TIGERS SURGE
HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY
Kaleb Anderson sparked a fourth-quarter surge as the Lenox boys defeated Murray Thursday, 57-48. For more on the game, see page 1S.
Both $500 tickets and one $100 ticket have been claimed in the Creston holiday giveaway. Winning ticketholders have until 4 p.m. Jan. 5 to claim their prizes at the Chamber office.
creston
News Advertiser WEEKEND EDITION
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2015
Rural mail carrier triggers 3 Iowa men rescue of stranded farmer charged with 30 hunting violations
Mail carrier Mark Abplanalp’s call to local sheriff leads to rescue of 89-year-old Worth County farmer Bud Maudlin, who had been stranded for three days. ■
By KELSEY HAUGEN CNA staff reporter khaugen@crestonnews.com
GRANT CITY, Mo. – The instincts of a U.S. Postal Service carrier in Worth County, Missouri, may have saved an 89-year-old farmer’s life earlier this year. Mark Abplanalp, a mail carrier for the post office in Grant City, Missouri, regularly delivers to Bud Maudlin at Maudlin Century Farm, about five miles north of Grant City. On Tuesday, April 16, 2015, Abplanalp delivered mail to Maudlin’s residence and, upon returning two days later, noticed the contents of his mailbox were still untouched. Concerned there could be something wrong, Abplanalp called Worth County Sheriff Terry Sheddrick. Sheddrick began searching for Maudlin, a partially disabled World War II veteran, with the help of two of Maudlin’s relatives: Cpl. Brad Maudlin and Bob McCully. Worth County dispatcher Bob Farrell said the crew arrived at the farm to find the house vacant but saw tracks from a tractor and followed them across the property. Then, they heard Maudlin
yelling for help and found him in desperate straits about a mile from his house. Maudlin had been using his tractor to do chores when it broke down. “It was awfully muddy at the time, and I couldn’t drive it,” Maudlin said. Maudlin, who uses a cane to walk, was unable to climb to the ground. He was stranded for three days and wasn’t able to call anyone for help, as he wasn’t carrying a cell phone. “I only had one cigarette and I smoked it,” Maudlin said with a laugh. “I didn’t have anything to eat or drink for 74 hours.” Maudlin was transported to the hospital in Maryville, Missouri, where he recuperated for two days. “I lost 14 pounds from dehydration, but I’m back to normal now,” Maudlin said. “Thank God for the mail carrier.” As for Abplanalp, he wishes he had been able to help sooner. “If I was delivering on Wednesday, I probably could have saved him a day,” Abplanalp said. Abplanalp recently received a letter of commendation from the Postal Service. He reportedly said he was
Contributed photos
ABOVE: Pictured is Bud Maudlin, 89, at the dedication of the Maudlin Century Farm in Grant City, Missouri, in 2008. Maudlin was found stranded a mile from his home thanks to a call to the local sheriff from a rural mail carrier. BELOW: Pictured is Mark Abplanalp, a mail carrier for the post office in Grant City, Missouri, whose phone call to the local sheriff triggered the rescue of farmer Bud Maudlin, who was stranded a mile from his home.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources charged three men Dec. 9 with multiple hunting violations for events that took place on Jan. 10, 2015, which span in two counties in western Iowa. Dustin Hansen, 27, of Adair was charged with shooting a pistol over a public roadway, reckless use of a firearm, two counts of illegal attempt to take; use of motor vehicle, illegal attempt to take; use two-way communications, two counts of illegal take; use of motor vehicle and two counts illegal take; and use of two-way communication. He was also charged with violating one-way traffic desig-
nation and stopping, standing, parking on interstate right of way, all in Cass County. Hansen was also charged with no migratory bird fee from a separate incident. Donald Kinzie, 41, of Stuart was charged with two counts illegal take of deer; use of motor vehicle, two counts illegal take of deer; use of twoway communications, three counts trespassing while deer hunting, illegal attempt to take deer; use of motor vehicle, illegal attempt to take deer; and use of two-way communications and reckless use of a firearm causing property damage, all in Cass County. DNR | 8A
Christmas basket donations Possible arson occurs in Lenox underway LENOX — A structure fire Dec. 11 in Lenox appears to have been set intentionally. According to a Taylor County Sheriff report, at approximately 1:30 a.m. Dec. 11, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office
“tickled to death” that his action led to the successful rescue of Maudlin. While Maudlin is back to normal from the incident, he recently fell and broke two ribs. He is recovering, and his oldest daughter, Charlotte
Gunsolley, said he is doing well. “He tends to be accident prone and is fiercely stubborn to maintain his independence, so we’ve tried to honor that,” Gunsolley said. “He’s in pretty good shape for his age.”
If anyone has information about the fire, contact Taylor County Sheriff’s Office at 712-523-2153. ■
and Lenox Fire Department responded to a small fire on the outside of a mobile home in the Lenox trailer park on
about the fire, or saw something unusual in the north end of the trailer park, contact Taylor County Sheriff’s Office at 712-523-2153. South Walnut Street. More information will be Damage estimate is curreleased as it becomes availrently unavailable. able. If anyone has information
Creston High School winter concert
CNA photos by IAN RICHARDSON
LEFT: Junior Jake Hitz sings a baritone solo during the song “As Lately We Watched” during Thursday night’s Creston High School winter concert in the high school auditorium. The concert featured performances by the Creston jazz band, symphonic band, drumline and concert choir. Watch video clips of the concert choir men singing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and the full choir singing “Peace, Peace” at www.crestonnews.com under the “Video” tab. RIGHT: Senior Madison Hance, right, plays piccolo and senior Cassandra Anderson, middle, plays flute in the symphonic band during Thursday night’s Creston High School winter concert. Watch video clips of the symphonic band performing “Wassail” and “Carol of the Bells” and of the jazz band performing “Willow Weep for Me” online under the “Video” tab at www.crestonnews.com.
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Volume 132 No. 143
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The 2015 Union County Christmas Basket Fund campaign is underway. This year’s fund goal is $19,000 and organizers are gearing up for another successful campaign. To date, a total of $12,614 has been raised. Last year, 550 baskets serving more than 1,200 people were distributed. Residents of care centers in Creston and Afton received fruit and Kleenex. Baskets include meat, canned goods donated through efforts of Boy Scouts and school and community projects and certificates redeemable at local supermarkets for perishable foods. Each child 18 and younger will also receive a gift certificate for clothing items. Boxes of colored pencils were donated by Creston Arts. They will be handed out when the food baskets are picked up on Dec. 19. Along with providing food baskets BASKET | 8A
For every $25 certificate, we will give you another $5 gift card.
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