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154 YEARS • NO. 48
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
OSCEOLA, IOWA 50213
SINGLE COPY PRICE: 75¢
CCRC discusses legal process, water level at West Lake
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By AMY HANSEN
OST news editor • ahansen@osceolaiowa.com
Clarke County Reservoir Commission (CCRC) is playing the waiting game while going through the legal process for its Squaw Creek watershed project. During a Nov. 14 CCRC meeting, Dave Beck, project coordinator for CCRC’s reservoir project, used a Civil War analogy to describe the legal-process period. He described Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the siege at Vicksburg in 1863. “He (Grant) announced that after a fairly quick campaign through Mississippi, they settled down in front of Vicksburg, Miss., and started a siege. He said, ‘I propose to outcamp them,’” Beck said. “We’re kind of in this ‘outcamping’ stage, I guess. We have to work through the paper and the
OST photo by AMY HANSEN
Dan Shane with the University of Iowa’s Department of Health Management and Policy discusses the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” during a business leadership network luncheon and community forum Nov. 12 at Clarke County Fairgrounds event center.
Affordable Care Act: What should you know? OST news editor ahansen@osceolaiowa.com
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as “Obamacare,” is here to stay, but it’s implementation has had its ups and downs. A business leadership network luncheon and community forum was held Nov. 12 at Clarke County Fairgrounds event center to discuss health care. It was hosted by the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Sue Curry, dean of the University of Iowa College of Public Health, attended the forum and introduced the keynote speaker. Approximately 35 other people were also in attendance. The event’s keynote speaker was Dan Shane, who joined the University of Iowa’s Department of Health
Management and Policy in 2012. Shane gave a broad overview of the Affordable Care Act, as well as insight to its effects on businesses in rural Iowa and small communities. Information on the ACA given by Shane includes: • The ACA and its patient protection became effective March 23, 2010. • Shane said the primary goal of the ACA is to increase health care to the public. • Under the ACA, people 26 and under may stay on their parent’s insurance plan. Shane said 8 to 10 million children and young adults have gained health-care coverage since the provision was implemented. He said this provision has been “very successful.” • Reports that refer to the “Marketplace” may mean the ACA web-
process. That’s happening. We’re doing our best to make sure everything stays on time.” The project There is an ongoing CCRC watershed project Please see CCRC, Page 4
Patterson’s predictions: What does winter weather have in store for West Lake?
Health forum held at fairgrounds’ event center By AMY HANSEN
During a Nov. 14 Clarke County Reservoir Commission meeting, it was reported the water level at West Lake is 34 inches below the spillway.
site www.healthcare.gov. People may also access coverage through a phone number and some offices located across the country. However, Shane said access to health care through the website depends on the “glitch of the day.” The ACA rollout has been troubled with website problems on www.healthcare.gov. • According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the ACA guarantees that all Americans – regardless of their health status or pre-existing conditions – will have access to health coverage. Enrollment has already begun and coverage will start in 2014. “Being a woman was a pre-existing condition. The ACA has done away with that,” Shane said.
By AMY HANSEN
OST news editor • ahansen@osceolaiowa.com
“It’s kind of a coin toss,” said Osceola Water Superintendent Brandon Patterson when he discussed weather predictions and water levels at West Lake with Osceola Sentinel-Tribune. Last year, at this time, West Lake was 48.5 inches below the spillway. During a Clarke County Reservoir Commission board meeting Nov. 14, it was announced West Lake was currently 34 inches below the spillway. Water levels for the next couple of months will depend on snow fall, snow melt and spring rains, Patterson said. “Last year, the snow melt
Please see ACA, Page 4
didn’t really play a big part, it was the rainfall that we got in the spring,” Patterson said. “Either way, we want to try to get the precipitation slow. So, if we could get the snow melt, and then we have those gradual melts, that helps fill that lake up slowly. Or, in the spring, we could get the rainfall slowly. It’s beneficial either way.” According to Patterson, if there is a large, fast rainfall, it fills the lake quickly, but it also fills it with nutrients, which creates severe algae problems in the summer. “I think, compared to last year, we’re in better shape than we were,” Patterson said. “But, it all just depends on the winter snows, and, obviously, the spring rains.”
Sweeney presents results of first soccer survey By AMY HANSEN
OST news editor • ahansen@osceolaiowa.com
The results are in — kind of. After an Oct. 28 Clarke school board meeting, Ryan Sweeney, Clarke activities director, put out a survey on starting a soccer program at Clarke Community High Sweeney School. During a Nov. 11 board meeting, Sweeney said he got 305 responses. However, he was only able to access 100 of the results. SINGLE COPY PRICE: 75¢
Copyright 2013
Then, Sweeney sent out another survey for Clarke students, but not all of those results were in by the board meeting. “Basically, what I’m telling you is it’s sort of incomplete at the moment,” Sweeney said. “I’ve had about 30 responses from our freshman, sophomores and juniors. I haven’t had any from the seventh- and eighth-graders because they just got theirs back today (Nov. 11).” 50-50 Sweeney discussed the results from first survey with the 100 accessible responses. He said the responses he had were “fifty-fifty.” Please see SOCCER, Page 4
Pictured are children involved in Osceola Children’s Theatre’s production of “Sleeping Beauty” during a dress rehearsal Nov. 14 at Clarke Community Elementary School. Performances are Friday and Saturday at Clarke Community High School’s auditorium. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event is first come, first seated. Admission is $4 for children 12 and under and $5 for people 13 and older. The show is directed by Kathy Kooiker.
Index Obituary .......................3 Editorial ........................4 Church Directory .........9 Classifieds .................13
OST photo by AMY HANSEN
Sleeping Beauty:
Neighbors ....................5 Health ...........................6 Record .........................2 Sports................... 10-11
Don’t Forget
Weather Your Local Weather Thu
11/21
Fri
11/22
42/24
34/20
Mostly Cloudy. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the mid 20s.
Cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Sat
11/23
29/13 Abundant sunshine. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the low
Murray Methodist Church’s bake sale/bazaar
The event is planned 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Murray Community Center.
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