Page 4 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 12-16-2015

Opinion
Page 4 • Dec. 16, 2015
Sonshine Center Preschoolers, 1990
The sounds of the season were provided in 1990 by Sonshine Center Preschoolers. The group entertained residents of The Meadows in Clear Lake. The children
were under the direction of Lavonne Kacer, along with associates Darlene Crabb and Lavaun Wind.
25 Years Ago
December 1990
Work is progressing on the new
addition at Handicap Village. In ad-
dition to increasing space for its ad-
ministration offices, the Village is
adding a greenhouse on the south side
of its main building. Snyder Con-
struction is the contractor for the Vil-
lage project, however, North Wood
Construction is doing the greenhouse.
Twenty-two members of the
Clear Lake High School Choir and
eight chaperones are New York
bound. The students will be perform-
ing at New York’s Carnegie Hall on
July 7, 1991. As a fundraiser for the
trip, the students will be hiring out for
Christmas caroling in the community.
For $15 the carolers will perform five
carols and deliver a card and plate of
homemade cookies.
The Reverend Kermit Roisen will
semi-retire from active ministry at
Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake.
He plans on continuing in the min-
istry he loves by volunteering with
prison fellowship where he teaches
the essentials of Christian faith within
prisons and helps with rehabilitation
of former prisoners as they learn to
live in society again.
The Clear Lake Convention and
Visitors Bureau is busy promoting
Clear Lake with the new addition of
a sign located north of the city.
The Clear Lake Booster Club
purchased new mats for the high
school gymnasium. The two mats are
mounted on the wall under each bas-
ket for the safety of players. The old
mats will be moved to the junior high
building.
The Clear Lake boys basketball
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REMEMBER WHEN
team gave the No. 1 rated Mason City
Mohawks all they could handle into
the final quarter before coming up on
the short side of a 67-49 score. From
the field, Adam Callanan sunk three
three-pointers, racking up 15 total
points. Matt Freeseman was Clear
Lake’s top scorer with 19 points.
With 34 points, five rebounds
and six assists, Jenni Fey helped car-
ry the Ventura girls basketball team
to a 66-46 win over conference rival
Twin River Valley. Megan Coe had
26-points for the night. The Lady
Vikes also defeated Garner last week,
61-59. Fey and Coe had 28 and
22-points apiece.
The Clear Lake wrestling team
defeated Algona, 49-15. Picking up
wins for the Lions were Ryan Rup-
pert, Shawn Zimmerman, Jay Bar-
ragy, Andy Hansen, Jason Salge, and
James Turnbull.
Specials for the week at Ben
Franklin include: Li’l Hooks Baby An-
imals, $5.97; holiday kitchen towels,
2/$3; Holson Photo Albums, $9.97;
Polaroid Color Film, $9.97; Rem-
ington Microscreen Electric Shaver,
$29.97; and No Nonsense Pantyhose,
$1.88.
50 Years Ago
December 1965
A trio of Clear Lake and Mason
City businessmen have purchased the
Lake Shore Hotel from Mrs. L.M.
Bowden. The men are P.O. Petersen, a
Clear Lake contractor; Charles Elden,
one of the owners of the Mason City
Lumber Company; and Don Mar-
shall, owner of Marshall-Swift, Co., in band will be at the Surf Ballroom
Mason City. The building has been
standing since 1870 and been a hotel
Serving Clear Lake & Ventura
communities since 1869
Chris Barragy
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since 1886.
The city office building on the
lakeshore is doomed to oblivion. The
Clear Lake City Council is seeking
bids for demolition of this building
and the police station. The new and
more spacious facility will be located
at the opposite end of the business dis- game over the radio Saturday. Mr.
trict.
Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs
will be appearing at the Surf Ball-
room. They have appeared on the
“Dick Clark Show” and are known for
their hit, “Woolie Bully.”
The Clear Lake boys remain un-
beaten with a 3-0 record. The Lions
had two players on the Tribune Honor
Roll. Bill Moresby, for his outstand-
ing floor play and 20-points against
Webster City, and Don Anderson, for
35-points against Charles City.
75 Years Ago
November 1940
John Voss, who lives on one of
E.H. Rich’s farms three miles south-
east of Clear Lake, lost about 400 tur-
keys during the storm last week.
The city has purchased an up to
date snow plow to get here next week.
The lake froze over Nov. 11. The
ice is rough and poor for skating un-
less the ice and snow melts and re-
freezes there will be no fun out there
this year.
Mrs. Delia Fletcher was 93-years
old on Friday. She is the oldest per-
son in Clear Lake and one of the first
teachers of the local schools. She
came here in 1870 by stagecoach.
Dick Jurgens and his famous
Dec. 10. Rudy Vallee named Jurgens
the best band in California three years
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Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Merging of
cooperatives
To the Editor,
Making the decision to buy more
ago. ground is likely the most difficult
85 Years Ago cost vs. benefit analysis a farmer un-
dertakes. You have to consider many
December 1930 factors. What is the CSR and what
Through the courtesy of Mayor practices will you have to be imple-
W.H. Ward, many football fans heard mented to meet yield goals? Does the
the Notre Dame-California football price compare to equivalent ground?
Can your current equipment handle
Ward placed a radio in the front win- that much acreage?
dow of the second story of his furni- There are always risks. But, if you
ture store. The broadcast could be never look past year one, the forecasts
heard several blocks away. The game are rarely profitable. Buying more
was broadcast from the field in Cali- ground is a long-term investment
fornia. and signing on the dotted line means
John Perkins is a driving a Pontiac you’re planning your legacy.
panel body truck on his dairy routes The mathematical and emotional
which greatly facilitates the delivery analysis to buy 80 acres is much like
and the milk cannot freeze, a fact that the scrutiny with which our board
will be appreciated by his patrons. decided to recommend a merger of
The body is black trimmed in white Farmers Cooperative Company and
with his name also in white, which all West Central Cooperative for our
makes a very attractive appearance. memberships. You know you’re only
Omar Colgan won first in the going to get one shot at it in your
humorous division at the junior high lifetime. Yes, there will be change and
declamatory contest at Rockwell. He some risks, but you’re building your
was awarded a silver loving cup. operation to be stronger and more
profitable. You’re making a decision
The Senior to make your operation better for the
Connection long-run.
Today, FC and West Central are
If one were to gauge the time of offering our members a historic op-
the year by the weather, one might portunity to grow and improve our
think it was late fall. But before we cooperatives. To be stronger for our
know it we will probably have snow members so we can build better,
on the streets and sidewalks. Keep- faster assets for you sooner; to main-
ing that in mind, we want to remind tain strength in your equity structures
you that the Clear Lake Senior Citi- through diversification; and to pro-
zens Center has activities to keep you vide better services by improving pro-
fit and able during these cold and
snowy days that are sure to come.
We offer indoor Exercise Classes
four different mornings each week
plus we have exercise equipment Under The
available for you to use whenever you Golden Dome, Too
like.
There is also men’s pool, 500 Representative Linda Upmeyer
Cards, Nutrition for Seniors, music,
bingo, and a jigsaw puzzle is always 515-281-3221
in progress. Plus a hot meal that is linda.upmeyer@legis.state.ia.us
nutritionally balanced and coordi-
nated by Elderbridge Agency on Ag- Happy holidays! With Thanks-
ing, but prepared and served at The giving in the rearview mirror and
Center. Christmas and New Year’s just around
These activities plus great fellow- the corner, the 2016 Legislative ses-
ship are available to anyone 60 years sion is nearly upon us. Before I head
and older. Why spend your days back to serve in Des Moines, I’m re-
looking out the window or at the ally looking forward to spending some
television when this opportunity is quality time with family and friends
available to you? Door opens at 8:30 over the holiday season. I hope that
a.m. and the coffee is on! We are you are also able to be with your loved
locaated at 105 S. 4th St. Call 641- ones as the year winds down.
357-5443 with any questions. Since the end of last session I have
been receiving emails and calls regard-
ing the state’s upcoming transition
to Medicaid managed care. As your
State Representative, it is my duty
to represent you in Des Moines and
ensure that you are kept in the loop
about your state government. This
letter will provide an update on the
transition and hopefully answer any
questions you may have about the sta-
tus of Iowa Medicaid.
Over the last several years Med-
icaid spending has increased rapidly,
which is limiting the Legislature’s abil-
ity to make meaningful investments
in Iowans’ priorities. Funding for
things like education, public safety,
and courts are being put at risk be-
cause of the unsustainable growth in
this inflexible federal program. This
problem is not confined to Iowa, as
every state is working to slow down
the costs of Medicaid.
Protecting the status quo is no
longer an option and we must be open
to finding solutions to contain the
ever-growing costs of Medicaid, while
also improving patients outcomes.
In response to the increasing un-
predictability, Governor Branstad, in
January, proposed transitioning Iowa’s
Medicaid program to a managed care
model. What that means is that rath-
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ductivity.
As your farming operations grow
around us, we have to improve and
change. We cannot just keep pace; we
have to be ahead and ready when you
are. Merging two strong cooperatives
offers our members power in numbers
and continues local ownership and
service.
Your cooperative and our people
will continue to serve you. Our loca-
tion staff may be wearing different lo-
gos as a result of a member-approved
merger, but we will continue serving
your farming operation with attentive
and progressive employees year after
year.
After months of review and in-
depth research, our farmer Boards
unanimously recommend this merger
to our members. Our recommenda-
tion is now your decision.
This merger, like expanding and
improving your operation with new
ground, is a significant decision. We
encourage members to participate
in our informational meetings, learn
about our recommendation, visit with
our employees and weigh pros and
cons.
Now is the time to position our
cooperatives for the future. We ask
that when you return your ballot,
you vote yes for the merger of FC and
West Central. Every member matters.
Please sign on the dotted line, and
vote.
John Scott, Odebolt, Iowa farmer
President of the Board
Farmers Cooperative Company
Sue Tronchetti Paton, Iowa farmer
Chairwoman of the Board
West Central Cooperative
er than state employees administering
the program, private insurance com-
panies will do so. Managed care is not
a new concept nationally, or even in
Iowa. Iowa has used a form of man-
aged care since 1990 for a portion
of the state’s Medicaid population.
Across the country, nearly 40 states
use some sort of managed care model
for services, and more than half of
Americans covered by Medicaid have
their healthcare delivered through this
system.
One of the biggest concerns dur-
ing this transition has been that the
timeline is too aggressive and it’s mov-
ing too quickly. However, safeguards
have been put in place to ensure that
Medicaid recipients experience mini-
mal disruption of services. For physi-
cal and mental health services, there
will be a 6 month transition period
from January 1 to July 1. Those ser-
vices have the shortest timeline be-
cause mental health is the only sector
of Iowa Medicaid that was previously
in managed care. Additionally, nurs-
ing homes will have a two year transi-
tion period and will be fully phased in
by January 1, 2018.
Earlier this week Governor
Branstad announced an extension of
the provider safe harbor period by
an additional three months to April
1, 2016. This gives patients peace of
mind and allows providers to be fully
reimbursed while they have additional
time to review contracts.
Another concern has been a lack
of communication from the Depart-
ment of Human Services. Informa-
tional toolkits were sent to Medicaid
recipients in September and enroll-
ment packets with enrollment assis
See UPMEYER on page 5
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