RECORD SETTER
THROWBACK NEWS
Central College senior Colby Taylor of Creston became the Dutch’s all-time career leading scorer Wednesday night. For more on Taylor, see SPORTS, page 7A. >>
Twenty years ago, Southern Prairie YMCA hosted its first ever swim meet. To see what else happened 10, 20 and 50 years ago, see THROWBACK THURSDAY, page 2A. >>
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Latham retires after Brown more than 40 years named with Union County supervisors chairperson UNION COUNTY SUPERVISORS
By BAILEY POOLMAN Monday was named vice CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
Union County Supervisor Dennis Brown was named chair of the Board of Supervisors during Tuesday’s meeting, replacing Ron Riley, Brown and Supervisor Lois
CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN
Larry Latham, former assistant to the Union County engineer, relaxes at his desk the final week of December at the Union County Secondary Roads office before his retirement Friday. Latham retired after nearly 42 years of work with the county.
By BAILEY POOLMAN no college experience. A Latham to make sure road that’s went down in Union CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
Union County employee Larry Latham retired last month after nearly 42 years with the county. Latham, a lifelong resident of the Creston area, began working for Union County Secondary Roads in 1975. He was assistant to the engineer when he retired Dec. 30. When Latham started, after working at Wellman Dynamics for nine months and doing plumbing and heating for nearly two years, he had
graduate of Creston High School, Latham began as an inspector before his responsibilities changed. “The housing crisis went bad, so I had to find a different job. I started here in 1975,” Latham said. “The first day on the job, they picked me up and took me out on the Kent paving, the first day they paved it. I started out there. I was there about an hour and then I went to the lab, which, at that time, was a school bus, and we did gradations.” The inspections required
materials had the proper proportions of each individual ingredient at the proper amount. The lab, which has since been moved to the secondary roads office, was located on a school bus. The windows were closed in the summer, with no air conditioning and hot plates running. “I went home and told my wife I didn’t know what I had gotten into ‘cause I spent all day cooking rocks,” Latham said with a laugh. “Since then, I’ve been involved in every piece of pavement
County.”
Other projects After his first major projects of the Kent pavement southwest of town and H-24 northwest of town, the 62-year-old Latham, who retired Dec. 30, worked with various other road, bridge and culvert projects throughout the county, working many jobs within the secondary roads system. “It’s easier to tell you what I haven’t done,” Latham said LATHAM | 10A
chair, replacing Brown. The decision to go around the group came about four years ago, when Brown, Monday and Riley all decided to give every board member a chance at the position. “I think it spreads the leadership around because the chair does take on some more responsibilities and, you know, answers more questions. I feel the change in leadership gives everyone CHAIR | 2A
Analysis: Health care battle could decide balance of power WASHINGTON (AP) — The messaging battle is on over repealing and replacing President Barack Obama’s health care law, and the balance of power in Washington may be at stake. Democrats believe they already lost the public
opinion fight over the law once, when they pushed through the Affordable Care Act in the first place, and Republicans grabbed hold of the issue to drive Democrats into the minority. Democrats are determined that this time, POWER | 2A
Giving peanut-based foods to babies early prevents allergies WASHINGTON (AP) — Most babies should start eating peanut-containing foods well before their first birthday, say guidelines released Thursday that aim to protect highrisk tots and other youngsters, too, from developing the dangerous food allergy. The new guidelines from the National Institutes of Health mark a shift in dietary advice, based on landmark research that found early exposure dramatically lowers a baby’s chances of becoming
allergic. The recommendations spell out exactly how to introduce infants to peanut-based foods and when — for some, as early as 4 to 6 months of age — depending on whether they’re at high, moderate or low risk of developing one of the most troublesome food allergies. “We’re on the cusp of hopefully being able to prevent a large number of cases of peanut allergy,” said Dr. Matthew Greenhawt of the American ALLERGY | 10A
CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN
Chopped down: Mark Huff, director of Creston Parks and Recreation Department, cuts limbs from a tree with a chainsaw
Wednesday afternoon along the walking trail north of McKinley Park in Creston. The temperature was approximately 13 degrees in the afternoon while Huff and Kyle Krantz, assistant director, pictured in back, did a playground inspection and chopped down trees.
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Volume 133 No. 154
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Larry Peterson, senior feature writer