tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39290556062464200832024-02-19T01:55:20.038-06:00The Busiest Little Town in Iowavisitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-74388266185431655302023-12-31T11:30:00.008-06:002024-01-07T09:14:47.902-06:00Movie Claims to be Laurens History<p> The grandson of some former Laurens residents has made a movie about the time his ancestors lived in Laurens. He says it is inspired by a true story, but it conflicts with the truth on nearly every point that can be researched. </p><p>The movie called "The Cross" ran for two weeks in October 2023 in the Rialto Theater in Pocahontas. It features the Morrow family. The movie says they were victimized by the KKK because they were Catholic immigrants in a town with no other Catholics for miles around. After an ugly scene at the climax of the film featuring a burning cross on their Laurens yard, they fled Laurens and even changed their name from Moreau to Morrow. Did this really happen?</p><p>Indeed there were KKK meetings in the county in the 1920s where they burned crosses. The KKK was hostile to immigrants and Catholics and to anyone operating an illegal liquor distillery during Prohibition. </p><p>But that does not mean the movie is actual history. It is more like historical fiction. </p><p>What if the movie's main characters were not immigrants? What if they were long-time residents who were part of an established Catholic parish? Would they still have been chased out of town? </p><p>Let's look at the actual known history of Laurens and the Morrows. The family appears many times in the newspapers during their years in town. The first thing we will see is that their name was always spelled Morrow, never Moreau while they were in Laurens. </p><p>Before the Morrows came on the scene,
the first Catholic church was built in 1901, according the Sun on
June 1, 1933:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYRNPWyj81NaJ7vRV4hAjooVpu_-WUpCOhXB44UcC_9H5Bb1ldsv3NwQl15k8my006lTZs3rd-FtpTHFdi2Kmvn8UqJYwCzwWUHAdjwk1aAb7ouWQJu-VpzP3lz0fq55jMsKV_XPNLZyZk-NgYMkICK2V2KYNelIbOtm4tM2TUDUVEKR5NkC7Y5tH_qVQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="287" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYRNPWyj81NaJ7vRV4hAjooVpu_-WUpCOhXB44UcC_9H5Bb1ldsv3NwQl15k8my006lTZs3rd-FtpTHFdi2Kmvn8UqJYwCzwWUHAdjwk1aAb7ouWQJu-VpzP3lz0fq55jMsKV_XPNLZyZk-NgYMkICK2V2KYNelIbOtm4tM2TUDUVEKR5NkC7Y5tH_qVQ" width="276" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mr. Morrow first came to the attention of the
local newspaper on Aug 26, 1909:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMIApqbuxENj20I7Y4mZAdGwh07EpL7kGGWyVdcIO8ayLHRx4ezclHK2jORhgzKJLWXv39cshtXp39T1INrOwG559W8rfsIVYt-paJ2OipLDGekfZJNH05T7IaVu90ypR5CDm2lgewanpiX5lN29Wg1_pJdFq_tBS7v984P5YrxLZ2Q3EGoqBeCvUWoyY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="66" data-original-width="288" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMIApqbuxENj20I7Y4mZAdGwh07EpL7kGGWyVdcIO8ayLHRx4ezclHK2jORhgzKJLWXv39cshtXp39T1INrOwG559W8rfsIVYt-paJ2OipLDGekfZJNH05T7IaVu90ypR5CDm2lgewanpiX5lN29Wg1_pJdFq_tBS7v984P5YrxLZ2Q3EGoqBeCvUWoyY" width="320" /></a></div><br />The old Laurens Sun never described Mr. Morrow as a man from Quebec as does the movie. He had grown up in Clay county, Iowa. <p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mr. Morrow had bad eyes. This was published Mar 17, 1910</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPe_4HAHAWiIzSyKNn33pknx8xvNBa_ZnYpt1YOX56Il8XRala3IoMOFs3mZ_qB1bqxluNuKv-bfBtJXTwsGD-7_efMIw9rHIOOJTGFpioNuaQP_HiJKZ2LhmMfLVLn4JEJE9iliIm4xGWwtELOGRTTNMrHDJaaEIYxslaJ7v9FOPa4dSMGmGExVWCClQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="73" data-original-width="272" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPe_4HAHAWiIzSyKNn33pknx8xvNBa_ZnYpt1YOX56Il8XRala3IoMOFs3mZ_qB1bqxluNuKv-bfBtJXTwsGD-7_efMIw9rHIOOJTGFpioNuaQP_HiJKZ2LhmMfLVLn4JEJE9iliIm4xGWwtELOGRTTNMrHDJaaEIYxslaJ7v9FOPa4dSMGmGExVWCClQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Morrow gave up shoe repair and bought a
restaurant. February 23, 1911:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4ozZlkLoBSiqiXG86RvBVnLrRyJsWscRDnbrCcQ7l4_XfmBfp06QFCvqv93QNUvM0_BJ6IyK6MMjv6iN8E18t-fNX1X36q02vJFaqRDbmzTSGFEHhknHYJSBwpE9w0F4x51Y3Xl9EODklrQlFTXArrIH3q-TVgpSz4APIVe9MArOMjqCFjIfbjgyJrvw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="243" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4ozZlkLoBSiqiXG86RvBVnLrRyJsWscRDnbrCcQ7l4_XfmBfp06QFCvqv93QNUvM0_BJ6IyK6MMjv6iN8E18t-fNX1X36q02vJFaqRDbmzTSGFEHhknHYJSBwpE9w0F4x51Y3Xl9EODklrQlFTXArrIH3q-TVgpSz4APIVe9MArOMjqCFjIfbjgyJrvw" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Next D.J. Morrow got married in Laurens
to a local woman. This appeared in the newspaper of Nov 23, 1911:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjub8A-eAX0T1OrEVwuqUAARCofCQr4ctvFqulD94e3rRNclL_rQFF8tDEknqbS4clXqH8HN1O_4zI5TGrYTd9pUo9r1Du_Uc13X5zVf71Zh9u4dX4N6zDTHJG-Co6bixxKRJkA605nsVu7o_RZtpHZXevxv9FmgObmz5MNZtLRUta3kz3IbExiWK0nbmg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="290" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjub8A-eAX0T1OrEVwuqUAARCofCQr4ctvFqulD94e3rRNclL_rQFF8tDEknqbS4clXqH8HN1O_4zI5TGrYTd9pUo9r1Du_Uc13X5zVf71Zh9u4dX4N6zDTHJG-Co6bixxKRJkA605nsVu7o_RZtpHZXevxv9FmgObmz5MNZtLRUta3kz3IbExiWK0nbmg=w190-h400" width="190" /></a></div><br />Here we see his wife was a Laurens woman. She had first appeared in the Sun when she was only thirteen years old. Her name was Grace, but in the movie she was named Vivian which made her seem more French, more like an immigrant from Quebec.<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">News of the Morrow business on Jan 18, 1912:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmbcTYBdjxkhLAX2vE-ueJA5s0bnB60J04Zg9mtfhlmyTQMDwt0TRHV9WEhSAPMfmdkGn5Y6Ah4LLwbHa9eebt3724FjVrTlFLTC89NGxrv8G2fa8FNxxijoE9fFCldCcfwaEFtUaFrOIqpD6XcSYZQVDzp2jRiA9qUL_FpIJJlfEAGlf6mzxFwVto_FU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="262" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmbcTYBdjxkhLAX2vE-ueJA5s0bnB60J04Zg9mtfhlmyTQMDwt0TRHV9WEhSAPMfmdkGn5Y6Ah4LLwbHa9eebt3724FjVrTlFLTC89NGxrv8G2fa8FNxxijoE9fFCldCcfwaEFtUaFrOIqpD6XcSYZQVDzp2jRiA9qUL_FpIJJlfEAGlf6mzxFwVto_FU" width="320" /></a></div><br />More business news that same year reported on April 25,
1912:<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8MPdWOenTIwqiuA_ps0xEq1vM8Ri3JVhGI76vpwb7_oTbf_UPAJwy-rMJkHn6qErZcNs3eGGbQ-yCNQNZ-JKfr6aJOpnFc2u3kYtTAIPp73XPM4UyZ59m66_-PTzXXbIuMLCMcdkl4epGqxdOHBG_UDpaMPQnCWv5bczBKpBP2-TBNVClgzqQHQCVrIU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="250" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8MPdWOenTIwqiuA_ps0xEq1vM8Ri3JVhGI76vpwb7_oTbf_UPAJwy-rMJkHn6qErZcNs3eGGbQ-yCNQNZ-JKfr6aJOpnFc2u3kYtTAIPp73XPM4UyZ59m66_-PTzXXbIuMLCMcdkl4epGqxdOHBG_UDpaMPQnCWv5bczBKpBP2-TBNVClgzqQHQCVrIU" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After ten years Morrow sold out and
thanked Laurens on Sept 22, 1921:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1PN_As1OAQLYY53E68PoXHuAaQZG5ntz6shZ7kOq8b9CvTfacLApGvS8X3uKQRODaSKngQfp4qEVf_IKi5rMCHjWZbbcJgaKDN_irQFbMwOTTudPOGXF4xCKqoGGCwJ6OPfsaSRcH3ECBwM5zO03qc21qBhRslHF1UaXZ3I3xvFO5tH7vletxQ7FLaWM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1PN_As1OAQLYY53E68PoXHuAaQZG5ntz6shZ7kOq8b9CvTfacLApGvS8X3uKQRODaSKngQfp4qEVf_IKi5rMCHjWZbbcJgaKDN_irQFbMwOTTudPOGXF4xCKqoGGCwJ6OPfsaSRcH3ECBwM5zO03qc21qBhRslHF1UaXZ3I3xvFO5tH7vletxQ7FLaWM=w276-h320" width="276" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In a couple years he was back in
business. This is from the March 6, 1924 issue where a list of
businesses urged readers to shop locally:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhehz3I0SJTqmaVHFLhwK_IgjcpGDbWpuMCO15Syx8eeVMBKW71w3REkxHx2JSWycM8xLYbPmwzswnM_ZRRGyBdDZVrIUToDvnTsmxoY-YDNwHyd-kSmaMkO2QojQBmm6yGJ0cDNnfe3mRakiTKxyvfLJ6xiz-r34scAMJqjr6kv8-cDG9FFMa2okMTOsk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="342" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhehz3I0SJTqmaVHFLhwK_IgjcpGDbWpuMCO15Syx8eeVMBKW71w3REkxHx2JSWycM8xLYbPmwzswnM_ZRRGyBdDZVrIUToDvnTsmxoY-YDNwHyd-kSmaMkO2QojQBmm6yGJ0cDNnfe3mRakiTKxyvfLJ6xiz-r34scAMJqjr6kv8-cDG9FFMa2okMTOsk" width="244" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On April 3, 1924 the Sun editorialized
against the Klan:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYVvN384wZe1rs1u9FGHZeSY3mLWjwbLcipUyHqFmWVlvv6i4Crz0Q5Vm4pcVIVl7gB77HXxGNsfm3bPZ12ZPjjr5h65fCMKDIS5gL4-S9EUZiLzxYUcZsP0-uF4Z4y6Goe18C7gsO0xkDzq-qIuaP0RI_OYJN7_2NHD0nbQM6pFuwkpXQVhB51DQjiPA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="287" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYVvN384wZe1rs1u9FGHZeSY3mLWjwbLcipUyHqFmWVlvv6i4Crz0Q5Vm4pcVIVl7gB77HXxGNsfm3bPZ12ZPjjr5h65fCMKDIS5gL4-S9EUZiLzxYUcZsP0-uF4Z4y6Goe18C7gsO0xkDzq-qIuaP0RI_OYJN7_2NHD0nbQM6pFuwkpXQVhB51DQjiPA" width="243" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Farther down the column the editor criticizes
them:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO6bi_bBuxApMIYg239PJX2vPruVgc0_Q5sX-DTi3eVDGU2NksJO4_mj5jIAZb4sZNdBAjruYwprq5_wBq5h3GSAF-UCi5jbYgZtbPe22xXuZNfKHhYQXoJw0gdCoFasMyYvuSM28lIE27Kc8JFUa2q4kTf3_ZLCP4NHZ7RkFqHm13IbCmLEKG7LPDyiY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="275" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO6bi_bBuxApMIYg239PJX2vPruVgc0_Q5sX-DTi3eVDGU2NksJO4_mj5jIAZb4sZNdBAjruYwprq5_wBq5h3GSAF-UCi5jbYgZtbPe22xXuZNfKHhYQXoJw0gdCoFasMyYvuSM28lIE27Kc8JFUa2q4kTf3_ZLCP4NHZ7RkFqHm13IbCmLEKG7LPDyiY" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">He goes further yet. Is he threatening
the Klan? He is certainly scorning the supposed Americanism of the Klan:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZ-2GfsIjj8qF2o0-rS939aHGb-T1qicc1tUGuVlODh9GlzBCLKChMQ4idfVGZFDGb6lHXJV2VNNW4xHRugKvoFzvlSes5clG3rz7zo8UVSNjnoqKCDwmrbCAsGLESITnBgb43wRLCq8czFRd_W5OKluleD7JeIb46HOw_zT9CGbdwpmHPk3n-IC3aQts" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="142" data-original-width="274" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZ-2GfsIjj8qF2o0-rS939aHGb-T1qicc1tUGuVlODh9GlzBCLKChMQ4idfVGZFDGb6lHXJV2VNNW4xHRugKvoFzvlSes5clG3rz7zo8UVSNjnoqKCDwmrbCAsGLESITnBgb43wRLCq8czFRd_W5OKluleD7JeIb46HOw_zT9CGbdwpmHPk3n-IC3aQts" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A priest came to live in town in 1927.
There were twenty-five Catholic families in town. Laurens Sun, June 1, 1933:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqc7UOLNIc33525rW0YG9WxoTL0umOzPgoSHOVcZUgTr8vurw6YgGY8jnYwya_T_NT8E8Qov1Gyp5HAoGtmKHclT_kNT7e_VJrCqfh3Fp6vmX7KIUB8E3lm4RbiIlZkXXcguAMORwQNuyRhi9_5ggpvEpcuuZoTtmHfmF93DDXkn3j3cn2jx7ks1d0RlI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="282" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqc7UOLNIc33525rW0YG9WxoTL0umOzPgoSHOVcZUgTr8vurw6YgGY8jnYwya_T_NT8E8Qov1Gyp5HAoGtmKHclT_kNT7e_VJrCqfh3Fp6vmX7KIUB8E3lm4RbiIlZkXXcguAMORwQNuyRhi9_5ggpvEpcuuZoTtmHfmF93DDXkn3j3cn2jx7ks1d0RlI" width="265" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A rectory was financed in part by
non-Catholics in town, including the newspaper publisher U.S. Vance.
This is from the Sun on June 1, 1933:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSYOcZ0v8E4QqOQA189yyicP71imbi5w6VeIxoltoo3Ao4ZyxCrXgIP5lCTqGzK_KVxhep_n4O7xTzP70Zj6tF0F6sB67YFqzItKhlr4kaiuVIxwhsdmohyXF1_bHWLnJ5hA-K1MaQZn_CsSgVZQPDtzilZkWewuNtFX2pL-4dNazrRX_XTTo_O970gYI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="286" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSYOcZ0v8E4QqOQA189yyicP71imbi5w6VeIxoltoo3Ao4ZyxCrXgIP5lCTqGzK_KVxhep_n4O7xTzP70Zj6tF0F6sB67YFqzItKhlr4kaiuVIxwhsdmohyXF1_bHWLnJ5hA-K1MaQZn_CsSgVZQPDtzilZkWewuNtFX2pL-4dNazrRX_XTTo_O970gYI=w189-h320" width="189" /></a></div><br />Although the movie opens with a screen saying "Laurens, Iowa, 1922" the director told an audience at the Rialto that the date was not accurate. He guessed that a more accurate date would be 1928 or 1930. At any rate the movie shows the family leaving town directly after the cross burning. Actually they were still here well into the 1930s<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Grace Morrow appeared frequently in the
news accounts of the Sun. Here she is in the issue for May 29, 1930</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjURFYax-sWUlA1JpfD0EgvgGPF8lb6b-8WoAizwA1Q8eG_nL1JxspnqpsUHfFXnWOaWYOQgOoslA2pjWFrpRsQ9HkADj2AuJ7UsHmUWUs3Rw3euqZhCg6uWRqaRTD0-PqsceYsxzGhqBhPR8HicGG24Cgr0BA-Y1i7pLzkB4ZAS1HELGp9bpOkHlHmWI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="291" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjURFYax-sWUlA1JpfD0EgvgGPF8lb6b-8WoAizwA1Q8eG_nL1JxspnqpsUHfFXnWOaWYOQgOoslA2pjWFrpRsQ9HkADj2AuJ7UsHmUWUs3Rw3euqZhCg6uWRqaRTD0-PqsceYsxzGhqBhPR8HicGG24Cgr0BA-Y1i7pLzkB4ZAS1HELGp9bpOkHlHmWI" width="320" /></a></div><br />Two and a half years later on October 13, 1932 she is named
in two stories on the front page. Here is one of them:<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja7KrDKMt3r9rBzgt2CPNv2kco9__0dQS-u38zfF6jpmhN3SyL6tfsaFWd-OqsgN8fFSt4X6uP_b_s93tKCeRjPx5PNNZ2uzMuy2dY8qpFbpNI9sLtYySYzUb90BFjjAR0EYBp_XywwJ0YI17z51cEAJ-PM4kCEKq1INMJXzwFD6rEZ-cCEQw4wmX1wIk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="852" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja7KrDKMt3r9rBzgt2CPNv2kco9__0dQS-u38zfF6jpmhN3SyL6tfsaFWd-OqsgN8fFSt4X6uP_b_s93tKCeRjPx5PNNZ2uzMuy2dY8qpFbpNI9sLtYySYzUb90BFjjAR0EYBp_XywwJ0YI17z51cEAJ-PM4kCEKq1INMJXzwFD6rEZ-cCEQw4wmX1wIk=w640-h406" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mr. Morrow was working out of town by
then. Here he is in the Sun on May 4, 1933:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPvATXdjZtUA6Etx9FIxQz3gZ3wYD743BEWJVmgGBTxtTvKXEXRFkLoBSteVVNvmyG8w09UCKENO-27NW08iHcRCXQizq1JP_2szG85dYWFlOr0yJuHKDfmdeQ16pmp7fRO9n-32JzfYb8GnogBuNDQgqe5B6yqWBsUMXqf2nFVX18nGgnJmEHdMaDt5U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="80" data-original-width="285" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPvATXdjZtUA6Etx9FIxQz3gZ3wYD743BEWJVmgGBTxtTvKXEXRFkLoBSteVVNvmyG8w09UCKENO-27NW08iHcRCXQizq1JP_2szG85dYWFlOr0yJuHKDfmdeQ16pmp7fRO9n-32JzfYb8GnogBuNDQgqe5B6yqWBsUMXqf2nFVX18nGgnJmEHdMaDt5U" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In August of 1933 Grace appears again:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGLWPosJse__oOJGCFmKMAgu6_81UIq5Y06eCcKXP11fnfTGRS7BidIMnz8XzQRX4bbPPmY5CeEtDzYBR1qdnHfQpZ5E4D_Hk8PsyTtYIlC6Kd368_qa29d0zYJ00ztbRR73mgXj-V9cB7K3Lctjd80ScJ09XDwQucVNCu-H3RmLjFjYHBJKo_gRtM8pQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="304" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGLWPosJse__oOJGCFmKMAgu6_81UIq5Y06eCcKXP11fnfTGRS7BidIMnz8XzQRX4bbPPmY5CeEtDzYBR1qdnHfQpZ5E4D_Hk8PsyTtYIlC6Kd368_qa29d0zYJ00ztbRR73mgXj-V9cB7K3Lctjd80ScJ09XDwQucVNCu-H3RmLjFjYHBJKo_gRtM8pQ" width="320" /></a></div><br />On February 8, 1934 she publicly thanks
friends for flowers and gifts:<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk93JMT81q5voMvVuLjfErLObIU1n2_qbCp-WE89XigmB_WavcBft8a1s1eNV7WoJEzQ_d7dubvrXeQjT8_DW12IaoS2fh2Hg4OqvMTZHznzpqh9bA4KHVmVHLssxvbctKlcNWwCQFonVnNlCGqZFzoQjsUHEyQtD_3TUv7vy7arlPgl7N3xOQTAfBiWg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="266" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk93JMT81q5voMvVuLjfErLObIU1n2_qbCp-WE89XigmB_WavcBft8a1s1eNV7WoJEzQ_d7dubvrXeQjT8_DW12IaoS2fh2Hg4OqvMTZHznzpqh9bA4KHVmVHLssxvbctKlcNWwCQFonVnNlCGqZFzoQjsUHEyQtD_3TUv7vy7arlPgl7N3xOQTAfBiWg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The next year she had a baby:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3BS0cABARBNQZbafKCU90dz5-yEnYrpI4IwV106MB_GZedqGbNXITtEsHI-kP2IxHVmY2SGMph5_I46JHyWP4b9IV6EgYVAgLOmRxZb0mG3Zgnvc-Cj0X-LZUflkxddFrFlv00304o6vZAB09psVJ47I3VNtNorBTkeXgW7u30rPHAQBo83lUfktYco4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="282" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3BS0cABARBNQZbafKCU90dz5-yEnYrpI4IwV106MB_GZedqGbNXITtEsHI-kP2IxHVmY2SGMph5_I46JHyWP4b9IV6EgYVAgLOmRxZb0mG3Zgnvc-Cj0X-LZUflkxddFrFlv00304o6vZAB09psVJ47I3VNtNorBTkeXgW7u30rPHAQBo83lUfktYco4" width="320" /></a></div><br />In the spring of 1935 her daughter
Madelyn graduated from Laurens High School. Loras and Rita had
graduated in 1932. Mary Morrow had graduated in 1934.<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtKzOxXGiuJoxHxOXocGXTxxe2XbhmCRsNowIKyV9x1CH7yDrFYc-xON7K2kOPbCSubD9kSW3TZN-Vy0GyymazT20psR2RyZqb8A509-ZZDakoWv_oyIT54EjksOdubstmMperqQ6j9D0dnBRPbFVuoBckHr4W60H4itAmRQAzrqpO0eWCs1OR3Qv4UWA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="227" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtKzOxXGiuJoxHxOXocGXTxxe2XbhmCRsNowIKyV9x1CH7yDrFYc-xON7K2kOPbCSubD9kSW3TZN-Vy0GyymazT20psR2RyZqb8A509-ZZDakoWv_oyIT54EjksOdubstmMperqQ6j9D0dnBRPbFVuoBckHr4W60H4itAmRQAzrqpO0eWCs1OR3Qv4UWA" width="114" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Later that year Grace became ill.
That's when she left town. June 13, 1935 Sun:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf9MYDM-kERsXVPdTQIp71JdS1iFPyQWL9CC8f-oAAr27jTLzPCt4bV7OItLHX7-jbxHsTQYKZxc_p6z5MsTOyGXL1QWQCp4O8ZSyXwv6ZiJYcA708mMhp9m8HfWAQPxq2Zhcv_MVjHNwQwClCheY-qkf-qd-yu6oLw1yE2LShY-OJ0wyUJEMjZfdKyvs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="292" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf9MYDM-kERsXVPdTQIp71JdS1iFPyQWL9CC8f-oAAr27jTLzPCt4bV7OItLHX7-jbxHsTQYKZxc_p6z5MsTOyGXL1QWQCp4O8ZSyXwv6ZiJYcA708mMhp9m8HfWAQPxq2Zhcv_MVjHNwQwClCheY-qkf-qd-yu6oLw1yE2LShY-OJ0wyUJEMjZfdKyvs" width="220" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Two weeks later:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1Bt6c1pTIZv_mC5nHLzJkJ3DtVxRLgfZ3S-C0B_3WvZFeOccqgqDH020a7DLSgNjAVPldPr9GIIoWhlq9fKfj5a_EicpDyCI5evwsAdjHWQaNQULq24njm2lg43ox6GMmKyoDHJ2ecR4zxCGFJqEkIqWsXR4j3W0w7G6tFmPjZe05z956Zv1nCPXG5eU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="289" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1Bt6c1pTIZv_mC5nHLzJkJ3DtVxRLgfZ3S-C0B_3WvZFeOccqgqDH020a7DLSgNjAVPldPr9GIIoWhlq9fKfj5a_EicpDyCI5evwsAdjHWQaNQULq24njm2lg43ox6GMmKyoDHJ2ecR4zxCGFJqEkIqWsXR4j3W0w7G6tFmPjZe05z956Zv1nCPXG5eU" width="254" /></a></div><br /><br />
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Between their 1911 wedding and 1935 they spent 24 years in Laurens. Furthermore Grace had been here since she was a young child. Her husband had been here since at least 1909.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The adult Morrow daughters who were still in Laurens
appeared in the newspaper nearly every month for the rest of 1935.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What should we say about the movie? Some of it was true--the Morrows lived here and ran a restaurant. They were Catholics. But were they run out of town? </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the movie a man's body is found in the water. It is suggested he was killed for being a Catholic, but the movie sheriff shrugs it off as an accidental drowning. I can't find any such history but it is hard to search for unsolved crimes that may not have happened at all. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the movie we see a poster for a large KKK Fair that is about to happen in Laurens. In real life the poster was for an event in Indianola, Iowa. It was altered for the movie. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It would be better if the movie did not claim to be a true story. The director need only remove the opening frame of "Laurens, Iowa, 1922" and remove the poster of a Klan fair in Laurens. Or the poster could be restored to its original appearance announcing the fair in the town where it actually did occur. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As historical fiction "The Cross" works well. But it is dubious Laurens history.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">by Jerry Depew, Laurens, IA</p><br /><p></p>visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-34709285079375924752017-01-27T13:55:00.000-06:002017-01-27T13:55:50.991-06:00Laurens-Marathon High School to Close<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IdwlB1AcIvDjPLPRh3S3quY8caHYRFT369k0T0Alb_6c4RUFp-7lg1JKPPnY-R81nEDQu6JKZ3Gr0XfjtJReyBInZXNVbW6OGg8PoJwKVqWTWgqsElYNCAlW7Uq1STroUYtrkkDGaPg/s1600/lm-school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IdwlB1AcIvDjPLPRh3S3quY8caHYRFT369k0T0Alb_6c4RUFp-7lg1JKPPnY-R81nEDQu6JKZ3Gr0XfjtJReyBInZXNVbW6OGg8PoJwKVqWTWgqsElYNCAlW7Uq1STroUYtrkkDGaPg/s320/lm-school.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This spring the Laurens-Marathon school district will graduate its last class. <a href="http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/2378982.html">Future students will be sent to Pocahontas </a>once they enter the 9th grade. Jr-Hi sports will also be supervised by the neighboring district but classes will remain in Laurens.<br />
<br />
The decision was made in a 3-2 vote of the school board following four years of turmoil. It began in 2013 with the resignation of a coach who could not field a team. It progressed through multiple opinion surveys, a serious episode of district overspending in violation of state law, the firing of the superintendent, an athletic sharing agreement, a partial day academic sharing agreement, another state notice of non-compliance, <a href="http://www.stormlakepilottribune.com/story/2373666.html">contentious negotiations</a>, and a <a href="http://www.stormlake.com/articles/2016/12/30/l-m-poky-try-one-last-fling-sharing">near-reversal of direction to join Sioux Rapids</a> rather than Pocahontas.<br />
<br />
The district was also plagued by families who open enrolled their kids elsewhere, some poor "<a href="http://reports.educateiowa.gov/schoolreportcard">report cards</a>" handed to the high school and middle school by the Iowa Department of Education, a defeated school board president in 2013, a board resignation in 2016, and the long- time problems of declining population and Iowa's underfunding of public schools.<br />
<br />
The district will remain independent. Its contract with Pocahontas Area Community School District is for five years. The board made clear to PAC that they did not expect to proceed toward consolidation. The contract renews automatically in two year increments unless one district wants to interrupt that process.<br />
<br />
L-M now becomes only the<a href="http://www.andrew.k12.ia.us/home"> second public school in Iowa to have an enrollment that stops at eighth grade. </a>Other independent schools such as Albert City-Truesdale stop at sixth grade. AC-T has been without its upper grades for 13 years.<br />
<br />
The last act for L-M came on January 23, 2017. A special meeting was held to hear public opinion in the hour before the vote was scheduled. The school library was filled by as many adults as there are kids in the high school. There was only minor resistance to the proposed agreement. The principle attitude was one of resignation. <br />
<br />
After 75 minutes of discussion the board voted. Pete Runneberg moved to approve the deal. It was seconded by Chuck Harrold and supported by Dorothy Lamberti, a new face on the board. President Matt Tate and long-time member Deb Kenobbie voted against the contract as they had done in a <a href="http://www.stormlakepilottribune.com/story/2375311.html">preliminary meeting</a> with the PAC board on January 9. <br />
<br />
<br />visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-75721279914446407982015-07-15T16:09:00.000-05:002015-07-15T16:09:19.025-05:00Wet Ground Fails to Sell at Havelock AuctionNearly thirty bidders in the Havelock Amvets hall today offered only two bids for farmland adjoining the town to the northeast. Neither bid came close to the seller's reserve.<br />
<br />
The auctioneer from Farmer's National said he had been offered $4000 per acre for the land when he opened the bidding. He soon garnered a bid for $4100 but that was it. <br />
<br />
After a recess he said the Lloyd Peterson trust sellers wanted $7200 for the 146 acres. No one would bid that much.<br />
<br />
The land is a mile from the drainage ditch west of town. The sale bill says a large county tile line already exists on the property. The land has no legal restrictions regarding drainage potential. <br />
<br />
Under the CSR II regime the property is rated at nearly 83. It is largely Canisteo, Webster, and Nicollet soils which rate at 86 or better on CSR II. The CSR ratings assume optimal tiling. This property also has more than ten percent of its acres in Knoke and Okoboji soils which rate only 55 even on the more generous CSR II scale.<br />
<br />
One neighbor commented that at least the field has a crop this year. Last year about a third of it was drowned out, he said. Another farmer reported an auction yesterday in Pocahontas had the same result--no sale--on land that is said to always be either drowned out or burnt up.<br />
<br />
Just before the sale corn at the local Pro Co-op had closed at $3.91, nearly the highest it has been since harvest.<br />
<br />visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-54688921288341991662014-03-04T22:25:00.001-06:002014-03-04T22:25:14.407-06:00Iowa Starves Rural Schools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXAKunHoBSPHr00E5cB90ALJ78KedmrMyDbtg17OTiHXkjFYFb_g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXAKunHoBSPHr00E5cB90ALJ78KedmrMyDbtg17OTiHXkjFYFb_g" width="320" /></a></div>
An editorial in the Pocahontas Record-Democrat last week said the PAC School should help Laurens-Marathon deal with its red ink. Indeed! The two school districts-- and all their neighboring districts-- should tell the Iowa legislature to change Iowa school funding laws.<br /> <br />Iowa starves its small schools until they collapse into the arms of a slightly larger neighbor. Then the combined district begins to suffer the same fate. It doesn't have to be this way.<br /> <br />Other states treat rural areas better. Oregon just established a special fund for high schools with fewer than 350 students. Nebraska offers help to any elementary school that is more than seven miles from the next elementary school. Texas sends extra money to rural districts that exceed 300 square miles. Iowa could pass any of these measures. It should pass all three.<br /> <br />Instead the Iowa legislature limits how much a school can spend. The limit is based on enrollment. This is unrealistic for rural areas where population has been declining for three generations. At this rate eventually we will have to send all our kids to Fort Dodge to school.<br /> <br />The only thing the Iowa legislature does for small schools is help them commit suicide, offering to pay for the morphine and the funeral. But what becomes of the towns left behind? Do they still have dentists or drug stores? Do they have grocery stores? Do young families buy houses there? Do employers move away, too?<br /> <br />School consolidation is not a solution for rural Iowa---it is part of the problem. Only the legislature can fix it. Let's ask our Representative Shaw and our Senator Beall to address this challenge. It's better than leaving rural kids and small school boards twisting in the wind.<br />--<br /> <br />--visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-70386023710323550022012-02-16T11:23:00.003-06:002012-02-16T11:45:41.246-06:00Albert City Farmland: $11,500/AcreAn overflow crowd gathered at the Albert City town hall this morning for an auction of flat farmland. <a href="http://theacreco.com/pdf/auctions/80ac_Nordine_BuenaVista.pdf">Eighty acres</a> within sight of the Valero ethanol plant opened at $8000 and passed $10,000 within the first minute. The land is available for the purchaser to farm this spring. Sellers Everett and Sandra Nordine will pay the property taxes due next month, but the buyer must pay for fertilizer already applied since harvest.<br /><br />The bidding stopped at $11,500/acre. The land has a corn suitability rating of 77.2. This means it sold for nearly $149/point, far <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2011/06/laurens-farmland-auctioned-at-8980acre.html">above</a> recent <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2011/06/pocahontas-farm-auction-8900acre.html">auctions</a> reported on this website.<br /><br />On sale day corn was about $6.15 and beans about $12.08 in local cash markets.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-88857215764048977762011-09-09T09:00:00.004-05:002011-09-09T09:47:51.358-05:00L-M School Shows Higher Test Scores<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vKZU8sS_kxaZjEdJVd7x04BBv00FuZnvvSW2n04rtgKNIdVAfqIYmTvhX-AdWeVDaRM4Z_CpWy4ouHaQ7qrm9ebwjdx9AjKFzOIE7SdbKIsa0HsMWpjsZSQI0Zk1ha6qu16M5TYhT5k/s1600/testimage.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vKZU8sS_kxaZjEdJVd7x04BBv00FuZnvvSW2n04rtgKNIdVAfqIYmTvhX-AdWeVDaRM4Z_CpWy4ouHaQ7qrm9ebwjdx9AjKFzOIE7SdbKIsa0HsMWpjsZSQI0Zk1ha6qu16M5TYhT5k/s200/testimage.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650371285156181282" /></a><br />A year ago the Laurens-Marathon school was declared to be "in need of assistance" under the federal No Child Left Behind law. This year the school has fared better. <br /><br />The Iowa Department of Education released its <a href="http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=670&Itemid=4434">annual list</a> of schools this week. If schools do not meet an ever-rising set of standards in graduation rates, reading and math scores, and attendance, they can be added to the list. The L-M elementary and middle schools were added last year because they had not made so-called adequate yearly progress in reading scores for two consecutive years. <br /><br />But this year they did raise those standardized test scores. If L-M scores high enough again next year they will escape the list. A third of Iowa schools are on <a href="http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=670&Itemid=4434">the list</a>. More get added every year. Ultimately all schools will be on the list because the standards are higher every year. The 2014 standards set by the federal NCLB law are <a href="http://www.interversity.org/lists/arn-l/archives/Aug2005_date/msg00100.html">widely</a> <a href="http://tripleventi.com/2007/03/16/nclb-unattainable-goals/">considered</a> <a href="http://www.mespa.net/sites/2961a8e8-4b04-4b38-8da2-75542594a9f1/uploads/PRESS_RELEASE__MN_2020_NCLB_Survey_.pdf">unattainable</a>. The law has caused considerable anxiety among educators and has <a href="http://www.k12newsnetwork.com/2011/08/pa-school-voucher-bills-alert-taxpayer-dollars-to-pay-for-creationism-biblical-captitalism/">boosted the standing</a> of private schools who are not governed by the law.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-42012942286472744942011-06-29T10:55:00.003-05:002011-06-29T11:25:18.092-05:00Laurens Farmland Auctioned at $8980/AcreAn eighty acre farm field near Laurens sold today for $8980 per acre. The auction was held at the Amvets Hall in Havelock. About fifty people attended. <br /><br />The <a href="http://stalcupag.com/rs/view_property.php?cmd=display&id=79">property</a> is bordered on two sides by roadways, leaving 76 acres of crops. Its corn suitability rating (CSR) is 80.2 which is high for Iowa farmland. The bid price is $112 per CSR point. Early this spring <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2011/03/rolfe-land-brings-6775acre.html">land at Rolfe sold</a> for $101 per CSR point. Earlier this month Pocahontas land <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2011/06/pocahontas-farm-auction-8900acre.html">was auctioned</a> at $106 per CSR point.<br /><br />The land lies southeast of Laurens. It was owned by the children of Mary Kees and has been farmed by Bill and Christie Mather. It was purchased by Cindy Dubbert who lives nearby. <br /><br />During the auction the price of corn was near $7 a bushel at the local markets. Soybeans were near $13. Both markets were up from the previous week.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-30590053715883820882011-06-04T11:04:00.006-05:002011-06-05T11:04:10.932-05:00Pocahontas Farm Auction: $8900/AcreAn eighty acre tract of flat farmland five miles south and four miles east of Pocahontas was auctioned this morning for $8900/acre. It was the Hermon Tjaden property, currently farmed by tenant Bob Beneke. The 2001 cash rent is $15,400, according the auctioneer's statement today.<br /><br />Bidding was brisk. The auctioneer, <a href="http://www.lowderman.com/sales/06.04.11tjader/index.html">Lowderman Auction and Real Estate</a>, said there would be no breaks or timeouts. However he did pause after about five minutes of bidding to acknowledge the property "can be a little wet." Five minutes later the auction was complete.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lowderman.com/sales/06.04.11tjader/Soil_Map-Pocahontas_County,_Iowa.pdf">The land is 80% Webster soil</a>. The tract has a corn suitability rating (CSR) near 84. Pocahontas County's average CSR is only 74. The CSR system assumes drain tile has been added wherever necessary.<br /><br />Dividing the bid price by the CSR yields a ratio of $106 per CSR point. Earlier this spring <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2011/03/rolfe-land-brings-6775acre.html">a 120 acre Rolfe parcel</a> sold for $101 per CSR point.<br /><br />One audience member left the auction saying, "I'm going home to put up some For Sale signs."<br /><br />On auction day the local price for corn was $7.31; for soybeans, $13.75. Both prices are higher than in March when the Rolfe auction occurred.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-35841108183886358472011-05-29T21:44:00.009-05:002011-06-04T13:19:30.223-05:00New Use for Rock Island RR Right of Way?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2Mzo3I7yT5FQbCE3b5W06jUINTmUnQEjUxqX4sG3R4URXAe0dVxr6puU8X1pxo-FB0LDA4dw-nl7w3kYrEwmIytLHm-6AJ0CF061aNk28Ob-E5_Cqw8trhuxZLnZBqbKjP4UpwR1KlM/s1600/250px-Rock_Island_System_Map.PNG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2Mzo3I7yT5FQbCE3b5W06jUINTmUnQEjUxqX4sG3R4URXAe0dVxr6puU8X1pxo-FB0LDA4dw-nl7w3kYrEwmIytLHm-6AJ0CF061aNk28Ob-E5_Cqw8trhuxZLnZBqbKjP4UpwR1KlM/s320/250px-Rock_Island_System_Map.PNG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612338850151864130" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Updated within.</span><br /><br />A vague plan to revive the old Rock Island Railroad right of way (perhaps) through Pocahontas County will be considered at several area public meetings this week. One will be held in Pocahontas on Friday.<br /><br />The new use is for electric transmission lines to carry wind power out of the state. It is called the <a href="http://www.rockislandcleanline.com/resourcefaqs.html">Rock Island Clean Line</a>. It is <a href="http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/business/local/article_90b6806c-f6b4-5ad3-9fb0-e583567ae519.html">one of several</a> proposals being considered by various parties who want to profit from wind turbines.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Update: It became clear at the open house that poetic license has been used in naming the project after the Rock Island. The new power lines will not follow the old railroad lines. In fact towns will avoided as much as possible. As with the original Rock Island, the new lines run southeast from this area. Another similarity is that both the railroad and the electric lines serve a similar purpose--getting rural resources to urban markets. The railroads carried grain and livestock. The electric lines will carry wind power.<br /></span><br />The Rock Island Railroad dissolved in bankruptcy in the early 1980s. One of its routes ran from Watertown, S.D, to Des Moines, passing through Laurens, Pocahontas, and Manson. In this area it was mostly converted to farmland. The Laurens hiking trail now occupies the old railroad route on the south side of town.<br /><br />Another set of tracks ran through Estherville, Emmetsburg, Livermore,and Cedar Rapids.<br /><br />Thursdays hearing will be at the Pocahontas Expo Center, 8am-10am. It is hosted by Clean Line Energy Partners of Houston, Texas. This is a chance for us to learn their plans and for them to gauge our hospitality or hostility to the possibility of a new transmission line through the county.<br /><br />Similar hearings are in Storm Lake, Spencer, Emmetsburg, Cherokee and Paullina beginning Tuesday, May 31. Comments may be submitted on line <a href="http://rockislandcleanline.com/comment.html">here</a>.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-74548445457844982032011-05-27T20:39:00.006-05:002011-05-27T22:50:30.813-05:00Arrested Leaving Laurens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXmVlmOmMyWSi_mkyYBGB0p48MMCjGy2BG0QRoFJxTbima2zTMj40dYn6yvNi9zG_4h5wJ2_tkhENVbz28QPTT2WAnIXIpvSIzwWYbcZCDinnc8IADjmbMZtmSH5XszK0X97-ZsB_fxs/s1600/PocaSheriff.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 143px; height: 107px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXmVlmOmMyWSi_mkyYBGB0p48MMCjGy2BG0QRoFJxTbima2zTMj40dYn6yvNi9zG_4h5wJ2_tkhENVbz28QPTT2WAnIXIpvSIzwWYbcZCDinnc8IADjmbMZtmSH5XszK0X97-ZsB_fxs/s200/PocaSheriff.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611605709610185746" /></a><br />One cold January night a young man left Laurens with a small amount of marijuana hidden in his car. He drove straight into the hands of the law. On May 24 he was sentenced to six months in the county jail. The sentence was suspended and replaced with probation.<br /><br />He is 18-year-old Kevin Bergen of Albert City. He was stopped by sheriff deputy Brian Runneberg. According to court papers Runneberg pulled Bergen over as he was turning from N-28 toward Albert City because Runneberg "recognized the vehicle and had knowledge that the plates were expired." Deputy Runneberg also reported Bergen's car "has been parked at a known house in Laurens with drug activity."<br /><br />Runneberg asked permission to search Bergen's car but Bergen initially declined, according to Runneberg's report of the incident. Later Bergen agreed to a search. Runneberg found no contraband. Nevertheless he impounded the car, telling Bergen "that since the vehicle wasn't registered to him and had no proof of insurance and expired plates that the vehicle was going to be towed." Later a dog found a "small" amount of marijuana in the air vent of the car.<br /><br />Bergen's driver's license was suspended after his guilty plea to the misdemeanor crime of possession of marijuana. He has been ordered to pay court costs and to accept treatment from <a href="http://www.cfrhelps.org/">Community and Family Resources</a> of Fort Dodge.<br /><br />Iowa's court system spends about <a href="http://www.drugscience.org/States/IA/IA.pdf">a million dollars a week</a> on marijuana cases. An <a href="http://www.drugscience.org/States/IA/IA.pdf">estimated</a> 20% of young Iowa adults use marijuana every year.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-58135172808799462192011-04-27T07:32:00.005-05:002011-04-27T10:40:00.833-05:00Municipal Cable Puts Laurens On Map<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7ndMfxLmYjimy3XDARe9hJicJGtKtnrurhdobMs-xSg1z4Em78S4urCFU0TZ_Mqk0kst89oumHzV_Duk7Z4_YXcFwUiyI1BSOi6smULPfSYkIxRvYEbQzOXOFZ8V0u4jQkHb8UcJ-pk/s1600/communitybroadband530.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7ndMfxLmYjimy3XDARe9hJicJGtKtnrurhdobMs-xSg1z4Em78S4urCFU0TZ_Mqk0kst89oumHzV_Duk7Z4_YXcFwUiyI1BSOi6smULPfSYkIxRvYEbQzOXOFZ8V0u4jQkHb8UcJ-pk/s320/communitybroadband530.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600276920600965666" /></a><br /><br />Laurens has been <a href="http://www.muninetworks.org/communitymap">put on the map</a>, thanks to its city-wide municipal cable and broadband service. Few communities on the US have such a system to protect themselves from "<a href="http://www.newrules.org/information/publications/publicly-owned-broadband-networks-averting-looming-broadband-monopoly">a looming broadband monopoly</a>." Laurens built its hybrid fiber optic and coaxial cable system in 1998. The map was created and published last month.<br /><br />In some states it is illegal to create a broadband service that is owned by the public, due to legislation pushed by corporations such as Comcast and AT & T.<br /><br />Eighteen other Iowa towns are on the map as well, including Spencer, Storm Lake, Algona, Mapleton, Sanborn, Orange City, and Coon Rapids. Only some 78 cities appear along with Laurens. An additional 54 cities on the map have even better public systems which offer the gold standard--fiber optics into the home. <br /><br />Together these 133 municipalities serve three million people (just one percent of the USA), according to <a href="http://www.newrules.org/information/publications/publicly-owned-broadband-networks-averting-looming-broadband-monopoly">a report</a> by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis.<br /><br />From the report: <blockquote>. . it appears that the federal government is<br />unwilling to stand up to powerful corporations to defend the public good. This is where community owned networks come in. The citizens and businesses in each of the towns on our map have a network that will offer access to the open Internet– because they own the network and they make the rules for it.</blockquote><br /><br />The report alleges that elsewhere in the US "Comcast owns the internet" because it owns so much of the infrastructure over which traffic must flow. <br /><br />The report continues: <blockquote>Wireless providers may increasingly compete with DSL networks, but cable networks will continue to offer higher capacity connections than either.</blockquote><br /><br />Laurens Municipal Power & Communications <a href="http://pionet.net/~lmcu/index.htm">has a website</a> that details its history and rates for services.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-30180853333385868472011-04-11T20:21:00.002-05:002011-04-11T20:38:24.724-05:00Tornado DisasterThe Governor has called Pocahontas County a disaster area after tornadoes struck Saturday night. The towns of Ware and Varina were hard hit. County Sheriff Lampe said seven hog confinement buildings were destroyed along with several homes, but no injuries were reported. <br /><br />More than five inches of rain fell southeast of Laurens. The Larry and Sonja Perkins farmhouse was undamaged but three other buildings were destroyed and the blue Harvestore silo was toppled.<br /><br />Farm fields throughout the area now host crinkled sheets of aluminum roofing. Numerous dead ducks and other birds appear on roadways. <br /><br />Photos and videos are available at this writing at these websites:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/538240/Tornadoes-devastate-area.html?nav=5010">The Messenger</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8OcOJmQFqY">KCCI-TV Channel 8</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.whotv.com/weather/who-htmlstory-twin-tornadoes-041111,0,325597.htmlstory">WHO-TV Channel 13</a><br /><br /><a href="http://ulocal.kcci.com/_Ware-mobile-home-ends-up-in-tree/photo/13546256/62904.html?setId=97470">Ware photos</a>visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-66448518006269042302011-03-31T12:23:00.004-05:002011-03-31T13:09:19.329-05:00Political Lines Redrawn Around LaurensProposed new legislative lines give Laurens two Congressmen, two state representatives and a new state senator. Someone will get forced out! The lines were drawn to reflect the census of 2010. All legislative districts must be the same size.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/Resources/Redist/2011/2011-03-31/House/Proposed%20House%20District%20010.pdf">new Iowa 10th House District</a> would include Pocahontas, Humboldt, Calhoun and parts of Webster counties. Two Republican members of the current Iowa House--Tom Shaw and David Tjepkes--live in opposite corners of the district. <br /><br />Our proposed <a href="http://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/Resources/Redist/2011/2011-03-31/Senate/Proposed%20Senate%20District%2005.pdf">new state senate district</a> will include all the same areas plus most of Webster county. Fort Dodge Democrat Daryl Beall would be our state senator until the next senate election.<br /><br />Pocahontas county is the virtual heart of the <a href="http://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/Resources/Redist/2011/2011-03-31/Plan1_SmallMap_Congress.pdf">proposed Fourth Congressional District</a>. It reaches from Missouri Valley to Carroll to Ames to New Hampton, including everything to the northwest. Republican incumbents Tom Latham and Steve King both live in this district.<br /><br />The state legislature must approve or reject this map by the end of April. Current office holders will remain in place until the 2012 elections.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-35844814650524370172011-03-05T11:34:00.005-06:002011-03-05T12:11:43.277-06:00Rolfe Land Brings $6775/AcreFifty people gathered at the Rolfe Community Center this morning for the auction of 120 acres of farmland a mile north of town. It was last on the market in 1966 when it was purchased by Jim and Esther Wilson. The <a href="http://rolfeiowa.com/v1-menu-dairies-dutchlandhistory">high bidder today was a local dairyman,</a> Dean Duitscher, who bid $6775/acre. The runner-up bidder was also an area farmer.<br /><br />The land has no buildings. It is on Hwy 15. It is rolling and has at least one terrace. The corn suitability rating (CSR) is 69.7 on the 115.3 net acres. The gross price divided by the net acres and the CSR produces a value of $101/CSR point. The current tenant has a lease that extends through this summer.<br /><br />More details about the property were still available on the <a href="http://garyrupiper.com/WILSON%20Land%20Auction%20March%205.pdf">auctioneer's website</a> immediately after the sale. <br /><br />Yesterday the local price of corn was $6.82/bushel. Soybeans were selling for $13.47/bushel.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-14904252230019420522011-03-02T09:21:00.004-06:002011-03-02T11:14:29.634-06:00Joelson Calls Community Pow-Wow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvHqnb2PhbJdjW3v-vbtoXj2e3dIKINkpQPE479TZSpepf7-Aa1xrV7jRpYFxWZRzmHkHdCEOYC1A0MtKbTyNmmTNffqTOy_qjd4vg0_7NqWfc-7xiQ4v4Pm24mRTIU0GiJoeb-zIHfY/s1600/chalkboard.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 114px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvHqnb2PhbJdjW3v-vbtoXj2e3dIKINkpQPE479TZSpepf7-Aa1xrV7jRpYFxWZRzmHkHdCEOYC1A0MtKbTyNmmTNffqTOy_qjd4vg0_7NqWfc-7xiQ4v4Pm24mRTIU0GiJoeb-zIHfY/s320/chalkboard.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579532032875562658" /></a><br /> The L-M school superintendent wants to talk. He has invited the community to a meeting two weeks from today. The topic for the 6:30 p.m. session will be "What does it mean to be an educated adult in Lauren-Marathon in the 21st century?"<br /><br />Superintendent Iner Joelson issued the invitation in the school's current "Update" publication, a blue booklet that arrived in area mailboxes last week. He reports that school board members recently read <span style="font-style:italic;">The Global Achievement Gap</span> (available on Kindle even!) and want to re-invent the public school, not just "reform" it. He says "we need your help" because "while [the board] focused on the urgency of change, we had great difficulty . . .in defining a specific area to address."<br /><br />Joelson also referred his readers to a <a href="http://www.iowafuture.org/">new website</a> that was "formed to help Iowan's find a common voice to promote the need for innovation in education."<br /><br />Last year the L-M school <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2010/12/laurens-school-in-need-of-assistance.html">was called</a> a "school in need of assistance" by the federal government. The No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB) is slowly bearing down on all public schools. It expects all students to be on grade level by 2014. Schools that don't appear on track to meet that goal will be penalized. However the NCLB law is due for re-authorization this year.<br /><br />Meanwhile the Iowa House wants to <a href="http://iowaindependent.com/50671/gop-budget-bill-draws-fierce-criticism-over-education-cuts">cut state aid</a> to education.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-14827387539060479602011-02-25T10:15:00.004-06:002011-02-26T09:53:28.376-06:00New Rural Atlas Tells Our TaleA new on-line atlas from the US Dept of Agriculture <a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/ruralatlas/">has just been posted</a>. It tells many figures about Pocahontas County. Here are a few:<br /><br /> --We had a 10.5% poverty rate in 2009.<br /><br /> --We were 38% employed in services; 19% in manufacturing; 13% in agriculture.<br /><br /> --Nearly 10% of us lack a high school diploma(see poverty rate above but don't jump to conclusions); 28% have a college diploma.<br /><br /> --We had 806 farms in 2007, but a quarter of them had less than $10,000 in sales.<br /><br /> --Only 28% of farm operators work off the farm. Only 1% sell food directly for human consumption.<br /><br />The new website is a map. Roll your cursor over the county of your choice and read all about it. How does Pocahontas compare to where your relatives live? Why don't they move here?visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-33204754039591626952011-02-15T10:10:00.004-06:002011-02-15T12:10:36.453-06:00Laurens Shrinks As Fast As CountyThe Laurens population fell from 1476 in the 2000 census to only 1258 this time, a drop of nearly 15%. That virtually matches the county decline of 15.6%. In the previous decade the city had declined only 5% while the county shed residents nearly twice as fast. The census reports 106 vacant housing units in Laurens, a vacancy rate of 15% Why can't we escape that number of 15%?<br /><br />Havelock has 138 residents, down from 177 or 22%. Pocahontas fell 9% to 1789.<br /><br />Marathon has 237 in the current census, down 22% from 2000. Albert City has 699, down only ten residents from the last census. All the 2010 numbers are at <a href="http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/2010census/cities.pdf">this website</a>.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-28146778675765900882011-02-11T14:10:00.005-06:002011-02-11T15:14:53.741-06:00State Grows But County Shrinks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyo_-a2IIMNTwMA8uUp5wJ7D47n6VM83Euzw9YNNq27ZWVVQ8kcGyeaVw8WwkJ56gG2d1o-SiwY1hiMh5fO-wBchPpd5dgJwu6-6-nTwfPQp14YIixIHM5mquuMBceuM4EtxVmD7YlaU/s1600/Iowapurplemap.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyo_-a2IIMNTwMA8uUp5wJ7D47n6VM83Euzw9YNNq27ZWVVQ8kcGyeaVw8WwkJ56gG2d1o-SiwY1hiMh5fO-wBchPpd5dgJwu6-6-nTwfPQp14YIixIHM5mquuMBceuM4EtxVmD7YlaU/s400/Iowapurplemap.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572530395412843426" /></a><br />Pocahontas County shrunk by 15.6% in the last ten years. Our population dropped from 8662 to 7310. We are the fastest disappearing county in Iowa. We won that honor once before. Only seven Iowa counties have a smaller population. Meanwhile the state grew by 4%. The map shows the counties coded by rate of change with dark purple dropping by the greatest percentage and dark green increasing the greatest percentage.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-90857173252460329952011-01-26T21:57:00.001-06:002011-01-26T21:57:00.449-06:00Laurens Wins What Gamblers Lost<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqVQ7ZSDdcYuj7WNIq-4uA_L4QRX7qjoZmoqQyd7ue7Z2YMoSzl26l4v-lVoO2OiCKdAMgtv2wXkWXE1HuaDLL4KZ-hWjE1WCaDA1BEAA6zO5LAbtzv8J-h-1hR7ohFMnGLhCTfjPtkg/s1600/roulette-wheel_hr1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqVQ7ZSDdcYuj7WNIq-4uA_L4QRX7qjoZmoqQyd7ue7Z2YMoSzl26l4v-lVoO2OiCKdAMgtv2wXkWXE1HuaDLL4KZ-hWjE1WCaDA1BEAA6zO5LAbtzv8J-h-1hR7ohFMnGLhCTfjPtkg/s320/roulette-wheel_hr1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566677314310503938" /></a>More than $15,000 in casino winnings were transferred to Laurens today when the Pocahontas County Foundation awarded its 2011 grants. The money went to four projects. An additional $65,000 went to other projects around the county.<br /><br />The proposed Memory Lane park on South Third Street was granted $10,000. It was the second largest grant given this year, topped only by the $15,000 award to the Palmer fire station.<br /><br />The Laurens Library will receive $4,000 to replace computers for patron use. The City of Laurens gets $2,000 for its work of digitizing the cemetery records. <br /><br />Kids Korner Day Care will buy a Wii and two laptop computers with the $1650 it received today. Director Michelle Sandvig predicted the audience would be able to hear squeals of delight from the children when the computers arrive.<br /><br />The Havelock fire department won $6,000 for new protective gear for firefighters. The Pocahontas Hospital's new wound center received $6,000. Libraries in Rolfe and Plover also received grants for computers. Among other recipients were Pocahontas Congregate Meals, the cities of Fonda, Pocahontas and Rolfe, Pocahontas Chamber of Commerce, the Pocahontas Community Band, and the Fonda Arts Center.<br /><br />The Foundation grants were preceded by a speech from Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey at the Rialto Theater in Pocahontas. The Foundation is a creation of the Pocahontas County Economic Development Commission. It has operated since 2006.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-50546332648233730562011-01-26T20:51:00.005-06:002011-01-26T21:11:28.450-06:00Prettiest Train in Havelock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnTzcEDPEPp4V8535SpFB8U1x94fgqE_6udsHrj2IMJiHUsw5GT8k-YDigHKhJxZckG7ikNA4qh8O-Mo1ph4SrnKE2viWKg993NuoIXLRZsZPusn4sY2iMw8WygrgmdZC4qwFDlDJJZc/s1600/IMG_1106.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnTzcEDPEPp4V8535SpFB8U1x94fgqE_6udsHrj2IMJiHUsw5GT8k-YDigHKhJxZckG7ikNA4qh8O-Mo1ph4SrnKE2viWKg993NuoIXLRZsZPusn4sY2iMw8WygrgmdZC4qwFDlDJJZc/s400/IMG_1106.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566696516456602258" /></a><br />Two long rows of brand new identical hopper cars sit on the Union Pacific Railroad siding at Havelock. When the Union Pacific took control of the old Chicago and Northwestern rail line in the mid-1990's a similarly good-looking set of hopper cars came down these same tracks for the maiden voyage by the new owners. Nothing that attractive had been seen since. Until now.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-72837822892869477972011-01-01T07:58:00.007-06:002011-01-01T13:26:09.766-06:00Prosperous New Year: Local Governments Have Little Debt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMfUjwobL9f7lFTvyzS4P8rWiEbBGvN1R0GKxNqmAbUT43J6-JxueL_wQYWbFS90w_ONgpdA8p1eO7Ql0-gfNnNVD9tFTI7xjhvG6rfSRAsqPbWXH9iwUjlpZYsJcWWxMrrCG_kHdOcw/s1600/piggybank.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMfUjwobL9f7lFTvyzS4P8rWiEbBGvN1R0GKxNqmAbUT43J6-JxueL_wQYWbFS90w_ONgpdA8p1eO7Ql0-gfNnNVD9tFTI7xjhvG6rfSRAsqPbWXH9iwUjlpZYsJcWWxMrrCG_kHdOcw/s320/piggybank.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557243695085262274" /></a><br />Laurens may be surrounded by a debt crisis--from Wall Street to California, from Athens to Washington, D.C.--but local governments are in excellent shape.<br /><br />Pocahontas County carries no debt whatsoever. <br /><br />The city of Laurens owes $2.6 million, about $2200 per resident. All the cities of Iowa average about $1500 in debt per resident of Iowa. (Unfortunately this figure assumes all Iowans live in a municipality.) Emmetsburg and Pocahontas each carry about $1800 per resident.<br /><br />The Laurens-Marathon school district is paying off a debt of $2500 per student. Sioux Central's debt is similar. Pocahontas Area Community School owes nearly eight times as much per student as Laurens, due to the new construction nearing completion. Their enrollment will also increase if they combine with Palmer-Pomeroy in the near future. A vote will be held this winter.<br /><br />Iowa Central Community College also appears on our property tax bills. ICCC owes $37 million. Its debt ranks exactly in the middle of Iowa's thirteen community college districts.<br /><br />So that leaves personal credit card debt and mortgage or car payment debts. How is your new year looking?<br /><br />The figures in this story are derived from <a href="http://www.treasurer.state.ia.us/finance/2010ObligationReport.pdf">data</a> at the office of the State Treasurer.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-13272137975675836432010-12-06T08:49:00.000-06:002010-12-06T08:50:18.509-06:00Laurens School "In Need of Assistance"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zePtl2aAkZ8462EGHqLUBE5t-1VHOKLv5h0bX1yIchp3nruvqwPUyvkE19qJRqTNc_rfVNKe-Sd1EoJj91kThhE2P6JV5DY3R7fpHao0jexD14PtaOWzwbclP7fDmN6m2rrzVpsPYMM/s1600/lm-school.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zePtl2aAkZ8462EGHqLUBE5t-1VHOKLv5h0bX1yIchp3nruvqwPUyvkE19qJRqTNc_rfVNKe-Sd1EoJj91kThhE2P6JV5DY3R7fpHao0jexD14PtaOWzwbclP7fDmN6m2rrzVpsPYMM/s400/lm-school.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547299898394567282" /></a><br /><br />Acting under the infamous federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, Iowa officials have put Laurens-Marathon elementary and middle school on <a href="http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=9899&Itemid=1507">the state list</a> of "Schools in Need of Assistance (SINA)." There are 356 Iowa schools on the list, including elementary schools in Spencer, Storm Lake, and Fort Dodge. One fourth of all Iowa schools are said to be in need of assistance, but few of them are small rural schools. <br /><br />Laurens reached this list after being on the "watch list" in 2009-2010. <br /> Also on <a href="http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=9902&Itemid=1507">the new watch list</a> are Emmetsburg Middle School and Pomeroy elementary school.<br /><br />"The reality is that every school will end up on the list [by 2014] because statistically it's not possible to reach a 100 percent (student proficiency ranking)." says Barb Besch, Spencer's school improvement director, <a href="http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1660653.htmlhttp://">quoted in the Spencer newspaper</a> in August. <br /><br />Laurens made the list because students were not testing well on reading. Laurens made a previous poor showing in a Des Moines Register comparison in April, 2008. The Register compared the grades of graduates who enrolled at UNI, ISU and SUI. Laurens was in the bottom half while West Bend-Mallard and Pocahontas ranked in the top ten.<br /><br />The SINA list was made public in August, and was featured in the school publication <span style="font-style:italic;">Laurens-Marathon Update, December/January/February 2010-2011</span> which arrived in local mailboxes last week. The <span style="font-style:italic;">Update</span> included two messages from superintendent Iner Joelson. While one message was indeed from Joelson, the second was boilerplate provided by the state officials who put Laurens on their SINA list.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFZP7XUNQxLN_JZQQt14K42hwAPILiCfVTEv4kjEqgjaPehzr8uDhv3ljf5VSmPvOoRrIPrjdJYgREDWFgtb6VjlBL4Fqr8CfRbK0cklKTWSG5e-J12UTQnvTcgSEUeWDgwgVLJQnENQ/s1600/joelson.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 111px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFZP7XUNQxLN_JZQQt14K42hwAPILiCfVTEv4kjEqgjaPehzr8uDhv3ljf5VSmPvOoRrIPrjdJYgREDWFgtb6VjlBL4Fqr8CfRbK0cklKTWSG5e-J12UTQnvTcgSEUeWDgwgVLJQnENQ/s200/joelson.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547297386536845106" /></a><br />In his personal message, Joelson said the SINA list "often stigmatizes the school and the community, not to mention the teachers, students and staff." But he added, "I am confident that we are not on the list because of bad teachers."<br /><br />In the second, pre-drafted letter Joelson explained that students had not made "adequate yearly progress" for two consecutive years, but also alleged that L-M is "offering a top-quality education." The sentence "Unfortunately, our district is not able to provide school choices because there are no other elementaries in our district for students to attend" was also taken from the state <a href="http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=5704">sample</a> letters. Presumably Joelson does not actually think it unfortunate that we lack a second elementary school.<br /><br />However that sentence does reveal what many observers say is the ultimate effect of NCLB: not to educate children, but to create turmoil, even to the end of <a href="http://www.tuttlesvc.org/2010/11/fox-ization-of-ed-reform.html">changing schools into cash cows.</a>visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-4052886047516858672010-11-20T10:59:00.005-06:002010-11-20T11:22:30.644-06:00Cellulosic Ethanol Alters the Landscape<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwXVYdDjX89IOwxHUDGXBgX6Bj8XHvqUJBLwz-Syl98YZK6JccnultXtKRFUjkmq5UAdRiM0tqZJzEoCivoS7OPXRqwcF8Z2lFRSg5sSQvAW1-zVB6MuNSCO0KiErxgGIHLXRsFlKNWg/s1600/IMG_0991.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwXVYdDjX89IOwxHUDGXBgX6Bj8XHvqUJBLwz-Syl98YZK6JccnultXtKRFUjkmq5UAdRiM0tqZJzEoCivoS7OPXRqwcF8Z2lFRSg5sSQvAW1-zVB6MuNSCO0KiErxgGIHLXRsFlKNWg/s320/IMG_0991.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541678448524627170" /></a><br />Here wait several hundred large square bales of cornstalks in a field north of Ware. The Poet ethanol plant in Emmetsburg <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2010/08/poet-ethanol-plant-powered-by-new.html">now buys such bales</a> for its experimental process of making ethanol from cellulose rather than from grain. This is the first year of the experiment which is funded in part by the Iowa Power Fund. Newly elected Republicans have been skeptical of the fund which was created by the defeated Governor Culver.<br /><br />Meanwhile Iowa State's <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/slyutse/yesterday_the_groups_taxpayers.html">Bruce Babcock says</a> the ethanol blender's credit should not be renewed next month. It does little to boost ethanol production, he says, and points to the way it subsidizes exported ethanol. At present the oil companies benefit from the subsidy as much as farmers do, according to Babcock.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-11283029154133375612010-11-05T22:33:00.005-05:002010-11-05T22:56:30.979-05:00The Music Man Plays Laurens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVO1zGXsABok-rDdf3hVBh9ok7lgpFwM890eng0Fe_xD8I8BtLmJ26uRAvleEPcUXi1ssjhsZtC4lyy4TKRXZZlX6kmKDExZoSbK4x_Srz63200R8CtZ86ylIc1sD18tpub_xWeSq6Bnc/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVO1zGXsABok-rDdf3hVBh9ok7lgpFwM890eng0Fe_xD8I8BtLmJ26uRAvleEPcUXi1ssjhsZtC4lyy4TKRXZZlX6kmKDExZoSbK4x_Srz63200R8CtZ86ylIc1sD18tpub_xWeSq6Bnc/s200/IMG_0975.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536279423028071730" /></a><br />With a cast of forty-six singing students, the L-M High School performed a musical before an audience of hundreds Friday night. It is the tale of Professor Harold Hill, a traveling salesman of musical instruments. He arrives in River City and tells the people they need him to form a band. Otherwise the town kids will get in trouble at the local pool hall: "Trouble with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool."<br /><br />When the local school board asks for Hill's credentials he turns them into a musical group, too. Pictured are Trent Kischer, Will Cleveland, Jacob Rosendahl, and Colin Lind. Later he romances Marion the librarian. John Stumpf and Kelsey Slattery played the lead roles. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRxC0NmDw4iv6zs_coKYw6MsoWNt7Ttz5G2id2LqBc-7sAgR9oknSVu3EA394BqxfvWHmpvHq3swb0EljaWrQZB3TzG_EUR6CL57T6KvzLK0P2d0-je8z1QwoT8lIkwVb_8zt7doN0rw/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRxC0NmDw4iv6zs_coKYw6MsoWNt7Ttz5G2id2LqBc-7sAgR9oknSVu3EA394BqxfvWHmpvHq3swb0EljaWrQZB3TzG_EUR6CL57T6KvzLK0P2d0-je8z1QwoT8lIkwVb_8zt7doN0rw/s200/IMG_0980.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536279709303277922" /></a><br />The musical is remembered for several songs including "Til There Was You" and the signature tune of "Seventy-Six Trombones." Hill may have been a peddler and a swindler, but he can surely sing. He's not alone in that regard.<br /><br />The production was directed by music teacher Joan Enockson with piano accompanist Connie Dallenbach. There is an encore performance Saturday night at 7 p.m. for only seven dollars. Prof. Hill won't be back in these parts any time soon, so don't miss it.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3929055606246420083.post-46805745057479110292010-11-02T23:17:00.004-05:002010-11-03T00:32:41.346-05:00Tom Shaw is State Representative<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-31ZZjsQVgWiHj2bLXzkrYQ9Xvm4uNnKy-h7ExhC-eAQmWpBg-NMtTfopMCmXgxrx9pTx9cGUygJk74m5UfwiEHpklHRHmPQANKek4icvsXze0LlSl6E8fjK_G_Ndla5fx5qq6Nq0drw/s1600/Shawarmup.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-31ZZjsQVgWiHj2bLXzkrYQ9Xvm4uNnKy-h7ExhC-eAQmWpBg-NMtTfopMCmXgxrx9pTx9cGUygJk74m5UfwiEHpklHRHmPQANKek4icvsXze0LlSl6E8fjK_G_Ndla5fx5qq6Nq0drw/s200/Shawarmup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535173059721760114" /></a>Laurens police chief Tom Shaw has been elected to the Iowa House of Representatives. Shaw rode to victory as part of a Republican sweep of Iowa election returns, spending more than $100,000 <a href="http://busiestlittletown.blogspot.com/2010/10/shaws-campaign-flush-with-mud-money.html">mostly on television attack ads</a> against his school teacher opponent, Susan Bangert of Algona. <br /><br />After midnight with one precinct still to report, the result was Shaw 66%, Bangert 34%.visitor from the 4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987505698378554590noreply@blogger.com0