THE PROWLER
MARLIN THRIVING
One Creston High School student recently had the chance to travel abroad. Read her story in the high school’s publication “The Prowler” found on page 8A. >>
Former Panther four-time state champion Jake Marlin heads north to feel more at home and is thriving at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC). Read a feature story on Marlin in SPORTS, page 9A. >>
creston
News Advertiser
SHAW MEDIA GROUP SERVING SW IOWA SINCE 1879 BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE AT WWW.CRESTONNEWS.COM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015
It must be a sign
Lawmakers hope to introduce fuel tax bill next week
■ Union
County Historical Society continues project to install signs for oneroom schoolhouses
By BAILEY POOLMAN CNA staff reporter
bpoolman@crestonnews.com
A
white sign with black lettering stands near a field in Union County, one of 103 that will eventually be installed across the county. The sign reads “Site of Grant No. 6 Valley School ca. 1889-1916.” The sign depicts the location, name and years open of a one-room schoolhouse in Union County, something the state of Iowa is known for. “It is the desire of the Union County Historical Society to place a nice, sturdy sign where each country school in Union County once stood,” said Deb Bradley, a board member of the historical society. Bradley initiated the sign project alongside the historical society after scheduling a reunion for her husband’s Union County one-room school class. She called as
m a n y people as possible, and the reunion happened in 2006. B r a d ley then Bradley scheduled a reunion for her classmates who attended another country school in Union County. That was when she decided to continue with the idea of preserving the history.
Signs Bradley started the project in 2011, researching locations of schools and the years they were open. The schools were a maximum two miles apart via a guideline eventually put in place to prevent students from walking too far to school. The first and only sign so far — installed in December — is located three miles north of Shannon City on the corner of 250th Street and Lark Avenue. It’s the only
“These signs are to honor the spot where the root of education began for thousands of Union County rural school children for over 150 years.” — Deb Bradley
Union County Historical Society member
sign that’s been installed, so far. It is one of 103 signs that will be installed across the county by members of Union County Historical Society. Alan Culvertson is credited for paying for and installing the first sign. “These signs are to honor the spot where the root of education began for thousands of Union County rural
school children for over 150 years,” Bradley said. It’s expected signs for schools in the first three townships will be finished in spring. Supplies for the signs — which includes a steel post, aluminum sign and tamper-proof hardware to attach the sign to the post — will be purchased through fundraised and donated money, which can be sent to Union County Historical Society, Attn: Country School Project, P.O. Box 693, Creston, IA 50801.
History Historically, 103 oneroom country schools were spread across 12 townships in Union County as part of the Iowa Rural School System. The first school was built in Lee County in 1830, and eventually 12,623 schools were constructed in the state. Please see SCHOOLS, Page 2
DES MOINES (AP) — A bill to increase Iowa’s fuel tax to pay for road improvements could be introduced as early as next week, lawmakers said Wednesday. Sen. Tod Bowman, a Democrat from Maquoketa, and Rep. Joshua Byrnes, a Republican from Osage, said they are working on legislation that would increase the tax, potentially by 10 cents a gallon. That would provide $215 million annually for the state’s network of bridges and roads, many of which are in disrepair. “I’ve never felt more optimistic about moving forward with the gas ■ Sen. Tod tax,” said Bowman to a Bowman said group of county officials he’s never felt and business leaders gathered in Des Moines more optito lobby lawmakers on mistic about transportation issues. moving forHe noted the drop in gasoline prices, as well ward with the as Gov. Terry Bran- gas tax. Iowa’s stad’s support for increasing dollars for gas tax is currently 22 cents roads. Iowa’s fuel tax is cur- per gallon and rently 22 cents a gallon, including fees. It hasn’t hasn’t been been raised since 1989. raised since The lawmakers, who 1989. chair the transportation committees in each chamber, said they are working on ways to maintain the funding in future years. The revenue from a 10cent tax increase is expected to decline as vehicles become more fuel efficient. Byrnes said he’d like to see action on the bill in February, but it will need approval from lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-majority House. Leaders in both chambers have been meeting with the governor and all have expressed interest in reaching a compromise. The American Road and Transportation Builders Association reports that 5,043 bridges in Iowa were structurally deficient in 2013. That’s 21 percent of the bridges in the state. Iowa ranked second nationally for the number of deficient bridges, based on federal data.
CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM
Close call: A tree branch just missed falling onto the front porch of this house on 400 N. Division St. in Creston. According to the National Weather Service, strong winds reached gusts of about 53 mph Wednesday night.
FRIDAY WEATHER
CONNECT WITH US
COMPLETE WEATHER 3A
crestonnews.com | online 641-782-2141 | phone 641-782-6628 | fax Follow us on Facebook
39 28 PRICE 75¢
Creston News Advertiser 503 W. Adams Street | Box 126 Creston, IA 50801-0126
Copyright 2015
Volume 131 No. 172
2014
If you do not receive your CNA by 5 p.m. call 641-782-2141, ext. 6450. Papers will be redelivered in Creston until 6:30 p.m. Phones will be answered until 7 p.m.
Talent show: Members of the St. Malachy seventh grade class perform a rendition
of the Sesame Street theme song for their act in the St. Malachy talent show this morning. The event was part of Catholic Schools Week celebration. Friday will feature grandparent/ special person day during mass and a dress up day for the children at St. Malachy.
Look in today’s edition of the Creston News Advertiser for
Class of 2027 Extra copies available for 75¢ at the CNA office.
Class of 2027
Today’s kindergarten students represent the high school graduating class of 2027. As these youngsters begin their educational careers, the Creston News Advertiser is pleased to present their photos and their plans in this special supplement and will follow their progress throughout their school days. Special thanks to the principals and kindergarten teachers at the area schools for their cooperation in notifying parents of this publication. Thanks to the parents who took the time to complete the information forms. Thanks, also, to the area businesses whose sponsorship of the kindergarteners made this supplement possible. Note: Only those schools and children whose parents provided information forms by the deadline are represented in this supplement. Some write-ups were submitted without photos.
January 29, 2015