Page 4 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 1-6-2016

Opinion
Page 4 • Jan. 6, 2016
25 Years Ago • January, 1991
The top story for 1990 was members of the 1133rd
National Guard medium truck transportation company
in Mason City being called to active duty by the President
of the United States. The unit was ordered to report to
Fort McCoy in Wisconsin for additional training and by
mid-November was bound for Saudi Arabia. Thousands
of North Iowans lined old Highway 106 between Mason
City and Interstate 35 at Clear Lake to show their support
for the unit. The number two story was the third phase of
North Shore Drive reconstruction project, which proved
to be quite the soap opera with many delays and prob-
lems.
In November, 38 Clear Lake High School sociology
students learned how to conduct a survey. They brain-
stormed topics they wished to question Clear Lake citizens
bout and wrote close-ended questions dealing with issues.
A few of the general conclusions included: 80 percent be-
lieve that the drinking age should remain at 21; 60 percent
felt that teens who drink should suffer tougher punish-
ment; 89 percent believe the school system should require
all student to take a sex education course in high school;
63 percent believed that the federal government should
not fund abortions; 71 percent favor a law requiring the
consent of both parents prior to an abortion for a person
under 18; and 87 percent do not believe flag burning to be
a form of free speech.
The value of farmland in Iowa increased by 6.6 per-
cent in 1990, according to the annual Iowa State Univer-
sity survey of land values. The average value of all grades
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
Food Pantry is blessed
To the Editor,
The Clear Lake Ventura Food Pantry is truly blessed
to exist in such a generous community. The pantry has
been the recipient of very generous food and monetary do-
nations, especially during this holiday season. The Local
Missions Committee of the Clear Lake United Methodist
Church administers the program, but the pantry has vol-
unteers and donations from many churches and organiza-
tions in the community. We are gratified to see that we are
meeting the needs of those who may just need a hand up.
Since the pantry opened in April 2015, we have served
100 families from Clear Lake and Ventura. Persons in
those communities who are in need of food assistance can
shop the pantry once a month. The pantry is housed at
the Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 508 2nd Avenue
North, Clear Lake. Hours are Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m.; the
first and third Fridays of each month, 1-3 p.m.; and Satur-
days, 9-11 a.m. For more information call 641-357-3663
and leave a message.
Marcia Grabinski, Local Missions Committee,
Clear Lake United Methodist Church
IFCA Dinner a success
To the Editor,
The Interfaith Fellowship for Community Action
Christmas dinner was enjoyed by more than 250 people on
Christmas Day. The dinner was hosted by IFCA and was
served at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church. hardworking dad ever went back to work after
We are truly blessed to live in such a giving and car-
ing community. Smiling volunteers, pies, food, and mon-
etary donations were plentiful. It was a great opportunity
to meet new friends and reconnect with old friends. What
a great caring community we live in!
Judy Lincicum,
IFCA Committee Chair
Serving Clear Lake & Ventura
communities since 1869
12 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA. 50428 • Ph. • 641-357-2131 • Fax • 641-357-2133
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Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
REMEMBER WHEN
of agricultural land reached an estimated $1,214 per acre,
up $75 from last year. Values are now about 54 percent
higher than the 1986 low about 43 percent below the peak
statewide average of $2,147 reached in 1981.
A recipe shared in the “Good Taste” feature was Corn
and Cilantro Soup: 2 tsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. safflower
oil, 1 chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp. ground
cumin, 1 chopped green pepper, 1 chopped sweet red
pepper, 1 chopped jalapeño pepper, 1 chopped tomato, 2
cups corn, 2 cups unsalted chicken broth, 2 Tbls. cilantro.
Heat the butter and oil together in a large soup pot. Add
onion, garlic and cumin. Cook about 5 minutes. Stir in
the peppers and cook until slightly softened, about 2 min-
utes. Add tomato, corn and chicken stock. Reduce heat
and simmer five minutes. Stir in cilantro before serving.
Specials for the week at Ben Franklin include: Wild
Bird food, 2 lbs., $1; Liquid Drano, 32 oz., $1.20; Dr.
Scholl’s Warm-Eze fleece insoles, $3.
50 Years Ago • December 1965 Ice jammed, 1965
Thieves took a portable TV set and $52.05 in cash in
a Thursday night break-in at Ken’s Champlin Service, 101 Touristville Boat Co. put a manufacturer’s guarantee to a tough test in 1965. The Dubuque Boat and Boiler Works
S. 3rd St. guarantees that the eight-ton “Showboat” will not be harmed by the ice, as long as the outside openings are greased and
Members of Clear Lake Saratoga Post 4868 of the the water turbines are out of the water. The boat may appear to be sinking, but it is actually weighted down in the front
V.F.W. are donating 116 pheasants to the Christmas din- with concrete blocks to raise the back end and the turbines out of the water. Mother Nature also helped by adding a
ner tables of service veterans at Des Moines Veterans Hos- heavy layer of ice to the front end of the boat. The boat has been in operation for three years and is capable of carrying
pital. 109 passengers and crew.
Since the year 1929 there have been but four years
in which precipitation was over 40-inches according to
L.S. Knutson, M-R weather statistical. Through Dec. 20,
1965 we have received 42.43” of precipitation. The nor- Elmer Luscomb was honored by men from the Clear
mal yearly precipitation is 30”. Lake County Shed and County Engineer’s office. Lus-
The Clear Lake Lions will try to get their basketball comb was presented a purse in recognition of his service as
season back on the winning note. The Lions dropped County Supervisor.
their first cage game of the season at Algona, 69-58. The
loss knocked them out of first place in the conference. Bill 100 Years Ago • December 1915
Moresby scored 21-points to lead the team, while Don The practice of boys jumping on bobs should be
Anderson added 20-points. stopped. Saturday, one boy was dragged about 200 feet
and the wonder is that his leg was not broken in several
45 Years Ago • January 1971 places.
Eighteen inches of snow buried Clear Lake. Old Man Enjoy your Christmas and New Year’s sleigh rides by
Winter made a repeat performance of about three weeks keeping warm under Patterson’s cutter robes.
ago. It was the same story all over again, only maybe a Lost on streets of Clear Lake: 22 calibre Winchester
little worse this time around. Cancellations, stranded cars, rifle with broken stock.
snowed in residents were all part of the fun. Skating is fine on the creek in Grant township these
Steve Grabinski, a 1969 graduate of Clear Lake High moonlight nights and the sport is greatly enjoyed by the
School, is currently a member of the starting team of the young, and also some not so young.
North Iowa Area Community College basketball squad. Irritable children often need Kickapoo Worm Killer.
GUEST EDITORIAL
Take your life back from smoking
pelling progressed. He never stood up straight dom From Smoking (FFS) program same journey as you, making the pro-
By: Penny McCaslin, Tobacco Program Coordina- again. offered through the Partnership for a gram more powerful and effective.
tor, Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Not long before the birth of my second Tobacco Free Cerro Gordo County and If you are a nicotine user, I encour-
Health child, Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. By Tobacco Free North Iowa. It provides age you to look into joining the FREE
Thirty five years ago I didn’t have the this time, there was only a small portion of one the framework for developing per- Freedom From Smoking course that
knowledge about tobacco’s health effects that lung that was not completely consumed by the sonalized plans to help you quit. The will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016.
I do today. All I knew was my Dad was suf- disease. Thirty days later he was gone. I remem- program allows you to go through the You can register today by calling me
fering. The coughing and spitting were gross ber him being on a morphine drip in a hospital planning, learning, and quitting pro- (Penny) at 641-421-9329. Your life is
to the rest of us, but what it did to him was room; his eyes as bloody and droopy as a hound cess with other people who are on the yours to live; take it back!
very difficult to watch. From the time I was old dog’s while he fought for every breath (as if he’d
enough to remember, my dad had black lung been in the desert for days), until there were no Fun time on cruise
and emphysema. Yet he continued to smoke more breaths. It was horrible to see my strong
cigarettes, sometimes a pipe, and maybe a father in this weak state. Dr. Robert Gross sent his office staff on a cruise over the week of thanksgiving.
friend’s cigar once in a while. He was unable to I always wondered how family members The group went to Nassau, Jamacia, Cayman Island, and Cozumel. This picture
quit even though his current medical condition could continue this bad habit after witnessing was taken in the Caymans on Thanksgiving Day. Those on the cruise included
and emerging news from the healthcare world the same thing I had. This is addiction. Thank- (L-R): Ashley Wistey, Patty Hartwell, Ev Gansen, Joanne Winkelman, and Suzy
pointed to the hazards of what was commonly fully, some family members have quit, yet Page. -Submitted photo
thought of as a bad habit. What he had was an others are still on the battlefield with illnesses
addiction. caused by nicotine addiction.
In my junior year of high school, Dad was This experience is just one in a long line
diagnosed with kidney cancer. I felt helpless of similar experiences with various friends and
in his fight, but thought maybe I could help family members over the years. With these ex-
others by helping to find a cure. I immediately periences and working in the tobacco program
took to the streets going door-to-door collect- at Cerro Gordo Public Health for the past 15
ing donations for the American Cancer Society. years, I have come to understand nicotine ad-
I knocked on A LOT of doors that year. diction. I strive every day to help other nicotine
The recovery was tough on him, and to and tobacco users understand how these prod-
watch the way his body healed (or didn’t heal) ucts can negatively impact their quality of life,
was unreal to me. Today I understand how and then help them find the right solution to
tobacco use inhibits and slows the body’s abil- quitting. The issue of nicotine addiction con-
ity to heal. It affects almost every organ of tinues… yet every time a person attempts to
the body. I don’t know that my vivacious and quit, it brings them one step closer to success!
I wish there was a 100 percent effective
this surgery… but he could still roll his own plan or a magic pill to help everyone quit, but
cigarettes. He writhed with post-surgical pain there is nothing simple about tobacco/nicotine
for many years as his coughing and phlegm ex- addiction. It’s tough! That’s why I like the Free-
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