Page 4 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 3-30-2016

Opinion
Page 4 • March 30, 2016
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Maintain Clear Lake’s
quality of life
To The Editor,
You know, I’m a country boy south
of town, but I consider Clear Lake my
home. As I travel across the United
States doing advocacy work for inde-
pendent family farms and a clean envi-
ronment, I talk proudly of Clear Lake.
I want to keep Clear Lake and the sur-
rounding countryside an area where
quality of life is a priority for everyone and the vibrant tourist industry in
and an area to be proud of.
So, when Sparboe eggs attempted
to set up shop south of town a few years
ago with millions of chickens in a fac-
tory farm the people said, “no”! Is it
time again for “we the people” to rise
up in our best interests for quality of
life in Clear Lake, our small towns, and
countryside and say ‘no” again?
Prestage wants to slaughter 10,000
pigs a day at first, ramping up to
20,000 a day with a second shift in
Mason City. Point being that’s a lot of
hogs and they will have to come from
25 Years Ago
March 1991
The current thin ice situation on
Clear Lake is dangerous for humans
as well as animals. Three deer were
stranded out on the ice Monday. Two
eventually worked their way free from
the ice and into open water where
they swam free. However, one preg-
nant doe could not escape without
human help. The effort was gallant,
but the doe did not survive once they
got her on shore.
A last ditch effort to save the ex-
isting Ventura Library and Post Office
building has prompted city officials to
look at an alternate site to hopefully
dedicate this spring. The decision to
look for another site came about when
a letter was received from the State
Historical Society who lauded the ar-
chitectural style of the structure. The
building was built in 1906.
The newly formed Chautauqua
Summer Theater will premier in Clear
Lake this summer. Preliminary plans
call for two venues to host profes-
sional performers. One will be an
on-going dinner theater, which will be
inaugurated at the newly opened Cap-
tain’s Landing, 211 N. 4th St. It will
present one-person shows with actors,
singers and humorists. The Lake The-
ater (Opera House) will host an elabo-
rate multi-media production entitled,
“They Built the Alaska Highway.”
Michelle Stout, of Clear Lake,
and Brent Luscombe, of Klemme,
Iowa, announce their engagement and
approaching wedding.
Matt Berry and Jean Casey an-
nounce the birth of their new son,
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somewhere. Somewhere is a 75 mile
radius around Clear Lake and Mason
City. With state law being very weak
on locations of these industrial farms
I would assume a lot of them will be
close to Clear Lake and Ventura.
It’s not hard to figure out hundreds
of factory farms will be constructed in
the immediate North Iowa area. At risk
to all will be our quality of life, water
quality, enjoyment of property, health,
Clear Lake and Mason City. Guaran-
teed, the tourists might come once, but
they will never come back if the town
smells like a sewer pit.
I ask all residents to talk to the city
council, Mayor, and county supervisors
about this. I would assume the people
of Clear Lake might want a public
meeting over this? Also, might want
to talk to the Clear Lake folks on the
North Iowa Economic Development
Board. We have a nice community. I
shudder at the consequences.
Chris Petersen, determined.
Clear Lake
Robert Casey, born March 21, 1991.
Robert has a five year old sister, Katie.
Clear Lake resident, Gary Nyhus,
has been awarded the “Iowa Coach of
the Year” in class 1A-2A baseball for
1990. Nyhus is in his 13th year as
head coach at Newman High School
and has won 12 consecutive confer-
ence championships. His 1990 team
went 13-1 in the conference and 32-4
overall.
Four members of the Ventura
boys basketball team were named to
the North Star All-Conference Team.
Senior Scott Hinrichs was voted to the
First Team. Sophomore Troy Roen-
fanz, along with seniors Tim Bray
and Brad Eehhuis received Honorable
Mention recognition.
Waldorf College sophomore,
Steph Anderson, a Ventura gradu-
ate, was one of two Waldorf players
named to the All-Regional XI First
Team. Anderson led the league in free
throw accuracy at 86 percent.
Appearing at the Surf Ballroom
on Friday, March 29, is the Litterer
Band Rock Concert. This is a non-al-
coholic event. Playing in the Surfside
6 Cafe on Saturday, March 30, will be
Hal’s Ramblers.
50 Years Ago
March 1966
Statistics released by the Iowa
State Tax Commission showed a 14.4
percent increase in retail sales in Clear
Lake during the third quarter of 1965
compared to the same period of 1964.
Visitors to Clear Lake are invited
to three big events. The annual Home
Show will be held in the Clear View
Serving Clear Lake & Ventura
communities since 1869
Chris Barragy
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Under The
Golden Dome, Too
Representative Linda Upmeyer
515-281-3221
linda.upmeyer@legis.state.ia.us
Resolution on education funding
Last week’s weather has really
kept us on our toes. Bright and sun-
ny one day, rain another, and winter
storms in various parts of the state.
Spring in Iowa continues to keep
us guessing. It’s been great to see so
many folks from home visiting the
Capitol over spring break or coming
in for meetings. Thanks to those who
have stopped by. I have listened and
learned about many topics in our dis-
cussions.
While the weather is unpredict-
able, one thing is for certain, and that’s
that Iowans value a quality education
and good K-12 schools for their kids.
I am happy to report that education
funding for next school year has been
When the legislative session first
REMEMBER WHEN
Roller Rink. Camera Marine will
have a boat show in the former Lake
Furniture Building on Highway 18
and Touristville will have their boat
show at the Surf Ballroom.
Eighty-five boys reported to the
first day of track practice at Clear
Lake. The squad will be led by nine
returning letter winners: Roger Ash-
land, Jerry Baskett, Alyn Holstad,
Mike Calanan, Larry Otten, Craig
Hughes, Denny Lincicum, Mike Ran-
som and Roger Maryland.
75 Years Ago
March 1941
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Axelsen re-
ceived word their son, Morris, who
is stationed in the Philippine Islands
expects to come home in March for a
visit. This will be his first visit since he
entered the service five years ago.
Cerro Gordo and seven other
counties have applied for the food
stamp plan approved for distributing
surplus commodities to relief clients.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Petersen
have announced the opening of the
Petersen Grill. They were former op-
erators of the Lake Theatre Lunch.
The new location is in the Frost build-
ing next to the Clear Lake Bank.
Leonard Rodewald, of Charles
City, has leased the Lake View Market
and expects to open soon, operating a
meat market and grocery.
100 Years Ago
March 1916
A golf club has been organized
in Clear Lake with a membership of
121. The first meeting was held at
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Editor.................. Marianne Morf
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Be At The Dock
When Your
Ship Comes In
By Guest Columnist Dorothy Rosby
I know someday my ship is go- I didn’t take the time to read all
ing to come in. I just hope I’m there 2,032 spam messages either. But be-
began, House Republicans made a to meet it. I’ve been worried about it fore I emptied the folder, I scanned
commitment to set school funding as ever since I read the story of Australian through the advertisements for DUI
quickly and responsibly as possible. writer Helen Garner. She got a mes- lawyers, cat food coupons, and lonely
When we met with our local super- sage in her junk email folder recently singles in my neighborhood. As far as
intendents from across the state, we telling her she’d won a prestigious I could tell, there were no ships, just a
consistently heard that getting fund- writing prize, but the sender needed whole lot of dinghies.
ing settled early was more of a priority her phone number to discuss it with It’s just as well. If I had found
than the increase. House Republicans her. What would you do? Go meet the an email promising large amounts
heard loud and clear that schools need ship and email them right back? Not of cash, I wouldn’t have believed it
to plan their budgets for next school me. I would have deleted the message anyway. You get a little cynical after
year and they also need to have fund- faster than you can say, “That’s no you’ve deleted a few hundred messages
ing that they can count on. ship. That’s a garbage scow.” offering easy hair removal and PhDs
This week, we followed through Ms. Garner responded, but only without taking classes.
on that commitment to set funding after doing some research. And it’s No, if anyone wants to alert me
early, as a bipartisan conference com- a good thing she did, because that’s I’ve won a $150,000 prize they’re go-
mittee struck an agreement to increase how she learned she’d won the Wind- ing to need another way to do it. And
next year’s school funding by 2.25%. ham-Campbell writing prize worth it won’t be by phone either. I don’t
While 2.25% may not sound like a $150,000. After reading about Helen answer unless I recognize the number,
big number, this represents $153 mil- Garner, I went directly to my spam thanks to an epidemic of robocalls
lion worth of new funding for K-12 folder to see if I might have a ship and helpful people wanting to fix my
schools. Based on current revenue floating around in mine too. And if computer that’s not broken.
figures, K-12 education will be receiv- not a ship, at least a little skiff or an They can’t just come knocking
ing 87% of all new state spending this old fishing boat. either. I stopped opening my front
year. That’s a significant investment in I have two email accounts. The door to people I don’t know after I
our local schools. Other priorities like spam folder for the newer one had was scammed by a magazine sales per-
Medicaid and public safety remain as just five spam messages in it. None son claiming to be raising money for
key topics as the remainder of the state of them looked like a ship coming in, college. I don’t know if he ever went
budget is outlined. though there was an advertisement to college, but I know I never got my
All session long, I believed that for private yacht rentals—all sizes and magazine.
we would be able to reach an agree- budgets available. Incidentally, there If my ship comes in by mail, it’s
ment on education funding that was was also a really good deal on bowling likely to get buried by credit card of-
closer to the Governor’s proposed in- shoes. fers and insurance offers from the
crease of 2.45%. House Republicans I’ve had the other email account AARP. By the time I get to it, they’ll
had the additional resources necessary since email was invented. The spam have given my prize to someone else.
in our preliminary budget targets and folder for that account contained So yes, I’m concerned that some-
were ready to achieve the Governor’s 2,032 spam messages dating back a day my ship will come in and I won’t
number. month. Holy inbox! That’s an average be at the dock to meet it. And if
In my newsletter last week, I of 67 spam messages a day. If I had it shows up at my front door, or by
talked about how Senate Democrat’s to read all those every day, I’d never email, snail mail or the telephone, the
budget targets are over the state’s ex- get through my legitimate emails. Oh, chances are very good I’ll sink it be-
penditure limitation. For that reason, wait. I don’t. fore it gets to shore.
they were unable to provide any ad
See UPMEYER on page 5
City Hall. The course will be located Hill about 40 feet above the water. the county poor fund.
on the site of the old ballpark at Wal- Under the terms of a new law George E. Waterman has pur-
nut Grove on the Leavenworth home- passed, the blind or partially blind to chased a new Dodge and is doing his
stead, which is on the north shore of the extent they cannot support them- best to learn to manage it. Every day
the lake to the west, and is on the Lake selves will receive $150 a year instead he makes some progress, just stay clear
Shore Drive and the North Iowa pike. of being forced to accept the charity of until he masters it.
The clubhouse is located on Summit
Boy Scout Week, 1966
During activities of Boy Scout Week in 1966, the members of Troop 75 paused to pledge allegiance to the flag. Other
activities included the passing of merit badges and rank requirements. The Scoutmaster of Troop 75 is Robert Grey and
he leads 30 active Scouts.
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