,” Troth said. “Instead, I took it as a way to pursue something I really wanted to do.”

And in the past eight months, Troth discovered he truly enjoys meeting with the public at Jensen.

“I love helping people,” he said. “That’s actually what I’m doing here.”

Which led us to think what Troth would like for this fourth career change.

“Oh, I’d like to be a relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals or, maybe, a pro golfer,” he said with a grin. “Even if don’t become a professional athlete, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

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NEW BEGINNINGS the

body politic

POLITICAL ANIMAL

UNG DISCOVERS PASSION IN PUB

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JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

UBLIC SERVICE

Left: Woodbury County Supervisor Matthew Ung at the Woodbury County Courthouse. Above: Nheylin Ung assists as her husband is sworn in as a Woodbury County supervisor by Judge John Ackerman.

o

Text by Earl Horlyk

| Photographs by Dawn J. Sagert

ONE OF THE PROUDEST MOMENTS of Matthew Ung’s life occurred on Nov. 10.

On that day, the 26-year-old Sioux Cityan was sworn in as a Woodbury County supervisor for the Fourth District.

The swearing-in ceremony happened almost a week after Ung defeated Democrat Alex Watters in an open seat election.

Ung was sworn in quickly because incumbent David Tripp – whom Ung successfully challenged in a July primary – resigned two months before his term expired because he was serving a 30-day jail term for a domestic abuse charge, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Two-and-a-half years earlier, Ung lost his first political bid – a challenge to State Rep. Ron Jorgensen for the Republican nomination in Iowa House District Six. With his wife Nheylin holding a Bible, Ung repeated the oath of office as administered by Iowa District Court Judge John D. Ackerman inside the Woodbury County Courthouse.

“It was an amazing ride for me,” Ung said, remembering the day from his Morningside home’s living room a month later. “The feeling will stick with me for the rest of my life.”

The experience, he said, also connected him to his dad, Kham Vay Ung, a Chinese immigrant from Laos who became a podiatric surgeon in Sioux City.

“My dad left Laos and subsequently made a success for himself in America,” Ung said. “Dad said being sworn in as an American citizen was the proudest moment of his life. I now know how he felt.”

Yet Ung’s own path to success was quite different than his dad’s.

“Medicine was my dad’s passion,” Ung said. “My passion was in public service.”

FOLLOWING HIS OWN PATH Growing up, Ung said he liked playing with his toy cars while watching the National Geographic Channel on TV. “Even as a kid, I thought about traveling to distant lands all over the world,” he recalled.

Indeed, Ung’s original dream was to become a pilot (“That sounded exciting to me,” he said), but a more persistent goal was to become his dad’s helper at the Foot & Ankle Clinic, PC. “That became my default answer when people asked about my future plans,” he said. “Still, I sort of knew a career in medicine wasn’t for me.”

Instead, Ung earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration from Creighton University and a master’s in theology from Life Christian University.

In addition, he cured his wanderlust by studying abroad as well as doing missionary work in several parts of the world. It was in Honduras that he met his future wife.

DIVING INTO NEW CHALLENGES “Matthew and I are both devout Christians who believe charity is the duty of

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JANUARY 2015

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Woodbury County Supervisor Matthew Ung talks to Woodbury County Director of Human Resources Ed Gilliland.

the church,” Nheylin Ung explained. “Our missionary work is what brought us together.”

However, Nheylin’s college plans kept the couple apart for almost a year while she completed a bachelor’s degree in finance in her native Honduras while Ung returned to the United States.

Leaving Honduras for America wasn’t a hardship, Nheylin said.

“I love it here,” she insisted.

Ironically, it was Ung, an SSI-certified advance open water diver, who missed the clear waters of Honduras.

“You can’t seem to find any good reefs in the Midwest,” he said, teasingly.

Perhaps, that’s why he decided to “dive” into another sport: politics.

“As an open water diver, you learn to stay away from sharks,” Ung said with a laugh. “That’s also true for politics.”

SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS Ung said he was chastened after he lost his first political bid in June 2012.

“I was doing the opposite of a victory march by picking up yard signs the day after the primary,” he remembered. “Even though I was feeling sorry for myself, people were thanking me for running. In fact, they were encouraging me to keep on trying.”

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JANUARY 2015

Ung’s next opportunity came when he defeated incumbent Supervisor David Tripp for the Republican nomination for Woodbury County’s Fourth District in June.

He subsequently won the seat in Nov. 4’s general election by a comfortable margin.

Ung credited a loyal group of supporters, that included Nheylin.

“Throughout the campaign, I learned what it was like to shop for groceries after midnight,” Nheylin Ung explained.

“I also discovered it was perfectly normal to watch DVDs of movies well into the night.”

“You see, I’m an action movie buff,” Ung interjected. “And Nheylin was nice enough to let me watch (1995’s) ‘Braveheart’ at 2 a.m. as a way to rev me up after a long day on the campaign trail.”

Nheylin giggled at the memory.

“Matthew may not know this but I am also a big Mel Gibson fan,” she added.

“That’s why we’d watch ‘Braveheart’ together.”

‘YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING’ Since his swearing-in ceremony, Ung has been slowly acclimating himself into the role of Woodbury County supervisor.

“I’m still the new guy but I’m asking

SIOUXLAND LIFE

“I was doing the opposite of a victory march by picking up yard signs the day after the (2012) primary. Even though I was feeling sorry for myself, people were thanking me for running. In fact, they were encouraging me to keep on trying.”

MATTHEW UNG

plenty of questions,” he said. “It’s not something you just dive into. First, you observe. Then, you ask questions. That way, you’ll be able to work hard for your constituents.”

That’s a sentiment Ung shared with his dad.

“My dad always said the happiest person is also the hardest worker,” he noted.

“You have to put in the time to become a success and you never stop learning.

Otherwise, you become complacent.”

Even though he chose a different path, Ung knows he has the support of his father.

“My dad is happy for me,” Ung said. “I know my dad is proud I discovered my passion in public service.”

Proud to Live & Work in Siouxland

DOUGLAS A. WHEELOCK, DDS, PC Dr. Wheelock established his own dental practice in 1977. It originally was only 2 blocks from its current location at 4100 Morningside Avenue.

Dr. Wheelock was born and raised in Sioux City graduating from Sioux City Central High School in 1969. He went on to receive his Bachelors of Science degree from Briar Cliff College in 1973. He attended dental school at the University of Iowa and earned his Doctor of Dental Science degree in 1976. After graduation Dr. Wheelock returned to Sioux City.

Dr. Wheelock is involved in his community & church. Dr. Wheelock is married to his college sweetheart, Marilyn, and has three adult sons and three daughters in law. He is the proud grandfather of five incredible grandchildren.

Dr. Wheelock is proud to call Siouxland home and enjoys providing quality dental care to the community.

RYAN JENSEN, DMD

BRIAN B. BURSICK, DDS Dr. Brian Bursick is a Sioux City native growing up in the Crescent Park area. He attended West High School and graduated in 1986. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from the University of Nebraska Dental School in 1994. After graduation he practiced briefly in Sergeant Bluff, IA. In 1997 he joined Dr. Wheelock as an associate.

In 2004 he became a business partner.

Away from the office Dr. Bursick is busy with his family. He and his wife Kristy have three young sons.

Dr. Bursick is devoted to delivering quality comprehensive dentistry to the people of his hometown, Sioux City, IA.

Dr. Ryan Jensen was born in Idaho and lived most of his life in Idaho Falls. He earned his undergraduate degree in biology with minors in business management and chemistry from Brigham Young University. In May 2013, Dr. Jensen graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio with his DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine). Dr. Jensen and his wife Kara have three children, ages 6, 4, and 2. They welcomed their fourth child in November 2013.

When not practicing dentistry, Dr. Jensen enjoys the outdoors, especially wake boarding, snowboarding, and whitewater rafting. He is also active in his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dr. Jensen joined Wheelock and Bursick Dentistry in July 2013.

Our hOme-grOwN prOfessiONals have iNsight aNd experieNce tO make aN exceptiONal cONtributiON tO Our patieNts aNd cOmmuNity

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New patients are welcomed!

DOUGLAS A. WHEELOCK, DDS, PC BRIAN B. BURSICK, DDS RYAN JENSEN, DMD 4100 Morningside Ave. • Sioux City, IA 51106 Phone 712-274-2038 Fax 712-274-0648 Siouxland life

january 2015

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NEW BEGINNINGS a

different game

FRESHMAN FINDS HIS WAY ONTO COURT AT MORNINGSIDE

b

Text by Tim Gallagher

BRODY VAN GINKEL MAY BE A “ROOKIE” when it comes to collegiate basketball.

The sport itself? Call him an old pro.

Van Ginkel, the son of Steve and Tracy Van Ginkel of Dakota Dunes, S.D., has had a basketball in his hands as early as he could hold a bottle or a rattle. His earliest memory of formal basketball takes him back to a gymnasium at Western Iowa Tech Community College. It was an introductory program called Happy Hoops.

“Probably in first grade,” Van Ginkel says.

The point guard played on youth teams and in tournaments in places all over the map until settling in for a decorated cage prep career at Dakota Valley High School. His Panthers team reached the South Dakota state finals during his sophomore season, falling to St. Thomas More of Rapid City by a 63-56 score in the Class A title contest on March 17, 2012.

Two years later, as a senior, Van Ginkel averaged 17 points per game at Dakota Valley, attracting the interest of college coaches.

When it came time to sign a scholarship offer, he followed his older brother, Blake Van Ginkel, to Morningside College. Blake is a sophomore for the Mustangs, a team that ended the first semester ranked 14th nationally and sporting a glossy 10-2 record.

The younger Van Ginkel hasn’t let his freshman status stand in the way of contributing on the highest level.

His 27 assists, when matched against just 7 turnovers, makes up the best ratio on the team, a nice boost for Coach Jim Sykes’ squad.

That 4-to-1 ratio is extremely impressive for a 19-year-old adjusting to the rigors of playing a major sport in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

“Brody sees the floor well and

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JANUARY 2015

| Photographs by Jim Lee

Above: Morningside College’s Brody Van Ginkel, No. 20, guards Mount Marty’s Bud Smith during basketball action at Morningside College. Right: Van Ginkel, center, watches from the bench. Though just a freshman, Van Ginkel sees extensive minutes for the varsity basketball team.

handles it well,” says Coach Jim Sykes.

Ginkel says he and his basketball “He likes to play fast and we want to classmates have to do very little “explay fast. He’s learning by doing.” tra” due to their rookie status.

“I just wanted to come in and conTime was when freshmen passed tribute, whether it’s by playing defense an initiation of sorts by singing their or having assists,” Van Ginkel says. high school fight song – or the col“Any way to help the team. As long as lege’s fight song – in front of the team we win, I don’t care about scoring.” or a busy cafeteria.

While freshmen someNot so at Morningside. times take more than “Freshmen roll out their fair share of the basketballs ribbing from for practice,” veteran Van Ginkel “I just wanted to come teamadmits. in and contribute, whether it’s by mates, “And, Van I do playing defense or having assists. Any way to

SIOUXLAND LIFE

help the team. As long as we win, I don’t care about scoring.”

BRODY VAN GINKEL

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JANUARY 2015

21

Morningside College’s Brody Van Ginkel, a freshman from Dakota Valley High School, is a top reserve for the Mustangs this season.

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have to grab the medical kit for road trips and make sure it gets on the bus.”

Freshmen also have academic rigors to negotiate, a task that can be more difficult than any full-court press. Van Ginkel says it comes down to time management. His coach agrees.

“There’s a lot more homework than what we had in high school,” he says.

“And you must study if you want to be successful. There are times when I’m up until 12:30 or 1 a.m. reading or studying. Other times, I’m up at 8 a.m. studying.”

The first-year seminar class required of all Morningside freshmen probably had Van Ginkel at his busiest during the first semester. The class required the most reading and the most research papers.

“As a freshman, you adapt,” he says.

“You’re on your own, whether or not you attend class.”

So, does he attend class?

Van Ginkel answers with an emphatic, “Yes.” “It’s a tough transition,” Sykes notes, “going from high school life to college life and the amount of free time you have. Brody does a good job of prioritizing. He takes care of his class work and then, if he has time, gets into the gym to work on his shooting, his ball handling and the other parts of the game.”

Van Ginkel also makes it to practice each day and fulfilled the team’s pre-seaons workouts, sessions that began with a running regimen not long after the school year began.

Formal practices with coaches began around Oct. 1.

“Practice starts way before it does in high school,” Van Ginkel says. “You must keep focused because it’s a way longer season.”

His focus seems to be paying dividends.

“The speed of the game is a lot different, a lot quicker in college,” he says. “You have to be ahead of everything or you’ll fall behind. You have to anticipate.”

Are there other differences? Is playing on the road a lot more difficult at the NAIA Division II level?

“The crowds can be a lot more brutal,” he says with a laugh.

Asked to specify which crowds, Van Ginkel doesn’t bite. He’s not about to make a “rookie” mistake by giving some opponent a dose of motivational bulletin board material.

“I can’t give you an example,” he says. “I don’t want to throw any school under the bus.”

Spoken like a fourth-year contributor, a seasoned veteran.

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Siouxland life

january 2015

23

NEW BEGINNINGS a

fast-paced life

NEW HY-VEE COURTESY CLERK HAS EYES SET ON STARDOM

f

Text by Michelle Kuester

FOR EAST HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR DARION NELSON, starting as the new courtesy clerk at Hy-Vee on Gordon Drive was a nice change of pace.

“I’ve just always been shy and socially awkward, but after I started working here I’ve felt a lot better,” he said. “I can go up to people and have a conversation. It has helped me with being shy.”

His first day in September was understandably nerve-wracking.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he admitted. “It ended up being OK though. I’ve already made some friends.”

He also works at Hollister Co. in the Southern Hills Mall, which has a different environment than the grocery chain, said Nelson, 17.

“I think at Hollister it’s a calmer atmosphere, but here it’s more normal to be outspoken and have a conversation with a customer,” he said.

As with every job, there are good and bad elements. Nelson considers collecting outside garbage and retrieving rogue carts from the parking lot the worst tasks of the day as he prefers to interact with customers.

“Recently I’ve learned how to cashier and I really like that,” he said.

“It’s actually easier than bagging groceries.”

Nelson wanted to work for HyVee because of the work availability and atmosphere.

“I’ve heard so much about them giving people opportunities to work, so I applied,” said Nelson. “After a couple days, they called me back and I interviewed and got hired.”

Finding time for school, two jobs

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JANUARY 2015

| Photographs by Jim Lee and a social life is no easy task, but Nelson manages to make it work.

“I try to get as much done as I can at school and if I don’t get my things done, I do it after work,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but before I had my first job, I felt incomplete.

Working makes me feel like I’m pushing forward and being successful. I want to be successful in all that I can.”

But does he sleep?

“Probably not as much as I should,” he said with a laugh.

Nelson credits his work ethic to his parents who have always encouraged him to be his best.

“My parents never went to college so they’ve pushed me to finish my education,” he said.

His determination isn’t just limited to work. Nelson is on track to graduate from high school in December 2015, a semester early.

After that, Nelson plans to begin at Western Iowa Tech Community College studying graphic design and motorcycle mechanics. From there, he is considering finishing his education in Los Angeles.

“Growing up, I’ve always been into music,” said Nelson, who sings in his band Beautiful Tragedies.

“My parents have tons of videos of me singing and I love performing. I think Los Angeles would be a good fit for me.”

He hopes to find success in music, comedy or writing screenplays.

“I don’t believe just going to Los Angeles will bring me success, but I believe that because I’m willing to work so hard and not give up that I’ll find success.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Above: Darion Nelson, 17, works as a checker at Hy-Vee on Gordon Drive. Left: Nelson bags groceries while at work. A junior at East High School, Nelson works two jobs. He hopes to someday make it big in Los Angeles.

“Working makes me feel like I’m pushing forward and being successful. I want to be successful in all that I can.”

DARION NELSON

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

25

LAW AND

NEW BEGINNINGS the

family job

s

Text by Earl Horlyk

| Photographs by Dawn J. Sagert

STANDING 5 FEET, 3 INCHES TALL, Elisha Schmeckpepper, 29, doesn’t look like the typical rookie police officer.

But she is one of the 14 female officers currently employed by the Sioux City Police Department.

Schmeckpepper has been in training with the police department since April. While in training, she rides along with a fellow officer. At the end of 2014, she will be riding on her own.

“A city’s police department should be a reflection of the community as a whole,” Sgt. Judy Kellen observed.

“Having 14 women in a police force of 123 officers isn’t bad but we can do much better.”

To be honest, Schmeckpepper is the perfect officer-in-training. Her husband Alan has been a Sioux City police officer since 2012, her sister works

ROOKIE POLICE OFF

for the Nebraska State Patrol and her brother-in-law is a police officer in South Sioux City.

“More than most people, I know exactly what being a police officer is like,” Schmeckpepper, the mother of two small children, explained. “Nothing has come as a surprise to me.”

Indeed, she has dreamed of becoming a police officer since taking a criminal justice class in high school.

“For a while, I thought about becoming a nurse but figured there would be too much science involved,” Schmeckpepper admitted. “Being a police officer seemed like a more viable career for me.”

Earning a police science associate’s degree from Western Iowa Tech Community College and a criminal justice bachelor’s degree from Bellevue

University, she said actual on-the-job training has been an eye-opener for her.

“When you’re cruising in your squad car, you’re on the lookout for accidents while checking your computer, and driving at the same time,” Schmeckpepper said. “You can never let your guard down. You can never capture that in a classroom.”

Kellen knows exactly what Schmeckpepper is going through. “(Elisha’s) first night on her own will feel overwhelming,” Kellen, an officer with nearly 19 years of experience, said. “But it will get better after that.”

Despite “watching 20 or so years of ‘Law & Order’ reruns,” Schmeckpepper admitted police work is rarely as exciting as it is on TV. “There is more paperwork than

Sioux City Police Officer Elisha Schmeckpepper begins her day at roll call.

Schmeckpepper loads her bag into her vehicle before heading out onto the streets of Sioux City.

SHIFT ROUTINE

Schmeckpepper carries her bag and gun up the stairs as she begins her shift.

Schmeckpepper checks out her vehicle, one of her “start of the day” duties.

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JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Left: After loading and inspecting her vehicle, Schmeckpepper boots up the on-board computer, before she and Field Training Officer Matt Hicks begin their rounds (right).

D ORDER

FFICER CONTINUES A FAMILY TRADITION you’d expect,” she said. “And we won’t be chasing bad guys all the time.”

That’s OK with Schmeckpepper, who views being a police officer as being an important part of the community.

“You’re helping people during times when they really need your help,” she said. “It won’t always be glamorous but it will always be gratifying.”

Working the 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. shift, Schmeckpepper begins her day at roll call, where she and other officers find out what’s going on in the city.

She’s already built up a strong camaraderie with older, more experienced officers.

“When I decided to become a police officer, I knew it wasn’t going to be a job for me,” Schmeckpepper said. “I knew it was going to be my career.”

As she nears the end of the training portion of her employment, she can’t help but be proud of her accomplishment.

“I’m getting to do what I’ve wanted to do since I was a teenager,” she said with smile. “This is exactly where I want to be.”

“I’m getting to do what I’ve wanted to do since I was a teenager.

This is exactly where I want to be.”

ELISHA SCHMECKPEPPER

Sioux City Police Officer Elisha Schmeckpepper joined the force in April.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

27

NEW BEGINNINGS the

right blend

r

RICK BOWER NEVER STOPS COOKING. Not even in his sleep. A bacon-wrapped pork loin came to him in a dream.

He made it a main dish on the menu at Kahill’s Steak-Fish & Chophouse. Since he spends 12 hours a day making food, it’s not surprising that his mind dwells on cuts of meat.

“We just go until it’s done,” he said. “I take maybe one day off a week. Sunday.

Sometimes not. This past weekend, I did three back-to-back 18-hour days. We need to make sure we take care of our people.”

The new executive chef joined the fine dining restaurant in July, trading the bustle of a Chicago steakhouse for a serene setting along the Missouri River.

Cooking has always been a part of his life.

He got his first taste of the food industry when he was 15. Bower learned the basics while working at a pizza place and serving as a line cook at the Country Mansion, a casual dining restaurant in his hometown of Dwight, Ill. For his family, he dished up a lot of Italian food – gnocchi and pasta.

“I made Caesar salad dressing when I was 8 or 9 years old,” he said. “I put a smile on my mom’s face. And that’s what you do it for. There’s not a lot recognition for being a chef, but it’s for the people you can make smile. That’s the important part.”

That glimmer of gratitude makes up for the long hours and time away from his wife and their infant son.

His love of cooking led him to study culinary arts at Joliet Junior College. He gained hands-on experience by offering

his services for free at eateries across the country. That gave him a chance to get in the kitchen of Robuchon, a threeMichelin-star restaurant in Las Vegas. He did that on his days off.

During his stint there, Bower committed his worst cooking disaster in the kitchen of Nobhill Tavern, an upscale restaurant by celebrity chef Michael Mina.

As he reached to pull a massive porcelain bowl off the top of the line, it slipped from his fingers and shattered in all of his prepped ingredients. A piece of the bowl impaled his ring finger.

With the worst behind him, the 30-yearold chef hit the ground running at Kahill’s, rolling out new seasonal menus.

“Out here, I started a sea-to-table program, which focuses on small fisheries along the coast. I can get fish shipped in 24 hours out of the water,” he said. “All of our East Coast oysters, all of our lobsters come from Old Port, Maine. I’m able to track where the fish is coming from and actually speak with the boat captain if I need to.

“It’s just the responsible way of getting fish.”

The seafood is sourced through a boutique distributor, called Sea to Table, which connects fisherman from smallscale sustainable wild fisheries with chefs.

Most of the fish is line-caught with a rod and reel, Bower said. Lobsters are brought in live. He’s looking forward to dishing up plates of soft-shell crab and halibut when it’s in season.

“Utilizing fresh ingredients, keeping

SAMPLER PLATTER: CHEF RICK BOWER Misconceptions about being a chef: “I’m not like Gordon Ramsay. You don’t get anywhere yelling at people … Still, in some restaurants, you get the chef that throws things at his cooks, degrades people. I’ve dealt with that.”

Food philosophy: “It’s all about the integrity of ingredients. Once you give up on the integrity of the ingredient, we give up on what we do. That’s what I try to push to my cooks and my sous chefs as well.”

Must-have ingredient: “Malden salt. It’s what we garnish all our steaks with. It’s a very light salt.”

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JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

things seasonal, that’s one of the most important things about this business,” he said. “A lot of what I’m doing is just focusing on using every last piece of every product that we get in, using an entire duck, using an entire pig if I bring one in, keeping the

Text by Ally Karsyn

| Photograph by Tim Hynds

farm-to-table going.”

Beside the menu, the restaurant’s dining area looks different, too. A recent remodel called for new seating, carpeting and an impressive wine cabinet that holds 800 bottles. A full kitchen renovation is slated for the end of January.

While Bower celebrates a new beginning at Kahill’s, someday,

he hopes to carve out a space of his own, something small that serves everything in his culinary background.

“Ten years down the road, I’d like to have a nice little restaurant. No more than 40 seats. Make everything seasonal, growing everything in the back, keeping everything local,” he said.

It’s every chef’s dream.

Rick Bower, executive chef at Kahill’s, displays freshly cut golden tilefish in the prep kitchen. As a newcomer at the restaurant, he said the biggest challenge is finding out what the customers want.

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JANUARY 2015

29

new beginnings learning,

teaching

Layana navarre-Jackson, a first year assistant professor of sociology at Morningside College, teaches an elementary statistics class in December. This is her first tenure-track position after spending two years teaching online and one year as a visiting assistant professor at the university of Iowa.

Teaching Track First-year college proFessor learns plenty in early weeks

d

Text by Ally Karsyn

During DeaD week, just days before finals, an assistant professor of sociology sat at a desk in an undecorated office with bare bookshelves behind her.

Layana Navarre-Jackson hadn’t settled in to her new digs at Morningside College.

The faculty members in her department seemed to playing a game of musical chairs. She was waiting for that moment of silence since the department relocated from another building on campus to the second floor of Lewis Hall.

She hesitated to schlep boxes of books up a flight of stairs. With that amount of

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January 2015

| Photographs by Tim Hynds

work, she wanted to be sure it wasn’t in vain. Those books are heavy.

While she waited to hunker down in her new office in the suite, she celebrated a number of firsts.

Her first day of class at Morningside College. Her first tenure-track position.

Her first faculty party at a college president’s house.

After spending much of her adult life as student in higher education, NavarreJackson finally took her place at the front of the class.

The view looks a little different from when she was an undergrad at Xavier University in the ‘90s.

Siouxland life

Now, a lot of professors make PowerPoint presentations and have the slideshows readily available for students to view on their personal computers. That’s another thing. Instead of pen and paper, desks are dotted with open laptops as students take notes and follow along in class.

Some professors forgo printed quizzes in favor of an online learning platform called Moodle. It saves time and trees.

Advances in technology reveal a gap between Navarre-Jackson and her students.

In college, she used a word processor, clarifying it was “one reminiscent of a typewriter where you have to put the paper in.”

She didn’t have a cell phone or a computer.

It begs the question of age.

“Do I have to say? OK, well, what the hey, I’m old. Forty,” she said. “It’s a gendered sort of thing, you know. We’re judged differently. If you’re female, you might have an ‘expiration date.’”

Spoken like a true sociologist.

Her assessment could have been brought up in one of her college courses.

Last semester, she taught an introduction to sociology course in which students broached topics of race, class, gender and age. Delving deeper into the subject, she’ll soon be leading a course called “Body & Society,” looking at the sociological aspect of how bodies are viewed, how they’re perceived and how they do or don’t fit into society.

Navarre-Jackson knew since high school that she wanted to go into teaching. But teaching what? At one point, she thought it would be English. Eventually that changed. Social psychology piqued her interest in college.

She loved to learn and read and stayed on the teaching track.

“I think educators at the college level would agree that it’s a lot better to be the one who’s giving information and exchanging ideas and actually getting to see people go on in their lives and use what you’ve taught them,” she said.

“It’s pretty rewarding if you can see that down the road.”

Before joining Morningside’s faculty, Navarre-Jackson worked from home as an assistant professor online for Ashland University and spent a year as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa, where she also earned her doctorate.

Her snug office on the second floor of Lewis Hall offers more than a change of scenery. It’s a step toward stability for semesters to come.

“I think educators at the college level would agree that it’s a lot better to be the one who’s giving information and exchanging ideas and actually getting to see people go on in their lives and use what you’ve taught them.

It’s pretty rewarding if you can see that down the road.”

Layana navarre-Jackson

Siouxland life

january 2015

31

new beginnings trade

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January 2015

secrets

Siouxland life

NO OFFICE

JOB FOR HIM ARMY VETERAN FINDS NEW NICHE IN PIPEFITTING

t

Text and photographs by Michelle Kuester

TURNING ON A LIGHT BULB is such a simple task that many people don’t appreciate the work it takes to power those tiny filaments. Jacob Haefs, a third-year apprentice pipefitter and welder contracted through MidAmerican Energy, not only appreciates it, but he helps do the work.

As a pipefitter, he ensures the plant’s pipes carrying various materials are fitted together properly for maximum efficiency and safety.

Working in the trades is a family affair for Haefs. His uncle and grandfather were tradesmen.

“They’ve been really successful,” he said. “That’s a reason why I decided to do it.”

A desk job has never been appealing to Haefs, who served with the Army in the Afghanistan war from 2010 to 2011 before working in the pipefitting business.

“I’ve never wanted to sit in an office,” he said. “I like working with my hands and I like the feeling of being tired after a long day’s work. It makes me feel like I really accomplished something.”

Haefs, 23, enlisted while attending North High School and was deployed at 19, soon after graduating in 2010.

“I knew I wanted to serve and I knew the Afghanistan war was winding down and if I waited I wouldn’t have a chance to serve,” he said.

Balancing careers in military and pipefitting isn’t a problem for Haefs, who is active in the National Guard.

“MidAmerican is really lenient about giving me time to do my military career,” he said. “They’ve been really great.”

After his tour of duty, he began the process of becoming a pipefitter. He started working as a pre-apprentice to show that he had a true interest in the job.

Above: Jacob Haefs, a third-year apprentice pipefitter at MidAmerican in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, considers the cameraderie between his co-workers the best part of his job. Left: Haefs welds a pipe at the coal refinery.

“They want you to show initiative,” said Haefs. “It’s basically like a probationary period.”

From there, he took math tests and other specific tests related to the field at Western Iowa Tech Community College to demonstrate that he had the knowledge to succeed in the trade.

After passing all the tests, he began interviewing and was contracted to start a five-year apprenticeship program at MidAmerican.

At the end of his apprenticeship, he will have an associate’s degree in general studies from Des Moines Area Community College thanks to a new program through the plumbers union.

“The local union actually started a new program when I started three years ago where you get credits while doing

your apprenticeship so you have that as a backup when you’re done,” explained Haefs.

When he started the program, the learning curve was steep, but Haefs said that didn’t discourage him from wanting to continue to learn the trade.

“It was really fast-paced and I had to soak up everything as fast as I could, otherwise it was going to pass me by,” he said.

Although he has kept up with the tasks of the job, every day there is a new challenge, said Haefs, which allows him to keep growing and improving.

“There’s always something new to learn,” he said. “People make mistakes, but you can only get better.”

For those graduating from high school and aren’t sure of the next step, Haefs recommends taking a look at the trades.

“For younger guys looking to learn the trades and work with their hands, union is the way to go,” he said.

Moving around from pipefitting to plumbing and commercial refrigeration someday is an option, but Haefs believes he has found his niche in pipefitting.

“I think I like this big powerhouse pipefitting best,” said Haefs, who hopes to someday open his own pipefitting business.

As with any job, there are a few negatives about working at a power plant, however.

“Coming to work and being covered in fly ash (residue from the burning coal) by 7:05 in the morning right after you get here isn’t so fun,” he said.

But Haefs said the bond with his co-workers makes up for any of the downsides.

“My favorite thing about the trade is the camaraderie,” said Haefs. “It’s more like being with a family than coming to work.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

33

NEW BEGINNINGS a

great spark

Jon Ellwanger is an electrician with Thompson Electric Co.

ELECTRICIANS PERFOM A VARIETY OF TASKS IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS

t

Text by Dolly A. Butz | Photographs by Jim Lee

THERE’S MORE TO BEING an electrician than twisting wires together.

Jon Ellwanger does everything from operating an excavator to working on light fixtures.

One of his jobs took him 135 feet into the air on a boom lift.

No day is the same; and Ellwanger, 30, likes it that way.

After a five-year apprenticeship, Ellwanger passed his exams and became a certified journeyman in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. About a year ago he

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JANUARY 2015

moved up the ladder at Thompson Electric Company to foreman.

Notable projects he has worked on include the Sioux City Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Sunnybrook Medical Plaza and West High School’s science addition.

“I knew that I wanted to work with my hands and not sit in an office all day,” Ellwanger said. “During high school we studied some different careers. It was one that I thought I would like.”

After graduating from Storm Lake

SIOUXLAND LIFE

High School, Ellwanger took a year-long electrical course at Western Iowa Tech Community College.

He then entered a five-year apprenticeship program, where he was matched with a journeyman. In addition to his onthe-job training, he attended a week-long class four times a year.

Following his apprenticeship he took exams to become licensed in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

“It definitely sounds like a longer time than it really is,” Ellwanger said of the

“I think there’s a lack of understanding with young people today about what we do. We have industrial electricians that work at Cargill and Jolly Time. We have maintenance electricians.

There are residential electricians. These kids don’t know these careers are out there. They could make a darn good living.”

Jon Ellwanger peers through a conduit at Thompson Electric Co.

KENT GRANGE Director of business development, Thompson Electric Co. training necessary to become a certified journeyman. “When you actually do it, it does not seem like it’s really that long.

You’re working all the time. It’s mostly on-the-job training.”

In his work, Ellwanger uses algebra, as well as written and spoken communication skills daily. He works 40 to 60 hours a week in the heat and cold.

He dons a hard hat, gloves and safety glasses for protection.

“During the winter you definitely have to layer up and bundle up to make sure you’re not going to freeze,” he said.

By the year 2020, Kent Grange, director of business development for Thompson Electric Company, said there will be a 20 percent shortage of electricians working in the industry. That’s why he said the company is partnering with area high schools to host workshops where students learn about the trade, as well as how to wire a switch, outlet and a light.

He said 90 percent of Sioux Falls Career and Technical Education Academy students said they would attend an electrical class after participating in one of the company’s workshops.

A three-day class is planned for high school students in the Sioux City Community School District in February.

“I think there’s a lack of understanding with young people today about what we do,” Grange said. “We have industrial electricians that work at Cargill and Jolly Time. We have maintenance electricians.

There’s residential electricians. These kids don’t know these careers are out there.

They could make a darn good living.”

Ellwanger, who focuses more on the commercial side of the job, agrees. He encourages seniors to try out his profession after graduation. He said they can immediately work as a construction wireman under the tutelage of a journeyman to see if it’s the right career fit.

“If you don’t like it, you can do something else,” he said. “I think this is a good field to get into if you’re unsure of your decision.”

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SIOUXLAND LIFE

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35

NEW BEGINNINGS the

write stuff Michael Gallagher, a banker with Peoples Bank in Sioux Center, Iowa, is shown with the book he produced to help document the flooding in Rock Valley, Iowa, during 2014.

Want the book?

If you’d like a copy of “Rock Valley Flood 2014” contact Keith Sietstra at the Chamber of Commerce in Rock Valley, Iowa, at (712) 476-9300.

Cost of the book is $40.

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JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

A FLOOD OF WORDS FIRST-YEAR BANKER FINDS WRITING NICHE DURING DISASTER

m

Text by Tim Gallagher Photographs by Tim Hynds and Tim Gallagher

MICHAEL GALLAGHER WANTED to remember the Rock Valley flood.

So, he created a book, using the publishing website Shutterfly.

The book, in essence, has taken flight with orders for dozens coming from all corners of the Sioux County community.

Seems residents look at Gallagher’s book as a great way to remember what they endured as the Rock River swept into town on June 17, 2014.

The rookie banker, who was summoned to help fight the flood, has now become a rookie author.

“I only thought of the book for me, my way to remember the flood,” says Gallagher, 23.

The saga began on June 17 as the Rock River surged at Rock Valley, creating a wall of water that began to inundate portions of the community within which Gallagher had lived for only nine months, not long after starting his work at Peoples Bank in Rock Valley in April 2013, following his graduation from Dordt College.

“I helped sandbag, as would anyone,” he says.

An estimated 200-plus homes and business dwellings suffered damage as the waters rose then receded, leaving behind a trail of muck, mud and more, including sewage.

An organization called World Renew, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., sent three volunteers to Rock Valley just days after the flood. The trio began the process of sanitizing basements that were flooded. Gallagher’s boss at the bank, Dale Kooima, cut his rookie banker loose, figuring it was helpful to have someone of Gallagher’s skill,

Dallas Rozeboon, right, of Rock Valley, Iowa, carries a bag full of items rescued from a flooded home as he and Dalton Kats, of Rock Valley, help a friend as water from the Rock River inundate Rock Valley on June 17, 2014.

energy and mobility at the forefront of the clean-up effort.

“I worked with World Renew to sanitize peoples’ basements, stopping mold before they could start to rebuild,” Gallagher remembers. “I worked for 10 days, until just after July 4.”

Gallagher was excited for the work, an effort he and the community deemed vital to the recovery effort. It also allowed him the chance to meet residents of Rock Valley, his new community.

The 10-day project was set to expire just after July 4.

But, that’s when Kooima was asked if the bank could spare Gallagher for a few more days – or weeks – as the sanitizing schedule continued.

“We’d done 44 homes to that point, out of more than 200 that needed the work,” Gallagher says.

With the World Renew volunteers set to depart, it left Gallagher in charge of a small band of cleaners. He worked with other volunteers from nearby Boyden, Iowa, in cleaning the basements of 115 homes over the next few weeks.

“We put together a system to take out carpet, tile and then we did spraying,” Gallagher says.

It occurred to him in late July that he should document the effort. That’s when his wife, Maria Gallagher, directed him to Shutterfly. He spent a portion of the late summer/early fall downloading photos, communiques and documents the city disseminated to Rock Valley residents during this historic flood.

“I did the book, ordered my one copy and it came in September,” Gallagher says. “It was cool.”

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JANUARY 2015

37

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2005 East 4th • Sioux City, IA 712-277-3981 • GRoofingsi@aol.com www.GuaranteeRoofing.com

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SIOUXLAND LIFE

He then took the book to Peoples Bank and was surprised by the reaction.

Thirty coworkers examined “The Rock Valley Flood of 2014” and many said they wanted to purchase a copy, some wanted multiple copies.

Gallagher waited, secured a discounted price and guaranteed an order of several dozen books, an order that helped drop the per-unit cost to $40, a price that folks in Rock Valley saw as reasonable for a book that detailed their saga and comeback.

Keith Siets ra of the Rock Valley Chamber of Commerce began taking orders and submitted a list of 100 buyers. The books came back in early December. Another order might be forthcoming.

Gallagher, who now works for Peoples Bank in nearby Sioux Center, Iowa, has found the whole process to be stunning and humbling. He’s the last person, he figures, who would ever write a book.

“I did a 10-page research project at Dordt,” he says with a laugh. “That was the most extensive writing I ever did.

English was my worst subject on the ACT.” That’s funny, because around Rock Valley, he’s practically a best-seller.

NEW BEGINNINGS on

your toes

Neuro/Ortho Nurse Abigail Hubbling.

TACKLING THE

CHALLENGE NEW NURSE FINDS JOB OVERWHELMING AT TIMES, BUT EXTREMELY REWARDING

a

Text by Dolly A. Butz | Photographs by Dawn J. Sagert

ABIGAIL HUBBLING THOUGHT she would become a dental hygienist, but she fell in love with nursing while working in a nursing home in Fulda, Minn., her hometown.

“It sounds so cliche, but I just really liked helping people and making people

feel special,” the 22-year-old said.

Nursing is a high-pressure job. Hubbling spends 8 to 12 hours (sometimes more) on her feet making life-or-death decisions in Mercy Medical Center’s 8SW Brown Neuro Unit. There’s a nagging fear in the back of her mind that she will

miss a sign or symptom of something more serious and lose a patient.

The University of South Dakota graduate started working at the hospital in late June caring for patients who have suffered a stroke, have a brain tumor, or have hip knee, back or spinal cord

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

39

injuries. She said her first day on the job was “overwhelming” because she had to juggle five patients, unlike in school where she just had to care for one.

“I think my two biggest fears were a doctor just coming up to me and asking me something and then the family questions that you just don’t know the answer to,” she said.

Hubbling said she has learned more on the job than she did in college. Hubbling said she knew the names of a handful of medications and their functions, but said she is constantly learning new ones as some of her patients take dozens of prescriptions daily.

“Some people are very questioning: ‘What are you giving me? How much is this and why?’” she said. “Sometimes I just Google stuff in patients’ rooms with them when they’re like, ‘I don’t know what that is.’ I’m like, ‘You know what? I don’t either.’ We look it up and we learn it together or I ask someone else who knows more than I do.”

Hubbling is gaining confidence and making her mark at Mercy. She won The Daisy Award For Extraordinary Nurses in November after being nominated by a patient. The monthly award is part of the Glen Ellen, Calif., not-for-profit Daisy Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

The patient, a man in his 20s, was impressed with Hubbling’s honesty when answering questions about his care and her attentiveness when he suffered an allergic reaction.

The man wrote of Hubbling, “When we were worried about how my treatment was progressing, she was the first one to step up and exhaust all her options to make us feel comfortable.”

“When I found out it was me, I was a little embarrassed because I don’t take compliments very well,” Hubbling said. “I knew it would make my mom and dad very happy.”

One of the things that bugs Hubbling most about the job is not knowing how her patients are doing once they’ve been transferred to another facility. She said she remembers all of them and thinks about them often.

“That’s the worst part when things take a turn for the worst and you weren’t there. You didn’t get to say goodbye at the end or see them go home and be happy,” she said.

She finds the emotional struggle that goes along with caring for hospice patients challenging as well.

Neuro/Ortho Nurse Abigail Hubbling laughs with a passerby while looking at electronic patient records.

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JANUARY 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

“Some people are very questioning: ‘What are you giving me? How much is this and why?’ Sometimes I just Google stuff in patients’ rooms with them when they’re like, ‘I don’t know what that is.’

I’m like, ‘You know what? I don’t either.’ We look it up and we learn it together or I ask someone else who knows more than I do.”

ABIGAIL HUBBLING “It was really strange because usually we do everything we possibly can to keep them alive. That’s the point of being here. But to have it switch and you’re only doing stuff to keep them comfortable,” she said. “At the nursing home I saw a lot of people pass away, but I never forget that moment with them at the end. ... This is not the norm that people

die and nurses aren’t fazed by it.”

Hubbling said having a positive attitude when she starts her shift is key in avoiding burnout. She prays out loud in her car while driving to work and talks to her family and friends after a hard day.

“With HIPPA you can’t say much, but you can say enough to just let them know,” she said.

PrePare Your Home for Severe Winter WeatHer While not all parts of the country experience snow and ice storms and severe cold during the winter months, many do, and it is important to be prepared for winter weather before it strikes.

The National Weather Service calls winter storms “Deceptive Killers” because people don’t often die as a direct result of the weather, but due to hypothermia from prolonged exposure to cold or in traffic accidents caused by hazardous driving conditions. Winter weather can also knock out heat, power and communications services to your home, sometimes for days at a time.

Here are some tips from the Department of Homeland Services’ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help you keep your home and family safe and comfortable during the cold winter months and extreme winter weather.

• Extend the life of your fuel supply by winterizing your home. Insulate walls and attics, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows, and install storm windows. An economical alternative to storm windows is to cover them with plastic on the inside.

• Clear rain gutters so that they don’t fill with water, then freeze and tear away from your roof due to the added weight. Repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on your home during a storm.

• Keep fire extinguishers around the home, and make sure all family members know how to use them.

• Never use a generator, grill, camp stove

• Have your heating equipment and chimney cleaned and inspected every year.

or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or

• To help prevent pipes from freezing, insulate them with foam wrap or newspaper and turn on your faucets so they drip a tiny bit.

garage, basement, crawl space or any partially

charcoal burning device inside your home,

• Make sure all your fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, and the vent openings are clear of debris and snow.

• Learn how to shut off your main water valve in case your pipes do freeze and burst.

• Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of your roof to sustain the weight of accumulated snow or water (in case the drains don’t work on flat roofs).

During the winter, many people turn to alternate heating and power sources. There is an increased risk of electric shock, house fire or carbon monoxide poisoning if the necessary safety precautions are not taken:

enclosed area. Don’t place the unit near a door, window or vent where carbon monoxide could come indoors.

To learn more about routine maintenance, energy efficiency, safety and more in order to protect and properly care for your home, go to nahb.org/forconsumers.

Rich Callahan President

RASS Remodeling & Repair

SIOUXLAND LIFE

712-255-3852

www.siouxlandhba.com JANUARY 2015

41

HEALTH new

screenings

NEW DEVICE TAKES

WELLNESS SCREENING TO ANOTHER LEVEL

a

Text and photographs by Dolly A. Butz

AT BUSINESSES AROUND SIOUXLAND, an employee’s body mass index could determine how much he or she pays for health insurance.

That’s one of the reasons Holly Bartsch, a wellness specialist, said Mercy Business Health purchased the $8,000 InBody 230, a lightweight, foldable device that produces a detailed body fat analysis in under a minute.

Bartsch began using the InBody 230 in June during wellness screening, body fat testing and health coaching at 20 companies. Some of them employ hundreds of workers.

“On this machine we can see how their weight or muscle is divided, so we can set more specific goals to the individual,” she said. “We do have several companies that do tie body fat percentage into their point system. It can mean discount or no discount, which is huge for some people.”

Bartsch said the former machine she used was outdated. Patients had to lie flat while she attached electrodes to their bodies.

Employees remove their shoes and socks and wipe their hands and feet with a wet wipe for hygienic purposes before stepping onto two shiny foot plates. The machine first calculates weight. On a touch screen, Bartsch enters a code to help identify the individual in the future, as well as their height and weight.

The InBody 230 is a lightweight, foldable device that produces a detailed body fat analysis in under a minute. Inset: Holly Bartsch, a wellness specialist for Mercy Business Health Services, uses the device.

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SIOUXLAND LIFE

Presented by Robert Billiar, DVM And Brooke Gilbert, DVM BEST FRIENDS

Bartsch reviews a report from the device.

They are then instructed to grip two your dominant side for your upper body,” metal bars that jut out from the display Bartsch said. unit. Bartsch hits enter and the device As far as body fat mass, Bartsch said begins its analysis by sending electrodes having all participants fall into the “normal” through the body. It recognizes how range is ideal, but she said what is normal much of the body is composed of water, depends on height, weight and age. skeletal muscle mass and body fat and “Typically the older people get, the sends a detail report to a thermal printer. more fat you’re going to have just because Bartsch said 50 to 70 percent of a peryou lose muscle mass every year that you son’s body should be water weight. Their age,” she said. “If you’re not working out body fat mass is categorized as “standard,” and trying to keep the muscle, you will “strong” or “obese,” while their skeletal lose it.” muscle mass is either “normal weight – With analysis in hand, Bartsch reweak type,” “under weight – weak type” or views the report with employees and “under weight – strong type.” gives them suggestions on how to lose Basal metabolic rate, the minimal weight if they need to. Cardiovascular number of calories needed to sustain life exercise, she said, will reduce fat, while at a resting state, is also included, as well lower sets and higher reps of strength as a segmental lean analysis to undertraining will maintain muscle. stand how muscle mass is distributed “Pretty much for any weight loss you throughout the body. just have to move,” she said.

“You typically have “Most people need more muscle on muscle endurance your right side versus muscle “On this machine we can if that’s strength.”

see how their weight or muscle is divided, so we can set more specific goals to the individual. We do have several companies that do tie body fat percentage into their point system. It can mean discount or no discount, which is huge for some people.”

Holly BartscH Wellness specialist, Mercy Business Health Services

I, Dr. Billiar, have been in veterinary practice for over 54 years, primarily with dogs and cats, and I went to college for eight years to become a veterinarian. So with over 60 years devoted to this profession I have made some observations I want to share with you.

In school we were taught how to diagnose and treat diseases, how to prevent diseases, and how to handle injuries and emergency situations with animals, and the profession is constantly changing and becoming more sophisticated; we have to keep up with this through continuing education. However, I soon realized we were in the people business, helping people enjoy their pets, strengthen the human-animal bond, and maintain good health in their pets. No dog or cat ever called me up during the night or on a holiday and asked for help; it was always their owners. This is your responsibility; pet ownership is a privilege. God gave us these pets to make our lives better and we have to take good care of them; think of the Golden Rule in relationship with your pet as well as other people - don’t let your pet suffer anything you wouldn’t want to. There is much documentation on the value of pets for our mental and physical well-being, as well as service dogs, dogs for the blind, dogs for protection and police work, companions for the sick, and their use in pet-facilitated therapy.

As veterinarians we often find that people are not prepared financially to take care of the injuries and illnesses that befall their pets. This is something to consider when you have pets; be prepared, even consider pet health insurance. Don’t let your pet down because you can’t afford the care needed.

Most of your pets will live 12-15 years; this is not long enough for us, but it is a full life for them. You may be expected to give more care for your pet than you ever anticipated; we don’t have nursing homes for them and you will have to be the caregiver.

All of we nine employees at the South Sioux Animal Hospital have pets. We understand how much your animal companions mean to you and are here to help you, even when your pets come to the end of their lives. Owners do not want their pets to suffer needlessly. Euthanasia is sometimes the last caring act you can do for your pet. One owner contemplated what to do with his pet after his pet passed on; his decision was “I’ll bury him in my heart” and I think that’s how I would feel.

Please enjoy your pet by good nutrition, grooming, exercise, training when necessary, regular veterinary check-ups, preventative health care, and of course, love.

301 W. 29th St., S. Sioux City, NE 402-494-3844 www.ssah-pc.com

Siouxland life

january 2015

43

ask a professional Q: When I get to Grandma' s house, she always has holiday treats, and I can' t resist! Any suggestions?

A: If you run into some of Grandma’s

homemade chocolate chip cookies, the best advice is to listen to yourself. If you have problems cutting yourself off, don’t start before you can’t stop. There’s almost always a vegetable tray sitting out too. One cup of celery contains only 14 calories, verses 100 plus calories per cookie, depending on the recipe. If that entire cookie gets turned into calories you will later have to burn off, are you willing to hit the gym for an hour just for one cookie? Before you eat a cookie or sweet worth hundreds of weighty calories, ask yourself how long it would take to work off.

Now, if you are good at moderation and feel compelled to have one sweet, try this: eat slower and enjoy the treat. When you are eating, it’s lighting up the pleasure center of the brain.

If you eat quickly, it can leave you hungry for more, which is a basic need that you will fill with whatever may be around, such as more cookies. Studies have shown us that if you eat slowly and listen to your body, you will get fuller on less food, and get the pleasure from eating that is an important part of a fulfilling meal.

One final tip: at some point during your Thanksgiving meal, you will likely put down your fork. Notice it when you do, it’s your body’s way of telling you to stop eating and start dreaming of tomorrow’s turkey sandwich.

Bottom line: have a game plan, and stick to it, or end up sticking to the gym in the New Year!

Dr. Joel Pistello, DC

Call 276-4325 today for an appointment 3930 Stadium Drive. (Between Wal-Mart & Explorer Stadium)

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Siouxland life

ADVICE Medical

Answers

‘DOC, I’VE GOT A QUESTION …’ answers to your medical questions

If one person in your family gets strep throat, how come others don’t?

Strep throat is, in fact, a contagious disease caused by particular bacteria called Group A Streptococcus. Since the bacteria that cause strep throat reside in the throat, the bacteria can be spread to others via sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands. The best prevention is good hand washing and antibiotic treatment for those who have strep throat. Antibiotics are important for the treatment of strep throat because strep throat left untreated can cause complications such as acute rheumatic fever, which can lead to arthritis and heart problems, and glomerulonephritis, which can lead to kidney problems. After starting antibiotics, strep throat is typically no longer contagious after 24 hours of treatment. However, it is still important to continue good hand hygiene to prevent the spread to others.

Is there any way to make hair grow faster?

Hair on the scalp typically grows on average 0.3 millimeters per day, that’s 9 millimeters or about 0.35 inches per month. However, hair growth rates vary from person-toperson due to genetic factors and are also affected by nutrition, exercise, and certain health issues and lifestyle choices. In general, eating a healthy and balanced diet provides your body with all the essential nutrients it needs, and thus gives your hair the potential for optimum growth. Exercise helps deliver these nutrients to your hair follicles via increased blood flow, promoting growth as well. Certain health conditions and medications can affect hair growth, so ask your doctor more if you are concerned about any new signs or symptoms related to your hair. Also, smoking can cause your hair to not grow as fast, so quitting smoking can increase hair growth as well as provide numerous health benefits.

What are the germiest places in a house – ones we need to pay particular attention to?

In a 2011 germ study by the National Sanitation Foundation from a sample size of 22 households where families swabbed 30 everyday

household items for yeast, mold, and coliform bacteria, the top 10 “germiest” items in rank order were: (1) kitchen sponges/dish rags, (2) kitchen sinks, (3) toothbrush holders, (4) pet bowls, (5) coffee reservoirs, (6) faucet handles, (7) pet toys, (8) countertops, (9) stove knobs and (10) cutting boards. This small study would suggest that the area in the home with the highest concentrations of these germs is actually the kitchen. So it’s important to pay particular attention to the cleanliness of the kitchen in addition to other areas of the home such as the bathrooms.

What are indentations on your fingernails a sign of?

There are several nail conditions that can result in indentations and can sometimes be a sign of an underlying disorder. One particular type of nail indentation is known as nail pitting, which are small depressions that develop in the nails. Nail pitting is most common in people that have psoriasis, a condition characterized by scaly patches on certain areas of the skin. Nail pitting can also be related to certain connective tissue disorders such as reactive arthritis and alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss. In addition, any localized dermatitis, or inflammation of the skin, that disrupts orderly growth of the

MEET THE DOC Dr. Jesse Nieuwenhuis is a first-year family medicine resident physician at the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation in Sioux City, Iowa. nail can cause nail pitting. Another type of nail indentation is known as Beau’s lines, which are linear indentations that run across the nails transversely from side-to-side. Beau’s lines can be caused by any disease severe enough to disrupt normal nail growth.

Conditions associated with Beau’s lines include uncontrolled diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as illness associated with high fevers, such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps, and pneumonia. Beau’s lines can also be a sign of zinc deficiency.

Other causes of Beau’s lines include trauma and exposure to cold temperatures in people with Raynaud’s disease, a condition where the fingers and/or toes get reduced blood flow under certain conditions causing the skin to turn pale or blue. Since nail indentations consistent with nail pitting and Beau’s lines can be associated with a variety of disorders, please consult your doctor for a full evaluation if you think you may have these conditions.

WHAT KINDS OF HEALTH QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE? Submit your questions and they may be used in this monthly feature. Write to Siouxland Life at 515 Pavonia St., Sioux City, Iowa 51102.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

45

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME

EMOCLEW

Dr Ryan Jensen

Wheelock, Bursick & Jensen Dentistry 4100 Morningside Ave, Sioux City • 712.274.2038 or 800.728.2038

Home Healthcare Available.

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We can provide health care & compassion in the home.

Call today and let us help.

800-272-1912

To advertise on this page call Nancy Todd at 712.224.628 or email nancy.gevik@lee.net

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January 2015

Siouxland life

PARTING SHOT By

Bruce Miller

I’M A

PRINTER EXPERT Photograph by Marcy Peterson

i

I NEVER WAS TRAINED TO REPAIR a computer printer.

But I think I could.

After 30 years of pulling, prodding and poking a host of machines – none of them blessed with an owner’s manual – I’ve learned enough to realize they’re more temperamental than a 2-year-old in church.

Unlike those of us charged with using them, they can take their good ol’ time to “warm up.”

Once they do – and this could take 15 minutes or more – they’ll tell you they’re out of paper. Never mind there are at least three sheets in the tray. That’s “out of paper” and, darn it, feed me.

Once you do, the machine will quickly grab one sheet and tilt, forcing you to excavate like a miner: “Open top cover.

Open back cover. Remove paper. Remove ink cartridge. Check for paper.” After all the parts are splayed on a table, a flashing light will indicate something is amiss.

Put the pieces back and you still may get a tilt. Or another quick paper grab that will require a repeat performance.

(... HONESTLY, I AM)

If, indeed, the paper is installed appropriately, the machine will insist on checking its print quality. So if you don’t get something that looks like a television test pattern, you’ll get an elaborate Dali print that sucks up most of your yellow ink.

Sensing that it’s low, the machine will want to run an ink level check.

This takes at least 10 minutes and, likely, will prompt the “clean printer heads” option, which will deplete all of your magenta ink.

Before that finishes, another warning light will go on, followed by some horrid honking noise.

If, like me, you decide to unplug the machine and start all over, be prepared to pay the “warming up” god once more.

Turning it off will not make all things good. That’ll just make the printer angrier.

So you’re best to offer comforting words and a nice pat on the scanner. Let the poor thing show you its artwork, give it plenty of new ink and you should be ready to go.

Unless the wi-fi decides to act up.

Then you’ve got to check router cords, cable connections and some weird

“double-secret-private” number you never knew in the first place.

If, at some point, you decide to call tech support to help fix it, just know you’ll be getting in line for “the next available agent” who isn’t going to stand for profanity of any sort.

“Sir, if you continue to swear, I’m authorized to hang up” must be printed on some cheat sheet shared by the tech support folks in India. (How they know that combination of words is considered “swearing” is beyond me, still it’s best not to tempt fate.)

A better bet? Pull out all those parts you did 45 minutes earlier, caress them and carefully put them back. Fill the paper tray three-fourths full and jiggle the ink cartridges just to make sure they’re ready to go. Let it print that test sheet and when it emerges, offer a heartfelt compliment – “That’s beautiful! I’ve never seen such printing in my life! How do you do it?”

Then, maybe then, you can go back to printing those dumb jokes you found on Facebook.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JANUARY 2015

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 30

Special engagement with meet & greets plus limited performances.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31

Performances Saturday 12pm & 4pm | Final Round Saturday 8pm

The winner of Saturday© s preliminary contest will go on to compete in the semifinals in Memphis during Elvis Week.

Get your tickets online at www.hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com or at the Rock Shop!

Visit the World Tour Buffet this month and try some of the Elvis inspired dishes!

Peanut Butter & "Nanner" Sandwiches | Memphis Style Meatloaf | "The Kings" Cornbread Sweet Tater Mash | Buttermilk Fried Chicken Thighs | Down Home Southern Style Greens

PICK UP YOUR LIMITED EDITION ELVIS BACKSTAGE PASS REWARDS CLUB CARD

Starting January 2 at 9am.

While supplies last.

111 3RD STREET

I SIOUX CITY, IA 51101 I HARDROCKCASINOSIOUXCITY.COM

ELVISTM, ELVIS PRESLEYTM and ULTIMATE ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST CONTEST are trademarks off ABG EPE IP LLC. Rights of Publicity and Persona Rights for Elvis Presley are used with permission of ABG EPE IP LLC. Photo ©2014. Must be 21 or older to attend. Management reserves all rights. If you or someone you know needs gambling treatment call 800.BETS OFF.

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January 2015

Siouxland life