A split in support from board members for the home’s administrator led to the resignation of administrator Bo Conard and at least three of the board members of the Ringgold County Group Home in a marathon board meeting Monday night.

Emotions ran high in the meeting where family of group home residents expressed concerns for what was happening at the home and numbers attending the meeting swelled to more than 20 people including the eight-member board and administrator Conard.

There was no division in the board members’ concern for the welfare of the eight residents of the group home, which has served as the home for residents of the community for some 25 years. 

There were differences in how this could best be done, however, leading to some division on many of the agenda items for the night.

When the dust had cleared after almost five hours of discussion, administrator Conard said she felt that without the full support of the board she probably should not continue. She offered to resign with the stipulation that she be paid three months of wages and have medical insurance for the three month period. Board members asked her to continue to manage the facility for two more weeks before the resignation would take effect.

When it was clear that Conard was leaving, board vice president Nancy Ford, Jan Ford and Joan Jackson, all long-time board members, turned in their resignations. Board president Larry Ford had earlier turned in his resignation, which was accepted by the board Monday night.

Board secretary-treasurer Faye Howie also indicated that she might be leaving the board and Ringgold county supervisor Dale Walters, who questioned during the meeting if he had been added to the board within the group’s written procedure, indicated that they too might be leaving.

Richard Wilson, who was asked to be the board’s attorney at the meeting, cautioned the board that it needed to retain at least five members of the nine-member board to be able to reconstitute itself. Howie and Walters did not resign at the meeting.

In addition, the board voted at the end of the night’s agenda to name Jim Goins to the position on the board vacated by Larry Ford. Board members were also looking for others who had an interest in the group home and its clients and might want to serve.

Being a member of the board had been a busy time in the last month, with board members approving minutes for seven meetings held since March 2, leading up to the regular meeting Monday night.

According to the discussion, 10 staff members have resigned over that time, including one house parent couple that apparently walked away from their duties midweek without any official notice.

The facility had been under scrutiny by state officials as scrambling was done to try to staff the facility with the big turnover in staff.

  Mount Ayr will have a new housing option when the Van Buren Square development gets underway this spring.

Van Buren Square will be a group of eight individual town homes built in a block bounded by Grant Street, Garfield Street, Van Buren Street and Highway 2 and 169.

The eight stand-alone town homes will be built facing the three streets, with four along the north side of the block and two more each on the east and west sides. There will be no entry to Highway 2 and 169 from the development.

The area behind the homes will be an open common area for the town home development.

Joe Murphy and Kelly Richards are developing Van Buren Square and hope to have the first two homes open by midsummer.

“Each of the homes will have one of two basic floor plans, but there will be options which will also provide some differences,” Murphy said. “Each of the homes will be enough different on the outside so they can be easily distinguished.”

In keeping with much of the housing stock in Mount Ayr, the homes will have a craftsman look, he noted.

The homes will be part of a homeowners association that will take care of all outside maintenance, mowing, snow removal and the like, Murphy notes.

At the same time, the person actually owns the town home and the property on which it sits and it can be bought and sold individually.

Murphy and Richards hope to be able to sell all of the homes in the development, but will look at leasing options if the interest that they think is there for the homes does not materialize.

Each home will be about 1,200 square feet and will not have any steps. No basements are included in the homes, either.

The homes have a open living room and kitchen layout, two bedrooms, a walk in closet and an option of one large bath or two smaller bathrooms. The homes also have a large, heated one-car garage and utility room.

Once the first two homes have been built and final costs are determined, the homes in the division will be priced, Murphy said.

They have a list of people who have said they might be interested in the town homes and plan to show the two model homes to those people to try and presell the rest of the development.

By mid-summer the first homes should be built and ready to be shown, Murphy said.

The goal is to have quality, affordable housing in the town home development concept, he said.

   For the second year in a row, the United States Border Collie Handlers Association National Cattledog Finals will be held in Ringgold county.

The trials are not usually held in the same place from year to year, but organizer Greg Sharp says that Redding was granted a second opportunity to host as a tribute to the quality of last year’s event. 

The finals will be held May 24-27th at the same location as last year --  Southwest Iowa Adventures, a ranch owned by Dr. DeCarol Williamson near Redding.

It is anticipated that 60-75 Border Collies and their handlers from all over the United States and Canada will be in attendance, as well as 1,000-1,200 visitors over the course of the four-day Memorial Day weekend.

There are two classes under which handlers can submit their dogs: open class and nursery class. Both classes are open to any breed or registration, but the nursery class is specifically for dogs that are three years old or younger on or before December 31 of the year previous to the finals. 

In order to qualify to participate in the event, the dogs must place in the top 20 percent  of all dogs competing in a sanctioned cattle trial. Only the top 50 point earning dog/handler teams from the qualifying trials are permitted to advance to the finals. 

The competition incorporates five specific tasks on a course spanning half a mile through which handlers must guide their dogs with vocal cues and whistles.

  Mescal Gilbert, 86, of Des Moines, Iowa passed away Thursday, March 22, 2012 at Westview Care Center in Indianola, Iowa. Funeral services were held Monday, March 26, 2012, at the Epworth United Methodist Church in Des Moines, Iowa, with burial at Resthaven Cemetery.

Mescal was born in Beaconsfield, Iowa, and was a graduate of Iowa State Teacher’s College. She married Dean C. Gilbert on June 6, 1948, and they moved to Des Moines in 1951. 

Mescal taught in the Des Moines area school system for 47 years. She was a lifelong member of Epworth United Methodist Church and a longtime member of the Avion Trailer Club. She had a great love for animals and teaching.

Mescal is survived by her niece, Lois (John) Schultz of Indianola, Iowa; two nephews, John (Diane) Reasoner of Beaconsfield, Iowa and Robert (Glenda) Reasoner of Osceola, Iowa; seven great- and six great-great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Frank Reasoner and her husband, Dean Gilbert.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Epworth United Methodist Church in Des Moines.  McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines, Iowa was in charge of the arrangements.

  Word has been received this week of the death of Ron Scott, former teacher and wrestling coach at Mount Ayr Community high school.

  Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. and service at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at the First Baptist Church of Camdenton, MO. Address of the church is 186 South State Highway 5 in Camdenton, MO. Memorials are the International Cooperating Ministries (ICM).

  Funeral home in charge of arrangements is Hedges-Scott Funeral Home in Camdenton, MO. Their phone number is 1-800-306-2090.

  Information on changing the water and sewer rate schedule for the city of Mount Ayr, approving a water leak detection program, water distribution improvements, hydrant replacement and valve replacement were all topics for Kevin Stolker when the Mount Ayr city council met Monday night.

Water and sewer rates would go up under the plan to provide funds for operations and improvements for the city water and sewer systems.

As well as the suggestions for water and sewer rate increases, Stolker talked about several projects to upgrade the systems in the city.

Dealing with an extraordinary water bill for Hank Smith were also discussed at the meeting.

Water and sewer rate review

Kevin Stolker brought his suggestions to the council on how to change the city’s water and sewer rates to increase the revenue for the city to be able to pay for operations and upgrades needed for the water and sewer systems.

In response to suggestions made to Stolker at the last council meeting, the new plan would continue to have a 2,000 gallon water minimum. The rate of the first 2,000 gallons would jump from $16.50 to $21.50 under the plan. Water would be charged at 85 cents per 100 gallons of water beyond the 2,000 gallon minimum.

The minimum sewer rate would increase from $27.23 for the first 2,000 gallons of water usage to $33. There wold be a charge of $1.40 for every 100 gallons of usage over the minimum.

The monthly minimum bill for water, sewer and garbage would now be $72.50 a month instead of $61.39.

Stolker said the increase would make it so the city would probably not have to increase costs again when the water pump station project is built and put into operation.  He also had a number of other suggestions for the council in water and sewer charge related items.

Instead of a utility deposit system, there would be a non-refundable $100 account set up fee that would pay for a new meter, getting water turned on and setting up a billing account.

There would be a new escalating fee for water shutoffs for delinquent bills. The first time the fee would be $50. The second time the fee would increase to $75. The third time and subsequent times the fee would be $100.

“People have plenty of time to get their water bill paid or come into the office to make arrangements to pay it and no one should have to be paying the shutoff fees,” Stolker noted.

Stolker is also suggesting that the ordinance have an automatic escalator clause in it. The water and sewer rates would be increased automatically by three percent a year under this clause.

Vacant properties would be given the option of keeping the minimum billing or having the water shut off and water meter taken out. There would be a $50 shutoff fee $50 water meter removal fee, $50 water meter installation fee and $50 turn off fee.

The $200 would be less expensive that the minimum bill if a person were going to be away from home for a long period of time, it was noted.

Another suggestion was to make the owner of the property the name on the billing for the account. The landlord would be responsible for paying the water bill and could work out details with their renter. This would clear up issues from the past and make it so the city is not having to send notices to both property owners and renters.

Stolker was asked to put all the suggestions in writing and bring them to the next council meeting. The council would then begin work on changing the city ordinances to reflect the suggestions.

Stolker suggested that when the ordinances are written, the council take the three readings of them at three separate meetings to give the public plenty of time for comment.

  Winners were named in several events at the Saint Patrick’s Day activities held Saturday, March 17, with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen walkers and the aquatic center project.

Winners were named in four divisions of the parade, that stated at Clearview Home and ended at the Iowa State University Extension office.

Jay Watson took first place in the Shamrockin’ Ride division.

In the Most Outrageous Leprechan division, Lynn Rinehart took first place.

In the Most Charmed division (the parade theme) Clearview Home took first place and Southwest Builder Supply placed second.

In the tractor division, Dari Sweet placed first and John Campbell placed second.

First place winners in the parade can pick up their prizes at Great Western Bank.

There were 30 entries in the parade plus 22 motorcycles, 10 tractors, six fire trucks and five snow plows.

Competition was also held for the best costume and best entry in the coloring contest.

Tatum Friedrich won the best of show in the costume contest. Nicole Murphy won the coloring contest, styled like the NCAA bracket. 

  Members of the Mount Ayr Community school board will have a busy week ahead.

A special meeting was held Wednesday, March 21, to discuss the elementary school flooding litigation.

The meeting was closed to the public.

Special sessions for the board are also set for Monday, March 26; Tuesday, March 27; Wednesday, March 28, and Thursday, March 29 to interview candidates for the elementary principal’s position. The flooding litigation will also come up Monday.

The board then plans to choose the principal to offer the job to at the March 29 meeting following the final interview.

  A number of activities are being planned for the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Mount Ayr Saturday, March 17.

“The Most Charmin’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Ringgold County” will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

The parade will form on the north side of Clearview Home, come down North Webster and West Columbus to Fillmore Street, and then travel to the Ringgold County Extension office on West Madison Street.

A number of activities are planned in the afternoon following the parade and winners of several contests will be announced in an event at the Ramsey Supper Club that evening.

T-shirts are also being sold as part of the celebration and a coloring contest is being held.

Proceeds from the events will be split between the Susan G. Komen Walk participants and the Mount Ayr Aquatic Center fund.

For details about the parade, contact Wendy Creveling at Clearview Home at 641-464-2240 or Chris Eaton at Great Western Bank at 641-464-3888.

  Personnel items, budget work, approval of the one-to-one laptop program and building and grounds items were the focus of the Mount Ayr Community school board at its meeting Monday night.

The board also approved an early start for school, set new director districts, discussed a home schooling assistance policy and heard reports on many topics at the meeting.

Personnel items

A number of personnel decisions were made at the meeting Monday night.

Four teachers, one coach and  a concessions director were hired, two resignations accepted and one person moved from probationary status by the board.

Four new elementary teachers were hired for the coming school year to replace teachers retiring from the district.

New teachers are Kristen Graham, first grade; Crystal Storhoff, second grade; Michael Longley, third grade, and Ranae Klinkenfus, fifth and sixth grade.

Graham and Longley will join the staff at the $26,506 first step of the salary schedule. Storhoff comes in at the first step on the BA plus 15 level at $28,386. Klinkenfus had three years of experience in Oklahoma so joins the staff at the 4-1 level salary of $29,281.

Joining the staff as the new varsity baseball coach will be Tanner Rinehart.

Athletic director Delwyn Showalter said that Rinehart had worked with the football staff this year and done a very good job. With changes in his work schedule he will have the flexibility for the baseball season, it was noted.

Showalter is working with a couple of people to share an assistant position for Rinehart, he noted.

Tawnya Jones, food service director, will add the positions of winter and summer concession director to her work. She will be paid $2,500 for the work during the year and $1,500 for the summer work in the position.

Two resignations from coaching positions were also accepted by the board.

Rodney Bastow resigned from his middle school wrestling position, noting he would still be willing to help in the future.

Courtney Adams resigned from her fall and wrestling cheerleading coaching position. She noted that she and her husband are expecting a child in May and her husband is working evenings, making it hard to do the job justice next year.

Elementary principal search

Superintendent Drake reminded the board of the process to hire a new elementary principal in another personnel item.

Screening of applicants is currently underway with some 22 applicants so far.

The group will be narrowed down to four for interviews in Mount Ayr.

The interviews will be held March 26-29. A different candidate will visit each day and will have a tour, administrative interview, meet and greet with the teachers and staff, an interview with a selection group of teachers, support staff and parents, and then a board interview.

Teachers held a brain-storming session with Drake to list some of the qualities they would like in the new elementary principal.

School budget hearing

The budget hearing for the Mount Ayr Community school district was set for Monday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at the school board room.

The budget will be published in the Mount Ayr Record-News next week.

Superintendent Drake went over several details of the budget, including the reasoning behind keeping a $425,000 cash reserve levy in the budget for another year.

The levy for the new budget would be $16.56 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, up from $16.50 in the current year, it was noted. More budget details will be reported next week.

Budget reduction plan

In another budget related item, superintendent Drake detailed how the district would be saving $246,902 that needed to be cut from the budget for next year.

All of the budget savings will be done by attrition so no teachers will have to be let go, he noted.

Savings from the difference in expenditures between four elementary school teachers who retired and their new replacements will be $87,511, he noted.

Another $48,701 will be saved by not replacing a custodian at the high school when Eugene Dillenberg retires.

Bus driver Tom Giles resigned mid-year and has been replaced with part-time backups for this year. Next year transportation director Dick Still will drive the shortest bus route as driving assignment changes are made to cover for the resignation and save $13,900.

Another $96,790 will be saved in not replacing two teachers who are leaving at the high school. Math teacher James Smith retired and social studies teacher Matt Ritchhart resigned and will not be replaced.

Don Ray will be moved from part-time teacher to full-time to add a geometry class and a language arts lab in addition of Spanish which he currently teaches. Guidance counselor John Larson will add a second math class to his schedule. Kurt Wallace will pick up a math class and the consumer math class will be dropped.

Sherry Adams will pick up psychology and sociology classes and Pam Cross will pick up some social studies classes. Delwyn Showalter will add American history while Kris Quick and principal Lynne Wallace will pick  up some at- risk duties.

The industrial tech schedule for Scott Giles and Kurt Wallace will also be rearranged with basic auto and interior finishes classes being dropped and the digital electronics class possibly being offered only every other year.

This will mean that the equivalent of a half-time industrial arts position will be reassigned to other duties.

Superintendent Drake noted that no pink slips will need to be handed out for the coming year because of the changes on the various levels that will yield the savings needed.

  Review and adoption of the FY2013 budget, IT project progress, audiology clinic and a status update with Dr. Forney were major points of interest at the monthly meeting of the Ringgold County Hospital board Monday.

FY2013 budget

The budget calls for expenditures of $17,220,678 for the new year, up from $16,544,408 in the current year.

Estimated beginning fund balance for the budget is $597,331 and ending fund balance will be $690,311.

The budget calls for $1,239,905 to be raised by taxation, up from

$996,599 last year.

New levy will be $4.99 per $1,000 taxable valuation compared to $3.91 in the current year.

Money to be raise by taxation includes $67,081 for the general fund, $336,782 for FICA, $406,606 for IPERS, $67,081 for the ambulance service and $362,355 for tort liability insurance.

Neil Morgan was present at the budget meeting voicing his concerns.

Much discussion was held about the finances before the board voted to approve the budget.

  Remember “Hee-Haw,” the country comedy and music show that ran on television many years ago and survives in syndication on some of the myriad of today’s television channels?

Area residents will have the chance to relive the show in the production planned Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16-17, at 7 p.m. at the Mount Ayr Community high school auditorium.

Directed by Laura Drake, the show will feature the talents of local youth, as well as a hillbilly costume contest in which all peoplpe attending are allowed to participate. It promises to be a night of family friendly fun -- and a good way to raise some benefit funds.

  A discussion of water rates options, a second try on bids for the bathhouse and community safe room at Judge Lewis Park, adoption of the 2012-13 budget, application for a pool grant, bid opening for a nuisance property demolition and more were discussed when the Mount Ayr city council held its regular meeting Monday night.

Water, sewer rates

Kevin Stolker brought a water and sewer rate review report to the city council at the meeting Monday night.

He noted that the current water and sewer user fees are projected to be short of the expenditures necessary to properly operate, maintain and provide service for the coming year.

One of the needs for an increase will come with the water booster station project. The increase needed to pay for this will depend on if a Community Development Block grant is received.

The city still does not bill for about one third of the water it purchases from the Southern Iowa Rural Water Association because of losses in the system or water meters that are not accurately working.

It was noted that a leak was recently found at the sewer plant grounds from a faucet there that was losing water at a rapid rate. This was discovered because the city is metering all the water to its facilities now as well.

The city is also working on  replacing water meters, and has replaced 185 meters in the past year. 

There is a need for water main, valve and hydrant replacement for the water system as well as sewer collection system upgrade needs.

Because new revenue is needed, Stolker brought four possible scenarios for charging for services to the council.

One would be to continue the current 2,000 gallon minimum charge structure. A second would be to drop the minimum to 1,000 in a base charge and then charge for each gallon used. A third method offered a base rate plus water usage charges. The fourth was to have a graduated rate of water charges with an increase the more water that was used.

After some discussion, the council felt that sticking with a structure similar to what was currently being used was probably the best way to proceed.

Stolker also noted that the council needed to make a final decision on charging properties that were vacant but had water service because this would make a significant difference in the final rates.

Also discussed were considering eliminating deposits and instituting  an account start up fee. An increase in the water shut-off fee is also being studied, possibly with a fee that would increase each time a customer has to have the water turned off because of nonpayment.

Stolker said he would come back to the council at its next meeting with some options of pricing using the current minimum charge format.

“We know that the pricing needs to be increased, its just a matter of how we will spread the increases,” Stolker said.

He noted that the city needs to build up reserves so that needed improvements to the ancient water and sewer infrastructure for the city can be improved over time.

  Craig Sodaro’s comedy “Night at the Wax Museum” will be the spring play to be performed Friday and Saturday, March 9-10 at the Mount Ayr Community high school auditorium.

The hysterical meets the historical in this comic romp through the wackiest wax museum in history.  School’s out for summer, but not for six unlucky students who don’t know much about history — they have to re-take the class in summer school.  

First year teacher Heather Fairchild has arranged for them to help her two aunts set up a new wax museum as a class project.  Though the students’ eyes glaze over with boredom, there’s a twinkle in the wax figures’ eyes when a mysterious incantation from the back of Cleopatra’s bracelet brings them to life.  King Henry VIII finds himself smitten with Cleopatra, making his queen, Anne Boleyn, furious.  If she can just not lose her head, John Adams is there to serve as her divorce attorney.  

When Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Blackbeard and a bevy of lady pirates show up, everybody’s out for one thing — treasure.  Supposedly, there’s a mighty valuable one hidden in the museum.  It’s a wild goose chase to find it, with a greedy museum landlord and her bumbling son joining in the mad search.  And why is Lizzie Borden lurking in the shadows, since the aunts say they never had a wax figure of her?  Join the hilarious fun as treasure-hungry outlaws, pirates and royalty mount the greatest siege since Vicksburg!  Wax historical in this mad-cap comedy adventure where the magic of history comes alive...  literally.

  Time springs ahead an hour early Sunday morning as the area moves to Daylight Savings Time for the summer months.

The changeover takes effect officially at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 11. This means clocks are to be set ahead an hour and there will be an hour less of sleep.

The hour will be caught up again in the fall when clocks fall back, messing with people’s internal clocks again.

  Reports on mental health delivery redesign, property taxes, the eduction reform packageand the visit to Iowa by a Chinese delegation headed the topics for the legislative coffee held in Mount Ayr Saturday afternoon.

Some 18 people were on hand to listen to comments from state representative Cecil Dolecheck of Mount Ayr and state senator Joni Ernst of Red Oak.

The visit was the second in a series sponsored by the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce.

Mental health redesign

After months of public discussion and interim committee meetings, the House Human Resources Committee has begun work on three pieces of the legislation that will redesign Iowa’s mental health and disability services system, Cecil Dolecheck reported.

House Study Bill 623 is the product of the DHS/Judicial Branch work group that has been in existence for several years. In 2011. The group was tasked with addressing a number of issues related to the interaction of law enforcement, the judicial branch, and the mental health system. 

The change that may have the most immediate impact within the bill is a change to all pre-assessment screening for all individuals considered for commitment, Dolecheck said. The screening is usually done at a local health care facility, like a hospital or mental health center. Under current law, this screening is only allowed when the clerk of court office is closed. 

This means a person going through the commitment process during work hours may have to go to one of the four mental health institutes before anyone assesses their current condition and service needs. Allowing the pre-commitment screening at any time will help reduce the number of long trips that sheriff departments must take to the MHI’s or psychiatric units.

House Study Bill 624 is significant in length, but simply does one thing. The bill strikes references in the Code to “mental retardation” and replaces that term with “intellectual disability.” There has been a national push by a variety of disability advocate groups to make this term change.

The final bill is  the main redesign bill, a major piece of legislation which is one of the priorities of the session. It will track many of the recommendations proposed by the Department of Human Services. 

These include:

• Transforming the management structure for mental health services from a county-based system to regions;

• Changing the basis for determining financial responsibility from the rule of legal settlement to a determination of residency; and

• Establishing core services that will be available throughout the entire state.

One new element in this bill is the issue of future funding for the system. Under the language passed in Senate File 209 last year, the current mental health levy is phased out at the end of FY 2013. The statewide amount generated by the current levy is $125 million, Dolecheck said.

The House study bill will call for a four year phase out to begin in FY 2014, with the state providing dollar for dollar property tax relief.

State senator Joni Ernst has been working on the mental health system redesign through the interim and noted that the work on the bill to insure that everyone receives the same standard of care across the state has run into trouble in the Senate.

The Democrats passed amendments in the Senate this past week, that may mean that even Ernst can’t support it.

The original draft of the legislation made it so every county would have an equal vote on the regional  boards that would be developed to provide service. The amendment make it so larger counties would have heavier voting weight on the boards.

Another big area of contention would give union employees who are CPC’s or central points of coordination the first chance at the new jobs under the bill and keep all current union contracts in place, meaning that people working in rural areas who often are not union employees would be at a disadvantage. IPERS benefits would also be mandated for workers.

“This amendment has us telling private employers who they can hire and what benefits they will give and I can’t agree with that,” Ernst said.

Providers of services would also be prohibited from asking that persons contribute to their care if they were at the 150 percent of poverty level or lower.

“I’m not sure why people would not be asked to help with their bill if they were able to,” Ernst said.

“So far this year we have been working pretty well in a bipartisan manner, but these amendments at the last hour will divide us and make it impossible for many of us to support it,” she continued.

  Want to check out audio books or eBooks to listen to or read on your electronic device?

This service is now available from the Mount Ayr Public Library.

The public library has joined the Wilbor Consortium so that the books will be available for e-readers. The service is done without having to go to the library to do the checkout.

All a library patron needs to do is have an internet connection and a library card to download the books anytime and anywhere.

And returns are automatic. There are no late fees.

Audio books can be checked out for one week and eBooks can be checked out for two weeks. There is no renewal.

The countdown on the time of borrowing begins at the moment the book is checked out and lasts exactly one week for the audio books and two weeks for the eBooks.

Three items may be checked out at any one time.

As in print books checked out of the library, people will probably have to get on a waiting list for best-selling books by popular authors such as James Patterson.

There are a number of books that are always available.

To take part in the service, the library paid an initial fee of $646.50 to join the Wilbor Consortium. The library will be charged an annual fee of from $250 to $300 to continue the service.

Beginning this week, patrons of the Mount Ayr Public Library will be able to check out the books to their Kindles, Nooks, iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch, Sony Reader, Android smartphone or Blackberry smartphone. For a complete list of devices the service will work with, come to the library.

One library visit needed

Patrons will need to visit the library to get their patron number and information on the Wilbor website. There is help available on the Wilbor website including how to download free media software one time only.

  It was a record-setting day for the nine Mount Ayr Community high school speech students who took part in the district individual speech contest Saturday, Feb. 25, in Earlham.

The students took 12 individual entries to the contest and all 12 entries received a division I rating, a new milestone for the Mount Ayr Community high school speech program. 

All the students will advance to the state contest Saturday, March 10, in Ames.

In addition, six Diagonal Community high school students were to compete Saturday but no results were available.

Those from MACHS competing on Saturday included:

Allison Wallace, who receive division I’s with the storytelling piece, “Ladies First” by Shel Silverstein  and the poems “Cats” by T.S. Eliott in the poetry interpretation contest.

Matt Kerns and Alex Sobotka participated in two contests each  --  in radio news broadcasting and spontaneous speaking. They brought home top ratings in all of them.

Maggie Jennett did the acting piece, “Sis Hopkin’s Audition” by Walter Ben Hare to earn a division I rating. 

Megan Doubleday reading the short story, “The Huckabuck Family” by Carl Sandberg in the prose contest and received a division I.

Taylor Lynch was also entered in the prose reading contest, reading “Charge Up the Yeardsale Hill” by Ken Bradbury, for a top rating.

Nichole Phelps was entered in both poetry interpretation contest. She read the poetic pieces entitled, “Angels Among Us ” for a one rating.  

Taylor Still and Matt Poore took part in individual improvisation contest, earning division I’s as well.

Shaun Kniep is the speech coodinator at Mount Ayr Community high school.