TWO STEPS LEFT
Lenox Tigers baseball team defeats Bedford, 11-0, in five innings Thursday. They’re two steps away from the state baseball tournament. Read more in SPORTS, page 10A.
creston
News Advertiser WEEKEND EDITION
SHAW MEDIA GROUP SERVING SW IOWA SINCE 1879 BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE AT WWW.CRESTONNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014
FAIR DAYS
Horse show and queen contest kick off Taylor County Fair in Bedford Thursday. Union County Fair starts Saturday. ■
Taylor County’s Royal Court The 2014 Taylor County Fair court, from left, Miss Congeniality Raelynne Risser of Bedford, Queen McKenna Standerford of Beford and First Runnerup Callie Beason of Bedford, was named Thursday during a ceremony at the grandstands.
Brad Larson of Clearfield takes his second attempt at a hoop shoot at Taylor County Fair Thursday while Cal Peterman of Bedford watches. Larson went 2-for-3 to secure a prize.
By KYLE WILSON
CNA managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
CNA photo by SARAH BROWN
Creston is only the fifth community in the state of Iowa to receive this honor. Ellen Gerharz, executive director at Creston Chamber of Commerce, announced Tuesday that Creston was recently named a certified connected community by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Connect Iowa — which is leading the effort to increase high-speed Internet access, adoption and use across Iowa. “We are proud that we’re a connected community,” Gerharz said. “You don’t have to live in a large community to realize the direction of this state and country. Having high speed broadband internet access is important. And, it will continue to be very important moving for- Gerharz ward in attracting young professionals, businesses and industry to our area. Communities not connected will be at a disadvantage.” The mission of the governor is to connect all Iowa communities with high-speed internet to create a better business environment, more effective community and economic development, improved healthcare, more efficient government, enhanced education and improved quality of life. To become a connected community, cities or counties must score above 100 in an assessment that includes criteria for access, adoption and use of high speed internet. Creston scored a 106 on the assessment. Gerharz said legwork by Andrew Collings of SICOG (Southern Iowa Council of Government) and broadband internet access and availability at Greater Regional Medical Center, city of Creston, Creston schools, Southwestern Community College, Gibson Memorial Library and IowaWORKS all aided in receiving this honor. “It also helped that we are a central point for Windstream,” Gerharz said. The first five connected communities in order include Indianola, Webster City, West Des Moines, Blackhawk County and Creston.
her mother Nicki Lamb wash their horse Beauty after a day of shows Thursday at Adair County Fair.
Please see CONNECTED, Page 2
CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM
On its way:
Creston becomes Iowa’s fifth connected community
Beauty bath: Addie Lamb, 13, of Greenfield, front, and
Little Free Library gaining attention locally By SARAH BROWN
CNA staff reporter sbrown@crestonnews.com
Little Free Library, a grassroots movement promoting literacy and a sense of community, is gaining attention in Creston. With at least three locations throughout the area, the “take a book, return a book” exchange boxes serve as a gathering place where neighbors and friends can share their favorite literature — for free. This spring, Barb Coenen of Creston installed a Little Free Library on her front lawn in memo-
rial of her mother, Florence Montag Allen, who died in March. “She loved to read,” Coenen said. Coenen said one of her earliest memories of her mother are of her mother reading to her and her 11 siblings. “She’d read to us, or we’d see her sitting and reading at night,” Coenen said. “We would go to the library every week when we lived out on the farm. There were just always books (around).” Up until Allen’s death, she and her daughter continued to trade books back and forth with the other. Inspired by her mother raising
12 readers, Coenen wants to share the gift of reading with the community. Before installing the bright red Florence Montag Allen Memorial Little Free Library on her lawn, Coenen built one last year and placed it in her alley way. “I have always wanted to have a Little Free Library,” Coenen said. The Florence Montag Allen Memorial Little Free Library features “a good mix of everything.” Coenen said she has stocked it with books for infants up to adults.
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Volume 131 No. 34
2014
Please see LITTLE LIBRARY, Page 2
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