The 2016 Pine Lake Edition inside TUESDAY May 31, 2016
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF HARDIN COUNTY
E L D O R A, I O W A
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I will not become a celebrity politician
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Steve King gets a primary challenge for the 4th Congressional District seat by Rick Patrie News Editor ELDORA – It is all in the political family, so the criticism is somewhat constrained, but Rick Bertrand of Sioux City says there are real difference between himself and fellow Republican Steve King, both of whom want to be in Congress representing northwestern and central Iowa. King is the long term incumbent, first elected in 2003, and Bertrand has launched a somewhat rare interparty challenge to the sitting Congressman. “I will not be a celebrity politician. “I want to be a working one. “I think you can hold to your conservative beliefs and still be a practical working Congressman for your constituents,” Bertrand said to
Newsbriefs Hubbard City Garage Sales June 4
The City of Hubbard will be having the city garage sales on Saturday, June 4, from 8 a.m. until ? Maps will be available at Casey’s and Hometown Foods.
a small group of visitors at the Pizza Ranch in Eldora last week. Bertrand says he thinks King brought that sentiment to the job early in his tenure in the US House, but Bertrand says King’s let it slip away in favor of becoming a national issues spokesman and a force to be reconed with – a kingmaker – in Presidential politics. “I guess, you won’t find me on television down at the (Mexican) border quite so often.” Bertrand says he would rather that an Iowa Congressman take a more significant role in House agriculture deliberations, especially with a new and complex farm bill due to come up in just a couple more years.” He points to King’s support of Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the primary season run-up, and to Cruz’s
Electoral College bound?
Ackley Medical Center Rummage Sale June 4
The employees of Ackley Medical Center will hold a rummage sale at the AGWSR High School Commons on Saturday, June 4, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Funds will benefit the Ackley Volunteer Ambulance Service cot drive.
Ivester Church Garage Sale June 4
The Ivester Church of the Brethren will be holding a garage sale on Saturday, June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will serve a light breakfast and lunch and will be having a bake sale. A wide variety of items will be available. The church is located at 25056 E Ave., rural Grundy Center.
Ackley Sauerkraut City Garage Sales June 3 & 4
Ackley Sauerkraut City Garage Sales will be on Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4. List and map available at King’s Hometow, Kum & Go, and Casey’s.
Liscomb City Garage Sales June 4
Liscomb City Garage Sales will be held on Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vendors in Liscomb Community Center. Lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. by the Liscomb Lively Laborers 4-H group.
Pancake Breakfast at Hardin County Farm Museum June 4
The Hardin County Farm Museum in Eldora will be holding a pancake breakfast on Saturday, June 4 from 7 to 9:30 a.m. They will be serving pancakes, sausage, fruit and drinks. Cost is by donation. Everyone is welcome! (continued on page 4)
Polly Granzow by Rick Patrie News Editor HARDIN COUNTY – Should presumptive GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump win the state of Iowa come November, Eldora’s Polly Granzow will be called up to participate in an obscure little ritual of American Presidential Politics. It occurs in December once the actual balloting is complete. The Electoral College had gone years and years without meriting much attention, until 2000 when the Presidential popular vote and the electoral vote went their seperate ways. The electoral vote had the last word (as, technically, it always does.) If the Republicans take Iowa in November, Granzow will be among the six electors from the state who gather and seal the deal here for Donald Trump. Granzow, back on May 21, was elected by the Republican state convention to be one of two Iowa At-Large National Electors. Along (continued on page 3)
lack of enthusiasm for federal help for the ethanol industry. “I have been in the development business for years and I think an enthusiasm for development is what you will find me bringing to the job.” Bertrand prefaces his talk with a reveiw of his conservative credentials on guns and abortion and traditional values, but he is quick on to what he terms “a great once in a generation opportunity that opening to western and northern Iowa.” A lot of that opportunity, he says, stems from the spurt in construction of the area’s infrastructure. Roads in particular, projects like the completion of Highway 20, he gives as an example. He says that world trade is opening (continued on page 3)
Rick Bertrand (l) came to Eldora on one of close to ten stops on Tuesday last week. The Sioux City businessman labels himself a true blue conservative but says he will bring a different work ethic to the job of Congressman from he 4th District of Iowa. Bertrand is running against incumbent Republican Steve King in the Primary voting coming up in a few days. Bertrand says he feels his opponent has become entangled in a kind of “political celebrity” which is interfering with representing his constituents back in Iowa.
Spending the night in the barn By Rick Patrie News Editor NEW PROVIDENCE – On his 25th wedding anniversary Allan Staples was told to spend the night out in the barn. Of course he usually spends his anniversary out in the barn, and all his family and friends, by the hundreds, are out there, too. The newspapers have visited the barn loft before, but this year is the 25th Anniversary, and it bears repeating that the Surf Ballroom casts no shadow on this place. Some years, the barn dances at the Alan and Judy Staples farm near New Providence draw as many as 200 people. The moon’s usually out and makes a nice picture out the window. And they come from all around, come young, very young, old, and very old, and in between. The barn loft comes fitted out with a polished hardwood floor, a piece of salvage from the old State Training School gym.
A worker there acquired the lumber when the school was building a new gym, and Alan, who is a carpenter, bartered some free help to get a portion of the wood in return. The wood stays waxed, and the rafters are swept of any cobwebs at least as far up as the Staples can reach. The loft of the once-dairy-barn is still a functioning loft, the family keeps horses and there’s hay there for the stock, but nothing like the nearly 300 bails that had to be moved when they first held a dance. That was way back in 1991. The Staples had just been married, and Alan said he wanted to hold a barn dance. Judy said go right ahead, and it wasn’t long and they were compiling an annual guest list of people who nowadays get invitations and who are encouraged to invite more. (continued on page 2)
Big thanks to KD Burkett for the photos from the Staples 25th Anniversary Dance. Judy and Allan and friends gathered again in the loft on the family farm, renewing a long tradition which started when Allan came up with the idea and hundreds have seconded it ever since. We have been in the loft with the camera before, but this year was 25 years of the event. (More on page 2 )
Hardin County Fair 2016
By Rick Patrie News Editor HARDIN COUNTY – The Hardin County Fair 2016 promises a lot of the familiar. The list of grandstand events brings back a lot of favorites that have filled the seats now several years running. They include the return of Outlaw Truck and Tractor pulling on Thursday night, then the return of chuck wagon races on Friday. Back is figure 8 racing on Saturday night, and always the big crowd draws, demolition derby comes back on Sunday evening. The fair kicks off on Wednesday July 6 with the parade through downtown Eldora that starts at 6 p.m. It is followed by the fair booster appreciation dinner at 7 p.m. and then the crowning of the Hardin County Fair Queen at 7:30 in the
community building. That night will also feature a garden tractor pull as well. The fair organizers are bringing back a host of the established midway features again this year,
some local, and some not. And of course the key to any fair is the livestock judging which will be done this summer in the shadow of a new feature on the fairgrounds itself.
The fair board has been busy the last year demo-ing and replacing a couple of old stock barns on the fairgrounds, and the work should be largely completed by the time this years events begin.
The Hardin County Fair is back with the kickoff July 6 and the fair running through Sunday. Sights from the fair last year include the parade and two grandstand favorites, the chuckwagon races and tractorpull.