Siouxland Life Magazine - July 2011

1

Doctor takes on new role as patient

Quick medical tips for minor health emergencies

Are toning shoes a kick or a miss?

A GUIDE FOR LIVING IN SIOUXLAND

day trips SEE SIOUXLAND’S HIDDEN TREASURES

RED-TAGGED REMODEL ARCHITECTURAL GEM SAVED

JULY 2011

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

2

2

JULY 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE

3

CONTENTS

July 2011

day trips

8 FOOD SAFETY

Renee Sweers of Iowa State University’s Extension Service says the key to picnic food safety is keeping cold food cold and hot foods hot.

20

ON THE COVER Get out of the house and into your car for a few quick and inexpensive day trips. We have suggestions from northwest Iowa, Onawa, South Dakota, Nebraska and even Sioux City.

FEATURES 4 Feature home: Martin house 8 Food: Safety basics 12 Food: Grilling 15 Home: Fireflies 16 Home: Three-season rooms 18 Home: Lawn Care 21 Day trips: Explorers Baseball 22 Day trips: Prairie Heritage Center 23 Day trips: Gasthaus Bar & Grille 24 Day trips: National Music Museum 24 Day trips: Edgar’s Ol’ Fashioned Soda Fountain 28 Day trips: Ashfall Fossil Beds

29 30 31 32 34 36 40 42 44 47

12

GRILL GUYS Jeff Horst smokes a pair of pork butts at his Sioux City home.

Day trips: Green Gables of Pleasant Valley Day trips: Corps of Discovery Welcome Center Day trips: Murdo’s Aten Resort Day trips: Lewis and Clark State Park Health: Quick tips Health: Doctor as patient Health: Shape-up shoes Q&A: Resident Dr. Andrew Geha Medical answers from the doctor Parting shot: Basic tips for survival

PUBLISHER Steve Griffith EDITOR Bruce Miller EDITORIAL Joanne Fox, Tim Gallagher, Earl Horlyk, Nick Hytrek, Marcia Poole, John Quinlan PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Hynds, Jim Lee, Jerry Mennenga PRESENTATION EDITOR Amy Hynds ADVERTISING SALES Nancy Gevik ADVERTISING DESIGN Stacy Pajl, Jill Bisenius

18

©2011 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.

LAWN CARE Brothers Derek (trimming) and Justin Ames work on a lawn in Sioux City for Ames Lawn Care. Their father, Bill Ames, started the business in 1973.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

3

REMODELING Red-tagged

home saved

diamond rough in the

HOMEOWNER REFURBISHES FORMER RED-TAGGED HOUSE Text by Joanne Fox | Photographs by Jerry Mennenga

MANY PEOPLE SAW IT as a lump of coal. Kent Martin saw a diamond in the rough.

His imagination has come close to reality as Martin has put his time, talent and treasure into refurbishing a red-tagged house at 2524 E. Solway Drive in the Heights neighborhood.

“I have a talent of having a vision to see what can be done,” the West High School biology teacher said of the house, built in 1936. “It was due to be torn down within two days of when I got it. Greg Gregerson and I 4

JULY 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE

entered the ballgame at the 11th hour.”

In September 2009, the City Council declared the house unfit for occupancy and ordered it to be demolished by a private contractor. The house, owned by a Brookings, S.D., couple, had not been lived in for at least 20 years.

Martin and Gregerson told the council the current owners had not wanted to sell the home, but finally agreed to do so through their attorney in Sioux City.

Martin informed the Council in October 2009, M+

Top The living room area in Kent Martin’s home that he renovated and which was red-tagged by the city of Sioux City.

Above Kent Martin stands in an office area of his home in the Heights area of Sioux City. Martin purchased the historic, architecturally modern home at 2524 E. Solway even after the city of Sioux City had red-tagged it.

Left Milo, one of Kent Martin’s cats. relaxes on a chair in his home.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

5

6

Local artist Brian Mathers touches up areas of a 1936 Raymond Katz mural discovered in a Sioux City home renovated by Kent Martin.

Architecture of Sioux City would be inspecting the home to determine if it was structurally sound.

At its Oct. 26 meeting after learning the house had passed inspection, the council granted Martin a 90-day extension to bring the house, including the electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, into compliance with the city’s building code.

So, every afternoon at the close of the school day at West High and throughout the weekends, Martin – who had renovated two houses while living in California – and friends worked on refurbishing the Art Moderne-style house.

“We put a new roof on it,” he said.

“There was a lot of rotten wood and mold we ripped out.”

The home was designed by Knute Westerlind, a native of Sweden who moved to Chicago and then Sioux City in 1919. Westerlind also designed the Municipal Auditorium, the Badgerow Building and St. John and St. Paul’s Lutheran churches, according to information compiled by the city Historic Preservation Commission.

The house was full of surprises Martin found out, stumbling on some unusual pottery inside and murals on the basement ceiling.

6

JULY 2011

But the pièce de résistance – literally – was the mural in the front room painted

by Raymond Katz as part of a Works Progress Administration art project during the Great Depression.

Called The Shepherdess, the mural depicts a diminutive, partially clothed woman in a vast, brightly colored landscape of plains and trees, where sheep and horses relax. Martin found it when he removed drywall from the wall.

“I did some research on Katz and discovered he came to Sioux City as part of the WPA; then after he had finished some projects in Sioux City, he left for Los Angeles and became the chief muralist for Paramount Pictures,” Martin said.

Katz died in 1974.

Martin called on local artist Brian

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Mathers to determine the advisability of even bothering to restore the mural.

“It was in pretty good shape,” Mathers said. “I approached it as kind of a connect-the-dots approach, trying to figure out what the artist was trying to accomplish.”

Mathers discovered the mural was not an oil painting.

“Katz’ style is called gouache,” he explained of the method of painting with opaque watercolors. “It was lucky for me because it’s similar to the way I paint.”

Other surprises surfaced through the restoration process of the 3,000-squarefoot abode for Martin.

“I found what I believe was the first vanity in Sioux City,” he pointed out.

“Prior to this, most bathrooms used a pedestal sink.”

Martin repainted barn-red walls in softer colors and tore out lime green carpet to reveal wood floors. The front room with the mural as its focal point is a mix of eclectic furniture that sits on an ivory carpet. Two steps up is the dining area that overlooks a freshly landscaped, terraced backyard. A large statue of St. Francis watches over a koi pond.

The kitchen needed an overhaul. New appliances were installed with 92 pieces of ceramic inlays for a backsplash and a

7

Left A guest bedroom in Kent Martin’s home Below Martin lays a rubber coating on the catwalk of his home.

Below left Home owner Kent Martin talks about renovating his home while in his backyard.

art deco banister that looks aluminum, but is actually made of nickel.

“I swear it weighs 150 pounds,” Martin said. “It’s not going anywhere.”

On the upper level are three bedrooms and three baths. One bedroom is done in darker, chocolate browns and serves as Martin’s office. A guest bedroom sparkles with a mix of grays, light greens and robin’s egg blue, while the furniture is a sleek jet black color. The master bedroom opens out onto a deck.

Although the exterior of the house is Art-Moderne, Martin characterized the interior as an international style.

“I’m more into the cool colors,” Martin acknowledged. “I like a sleek and streamlined approach. Less is more. I think it’s a very South Beach kind of home.”

regrouted ceramic tile floor.

A large living area was created after Martin and helpers knocked down the rear of the house, which was in horrible condition. The space has recessed lighting, but floor-to-ceiling windows provide much light from the south. This room is a mix of tan and beige furniture with orange highlights. A massive fish with a large flame is displayed on a wall. Off to the side was ... a bicycle?

“The house is a work in progress,” Martin said with a grin. “I didn’t have anywhere else to put the bike at the moment.”

Going up the stairs, one can grasp an

Doesn't your home deserve

Comfort Series® Vinyl Windows & Patio Doors?

See your local building supply retailer for Gerkin products, or call Gerkin for the dealer nearest you.

Vinyl windows designed for new construction & replacement are guaranteed for as long as you own your home.

(402) 494-6000 or 1-800-475-5061 South Sioux City, NE www.gerkin.com • gerkin@gerkin.com

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

7

8

FOOD Safety

basics

PICNIC PLANNING CALLS FOR

FOOD-SAFETY BASICS Text by Marcia Poole | Photographs by Tim Hynds

Renee Sweers of Iowa State University’s Extension Service says the key to picnic food safety is to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.

8

JULY 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE

9

A

sk a dozen or so Siouxlanders to describe their ideal picnic and you’ll likely get almost as many different answers.

For some, the perfect picnic happens in their own backyard with just family and best of friends sitting back and enjoying. Why pack up food and drinks when the patio picnic table is just footsteps away?

Others say a picnic isn’t really a picnic unless the family piles into the car for a trip to a favorite picnic site. The destination may be one of Siouxland’s beautiful parks or a spot in Western Iowa’s pictureperfect Loess Hills.

Picnic season also brings church and patriotic get-togethers and school and family reunions where menus can go from take-out cold sandwiches to highend steaks on the grill. Side dishes fill us up. But save room for brownies, s’mores and a wedge of refreshing watermelon.

No matter how we define the ideal, we can all agree that picnics go best with nice, preferably perfect, weather. But just as essential are careful food handling and preparation that help reduce the risk of picking up and spreading food-borne illness.

“Usually the cause of food-borne illness is human error,” says Renee Sweers, registered dietitian and Nutrition & Health Program Specialist at the Iowa State University Extension.

The most obvious error? Not washing hands thoroughly before, during and after the food chores.

CLEAN HANDS RULE “Wash hands prior to handling food, when preparing food, when serving it, and even when handling things that people don’t associate with an illness, like touching ice and handling utensils.

Viruses from unwashed hands can be on any food or food contact surface,” says Sweers.

ISU Extension explains thorough hand-washing this way: Wet hands with warm water. Using soap and water, vigorously rub hands together for at least 20 seconds. Rinse all soap from hands under warm, running water. Turn off the faucet using a single-use paper towel.

Dry hands with a different single-use towel.

“Hand sanitizer is not very effective

Covering a container with ice in a cooler will help maintain food temperatures.

against bacteria and viruses that cause food-borne illness so they are not a good substitute for hand-washing when it comes to handling food,” she says.

In addition to thoroughly washing hands, make sure coolers are clean. Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods. Keep raw meat well wrapped and packed in a separate, insulated cooler so that raw meat juices don’t contaminate other foods. Place beverages in a separate cooler so that other foods won’t be subjected to repeated opening and closing at the picnic site.

At the picnic grill, don’t put cooked meat on the same plate that held raw meat unless the plate’s been thoroughly washed in between. Any surfaces or utensils that come in contact with raw meat or unwashed, uncut raw vegetables and fruits must be washed before using them again.

Wash your hands after handling raw meat, unwashed raw vegetables and fruits so your hands don’t contaminate other foods.

Don’t cut into a watermelon until the outer surface has been thoroughly washed. Use a soft vegetable brush and

lots of clean water to do the job. Make sure your hands and utensils have been washed with hot, soapy water, and thoroughly rinsed before cutting into the watermelon.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL Keep hot foods hot – which means maintaining an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F.; and cold foods cold – which means maintaining a temperature of no greater than 40 degrees F. If you can’t ensure that foods will be kept within the safe temperature range, you should rethink your picnic menu, says Sweers.

“Use common sense. If the family reunion picnic requires three hours of travel time, don’t try to take a hot casserole from home. Either take cold foods in your cooler or plan to stop at a deli at the location of the picnic, pick up the hot food and serve it immediately,” she says.

Cold foods, such as potato and pasta salads, should be made far enough in advance to ensure that they’re completely cold prior to packing in a well-insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees F. or lower,

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

9

10

according to the ISU Extension. Sliced or cut-up tomatoes, cut melon of any type and leafy greens, such as lettuce or spinach, are among the foods that also must be kept cold until serving time, says Sweers.

When cooking, make sure meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Steaks should be cooked to at least 145 degrees F. Ground beef should be 160 degrees F. Use an instant-read thermometer to check temperatures.

World Class Care Patients – like Bill – believe in us!

was knowledgeable and “ Everyone caring. The June E. Nylen Cancer

Center takes a back seat to no one!

– Bill Stewart, Sioux City

”

Sioux City, IA • 712.252.0088 www.nylencancercenter.com

THROW IT OUT Once the food is served, picnic-goers should keep track of time. On a hot Iowa day food will not stay safe for long – even in the shade. The ISU Extension says any food left outside for more than one hour should be discarded. That’s why planning picnic quantities is so important.

“If a large batch of potato salad is made and you’d like to have it available for eating all weekend, then just take a portion of it to the picnic. Leave the rest home in the refrigerator,” says Sweers.

For more food safety and other foodrelated and consumer information, visit the Iowa State University Extension: www.extension.iastate.edu.

The LasTing VaLue of homeownership Despite the downturn in the housing market, families continue to seek to achieve the American Dream of homeownership and take their place among the more than 74 million Americans that own a home.

The value Americans place on owning their home continues even through times of economic hardship. The Fannie Mae National Housing Survey conducted in January 2010 showed that two-thirds of American adults said they still preferred owning a home. And 70 percent of respondents said they believe buying a home continues to be one of the safest investments available.

Home appreciation over the long term builds financial security for a family’s future. But most home owners don’t have to wait for the home’s value to increase to realize the financial benefits. Right from the first year, the majority of home owners are able to annually deduct the mortgage interest and property taxes they paid off their taxable income. This can mean thousands of dollars saved off a family’s tax bill every year.

10

JULY 2011

When the family sells the home, the capital gains exclusion exempts up to $250,000 of the profit ($500,000 for married couples) from taxes.

But the value of homeownership can be much more than financial.

Owning a home can often be a lifestyle improvement, enabling a family to enjoy a neighborhood, features and other amenities that suit their present and future day-to-day activities.

Newly-constructed houses can deliver energy efficiency, storage space, welldesigned floor plans, and the latest technologies in electrical systems and appliances. Rooms are often spacious, with high ceilings and lots of windows to let in light. A new home also comes with the peace of mind of little maintenance needed and a warranty against defects.

Existing homes offer neighborhoods whose character has already been established, mature landscaping with tall trees, and an existing selection of businesses and services for the home

SIOUXLAND LIFE

owner to use. If the home isn’t already a great fit to the buyers’ taste, it can be renovated to reflect the new owners’ needs and preferences.

Homeownership lets families build connections. Owners take pride in their homes, and develop friendships with other people who also own homes and care about the neighborhood. A home is a place where families make a sanctuary that feels comfortable and safe, and where they develop social networks, begin friendships and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Doug Conrad President Heritage Homes of Siouxland

712-255-3852 www.hbags.com

11

Holding back is a tHing of tHe past A new smile lets you bloom

If you’re uncomfortable with your teeth, you could be holding back who you really are. But Invisalign’s clear, custom-designed aligners can be an inconspicuous way to get a beautiful new smile. So check with an experienced Invisalign provider and let the real you bloom with a new smile.

Wheelock, Bursick & Giese Dentistry

4100 Morningside Ave. (Across From McDonald’s)

(712) 274-2038 or (800) 728-2038

New patients are welcomed!

Lincoln’s Legacy Come help us find a cure for FOP Friday August 19th 2011 Nativity Parish Center 4242 Natalia Way Sioux City, IA 51106 Doors open at 5:30pm Dinner at 6:00pm $10 in advance $12 at the door SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

11

12

FOOD Grilling

GUYS WHO

GRILL Text by Earl Horlyk Photographs by Earl Horlyk and Tim Hynds

IS ERIC BOLLES AN “iron chef?”

With three grills simultaneously cooking up two chickens, a rack of ribs and a whole turkey, you better believe it.

In fact, Bolles is even grilling the veggies that will be used in a special chopped salad.

“There isn’t anything that you can’t put on the grill,” the Sioux City man said of his backyard bounty. “Everything tastes better when it comes off of a grill.”

If Bolles is a warrior when it comes to his Weber grill, Jeff Horst knows his Traeger grill is sssmokin’.

“Steaks, chops, even meatloaf,” said Horst, checking the temperature of some pork butt. “If it can be smoked, I will smoke it.”

Horst and Bolles are just two of the guys who can be found at their backyard grills. A summertime tradition for many, these fire-roasted fanatics do it yearround.

“Since I have an annual Super Bowl party, I’ve been known to keep grilling even in a snowstorm,” said Horst, a retired Gelita North America employee.

“If it’s too cold, I’ve been known to grill, reaching out of my kitchen window,” Bolles, a Western Iowa Tech Community College mechanical engineering student, admitted.

What gets these guys so ga-ga when it comes to grilling? According to Bolles, it may be hereditary.

“My dad is a competitive griller and my mom’s an outstanding indoor cook,” 12

JULY 2011

he noted. “When I moved out on my own, I immediately began to miss the food.”

Going through at least three or four grills in a very short time, Bolles said he can be found barbecuing in his backyard at least a few nights a week.

For Horst, it was his love of barbecue that inspired his culinary appetite.

“Long before Famous Dave’s, there wasn’t a local place to get barbecue the way that I like it,” the Sioux City man explained. “I figured if I couldn’t buy it, I’d make it myself.”

Through more than 15 years of trial and error, Horst has mastered the art of barbecue, which combines Memphis, Texas and North Carolina types of seasonings.

“I don’t favor one school of barbecue over another,” the self-described “fussy, old fart” remarked. “Instead, I incorporate elements of all three.”

One piece of advice that Horst give to all wannabe grillers: invest in a top-ofthe-line meat thermometer.

“You can’t ‘eyeball’ when it comes to meat,” he advised. “The internal temperatures must be precise.”

Another thing that Horst said: “Go low and go slow.”

“It will take me 12-14 hours to smoke a pork butt at a very low temp,” he said.

“That way, the meat will always stay moist and delicious.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Marinating his meat for a full 24 hours, Bolles also goes the “low and slow” route, before adding one more grilling axiom: “Never trust a skinny cook.”

“We eat pretty well around here,” he said, rubbing his belly.

Both Bolles and Horst say their barbecuing hobby has encourage them to prowl grilling websites and even the Food Network for tips and recipes.

“There is so much information out there,” Horst explained. “I’m all for trying new things.”

Bolles is even following in his dad’s footsteps, entering his “killer” ribs into area cooking competitions.

“I actually beat my dad in a contest in Ponca, Neb.,” Bolles said, holding up two of his barbecue-shaped trophies. “Was my dad mad? Nah, he was proud that I was keeping up family traditions.”

Family is also important to Horst, a married father of two and grandfather of four.

“My grandkids are picky eaters,” he said with a smile. “But they love their grandpa’s baby back ribs.”

Bolles, a married father of two small children, said being able to share his hobby with those he loves is more important than anything.

“What can be better than sharing good food with my family and my friends?” he asks. “To be honest, life doesn’t get better than that.”

13

MEET THE GRILL GUYS Name: Jeff Horst Occupation: Retired after more than 30 years at Gelita North America Weapon of choice: Traeger wood-pellet smoker and a Big Green Egg grill.

Grilling specialties: Smoked meats, such as steaks, brats, even salmon.

Oddest thing he’s grilled: Pizza and a meatloaf What he’d like to somehow grill: A pie Food Network hero: Bobby Flay

Name: Eric Bolles Occupation: Western Iowa Tech Community College mechanical engineering student Weapon of choice: Weber grill he picked at Wal-Mart Grilling specialties: Ribs, steak and shrimp Oddest things he’s grilled: “Moose Nuggets,” which are jalapenos, stuffed with sausage and cheese, wrapped in bacon.

What he’d like to somehow grill: Spaghetti Food Network heroes: Grilling couple Pat and Gina Neely, as well as Wolfgang Puck, whom he said his grandmother likes.

look great.

feel great.

Breast Augmentation • Breast Lift • Breast Reduction Ultrasonic Liposuction for Body Contouring Abdominoplasty • Fraxel Laser for Skin Resurfacing (no downtime) Harmony Laser for hair removal, treatment of brown and age spots, spider veins, tattoo removal,

Professionals In The Appearance Of The Human Body

VAUGHN H. MEYER, MD, FACS** L. PATRICK MILLER, MD* • J. ANTHONY BREIT, M.D.**

612 Sioux Point Road • Dakota Dunes, SD 605-232-9720 • 1-888-719-9720 911 E. 20th St. • Sioux Falls, SD 1-800-666-3349 www.plasticsurgeryassociatesofsd.com Am Board of Plastic Surgery and Am Board of Surgery,

Am Board of Plastic Surgery.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

13

14

The Regional Leader in Therapeutic Vein Care Most Credentialed, Board Certified Vein Specialists in the Region Our Vein Treatments are Covered by Medicare and Most Insurers Specializing in the Treatment of Symptomatic Varicose Veins Over 24,000 Laser Vein Procedures Performed (EVLAs) Visit Us at www.HogueVein.com to Learn More FREE Vein Screening to evaluate “Spider Veins”

Call today to schedule your Formal Vein Consultation or Free Vein Screening

14

8

Regional Locations

JULY 2011

605.232.3737 • 866.356.8346 • www.hoguevein.com DAKOTA DUNES/SIOUX CITY • SIOUX FALLS • FARGO • MANKATO EDEN PRAIRIE • MAPLE GROVE • WHITE BEAR LAKE •WOODBURY SIOUXLAND LIFE

15

HOME Fireflies

CATCHING IN A BOTTLE Text by Earl Horlyk

Ever wanted to catch lightning in a bottle?

That’s exactly what Jodi Moats did, growing up in Webster City, Iowa.

“I’d catch fireflies and keep them in my room,” Moats, now a naturalist at McCook Lake, S.D.’s Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve, explained. “Then, I’d release them and watch as they’d fly away.”

A common sight in summer, the nocturnal fireflies aren’t really flies at all. Also known as lightning bugs, they aren’t exactly bugs either.

Instead, what we commonly call fireflies are, in fact, winged beetles.

Coming from the Lamptridae family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera, fireflies produce cold lights of yellow, green and pale red from their lower abdomen in order to attract a mate.

“Fireflies talk to one another with light,” Moats explained. “A male firefly may be flying around while a female waits in the grass, ready to spot an attractive partner. When she spots someone she likes, the female firefly will light up as if to say, ‘Hello, boys, check me out.’”

In addition to attracting partners, fireflies also light up to warn off predators as well as to attract prey.

“Fireflies are beneficial since its larvae eats up bugs like snails and slugs,” Rex Towns, a Master Gardener with the Woodbury County Extension Office, explained. “Anyone with a garden will welcome the sight of fireflies.”

According to Towns, adult fireflies aren’t the only ones that glow. The larvae and even the eggs emit light.

“When people think they see glow worms, they’re actually seeing a firefly larvae emerging,” Towns said.

The larvae usually lives for about a year – from mating season to mating season – becoming adults and giving birth to the next generation of fireflies.

But don’t expect the adult fireflies to be around for very long.

“Fireflies actually have a short lifespan,” Moats said. “They live long enough to mate, lay eggs, maybe feed on pollen and nectar, and that’s pretty much it.”

Yet, during that time they can leave quite an impression.

Thriving in the woods, fields or marshes near lakes, rivers and ponds, fireflies love warm, humid areas.

And Moats, an admitted fan of all insects, came to love fireflies.

“When you’re a kid, you’re automatically drawn to these flying insects lighting up the night sky,” she said. “As an adult, we realize summertime wouldn’t be summertime without the sight of fireflies.”

FIREFLY FAQ How many types of firefly are there?

There are about 2,000 different species of firefly found in warm and humid regions. In North America, you are probably most familiar with the Photurinae firefly, which are about an inch long and produce a dark green light.

How much light does a firefly produce?

Think of fireflies as being the most efficient lights in the world. After,all 100 percent of the firefly’s energy is emitted as light – compared with an incandescent bulb in which 10 percent of its energy is light and the rest is heat or a fluorescent bulb in which 90 percent of its energy is light. Since it produces no heat, scientists call the light of a firefly a “cold light.”

How do fireflies taste?

Not so good. A firefly’s blood contains chemicals that taste bitter. That’s why many animals learn not to eat fireflies. If you’re a pet owner, don’t feed fireflies to lizards, snakes or other reptiles.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

15

16

HOME Three-season

Room

ROOM THREE-SEASON ADDITION OPENS NEW WORLD SERGEANT BLUFF, IOWA – Registered Nurse Katie Paulsen went on a walk with brothers Tony and Billy Lukken at Sergeant Bluff recently. The temperatures outside rose to the upper 80s by the time they finished.

It didn’t matter once they returned home to 406 D St. The trio cooled off and still stayed outside. Well, sort of.

“We came in here, turned on the 16

JULY 2011

ceiling fan and cooled off. It’s just fabulous,” said Paulsen.

She spoke of a three-season addition the pros at Screenbuilders of Cherokee, Iowa, constructed three years ago as part of a $70,000 home remodeling effort at the home of Tony and Billy Lukken, brothers who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy and are confined to wheelchairs.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

with a view Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

The three-season room capped an effort organized by Michael Beavers, then a junior at Lawton-Bronson High School.

“If we didn’t have this room, our day would be pretty confined to the house,” said Paulsen. “And that’s not much fun.”

Not for Tony, 27, and Billy, 20, who enjoy watching a family of squirrels feed and play in the yard. They also enjoy watching Felix, their cat, chase birds and

17

Screenbuilders of Cherokee, Iowa, constructed this three-season porch in 2008 for brothers Tony and Billy Lukken of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

The porch was the favorite aspect of a home remodeling effort organized at that time by Michael Beavers, then a student at LawtonBronson High School. The Lukken brothers have Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The porch allows them to experience a bit of the outdoors while remaining inside.

insects.

“We see the traffic go by and listen to music out here,” Tony said.

They also have a police scanner and occasionally watch cars from the Sergeant Bluff Police Department leave the station, which is located a half-block away.

“Our dog, Cody, also likes it in here,” Billy said.

The room, which Billy said is his favorite part of the massive project three years ago, is one of hundreds erected since 1993 by Screenbuilders. Owner Brenda Perrin has seen the industry blossom since she entered the trade 18 years ago.

“Back then people wanted a screenedin porch,” said Perrin, who maintains

“If we didn’t have this room, our day would be pretty confined to the house.

And that’s not much fun.” KATIE PAULSEN Registered Nurse

Screenbuilders enterprises in Cherokee and Ankeny, Iowa. “The industry has evolved.”

They became rooms, or a much larger part of the house.

Perrin, in fact, has a fireplace in her three-season addition. She’s seen bigscreen TVs, living room furniture, bars, exercise equipment, hot tubs and more become part of the fabric of these settings.

“The three-season room is a place to get outdoors, but not outdoors in the elements,” Perrin said. “You’d be surprised about the fireplace. Sometimes you need it to take a little chill off.”

Screenbuilders utilizes the Eze-Breeze sliding panels, which provide protection from the weather. The sliding panel is a

vinyl glazing that’s lightweight and easy to see through. It also largely protects the room from wind and rain.

While originally popular for vistas involving golf courses, lakes, rivers and valleys, others have popped up in a variety of residential settings.

The Lukkens, after all, simply wanted a view of their yard and the street that runs in front of their home. Prior to this project, the brothers were pretty much confined to staying within the home’s interior.

A three-season porch has given them access to two worlds.

“We spend a lot of time here,” Tony Lukken said. “We really like it.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

17

18

HOME Lawn

Care

LAWN ADVICE:

Don’t cut it too close PROS OFFER TIPS FOR HOMEOWNERS

Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

THE AMES BROTHERS HOPPED off their mowers recently to share trade tips gleaned from nearly four decades in lawn care.

“To hide imperfections and any spots or color weakness in a lawn, mow a different way each time,” said Derek Ames.

“You cut it one way this week, go a different way the next, go another way the third time.

“It helps your lawn to look better,” he added. “It also helps it to grow.”

Growing. That’s what Ames Lawn Care has done since Bill Ames was paid for his first lawn job back in 1973. Freshly out of the U.S. Marine Corps, Ames, then 23, returned to his job at a Sioux City packing plant, a place he began work at in 1967.

“We had a thing called ‘sunshine time’ at the packing plant,” Ames said. “They told us we’d get 5,000 hogs in eight hours.

If we got them done in seven hours, they’d pay us for eight. We could go home one hour earlier and get paid for it.”

The rest of Ames’ day was open, so he began making a little money on the side.

He cleaned garages, attics, you name it.

He also began mowing.

Back then, he said, NutraTurf had a professional lawn care business. So did Paul Morin.

Ames Lawn Care now has enough business within 25 miles each way of Sioux City to keep a staff busy, including sons Derek and Justin Ames. The company also provides landscaping services, snow removal and more.

Bill Ames and his sons are often asked by homeowners how to cut a lawn for its best look and health. You probably can’t have one without the other. Here are a few nuggets of clipping wisdom they provided.

“We see several homeowners who cut their lawn too short,” Justin Ames said.

“This can lead to weeds and disease.”

Rule of thumb? Bill Ames said his firm often cuts grass as high as a standard 21inch walk-behind unit allows. That’s 3 to 18

JULY 2011

Above Jon Bell, left, and Justin Ames take a break during a mowing job on the north side of Sioux City.

Left Brothers Derek (trimming) and Justin Ames work on a lawn in Sioux City for Ames Lawn Care. Their father, Bill Ames, started Ames Lawn Care in 1973.

3.5 inches, generally.

“To prevent weeds from getting into your lawn, cut it high,” Bill Ames said.

“This gives you a nice, plush, green lawn that you’ll enjoy.”

Justin Ames said there are certain times to bag, other times to let grass fly.

Don’t bag, for example, a lawn that’s been treated chemically in the past several days. You want to give the chemicals every opportunity to work.

“You can then bag when the grass gets taller,” Justin Ames added. “That allows more oxygen to get to the yard.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Trimming miscues are often addressed by this trio of Ames pros. For years they’ve seen homeowners “skin” the area around poles, sidewalks, driveways and trees. Those at home often want to trim these areas about every second or third time they mow.

An ounce of prevention, however, is worth a pound of cure. That means these shorter trimmed areas can have less defense against the elements.

“Concrete heats up,” Justin Ames said, pointing to a curb area he trimmed. “We won’t trim an area any less than the length we cut the lawn. When you trim too low, you’re inviting disease as these areas next to sidewalks, for example, can heat up with the heat from the concrete.”

It’s an invitation to a small disaster.

“You don’t want to know that a trimmer was there,” Justin Ames said. “Cut these areas the same length as the lawn.”

The result, his father said, is what he’s been attempting to do since his “sunshine days” back in 1973.

“We try to give them something that’s worth looking at,” he said.

19

The no hassle countertop,

installed in just a day.

Fits Over Existing Countertops

The new look for your old kitchen!

It’s easier than you ever imagined to get the WOW kitchen you’ve always wanted. It’s engineered, measured and built to fit right on top of your old countertop to bring the gorgeous new look of granite to your old kitchen.

And it installs in as little as one day! Call today and experience the WOW of Granite Transformations yourself.

Call for a FREE in-home Consultation • Fits over existing countertops

866.605.2929

• Heat, stain & scratch resistant • Lifetime Limited Warranty

605.338.9915

• No messy demolition

57th & Western, Sioux Falls

• No maintenance

granitetransformations.com/siouxfalls

siouxfalls@granitetransformations.com

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

19

20

Dr. Laura Giese Now Accepting New Patients

Have you been told you have Cataracts?

Wheelock & Bursick General Dentistry The Friendliest Staff in Town

Sioux City’s Most Experienced Cataract Surgery Team

712-274-2038 or 800-728-2038 4100 Morningside Ave. Suite B,

Across From McDonald’s

712-239-3937 800-334-2015 4405 Hamilton Blvd

Let’s be

.

Dr

Clear

Be

th

Br Dr. Beth Bruening is your ue nin t g, Op hthalmologis choice for experience in eye care. Now offering retinal clinics.

Call 605-217-4500

BRUENING

EYE SPECIALISTS www.brueningeye.com

20

JULY 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE

2001 Hamilton Blvd., Suite D Sioux City, Iowa 51104

712-252-4333 or 800-262-2392

21

DAY TRIPS

Explorers Baseball

NEED TO GET AWAY just for a day, but don’t want to spend a lot of money? We’ve got plenty of ideas for quick trips around Siouxland, under $50 for a family of four. Discover the region’s hidden treasures and some of its great bites, too. Now, grab the kids and get going on those day trips.

EXPLORERS PLAY TO WIN Text by John Quinlan Photograph by Jim Lee

THE SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS have been playing professional baseball in Sioux City since 1993 at Lewis & Clark Park. And the Explorers, as the sixth team to join, made the then-new league viable. This year, the improved X’s and seven other teams from the defunct Northern League are among the 14 teams in the new American Association.

“And you have a wide range of players, from guys fresh out of college to former major leaguers, and almost every team has someone with Major League experience,” said Terry Hersom, sports editor of the Sioux City Journal, who has been covering the X’s since the team’s inception 19 years ago.

The X’s, he noted, have two guys with Major League Baseball experience; bullpen closer Emiliano Fruto, who pitched for the Seattle Mariners, and leftfielder T.J. Bohn, who earned a World Series ring with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. At least 10 former X’s have gone on to play in the Bigs, and over the years, fans have seen Major Leaguers like Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, Joe Kraemer and Chris Colon playing for league rivals in Sioux City.

What Hersom likes best about the league is that it is an independent professional league.

“This is not a developmental league,” Hersom said. “It’s pretty much a league which is strictly about winning because what they try to do here has nothing to do with what the Minnesota Twins or the Chicago Cubs want for a certain player.

It’s about what the Sioux City Explorers want to do as a team.

“Here they bring in players that have the experience and basically have developed already. So if it’s necessary for a pitcher to throw more than 100 pitches, 120 even in a game, then they get him to that point.”

“Because it is a winning league, I think you see a little bit more in terms of just players developing a sense of team. And

Jacob Gill, 5, is greeted

by Slider at Lewis and Clark Park.

team chemistry has become a big part of successful teams in this league over the years,” he said. “That’s also a big priority with the manager of the team now, Stan Cliburn.”

Cliburn was a manager in the Twins organization for 10 years, the last four as a Triple A manager. “He had Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer on the same minor league team at one time. So the guy’s seen some pretty quality teams, and he believes that this is really a doube-A level type of a league right now, and even a bit of triple-A is in it.”

In Hersom’s view, American Association league play is superior to Class A. “Even though these guys are not under contract with organizations, most of them that are really good will wind up getting signed or picked up by some organization as a result of playing here,” he said.

A salary cap puts the X’s on equal footing with teams from bigger markets like St. Paul, Fort Worth and Winnipeg.

“It all comes down to putting a good team together,” Hersom said. “The nice thing about an independent league is that you build your own team. You don’t rely on someone else to do it. And I believe the team this year that they put together is a pretty quality team.”

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME Cost of trip to Lewis & Clark Park for an Explorers game: Under $50 Admission: $5 to $11 per person, general admission to box seats, with various ticket/ food packages. Sunday Family Value Day option offers reserve ticket, soda and hot dog for $11 apiece, total of $44. On Tuesdays, buy one ticket, get second ticket free. On Monday through Thursday, children wearing any sports uniform are admitted free with paying adult.

Free tickets offered for promotions involving Children’s Miracle Network, LifeServe Blood Center, others for single games during season. Hot dogs cost $3; soft drinks, $3-$4; beer, $4-$5. Hamburgers, french fries, pizza, other food, souvenirs also available.

Tickets: Box office at 3400 Line Drive is open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, non-game days; 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday-Sunday, game days. Ticket orders may be taken by phone (with $2 phone fee on all orders) at 712-277-WINS. Tickets available online at www.xsbaseball.com.

Directions to stadium: Take I-29 to Singing Hills Blvd. exit. Go east on Singing Hills for a quarter mile. Turn left on Line Drive.

Park opened in 1993. Seating capacity is 3,630.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

21

22

DAY TRIPS

Prairie Heritage Center

WHERE THE

Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

SUTHERLAND, IOWA – RATTLESNAKES are as much a part of the Northwest Iowa fabric as the prairie.

The two go hand-in-hand at the Prairie Heritage Center near Sutherland, Iowa, an interpretive center of sorts for the prairie set in the picturesque Little Sioux River Valley in O’Brien County.

What’s best? It’s free.

“The view here is breathtaking regardless of the season,” said O’Brien County Naturalist Charlene Elyea. “We have eagles here December through March.

We get 400 birds per day flying over the center because of the Little Sioux River Valley and Waterman Creek, which runs into the river. The landforms provide a lift for raptors, which are hawks and other birds of prey.”

It’s easy for those birds to soar and eye a feast below.

A 1,775-pound buffalo welcomes visitors to this $860,000 facility constructed 22

JULY 2011

BUFFALO ROAM

less than five years ago. The Prairie Heritage Center idea took shape in the mid-1990s as officials sought a venue to highlight the prairie while educating future generations about land use and preservation.

The building, which is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, covers nearly 5,000 square feet.

This summer, a 65-foot long rattlesnake skeleton model allows visitors to climb through while learning about snakes and their value to the environment. Snakes, according to Elyea, can save farmers up to $600 annually through pest control.

“People see a snake and want to kill it,” Elyea said. “They’re afraid and they don’t know about it. The purpose of the exhibit is that once you learn more about something, you’re less afraid of it.”

The skeleton, which comes from

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Purdue University, measures 10.5 feet in height. Throughout its curves in the center’s rotunda people can learn all about Iowa snakes, their habitat, how they hear, smell and eat.

“We learn something here with each visit,” said LaVonne Siemers of Okoboji, Iowa, who toured the area on a recent afternoon with husband Henry Siemers. “I enjoyed the snake exhibit. I’ve seen and know about garter snakes, and I’d like to keep it at that – garter snakes!”

The Prairie Heritage Center, which stands on 40 acres owned by the O’Brien County Conservation Board, is part of a 160-acre wildlife tract that offers everything from hiking to bird-watching to exploring to canoeing down the Little Sioux.

The place also is home to five bison, including one bull, two cows and one “teen” male, according to Elyea.

“We should be getting new calves

23

IF YOU GO The Prairie Heritage Center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. From Sutherland, Iowa, take Highway 10 4.5 miles east then one mile north on Yellow Avenue. Cost is free.

For information, see www.prairieheritagecenter.org or call (712) 448-2254.

Above Brooke Stevens is shown at the head of a snake skeleton model provided by Purdue University on display at the Prairie Heritage Center near Sutherland, Iowa. The 65-foot long model will be on display though October.

Left All kinds of animals found on the prairie are displayed at the Prairie Heritage Center.

soon,” she said. “The bison are right by the road. People can see them most all the time.”

In addition to the giant bison inside the front door, there are all sorts of stuffed critters that each play an important role in prairie life. Taxidermy alone in the diorama cost more than $19,000

and it was all done locally. The work on the full-body buffalo came to $9,500.

“In order to make good decisions for the future, we must understand our past,” Elyea said. “Culturally, this is an important place. The roots for prairie grass go down eight to 10 feet. The roots decay and that’s what makes our black topsoil. Agriculturally, it’s also very important to us.”

Agriculture, of course, is shown daily right out the front windows of the Prairie Heritage Center. A farmer planted crops in the Little Sioux River Valley just west of the center on a recent afternoon.

Displays in the center range from panels on how ice masses shaped this land to how fire changed it.

“Native Americans called grass fires the red buffalo, because of the sound and the sight of it coming in at night with its red glow,” Elyea said. “For Native Americans, the fire would burn off the top dead matter and rejuvenate grass.”

And, soon, the buffalo would roam back home for their new source of nutrition.

Gasthaus Bar & Grille CHEROKEE, IOWA – IF you find yourself traveling near rural Sutherland, Iowa, for a day at the Prairie Heritage Center, you might consider a side trip for food and drink at nearby Cherokee.

The Gasthaus Bar & Grille at 214 W. Main St. serves food Monday through Saturday. The place, which has the look of an antique shop/museum, has daily specials. Gasthaus is German for “guest house.”

The walls are covered with signs and promotional pieces from Cherokee businesses that date back to the early 20th century, enterprises like Herrick’s Cafe or Imperial Clothes St. Clair’s of Cherokee.

“We told people they could bring us items for the walls and they did,” said owner Jan Morton.

All kinds of items line the walls and ceiling, making the Gasthaus Bar & Grille in downtown Cherokee, Iowa, a fun place to dine at and see.

The Gasthaus Bar & Grill in downtown Cherokee, Iowa, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

23

24

DAY TRIPS

Vermillion

FROM MUSIC TO HISTORY TO WINE, SOUTH DAKOTA HAS IT ALL VERMILLION, S.D. – NOPE, that’s not a cannon you see when entering Vermillion, S.D’s National Music Museum.

Rather, it’s a jaw-dropping, 10-foot long, 1,000-pound long drum that dates back to 19th century Siam, Thailand.

“People think it’s some sort of weaponry,” interim executive director Margaret Downey Banks said of the instrument acquired by the music museum in 1992.

“But, in fact, it’s a musical instrument used to signal activities in Buddhist temples and played in festival processions and folk dances.”

Founded in 1973 on the University of South Dakota campus at 414 E. Clark St., the National Music Museum – home to more than 15,000 American, European and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods – is just one of the unusual places a family can visit during a road trip in southeast South Dakota.

After all, you won’t be able to find a circa 1538 violoncello – the earliest bass instrument of the violin family known

to survive – at too many places but the NMM. In case you’re wondering, the instrument was one of 38 built by Andrea Amati and painted and gilded for the French court of King Charles IX. The set was dispersed during the French Revolution and the NMM acquisition is one of the few that is known to have survived.

In fact, the 20,000 square-foot, climate-controlled building has nine galleries teeming with one-of-a-kind instruments.

Ever wanted to see a grand piano as conceived by its inventor? The NMM is the only place in the world where you can see two 18th century grand pianos from Bartolomeo Cristofori.

Never seen a real-life Stradavari violin? The NMM’s Witten-Rawlins Collections not only has early Italian stringed instruments crafted by Antonio Stradivari, it also has some crafted by Andrea Guarneri and three generations of the Amati Family.

GOING BACK IN TIME While in Vermillion, you might also want to visit the W.H. Over Museum, which is located at 1110 Ratingen St. and is home to South Dakota’s largest collection of natural and cultural history.

Conceived by archaeologist William Henry Over and his interest in the history and culture of South Dakota’s Native people, the museum has an outstanding collection of Sioux artifacts and a complete Lakota Family camp.

continued on page 26

Edgar’s turns back time with ice cream delights Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by Jim Lee

Edgar’s Ol’ Fashioned Soda Fountain in Elk Point, S.D.

24

JULY 2011

WALKING INTO EDGAR’S OL’ Fashioned Soda Fountain (inside Pioneer Drug, 107 E. Main St., Elk Point, S.D.), expect to walk into a time warp.

Visiting its lovingly restored soda fountain, you will think it’s 1911, not 2011.

Which is the way owners Barb and Kevin Wurtz like it.

In fact, it was Barb’s grandfather, the late Edgar Schmiedt, who was the original owner of the white marble fountain.

“My grandfather was a pharmacist in Centerville, S.D.,” Barb Wurtz explained, “and he had it originally in his drug

SIOUXLAND LIFE

store.”

As the days of the soda fountain inside a drug store faded, the massive counter was moved to the basement of her grandfather’s home.

This is where Barb Wurtz remembered playing “restaurant” as a young girl.

It wasn’t until 1989 that Schmiedt’s old soda fountain was taken out of retirement.

And in the intervening 22 years, Edgar’s has attracted attention nationally (via a glowing write-up in Jane and Michael Stern’s book “Roadfood”) and by

25

IF YOU GO

NATIONAL MUSIC MUSEUM Cost of a visit to the National Music Museum: No specific admission is charged but donations are encouraged. The NMM suggests a donation of $7 for adults taking the multimedia tour; $3 is suggested for students.

There is also a gift shop where gift items and education materials may be purchased.

The NMM is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. It is open from 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

W.H. OVER MUSEUM Cost of a visit to the W.H. Over Museum is free, although donations will be accepted.

There is a Friends of the Museum Gift Shop featuring Native American and Scandinavian arts and craft items. Proceeds for the gift shop make an important contribution to maintaining the museum.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, year-round. They are closed Sundays and on most major holidays.

VALIANT VINEYARDS Cost of a visit to the Valiant Vineyards is free.

Tours include tasting three different wines, a trip through the winery, winemaking facilities, cask room and bottling facilities.

There is a fully stocked wine shop where visitors can choose from a wide selection of local and national wines.

Valiant Vineyards is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., during the spring, summer and fall. For winter hours, check out their website, www.buffalorunwinery.com

An ice cream treat at Edgar’s Ol’ Fashioned Soda Fountain in Elk Point, S.D. Far right Austin Hand, 9, dives into a root beer float at Edgar’s Ol’ Fashioned Soda Fountain.

thirsty travelers who discover it by accident.

“As least a few times, every day, we’ll have folks traveling on I-29 make a turn into Elk Point and discover Edgar’s,” Barb said. “Just the other day, we had folks from Kentucky who were thrilled to death to find an old-fashioned soda fountain.”

Whether you’re traveling or if you’re close to home, Edgar’s has a full selection of old-time favorites like phosphate and pop (think of it as a slightly tart soda) and decadently named desserts as “Calories, Cholesterol & Chocolate” (or CCC,

for short) which includes a brownie topped with chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry on top.

“Those are wonderful,” Barb opined.

But, mostly folks come in for the memories.

“Grandparents bring their grandchildren to experience what it was like when they were kids,” Barb said.

“It’s a return to a much more innocent time.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

25

26

Love, hope, success, family, security.

Some things we all have in common.

There’s nobody like me to protect the things we all value.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. ®

Myrah Favors, Agent 601 W 29th Street Ste B South Sioux City, NE 68776 Bus: 402-494-6465 1101019

State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL



Benefits of Residential Restoration & Renovation • Higher property values and rates of appreciation • Insulation from extreme market fluctuations • Stabilization of residences and neighborhoods • Development of community and civic pride • Creates jobs for skilled craftsmen We work to preserve historic qualities while creating vital and livable spaces by today’s standards.

117 Pierce St. ● Sioux City, Iowa ● 712-252-4014

Visit Our Walk-In Clinic

1021 Nebraska Street • Sioux City, IA 51105 For more information visit us online at www.slandchc.com

Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm Friday 8am-5pm • Saturday 10am-2pm New patients welcome No appointment necessary

Welcome to the best years of your life. ®

Rooster’s Harley-Davidson®

®

26

When do you want to get started?

JULY 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE

1930 N. Lewis Blvd.

Sioux City, IA 51105 712-252-2750 www.roostersh-d.com

But that’s just a part of what the W.H. Over Museum has in store for visitors.

“Visiting the museum is like going back into time ... literally,” said president Maxine Johnson.

Some of the most popular exhibits include an Egyptian mummy, an 8 by 10 claim shanty built by a Norwegian ship builder and a 1912 Moline Dreadnaught touring car donated by former Sioux Cityan Elwood Olsen.

“When a boy saw the car, he said ‘Holy crap, look at that,’” Johnson said with a laugh. “I think I agree with him.”

END THE DAY IN ‘WINE COUNTRY’ One wouldn’t expect to find wine country in Southeast South Dakota, but Vermillion’s Valiant Vineyards (1500 W. Main St.) is the home to the state’s first and oldest winery.

The winery’s tasting is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, for wine aficionados and those interested in trying something new and unique.

In just three stops in Vermillion, a family can step back into time, explore different and diverse cultures and finish the day, sitting back with a nice Cabernet.

What can be easier (and more economical) than that?

Eldon Nygaard wrote South Dakota’s Farm Winery Act in 1996. Together with his wife, Sherry, son, Leif, and daughter, Jeanette, they started the first winery in South Dakota by establishing Valiant Vineyards, South Dakota Bonded Winery Number One. Valiant Vineyards Winery, located on the Vermillion River and overlooking the Missouri River is ideally situated close to downtown Vermillion, home of the University of South Dakota.

When you visit, you are invited to taste wines, meander through the Tasting Room, and meet the staff.

The tasting room is open May through December, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and in Winter Monday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and at other times by appointment.

27

Siouxland’s newest operating rooms.

Because of you.

Each extra effort. Every innovation. The staff at St. Luke’s does it all because of you – our patients.

Because of you, we’ve built new, state-of-the-art operating rooms now open for advanced inpatient surgery. All backed by our compassionate caregivers, recently voted Siouxland’s Consumer Choice* for superior staff, quality and patient-centered care.

We’re here for the life of Siouxland.

So you can get back on your feet. And back to your best friend.

For the life of Siouxland. www.stlukes.org

*

Award given by: 2010 National Research Corporation

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

27

28

DAY TRIPS

Ashfall Fossil Beds

At Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Royal, Neb., visitors can see the fossilized remains of ancient animals frozen in the position in which they died millions of years ago. Paleontologists continue to uncover fossils at the site.

ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS

PROVIDES UNIQUE PEEK INTO THE PAST Text by Nick Hytrek | Photographs Submitted

ROYAL, NEB. – ANYONE can go to a museum and see fossilized bones of dinosaurs and other ancient animals.

But you can’t go just anywhere and see the fossilized remains of animals frozen in the position in which they died.

Even rarer is the chance to watch scientists brushing away sand and uncovering more fossils.

Such a trip is possible with a short drive to Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Royal, Neb. Admission is cheap, and you can gain a wealth of information about our 28

JULY 2011

prehistoric past.

“There’s no other place on earth where you can see so many exposed skeletons that have three-dimensional views of animals’ skulls and rib cages,” Park Superintendent Rick Otto said.

Every summer, student paleontologists completing internships spend three months carefully removing soil to find more fossils. While they work, visitors can quietly watch. Or, they can speak up and ask them questions about what they’re doing, the animals that have been uncovered or just about anything

SIOUXLAND LIFE

else.

There’s also a prep lab in which students demonstrate how fossils are prepared for lab work and also comb through soil for miniscule fossils.

The interaction with the visitors is considered part of the interns’ educational training, Otto said.

Fossils were discovered in this pastureland in 1991. Some 12 million years ago after the eruption of a volcano in present-day Idaho, animals gathered at a pond on the site to try to survive the volcanic ash falling around them. After the

29

ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS STATE HISTORICAL PARK Cost of a visit to Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park: $20.

Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child 6 and older. Children age 5 and under are admitted free.

A valid Nebraska Park Entry Permit is required. A daily permit is $4, or you can buy a $20 annual permit. Permits are sold on site.

There is a gift shop full of books, models, stuffed animals and other educational materials.

The park is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday through Sept.

5. From Sept. 6-Oct. 9, hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

Not quite a two-hour drive from Sioux City, Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park is located two miles west and six miles north of Royal, Neb. To get there, take U.S. Highway 20 west of Royal. Signs mark the turnoff to the park.

Summer intern Stephanie Chorkawciw works at uncovering fossils at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historic Park near Royal, Neb., last summer. Visitors can watch student paleontologists as they work and ask them questions about the fossils.

animals died, that ash covered and preserved them in near-perfect condition.

In the first 10 years of excavation, paleontologists found ancient rhinos, horses, camels, deer and birds.

Digging came to a halt once scientists uncovered the 2,000 square feet covered by a barn built to protect the fossils. In May 2009, the park opened the Hubbard Rhino Barn, an 18,000-square-foot structure that enclosed the previous barn and opened up enough ground to keep digging going for the next 30 years.

Once digging resumed, park visitation increased 26 percent, Otto said. Discovery of more skeletons resumed right along with the excavation.

“In the first two years, 10 skeletons have been located and they’re in the process of being revealed right now,” he said.

The discoveries include mostly rhinos and one horse. But there was also a small carnivorous animal, perhaps a type of dog, uncovered. Otto said it’s the first intact skeleton of a meat-eating animal found at the site. Uncovering it and determining what it is could prove to be a big discovery.

Otto said significant discoveries are

The Hubbard Rhino Barn at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historic Park near Royal, Neb., encloses previously discovered fossils and area that has yet to be excavated.

waiting. Paleontologists have found fossilized teeth and other small remains of another 50 species, including a four-tusked elephant, three-horned deer and bone-crushing, wolf-like dog. It’s possible that a complete skeleton of any of those animals, or some other rare creature, lies just beneath the surface.

That type of discovery could come at any time, and visitors can see it happen.

“Due to the fact that this is the only place on earth you can find this kind of fossil site makes it more extraordinary that it’s in Northeast Nebraska,” Otto said.

Green Gables

of Pleasant Valley

After looking at fossils, it’s only fitting to sit down for lunch or dinner amid antiques.

Green Gables of Pleasant Valley, located four miles south of Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park and two miles north of U.S. Highway 20, features a healthy dose of antique household and farm items to go along with its homestyle cooking.

Opened in 1992, the restaurant features family fare, such as hamburgers and chicken, said Denise Hartigan, who owns the restaurant with her mother, Lois Dempster, whose homemade pies and bread pudding are a big attraction.

Green Gables of Pleasant Valley is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. from Memorial Day through mid-October, when Ashfall closes for the season.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

29

30

DAY TRIPS

Corps of Discovery Welcome Center

A welcome

SURPRISE

VISITORS CENTER INCLUDES UNEXPECTED FEATURES Text by Joanne Fox | Photographs by Tim Hynds

CROFTON, NEB. – YOU don’t have to drive clear across the state of South Dakota to Wall Drug for free water.

The Corps of Discovery Welcome Center in Cedar County has that AND complimentary coffee.

Inspired by several community members the Welcome Center was dedicated on Memorial Day in 2001. The center – located along U.S. Highway 81 on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River about two miles south of Yankton, S.D. – offers travelers a respite from driving on U.S. Pan American Highway 81 that runs from North Dakota to Texas. Some 25,000 visitors are refreshed each year as they stop at the center.

Volunteers helped raise $345,000 in cash and pledges and $75,000 in-kind service contributions to build and open it have worked to make this more destination than rest stop.

Of course, there’s the free tourist information for attractions in northeast

30

JULY 2011

Nebraska and southeast South Dakota, the liquids to whet your whistle and clean indoor restrooms.

According to Greg Blumer, manager of the facility, the vision of the center is to welcome travelers.

“You can also learn about the local history here,” he said.

But it’s what else that’s inside its doors that differentiates the Corps of Discovery from other welcome centers.

When’s the last time you pulled into a rest stop and had a chance to buy items created by local artists?

For example, local artist Jolene Steffen’s prints are on display. Hand-carved sumac walking sticks, native Nebraska and South Dakota wooden bowls, jewelry, crocheted angels and much, much more grace the shelves.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Hungry? Sure, you can purchase traditional snacks, but the welcome center features locally grown, home-made, packaged products.

Lost? Put your pin from where you hail from to join others from across the world who have discovered the center.

Miles to go before you sleep? Pick up an informational CD about Nebraska’s Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway or Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway. Or if you’d prefer music, check out the selection of local artists.

Something to read upon arriving at your final destination? Books and

31

cookbooks share local and regional history, as well as tomes by authors from both states.

As wonderful as those options might be, Blumer felt it wasn’t the strength of the center.

“We have a panoramic view of the area,” he said. “It stretches out behind the Corps of Discovery Welcome Center.”

With its elevated location, the center provides a scenic view of the river valley below and Yankton in the distance. In addition to the outdoor ambience, you can stretch your legs while hiking on a seven-tenths-mile nature trail, Blumer noted.

At the head of the trail you will enjoy the view of the Missouri River Valley with the city of Yankton in the horizon.

Check out the new Discovery Bridge next to the Meridian Bridge that crosses over the Missouri National Recreational River connecting Nebraska and South Dakota.

Then take yourself back in history as you learn of the highway that passes below the bluff today to the ruts of wagon trails from more than 100 years.

Visitors can take a quick tour through Nebraska landscapes on the nature trail, which winds around the center, and its short route has examples of different terrain – grassland, woodland, river bluff, glacial remains – found in

Greg Blumer is manager of the Corps of Discovery Welcome Center, located south of Yankton, S.D., in Crofton, Neb.

the state.

Blumer thought with rising gas prices people may be looking for shorter drives for recreation. With the brochures on many area attractions, the welcome center is a one-stop resource for a regional vacation.

DETAILS What: Corps of Discovery Welcome Center Where: 89705 Highway 81, Crofton, Neb. When: Open daily, Memorial Day to Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; September through May from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact: Call (402) 667-6557 or visit corpsofdiscoverywelcomecenter.org

Murdo’s Aten Resort After looking out over the Missouri River valley, you can get up close and personal with the water at Murdo’s Aten Resort, Crofton, Neb. Located just off U.S. Highway 81, right on the Missouri River, between the new bridge and Gavins Point Dam, Murdo’s offers a little bit of everything to tempt your taste buds.

“But we’re known for our walleye,” said Don Edwards, who has owned the eatery for the past 23 years.

For those who prefer more family fare, the restaurant features steaks, hamburgers and chicken. Kids enjoy smaller burgers, chicken strips and shrimp baskets, Edwards noted. Everyone loves the fried ice cream and homemade chocolate cake.

The restaurant’s name is Edwards’ nickname.

“I grew up in a town called Murdo, S.D., and the name just stuck with me in college,” he explained.

Murdo’s Aten Resort is open 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is located at 55421 Highway 121, Crofton. Phone (402) 388-4455.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

31

32

DAY TRIPS

Lewis and Clark State Park

ONAWA OFFERS LAKESIDE AMENITIES Text by Joanne Fox | Photographs by Jerry Mennenga

ONAWA, IOWA – IT’S summer. Who doesn’t like a picnic by a lake?

Just call first if you’re thinking of motoring to this Monona County getaway.

Less than an hour away from Sioux City is Lewis and Clark State Park, a very popular area for family picnics, but flooding may preclude a day trip this year.

The park has more than 30 acres of picnic grounds with tables, fire grills, and drinking water. Two open picnic shelters are available for picnic use on a first come-first serve basis and may be rented through the park office.

If you’re unsure about the weather on the day of your journey or you’ve invited a large number of friends and/or family members to join in your picnicking, you can reserve the park’s lodge – constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps – for a fee, through the Iowa Park Reservation system, iowastateparks. reserveamerica.com.

But a picnic is limited in its fun. The state park has another strength, said Park Ranger Jeff Poen.

“It’s the lake,” he insisted.

Lewis and Clark State Park lies on the shores of Blue Lake, an “oxbow” formed by the meanderings of the picturesque Missouri River many years ago. The 250 acres of the lake offer a variety of wateroriented recreational opportunities, such as swimming, boating, water crafting and fishing. The beach is a fine place for sunbathing and swimming, although Poen cautioned there is no lifeguard on duty.

Two boat ramps are available for easy lake access. No restrictions are placed on motor size. Excellent fishing opportunities are available at the lake, Poen said.

“There’s large mouth bass, a few crappies, bluegills, northerns, catfish, all waiting to be caught,” he pointed out.

If you are a good planner, you can time your trip to coincide with Iowa’s free fishing weekend. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources waives the requirement that Iowa anglers possess a valid fishing license while fishing, typically the first weekend in June.

Maybe you’re not a water person. The park is a fine place for a leisurely hike.

32

JULY 2011

LEWIS AND CLARK STATE PARK Cost: Free Amenities: Adult fishing license (16 years of age or older) $19; seven-day, $13.50; one day, $9.50; campsite fee $16 Hours: Open daily 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Directions: Located at 21914 Park Loop, Onawa, Iowa, the park is just a mile west of the Onawa exit off of I-29.

Since 1984, the park has been the site of the annual Lewis and Clark Festival – the second weekend in June – which focuses on the 1804 expedition with buckskinners in frontier dress, bluegrass music and historic presentations. second weekend in June.

For more information, visit iowadnr.gov/parks/ state_park_list/lewis_clark.html or call (712) 423-2829 On the three to four miles of trails, visitors can see a variety of trees, shrubs, and, often, wildlife including deer, rabbits and squirrels, as well as a wide variety of bird species.

The park is named for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark who headed an expedition into the northwest to explore the vast territory. In August 1804, the expedition arrived at the site where Lewis and Clark State Park now lies. With 26 men and supplies, Lewis and Clark led their expedition up the Missouri River from St. Louis by keelboat.

While visiting the park, visitors can take the opportunity to view the fullsized reproduction of Lewis and Clark’s keelboat/barge, “Best Friend,” which was constructed by Butch Bouvier of L&C Replicas.

“In years past, we had volunteers who would take the boat out on the lake, but we are currently not doing that,” Poen said. “Once we have a volunteer or volunteers who would be willing to do this, we’ll probably reinstate that.”

Efforts to complete an ambitious building project in time for the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery bicentennial didn’t pan out, but now, the Lewis and Clark Educational and Interpretive Visitor Center is on track to open in mid-July, Poen said.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Passengers disembark from a keelboat during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration near Onawa, Iowa, in 2004.

“It’s totally Lewis and Clark,” he noted of the 15,000-square-foot building.

“There are three boats inside – a keelboat and two pirogues. There’s a bullboat, made out of a buffalo hide. A display of a swan. Knot-tying. Bone puzzles. All kinds of things for kids and adults.”

The park is open from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. If the day becomes too long, the Lewis and Clark campground is a great place to spend the night. The 112 campsites, 100 with electrical hookups and 12 with full hook-up, lie along the lakeshore. Modern rest rooms and showers are available, as is a trailer dump station.

Advance campsite reservations can be booked through the park reservation system.

Half of the campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, Poen said.

“You can check in at the campground station, pitch your tent, spend the night and check-out is 4 p.m. the next day,” he explained.

33

ask a professional Q: My sister-in-law had a lumbar microdiscectomy surgery...

Q:

My sister-in-law just had a lumbar microdiscectomy about 10 days ago. Her surgeon told her no PT (Physical Therapy) is necessary. I was always under the impression that you should have PT after surgery, at least to help break up any scar tissue that might form. Am I mistaken? Why not do PT? It can't hurt right‌ It seems odd that this surgeon told her PT was not necessary.

A: As for your question, you are 100% correct that your sister-inlaw should have some course of physical therapy. A different spine surgeon would recommend PT every time.

Dr. Sneller Anyone who has had spine surgery should have at least 4-6 weeks of physical therapy as soon as they are able to post op (operation). How quickly after spine surgery depends on the surgery they have had.

There are many, many reasons that physical therapy is important. As you pointed out, aiding in breaking up any surgical scar tissue around the incision line is important and usually done with ultrasound and massage. If not, you are just left with more troublesome tissue than was once there to begin with.

Also, it is important to get those muscles moving again and moving correctly. As with anyone who has had spine surgery, prior to the surgery, one is normally in a great deal of pain and less active. Because of that pain, muscles are not being used correctly, because the patient has not been moving correctly and has been over compensating by using some muscles and not using others.

To balance that incorrect movement and strengthen the core muscles that have become weak from lack of proper use, PT is imperative. The mechanics of the spine have changed after surgery, therfore the patient needs to be instructed upon exercises and how to bend, stoop, move, and lift properly again. Learning to do these exercises correctly and to continuing to do them at home is vitally important. This will help prevent the second surgery by keeping the muscles strong, instead of staying weak which causes further injury to the spine.

It's unfortunate that your SIL's doctor doesn't believe in physical therapy as it is highly likely that she may injure her back further and suffer the consequences of not having physical therapy. Fifty (50) percent of workers compensation injuries are from individuals who have already been injured once. This could eliminate that.

Don’t be a "frequent flyer" in their spine surgeon's office. After you have ruled out any help which may be made from more conservative treatment, surgery may be necessary. But by all means, if you find yourself there, have your doctor give you orders for physical therapy the first time. To better treat you, Multicare Physicians Group offers Medical, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, Accupuncture, and Massage in our 8000sq ft facility.

Request your Therapy to be done at Multicare.

Call 276-4325 today for an appointment

3930 Stadium Drive. (Between Wal-Mart & Explorer Stadium)

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

33

34

HEALTH Quick

Tips

QUICK TIPS

FOR MINOR HEALTH

EMERGENCIES Text by Nick Hytrek | Photograph by Tim Hynds

THE LAST THING YOU want to do while on vacation is make a trip to a medical clinic or, heaven forbid, the emergency room.

Some vacation activities such as hiking or mountain biking contain risks of minor medical emergencies. But even a weekend camping trip can result in unforeseen medical problems.

“There’s always sunburn, dehydration and food poisoning potentially,” said La Vone Sopher, ARNP, FNP, at The Clinic at Wal-Mart at 3400 Singing Hills Drive, an affiliate of the St. Luke’s Health System.

With a little planning and a lot of common sense, many minor medical emergencies can be prevented, Sopher said.

“Think about what activities you’re going to be doing, think about what could happen and take the right stuff along,” she said. “If you’re going to go hiking, don’t wear flip-flops.”

Sopher had plenty of prevention and treatment advice for the most common vacation mishaps she sees.

SWIMMING If possible, swim in a swimming pool.

Water in rivers and lakes may look clean, but it’s full of bacteria and microbes.

Swimmer’s ear, an inflammation, and sometimes infection, of the ear canal, can result from swimming in any type of water.

Wear ear plugs or get a bottle of overthe-counter swimmer’s ear drops. Using the drops after you’re done swimming helps dry your ears out.

34

JULY 2011

SUNBURN If you’re boating or spending the day along the shore, the combination of wind and water puts you more at risk. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and other clothing to reduce sun exposure.

If you do get burned, stay out of the sun and wear loose clothing. Aloe vera lotion, various over-the-counter sprays or cool compresses can help take the sting out of the burn.

HEAT ILLNESS Symptoms usually include feeling really hot and tired. Getting out of the sun and drinking water or sports drinks will usually make you feel better.

If you’re going to be out in the sun and heat all day, drink at least 64 ounces of water or sports drink during the day.

Don’t drink soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, the caffeine and alcohol can lead to dehydration.

INSECT BITES Using insect repellent is a big help.

If you do wind up with bug bites, wash them with soap and water and don’t scratch them. All that scratching can open the bites and lead to infection.

TICKS Lyme disease is generally not a concern in this area. If you find a tick, use tweezers to grab the tick right behind the head to pull it out. Wash the area with soap and water and apply antibacterial ointment.

Wearing a hat and long pants when you’re out hiking in the woods can help

SIOUXLAND LIFE

TRAVEL WITH A FIRST AID KIT When packing for vacation, don’t forget to take along a first aid kit.

La Vone Sopher, ARNP, FNP at The Clinic at Wal-Mart, said her friends jokingly call her a walking pharmacy when they travel with her. But when one of them has a health problem, guess who they turn to?

What you pack may depend on what you’re going to be doing, Sopher said, but no matter where you go, it’s wise to take along the following: antibacterial ointment, bandages and wraps, antihistamine/decongestant for allergies, sunglasses, sunscreen, pain reliever, bug spray and Pepto-Bismol for stomach aches and diarrhea.

If you’re going to be doing more physical activities, have access to ice or take along instant cold packs.

If you take prescription drugs, carry them in the bottle you got from the pharmacy so you can provide the correct name of the medication in case you have to see a doctor. keep ticks from finding skin to dig into.

BEE STINGS Many bees leave their stingers in. If you’ve been stung, pull the stinger out with tweezers or use the edge of a credit card to scrape it out. Clean the area with soap and water.

If you’re allergic to bee stings, make sure you carry EpiPen, or epinephrine, to counter a severe allergic reaction.

BURNS Apply cold water or an ice pack to the

35

HO

The Home Builders Association of Greater Siouxland extends our thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the flooding. This is a time for us all to be thankful for each other and help our fellow citizens and businesses. Please be very careful when you hire a company or individual to help you in this time of need. There are people out there that prey on individuals during a crisis. Call your Chamber of Commerce, ask for references, or contact us for our membership information.

3900 Stadium Dr., Sioux City, IA 712-255-3852 www.hbags.com email: hbasooland@siouxlan.net

St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center nurse practitioner La Vone Sopher talks about vacation health essentials at the Sioux City hospital’s The Clinic at Wal-Mart.

burned area to stop the heat process on the skin. If the burned skin blisters, leave it alone. Popping the blister can lead to infection.

CUTS AND SCRAPES Wash the area with soap and water, then apply antibiotic ointment and bandages.

RASHES FROM POISON IVY, OAK OR SUMAC Once you notice a rash, wash the area with soap and water to remove the plant resin. A cold compress can take away the itch or use calamine lotion or other overthe-counter, anti-itch creams. If you have a rash, don’t scratch it. The resin can get under your nails and then spread to other areas of your body when you touch them. Wear long pants if you’re out hiking in the woods. It doesn’t hurt to tuck the pants into your socks.

FOOD POISONING Keep food cold if it’s supposed to be cold. If it looks or smells suspicious, throw it away. Wash your hands often. Don’t drink water from mountain streams or other untreated outdoor sources.

ANIMAL BITES Don’t approach wild animals. If you are bitten, wash the bite with soap and water. You may need to see a doctor to consult whether rabies treatment is necessary.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

35

36

HEALTH Cancer

patient

Doctor patient

SHOWS PATIENCE AS

36

JULY 2011

SIOUXLAND LIFE

37

Text by John Quinlan Photograph by Tim Hynds

A HEALER, A PREACHER, a missionary and all-around nice guy, Dr. Thor Swanson of Sioux City is such an optimistic fellow that you almost wish that Thor would be as grouchy a patient as the rest of us, more angrygod, Thor-like in the Norse mythology way, when his time came to be a patient.

Dr. Thor Swanson, medical director at Siouxland Community Health Center in Sioux City, leads a bioethics class for first-year residents of Siouxland Medical Education Foundation from his hospital bed at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Sioux City. Swanson had his left foot amputated due to cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

37

Well, patience, it seems, is another of his virtues – and this in the face of a cancer fight that claimed his left foot last fall.

During a May visit while he was undergoing chemotherapy at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, Thor was as cheerful as ever, though he admitted he may have been a bit less cheery last October when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a cancerous bone tumor that usually develops in adolescence.

At 45, Thor is no kid.

“So then they took my foot right above the ankle and I get 18 rounds Dr. Thor Swanson of chemo,” over 31 weeks, he said.

“There was a little shock, but of course we’re six months down the road from the shock.

“As I tell people, the bigger shock for me was when my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes in 2007. She was diagnosed with diabetes or went into diabetic ketoacidosis on the plane ride from Africa to Europe. And so having your kid diagnosed with something like that, I think, is much more traumatic than having yourself diagnosed.”

Kari, their middle daughter, is doing well these days, giving Dad much to brag about, along with the accomplishments of her sisters Trina and Johanna.

They were returning from Kenya where the family had been doing HIV medical missionary work (one of his

he continues to teach medical residents even though he recently left his position at the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation in Sioux City to become medical director at the Community Health Center. He is actually co-director at Community Health while undergoing chemo, but that will change, if all goes well, when the chemotherapy ends in

“You could say, why me? Why am I one of the 1,500 that gets this tumor a year? But you could say, why not me, too?” late July and he can return to work fulltime.

The chemo limits what he can do as each round keeps him from work for a few days, depending on the dosage. He also had to work out some bugs with his prosthetic foot.

IN THE BEGINNING It all began a year ago after Thor spent six months doctoring a bad ankle. An early X-ray showed no abnormalities. So the initial diagnosis was tendonitis. But things never got better. A second X-ray showed there was something abnormal.

An MRI showed a mass. He had a biopsy on Oct. 18, and the results back on Oct. 19 showed it was osteosarcoma. Six days later, his left foot was amputated.

“So I started the chemo in December.

They put a port or what do they call it, a groshong? And actually after only having it a week and a half, my first groshong got infected. So before even starting the

“As I tell people, I’ve seen worse. I saw people die in Africa of HIV and AIDS, and children die of things that they wouldn’t have died of in the United States … . So for me, this hasn’t shaken my faith at all.” specialties locally, too) when Kari was stricken.

An ordained minister who is associate pastor at Friendship Community Church in Sergeant Bluff, Thor continues to do work as a certified HIV doctor, and 38

JULY 2011

sent me to Omaha,” he said. “I talked to the doctor there and he talked to us and recommended amputation as probably the best choice.”

His wife Karin said Thor had already come to that conclusion on his own.

Thor said his specialist was straightforward about what to expect from his extensive 18 rounds of chemo, toxic

chemo, I spent four days in the hospital for an infected groshong. My groshong has made it since then,” he said.

As a patient, Thor didn’t find any surprises.

“I knew what to expect when they

SIOUXLAND LIFE

enough to put him in the hospital. “I get three different chemicals, three different drugs. And one combination of two of them is especially difficult,” he said. “It makes you really tired and can make you sick.”

He starts chemo on Thursdays about every other week. If it’s an easy round, he can go home Friday night, then return to work the following Monday afternoon.

“But if I do have a harder round of chemo, two bad drugs on a Thursday, I’m not ready to work full days until the middle of the next week or even the end of the week,” he said.

“Four of those rounds were 56 straight hours,” Karin said, noting that he was lucky to go home Sunday morning those weeks, wiped out as he was from the chemo stress.

Thor sports the traditional chemo look, a shiny head.

“Well, I didn’t have much hair to start with, and what little I had is gone,” he said. “Or maybe I grow a little stubble and now my wife just shaves it for me.”

STILL TEACHING Even while undergoing chemotherapy, Thor found time to teach his latest group of family practice residents about medical ethics from his hospital room. The six residents and two social workers were welcome company.

“I love teaching residents, and I’ve really done that my whole 11 years of being a physician,” he said. “I love taking care of the HIV people, the international people, the immigrants, and I’ve gotten to do that the whole time, too. So it’s just a matter of where I’m based.”

Thor claims his illness is harder on his wife and three children than it is on

him.

“I mean when you’re talking about a husband who’s sick every other week or going to the hospital or getting chemo.

And then we had trouble with my getting a second leg partly because of the chemo, and that’s a whole ’nother story,” he said. The chemo has made it tough to fit a prosthesis, and he is ready for “leg No. 3.” Meanwhile, crutches and weekly visits to a physical therapist have helped.

Too many weekends in the hospital for chemo did force him to take a six-month sabbatical from his work at Friendship Community Church.

“And when I’m coming right off chemo, I can’t really go out in public for a few days,” he said, “because of my immune system. I don’t want to get exposed to things.”

But none of this has shaken his faith in God. “As I tell people, I’ve seen worse. I saw people die in Africa of HIV and AIDS, and children die of things that they wouldn’t have died of in the United States – and having a daughter diagnosed with diabetes,” he said. “So for me, this hasn’t shaken my faith at all. I still believe God is God and God is love and the world is still a screwed-up place. And I’ve believed that for a couple decades.”

The odds are also in his favor. In the days before chemotherapy, about 15 percent of people with osteosarcoma survived. Today, the survival rate is 70 percent, he noted.

“And there are people all over the globe praying for me, from Africa to Europe,” he said. “I’ve been on many prayer chains in town. A couple patients come in and say they pray for me every time they go to church. So you can’t really leave it to all the statistics either because even if your straight odds are greater than 70 percent, what does it mean when people all over he world are praying for you?”

Arthur Ashe, the celebrated tennis player who died after getting HIV and AIDS from a blood transfusion, has long been one of Thor’s heroes. And Ashe, a tennis player like Thor, sort of, asked a question that stuck with him.

Said Thor: “You could say, why me?

Why am I one of the 1,500 that gets this tumor a year? But you could say, why not me, too?”

And Thor expects to play tennis for a long time yet. After all, his father, at 76, is still coaching tennis in Wisconsin. So why not?

Now’s the time to start planning that remodel

Call Wes or Nate to get this project started

Keep your wife in hot water, she’ll love you for it!

322 West 7th Street

|

Sioux City, IA 51103

|

712-258-3388

|

www.foulkbros.net

Reinvent

Your Kitchen Spice things up with a state-of-theart kitchen you’ll enjoy day after day, year after year. It’s one investment that delivers guaranteed returns.

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

715 East Ninth St. South Sioux City, NE 68776

Jamie Miller, AKBD Designer Phone 402-494-5411 Fax 402-494-2737 SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

39

40

HEALTH Shape-up

Shoes

RUNNING INTO TROUBLE WITH

SHAPE-UP SHOES Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by Tim Hynds

CAN A PAIR OF shoes help you burn more calories, tone your butt and allow you to say good bye to your old cottage cheese thighs?

Well, at least those are the claims

Scheel’s employee Rachel Jacobson tries on a pair of Skechers toning shoes at the Sioux City store.

40

JULY 2011

made by toning shoes such as Skechers Shape-ups.

Toning shoes are the ones with a rounded heel. The shoe’s rocker sole creates an instability that forces you to utilize muscles – specifically in your feet, legs, butt and abs – that could, in some instances, lead to weight loss.

More than that, the shoes can also alter your posture and your gait, taking pressure off of all of your achy, overused joints.

After all, you wouldn’t mind looking like Skechers Shape-ups’ spokesperson Kim “Get in shape without setting foot in a gym” Kardashian, now would you?

But are these miracle toning shoes – produced by Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT), Reebok and other companies in addition to Skechers – a kick or a miss?

A lawsuit has been filed by Holly Ward, an Ohio waitress who claims wearing the Shape-Ups caused serious injuries to her hips, leading to physical rehab and moving around with a walker.

In addition, toning shoes – at first, marketed solely to women – are now being made for men as well as young girls.

Animated commercials, alerting

SIOUXLAND LIFE

pre-teen girls to the merits of toning their bottoms and legs, have been shown on such kid-friendly networks such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.

Yet, according to Scheels Sport Shops shoe sales associate Rachel Jacobson, the curvy-heeled shoe is still mostly an item favored by middle-aged women.

“People who love ’em, love ’em a lot,” she said while modeling a pair. “And the people who don’t, wouldn’t be caught dead in ‘em.”

Jacobson, herself, falls into the latter category.

“When you wear ’em, it feels like you’re walking in sand,” she explained.

This is exactly the sensation wearers want from their toning shoes, said Sioux City podiatrist Paul Coffin.

“It’s that imbalance,” he said, “akin to walking on a wobble board or on a sandy beach, which requires a person to readjust by using a different set of muscles.”

But Coffin quickly points out that manufacturer’s claims of a quick and easy fitness fix are “wildly overstated.”

Citing studies done on the effectiveness of toning shoes, he said they “do not help you exercise more intensely, burn

41

Stay

more calories or improve your overall muscle strength and tone.”

In fact, rocker bottoms shoes may result in such painful problems as plantar fasciitis (the connective tissue at the bottom of your heel bone) peroneal tendonitis (which may impact your ankle); or Achilles tendonitis (which affects your calf muscles).

“This isn’t a new phenomenon,” Coffin noted. “I remember when soft Earth shoes were the rage. A good 30 percent of its wearers ended up with Achilles tendonitis due to the shoe.”

While acknowledging the shoes do force the wearer to work different muscles, he said the benefits aren’t permanent because the muscles quickly adapt to the changes.

In the end, Coffin said one-third of people will end up liking toning shoes, one-third will end up injuring themselves and one-third will choose never to wear them.

Which is also the opinion of Jacobson.

“These shoes are definitely not for everybody,” she said while removing the Skechers from her feet. “Personally, I prefer running shoes and hiking boots.”

Active!

Enjoy a secure and convenient active lifestyle with affordable assisted living at Regency Square.

• Spacious Suites • Emergency Call System • Complete Dining Service • Housekeeping & Laundry Service • Van Transportation to Shopping & Appointments • Beauty Shop • Exercise Classes • Complete Activities Programing

Come see how our facility can meet your need for a quality lifestyle.

3501 Dakota Ave. • South Sioux City, NE. • 402-494-4273

7 1 2 - 2 9 4 - 7 7 4 0

/

p i e r c e s t r e e t s u r g e r y . c o m

bringing your teddy bear is your choice. being family friendly is ours.

Pierce Street Same Day Surgery doesn’t just serve kids, we cater to them.

Your child will be more comfortable with a teddy bear in hand and a parent by her side. We understand this, and offer one of the friendliest environments for families in the region. That makes your choice a whole lot easier.

Pierce Street S A M E

D A Y

S U R G E R Y

your choice for care, convenience & comfort SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

41

42

PROFILE Q&A

20 QUESTIONS with a resident

Dr. Andrew Geha Text by Nick Hytrek | Photograph by Tim Hynds

What’s the difference between a physician and a resident?

Nick Hytrek talked with Dr. Andrew Geha, a resident, Siouxland Medical Education Foundation, to find out.

1. Can you define what a residency is?

Residencies are kind of our first experience after graduation from medical school as far as treating patients in a facilitated level. It allows us to get what we’ve gotten out of medical school and apply it to a patient.

2. What’s the main purpose of residency?

More than anything, it’s about how we’re given instruction on how to treat a patient. It’s kind of our first experience in patient treatment.

3. Residents have graduated from medical school?

see patients at nursing homes every 60 days. We’re there at deliveries. We’re at every C-section when we’re on OB rotation. We’re also at the Crittenton Center assisting with maternal care. It’s pretty much through all aspects of patient care we can be a part of.

9. What’s the work schedule like?

It depends on the rotation that you’re on.

10. Do you continue to take classes during residency?

Yes. There’s a noon conference that we should attend. That provides our continuing education; it provides us opportunities to talk about specific topics.

4. So you are officially a doctor?

11. Are you able to see patients on your own?

5. How long is a typical residency?

12. Is there a supervisor who reviews your work?

Yes.

That’s right. We’re no longer a medical student. We should be treated as a doctor.

It depends on the program. The family practice program is three years.

6. Do all doctors have to do a residency or are there some areas that don’t require them?

I would say that most do. Some after residency will even do a more specific residency called a fellowship.

7. Who decides how long a residency is? Is it some licensing board?

It’s the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education).

8. What all do residents do?

We see patients here in the clinic.

We see patients on hospital rounds. We see patients in the emergency room. We

42

JULY 2011

Under supervision, yes. As a first-year (resident), we don’t have a permanent license so we’re always under supervision.

Yes. Our electronic medical record, before I finish my record note, I have to have it reviewed by an attending (physician).

13. Are there any limitations on what you can do?

We wouldn’t want to do a procedure without supervision. It’s all about supervision. All of our OB deliveries, there is a physician supervising us.

14. How important is a residency to a young doctor?

It’s probably the most important part of our training. It’s a way to become molded into the physician we will be in the future.

15. Could you go straight into

SIOUXLAND LIFE

practice without doing a residency?

You have to do at least one year and then you still would not be board certified. It would be limited what jobs and practices you could join.

16. Do you ever have patients who don’t think you’re a “real” doctor and don’t want to be seen by a resident?

Yes. That’s kind of frustrating because then they make you feel like you’re not good enough.

17. How far through residency are you?

I’m almost done with my first year. I’ll be done in June.

18. What were those first few weeks like?

I was the first resident on the OB rotation, which is considered by our residents to be one of the most strenuous things we do. Every third day you’re on call. My first weekend on call, we had six deliveries in 24 hours.

19. What’s the biggest thing residency has taught you?

Sometimes the most basic elements of a patient’s care and the way in which we interpret those can sometimes save a person’s life.

20. Do you ever hear about people getting into residency and then realize this isn’t the career for them?

I can see people switching, saying “I don’t want to do family practice. I want to do surgery.”

43

“Sometimes the most basic elements of a patient’s care and the way in which we interpret those can save a person’s life.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

43

44

ADVICE Medical

Answers

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

MEET THE DOC Dr. Amanda Schoenherr Dannenbring is a resident physician at the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation, a family medicine residency program. Dannenbring will be graduating in June 2011 and starting with Family Health Care of Siouxland in Dakota Dunes August 1, 2011.

An ad says you shouldn’t take Allegra with orange juice. I thought the only “bad” juice was grapefruit juice. Should we be careful about orange juice now too?

Allegra (fexofenadine) is an antihistamine that reduces the natural effects of histamine in the body. It is often used for treatment of seasonal allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching or watery eyes and a runny nose. It may also be used to treat skin itching or hives. Specifically for Allegra, orange, apple and grapefruit juices can decrease the absorption by 40 percent. It is recommended to take this medication with water on an empty stomach, either one hour before or two hours after a meal.

Of concern with grapefruit juice or other citrus fruits is the fact that the enzymes in these products can interfere with the enzymes in the body that break down or metabolize certain medications.

As a result, more of the medication is left in your body which can potentially cause dangerous drug levels and serious side effects. A list of the medication categories that may interact with grapefruit products includes but is not limited to: anti-anxiety, anti-arrhythmia, antihistamine, antidepressant, anti-seizure, calcium channel blocker, immunosuppressant and statins. Fruits like Pomelos (cousin to the grapefruit) and Seville oranges (bitter oranges often used in marmalades) may also have a similar effect.

In general, other than grapefruit, most fruit juices are safe and do not interact with medications. When in doubt, take your medication with water. Also, review your medication list with your doctor at every visit to see if any of your medications can be affected. Your local

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.

44

JULY 2011

pharmacist is also well-educated in this matter and should be able to answer your questions and discuss concerns.

visit your doctor on a yearly basis to have your skin evaluated for cancerous or precancerous lesions.

Is it true sunburns you experienced as a child can come back to haunt you later in life?

Unfortunately, yes, this is true. One or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or adolescent can increase your risk of skin cancer as an adult. Regarding chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight, tanning beds and sunlamps, the past can and does come back to haunt you in the form of premature skin aging, changes in skin color and texture and possibly cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The most common types, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are often highly curable. Melanoma is the third most common yet most severe skin cancer. The exact cause of all melanomas is yet to be determined but exposure to UV light increases one’s risk of developing melanoma. Between 65 to 90 percent of melanomas are caused by exposure to UV light. Other factors such as a person’s genetic makeup may also play a role.

One of the most important things parents can do to protect their children from skin cancer later in life is to routinely use sun screen, avoid sun burns, and wear photoprotective clothes such as shirts or pants with UVA and UVB protection, hats and sunglasses.

As an adult, it is important to pay attention to your skin. Look for any new lesions or skin changes. When in doubt, remember the ABCD’s of skin lesions.

All lesions with Asymmetry, irregular Borders, changes in Color, or increasing Diameter (especially those greater than 6 millimeters) need to be evaluated by your doctor. To detect problems early,

I always worry when parents give their kids keys to play with. Aren’t these dangerous? And what should you do if your child accidentally swallows a coin?

I agree. A set of house or car keys is not the best toy for a child. They are dangerous with respect to cuts in the skin or gum line with small children, eye injuries, and keys are certainly a choking hazard. What is more, keys often harbor bacteria and viruses. Think about how often you clean or disinfect your car/ house keys. Studies have shown growth of Salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria and viruses from random cultures of car keys. Granted not every set of keys has Salmonella lurking in the background but the potential is there depending on where you set those keys throughout the day. It’s best to keep a few of your child’s toys with you or use other soothing techniques to calm an irritable child.

To address your second question, thankfully coins are easily seen with plain X-ray. If you suspect your child has swallowed a coin, your doctor can usually take a single X-ray to look at the lungs and upper abdomen in order to locate the coin. If the coin is located in the stomach, most of the time, we watch and wait. The child will usually pass the coin through the digestive system and it will show up in a bowel movement within the next few days. On occasion, the coin can get stuck in the esophagus or may get lodged in the trachea (wind pipe). In these situations, a doctor needs to remove the coin via an endoscope if in the esophagus or a bronchoscope if in the trachea. The age and size of the child is a major factor in the treatment plan;

SIOUXLAND LIFE

45

Ranked among the Top 10% in the Nation for Spinal Surgery

Health Grades Specialty Excellence Award™ Recipient

2007 600 Sioux Point Road Dakota Dunes, SD 57049 Phone: (605) 232-3332

the younger the child, the higher the risk for complications. If your child has any respiratory distress or change in mental status after swallowing a coin or other foreign object, take him or her to the emergency room or call an ambulance immediately.

Is it true you should wait an hour after eating before swimming?

Time and time again when I was a child, I heard these words of advice from my dad. At the time, I thought, “OK, if you say so” but always wondered, “What’s the big deal?” It goes without saying, parents worry about the safety of their children. The reasoning behind this piece of advice is that after eating, the body’s process of digestion increases blood flow to the stomach and away from the muscles needed for swimming.

This in turn could lead to cramping, which increases the risk of drowning.

Turns out, it really is ok to swim after a snack or light meal. Although the risk of muscle cramping may be slightly increased, no studies have shown an increased risk of drowning simply due to swimming immediately after eating.

That being said, a bit of advice to parents out there: If your child tends to get overly tired or lethargic after a large meal, it would be safer to have them wait before getting into a pool just for the sake staying alert and preventing accidents.

A bit of advice for the adult swimmers out there: do not mix alcohol and swimming or water activities. According to the CDC, alcohol use is involved in up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation and about one in five reported boating fatalities. Please stay safe this summer!

Health & Leisure Expo 55 Plus!

August 26, 2011

9am-2pm

Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center 300 3rd Street • Sioux City, IA Open Line with

Randy Renshaw

Broadcasting LIVE 8am-10am

Booths Door Prizes Health Screenings Open to the Public Free Admission & Parking Entertainment and more!

Contact us to reserve your booth space!

Nancy Gevik: 712-224-6281 nancy.gevik@lee.net

YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING ACTIVE, REWARDING LIVES

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

45

46

Make It Your Way

Build Your Dream Home!

Make your home more energy efficient and save on energy costs! We’d be happy to arrange a demonstration of a new OPTIMA system.

Call today

Klein Insulation Inc.

Member

46

JULY 2011

800-515-5691 or 712-540-5691 Locally owned since 1994 Northwest Iowa Dealer BIBS (Blow In Blanket System)

SIOUXLAND LIFE

47

PARTING SHOT By

Bruce Miller

THE LESSONS OF BIBLE SCHOOL Before there was day care or summer camp, there was Vacation Bible School.

For one week out of the summer, some poor, unsuspecting mothers agreed to herd children into the church, fill them up with gallons of Kool-Aid and help them make Popsicle stick crosses.

For kids, it was “school lite,” complete with snacks and crafts. Best of all? It didn’t last past 2 p.m. and you basically got to fool around without fear of getting a report card.

Bible School was such a hit, we didn’t limit ourselves to one faith. We hit them all.

Growing up in a small town, you had that option – and the churches made sure they didn’t overlap. So, in the course of a summer, you could hit the Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Evangelical United Brethren and Catholic (yup, Catholic) Bible schools without taking a breath – or interrupting swimming lessons.

It was the perfect scenario – you could wear shorts, pack a lunch, get two snacks and come home with something made out of pipe cleaners, cigar boxes and macaroni, sprayed gold.

I know there was a lesson or two worked in (we were constantly memorizing Bible verses and, in case you need one, the shortest is two words – “Jesus wept”) and a friendly visit from the minister.

But, for the most part, you were left with someone’s mom who just wanted to get through the day without bloodshed in the parking lot.

While Bible School taught plenty about religious tastes (as in, Lutherans love casseroles, Baptists are skeptical of sweets), it also gave us a good overview of their approaches.

Methodists, for the most part, were great singers. They used props a lot, too, and always sang as if they were smiling. Lutherans (my home church) couldn’t carry a tune if they tried.

Catholics let one person take the lead – and everyone else had to follow. Depending on the kind of Baptist church you were attending, you sometimes got to use hand gestures.

Crafts varied, too. A kid could tell how financially sound a church was by the resources he was given. If everything came in a kit, the church was doing well. If you were forced to share one set of crayons, it was probably not going forward with that much-needed capital campaign.

Themes also gave you a sense of the church’s “outreach.” I remember learning Japanese one summer, French the next.

I also remember the summer of 1968. We were in the basement of the Lutheran parsonage and we got the word that Bobby Kennedy had been shot. Considering we had heard about other assassinations in recent years, it was a good place to make sense of a senseless shooting. The mom in charge asked us to pray for the senator and his family and we talked about how his children must have felt. It wasn’t a lesson that was part of the “Noah’s Ark” curriculum, but it stuck.

Bible School was such a strong part of my childhood, I couldn’t leave it when I got older. So, in high school, I became a teacher.

There, with a handful of 5-yearolds in tow, I made an elephant out of a refrigerator box, a giraffe out of paper towel tubes.

The kids took turns riding them, just like we were on a mission to Africa. We sang African songs, ate African snacks and pretended we had been sent to Africa to tell kids about Jesus.

It was a great week – one that taught me more than it taught them.

As much as we’d like to think there are differences among religions, there really aren’t. They all preach kindness. They all emphasize love.

And if you get a chance to demonstrate how it all works together, it doesn’t matter if you’re eating cinnamon rolls or chocolate chip cookies.

What counts is how you put it into play, the other 51 weeks of the year.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JULY 2011

47

402-494-5411

715 East Ninth Street South Sioux City, NE 68776

Reflect your own personal style.

Hudson Valley

48