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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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R A G B R A I Rolling Out the Red Carpet
by Ken Boesenberg |
Preparations have started for RAGBRAI’s visit to Manchester on Friday, July 27.
Manchester’s theme for this years RAGBRAI pass through Manchester is “Rolling Out the Red Carpet.”
Different areas around town will be decorated to fit in with the theme including Hollywood type props near the uptown stage area. There will also be informational maps and red t-shirts with the Manchester RAGBRAI logo on them.
T-shirts will be available for sale soon, and businesses can choose to have their own logo, etc., imprinted on the back.
“We are hoping merchants and vendors have fun with this by decorating store windows,” stated Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce Director, Jack Klaus.
“The goal is to have all the riders and support people feel welcome from the first minute they ride into our city limits. We want them to remember their visit to Manchester,” concluded Klaus.
Manchester will be the largest pass-through town on this years route. Early estimates have the riders numbering some where between 10,000 and 16,000 for this year’s ride.
A 10:00 a.m. start time for activities is being planned. There is a mandatory shut down at 4:30 p.m. to encourage the balance of the riders to continue on to their overnight destination in Dyersville.
Residents are encouraged to visit Manchester’s’ web site at www.manchester-ia.org for information on local detours on that day. Coming shortly to the web site will also be an event calendar that will have more detailed information of events taking place throughout the day. |
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Employees of First State Bank are pictured with RAGBRAI coordinators Ben Page and Jack Klaus as they announced Manchester’s RAGBRAI theme: Rolling Out the Red Carpet. Members of the theme committee are, from bottom to top on the left - Colleen Meyer, Barb Topping, Laura Kammarmeyer, Dave Smith; bottom to top on the right - Cheri Heims, Sandy Ford, Jack Klaus, Ben Page. Theme committee members absent from the photo - Julie Philipp, Cheryl Keltner, Lou Ann Knaak, and Lea Ann Smith. |
The days activities, with good weather, could yield a nice profit for organizers and vendors alike. “If we make some profit it will somehow benefit the community. The money will not be going into our pockets,” stated Klaus.
Vendor fees are as follows: local non-profit $200; local profit $250 and out of town vendors, $300.
There will be a public meeting on Monday, June 18 in the Memorial Hall at Seibert Park starting at 6:30 p.m. Organizers will be looking for public input as well as to make members of the community aware of where organizers are in their planning stages for the event.
Anyone that is willing to volunteer is welcome to come to the meeting. “We’ll find a place for everyone that wants to pitch in and help,” commented Klaus. |
Delhi Equestrian Center offers training, boarding
by Latisha Sand |
Stacey Christiansen has turned her love for horses into a newly thriving business.
Delhi Equestrian Center, located at 25578 218th Ave in rural Delhi, has only been up and running for about a year and she is already booked for the summer.
“We are a natural horseman facility,” said Christiansen. “We will hopefully show people a different way of working with their horses.”
Christiansen has been studying natural horsemanship for five years.
“I got my first horse and I didn’t know anything,” she said. “I found a four day training program and fell in love with the teaching.”
By the end of the July she will have trained a total of nine horses, seven of which are her own.
Natural horsemanship is a type of training that uses communication and understanding to build a relationship between the horse and the rider.
“It’s a way to be effective without being mean,” said Christiansen. “I can still be firm with them without hurting them.”
This type of training lets the rider, or owner, communicate with the horse by learning their body language.
Christiansen is boarding two horses that are currently being trained and she doesn’t get onto the horse until she knows she won’t get bucked off.
“My last ride with the horse is with the owner present,” said Christiansen. “That way they can see how I’ve interacted with the horse and show them what I have done.”
Delhi Equestrian Center trains horses that have never been ridden and horses that have been ridden but have little ‘problems’ that their owners want to get rid of.
The center has a 125 x 150 outdoor arena, a 80 x 130 indoor arena and 50 round pen and pasture boarding. They offer training, boarding and workshops. On Friday, July 6, the Delhi Equestrian Center will hold an open house and two workshops will be held on Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8. The workshops will include a Parelli trainer, who Christiansen has worked with before. For additional information on the workshops or the center, visit their website at www.delhihorse.com or call Christiansen at 563-922-3089.
The 80 x 130 indoor arena can be rented and used in the winter. The cost is $10 per day or $50 per month for unlimited use. The arena also allows Christiansen to train horses during the winter months.
“I just love training them,” Christiansen said. And although she works full-time outside of her home, “I can’t wait to get out there and work with the horses."
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Resurfacing bid accepted from Kuhlman Construction
by Alison Nesteby |
A rock resurfacing bid from Kuhlman Construction in Edgewood has been accepted by the Delaware County Board of Supervisors.
The 2007 quote was for $7.25 per ton, with an estimated total cost being $503,925.75. Consisdering the rising cost of oil and other products, the jump in the price from 2006 is very reasonable, as commented on by the Board. The 2006 price was $7.04 per ton and the 2005 price was $6.84 per ton.
Delaware County Engineer Mark Nahra commented on the fact that it’s nice to keep the business local as much as possible.
The pavement marking contract quotes will be accepted on June 18 at 1:15 p.m. during the Delaware County Supervisors’ regular meeting. The letting date for the right-of-way fence contract for Goose Hill Road was set for that time as well.
The scheduled letting date for the Hartwick Marina Bridge has been set for Aug. 21.
An underground construction permit from Iowa Telecom was approved for 230th Avenue near Delhi.
A service agreement was signed with Linn Co. for the mental health services contract.
Nahra commented that Firefly Road near Dundee has been completed and is open to traffic.
Supervisor Skinner spoke briefly about suggestions he has received about holding the LOSST and SILO Elections on the same day. Skinner feels that while combining the elections into one day would save money, it could affect negative campaigning, and it was agreed upon that they are better off held on separate days. West Delaware School Board member Mike Ryan was in attendance and agreed with keeping the elections separate.
The next meeting will be held June 18 at 1:15 p.m. at the Delaware County Courthouse. |
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E. Delaware - P.O. Box 245 - Manchester, Iowa 52057
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