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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday,
April 11, 2006 | |
Hanson gift makes auditorium possible |
A gift of $250,000 from Erling and Dorothy Hanson will give the community of Manchester a long-awaited auditorium. The new auditorium will be named in honor of the Hansons.
Erling and Dorothy Hanson came to Manchester in 1946. The band shell in Tirrill Park was the deciding factor for Erling who, while teaching in other schools, had directed concerts on hayracks parked at the four corners. He became the high school vocal and instrumental director. Dorothy taught junior high English classes. They began their careers in Manchester with a one-year contract, but their love of the town and a $50 raise in salary permanently located them in Manchester where they have been well known and respected members of the community.
In the years that followed they established a tradition of excellence in the Manchester and West Delaware school systems. Those who benefited immeasurably from their teaching are deeply grateful to both of them. Expectations were high, but the rewards were well worth the time spent in pursuit of excellence.
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Dorothy and Erling Hanson |
Dorothy and Erling retired in 1979, after providing their students with skills that would last a lifetime. Many former students have kept in contact with the Hansons and would not miss a chance to visit with them when returning to Manchester.
The Hansons have always been dedicated to school and community and for many years have recognized the need for an auditorium that would benefit both. Erling told that Dr. and Mrs. R.E. Clark regularly remarked about the need for a performing arts center as well. That was 40 years ago!
The Hansons’ intentions for the auditorium include use by the exceptional music, drama, and speech departments as well as by the community and visiting artists and performers. It is their hope that Manchester will become known as the center for the performing arts.
Fundraising continues
The fundraising effort for the auditorium project began last fall and involves many people throughout the community. Dave Dudley, committee chair, reports that the campaign has reached $800,000 of the $1 million goal to provide the interior furnishing and fittings for the facility.
Construction of the center is scheduled to begin this spring with an estimated completion date of fall 2007.
The state-of-the-art 706-seat auditorium will highlight the building, which will include separate band and vocal rooms, a public commons area, six private practice rooms, a “green room” for performers, and a room dedicated to set design and construction projects. Many of these spaces have already been designated and pledged by donors. Approximately 400 of the auditorium seats are still available for naming at $500 per seat. The fundraising committee hopes to exceed the $1 million dollar goal, so excess funds could be used to establish a permanent endowment for ongoing support and enrichment of fine arts programs in the community.
Pledge cards are available at any of the local banks. Additional information regarding the fundraising campaign can be found at www.WDfinearts.org. |
County Supervisors address “Juice Bar” concerns in Earlville
by Julie Sunne |
More than two-dozen Earlville residents and a few other Delaware County citizens crammed into the Board of Supervisors office at the April 3 board meeting to express their concerns about rumors that a “juice bar” with nude or near nude live dancing may be established in rural Earlville.
According to Supervisors Steve Koeneke and Shirley Helmrichs, a man came to the supervisor’s office asking about the regulations on constructing a building near Earlville to make into a juice bar.
Apparently this same man approached the City of Earlville with the same question.
Board Chairman Bill Skinner stated that this item was placed on the agenda to determine if there was enough information to proceed with some action, or if it was only a rumor. Koeneke mentioned that in Benton County a juice bar moved in before the county even knew it was coming. The board expressed relief that this was brought to their attention before that happened in Delaware County.
Skinner said that these sexually-oriented businesses try to operate outside of the liquor laws by allowing people to bring alcohol in to the establishment, but not selling it onsite. He mentioned that he spoke with the County Attorney and Assistant County Attorney prior to the board meeting, and they said the board could pass an ordinance, but they needed to be very careful with it or it wouldn’t hold up legally.
Skinner pointed out that ordinances cannot regulate freedom of speech or expression, but they can determine the time, place, and manner of opening for establishments.
Skinner’s most immediate concerns about such a business opening up in Delaware County were safety issues with alcohol allowed to come into a building, 18 year olds allowed in, and the hours of operation.
Following the Supervisors’ comments, several Earlville residents voiced their concerns. Lisa Walton presented a petition with 350 signatures opposing the opening of such an establishment. Walton said she obtained these signatures in a short three-day period.
In a typewritten statement, Walton said that the supervisors must take action to “protect the citizens (county) as much as legally possible.” She went on to discuss the negative impact studies have shown such businesses to have on a community: increased crime and illegal activities; increased operating costs to businesses due to additional security systems and trash pickup; additional county costs for policing the area and for the increase in health and human services needed for drug and alcohol abuse, marriage counseling, and sexual deviancy, addiction, and dysfunction; and the lowering of property values. She also expressed concerns about the business catering to the youth, as many high school seniors would be old enough to attend and perform.
Lori Miller, owner of the Country Haven, said she is already dealing with the fallout of such a business before it’s even here. She’s had people calling thinking it was in her establishment.
Pastor Ross Wyman, Earlville United Parish, discussed the negative effects a sexually-oriented business would have on the moral climate we live in. He challenged the board to take a stand for community values.
Additional ambulance service, increased traffic, fighting, and blood borne pathogens are all concerns Earlville Mayor Dan Wheeler has if such an establishment were built near the town.
Peggy Pettlon, CPC and director of Delaware County Community Services, also attended the board meeting to express her concern from the mental health aspect.
“My numbers will definitely increase,” she stated.
Several additional residents addressed the board, with nobody speaking in favor of such a business. Based on the large turn out for this issue, the board realized the need to address it on a county-wide level. The supervisors unanimously approved a motion to pursue an ordinance related to the establishment of a sexually-oriented business.
In other business, the board voted to continue with Bill Skinner’s appointment to the Resource Conservation and Development board and increased the term from one year to three years, ending December 31, 2008.
Additional right of way contracts were approved for the Jones-Delaware County Line project. A contract was obtained with Adams Sandy Creek Farms for $13,981.26. This includes fence replacement. Two contracts were with Wahl Farms Ltd.; one for $22,858.06 (lots of mature tree replacement) and the other for $3,510.20.
County Engineer Mark Nahra discussed the reason behind the sudden closure of the 221st Street Bridge south of Highway 20 and east of the town of Delaware. The posting on the bridge had been lowered to 3 tons, the bridge had been placed on the FY 2008 construction calendar, and had been scheduled for a one year inspection rotation. Recently, upon approaching the bridge, Nahra observed one piling shattered and another split down the middle. He immediately closed the bridge.
The Board discussed various actions that could be pursued. The bridge could be closed permanently, but concern was expressed about having the farm traffic travel on Highway 20. Nahra said the traffic figures for this stretch of the road averaged only 15 vehicles per day, all local. He explained that the least costly repair would be to replace the destroyed pilings with two concrete abutments the county currently owns. This option would still cost the county between $65,000 and $80,000. This issue will be brought up again at a later date.
The board also accepted the resignation of a longtime member of the Magistrate’s Commission, Betty Vaske, with a thank you for her service.
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3 out of 365 mumps cases in county
By Latisha Sand |
The statewide mumps epidemic continues to sweep across the state with 365 confirmed, probable and suspected cases.
Although Delaware County has only three cases so far, Dubuque, Clayton, Linn and Buchanan counties number of cases have rapidly increased.
And health officials are stumped as to why this is happening.
Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, an Iowa state epidemiologist, has said that the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is trying to figure out what is going on.
“We are trying to figure out why is it happening, why is it happening in Iowa and why is it happening right now. We don’t know.”
One theory is that a college student brought it back from England since the United Kingdom had about 56,000 cases of mumps within the last two years. And the United Kingdom strain, the genotype g, is the same strain that is now in Iowa.
The Delaware County Public Health Department (DCPH) and Regional Medical Center are not releasing the ages or other information about the three people affected because of patient confidentiality laws but the IDPH said, in a recent report, that the mumps aren’t spreading through schools or daycares.
“There still have not been any outbreaks or person to person spread in school or daycare settings,” said the report which is available at www.idph.state.ia.us.
The average age of infected people throughout the state is 21 but there has been mumps in every age group.
And if a person has been vaccinated or has had them before there is a chance he or she could get the mumps again.
“Although it is possible to get the mumps a second time, this would be extremely rare,” said the DCPH.
As for the vaccine, which is 95 percent effective, the IDPH says that it is working.
“The mumps vaccine is protecting Iowans. If it were not, there would be considerably more mumps cases than the numbers we are seeing.”
On their website they give the following example: “In a community of 100, 98 percent have been vaccinated. Thus 98 people are vaccinated and two people are not. Everyone is exposed to mumps.
What happens? Ninety-three people (95 percent of the 98 who are vaccinated) are protected by the vaccine but five people (five percent of the 98 who are vaccinated) become ill with mumps because the vaccine did not ‘take’ and two people who have never been vaccinated get ill because they have no immunity to the disease. Of the seven people who get mumps, 71 percent were vaccinated.
This is similar to what is happening in the state now.”
When the vaccine was introduced in 1967, it was required that all children entering school must get the shot once but in 1991 it was changed to having two vaccine shots. The IDPH says that getting both doses of the mumps-containing vaccine will prevent the infection from spreading.
Mumps, which is an infection of the salivary glands near the jaw, can be spread by the infected person coughing or sneezing. Symptoms, like fever, headaches or muscle aches, will appear anywhere from 12 to 25 days after the infection has entered the body and people can spread the infection three days before the onset of symptoms until four days after.
Anyone with questionable symptoms should contact their medical professional.
“Contact your health provider by telephone,” said the IDPH. “Those providers will make arrangements to minimize the chances the person will spread the illness in waiting rooms, perhaps by wearing a mask.”
Anyone who has mumps should not go back to work or school until five days after the symptoms begin.
“All cases in Delaware County are reported to DCPH and they are followed up with as directed by the IDPH and those that need that information are provided with it,” said the DCPH.
The Dubuque County Public Health Department has reported 120 cases, the highest amount found in Iowa. Linn County has reported 21, Buchanan County has reported 12 and Clayton County has reported five cases.
The first case of a mumps-like illness was reported in December 2005 at a university in eastern Iowa. Several students with glandular swelling were tested and two came back positive. By February there were 26 cases statewide and by early March there were 67.
The last mumps outbreak in Iowa took place in 1987 when 476 people were infected. Until this year, less than 60 cases were reported annually with only one to three cases reported in the past five years.
The mumps can cause serious complications, such as meningitis, deafness and inflammation of the testicles or ovaries.
Iowans can stop spreading the infection by taking simple steps.
“Personal responsibility, such as hand washing, covering your coughs and sneezes, and staying at home when sick can help reduce the mumps impact,” said the IDPH.
For up-to-date information on the mumps epidemic or for more information about the infection, visit IDPH’s website www.idph.state.ia.us. |
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