The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 8
February 25, 2010

The Mayor Sez...
     Of late I have heard of a few cases of hardship by a few of our residents during the power outage. If this should reoccur while it is still cold outside, please call 668-2221 (Sac County Communications Center) and they will contact city officials that will come get you and take you to a warm place. Thanks to Faith Lutheran for doing just that!!
We understand that Cubby’s provided pizza for the overnighters at Faith Lutheran as well as for the truckers that were stranded at Cubby’s. We salute!
     When this blurb gets read there will be six more days left in February and only 21 days after that until the first day of spring (March 21st). Whew! Makes us think winter is about over.
     What do you ‘90/100 day fog’ believers think?
     From the ‘bolt
      R.J. Rex, Mayor
www.odebolt.net/council.html

World Day of Prayer March 5
Women, men and children in more than 170 countries and regions will celebrate World Day of Prayer, Friday, March 5. In Odebolt, the observance will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church. Following the service, a light lunch of soup and bars will be served. Everyone (men and women) is welcome.

Photos in this week's Chronicle showcase servers and the crowd at the Odebolt-Arthur Students Fundraiser Pancake Breakfast on February 21 at the Odebolt Community Center.

Included in this issue is a Salute to Corn Producers tab and a National FFA Week Pull-Out

OBITUARY
CARL BRAUNSCHWEIG
     Carl John Braunschweig, age 77, of Wall Lake, Iowa, died Saturday, February 13, 2010, at Twilight Acres in Wall Lake, following a five-year battle with cancer.
     Funeral services were held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 20, 2010, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Sac City, Iowa, under the direction of Christensen-Huffman Funeral Homes. The Reverend Andrew Ratcliffe officiated, with burial in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, Iowa.
     Born January 29, 1933, in Aurelia, Iowa, Carl John Braunschweig was the son of Otto and Lisette (Gerike) Braunschweig. He was baptized and confirmed by his father, Pastor Otto Braunschweig, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Aurelia. Carl graduated from Aurelia High School in 1952, then worked for Edson Construction Company in Storm Lake. He served in the United States Air Force from October, 1953, until his honorable discharge in September, 1956.
    Carl attended Westmoor College, graduating in 1960. He farmed with his brother Robert in Larrabee, Iowa, and Henning, Minnesota. In 1977, he moved to Odebolt and was in construction with his brother, Bernard. From 1978-1982, he worked for Einspahr and Jensen in Odebolt.
     On May 31, 1980, Carl married Beverly Gibson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, becoming a step-father, -grandfather, and -great-grandfather. In 1983, Carl and Bev owned CB's Drive-In in Odebolt. Carl worked at the Sac County Golf and Country Club until 1989, then began working for Randy Aschinger on the farm. He loved the farm and the out-of-doors, and was an avid bowler and golfer.
     Survivors include his wife, Bev; a step-daughter, Stephanie (Kyle) Ullrich of Denison; grandchildren, Heidi (Rodney) Slechta of Kiron, Chris (Wendy) Ullrich of Kiron, Holly (Dean) Quirk of Polk City, and Hope (Scott) O'Daniel of Parker, CO; and 13 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by three sisters, Anna (Herb) Huseman of Rice Lake, WI, Cornelia Warkentien of Roseville, MN, Annette Braunschweig of Tavares, FL; five brothers, Reinhold Braunschweig of Beaver Dam, WI, Arnold Braunschweig of Iowa Falls, Robert Braunschweig of Donahue, Victor Braunschweig of Mustang, OK, and Bernard Braunschweig of Golden, CO; and two sisters-in-law, Evelyn Braunschweig of Alta, and Nelda Carney of Rolla, MO.
    Carl was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, Harry and Dorothea Witt; two sisters, Verona Fosdick and Eleanor Honsburch; and three brothers, Ottomar, Gerhardt, and Theodore Braunschweig.

The OA-BCIG Falcon Frontline
Read sports & school news in this special section of The Chronicle each week.   www.oabcig.org

The juniors will sell Pizza Ranch pizzas February 19 - March 5 for after-prom.

 - Four Falcon wrestlers win state medals.
 - Falcon boys end basketball season with 13-10 record.
 - Falcon girls to state after white-knuckle win over IKM/Manning.

The local Invention Convention will be held in the Odebolt MPR Tuesday, March 2, with judging from 8:30-10:00. Inventions will remain on display until 3:00 that afternoon. Parents and community members are encouraged to view the students' displays and inventions between 10 and 3 that day.

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ODEBOLT.NET NEWS

B. Horak & B. Ekse, Webnews Editors
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OBITUARY .. DOROTHY (HANSON) KLEMESRUD
     Dorothy Victoria Klemesrud, 93, of Indianapolis died at her home Mon., Feb. 22, 2010.
     Born to the late Wilmer and Victoria Erickson Hanson on a farm in Arthur, Iowa on Dec. 13, 1916, with the support of only brother, now deceased, Warren Hanson, she graduated from Iowa State University. On Nov. 22, 1941 she married Herman L. Klemesrud, who preceded her in death in 1988.
     A free spirit, in 1942 Dorothy earned her pilot's licence, then settled down to become a homemaker, moving to Indianapolis in 1969 to retire as Teacher's Aide at Lincoln Elementary. As a member of Resurrection Lutheran Church she welcomed many into the community.
     Surviving are children and spouses Vicki and Charles Sampson, Bruce and Lynn Klemesrud, Byron and Barbara Klemesrud, and Elaine Klemesrud, plus nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
     Family will receive friends at 10 a.m. on Sat., Feb. 27 at Resurrection Lutheran Church, followed by A Celebration of Life service at 11 a.m..
     Memorials may be given to Resurrection Lutheran Church, 445 E. Stop 11, Indianapolis, IN 46227 for the Sarah Marie Klemesrud Foundation benefiting the homeless or the Heifer Foundation International.
     Private entombment was held at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens. Arrangement assistance, Forest Lawn Funeral Home.

OBITUARY:  John R. Neal, age 57, of Arthur, Iowa, passed away Sunday, February 14, 2010, at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa.
     According to his wishes, no public service will be held.
     Condolences and a Guest Book are available online at www.christensenhuffman.com or can be mailed to Christensen-Huffman Funeral Homes, 321 2nd Street, Ida Grove, IA 51445.
     Memorials may be directed to the Horn Memorial Foundation, c/o Horn Memorial Hospital, 700 East 2nd Street, Ida Grove, IA 51445.

From "The Catholic Globe" ... Fr. Hemann gives new music CD to pope
2/26 - Father David Hemann, pastor at parishes in Ida Grove, Holstein and Odebolt, knew he wanted to give Pope Benedict XVI a copy of his latest CD, titled the Psalms of David.  Read the whole story       See a video about Father Hemann

Excerpt from “County, communities overspend snow budgets”, by Deb Loger, Ida County Courier www.idacountycourier.com
 Feb. 24, 2010 - In a time when budgets are already stretched thin, most cities, counties and states across the U.S. will agree the one thing they didn’t need was an extraordinary winter season.
     Odebolt budgeted $20,000 for snow removal and $1,000 for storms. As of Feb. 12 the city had used $14,492 from the snow removal budget and $20,155 from the storms’ budget. “Depending on which
generation you talk to, the winter storm that we just experienced compares to the winter of ’36, the winter of ’75 and now the unforgettable winter of 2009-10. The difference from ’36 and ’75 to now is the snow removal equipment and machinery that we have available to us today. We can pretty much keep the downtown area cleaned up over night and most, if not all, the streets and alleys within 24 hours,” said Odebolt Mayor Ron Rex.
     “FEMA was unknown to us years ago. However, now the state and federal government will give financial assistance if the county or city has been declared a disaster area. Sac County and Odebolt have been told that we will receive aid and assistance from FEMA and the State of Iowa (through the DOT entity).  “It is my understanding that FEMA will give some financial help for hanging limbs on the city parking and/or trees that are severely damaged. I am also told that the DOT will come in with prisoners and community service people to give help to all property owners with downed tree limbs and branches; however, not until the snow is gone. If there is a charge, I am unaware of it.
     “Our budget has been exceeded; however, with the additional help as above mentioned, we do not foresee any problems.”

2/17 STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT NEWS
OA-BCIG's Schaefer blazes comeback trail
Josh Schaefer, 17-year old son of Marcia Schaefer of Odebolt will take an 8-1 record into his first-round match against Jacob England (31-10) of Winterset in State Wrestling Tournament.  He recovered from a ruptured appendix to make it to State.   from Sioux City Journal

O-A/BC-IG, AGHSC wrestlers advance to 2A state meet from www.idacountycourier.com
STATE WRESTLING: Congratulations to Coach Niemann, Coach Hemer, and our State Wrestling place winners. Darius Dutcher 3rd place, Chaps Wilcke and Josh Schaefer 5th place, and Devon Pierce - 6th place. OA-BCIG finished 6th place in class 2A as a team. Wrestlers Congratulatory Celebration HS Cafeteria - 5:00 PM Wednesday, March 3.

2/17 - FROM THE IDA COUNTY COURIER  www.idacountycourier.com
Odebolt Library Extends Hours
The Odebolt Public Library has announced it has increased the hours the library will be open each week. In this time of economic troubles, the library board feels they can help the community by having the library available more hours to the public. The library offers books, movies, CDs, magazines, computers, wireless Internet, copies and a fax machine.
New hours are as follows:
Mondays—2 p.m. to 6 p.m.,
Tuesdays—2 p.m. to 5 p.m.,
Wednesdays—10 a.m. to noon and 2-7:30 p.m.,
Thursdays—2 to 5 p.m.,
Fridays—2 to 6 p.m.
Saturdays—9 a.m. to noon.

The Sac County Endowment Foundation awarded the following grants: City of Odebolt—downtown green space development and museum renovation.

2/15 - Get Ready for Spring Soccer
The Ida Grove Kiwanis Club is changing the Youth Soccer Program to a spring event, as they start their 14th season. This year’s soccer season will be from April 17th through May 22nd. Practices will start in March immediately after the team drawings.

Soccer registration forms will be sent home this week with grade school students and others interested are asked to pick up their registration forms at their school office. The soccer program is open to children from Kindergarten through 12th grade and is open to the youth of area communities that want to join in fun. Registration is $12 per student with a maximum of $24 per family.

Peter Goldsmith has been the chairman of the program since its startup in 1995. Goldsmith said that football, volleyball and other activities are now being held during the fall season. The time has come for us to make the change to spring soccer and offer the opportunity to more children of the area that would like to participate in this sport. Goldsmith added that the final details for the program will come together in the next couple of weeks and we hope that coaches and referees will step up and volunteer to help us out in our organizational process.

The Ida Grove Kiwanis Club is a service organization with children as the focus of their community mission. The Kiwanis Club meets every Wednesday at noon at the City Council Chambers and Dennis Clausen is president.

Randy Bach
712-210-2600

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The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 7
February 18, 2010

The Mayor Sez,
     Good news! From our Special Council Meeting on budget review for the coming fiscal year, the City’s share of the property tax levy should remain the same or slightly less. Hopefully the school district and county can hold the line too.
     Regarding tree limb clean-up we are told that a DOT crew may give us assistance after the snow and ice subsides. More information on this will be forth coming as we begin to get warmer weather and if everything is holy, warmer weather WILL be coming.
     R.J. Rex, Mayor
     City of Odebolt

Design or Despair? Depending on how you look at things, the ice sculptures adorning many homes and businesses could be thought of as art design or despair. As beautiful as the glistening ice can be, it can also be the cause of terrible damage. Ice build-up on roofs can be the cause of ice dams. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas.

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ODEBOLT.NET NEWS

B. Horak & B. Ekse, Webnews Editors
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2/15 - Iowa Beef Industry Council Elects Officers; from Wallace's Farmer
Terri Carstensen, Odebolt, chairs the Advertising Committee and was elected as Region III vice-president of the Federation of State Beef Councils.

From the Sioux City Journal - Class 2A girls teams begin regionals  LINK

OA-BCIG (16-2), which was ranked No. 1 for a good portion of the season before a loss to defending state champion IKM-Manning, entertains Westwood in a Region 3 game. IKM-Manning, 16-4 after a 1-2 start, is also in Region 3 and a potential third meeting with OA-BCIG could take place in a regional final.

Sophomore sensation Jessie Pauley, already sought after by a number of Division I schools, averages 19.7 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Falcons of Coach Patrick Miller. Junior Ashley Zobel contributes 13.3 points while senior Christine Bloyer is also in double figures at 10.6 an outing. It's the first season for the sharing program of Odebolt-Arthur and Battle Creek-Ida Grove.

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From www.idacountycourier.com

Three communities awarded tree grants.  MidAmerican Energy Company is providing $255,000 to 93 cities & community organizations throughout Iowa in support of its Trees Please! program  Area communities receiving $1,000 each are Battle Creek, Odebolt & Schleswig.  The grants are based entirely on the individual merits o the project, the benefit to the commit and the ability to obtain matching funds.

O-A/BC-IG girls lose twice
The O-A/BC-IG girls' basketball team suffered back-to-back losses last week.
    The last time a team coached by Pat Miller lost back-to-back games was in January 2005 when the BC-IG Falcons lost to Cherokee and Sioux City West.
     The Falcons finished the regular season with a 16-3 record and ranked third in the state in class 2A. O

Sectional tournament- O-A/BC-IG takes second
O-A/BC-IG's wrestling team placed second and AGHSC was fifth at the class 2A sectional tournament in Holstein Saturday.
     Individually, eight wrestlers from O-A/BC-IG and three from AGHSC qualified for the district tournament by placing either first or second in their weight class. The district tournament will be held in Cherokee this Saturday at noon.
    By placing second O-A/BC-IG qualified for the regional dual team tournament, which was held in Rockwell City Tuesday, Feb. 9, (see next week's Courier for details). The winner qualified for the state dual team tournament in Cedar Rapids Saturday, Feb. 27.
    The final sectional team standings were Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 223.5; O-A/BC-IG, 211.5; Rockwell City-Lytton/Southern Calhoun, 181.5; Carroll, 164.5; AGHSC, 121 and Heelan, 102.

The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 6
February 11, 2010

The Mayor Sez...
     Writing about the weather has kept my pen hot the last month or so. It all started with the Christmas blizzard, then the infamous ice storm, then another blizzard, or was it the second blizzard and then the ice storm? Oh, the heck with it! The ground hog saw his shadow which means 6 more weeks of winter, and by the looks of things, I believe 'ol Punxsutawney Phil is right on!
     By the way, the City would like to thank the Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center for opening their doors to our citizens that were without heat or electricity. We salute!
     R.J. Rex, Mayor
     City of Odebolt

Winter Weather Safety on the Road
    The Iowa Department of Transportation has developed a short video that identifies the basic necessities you should carry in your vehicle, and describes what you should do if you become stranded.
Learn what to carry and tips to survive by watching this new video at http://www.youtube.com/iowadot

Barn Quilts continue to multiply in Sac County. With all the snow covering the landscape, the colorful quilts provide a striking contrast of color and beauty to an otherwise all-white scene.
     The Barn Quilt web site has had more than 2,315,500 visits since its inception in August 2005. The number of hits on the site has increased every year, with just over 868,900 visits in 2009 alone.
     The site has been updated recently and now includes a number of slide shows, including slides of the annual Sac County Quilt-A-Fair which began in 2007.
    View new Barn Quilts slide shows at www.barnquilts.com
Click on the link and follow the instructions on the site.

Photo caption: Steve and Deb Loger of Odebolt, along with their therapy dogs, Toby and Meeka, visited Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center on January 23. Many residents and guests enjoyed holding and petting the soft and friendly dogs.

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ODEBOLT.NET NEWS

B. Horak & B. Ekse, Webnews Editors
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PHOTOS OF ICE DAMAGE
submitted to odebolt.net
by Vicki Beckman 1/22/2010
and Ann Hoefling  1/29/2010

January 22, 2010 - These are photos of some of the ice damage around Odebolt. We get power for a short time then out again for hours. Trying to keep things charged up when we can, cooking on gas grilles outside is getting creative. They are talking another 72 hours or so if no more bad weather.
 - Vicki Beckman

January 29, 2010 - This is why we are sick of winter!!! A few photos of what has been going on in Odebolt. Some people are still out of power after 9 days! When is spring???? - Ann Hoefling

DOUBLE CLICK THE BELOW SLIDESHOW
 TO GO TO LARGER PHOTOS

 

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Looking for Muxen relations
I am looking for information on Clara Margaret Muxen, Odebolt graduating class of 1902.  She was the daughter of H. Joseph and Gertrude (Hempen) Muxen.  I am interested in any contact information on existing family descendants as well. I am the director at the "Craft School of the Ozarks" that she and her brother built in Winslow, Arkansas.
 - Rebecca Buchanan
Thanks to Carol Auen for sending this in:
From "St. Martin's Parish, Spiritual Memories", the church centennial booklet, 1977.
     Harmon Joseph Muxen was born on July 7, 1858 in Illinois. He came to the Odebolt area in 1871. On August 29, 1880, he married Gertrude Hempen at Denison. They were the parents of Clara, who became a nun, Hugh and Gertrude, who both remained single. Mr. Muxen died on July 26, 1941.
Thanks also to Marj McQuirk aka Hilary Johannsen, whose mother was a Muxen for submitting family information.

If you have information, please email Barb at

to receive email and phone number information.

History question:
     Classified ad a recent The Chronicle: "Looking for a 1945 year book for Odebolt Community School".
     We think there were no school year books during the Depression and World War II, and that the first post-war year book was published in 1946.
     Let's hear from those who were there: the octogenarians!

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From www.idacountycourier.com on-line subscription edition
Heidenreich graduates
Captain John J. Heidenreich was among 80 officers graduating Jan. 15 from the U.S. Army Field Artillery Captain’s Career Course. The graduation ceremony took place at Fort Sill,Okla. His parents, Joe and Jane Heidenreich of Odebolt, and Master Sergeant Larry Fineran (U.S. Marine Corps), son of Roger and Gerry Fineran of Odebolt, attended the ceremony. Heidenreich and Fineran are both graduates of Odebolt-Arthur High School. Captain Heidenreich has been assigned to the 4th Infantry
Division at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

SPORTS
The O-A/BC-IG girls lost to I-K-M-Manning 70-58 in the championship game of the Western Valley Conference tournament February 1st. The Falcons season record dropped to 16-2. Visit their web page

The O-A/BC-IG boys’ basketball team won a conference contest and lost a non-conference game last week. The Falcons went into Monday, February 1st, conference tournament with an 8-9 record overall and a 6-1 league mark. Visit their web page

O-A/BC-IG’s wrestling team is ranked 13th in the state in class 2A by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Offi cials Association. The rankings were released Thursday, January 28th. O-A/BC-IG’s dual record as of Friday was 11-1.  Visit their web page

Western Valley Conference web site
OA-BCIG web site

The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 5
February 4, 2010

The Mayor Sez…
     Recently I was thanking MidAm Energy for their efforts to restore power when we had the high winds. I would like to mention them again relating to the infamous ice storm of January 2010. I personally witnessed Brian Hansen and the local MidAm crew (and aux. crews) doing what only was humanly possible (with very little rest)) to restore power to our city. Believe me folks, it could have been worse, much worse! Thanks to Brian and his MidAm Team. We salute!
     I must also make mention of our city crew. Thanks, guys and Marsha, too. Bill, as ‘incident commander’ of our power outage emergency, you did great! Hats off!
     R. J. Rex, Mayor of Odebolt
     www.odebolt.net/council.html

The Storms

     After the ice storm of January 20-21, a blizzard hit Sac County on January 25. According to Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure and Deputy Keith Flink, the biggest problem during the blizzard was that the public didn't heed warnings not to travel. A wrecker on its way to pull out a truck was taken out of service when it crashed into a state snowplow. Highway 175 east of Odebolt was closed down, as well as Highway 71 north of Early and two sections of Highway 20. A number of vehicles blocked the roadways, causing potentially dangerous situations.
     "There were people traveling too fast for the conditions," said Deputy Flink.
     Sheriff McClure said conditions were so bad that after the DOT pulled its snowplows off the road, he told his staff that they would not answer any calls that evening.
     About 1,000 of Raccoon Valley REC's electrical poles were broken in the ice storm during January 20-22, causing 2,700 of the co-op's 2,752 member-consumers to lose power. More than 200 linemen from co-ops and contractors in Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota and Kansas were brought in to help replace hundreds of broken poles and mile after mile of downed power line. Acording to Mitch McKeever, foreman for Raccoon Valley REC in Sac County, power had been restored to all dwellings in their service area in Sac County as of Saturday night, January 30.
(excerpted from article by Dale Wegner, The Sac Sun, and letter to the editor by Jim Bagley, CEO of Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative)

Governor Culver Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration
State Individual Assistance Program now available
www.governor.iowa.gov/index.php/press_releases/single/jan_29_1_10

CARD OF THANKS
(excerpts)
      I want to thank townspeople in Odebolt that helped our stranded customers during the January 25 storm. By about 3 p.m. I had about 25 people in the store and nowhere to put them. Then Bob Hardin walked in and said that they were going to open Faith Lutheran so these people would have a place to lay their heads and have some warm food. It didn't take long and Teri Olson was in doing a head count and giving directions. I think there were about 12-14 people that ended up at the church that night, with another 18 trucks surrounding the store. It is truly amazing to see that small town hospitality is still alive and thriving in Odebolt. There were many grateful and thankful people that had a safe place to stay thanks to the wonderful people of Odebolt. A special THANK YOU to Bob Hardin, Teri Olson, Dave Pierce (Mr. Traffic Director), Amber Loger (who stayed for so many hours that day) and to Faith Lutheran Church for opening up your doors to those in need.
Nan Bornhoft, Mgr., Cubby's, Odebolt

Mat Rats Wrestling Club Begins Season
     The mats have been rolled out for another season of wrestling at the Mat Rats Wrestling Club in Odebolt. The Mat Rats Wrestling Club of 2009-2010 is nearly 70 members strong. We train wrestlers from pre-school up to eighth grade. Practice is held two nights a week for almost six months of the year.
     Because our club is neither school- nor community-sponsored, all our coaches volunteer their time and all of our funding comes from donations and wrestler registration fees. Funds are used to pay for AAU membership, team tournament entry fees, medical supplies and small incentive prizes to help motivate the wrestlers. As we begin our season, we ask that you consider a small donation to support wrestling in our community. Sincerely, Jason Wulf and Carl Hemer
     Donations can be sent to:
     Mat Rats Wrestling Club
     c/o Beth Wulf
     P.O. Box 61
     Odebolt, IA 51458

OBITUARIES

WILLIAM TEAQUIST
Bill Teaquist of Crandell, Texas passed away January 5, 2010.
Funeral services were held Friday, January 8, 2010 at Jaynes Memorial Chapel in Duncanville, Texas.
Bill was born February 17, 1934 in Odebolt, IA. He attended Odebolt Public School and graduated from Drake University with a bachelor’s degree.
Bill was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served during the Korean War. A 33rd Degree Mason, Bill was a very active member with his Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite and many other organizations.
He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Billie.

RUTH FERTIG
Ruth S. Fertig, age 89, of Lake City, passed away Jan. 20, 2010, at Lake City Hospital-Mayo Health System.
A memorial service was held at the Lake City Nursing Home Chapel on Saturday, Jan. 30, at 3:30 p.m. Local services were handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Anderson-Peterson Chapel, Lake City.
Ruth was born May 6, 1920, in Glasgow, Ky., to Welby and Adie (Pace) Boles. She grew up in Rolfe, Iowa, and Pocahontas County. She married LaVern Koster in 1938. They later divorced. She then married Leslie Fertig in 1951. They lived in Odebolt, Iowa, for many years. Leslie passed away in 1998. She moved to Rochester in 2005 and then to Lake City in 2008 to be close to her daughter and son-in-law, Kay (Jerry Pisney) Koster-Pisney. She was a former member of the Odebolt (Iowa) United Methodist Church. Ruth enjoyed reading, cooking and boating.
Ruth is survived by two sons, Larry Koster of Chester, Iowa, and Les Fertig of Odebolt, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Gene Boles of Gilmore City, Iowa, and Charles "Chuck" Boles of San Diego. She was preceded in death by her husband; a daughter, Kay Koster-Pisney; a son, Vernon Koster; a sister, Betty Larson; and four brothers, Roy Boles, Ed Boles, Joe Boles and Haskle Boles.
On-line obituary

The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 4
January 28, 2010

The Mayor Sez…
     In recent weeks I have written about what a great job our city employees have done to brave the elements to keep our streets open along with their other important duties. Another pair of individuals that really work hard for our City are the people at City Hall who, as I call it, “fight the paper war”. Our City Clerk, Joan, and able assistant, Phyllis, work behind the lines doing the huge job of accounting, filing State and Federal report, water billings, and sooooo much more; not only what I have just mentioned, but they volunteer their off duty time to many of our city volunteer groups. We Salute!!
     R. J. Rex, Mayor of Odebolt
     www.odebolt.net/council.html

This week's edition of The Chronicle is full of photos and stories informing about the damage that Odebolt and the surrounding area received from the recent winter weather and ice storm. 

BRIEFS ABOUT THE ICE STORM
From The Chronicle

Governor Chet Culver issued an emergency proclamation for Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties to allow state resources to be utilized in response to the ice storm that brought up to an inch of ice to the area and left many without power due to downed power lines.

Starting Wednesday, January 20, rain fell as temperatures dropped causing ice to form on power lines, trees and roads already loaded down with snow from previous storms.  Power lines snapped, plunging area residents into darkness.  Power was intermittent Thursday and Friday until mid-morning on Saturday, January 23.

There were approx. 250 electric poles broken throughout Sac County.  In some places there was ice the size of softballs hanging on electric wires.  There was one stretch with 37 poles down.  Crews came from all over to help with repairs.

People without electricity or heat utilized emergency shelters in area towns. Sac Co. Sheriff's office fielded 1500 calls about downed power lines, trees on streets and roads and people needing help.  Officers helped transfer people to safety and relayed information to road and line crews.

Gov. Chet Culver stopped in Sac Count on Friday afternoon.  He was informed about the need to get generators for rural livestock operations. 

Strong, gusty winds combined with about an inch of snow on Sunday night, January 24, created white-out conditions.  Highway 71 was blocked between Early & Storm Lake due to accidents and blowing snow.

FROM PHOTO CAPTIONS

The canopy at Cubby's convenience store in Odebolt collapsed on Thursday, January 21, causing minor injuries to a woman that was pumping gas at the time.

Ice-covered trees dropped limbs leaving piles of debris and causing havoc in Odebolt and surrounding areas.  Many residents lost electricity off and on Wednesday through Saturday.

A scene of numerous power poles forming a broken line along roads.

Many line crews worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. just trying to keep up. They had to walk through deep snow, replace poles, rerun lines, and clean ice from lines.

Pictured are people who stayed overnight at Faith Lutheran Church in Odebolt due to blocked roads.  Members furnished food, blankets & pillows.  ONRC & Red Cross provided cots which were carried to the church by members.

THANK YOU NOTE!  We really want to thank the staff and employees of Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center for the welcoming atmosphere shown to us during our recent stays in your accommodating facility. Your hospitality went way beyond the call of duty. It was really awesome and very much appreciated. YOU ARE THE GREATEST!
Phyllis, Joan and all

(Note from web editor: City Offices (as well as many many others) had no heat during staggered periods of time during the recent ice storm outages.  There were 3 to approx. 15 people that took shelter at the nursing home on 4 different evenings  and some stayed during the day as well. )

!!!  VOLUNTEERS NEEDED  !!!
 for the Odebolt Ambulance
to be able to continue.

Odebolt Unit 81-44, Sac County Ambulance

January 5, 2010 ... In the past items have been in the paper asking for volunteers with little or no response.

So we need to share our current status with you. When you hear someone say "it took forever for the Ambulance to get there" this might be the reason why.
If you take a good look at our January schedule you will see:  (Click image to enlarge it).
 ( which will open in a new window)

4 days we will NOT have an Odebolt ambulance at all, day or night; you will wait for Sac City or Lake View to arrive.
11 People cover the 27 days/ 41 shifts that Odebolt Ambulance WILL be able to respond to your call for help.
13 nights we will NOT have an Odebolt Ambulance from 6pm to 6am; you will wait for Sac City or Lake View to arrive.
27 days and nights we will NOT have a full Odebolt Ambulance crew to respond to your call for help.

When approaching possible candidates for becoming EMT's or drivers we often hear :

1.) " my boss won't let me" let us know, we will visit with your employer you will be surprised how willing they are to be a part of helping our community.

2.) " I can't stand the sight of blood" sorry but nobody really does. But if it's your child bleeding do you want to wait 20 minutes for an ambulance from out of town to arrive ?

3.) "I don't have time" every member of our crew has a job, most have children and grandchildren in school activities, some teach CCD, others are also volunteers for the Fire department and First Responders. Yet our crew take several shifts per week.

We are supposed to run with 1 driver and 2 EMT's for a three person crew. Not one day this month will that happen.
If you can give us one 12 hour shift per week it would work miracles for our staffing problem.
Drivers need a valid drivers license, be insurable and we will train you for CPR.
We can help with the cost of EMT training. There are waivers for anyone with a nursing degree so they can also volunteer.

Please contact any of our crew, they will be more than happy to help you make one of the most rewarding decisions you will ever make.

Contacts:
Vicki Beckman @ 668-4896
Kay Bloyer @ 668-2895
Tonya Dupree @ 668-2790

 - Vicki Beckman, EMT-P

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The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 3
January 21, 2010

The Mayor Sez…
     Just 60 days until Spring (March 21, 2010). If you would like to hurry things up a tad borrow 10 grand, payable in 60 days, and just see how fast 60 days will fly by (and you have already spent the 10 G”s).
As for the snow, Mother Nature put it here and she will take it away, hopefully, not too fast. We can expect some flooding, depending on the Spring thaw.
     R. J. Rex, Mayor of Odebolt
     www.odebolt.net/council.html

Two rural intersections east of Odebolt were blocked January 13 when a train got stuck in a snow drift. The train was traveling east from the ethanol plant in Arthur. It took workers until Thursday afternoon to free the train and its cargo. (photo)

Soup on Sunday (SOS) is being planned as a special event and time of gathering for the Odebolt-Arthur communities on the following dates:
Sunday, January 31
Sunday, February 28
Sunday, March 21
     SOS will be held at the Odebolt Community Center with serving from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The menu will include soup, veggies, cheese and crackers and bars. Take-outs can be called in after 3 p.m.
     SOS is sponsored by the Odebolt-Arthur Ministerial Association and is open to all.

OBITUARY

DENNIS ENG
     Dennis Eng, age 57, died unexpectedly at his home in Baldwin City, Kansas, on Friday, January 8, 2010.
     Memorial services were held 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 15, 2010, at the Arthur Evangelical Free Church in Arthur, Iowa, under the direction of Christensen-Huffman Funeral Homes. The Reverend Glen Lozier officiated, with inurnment at Hayes Township Cemetery, rural Arthur. Online condolences may be directed to www.christensenhuffman.com.
     Born November 3, 1952, in Ida Grove, Iowa, Dennis Lynn Eng was the son of Elmer and Helen (Fries) Eng. Denny grew up on a farm northeast of Arthur, receiving his education at Odebolt-Arthur Schools. He attended church and was confirmed at the Evangelical Free Church in Arthur. Denny graduated with the Class of 1970, then continued his education at Iowa State University, majoring in engineering.
     Denny was employed at various locations, including Bettendorf, Iowa, Ottawa and Olathe, KS, and St. Joseph, MO. He was a dedicated employee who loved his work. Denny retired in 2008, and continued living on his acreage south of Lawrence, Kansas. He kept busy remodeling his home, planting trees, and starting a flower bed. Most of all, he was equipping his kitchen with all new and being able to throw out all the old pots, pans, and dishes with which he had been sent to college. Denny was getting his last education by going to the internet looking up recipes and learning to bake and cook. His highlight was to call his sister to say how really good something had turned out. He was especially proud of his first pumpkin pie.
     Dennis was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Delmar (Buster) Eng.
     Survivors include a sister, Delores Borchers of Ida Grove; a niece, Kathy Freuck; two nephews, Scott and Bruce Borchers; an aunt, Hazel Belstene; and many cousins and friends.

Proud to salute our Activity Coordinator during National Activity Professionals Week, January 17-22, 2010.
Sonia Snyder, 7 years of Dedicated Service
Odebolt Nursing & Rehab Center, "A Care Initiatives Facility"
(712-668-4867 or 2208)
801 S. Des Moines Street, Odebolt, IA 51458

The Odebolt Fire Department recently elected new officers for 2010.  They are: Bill Tysor, chief; Carl Hemer, first assistant chief; Mark Horsley, second assistant chief; James Pierce, foreman; Jace Horsley, assistant foreman; Mike Hoefling, rescue squad captain; Bobby Schlender, training officer; Brian Pierce, secretary/treasurer; Todd Bengford, assistant secretary/treasurer.  - from www.idacountycourier.com

 

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ODEBOLT.NET NEWS

B. Horak & B. Ekse, Webnews Editors
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Monday, 1/25 ----FROM MAYOR REX
We are getting hit again with blizzard-like conditions - wind gusts to 40 mph and some snow.  At least we have electricity.  They say it is a complete "white-out" in places on our roads.  The plows won't go out until the wind dies down.
 - R.J. Rex

1/25   From the City Clerk:  Blizzard conditions in Sac County but we do have electricity.  No travel recommended on roadways in Sac and BV Counties.  Forty cars in the ditch in Sac County.

1/24 - Story about Schaller that mentions Odebolt conditions (Sioux City Journal)

VIEW PHOTOS OF ICE DAMAGE
submitted by Vicki Beckman 1/22/2010

View photos of Cubby's canopy
from KTIV

1/22 - Most of rural Sac County  still in the dark
Click for Sioux City Journal article

Up to 1/2 inch of ice snapped trees, downed power lines, caused canopy of Cubby's gas station in Odebolt to collapse.  Emergency shelter for those that don't have power set up at Sac Community Rec Center, 1015 W. Main St., Sac City.  Read the whole story at the above link.

(Jan. 20) From the Des Moines Register on-line
In Odebolt: No power, but lots of lunch
     Caroll’s Kitchen in Odebolt is doing a brisk business for carryout lunches today. The small northwest Iowa town has been without power since 7 a.m.,
Click for the full story & photo

A Plattsmouth, NE man was killed in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 175 near Odebolt.
This is  one example of how important having an Ambulance Service in Odebolt is!
Read the story from The Journal

From the Des Moines Register
Girls Hoops Kick Off 2010
If you think OA-BCIG is alphabet soup, you’re mistaken. The letters stand for Odebolt-Arthur, Battle Creek-Ida Grove. If you’re talking girls’ basketball, this is the state’s No. 1-ranked team in Class 2-A with a 10-1 record.  Read the rest of the article.

Living in Iowa is not for sissies!  Below are photos submitted by Deb Loger of the snow piled up at Lundell Plastics Corp.  Left by the door that faces east, and right is an interior shot of a large overhead door, completely blocked by snow.  This is the result of the Christmas 2009 blizzard (15 to 20" of snow) plus maybe 8 more inches in early January (not to mention the bitter cold) ... and THEN the wind whipped it around!  Click each photo to enlarge it.  Thanks, Deb!

The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 2
January 14, 2010

The Mayor Sez...
     As I write this (Fri., Jan.8th) the 30 to 40 MPH gusts are subsiding. Thank goodness we haven't lost electricity. We were advised by Mid American Energy that they had stand by crews on duty just in case. Thanks, Mid Am.
      Our younger generation will remember this winter of '09-'10 for many years to come. We older ones
compare it to the winter of '75. We Iowegians are a hearty bunch and will endure what ever Mother Nature throws at us. Just think, Spring is just a couple months away. Whew!! Has anyone heard of any global warming talk lately??
     R. J. Rex
     Mayor of Odebolt
     www.odebolt.net/council.html

To date, over 30 inches of snow have fallen on Sac County since the beginning of December according to records compiled by National Weather Service Observer Brett Murley of Sac City.

Many snowmobiles invaded Odebolt on Sunday, January 10. The Sac County Snow Lovers held a poker run starting in Odebolt and going to Wall Lake, Lake View, Early and Schaller, then back to Odebolt. Over 100 participants were registered. Another poker run will possibly be scheduled for this coming weekend for more fun in the snow! (photo)

OBITUARIES

HAROLD McFARLAND
     Harold McFarland, age 89, of Albert City and formerly of Storm Lake, died Saturday, December 19, 2009 at the Pocahontas Community Hospital in Pocahontas, Iowa.
     Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake. Burial followed in the Odebolt Cemetery in Odebolt, Iowa at 1:15 p.m. The Sliefert Funeral Home in Storm Lake was in charge of the arrangements.
     Harold Glen McFarland, the son of Glen and Elizabeth (Stuekrath) McFarland, was born in Odebolt, on Nov. 26, 1920. He lived his youth and received his education in Odebolt, graduating from the Odebolt High School.
     Harold was united in marriage to Dorothy M. Brown, on November 28, 1947, in Sac City, and this couple was privileged to raise four children: Kay, Rick, Dennis, and Danny. Following their marriage, Harold and Dorothy resided in Odebolt where Harold was in the carpentry business with his father. In 1958, the family moved to Storm Lake where he was employed with the Vilas Turkey Plant. Harold returned to his carpentry business and did many roofing and shingling jobs during the summer months and throughout the winter he was a professional painter with Lou Sharp. The last years of his employment Harold was a custodian for Aalf's Manufacturing. In 1980, Harold was diagnosed with cancer and was no longer able to be actively employed. Harold and Dorothy have lived in Albert City for the past four years.
      Harold was a longtime member of the Storm Lake United Methodist Church. He was a man of many hobbies and special interests that included making wooden toys and selling them at area craft shows, camping, bicycling, and fishing. Harold was also recognized as an award winning poet and submitted his poetry to various publications.
     Those who will always honor and cherish his memory include his wife of 62 years, Dorothy of Albert City; his children: Kay Hummel of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Dan and Becky McFarland of Albert City; 10 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; other extended family and many friends.
      He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Rick and Dennis; one brother, Duane; one sister, Florence; and one grandchild, Christina.
     Blessed be the memory of Harold G. McFarland.

GENEVA HANSEN
     Geneva "Gen" Hansen, age 96, of Storm Lake, Iowa and formerly of Newell and Sac City, Iowa died Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. December 29, 2009 at United Methodist Church in Storm Lake. Interment was December 29, 2009 at Storm Lake.
     Geneva Gosch was born August 26, 1913 in Odebolt, Iowa the daughter of Henry and Josephine Emma (Greve) Gosch. She was baptized September 14, 1913 at the Odebolt Presbyterian Church. Geneva grew up in the Odebolt area attending country school and later Odebolt High School.
     On August 15, 1930 she was united in marriage to Joe Hansen at the Presbyterian parsonage in Cherokee, Iowa. This union was blessed with three children: Gale Elmer, Norma Jean, JoAnn. Their family made their home in Aurelia, Ida Grove, and Arthur. In 1943, they moved to the Newell area where they were members of the Congregational Church. In 1976, Geneva and Joe moved to Storm Lake where they transferred their membership to the United Methodist Church.
     Geneva had fond memories of fishing with her family. She loved dancing and traveling with her husband, Joe. Geneva was an avid reader of books from her church library. She was a member of the Neighborhood DD Club and the Birthday Club. She thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her family and will be deeply missed.
     Those left to cherish her memory include her children: Gale (Carol) Hansen of Sac City, Iowa; Norma (Del) Johnson of Storm Lake, Iowa; JoAnn (Darvin) Saddoris of Carroll, Iowa; 11 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren; one sister, Virginia (Kenneth) Brinkley of Spencer, Iowa; extended family and friends.
     Geneva was preceded in death by her husband, Joe; her parents; one brother and sister-in-law, Lloyd and Evelyn Gosch; one granddaughter, Mary Anderson.

JOHN E. EINSPAHR
     John E. Einspahr, 89, of Iowa City passed away peacefully at home on Friday, January 8, 2010 after a period of declining health.
     Funeral services were held on Monday, January 11 at the First Presbyterian Church in Odebolt, IA. Burial with military honors followed at the Odebolt Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Iowa City Hospice or The Johnson County Humane Society.
     John was born December 17, 1920 in Battle Creek, IA, the son of Fred E. and Margaret (Leuz) Einspahr. Fred and Margaret were longtime residents of Odebolt. Margaret taught English and Latin at Odebolt High School and Fred owned the Buick garage in Odebolt beginning in 1917.
     John was a 1938 graduate of Odebolt High School and a 1942 graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Later that year, John joined the United States Army and remained in the service until being honorably discharged in 1945.
     John was united in marriage to Irene Williams in Ft. Lewis, WA on September 6, 1945. John and Irene resided in Deephaven, MN from 1945 – 2003 and raised three children during that time. In 2003, John and Irene moved to Iowa City.
     John often stated priorities in life were "faith, family and country". He was very proud to be a son of Odebolt and of Iowa.
     John was a loyal Iowa Hawkeye fan who hosted and organized the Iowa Party in Minneapolis every other year for the Hawkeye/Gopher football games. John also was passionate about music and cared deeply about animals.
     John is survived by his wife, Irene, of Iowa City, son, Fred (Susan), of Kalamazoo, MI, daughters, Mary Einspahr Waters of West Branch, IA and Ann Parent (Rick) of Warren, ME, 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
     He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Margaret Ann Gilbert .

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A MESSAGE OF THANKS

     A special Thank you from Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center to everyone that helped make the Holiday Season enjoyable for both the residents and the staff.
     Thank you to the many caring people who brought in cookies, fruit, candy and other food for the staff and residents to enjoy.
     We also appreciate the many members of the local churches and the students, faculty and family members of the Odebolt-Arthur and OABCIG school district who volunteered their time for worship services, social hour, caroling and gifts.
     Words cannot describe the joy you have brought to our residents during this holiday season.
     Sincerely,
     The residents and staff of ONRC

Odebolt Nursing & Rehab Center
(712) 668-4867
801 S. Des Moines Street, Odebolt, IA 51458

The OA-BCIG Falcon Frontline
Read sports & school news in this special section of The Chronicle each week.   www.oabcig.org
Chronicle subscribers may read write-ups of Falcons:
--at Ames wrestling meet
--boys vs. MVAO and Sioux City North in basketball (photo)
--girls vs. Martensdale-St. Mary's and MVAO (photos)

The Chronicle, Vol. 119, No. 1
January 7, 2010

The Mayor Sez…
     In the past ten years as Mayor I have not once had to declare an emergency of any kind and now, in the past ten days, I have declared two emergencies, a blizzard emergency and a power-outage emergency with –19 degrees below 0 deg. F. In both cases as incident commander (by EMA directive) I passed command, as recommended by an EMA directive to a highly trained first responder, in both cases it was our Odebolt Fire Chief, Bill Tysor and his able assistants. Dr. Jim Bullock, our Sac County EMA Director, was also assisting. The power outage at 19 below ZERO had the potential of a very dangerous situation. Fortunately power was restored within 3 hour, give or take a few minutes.. For your information if any of the above conditions should reoccur and you need assistance, call 911 and they will contact us. We will assist you the best we can. What a winter, eh??
     R. J. Rex, Mayor of Odebolt
     www.odebolt.net/council.html

The deadline to submit names for the Sac County Veterans Memorial is January 15, 2010. To learn more and to download a printable application form, click here.
www.saccountyveteransmemorial.com/

The OABCIG Middle School Swing Choir presented a holiday songfest from the balcony and main floor of the First State Bank in Odebolt on December 11. (photos)

Odebolt Community Center Events
January 16 - Private party
January 23-24 - Gun show
January 31 - Odebolt Ministerial Association Community Soup Lunch

OBITUARY

Sheldon Book, age 84, of Odebolt, passed away December 26, 2009, at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, IA.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 1, 2010 at Faith Lutheran Church in Odebolt with cremation following the service.
     Sheldon Lavern Book was born on March 29,1925, in Shelby County, IA, to parents Vincent and Helga (Jensen) Book. He was baptized in Avoca Lutheran Church at the age of ten, and was confirmed in the Manning Lutheran Church with Reverend Ansorgy. Sheldon enlisted into the Army in 1949 and served our country for 2 years. Sheldon worked at the Audubon Creamery east of Irwin for 26 years, and also farmed his dad’s farm in Grey, IA for two years. He then moved on to Portland, Oregon and worked for North West Natural Gas Company for 31 years. In 1950, Sheldon married Velma Breining and to this union one daughter was born, Cynthia Hope. Sheldon was blessed with two grandchildren: Aleta Neher and Corrina Westfall; and one great grandchild Zoe Neher. In 1968, Sheldon married Clara Clark from Nevada. She passed away on Dec. 4,1999. Sheldon then moved to Iowa in 2000 to be near his sister Ruby and brother Lloyd. In February he rented a house in Odebolt from John and Cindy Davis, and in November he moved to Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Odebolt. His hobbies were going to senior citizens dances, fishing for catfish, playing cards and enjoying pie at Ruby’s house. He will be dearly missed by all those that knew and loved him.
     Those left to cherish his memories are two granddaughters: Aleta Neher and Corrina Westfall; one great-grandchild Zoe Neher; two sisters: Ruby Lorenzen of Odebolt and Pearl (Bob) Tasone of Portland, OR; two brothers: Lloyd (Karen) Book of Denison, IA, and Ron (Monica) Book of Marsing, ID; special friend Janis Boock of Battle Creek, IA; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
     Preceded in death by his parents: Helga and Vincent Book; wife Clara; daughter Cynthia Hope Westfall; one brother Virgil; and sisters: Garnet and Opal.

The OA-BCIG Falcon Frontline
This week subscribers can see photos of:
 - The high school drill team in holiday costumes at their half time performance during the December 22 basketball game.
 - Two photos of members of the 4th grade class, who made wreaths to hang on the doors of residents at ONRC, and presented two readers theatres and a song to the residents of the ONRC.
Read write-ups of the OA/BCIG vs. East Sac County Dec. 22 basketball games. OA-BCIG boys won 59-49; OA-BCIG girls won 63-45.