GRMC TOURNEY
STATE MEDALISTS
Greater Regional Medical Center held its annual golf tournament Friday at Crestmoor Golf Club. See photos on page 10A of today’s paper.
Creston/O-M’s doubles duo of Jenna Taylor and Alli Thomsen made history Friday at the state tennis tournament in Ankeny. Read more in SPORTS, page 5A. >>
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MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015
Creston School District’s
LONE RETIREE known for bringing joy to workplace
By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA associate editor jwaddingham@crestonnews.com
Anne Vicker might have been the only retiree for the Creston school district this school year, but her 20 years of experience leaves a big hole her coworkers and students will miss. “The kids she interacted with just loved her because she is so kind-hearted,” said Creston High School Principal Bill Messerole. “The kids seemed to gravitate toward her because of the way she worked and interacted with them.” Vicker started substituting for the Creston school district after her youngest son, Scott, started kindergarten. She began working full time the following year at Franklin School with a hearing impaired student. “My mom had worked with special needs students
for a while after my dad died,” V i c k er said. “She kept saying I would be good Vicker at this ... when they said they were looking for subs, I decided to give it a try because it was just substituting so it wouldn’t be every day if I didn’t like it, but I enjoyed it.” After working with the same student another year at Lincoln School, Vicker moved to the high school’s severe and proficient room. “It takes the right demeanor to work in that environment,” Messerole said. “Often times you are dealing with kids with different types of challenges and you have to be able to meet all of those needs. Ann was an exceptional multitasker and was able to
go from ‘Student A’ to ‘Student B’ to ‘Student C’ and give each of them the attention they needed.” Vicker said she is going to miss the contagiously positive attitudes her students brought to the classroom each day and the coworkers she built friendships with over the course of her career. “Going to school every day, sometimes you get up and you are growling and grumbling ... but then you get to school and I was working with special needs kids who were smiling and happy all the time without a care in the world,” Vicker said. “It made me think about how I am really lucky ... those kids were happy all the time and they helped brighten my day.” Keeping laughter in the workplace was one of Vicker’s constant goals. This often meant exposing her ornery side, decorating a coworkers office or
“The kids she interacted with just loved her because she is so kind-hearted.” — Bill Messerole
CHS principal
pulling a fun prank to keep her coworkers on their toes. “We had good times, I am going to miss them,” Vicker said. “The kids come and go, but I have been with a lot of the coworkers almost my whole time with the school.” In retirement, Vicker said she is looking forward to traveling and camping with her husband, Randy. They are planning trips to visit the Smoky Mountains, Colorado and venture into Canada. She also plans to actively follow her four grandchildren’s activities.
Cuomo: Prison escape probe focuses on likely ‘inside’ help DANNEMORA, N.Y. (AP) — Investigators are looking into whether civilian employees or private contractors helped two murderers obtain the power tools they used to break out of a maximum-security state prison near the Canadian border, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Cuomo said during a round of appearances on
television morning news shows that he’d be shocked if a prison guard was involved in the escape from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, 20 miles south of the border. Officials said David Sweat, 34, and Richard Matt, 48, cut through steel walls at the back of their adjacent cells and steel pipes while making their “Shaw-
shank Redemption”-style breakout, which guards discovered early Saturday. Sweat and Matt were still on the loose Monday. Investigators are interviewing hundreds of civilian employees and the contractors who have been doing extensive renovations at the 170-year-old facility, Cuomo said. “We’re going through
the civilian employees and private contractors first,” he said on NBC’s “Today” show. “I’d be shocked if a correction guard was involved in this, but they definitely had help, otherwise, they couldn’t have done this on their own, even from the equipment point of view.” Cuomo said Sunday the Please see ESCAPE, Page 2A
Data shows abortion rate in Iowa is declining DES MOINES (AP) — The number of abortions performed annually in Iowa is declining, according to newly released data, but two opposing groups attribute the drop to different factors. Between 2010 and 2013, the number of abortions in Iowa decreased from 5,399 to 4,423, according to data compiled by The Associated Press. That represents an 18.1 percent drop. The AP compiled the data based on information from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The agency’s records include tracking surgical abortions and medically induced abortions. Penny Dickey, chief clinical officer of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland in Iowa, said the decline is the ■ Between result of better access and af2010 and fordability to family planning services like birth control. 2013, the She added that long-lasting number of contraception like IUDs and abortions hormonal implants are also highly effective and more ac- in Iowa cessible to women than sever- decreased al years ago. from 5,399 to Jenifer Bowen, executive director of Iowa Right to Life, 4,423. That said the decline is linked to represents an an uptick in privately funded 18.1% drop. pregnancy centers around the state that often offer counseling services to women on other options, including adoption and continuing the pregnancy. She also believes there is a correlation between the decline and grassroots efforts from volunteers who protest abortions outside clinics that provide such services. The use of advanced ultrasound technology that offers clearer pictures of the fetus may also play a role. “It’s a combination,” she said. “I don’t think that there’s any one thing that anybody can point to and say, ‘This. This is why.’” The AP compiled data on abortion rates from health departments in 45 U.S. states that keep such information on a comprehensive basis. It shows the annual number of abortions has declined substantially since 2010 in most states. The biggest decreases are almost equal between states that have enacted anti-abortion laws during that span and other states that have shunned such measures while protecting abortion rights.
CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
Shotgun rider:
Jordan Cornilsen, right, and McKenzie Stalcup of Davenport head west on Adams Street Saturday morning on a 1952 Farmall M during the fourth annual KSIB Tractor Ride. Behind are Craig and Garrett Stalcup, respectively, both driving a Farmall Super MTA. The event hosted more than 250 tractors with stops in Lorimor, Winterset and Macksburg.
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Volume 132 No. 6
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Beating the heat: Quinten Fuller, 9, of Creston aims and fires
his watergun at best friend Connor McGrath of Creston at the Osceola Aquatic Center Sunday afternoon. The pool was full all day as temperatures climbed into the mid-80s. More heat is expected this week across Iowa with 90s possible Tuesday and Wednesday.
Creston City Wide Garage Sales Fri., June 12 & Sat., June 13
There is still time to advertise your sale! Call 641-782-2141 ext. 6411 for more info