ROYAL PERFORMER
CONFERENCE WIN
Creston graduate Haylee Walters sang the national anthem prior to the Kansas City Royals game against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. See photos on page 10A. >>
The Murray volleyball team rallied for a key conference victory in a home match Thursday evening. Madison Gonseth finished with a match-high 21 kills. More in SPORTS, page 1S.
creston
News Advertiser WEEKEND EDITION
SHAW MEDIA GROUP SERVING SW IOWA SINCE 1879 BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE AT WWW.CRESTONNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
Taco John’s in Creston closed Sept. 14 for construction. Drive-thru could reopen as soon as five weeks. ■
Lenox pumpkin patch to open in October By KELSEY HAUGEN
CNA staff reporter khaugen@crestonnews.com
CNA photo by IAN RICHARDSON
A crew works on the Creston Taco John’s building Thursday afternoon. The restaurant will be closed for construction at least six weeks before the drive-thru opens. Bill Byrne, founder of Taco John’s of Iowa, the company that purchased the restaurant in November, said he hopes the restaurant will completely reopen by the end of the year.
CRESTON TACO JOHN’S
To be ‘among the most technologically advanced’ By IAN RICHARDSON
CNA staff reporter irichardson@crestonnews.com
There won’t be any churros, chalupas or potato oles, but there will be a whole lot of construction going on at the Creston Taco John’s this fall. Located at 708 S. Walnut St., the fast-food Tex-Mex restaurant closed Sept. 14 to undergo a series of renovations that will eventually make it “attractive and among the most technologically advanced Taco John’s restaurants in America,” according to restaurant
ownership. B i l l Byrne, founder of Taco John’s of Iowa, which Byrne currently owns 22 restaurants in the state and has its 23rd store under construction, said when his company acquired the restaurant in November, he had the intent of making upgrades. Please see TACO JOHN’S, Page 2
LENOX — Starting in October, you won’t have to travel too far outside of Creston for pumpkin-picking and hayrack rides. Twisted Stalk Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, located on the south end of Lenox at 303 W. Dallas St., will open for the first time Oct. 3. It will be open throughout October – from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Entry is $6 for both adults and children. Infants are free. The pumpkin patch is run by Lincoln Calvin, owner of Lincoln’s Lawn Care in Lenox, with the help of paid and volun- Calvin teer staff. “I was on Facebook last fall, and people everywhere were going to pumpkin patches, and I noticed everybody was driving quite a ways,” Calvin said. “There aren’t any (pumpkin patches) in this corner of southwest Iowa.” Several family-friendly activities will be offered, including picking pumpkins and painting them, a bounce house, corn pit for children to play in, hayrack rides, games and the corn maze. “Lincoln likes to get kids involved, so it’s pretty kid-oriented,” said Foster Gentry Foster, office manager for Lincoln’s Lawn Care. “We’re hoping people can spend a couple hours just roaming around.” The entry fee includes everything except the price of pumpkins picked from the patch. There will also be fall foods and drinks available for purchase. While Twisted Stalk Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch won’t be open past 5 p.m.
Contributed photo
CNA photo by KELSEY HAUGEN
Senate candidate: CNA photo by IAN RICHARDSON
Pep rally: Emma Saylor, front, leads the band “The Q’s” in an energetic lip-sync
of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” Thursday at Creston’s homecoming pep rally. Also pictured are, left to right, are Lorelei Herrod and John Reasoner. More photos on 2A.
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Copyright 2015
Volume 132 No. 84
2014
Please see PUMPKIN PATCH, Page 2
Once construction is complete, Creston’s Taco John’s building will resemble this one.
Iowa Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, chats with Creston residents Terry Ammon, left, and Marcia Fulton, co-chair of Union County Democrats, at the Southwestern Community College Performing Arts Center Thursday afternoon. Hogg stopped in Creston on a tour announcing his candidacy for U.S. Senate. He is hoping to unseat Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who will be seeking a seventh term in the Senate next year.
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.
46TH ANNUAL MADISON COUNTY
COVERED BRIDGE FESTIVAL
October 10 & 11, 2015
* Live Music * Covered Bridge Tours * Arts & Crafts * Parade * Craft Beer Garden & Wine Sampling www.MCCoveredBridgeFestival.org