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Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Phase one of WDHS construction remains on target Colesburg bank celebrates 100 years Iowa Lottery: Record sales in 2006

Phase one of WDHS construction remains on target by Ken Boesenberg

During the past few months the West Delaware High School landscape has been in a state of constant change. Early last fall the bore field for the new geo-thermal heating and cooling system that will service the new construction began. Today the bore field is being covered and smoothed out in preparation of planting grass seed. The area once completed will be able to be put back in service as both a football practice field and a marching band practice area. The physical facility of the high school has also undergone some massive changes to the east with the construction of the new 708 seat auditorium. Construction in all phases of the new addition is as close to being on schedule as it can be according to Activities Director, Bob Murphy. “The mild winter sure helped us to keep the construction process on schedule for the first phase of our project”, commented Murphy. That first phase not only includes the auditorium but a new kitchen, commons area, principals’ office, secretarial and reception area, as well as new instrumental and vocal rooms. The auditorium is more than just a place to watch the outstanding performances of the fine arts students. It also contains a makeup area, costume changing area, and a prop building area. All of those areas will combine to make special place for one of the best fine arts programs in the state to showcase their talents.

KEN BOESENBERG / Press In the photo below a worker is busy covering the “bore field” with black dirt in preparation for planting grass seed. In the top photo some of the final panels forming the outside of the auditorium are being set into place. The new kitchen area is pictured in the above photo. Although there is much work to be done before completion, the total project is on schedule.

The vocal and music programs are under the leadership of Duane Philgreen (vocal music instructor) and Mark Philgreen (instrumental music instructor). Their next production will be the annual Swing Into Spring performance which will be held on Thursday, May 12 in the high school gym featuring The Show Choir ‘WD Forte’; The Prep Choir ‘Crescendo’; The WD Jazz Bands I and II plus individual and small group talent. As school nears an end, work continues on all of the above mentioned projects. Once school is out construction crews will begin to demolish the “old gym” and the Vocational Agriculture buildings to make room for the new 16 classroom addition. Currently the fitness equipment that is housed in the old gym is being moved to the second floor of the high school to be stored in the multi-purpose room until it can be relocated following construction. The new 16 classrooms are scheduled to be completed by December of 2007 or January of 2008. When that phase of construction is completed, all classrooms in the Annex will be vacated. Only the Central Office will remain in the Annex. This project is being funded by the School Infrastructure Local Option (SILO) one-cent sales and service tax along with a 67-cent levy which was approved by the voters. In addition to that a local committee of district supporters has raised $1,000,000 to furnish the auditorium. With out their dedication to the West Delaware school district the auditorium project may have still been a dream instead of a reality.

Colesburg bank celebrates 100 years by Charlene Barnhart

On Jan. 11, 1892 the first banking institution was established in Colesburg, called the Bank of Colesburg, with Amandus Wilson Rea as proprietor. All the latest improvements for safety and convenience were found here, including a burglar proof safe and time locks. This bank served the community with a general banking business and a specialty on loans and collections. Rea bought notes, paid interest on time deposits, paid taxes and wrote insurance all from this first banking concern. His building was on Main Street, just north of Pott’s General Store (now where the Medical Center is today). This banking facility lasted in Colesburg until 1907 when the Farmers Savings Bank was established.

CHARLENE BARNHART / Press Colesburg employees, from left to right - Billie Thien, Dale Boeckenstedt, Jeanette Thien, Lori Kluesner, Kathy Young, Jolene Niehaus, Mark White, Linda Clemen, Nina Goldsmith, Wendy Pillard, Tom Klaus, Tisha Knoppe.

The first meeting of the stockholders of the Farmer’s Savings Bank was held in Pott’s Store on Jan 12, 1907. Directors were F.A. Grimes, R.A. Gull, J.V. Bush, J.S. Merten, F.W. Klaus, C.H. Jacobs and M. W. Lovett. In 1912 a new brick two-story building was erected for a cost of $2,800, just north of the present site (now the Kuhlman Construction Company office). This was home to the Farmers Savings Bank until 1968, when they moved to their present facility on the corner of Main and Delaware. At the time, this bank was built for the cost of $45,000, and in 1981 was expanded at a cost of $59,798. John Juergens became the owner of the Farmers’ Savings Bank in November of 1964. At that time the bank had assets of $1,773,248. In 1993 their assets were over $17,000,000. And today their assets are $82,000,000. The Farmers Savings Bank had a part in financing the Lone Pine Country Club, a lumber yard, subdivisions, city parks, new fire station, new hardware building, new feed store, Community Center, gas station expansion, senior citizens housing, sanitary sewer system, Ed-Co Elementary School, new grocery store, medical center and more. This bank has for many years been the backbone of the community and continues to grow and support community projects. They now have branch offices in Elkport/Garber, Strawberry Point and Arlington. Following is a list of the Board of Directors since their organization in 1907 to their 100th Anniversary in 2007. F.A. Grimes 1907 – 1911 1914 – 1928; R.A. Gull 1907 – 1926; J.V. Bush 1907 – 1913; J.S. Merten 1907 – 1910; F.W. Klaus 1907 – 1935; C.W. Jacobs 1907; M.W. Lovett 1907 - 1909 – 1934; W.H. Eppens 1913- 1929; A.W. Rea 1908 – 1914; P.D. Peck 1915 – 1922; James Knee 1908 – 1909 1911-1929; G.A. Dodge 1909 1912 – 1913 1930 – 1942; J.P. Bolsinger 1922-1966; F.E. Bush 1926 – 1964; J.Wm. Lee 1929 – 1932; F.C. Wilson 1930 – 1952; A.G. Gull 1933 – 1952; Edith Hammond 1934 – 1964; F.C. Grimes 1936 – 1969; C.S. Klaus 1943 – 1964; A.J. Walters 1952 – 1965; Roland Wessel 1953 – 1965; Forrest Grimes 1965 – 1967; Chance Brown 1965 – 2006; Robert Wilson 1965 – 1972; John J. Juergens 1965; Kermit Kuhlman 1967 – 1972; Paul Livingston 1969 – 1999; Marilyn Juergens 1969 – present; Gerald Walters 1972; Lawson Waterman 1978 – 1983; Lavern Domeyer 1983 – ; Frank Hyde 1984 – 1991; Tim Juergens 1986 – ; Mark White 1998; Rodger Sear 1994; Reynold Tegeler 1999; Michael Brietbach 2005.

Iowa Lottery: Record sales in 2006 by Latisha Sand

The Iowa Lottery had record sales during the last fiscal year with most of the revenue coming from an increase in Powerball tickets, instant-scratch games and the TouchPlay machines. The sales totaled $339.5 million for the end of the 2006 fiscal year. According to lottery officials, that is a 61 percent increase from the 2005 fiscal year. “Throughout the years, the lottery has found success by offering variety in our products and concentrating on entertainment for our players,” said Dr. Ed Stanek, chief executive officer of the Iowa Lottery Authority. “We’ll continue that focus to ensure strong lottery revenues for the programs that benefit all Iowans.” More than $121.4 million of the net revenue came from the now illegal TouchPlay machines, com-pared to only $6.4 million the year before. The TouchPlay machines were outlawed in May of 2006, a month before the 2006 fiscal year ended. Delaware County had more than $1.7 million worth of lottery sales, with Buchanan County, Clayton County and Jones County selling $2.5 million, $2.4 million and $2.3 million respectively. Dubuque County had more than $10.9 million worth of sales and Linn County had more than $24.2 million for the 2006 fiscal year. The Iowa Lottery had a total operating revenue of $340,906,292 with total operating expenses of $259,296,559. Their total assets were $59,884,900, total liabilities were $56,119,272 and total net assets were $3,765,628. More than $79 million was transferred to the State General Fund and more than $1.7 million was transferred to the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Gambling Treatment Fund. “We’re pleased to know our products have helped provide valuable revenue for the programs that bene-fit all Iowans,” said Stanek. When former Governor Terry Branstad signed the Lottery Bill into law on April 18, 1985, the profits from the Iowa Lottery were earmarked for the Iowa Plan, a long-term economic development program. In 1991, the profits were moved for the environmental and cultural programs. One year later, all of the lottery profits were transferred to the Iowa State General Fund with a portion going toward the Gambling Treatment Fund, which is in charge of the 1-800-BETSOFF help line. According to the Iowa Department of Manage-ment, 60 percent of the profits go toward education, 24 percent go toward health and human services, 10 percent goes toward justice and the last 6 percent goes toward administration and regulation, agriculture and natural resources and eco-nomic development. “Figures show the lottery raised $80.9 million in revenues for state programs during fiscal year 2006, an increase of about 58 percent from the previous year,” said lottery officials in a media fact book that is published by the Iowa Lottery every year. “The lottery’s previous record for proceeds to the state was set in fiscal year 1995, when $58.2 million was raised for state programs.” The Iowa Lottery also helped secure financing for the Vision Iowa program, which was established in 2000 to provide tourist at-tractions and school repairs across the state. In March of 2006, the Iowa Lottery had raised $1 billion in profits for the state programs. “The $1 billion bench-mark emphasizes the point that when you play the lot-tery, all of Iowa wins,” said Stanek.

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