Page 1 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 11-4-2015
P. 1
CLHS play on stage pg. 10
Weather More weather on page 5.
Mostly sunny for the weekend with a high of 50
degrees on Sunday.
USPS 117-120 VOL. 145 Issue 44 Nov. 4, 2015 Serving Clear Lake and Ventura since 1869 • Hometown newspaper of Brad & Ann Kunst $1.50
Clear Lake Watershed Management
Mirror-Reporter Authority proposal introduced
CALENDAR at City Council meeting
Thursday Cheering on the Lions At its Monday night meet- ties that have a part to play in
Citizen of the year ing, the Clear Lake City Coun- keeping Clear Lake clean would
Despite a great effort of cheering by the Clear Lake fans, the Lions dropped their opening game in the Class 2A Football Playoffs on cil was briefed by Deb Tesar, be better informed. Another
The Clear Lake Rotary Wednesday night. The game was a battle from the beginning, but it was Aplington-Parkersburg who walked off with the 7-0 overtime representing the Association for advantage is that the organiza-
Club has selected Marcia L. victory. For more photos and the game recap, see page 13 in this week’s Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter. -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy. the Preservation of Clear Lake tion would be around for the
Grabinski as the recipient of its (APCL), about the idea of a long term.
“William L. Nicholas Citizen of Positive changes at Opportunity Village new “Watershed Management In the past, the salary for
the Year” award for 2015. Gra- Authority.” The idea would the CLEAR Project coordinator
binski will be recognized at a Residents enjoy independence in new housing opportunities continue the efforts started by was funded with monies from
7 p.m. dinner in her honor on the APCL and the CLEAR Proj- an EPA 319 grant, the City of
Nov. 5, at the Clear Lake Arts “Who’s the boss of you?” Ju- The positive reaction the Katie Peck and Kristi Gruetzm- mined she could be left at home ect, which was formed in 1995. Clear Lake and the APCL. In
Center. Tickets for the event lie Tofte playfully asked Patricia Biggs sisters have had to their acher. The home is owned by alone for up to 30-minutes. Pa- Since that time, millions of dol- the short term, this approach
are available at the Clear Lake Biggs. move is being echoed by virtual- Opportunity Village and the tricia is approved for 60-min- lars have been spent on various could be taken again, but the
Area Chamber of Commerce, “I’m the boss of me,” Patri- ly all Opportunity Village clients women pay rent. Each has their utes. lake restoration projects, includ- APCL would like to think more
205 Main Avenue; phone 641- cia replied with a smile. who have transitioned to smaller own bedroom and share a com- “It has been a big adjust- ing $12 million on dredging long-term and offer a better to-
357-2159 until Nov. 4. The Patricia and her sister, Char- home settings. mon living area and large kitch- ment for staff not to be caring for alone. tal compensation package and
price of tickets is $15. lotte, are among those who have One hundred percent of en. The women take turns with people— now we are caring about “We don’t want to loose remove any uncertainty related
moved from a cottage on the those who moved from a cot- chores, ranging from doing dish- people and helping them exercise ground,” Teasar said. to grant related funding.
Tree lighting Opportunity Village main cam- tage on Opportunity Village’s es and light cleaning, to trying their independence,” said Ma- Currently, the CLEAR Tesar said that her presenta-
pus and settled into a new home Clear Lake campus report liking their hands at gardening. They haffey. “It’s probably been a big- Project has been without a co- tion was more of an effort to in-
The collection of 2015 in the Clear Lake community. their new homes and would not plan meals together and share ger adjustment for the staff and ordinator since the resignation form the city council as to what
artist-made ornaments will be The move has given them space, choose to move back to the cam- grocery costs. families than it has been for the of Mary Jo Burkgren in June of was going on with APCL and
revealed on Thursday, Nov. 5, a more quiet lifestyle and a grow- pus if given the chance. Staff members are on-site at residents themselves.” this year. Since that time there CLEAR Project. She went on
from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m as the art- ing amount of independence. “A recent survey of those their home, but they offer sup- Tofte, who is an Outcome have been numerous meet- to say however, that at a future
ists Light the Tree at the Clear “We love it,” said Patricia who already moved revealed port and guidance to the resi- Coordinator for Opportunity ings with representatives from meeting she would like to see a
Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St., without hesitation. “I like the overall satisfaction with the dents, rather than direct all ac- Village, said she has enjoyed see- the Hancock and Cerro Gordo “resolution of commitment or
Clear Lake, during Clear Lake’s space and planning my day. I changes. In addition to liking tivity. Residents plan their own ing residents in the home setting County Soil Water Conserva- support” from the city to con-
Holiday Preview. The fully dec- like being with my sister.” Patri- the living arrangement better, days and are free to pursue their become empowered to make tion Districts (SWCD), Cities tinue their financial backing of
orated tree, donated by Fisher cia came to Clear Lake in 1983 100 percent of respondents said interests, with staff available to their own decisions. of Clear Lake and Ventura, Iowa the CLEAR Project.
Trees, will take center stage in and has lived in a variety of Vil- they feel safe and have more transport and assist as needed. “They decide if they want DNR, Iowa Department of Ag Mayor Nelson Crabb
the Hanson Gallery during the lage-assisted settings. choice about what they do and Staff and residents work to- to answer the door, or not,” she and Land Stewardship and the agreed, “Clear Lake must con-
holiday season. All ornaments “It’s much more quiet and where they go,” reported Mike gether to form goals, which for explained. “It’s been fun to see APCL. It was at one of these tinue to be clean and clear and
in the collection are for sale and not so crowded,” added Char- Mahaffey, chief development of- the Biggs sisters includes more them take joy in doing little meetings that the Iowa DNR we must do whatever it takes
are perfect for gift-giving and lotte, who had lived in a 16-per- ficer at Opportunity Village. independence. At a recent Life things we might take for granted, suggested the APCL consider to maintain the quality of our
holiday decorating. forming a Watershed Manage- lake.”
ment Authority. In other council business
Thurs.-Sat. The WMA would enhance Monday night, an early retire-
communication among all ment incentive program and
Holiday preview stakeholders, provide a more post retirement sick leave con-
inclusive model for oversight of version credit was approved
Check out page 10-11 in the CLEAR Project coordina- 5-0. This opportunity enables
this edition of the Mirror-Re- tor position and provide long- eligible employees to convert
porter for the special promo- term oversight of the important their accumulated sick leave
tions Clear Lake retailers are of- work toward lake improvement. hours to a “dollar-based credit”
fering at their Holiday Preview Other advantages would include to pay future premiums for
weekend. the being able to apply for and health insurance coverage under
allocate money from water qual- the City’s group health insur-
Friday ity grants. The CLEAR Project ance program. The City allows
coordinator would also report employees to carry a maximum
Meet the Potters directly to the WMA. All par-
See COUNCIL on page 2
Meet The Potters 5, Bill
Mateer, Jo Anne Willemsen, son cottage on the main campus The Biggs sisters share a Planning meeting between the like having a mailbox to check or
Emily Kiewel, Margie Kline since 2001. home on Logan Avenue with staff and Charlotte, it was deter- planning to go out to lunch.”
and Peggy Cornick at a Meet This is the first
the Artist reception from 4-6 time the sisters have
lived together since
More CALENDAR they were children in
on page 2 Freemont, Iowa.
Under the guide-
Inside lines of the Olmstead
Decision, the U.S.
Opinion..................4-5 Department of Justice This is a weekly feature highlighting some of Iowa’s
Weather.................... 5 ordered agencies like unsolved homicides in the hopes that it will lead to new
Sports................13-16 Opportunity Village tips and potentially help solve cases. The project is a
Legals................13-17 to move people from partnership between this newspaper and other members of
Classifieds.........18-19 segregated, large- the Iowa Newspaper Association.
group settings into
The lake level dropped community-integrat- MILDRED ADALINE CLEMENSON | AGE: 81 | DIED: NOV. 9, 1998
slightly to its new reading ed small homes. To
of -1.44” below the weir. date, the Village had Hometown: Kensett
Last year at this time the moved 60 people into
lake measured -.36” below smaller homes, while Mildred “Millie” Adaline Clemenson was found
22 people are waiting brutally slain on Nov. 11, 1998 inside her rural
the weir. to move. Currently Kensett mobile home. An autopsy indicated
the Village is working Clemenson died from blunt force trauma to the
Mail: 12 N. 4th St., with local developers head and had been dead for two days before
Clear Lake, IA 50428 to provide additional family members reported her death to authorities, despite
Telephone: 641-357-2131 housing. (L-R) Patricia Biggs, Katie Peck (seated in back), Kristi Gruetzmacher and Charlotte Biggs are roommates in a new home on the fact she had a plane ticket to fly to Arizona on Nov. 10.
Fax: 641-357-2133 Logan Avenue in Clear Lake. In the background are two staff members who assist the residents, as needed.-Reporter photo. On the day of her death, she’d allegedly gone to the bank to
Email: office@clreporter.com cash in a large bond.
Website: www.clreporter.com Bid awarded in GHV expansion and remodeling project
Clemenson’s only child, adopted daughter Marcia Patton,
@CLReporter The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura School Board has awarded the dition, fine arts storage and wrestling/weight room addition. Con- had moved her family into the main home and moved
bid for an expansion and remodeling project at its high school struction of a pre-engineered bus barn and storage facility, as well as Clemenson into the mobile home next to the farmhouse the
building to Larson Contracting, of Lake Mills, Iowa. parking lot on the south side of the football field are also planned. year prior to Clemenson’s death.
Larson submitted the lowest of five bids for the work. Its base A new baseball field, dugouts and another new parking lot west of
bid was $6,211,500. With alternatives included by the Board, the the school are also part of the project. Clemenson had just recently become the executor of the
Larson bid was about $6.48 million. The entire project is expected to take about one year, with work estate for her late stepmother. Upon Clemenson’s death,
A favorable bid climate and low interest rates will result in the beginning this fall. Patton immediately assumed the position as executor.
project coming in about $1 million less than anticipated. The School Board has approved the use of its one-cent sales tax Clemenson’s death “made her adopted daughter a
The project will include a science wing, special education ad- revenue to fund the project. millionaire,” a family member told Iowa Cold Cases.
Investigators ask anyone with information about Mildred
Clemenson’s unsolved murder to contact the Iowa DCI at
515-725-6010.
Find out more about this and other unsolved homicides at
www.IowaColdCases.org.
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