Save Ottumwa Post May 25, 2022

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•••••MAY 25, 2022•••••

Retired Coyote Hound My son, Damon, has a coyote hound named Toes. He has had a long and colorful career as a hunter, but as old age creeps up on him, he has begun to slow down. A typical coyote hunt can run 10 miles or more; sometimes much more. Toes has gotten to the point, a full blown hunt is more than he can do. He still has the desire but the old joints will not allow it.

Last week, a group of hunters started just north of Damon’s house. A usual coyote hunt entails dropping off a few dogs in a likely area and hope they will find a track. When the trail is scented, the chase is on. Other hunters try to anticipate where the coyote might cross the road or an open field and wait ahead of the chase. The coyote will generally run in a giant loop, and at some point returns close to where he started. Toes has been on many of this type of hunt.

He spent years being leader of the pack, running miles at a time.

When he saw the hunters and dogs begin the hunt, he was anxious to join in. He started out with the pack and struck a scent trail al(Outdoors cont’d on pg 2)

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Damon’s place is about a mile and a most immediately. Toes half from our house if a followed the trail for person is going cross a short distance rapcountry. Occasionally idly falling back in the Toes will go out huntpack. Before long, he dropped out of the race ing on his own. If he and circled back to the happens to be near our house, he will stop truck. There he waitfor a drink and a rest. ed patiently with the He seems to find it hunter in the release truck. In an hour or so, easier to hunt toward our place than to hunt the coyote, with dogs home again. When I in hot pursuit, circled back toward the start- tell him to go home, he walks up to my truck ing point. When Toes heard the baying draw and waits. This seems to work well for him as closer, he was again ready to join the race. he has the patience to He headed of over the out-wait me. I eventually give up and give hill toward the sound. him a ride home.

He again picked up the fresh trail and hav- They say, “with age ing cut off a number of comes wisdom.” I think miles, was again lead- it may be true in Toes’ case. He is making the er of the pack. When most of his retirement. the hunters moved He has figured out the on, Toes trotted back home, happy but ready easy way of doing what he wants to do. for a long drink and a nap.

(Outdoors cont’d from pg 1)

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Warrant Wednesday

Wapello County has over 500 active warrants. Warrant Wednesday’s are designed to help law enforcement locate wanted persons, with the public’s help.

Do NOT attempt to apprehend these individuals.

Instead, call the Ottumwa Police Department at (641) 683-0661 or Wapello County Sheriff ’s Department at (641) 684-4350 if you have any information on their whereabouts. Your tips can be made anonymously.

Name: Joannie Jacqueline Cave DOB: 07/01/1973 Warrant Issued: 05/17/2022 Warrant Details: Escape - Original Charges: Forgery & Burglary

Name: Henry Edgar DOB: 01/11/1995 Warrant Issued: 05/11/2022 Warrant Details: Failure To Appear Original Charge Driving While Barred x3

Name: Sanry Namelo DOB: 04/07/1997 Warrant Issued: 05/12/2022 Warrant Details: Failure to Appear Original Charge: Harassment of Public Official or Employee

Name: Melvin Amilton Quinteros DOB: 01/05/1990 Warrant Issued: 05/12/2022 Warrant Details: Failure to Appear Original Charge: Theft 2nd Degree

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to tinker with projects and spend time in his garage; he deserved it.

Dialed In One would think I would have noticed something this cool by now, but it has slipped by me for years; actually, over a decade! My uncle, John, and aunt Di moved to Silver Bay thirteen years ago.

My wife and I planned to move to the North Shore but hadn’t made it yet. After moving in, my uncle was doing some work on his garage. Even though they lived twelve hundred miles round trip from our home, I volunteered to help. My wife and I looked for reasons to return to the North Shore.

A couple of years later, we built a shed in their yard. The tools and the materials were in the garage, so I passed through the walk door dozens of times. The big garage door was opened and closed many times, too, as the work progressed. The shed turned out well and looked nice with vinyl siding that matched the house.

A couple of years ago, Di’s pointed out that the garage looked worn. The garage was the same color as the house but needed fresh paint. Aunt Di wanted to install vinyl siding to match the siding on the house, so the garage would never have to be repainted.

I stripped the old siding and repaired any area of sheeting that needed it. We replaced Three weekends in the windows, then ina row, we drove from stalled new siding to southern Iowa to match the house. I northern Minnesota. made all of my cuts in We removed the sagthe garage, so every ging fiberboard ceiling, day during the project, beefed up the rafter, I used the automatic then installed and fingarage door opener to ished a nice smooth open and close the big drywall ceiling. I couldn’t overhead door. Still, begin to tell you how most of my trips in and many times I came in out of the building were and out the walk door through the walk door. of the garage. After the After hanging the new ceiling was done, John rain gutters, I pushed told me, “It’s almost too the button to close the nice for a garage.” But big door one last time.

I knew how John loved I stood back and ad-

mired the new look.

Finally, the house, the shed, and the garage all had vinyl siding. There would be no more outside painting – except the wooden patio door.

It needed new paint.

Di’s patio door has not worked smoothly since they bought the house; it’s old and cumbersome. Di has to use two hands and her body weight to open or close the beast. The door needed to be replaced.

Aunt Di has wanted a new kitchen floor for the last couple of years, more than the door. “I’ll do the flooring after the door,” I told Di. “If the new door doesn’t fit the same as the old one, we won’t have to mess with your new floor.” Di bought a new door last fall, but winter weather arrived before the door, so we put the project off until spring.

We replaced the patio door last week. Di was thrilled, sliding the new glass door back and forth several times.

“Look, I can open and close the door with one hand,” she giggled with joy. I was so motivated by her excitement that I started tearing out the old flooring the next day. …that’s when I noticed it…I ran so fast…swift consequences…

For the rest of the story click here.

MAY 25, 2022