Tuesday
December 10, 2013
Go to www.crestonnews.com for Breaking News as it happens
No. 9 Murray cruises past Diagonal
Always the right gift for Christmas!
SPORTS, page 9A RestauRant and spoRts baR Hwy. 34 • Creston, IA • 641-782-5014
For every $25 certificate, we will give you another $5 gift card.
QUICK NEWS Authorities searching for missing Creston teen
Iowa authorities are actively searching for a 17-year-old female from Creston. Alexus Butler was reported missing to the Creston Police Department Saturday. She was last seen wearing a white hooded winter coat, blue leggings and carrying a large white purse. Alexus is 5-foot, 4-inches tall, 150 Butler pounds with brownish, blonde hair and brown eyes. If you have any information in this case, contact Creston Police Department at 641-782-8402 or missing persons information line at 1-800-3465507.
Adjusting to traffic
Open Table clarification
Organizers want to make it clear that Open Table at United Church of Christ in Creston is still being held from 5 to 6 p.m. every Tuesday. Meanwhile, Neighbors Loving Neighbors at 124 N. Maple St. — sponsored by God’s Outreach Deliverance — has recently begun offering a free community meal from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday.
CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM
Osage Street in Creston could see a couple of changes in the speed limit. From Highway 34 to Howard Street the speed may be reduced from 40 to 35 mph and from Howard to Townline Street, the speed may be increased from 40 to 45 mph.
Speed limits on Osage Street and Townline Street in Creston may be changed ■
By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA staff reporter jwaddingham@crestonnews.com
A recent speed limit study on Osage Street in Creston suggests the speed limits should be changed to accommodate the geometric characteristics of the road and heavy agricultural traffic. Osage Street is currently 40 mph from Highway 34 to Townline Street. The new proposal would reduce the
speed to 35 mph from 34 to Howard Street. “That road wasn’t designed to go that fast, especially at the railroad underpass,” said Union County Engineer Steve Akes Akes. “Your sight distance just isn’t there.” Akes said the heavy traffic turning into the feedmill and grain elevator makes it dangerous to be traveling 40 mph. Since the Creston city limit runs along Osage, Akes wanted to include the city of Creston, as well as Union County Sheriff’s Department, in the
decision to change the speed limits. In a letter to Creston’s Director of Public Works Kevin Kruse, Akes said his intention was to take a conservative view of the speed limit from 34 to Howard. Kruse said the numerous driveways for Gavilon Grain, the feedmill and traffic turning into Farmers’ Cooperative gas station warranted the idea to slow traffic down. “I drive that road about every day, and I thought I had at least better check to make sure the speed limit was appropriate,” Akes said. The speed limit change is on the
High Lakes shooting range complex update
Please see TRAFFIC, Page 2
SAFE, SADD may not receive $10K grant By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA staff reporter jwaddingham@crestonnews. com
Union County may no longer receive an annual $10,000 grant used to help raise awareness for substance abuse and community service projects. For the past six years, Union County has applied for and earned the county substance abuse prevention grant
through the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). The grant has funded projects by SAFE — Substance Abuse Free Environment — and SADD — Students Against Destructive Decisions. “We’ve done a lot of things with this money in the last six years,” said Comprehensive Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Wendi Boswell. “It is all up in the air still, they might still approve the grant with this match, so they might
give it to us this year.” The $10,000 grant requires a $30,000 match. In the past, Boswell said SAFE and SADD used adult and student volunteer time rated at $18 an hour to satisfy the match requirements. The contract to renew the grant was sent in July 2013 and signed, but it contained stipulations that had to be corrected before the money was approved for Union County. Boswell and other volun-
teers worked through the paperwork and by October, all the corrections were complete. All that was left to be approved was the budget for the $10,000 grant and $30,000 match. IDPH then informed Boswell the match was inadequate and the $30,000 must come from a county fiscal agent. “It was a misunderstanding, and they just caught it this Please see GRANT, Page 2
AFTON — A 30- by 60-foot building is being constructed at the High Lakes Outdoor Alliance (HLOA) shooting range complex located on the north side of Three Mile Lake in Afton. The building will be used for registration, event sign-ins, education center and meeting location. The exterior, pictured above, is complete and now the organization is waiting for grant money before starting work on the interior. “This building gives us a place to call home,” said Doug Jones, HLOA president. “If you have four walls and a roof, you now have a place to get out of the weather, feed and educate people in a formal setting.” Tom Lesan, HLOA treasurer, said the shooting range now has more than 400 members. The range includes five trap houses and pistol, smallbore and long-range rifle ranges for members. Cost for a membership is $45. To get a membership, visit the Union County Conservation Office at Three Mile Lake or call Lesan at 641-3441183.
SWCC to hold emergency response drill Thursday The SWCC main campus in Creston will participate in a shelter-in-place drill approximately 10 a.m. Thursday. Shelter-in-place means all individuals on the campus must remain inside a building. Thus, when the emergency text message system — e2Campus — delivers the shelter-in-place drill message, all individuals on the SWCC campus must find shelter inside a building. A shelter-in-place drill varies
from a lock-down drill in that doors will not be locked. The intention of the shelter-in-place is not to keep people out, but rather, to allow everyone to stay in, to shelter from outside factors. SWCC is required to participate in an emergency-response drill each calendar year. “To maintain compliance we will partner with outside entities to ensure the safety of all parties involved,” said Beth Kulow, dean of students at SWCC. “During
the shelter-inplace drill, all entrances/exits to and from the campus will be blocked. We ask for your assistance to stay inside during the Kulow shelter-in-place drill. We anticipate the drill will last approximately five minutes.” The scenario presented for this drill is as follows:
Approximately one mile north of the SWCC agricultural site, an anhydrous spill has occurred. In order to keep students safe, local emergency response management personnel have instructed Southwestern Community College to activate a shelter-inplace. The shelter-in-place is recommended for the agricultural site, main campus and all adjoining buildings. The public should be aware, during the shelter-in-place drill,
local law enforcement agencies will block the exit at the agricultural site and the exits on the main campus site. Exits on the main campus site immediately impacted will include the main driveway entrance off Townline Street and the YMCA/Technical Center entrance off North Lincoln Street. The second (north) entrance off North Lincoln Street that provides access to the maintenance area will also be blocked.
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Volume 130 No. 128 Copyright 2013
Contact us 2013
In person: Mail: Phone: Fax: E-mail:
503 W. Adams Street Box 126, Creston, IA 50801-0126 641-782-2141 641-782-6628 news@crestonnews.com
Contents
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Deaths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Heloise Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Wednesday weather High 10 Low 4 Full weather report, 3A