Hampton Chronicle, September 4, 2013

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WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 4, 2013 | Volume 136 | Number 36

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UP FRONT

Are you ready for some

Sing A-Long set for Sept. 8

FOOTBALL?

Windsor Theatre’s Old Fashioned Sing-Along is Sunday, September 8 from 4-5 p.m. in Hampton. Please join Dawn Groszkruger, who will lead a variety of songs, including a new one; “Mockin’ Bird Hill.� Ali Holmes from Coulter will be the accompanist. Last month’s sing-along drew a crowd of 42 folks from area towns with some newcomers from Hampton and Meservey. There is no admission charge. However, if you wish to donate to the theater a basket is provided. Fritz will hand you a lyric book as you arrive and the concession stand will be open. Please mark your calendars!! October’s sing-along will be Monday, Oct. 14th at 7 p.m., accompanist Melba Muhlenbruch. For more information, please call Dawn at 641-425-8716.

Interview Interv iiew Inside

Branstaaad answers Branstad Chroni iccle editor’s Chronicle questio on ns questions

By Jeff Forw Forward ward wa Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Re Reynolds eynolds visited Hampton on Aug. 277 for a town hall meeting open to th the he public. The govern governor nor took a few minutes from his busy schedule to do a quick interview with the Hampton Chronicle New Editor Jeff Forward. This interview is also available on the Chronicle’s ustream.tv channel. Q&A with Branstad: See Page 2

INSIDE

Complete coverage of Friday nights season opening games! Sports: Pages 12, 13, & 18

Beeds Lake problems discussed at community meeting

By Jeff Forward The serious challenges facing Beeds Lake were laid out to the public by Iowa Department of Natural 5HVRXUFHV RIÂżFLDOV RQ $XJ DW D special meeting at Maynes Grove. Chief among the issues discussed was the recurrent problem of high phosphorus levels in the lake, which causes unsafe levels of blue-green algae – which can be dangerous to humans or animals. Also revealed at the meeting was that the swimming area at Beeds Lake had been closed “50 percent of weekendsâ€? this summer due to E. By Nick Pedley coli bacteria levels being dangerous$Q RQJRLQJ 8QLRQ 3DFLÂżF UDLOURDG ly high. project has reached its halfway point The meeting was led by two DNR near Chapin. RIÂżFLDOV -HII %HUFNHV Âą WKH '15 The company has been working state coordinator for the Total Maxon a massive rail tie replacement job imum Daily Load program – and on their rail line from Mason City William Graham, a senior environto Iowa Falls. The project began on mental engineer with the DNR. $XJ DQG RIÂżFLDOV KRSH WR ZUDS XS The meeting was set up to address around mid-September. According concerns that locals and members WR D VWDWHPHQW IURP 8QLRQ 3DFLÂżF of the Friends of Beeds Lake group workers will replace 50,500 railroad WLHV LQVWDOO WRQV RI URFN EDOODVW DQG UHVXUIDFH URDG FURVVLQJV The project’s cost was estimated DW PLOOLRQ DQG LV FRPSOHWHO\ IXQG- By Jeff Forward Local residents packed into the HG E\ 8QLRQ 3DFLÂżF Center One meeting room in Hamp“In addition to helping move customers’ goods more safely and ef- ton on Aug. 27 where they heard ÂżFLHQWO\ RXU LQYHVWPHQWV VXSSRUW from Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on FRPPXQLWLHV E\ UHGXFLQJ WUDIÂżF state issues and peppered him with congestion, facilitating industrial questions on a variety of topics. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reyndevelopment and promoting ecoQRPLF H[SDQVLRQ ´ 8QLRQ 3DFLÂżF olds made the visit to Hampton last Vice President Donna Kush said in a week as part of their tour of the VWDWHÂśV FRXQWLHV statement. The goal of the tour, he said, was The large-scale project is one of almost 1,500 other improvements to update the citizens on progress his 8QLRQ 3DFLÂżF KDV SODQQHG IRU LWV administration has made on a severrail network this year. According to al issues he highlighted when he was Mark Davis, Director of Corporate elected. The governor also listened Relations and Media for Union Pa- to locals and answered questions as FLÂżFÂśV 1RUWKHUQ 5HJLRQ PRVW WLHV RQ best he could. “I want to thank you all for the Mason City-Iowa Falls line havjoining us here. I am pleased to be en’t been replaced since 2004. “There’s really no set time on back in Franklin County, and I apwhen we decide to do replacement,â€? preciate the opportunity to report to said Davis. “It’s based on inspection you what’s going on in the state of Iowa,â€? Branstad began. “Last Januand it varies from track to track.â€? 'DYLV VDLG WUDLQ WUDIÂżF SOD\V D ary, when I had the honor of giving the condition of the state address to 8QLRQ 3DFLÂżF See Page 3

Union Pacific progressing southward with rail tie replacement

had about recurring algae build-ups as well as e. coli closures and water quality in general. Berckes said that the request for help from the DNR was an unusual one. Âł,WÂśV XQLTXH LQ P\ ÂżYH \HDUV IRU someone to petition us to come in and help,â€? Berckes said. “We try to work with people to see what works best with their watershed.â€? Graham presented his scientifLF ÂżQGLQJV WR DERXW SHRSOH ZKR were in attendance at the Maynes Grove lodge house. Graham called Beeds Lake an “important resourceâ€? for the community as it is used for recreational DFWLYLWLHV VXFK DV ÂżVKLQJ VZLPPLQJ paddling, wildlife viewing or simply relaxation. The study of Beeds Lake involved assessing the lake as well as its masVLYH ZDWHUVKHG Âą ZKLFK VRPH RIÂżcials estimate to be at least 20,000 acres or more. Graham also said that his study tried to identify pollutants

going into the lake and their sources. The main issue the study revealed, Graham said, was that “too many� nutrients – such as phosphorus – were going into the lake and hence were causing algae growth and problems. The excessive amounts of phosphorus cause algal blooms and also help create blue-green algae, which Graham stressed can be dangerous to animals or humans. “You don’t want to get that on your skin,� Graham said of the bluegreen algae while showing a photograph of it in Beeds Lake a projector. “You don’t want to ingest it. The algae last summer was probably the worst you’re going to see.� Graham also mentioned E. coli outbreaks in the lake, which prompted Beeds Lake State Park Ranger Terry Manning to admit that on “50 percent of weekends� this summer, the beach at Beeds Lake was closed due to E. coli levels being too danBeeds Lake: See Page 3

the joint session of the Iowa legislature, I laid out a very focused but ambitious agenda. The goals were to reduce property taxes for all classes or property; restore a leadership position for Iowa’s education system; and make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation by expanding access to physicians and healthcare.� “We had a common theme in our address, that this is our opportunity because this is our Iowa,� Branstad continued. “Today, I am pleased to report on our results.� Branstad ran for governor on a platform of creating 200,000 new jobs for Iowans, a 15 percent reduction in government spending, a 25 percent increase in family incomes and developing the best schools in the nation. The governor and Reynolds both spoke on many of the issues, especially education improvements and advancements in the STEM (science, technology, enginnering, and Branstad: See Page 2

VOTE JEFF ROSENBERG for the Hampton-Dumont school board!

Retirement party planned for police Capt. Hilton on Sept. 11

A public open house celebrating WKH \HDU FDUHHU RI +DPSWRQ SRlice Capt. James Hilton is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 11. The popular Hilton, who is being forced to retire due to age-restricWLRQV RQ ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW RI¿FHUV LQ Iowa, will be honored at the event being held in City Hall, at Second Street Northwest. The festivities are slated to begin at 4 p.m. and will continue through 6 p.m. Free coffee will be provided as will a celebratory cake in honor of Hilton. The public is welcome to attend and encouraged to come bid farewell to one of Hampton’s longest-serving SROLFH RI¿FLDOV

Heat causes 5-straight early outs at West Fork last week

William Graham, a senior environmental engineer with the Iowa DNR, tells attendees about the Beeds Lake water quality study. (Photo by Jeff Forward, Hampton Chronicle.)

Branstad holds Hampton town hall meeting

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Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad addresses local residents at Center One on Aug. 27.

By Nick Pedley Last week’s hot and steamy weather created quite an uncomfortable situation for both students and faculty at West Fork. “I walk into my room and it’s like a whole other world – like a wall of heat,â€? said Kristen Determan, reading and language instructor at Rockwell. &ODVVHV ZHUH GLVPLVVHG HDUO\ Ă€YH days in a row from Aug. 26-30. Both VFKRRO EXLOGLQJV LQ 6KHIĂ€HOG DQG Rockwell do not have air conditioning, and the scorching temperatures and thick humidity made classrooms almost unbearable. According to Superintendent Darrin Strike, school was dismissed early due to heat only four times in the last six years prior to last week. “Students become lethargic when it gets this hot, and we’ve experienced some nausea,â€? said Strike. “But we’ve been very productive in the classroom because people come prepared. So when it becomes so unbearable, they’re done.â€? )DQV ZHUH D GRPLQDQW Ă€[WXUH LQ classrooms and hallways throughout both buildings. Teachers watched over their students with a keen eye to make sure they were doing OK, and water breaks were common. Faculty members said the majority of students came to class ready to work through the heat and get the day over with. However, keeping the attention of \RXQJHU VWXGHQWV SURYHG WR EH D GLIĂ€cult task. “One little guy came in here from a break, sat down in front of a fan and decided that’s where he was going to be,â€? said Sonna McMahon, kinderEarly Dismissal: See Page 2

O F T R MY KID S E B E H T T N A S‌ W I

With two kids in the public school system, I understand the challenges students, studen parents and teachers face on a daily basis. That’s why I’m dedicated to finding solutions that cultivate student success and dedi foster f a community spirit.

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AND YOURS.

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Paid for by Jeff Rosenberg • 18 Windsor Blvd., Hampton, IA 50441

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