Looking Back

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 17, 1924.)

Defense Day, September 12, was quietly observed in Ringgold County, programs given at various places in the county being of a patriotic nature and registration not being called for.

No program was given in Mount Ayr, but flags were displayed in front of all the business houses and in the residence district.

The number of men in Ringgold County subject to military duty, that is men between the ages of 18-45, according to the report of assessors from various precincts of the county is 1793.

Another auto theft occurred in Kellerton Saturday evening. Dewey Ross’ Ford was taken from the street and driven to J.J. Braham’s cornfield southeast of town where everything usable was stripped from it and evidently transferred to another car. A supply of groceries that was in the car was also taken.

A bridge which spanned the Nishnabotna River near Defiance in Shelby County, and which was washed away during the flood on June 26, was found on a farm near Hastings, Mill County, nearly 100 miles away from its original location. The bridge was identified by a road sign saying “Two Mile to Defiance.”

Births: September 8, a son to Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Remington…September 11, a daughter Marcelle, to Mr. and Mrs. Ed Smith.

Obituary in this edition was: Samuel N. Duff.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 15, 1949.)

Plans complete for street light system here. The new incandescent Westinghouse units were selected for installation. Twelve will be located around the square, near the pavement and in the courthouse park. Twelve more will be located near the curb on the outside. The system will be extended on-half block each way on the streets leading to the square.

Garbage disposal, under supervision of the town council, has been resumed with Billie Moore in charge of collecting waste  materials in the business and residential districts. A fee of one dollar per month will be charged and collected by Moore for service in the residential districts.

Two cases of polio have been reported in Ringgold County during the past 2 weeks. Mrs. George Irving, county chairperson of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, announces that an emergency drive is being conducted this month, to build up the exhausted funds of the polio foundation.

Births: August 26, a daughter, Connie, to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Quick…August 26 a son, Richard, to Mr. and Mrs. Blaine Scott..September 6, a son, Lyle, to Mr. and Mrs. Junior Lent…September 7 a son, Timothy, to Mr. and Mrs. Marion Dailey…September 6 a son, Dwayne, to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Virden.

Obituaries in this edition were: Earl “Newt” Newton, Harvey E. Bailey.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday,  September 19, 1974.)

Mount Ayr has a new physician. He is Patrick Irving, osteopathic physician who has joined with Dr. Roy Fell. Dr. Irving, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Irving, is a 1966 graduate of Mount Ayr Community schools.

Crowned Ridiculous Days queen was Kim Morrow of South Page high school and her attendants were, first runner up, Connie Wurster of Clearfield and 2nd runner up, Robin Shreve of Mount Ayr.

Many business places featured costumed employees. Named winners in the contest for best costume were Fred Terwilliger at Western Auto, who wore a baby outfit complete with a diaper and Retha French of Anthony’s dressed as a farmer.

Mount Ayr football players are serving as coaches for a new flag football program for elementary boys. Almost 60 boys have signed up for five teams, which will participate in the non-contact sport on Saturday mornings.

Births: September 15 a son, Brian, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fell…September 15 a son to Mr. and Mrs. Harry DeMott…September 7 a son, Greg, to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Main.

Obituaries in this edition were: Vernice William Shaw and George H. Dickey.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 9, 1999.)

There’s a new chicken product in grocer’s cooler and farmers from Ringgold and Taylor counties have help foster its development.

Local growers Wendall and Kevin Jackson, Richard and Neil Weehler, Mike and Joe Warin and Dr. Kenneth Jennett and their families of western Ringgold county and eastern Taylor county combined account for 8 chicken barns which each produce up to 50,000 broilers per barn every six weeks.

Junior and Bertha Jezek were grand marshals of the Diagonal Lions Labor Day celebration on Monday.

Student council and class officers have been named for MACH school classes this year. Student council president, Molly Lynch; vice president, Amanda Werner; secretary, Angie Shields; treasurer, Mandy Johnson. Class representatives are senior class: Scott Rumple; junior class, Katie Monaghan; sophomore class, Mekenze Bishop;freshman, Amber Shields.

Class officers include: senior class, president Brad Elliott; vice president, Jeremy Burmeister; secretary, Jon Don Schafer; treasurer, Richard Fairs. Junior class: president, Wes Allen; vice president, Jaren Ricker; secretary, Caleb Baker; treasurer, Carrie Quick. Sophmore class: president, Joey Rusk; vice president, Kim Larsen; secretary, Kelsey Allen; treasurer, Austin Adams. Freshman class: president, Luke Still; vice president, Nick Grose; secretary, April Emebry; treasurer, Jana Johnson.

Obituaries in this edition were: Bernard I. Dufty, Lyle Dean Leonard and Dawn A. Richardson Schwandt.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 11, 2014.)

The city of Diagonal has been ordered to pay a $4,000 fine after agreeing to a consent order with Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The fine is the result of air quality and solid waste violations which occurred during the demolition and burning of the old United Church of Diagonal and a house owned by the church.

The Taylor county Freedom Rock has been moved into place and the artist plans to be in Blockton sometime in September to paint the rock.

The Clarke county Old Iron Club’s 12th annual tractor ride toured Ringgold county Friday.

Obituaries in this edition were: Ula Agnes Hampton Hays, Jacob Keith Cole, and Linda F. King.