the ogden VOLUME 141
Repor er
Our Town, Make it Yours!
OGDEN, IOWA 50212 - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016
Ogden Iowa
Sesquicentennial
1866-2016 NUMBER 21
Meet the 2016 OHS Homecoming Court
Invite you to a courtesy coffee Wednesday
Ogden High School will be crowning the 2016 Homecoming King and Queen during a pep assembly Friday beginning at 2:15 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Candidates include:
Ogden Community Women invite you to join them for coffee and goodies at McGraw Senior Center Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. Because they would enjoy your company, delivery of goodies will be limited. The coffee is their way of thanking the community for supporting their club.
Kim Christensen Kim is the daughter of Cory and Jessica Christensen. While at OHS she has been active in volleyball, basketball, track, softball, band, choir, ELP and theater and is a member of National Honor Society. She also is a member of 4-H and St. John’s Catholic Church youth group. This spring she will be performing her last dance recital with Micki’s Gotta Dance. Kim plans on majoring in political science with an emphasis in public relation at the University of Minnesota.
Local survey to be conducted
Anna Clark Anna is the daughter of Loraine Clark. Her school activities include individual and large group speech, National Honor Society, band, jazz band, honor bands, mixed/chamber choir, show choir, musicals, track golf, basketball and football cheerleading, mentoring and CMS club and student council. She is also active in Bulldog Builders and Riptide. Anna’s intentions are to study psychology at a four-year college. Austin Flynn Austin is the son of Rob and Shelly Flynn. He has participated in football, wrestling, baseball and track during his career at Ogden High School. Austin also is a member of the marching, pep and concert bands and National Honor Society. He is active in St. John’s Youth Group. Austin plans to study construction management in college. Bradley Gregory
Bradley is the son of Donald Ray
The 2016 Homecoming Court: Front row, left to right, Kim Christensen, Madeleine Johnson, Anna Clark, Kameron Wheelock, Hallie Weber. Back row, Andrew Stumbo, Bradley Gregory,
Gregory Jr. and Abbie Udelhoven Gregory. Not only has Bradley participated in track, basketball and cross county he was a member of the Knowledge Bowl and Academic Team. He is a member of National Honor Society, CMS and ELP. Bradley helps with the high school blood drive, does improv and attended Caucus 2016. He also holds down a job as assistant to the regional manager for Casey’s General Store. He plans on attending UNI to become a secondary social studies teacher the move to New England for his career.
Andrew Haberer Andrew, the son of James and Melissa Haberer, has been active in football, basketball and track throughout high school. He is also involved in music, playing with the jazz band, marching band and musical pit bands. Andrew is a member of National Honor Society. Outside of school Andrew participates in St. John’s youth group and Bulldog Builders activities. His future plans are undecided. Madeleine Johnson
Nathan Kennedy, Austin Flynn, Andrew Haberer. -Ogden Reporter photo by Kathy Pierce
Madeleine is the daughter of Erick and Laura Johnson. Her school activities include chamber choir, mixed choir, show choir, theatre, musicals and group speech. She serves on the student government, has participated in Spanish Bowl, is a member of National Honor Society and is in the Extended Learning Program. Madeleine is also active in LDS youth group. She plans on attending Drake University to pursue a career as a plastic surgeon. Nathan Kennedy
Julie Kennedy. Basketball, football, baseball and track are among the sports he has been involved in throughout high school. He is a member of National Honor Society and has served on the student council. His school activities also include band and Academic Bowl. Nathan was active in St. John’s youth group and involved in the “Ogden Street Ball Athletic Association.” His plans
HOMECOMING
Nathan is the son of Jim and
-continued on page five.
VisionBank “Fills the Boot” for the Ogden Fire Department
The Sturtz family for generations has been taking care of Ogden. Another family member has recently joined the force, Logan Sturtz.
From left, Rick Sturtz, Chris Sturtz, Logan, and Logan’s half brother Tyler Wisecup, now in his fifth year as a volunteer fireman.
Firefighting - it’s a family thing by KATHY PIERCE
REPORTER STAFF WRITER
Logan grew accustomed to his father darting out the door, responding to emergency calls all hours of the day or night. That’s just the life of a volunteer fireman. You might even say he took pride in being not only the son, but a grandson and even great-grandson of a fireman. His father Chris served on the Ogden Fire Department for 24 years before retiring. Grandfather Rick joined on in October of 1968 and currently serves as Fire Chief. Going back another generation was Dean Sturtz’s 35 years of fighting fires. The department will soon be benefitting from another Sturtz family member. Logan may be on the green side yet, just beginning down the path, but the passion is there. “Growing, up, this is always what I wanted to do. Ever since I was little,” said Logan. “I’m going to be a fireman when I grow up.” Those were words Rick remembers coming from the mouth of his then second grade grandson. “It’s no wonder Logan wanted
to do it,’ said Rick who often was babysitting in the summer. “He sat in the truck on calls. By the time he was 10 years old he knew where all the equipment was.” Logan signed on as a volunteer fireman April 1 of 2016, just a day after his 18th birthday, but he would have to wait until after graduation before starting EMT (Emergency Medical Technician Classes) as per regulations. He graduated from Ogden High School in May and is now CPR certified. Until Logan gets more training under his belt he will mostly be observing, taking notes, and helping fight exterior fires. Becoming a full-time fireman is this young man’s ultimate goal, and to do so he must be trained as a paramedic. He is currently enrolled in the 2 1/2 year paramedic program at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. Logan says he wants to help people and offer reassurance that they will be taken care of. As a paramedic and often the first person tending to a sick or injured individual Logan already understands that important
aspect of the job. Life as a free-spirited high school youth is in his past. Not only will Logan be attending college classes during the day, he will return home and head off to Boone for a night class to become certified as a Firefighter 1. He has moved into a big, old house and with that comes a lot of remodeling. And any time he has a little free time, Grandpa Denny is always happy to have him help out with his trucking business. Logan’s plans are to make firefighting his career. He got a small taste while on a 12-hour ride-long with firemen in Urbandale when he could observe them doing their daily tasks. Although becoming a full-time fireman will take Logan away from the small town for work, Ogden will always be his home. “I like the community. This is where my family is, my home town,” he says. He figures with shifts of 24 hours on and 48 hours off duty he can do both, volunteer in Ogden and work in Des Moines or other nearby larger city.
September 16, 2016 – As part of their Community Protectors Campaign, VisionBank in Ogden will host a “Fill the Boot” fund-raiser, September 26 – October 1 to help purchase necessary new equipment for the Ogden Fire Department. Throughout the eight VisionBank locations, the week of September 26 will be dedicated to honoring our local fire departments, teaching children about fire safety, and equipping people with life-saving knowledge. The Ogden Fire Department is a 15-man all-volunteer department with a budget of less than $40,000/ year which must take care of maintenance of their building, five trucks and other equipment. According to Ogden Fire Chief Rick Sturtz, there is a great need, in particular for a “Y Valve” that would allow the firefighters to open a hydrant once and attach 2 hoses to fill two tanker trucks at a time, saving valuable time and water. Currently, a hydrant has to be opened and closed and then used to fill each truck separately. Additionally, the department needs to replace their outdated vent saw which is used to ventilate a structure in a fire. Their current saw cannot be maintained because replacement parts are no longer made. Donations collected in the Firefighter Boot in the Ogden VisionBank location throughout the week will go directly towards funding these items that cost in excess of $2100. The public is encouraged to stop by the bank and contribute to the fund-raising efforts. While in the
Between September 22 and October 31, the City of Ogden will be conducting a survey of residents living in the community to obtain information needed to apply for a Community Development Block Grant from the State of Iowa. Approximately every other household in the community will be surveyed. The City is applying for grant funds to help finance the construction of improvements to the municipal wastewater treatment facility. The grant, if approved, would pay for up to $500,000 of the project cost. A grant, as opposed to a loan, would not have to be paid back by the City. Grants are very hard to get because there is a lot of competition among communities throughout the state. Only about 25% to 30% of those that apply will actually be awarded a grant. If the City receives the grant, the total cost of the project will not have to be raised through local taxes or sewer system revenues. The survey will involve 2 questions: 1 question pertains to support for the project, and 1 question asks whether the total household income is more or less than a set dollar amount depending on family size. Program guidelines require this information to be a part of each application. The question about income is very important. The state will be using this information to help determine if residents’ incomes are high enough to be able to afford paying for the entire project with local financing. The questionnaires need not be signed and all information is totally anonymous. The cooperation of residents in completing this survey will be greatly appreciated.
The Art Harvest Tour 2016 is Sept. 24-25
bank, they can take a closer look at the actual fire uniform on display, and children may pick up free Fire Safety activity books. The VisionBank Community Protectors campaign runs through October 8 with each week dedicated to a different “protector” theme, including lifeguards, police, military, “Superheroes,” firefighters and more. The campaign will also highlight VisionBank’s new VisionPerks Checking account product which offers several forms of protection including cell phone coverage, identity theft protection, roadside assistance, a health savings card and accidental death and dismemberment insurance on top of local and online discounts and special VisionBank privileges.
Energy assistance for those with low income Applications will be taken starting October 3, 2016 for households with elderly/disabled members (applications for other households will be taken starting November 1) for the 2016-2017 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LiHeap). The program is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Iowa Department of Human Rights/DCAA, and has been established to help qualifying low-income Iowa homeowners and renters pay for a portion of their primary heating costs. The Impact Community Action Partnership agency at 606 Greene St. -ENERGY ASSISTANCE, please turn to page six.
The Art Harvest Tour is reemerging. It was such a mystery to so many in 2015, and it prompted our calling Pam Dennis and Ryk Weiss to get their story. The Art Harvest Tour 2016 is Friday, Sept. 24 and Saturday, Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a free studio tour of central Iowa artists. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather and scenery as you visit the studios and workshops of the area’s best artists and craftsmen... A map illustrating the 11 different artist locations in the Perry, Woodward, Madrid, Boone and Ogden areas can be found on their Facebook page: Art Harvest Tour 2016 and at each of the tour sites. Local stops include “Flock 9 Studios” with Pam Dennis/Ryk Weiss art (willow, clay and metal works, garden art and wall murals), Shari Janssen’s “Creations Looming” (handwoven rugs, scarves, table runners), Kieffer Manufacturing Tom, Bob and Ben (woodworking, wooden toys, furniture, cutting boards), and Cy Hornberg (woodworking, cabinetry and furniture. Following is a list of the individual locations: Perry 1215 Warford Street 1121 2nd Street 493 310th Street Madrid 221 South State Street Ames 2306 258th Street Boone 1229 Noble Hills Place Ogden 893 210th Street 502 E Oak Street 326 Hornberg Drive 840 290th Street 2050 I Avenue