Year-end review from the pages of the Record-News
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With year 2022 drawing to a close, it’s time to look back on the stories that made the pages of the Record-News over the past 12 months.
This week we review the months January through June. Next week will focus on July through December.
January
Jessica Bishop attends her first meeting as a new city Council member.
In the latest Performance Profile from the Iowa Department of Education, Mount Ayr middle/high school earned a rating of “Commendable,” up from its previous rating of “Acceptable.” Mount Ayr Elementary maintain its “High Performing” rating from the year before.
The number of COVID cases continues to climb in Ringgold County.
Two individuals were injured in a crash at the intersection of County Highway P 27 and State Highway 2, otherwise known as the Goose Pond corner. The accident increased calls for increased safety measures at the intersection.
Jaixen Frost scores 41 points in a basketball game against Seymour, breaking his own single-game scoring record. Later in the month Frost joined the Raider 1000-point club.
The Mount Ayr Volunteer Fire Department reported it had been called out 88 times during 2021.
Veteran Iowa House Representative Cecil Dolecheck announces he will not seek reelection.
Mount Ayr schools are closed Monday, January 24 through Wednesday, January 26 due to excessive student and staff absences due to illness.
A front-page feature highlights the work of Ringgold County Conservation Director Kate Zimmerman, who has secured over $1 million in grants in her 11 years in her position.
A New Jersey hunter is fined $15,000 for poaching a Ringgold County deer.
As the month comes to a close, the Raider basketball team notches its 12 consecutive win.
February
Jillian Kniep is crowned 2022 Beef Queen at the annual banquet of the Ringgold County Cattlemen’s Association. The group also honors the George and Sherry Haidsiak family as Cattlemen of the Year.
Raider wrestler Jaydon Knight joins the 100-win plateau.
Grants to fund renovations at the former Odd Fellows building in Mount Ayr and the original Hy-Vee building in Beaconsfield are announced.
Tessa Kniep is chosen to perform her solo mime at the All-State Speech Festival at Iowa State University.
Three Raider wrestlers advance to district competition – Jaydon Knight, Brock Shaha, and Braydon Swietlik. Knight and Shaha advance to the state tournament, where Knight finishes eighth.
Claire Grace of Diagonal wins her division at the state Elks’ Hoop Shoot competition. Grace now advances to regional competition in March.
The Mount Ayr Community Schools Board of Directors faces the challenge of replacing key staff members as it accepts the retirements of Sally Young, middle school math; Mark Budach, high school business; Janette Campbell, district business manager/board secretary; and Ron Sickels, bus driver/mechanic as well as the resignations of elementary principal Chris Elwood, elementary instructional coach Jill Weehler, middle school special education instructor Kylie Sellars, head wrestling coach Eric Ehlen, and elementary custodian Josh Hanawalt.
Jaixen Frost, only a junior, breaks the Raider career scoring record that had stood for 59 years. The previous record was held by Jerry Waugh.
The Mount Ayr Raiderette season ends in a 45-30 regional opening round loss to Sidney.
Rich Johnson’s “Shagnasty” pulling tractor wins a national title at the Championship Tractor Pull in Kentucky.
Ringgold County Hospital is named among the 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the nation.
The Raiders fall short of a trip to the state tournament with a 66-60 loss to North Mahaska.
March
Third District U.S. House Representative Cindy Axne meets with city and county leaders to discuss economic needs.
Jaixen Frost is a unanimous first-team pick on the Pride of Iowa All-Conference team as Braydon Pierson is named to the second team and Ryce Reynolds receives honorable mention.
Maddie Stewart and Diagonal’s Taylor Lumbard are named to the all-district team announced by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
Amy Bautista is named the new principal at Mount Ayr Elementary.
Ringgold County is spared from an early-season outbreak of tornadoes in Adams, Union, Madison, and Wayne counties.
Dr. Jeremy Burmeister, a Class of 2000 Mount Ayr graduate and son of long-time Mount Ayr superintendent Phil Burmeister, is named as new superintendent in a Colorado school district.
The Ringgold County Child Care Center (also known as the Family Resource Center) receives $725,336 in federal funding for planned renovations to the facility.
An out-of-control vehicle strikes and damages the front of Mount Ayr’s Dari Sweet.
Diagonal’s Alaina Whittington is appointed as a student member of the State Board of Education.
A vacant brick building on Kellerton‘s main street collapses.
The MACHS Drama Department presents “Haphazardly Ever After” as its spring production.
Zach Murphy is sworn in as a new Ringgold County Deputy.
The Kellerton Wildlife Management Area is again host to its annual Prairie Chicken Day.
The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office donates 10 ballistic vests to the war effort in Ukraine.
Cub Scout Pack 39 holds its annual Pinewood Derby with JD Curry winning Grand Champion and Gunner Head Reserve Champion.
Ringgold County Public Health observes its 50th anniversary.
April
In response to a number of fatality and property-damage accidents, Ringgold County officials install large blinking stop-ahead signs and additional rumble strips leading to the intersection of County Highway P 27 and State Highway 2 (also known as the Goose Pond Corner).
An overflow crowd packs the American Legion building for the 31st annual Ringgold County Pheasants Forever banquet and auction.
Ringgold County Conservation sets the schedule for its Picnic in the Park series.
The Ringgold County Ministerial Association announces its Breakfast with the Master series will remain virtual this year.
Bill Huntington announces his resignation as 7-12 principal effective at the conclusion of the current school year. Huntington will become elementary principal in the Lenox district.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst holds a town hall in the Ringgold County courthouse.
The SkyDome Planetarium visits the Mount Ayr schools thanks to a donation from the 101 Donations Club.
Children’s author Ryan Sloth, also known as “Coach Sloth,” pays a visit to Diagonal Elementary.
Xander Harmening is awarded the Arion Award as Outstanding Ban Senior and Laurie Belzer is awarded the Choral Director’s Award as Outstanding Vocal Senior at the annual Merrill Perry Music Concert.
A front-page feature finds the “tallest mountain” in Ringgold County is located in Lincoln Township.
Official data released from the 2020 census lists the population of Ringgold County at 4,663, down 9.12% from the 2010 census.
The theme of the MACHS 2022 prom is “Neon Nights.”
May
Josh Vanderflught is named Mount Ayr’s new 7-12 principal.
The Family Resource Center holds an open house to showcase its $900,000 renovation.
Commencement ceremonies are held for 38 seniors at Mount Ayr and seven seniors at Diagonal. Will Newton is the Mount Ayr valedictorian with Adalyn Reynolds the salutatorian. Skyler Stamps is valedictorian at Diagonal with Kerrigan Mobley as salutatorian.
Contractor Matt Hudson provides a tour of planned renovations at the former Odd Fellows building.
The family of the late Terry Munyon donates a special photo collage to the Ringgold County Hospital in his memory.
Will Newton is presented the MACHS Fine Parts Achievement Award.
MACHS earns the Carrie Chapman Catt Award given to Iowa high schools that register at least 90% of their eligible students to vote.
The Raider and Raiderette track teams place second and third respectively at the Pride of Iowa Conference track meet.
The Raiderette and Raider golf teams place fourth and sixth respectively at the Pride of Iowa Conference golf tournament.
The Smaha family of Sun Valley appears on TV’s Family Feud.
Due to geographic restrictions, the National Weather Service is finding it difficult to replace long-time weather observer Eugene McAlexander, who recently retired from the position he held since 1951.
The City of Mount Ayr holds an informational open house to present designs and funding strategies for a new municipal swimming pool.
The Raider and Raiderette track teams both finish second at the State Qualifying Meet and send a total of 11 events on to state competition where both teams finish seventh in their respective divisions.
EmmaLee Schafer is the only MACHS golfer to advance to regional competition.
Ryce Reynolds claims a state championship in the 400m hurdles and open 400m run at the State Track Meet.
Ringgold County Hospital completes the sale of all lots from the former hospital location.
June
The first annual “Road Trip Ringgold,” a countywide shopping event, features a number of brick-and-mortar retail establishments, pop up vendors, and yard sales.
KSIB Radio’s 10th Annual Tractor Ride tours Ringgold County.
In the Republican primary election, Randy Taylor receives the most votes for county supervisor, and Devon Wood wins a party’s nomination for the Iowa House District 17. There were no contested local races in the Democratic primary.
Eight local veterans receive Quilts of Valor at a ceremony on the courthouse lawn.
Ringgold County Development partners with a team of students from Northwest Missouri State University to develop a marketing plan to attract businesses and individuals to the county.
As part of the Mount Ayr Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, more than 100 children and adults attended a presentation by Blank Park Zoo. Later presentations include ones by Ringgold County Conservation Director Kate Zimmerman and by the Science Center of Iowa.
Eighth-grader Bracken Collier qualifies to compete at the world’s largest Junior High National Rodeo.
County auditor Amanda Waske and county recorder Kisha Martin complete a project to preserve 167 years of county historical records.
Four Raiders – Adler Shay, Jaixen Frost, Jaydon Knight, and Cody Larson – belt home runs in a 13-3 win over Nodaway Valley.
Ringgold County Conservation hosts a program on the American Crow to a group of over 50 people at Poe Hollow Park.
Jaylee Shaffer, 12, wins the girls 13-and-under division of the John Deere Junior Open golf tournament.
Volunteers with the local Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization deliver their first bed in Ringgold County.
Alicia (Still) Reed, a 1997 MACHS grad, is named president of CHI Health Mercy Corning hospital.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds tours the renovation efforts at the former Odd Fellows building.
Mike McLain is named Title Person of the Year by the Iowa Land Title Association.
The Raider baseball team captures the Pride of Iowa conference title.
Five local boys attend a youth football camp hosted by Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott.
