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Graphic - Advocate WEDNESDAY

| JUNE 25, 2014|VOLUME 125| ISSUE 26

Rockwell City Office 712-297-7544 • advocate@iowatelecom.net - Lake City Office 712-464-3188 • lcgraphic@iowatelecom.net Titans in action See Page 12

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Lake City man charged with double murder Kids take turns wakeboarding over several hours each day at the Twin Lakes Christian Center Bible Camp. (Graphic-Advocate photo by Ken Ross)

Wakeboarding is highlight of Bible camp The Twin Lakes Christian Center conducts four-day summer Bible camps that provide a variety of fun activities with the highlight being the sport of wakeboarding, which combines elements of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing. The Christian Center operates two camps during the summer with other youth organizations conducting their own camps during the summer, using

the Christian Center’s facilities and lifeguards. The different sessions accommodate a wide age range of youth and teach wakeboarding techniques for beginning and intermediate skill levels. The Bible campers stay at the facility and the daily schedule includes Bible study. Some of the kids get an early morning start to their wakeboarding, before Bible

study and before breakfast. There are other recreational activities for those not out in one of the three boats used for wakeboarding. When rainy whether prevented the campers from going out one day last week, the indoor activities included dodge ball, basketball, rock wall climbing and an indoor version of paintball.

Honoring a colleague

Members of the Rockwell City Fire Department gathered at the fire station on June 22 prior to the funeral of a fellow firefighter, Nicholas Hildreth, who died of an accident at the age of 28. (GraphicAdvocate photo by Ken Ross)

According to information from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation - On Thursday, June 19, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Agents, along with an Iowa State Patrol Tactical Team, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputies, executed a search and arrest warrant for 53 year-old Thomas Henderson of Lake City. Based on investigative findings, sufficient probable cause was developed to file charges. Henderson was arrested and taken into custody without incident at an apartment building in Lake City. Henderson is charged with two counts of first degree murder in connection with the deaths of Tammie Lee Devore, 48, and Karl Allen Devore, 30, both of Glidden. On Sunday, May 18, 2014, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 of an unconscious individual at 129 Carroll Street, Lot #5 in Glidden. Upon arrival and through further investigation, law enforcement officials discovered Tammie Devore and Karl Devore deceased at the residence. Thomas Henderson is currently being held in the Carroll County Jail. Carroll radio station KCIM reported on Friday further information regarding the investigation that led to the arrest of Henderson: “Investigators with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation found a knife blade, black knife handle and a knife labeled ‘yoshiblade ‘ in proximity to the body of Karl Devore during the

Thomas Henderson investigation into the murders... The evidence was sent to the state crime lab for analysis. The DNA lab report showed blood on the blade and handles of the knives that matched that of Karl and Tammie Devore but also found unknown DNA in a mixture on the black knife handle. The unknown DNA was run through the state database and came back unknown. It was then run through a nationwide

database and came back with a match from California to Thomas Guy Henderson who was residing in Lake City. Henderson has previous criminal convictions in California which led to the DNA match.” The investigation continues into this case. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake City Police Department assisted with the investigation.

Rockwell City plans building condemnations By Ken Ross At the June 16 meeting of the city council of Rockwell City, council members indicated that their patience has run out regarding a number of unsightly and dangerous properties in the town. According to City Clerk Kelly Smidt, the council members reached a consensus on having buildings torn down. Some of the building were formerly residences but all are currently unoccupied. One nonresidential property that the city has been trying to get repaired or removed for years is the former Martin Motel on High Street, which is actually a group of cabins that has been unused for a long time. Smidt said she has contacted the owner, Don Laing, in Florida. Laing sought answers to a series of questions regarding what is expected but the council members felt no need to provide a more detailed response than already provided through years

of working with Laing. Another non-residential property is a substantial brick building known as the Courtyard, located at 312 Court St., owned by John Niedowics of Lohrville. About two years ago, Niedowics bought three properties that were already on the city’s list of properties to be eliminated. In addition to the Courtyard, he obtained a house at 308 Pleasant Street and another property on Richmond Street. He has transferred ownership of the Richmond Street property to someone else but has communicated to the council that he had plans for the other buildings. The council decided there has not been sufficient progress on either building. A different property owner had requested an extension for work at 712 5th St. Since that property was new to the list this year, the council granted the requested extension until Sept. 1. Properties for which condemnation

are going forward include 141 Lewis St., a Washington Street property, 521 Lake St., 107 Pleasant St. and 709 6th St. Some properties have been taken off the list because the owners have either repaired or demolished the property. *** Vision 2020 honored Rockwell City as one of 16 Iowa entities (cities and counties) to achieve gender equity on appointed councils and committees (elected positions are not included in the equity assessment).

Smidt explained that precise equity cannot be achieved on each public body since they have odd numbers of members but each public body is as gender balanced as possible as is the total number of board and commission members. *** Dave Hardin has revised plans to start an ice cream business across from the courthouse square. He plans to start an ice cream business in the city park near the swimming pool by July 1. The city will work with him to try to make this happen.

Last joint school board meeting held By Ken Ross The South Central Calhoun, Rockwell City-Lytton and Southern Cal school boards met for the last time in joint session on Monday June 22. Superintendent Jeff Kruse said that the RCL and the S.Cal boards will each need to meet separately one more time in July to release assets to the SCC district. Kruse said each of these meetings should only last about five minutes. The RCL Board consists of Mike Sexton, Roscoe Simpson, Brad Assman, Jo Grodahl, and Ron Maulsby. The S.Cal Board consists of Jim Brown, Mark Schleisman, Ann Gemberling, Judy Hungate, and Larry Irwin. The South Central Calhounl Board consists of Jim Brown, Mark Schleisman, Judy Hungate, Mike Sexton, Roscoe Simpson, Brad Assman and Ron Maulsby. *** The SCC board approved putting a Public Education and Recreation Levy (PERL) on he ballot in September. The 13.5 cent per $1,000 taxable valuation would be used for recreational expenses such as playgrounds and playground equipment. The referendum would need a simple majority to pass and remains

in effect unless it is voted out by the public. *** Ron Kalous informed the board that new Department of Transportation requirements are making it difficult to recruit bus drivers, already a difficult task. Anyone who holds a CDL license, including bus drivers as well as truck drivers, needs to meet the same kind of requirements regardless of type of job held. This includes memorization of parts of the DOT manual to be recited back word for word. This is not so much a test of knowledge of the material as it is a test of rote memorization ability. Bus drivers will likely be required to take a inconvenient and costly ($3,000) sleep apnea study. This is an impractical requirement for bus drivers and the kind of fatigue caused by sleep apnea is not as likely to be an issue for bus drivers as for long-distance truckers. *** The board approved a one-day lease agreement with the Pomeroy Knights to use the football field on July 12. The board approved plans for the installation of a security system on a separate building that houses weightlifting and other gym equipment.

Celebration coming to Lake City Cowgirls and cowboys of all ages will be having fun at the Western Days in Lake City, which will include activities on the square and at the rodeo grounds on June 28 & 29. See the advertisement on page 13 of this issue for further details. (2013 Graphic-Advocate file photo)

Elvis is in the gazebo

An Elvis impersonator provided the grand finale to the evening’s musical entertainment on the courthouse square during the Rockwell City Lion’s 75th Anniversary celebration. More Lion’s celebration photos are inside. (Graphic-Advocate photo by Ken Ross)


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