The Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

3 WDHS students run for VEISHEA Annual county Early Childhood Fair is April 29 Hearing scheduled to change road to Level C Allen earns spot in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

3 WDHS students run for VEISHEA by Latisha Sand

LATISHA SAND/Press Eric Crawford and Megan Wessels, along with Mallory McCool, not pictured, volunteered to run from Greene and Associates to Wal-Mart on Wednesday, April 19 as part of the first VEISHEA Voyage for Iowa State University. Molly Donnelly, the VEISHEA Voyage co-chair said the university is doing this to make the VEISHEA celebration more community oriented.

Three West Delaware High School students traveled the length of Manchester recently to promote Iowa State University’s VEISHEA celebration. Seniors Mallory McCool, Megan Wessels and Eric Crawford volunteered to run from Greene and Associates to Wal-Mart on Wednesday, April 19 as part of the first VEISHEA Voyage. “We are trying to make VEISHEA more community oriented,” said Molly Donnelly, co-chair of VEISHEA Voyage. “We want to spread the spirit across the state of Iowa.” The VEISHEA Voyage group started out in Dubuque at Murphy Park and ran through Epworth, Farley, Dyersville and, after Manchester, Winthrop, Independence and ended in Jesup.

The group had community members participate in the run and took it over when they reached Story City, which is just west of Interstate 35. When Manchester Mayor Milt Kramer greeted the VEISHEA group, they said this was the best welcome they had. “They drove into town and they saw their names on signs,” said Kramer. “They said they had the best welcome from Manchester.” Many people lined the streets in their vehicles to watch the three high school students, who were escorted by a Manchester Police vehicle, and many business people stepped outside to watch as well. The journey ended after traveling approximately 200 miles and through 28 northeastern and central Iowa communities before arriving in Ames on Friday, April 21. VEISHEA was canceled last year due to riots in Ames in 2004. This year’s celebration included a history expo, parade, shows and athletic events. VEISHEA started in 1922 and is now one of the most popular university traditions. The celebration showcases the university, the campus and the community.

Annual county Early Childhood Fair is April 29 by Brian Cook

The Delaware County free Early Childhood Fair will be on Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Delaware County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Manchester. The fair will feature a variety of information on area services offered for families with children birth age to five, along with fun-filled activities at every booth. Activities will include balloons and a magic show, storytelling, puppet show, dancing, petting zoo, local fire truck, ambulance, police car and a K-9 dog. This free event is being planned by the Delaware County Early Childhood Fair Committee: State Farm Insurance, Keystone AEA, First State Bank, Regional Medical Center/Parents as Teachers, Operation New View and Building Direction for Families. For more information about this event, contact Melanie Dill or Audrey McMahon at (563) 927-7599.

Hearing scheduled to change road to Level C by Julie Sunne

Following the failure, and subsequent closure, of the 221st Street Bridge, the Delaware County Supervisors are considering changing the designation of 221st Street to a Level C road. A public hearing in reference to that consideration will be held May 1 at 1:15 p.m. in the Supervisor’s office. Replacing the bridge is estimated to cost $80,000 to $100,000. The bridge was placed on the 2008 fiscal year construction plan and there aren’t funds in the current construction year budget to replace it. The concern is that without a way through or over the stream the farmers will have to take their large slow-moving machinery onto Highway 20 to access all of their land. The plan is to place a rock ford in the stream to allow the farmers with land on both sides to have easy access to it. The need for the replacement of the bridge will be monitored over the next year. Level C roads are limited maintenance and limited access roads. If the designation change is approved locked gates will be placed on both ends of the road and it will be posted “no trespassing”. The final plans for the 260th Avenue paving project were approved. The project consists of 4.53 miles of concrete paving at a variable thickness (8” at centerline, 9” at outside edge), and granular shoulders. The state will let bids on July 18. Funds for this project come from the Local Option Sales Tax and two-thirds from Farm to Market funds. The Local Public Health Services Contract was accepted and will be forwarded to the state. The funds will be used for a variety of programs: community health assessment, communicable disease follow-up (increased costs this year with pertussis and mumps), screening and assessments, local board of health meetings and functions, immunizations, foot-care clinics, community partnerships, in home care and home education. Approval was obtained to purchase a 2006 Chevy Colorado extended cab pick-up for the county services department. One bid was received and accepted from Bob Stephen Motors for $18,147. An October 2005 loan to the secondary road fund in the amount of $330,000 was repaid in full to the general basic fund without interest. The treasurer’s investment report showed $10,435,649.72 deposited in Delaware County banks as of March 31, 2006. A reminder that beginning around May 8 there will be short-term closures of various stretches of D47. The closures will change daily and last about a month. Once the cold in-place recycling is done and overlaying begins, traffic will be allowed with a pilot car.

Allen earns spot in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by Brian Cook

Sophomore Cathy Allen of Maquoketa Valley has been selected to be in the Celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as part of the Great American Marching Band of 2006. The band, comprised of four students from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, will lead off the 80th Parade in New York City on Thanksgiving morning, which can be seen on television across the nation. “I was excited. I went crazy,” Allen said of when she heard the news she had been selected. “I was jumping around the house.” Allen had sent an audition tape showing her doing a full routine, which also had to show her technical skills. “The rest of the Color Guard is super proud of her,” Color Guard Coach Crys Smith explained. “The rest of the community has rallied around her. They’re just tickled for a girl coming from small town Delhi to make it to something so big.”

BRIAN COOK / Press Cathy Allen of Maquoketa Valley will be marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Allen has begun raising funds for the trip, which will cost $1,800 including the flight. Dave Schuster and Sig Bonebrake have already come forward with the down payment, and Brad Schnittjer has made the second payment. “What a huge honor to be representing the state as one of four persons in a 204-piece band,” Maquoketa Valley High School Band Instructor John Smith commented. “Especially as a sophomore. For someone as young as she is to be selected with others with so much experience.” Allen and Crys Smith will leave on Nov. 18 and she will perform on Nov. 24, returning to Iowa on Nov. 25. Allen will receive a tape of the routine to learn in July. The 204 members of the band will be under the direction of Dr. Richard Good of Auburn University and Ohio State University’s Dr. John Woods. Greg Lagola of the famed Cadets Drum Corps of Pennsylvania, will choreograph the flags and dancers. The Cadets are nine-time world champions and one of the oldest and most honored drum and bugle corps in the world. During Allen’s time in New York, she will attend workshops led by Scott Lang, founder of Synergy Leadership Endeavors. The workshops will focus on leadership and encourage students to achieve their maximum potential. In addition to marching in the parade, Allen will enjoy a New York City sightseeing tour, Empire State Building, dinner cruise and Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Allen is a member of the Maquoketa Valley High School Marching Band Color Guard and Dubuque’s Colt Cadets Drum Corps.

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