The Wright County
Monitor
Salute to Veterans Section 2
Mikaela Livengood Page 12
Three local businesses compete for $5,000 prize By: Clae Goater Three small businesses from Wright County have entered the Dream Big, Grow Here contest looking for a shot at a $5,000 regional prize, and maybe even the statewide $10,000 grand prize. The three businesses are Beyond Baby, based out of Eagle Grove and owned by Liz Neighbors; Wright Eyes by Danny, based out of Clarion and owned by Danny DeVries; and The Green Impact Company, based out of Eagle Grove and owned by Laura Dicke. These three businesses are competing with nine others in the North Iowa region. The regional finalists will be determined through online voting. The polls are open from Nov. 4 through Nov. 18. Anyone with a Facebook account can vote for their favorite business one time each day. At the end of the voting period, the five businesses with the highest number of votes will compete in a “pitch-off” to a panel that will decide the winner. The winner of the North Iowa regional prize will be eligible to compete for the $10,000 statewide prize. Beyond Baby has been in business just short of a year, helping new mothers learn about breastfeeding. Neighbors started the business after being a nurse and a mother who was frustrated with feeding her child. She realized that there was no service in the area that helped mothers breastfeed, and went to fill the niche. Neighbors found out about the contest through her sister, who’d taken part in the contest in the past. If she wins, Neighbors plans on using the money to purchase a record-keeping app for the iPad. “It’s called Mobile Lactation Consultant. It helps keep everything wireless and paperless,” Neighbors said. “When I come to homes, I’ll be able to tell mothers ‘This is what you need,” then I can print them a copy off then and there. I’ll be able to send things off to their doctor right there.” “If you vote for me, that money’s not just going to me. It’s money going to the entire community. I serve people as far away as Ft. Dodge and Mason City,” Neighbors said. “Hopefully, this money will mean better services for families and for the community.” DeVries opened up Wright Eyes by Danny, Clarion’s new optometrist’s office, just a few months ago, but she’s got 32 years of experience in the field. She says she
received help entering the contest through the Iowa Small Business Development Center in Fort Dodge. If DeVries wins, she plans on spending the money to revamp
Wright Eyes by Danny
her website and her social media presence. “I’ve got to get my name out there so that people know I’m here and in business,” DeVries said. “I’ve got a small website now, but I want to try to get something where, if you want to schedule an exam or order some safety glasses, you can do it through the website. “ “You can vote daily, so don’t forget to log in every day and cast your vote,” DeVries said. The Green Impact Company started business in Eagle Grove this September. They specialize in various home and office improvement products, including gutter protection, insulation, and security window shutters. “We sell exclusive-rights products that are unique in the area. I think these are products people want, and they can’t get them anywhere else in the area, so I think they’ll want us to succeed,” Dicke said. If she wins, Dicke plans on using the money for print and online advertisement. “We’re definitely trying to reach machine companies in the area,” Dicke said. “Having print info and email would make it a lot easier to get ahold of.” If you’re interested in voting for a small business in the Dream Big, Grow Here contest, you can vote online through www. dreambiggrowhere.com
144th year Number 45
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Official newspaper of Wright County
On May 30, 2010, the local church board voted unanimously to add the name “Lighthouse” to the church, because they felt it was indicative of what the church does. The week before the Lighthouse Church’s anniversary, Pastor Dana Wendel attended a prayer conference
www.clarionnewsonline.com
The story of a Civil War Veteran BY KIM DEMORY egeagle@goldfieldaccess.net William Andrew Morris was born June 7, 1821 in Ohio. At the age of 12, he quit school and worked as a hired hand to save money to buy his own farm. At the age of 43, with a wife and 11 children, he joined the Union army to fight in the American Civil War. Mike Goater, the great, great grandson of William Morris, dressed in a Union uniform, has begun traveling around the area speaking of the life of Morris and his involvement in the Civil War. No matter how it was referred to - the North versus the South; The Blue versus the Grey; the War between the States, or the Civil War, the fact of the matter is it proved to be one of the costliest wars ever on American soil. More than half a million soldiers were killed, hundreds of thousand more were injured, and the south was left in ruins. The Civil War began in the spring of 1861. Many thought it would only last a few months as they battled over slavery, westward expansion, and state rights. They were wrong. As the battles forged on, President Lincoln, in the fight against slavery, asked “older” men to join in the war efforts for one month. On February 4, 1865, at the age of 43, William Andrew Morris answered the call. A $100 “bounty”, or signing bonus as we would refer to it today, is what captured his attention. In those days, Goater said, that was enough money to buy a small farm and
was very attractive to a man with many mouths to feed. Morris earned $16 a month and was provided with food while in the Army. Most jobs back then only paid $10 - $14, so Morris was happy to be able to serve his country and provide for his family. “Older” men were not typically sent into direct battle. Instead, Morris’ responsibilities included guard duty for things like supplies, food, ammo, railroad bridges and stations, and Confederate prisoners. By May 30, 1865, Morris was promoted to Corporal. Morris left from the Army on August 4, 1865. In 1868, he and his wife, now with 12 children, packed up their bags and came to Iowa by Riverboat. It cost $10 per person and was cheaper than coming by train. After the portrayal of William Andrew Morris, Goater takes a few seconds to remove his hat, and then comes back, center stage, as himself. This time he talks about being a Civil War Union Band member. Goater proudly takes out some of the instruments of Civil War days, playing familiar wake up calls and more. Civil War Band members were typically paid between $16 and $20 per month for their services. The purpose of the band was to provide marching music and inspiration for the soldiers who had to march 20 to 25 miles per day. Marching to music made it easier and less daunting. Band members were also recruited to carry stretchers with wounded soldiers on and drive horse-drawn ambulances during times of battle.
Eagle Grove High School alumnus, Mike Goater, returned to Eagle Grove schools on Wednesday, Oct. 16 for a Civil War lesson. Photo by Kim Demory At the beginning of the war, the music played was happy and upbeat. As the war drug on, however, tempos slowed and became more serious and sad. Goater also plays one of the most familiar pieces of music from the Civil War, The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Goater began giving Civil War
talks on his great, great grandfather just this fall. He said it was his participation in a Cedar Rapids Civil War Band that made think about doing it in the first place since he had the Union Corporal coat for the band. Goater said as a 1965 graduate of EGHS.
i2i Clarion Inc. helping with housing development By: Clae Goater Several weeks ago, the city announced it’s plans to work with i2i Clarion, Inc., a recentlyformed private group, on getting a new housing development on the northeast side of town. The plan is that i2i will act as developer for the project, and will purchase the necessary land at an estimated cost of around $360,000. The city will cover the costs of improving the infrastructure for the housing development, estimated at around $2.5 million. i2i was formed a few months back, for the express purpose of pushing the housing development project ahead. It is currently in
the process of applying for nonprofit status. It’s an eight-person committee made up of Terry Utech, Robert Olson, Bud Sumners, Kirk Reir, Shelley Pohlman, John DeVries, and Dave Maxheimer, with Carol Haupt as its chairperson. “We selected the board from people who’ve been working on housing throughout the years,” said Haupt. “It’s a very diverse group. We tried to get involved with the major businesses in town, because they have the most employment,” Utech said. “We tried to get realtors involved, insurance involved, attorneys, and the school, because
Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene celebrates 60th anniversary By: Clae Goater The Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene celebrated its 60th anniversary on Nov. 3. They had longtime Iowa pastor Dan Arnold speak, along with the Church of the Nazarene’s new district superintendent Kim Smith. They also had a bounce house and face painting for the kids. The history of Clarion’s Church of the Nazarene starts in July of 1952, when Eva Riles set out to start a church in Clarion. She partnered with two ministers from Boone, Helen Miller and Luella Eisberry, and the reverend of the Boone Nazarene Church, Paul Beaver. Beaver held a revival in an old schoolhouse in Clarion. In the summer of 1953, they set up a tent in Clarion to continue giving services there. Gene E. Phillips, then District Superintendent of Iowa, began planning to set up a permanent Nazarene Church in Clarion. An old chicken house had to be torn down to make way for the new building. Phillips brought the Rev. Grubbs to Clarion from Kentucky to give services there. In 1957, the church changed locations to 820 1st St. SW, during the pastorate of James Stark. For the next decade the church grew, reaching its peak in the 1970s. In March of 1979, a new building was built for the Church of the Nazarene at its current location, during the ministry of the Rev. Charles and Mildred Byers.
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in Texas. He also visited Pilot Point, Tx., where The Holiness Church of Christ merged with the Pentecostal Nazarenes to form the Church of the Nazarene in 1908. “(The monument at Pilot Point) is just a couple of big rocks. Hopefully, our church is not just a monument,
Pastor and Mrs. Dana Wendel
but will be live people wanting to reach out to others. Wanting to know the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ,” Wendel said. “We’re here to help people to see they can get out of their addictions or struggles. Sometimes it could be an instant, other times it takes time.”
it takes every one of those to put a project together like this.” By developing through i2i, Clarion will be able to sidestep the red tape that comes with selling property through the city. If they city tried to sell off the land on their own, they would have to hold public hearings each time they wanted to sell a lot. Public notices would have to run in the paper, and bidding would be open to everyone. “It would be cost prohibitive for the city to do it,” said City Administrator Shelley Pohlman. “And the city doesn’t want to be a developer in the first place. “ “(People interested in buying land) don’t want to go to the city council, put in a bid request, get their name in the paper, get (their request) approved, get their name in the paper again. It’s a process that nobody really wants to go through,” Utech said. “There are so many municipality regulations that they have to go through, that make it very cumbersome for the city. “ “It makes everything a little more confidential,” said Haupt. “We just needed a developer, and for lack of one coming forward, we’ve had to become a developer.” Utech and Haupt say that Clarion needs to expand it’s housing to thrive. “There’s really a need for new housing development in Clarion. Hagie was hiring people, the hospital was hiring people. We’ve had a lot of people that want to live here, but we didn’t have the housing for them,” Utech said. “We’re losing them to … everywhere around us, which hurts our school, our city, our downtown … we knew there was a need, and there has been a need for a long time” “In Clarion, housing has always been an obstacle. According to the Iowa Association of Realtors, Iowa as a whole will have a housing shortage by 2015,” Haupt said. i2i looks to funding their portion of the expenses, in part, with loans through Cornbelt Power and Prairie Energy. “They each have a program where you can borrow up to $150,000 each, for a total $300,000. It’s set aside for projects like this, to enhance the community,” Utech said. “i2i is going to tap into some of
those funds to purchase the ground.” Haupt says that i2i has already accounted for the $60,000 that will not be funded through loans, but did not give specific details about where it came from. The city will be funding their portion of the cost through tax increment financing. When and if i2i actually gets to the point where it’s selling off properties, the revenue from the sales will be divided between i2i and the city to cover their expenses. “Once you purchase a lot, you’re actually purchasing it from i2i. i2i will give you an abstract and a deed for that property,” Utech said. “Once the person pays for that lot, a portion of that lot will go repay the loan to Cornbelt and Prairie Energy. Part of it will go to pay the infrastructure, which will go back to the city.” As of yet, i2i doesn’t know what the lots will cost, or the exact method that the city and i2i will use to split the revenue. However, they did have some details about the housing development’s lots and structures. “Each lot will be individualized, because there are going to be some lots that are a little bit bigger and more desirable. And we’re going to have a water-retention basin, and the lots on the retention basin are obviously going to be a little more expensive and go for more than an average lot would,” Utech said. “The way that the project is laid out, it’s laid out for single family dwellings. There’s also a portion of it that could be multiple dwellings. They could be condos or townhomes.” The first phase of the development will consist of 22 lots. If the first phase is successful, there are plans for two additional phases. The second phase would add eight more lots to the development, and the third would add nine more. Haupt said that nearby communities have used private committees as developers in the past with success. “We’re not reinventing the wheel. Humboldt’s done this and it was successful. Humboldt had the same entities on the board that we do. That was successful. It’s a proven model,” Haupt said. “ We took the time and we went to Humboldt, and they shared all the information with us on how they did it, and we modeled our plan after theirs. “