DAVID YOUNG VISIT
PUBLIC APPEARANCE
David Young will host “Coffee with My Congressman” 1 to 2 p.m. Aug. 27 at Adams Street Espresso in Creston. He’s holding this event to meet with constituents and listen to concerns.
Panther teams make first public appearances of 2015 at Creston Parents Activity Night Thursday evening. Todd Tharp, assistant executive director of the IHSAA, speaks to parents. More on 7A.
creston
News Advertiser WEEKEND EDITION
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2015
LARGEST CRESTON BAND Pizzano to be in 21 years prepares for ‘colorful’ field show update
new chief in Pleasant Hill
By IAN RICHARDSON
CNA staff reporter
irichardson@crestonnews. com
I
t’s loud. And big. And awesome. That’s how Creston senior Emma Saylor describes the fourth and final movement of this year’s Panther Marching Band field show, “Imagination in Color.” “It’s not like one of those songs that dies down for a little bit,” she said. “No, it’s in your face all the time.” Saylor, who alternates between percussion and baritone saxophone, is one of 10 seniors l e a d - Saylor ing this year’s band. At 105 members — 35 of them new — director Mike Peters said it’s the largest he has conducted in his 21 years at Creston Schools. It’s also one of the most rapidly progressing. “By the first home (football) game we should have half the show on the field,” Peters said. “That’s never happened this early. Never.” The field show uses tunes from the Cirque du Soleil s h o w “Quidam.” Peters and his wife, c o l o r Peters guard director Lisa Peters, designed the formations and choreography to use the band’s new black uniforms and the color guard’s gray uniforms as the backdrop for flags and streamers that add vivid splashes of color. “With the all-black and the gray, it makes it ‘Boom’
By KYLE WILSON
CNA managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
CNA file photo
The Creston Panther Marching Band performs in the 2014 Balloon Days Parade. It will be marching again in this year’s Balloon Days Parade Sept. 19. Keep an eye out this year for the band’s new black uniforms.
— just explode off the field,” he said. Peters said the idea for this concept came from listening to the music, which reminded him of splashes of color. But he said the band finds the concept humorous considering one detail. He’s colorblind. In fact, that irony helped inspire the show’s title. “I don’t see the colors, but I can still imagine them,” Peters said. “I was saying this to the kids when it dawned on me. That’s what it should be about, me imagining all these colors.” Peters said the show also includes some new uses of sound effects, a voiceover and body visuals. Juniors Livi Hartman and Tyler Peters and senior Madison Hance have solos during the show. The final movement, “Incantation,” has an Arabian feel and shows the strength of the low brass and woodwinds section, which includes 12 marching baritones, three tenor saxophones, two baritone saxophones and four tubas. When all is said and
done, Peters said it’s one of the more difficult shows the band has done. “There’s a lot of motion, a lot of running, a lot of expectation,” Peters said. “But I think they can handle it.” The Panther Marching Band has a rich history of “handling it,” too. This year, the group will vie for its 27th consecutive I rating at state competition. Senior alto sax- Waigand ophone player Ann Waigand said the band’s consistent success is a credit to Peters’ leadership. “Mr. Peters knows what we’re capable of, and he will push us to that point — and then beyond even — to make sure that we know what we’re doing,” Please see BAND, Page 2
2015 PANTHER MARCHING BAND SCHEDULE Sept. 4 — Home football game Sept. 18 — Home football game Sept. 19 — Balloon Days parade Sept. 23 — Homecoming pep rally Sept. 25 — Homecoming football game Oct. 3 — Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree (Clarinda) Oct. 9 — Home football game Oct. 10 — Valleyfest and Showdown (West Des Moines) Oct. 17 — Iowa High School Music Association Marching Band Festival Oct. 23 — Home football game
Pleasant Hill will have a new police chief Tuesday. Al Pizzano, former New York Police Department captain, has signed a contract with the city to fill the open position. Pizzano and Creston Police Chief Paul Ver M e e r Ver Meer were two of five finalists for the position. Don Sandor, city manager in Pleasant Hill, said the decision wasn’t easy. “We had five strong can-
didates. Paul had a great interview. We wish him luck and continued success in Creston,” Sandor said. Pizzano was a finalist for the West Des Moines police chief position in 2012. Sandor said he fell in love with Iowa while visiting for interviews and eventually decided to move to the state. Sandor said Pizzano has been working in private consulting for the past couple years in Iowa. The other three finalists were Kim Wadding with Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, retired West Liberty Chief Lawrence McNaul and Hiawatha Police Chief Dennis Marks. Pleasant Hill (pop. 9,082) is located about 6 miles east of Des Moines.
Companies to add Iowa jobs for Medicaid program IOWA CITY (AP) — The big health insurance companies picked to manage Iowa’s $4.2 billion Medicaid program have promised to create hundreds of jobs in the state in the coming months, according to bidding documents released Thursday. UnitedHealthcare projected that it would increase its existing 400-employee staff in Iowa by about 250
people. WellCare pledged it would open several offices, from Council Bluffs to Davenport. Amerigroup has already located space for a West Des Moines headquarters. And AmeriHealth Caritas said it would open three “state-of-the-art community wellness centers,” potentially in Des Please see JOBS, Page 2
CNA photo by IAN RICHARDSON
Trial run:
Above, Sophomore Khy Sherrod, right, and freshman Jessica Arevalo work on opening a locker during Creston Schools’ new student orientation this morning. Approximately 90 new students attended the event, which concluded around 1 p.m. Right, Creston Schools students “head to class” during a practice run of the bell schedule at Creston Schools’ new student orientation this morning.
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