The Wright County
Monitor
Sports Page 13
147th year Number 9
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Official newspaper of Wright County
$1.00 per copy www.clarionnewsonline.com
Two C-G-D middle school Krys Korner a continuing part of the community students expelled Kacey Ginn, editor Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com Following closed session disciplinary hearings with the school board on February 22, two middle school students were expelled for possession of controlled substances on school grounds. Four students total attended discipline hearings. One student has been allowed to return to ClarionGoldfield-Dows, and one student must start attending another school. Both were required to submit to drug tests. When asked about the difference between those two cases, Superintendent Bob Olson said, “It was considered what was best for the students.” Initially, the board planned on disciplinary hearings for three students, but Olson said that was the result of a misunderstanding before administration realized four students were involved. Olson declined to comment on what sort of substance the expelled students had possessed.
They will be able to come before the board to request approval to re-enter the school next fall. When students are expelled from C-G-D, they are not able to enroll at another school until their expulsion period is over. However, students have the opportunity to continue their schoolwork from home. According to the 2014 Iowa Youth Survey, which is sponsored by the state departments of education, public health, and others, 2 percent of 6th graders and 4 percent of 8th graders in Wright County reported having used marijuana, 1 percent of 6th graders and 3 percent of 8th graders reported having used prescription drugs not intended for their use, and 3 percent of 6th graders and 2 percent of 8th graders reported having used electronic cigarettes. Those numbers are very close to state averages.
Elm Lake restoration causes controversy
Changes at lake become separate issue from drainage Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com At 1 p.m. on Monday, the plant life and control the invasive supervisors had scheduled a work carp population before restoring session for improvements to DD#39, water levels. Though the tile which is tied into the Department improvement may help the drainage of Natural Resources’ restoration district, the supervisors had recently project for Elm Lake. The work heard some feedback from people session involved discussion with living near the lake who do not want engineers about tile size and the the lake to be restored. Reasons for technical requirements of the opposing the restoration include project. “They’ve got an old [tile] easier access for fishing and general and a new one running together, so appearance. A similar restoration at they want to see what it would do Big Wall Lake resulted in clearer to get rid of them and have a bigger water and more plant and animal one,” Board Chairman Stan Watne life, but also lined the banks with said. vegetation and allegedly made it The tile capacity improvement appear more like a marsh. Since lake would allow the DNR to temporarily continued on page 2 drain the lake to establish natural
wrightcomonitor@gmail.com Located at 121 1st Ave NE on the courthouse square, Krys Korner, according to Mosaic’s assistant director, Marybeth Russell, has been a part of Clarion in one form or another for more than 30 years. With some changes in appearance and changes in operation, they hope to be part of the community for many years more. The name Krys Korner comes from its parent organization, Mosaic’s, previous name, Krysalis. It had its official ribbon cutting in its current location in March of 2007. It is one of only two Mosaic-based stores in Iowa and is thus a unique community resource. However, Mosaic and the store’s workers feel that though Krys Korner serves a need, lately been overlooked. “The public, possibly due to our lack of community presence, has gotten this misconception that Krys Korner is closing,” said Sarah Holmes, community relations manager for Mosaic. “We just want to let people know we’re still open.” Holmes said painting and remodeling temporarily changed the store’s hours and removed its sign. However, the Krys Korner sign is now back, and the store is currently taking donations. Holmes said people had been coming in and asking why their recent donations weren’t in the store. “Things are selling that fast. We can’t keep the shelves full,” Holmes said. “That tells us the community has a need for inexpensive and good used items,” Russel added, “and we really need to focus on the needs of the community.” Since its first inception as a clothes closet maintained by the ecumenical women’s association, Krys Korner has always been about serving the community and continues to do so through its goods and also the medical loan chest it houses. People who’ve recently gone
through surgery or illness can borrow items like wheelchairs, crutches, and commodes to use during their recovery. “That is something the community approached us about taking over,” Russell said. Even when donations are not suitable for the store, Krys Korner can still use items to serve. “Anything we don’t use, we send on to the DAV (Disabled American Vets). Items are not being thrown away,” Russell said. Couches or other large items can’t be taken without prior consent, but sometimes they might be used in Mosaic housing or passed directly on to someone in the area who needs them. Holmes said they can work with local service organizations to serve those needs. “Too often, I think we’re visualized as a charity or a recipient of goodwill more than being a partner,” she said. Equally important, with that
strong community role, the people that Mosaic serves have more of an opportunity to become part of the community. While working in the store, people with intellectual disabilities learn business skills and keep up a side business imprinting napkins and making buttons. However, they also interact with customers and form relationships. Dawn Cordle manages her own section of Krys Korner that holds new personal items for sale. She uses a price gun, does inventory, answers the phone, and operates the cash register. “We’ve really seen Dawn grow a lot in confidence,” Russell said. “She has really blossomed in participating in the community, and forming her own relationships—not only relationships in Mosaic.” Cordle’s favorite thing about working in Krys Korner is being able to interact with people every day. She also thinks Krys Korner fills
a need by hosting a variety of items you might not find in local stores. “You can just stop at Krys Korner. The only thing we don’t take is appliances,” Cordle said. With all that Krys Korner does, they could use some help in a few areas. “Right now the store is very low,” Russell said. “We’re getting ready now for summer, so any summer donations will be appreciated.” As part of their goal to increase community involvement, Holmes said the store could use volunteers to help organize shelves, clerk, and work with individuals. “We would like if anyone was interested in helping with that,” she said. Holmes said that they’ve had some great support over the years and more recently with assistance for the remodeling. Mosaic hopes those relationships will keep growing and that Krys Korner can continue to be a community partner.
Fourth graders create “wax sculpture” museum Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com As the culmination of their sixweek biography unit, fourth graders at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows spent an hour pretending to be wax sculptures of historical figures. Visitors to the event on February 25 pressed a “button” on a poster next to the student, and he or she would come
to life and explain some facts about the person they had researched. Miss Natalie Reeder, fourth grade language arts teacher, said the students had worked very hard. Each had to write a research paper about the person they were pretending to be. The unit as a whole helped teach
reading and writing skills as well as letting students explore history. “They’re doing a wonderful job,” Reeder said. The students were dressed in costumes and were very confident as they explained what they were best known for and gave a quote from
their historical figure. Some of the “sculptures” included politicians like Thomas Jefferson and Nelson Mandela, scientists like Jane Goodall and George Washington Carver, and cultural figures like Walt Disney and Babe Ruth.
Ray Charles
Bessie Coleman
Ernest Hemmingway
Benjamin Franklin
Harry Houdini