James Edwin Mahan, Jr.
James Edwin Mahan, Jr., age 93, of Leon, Iowa, the son of James Edwin, Sr. and Ettie Katherine (Lucas) Mahan, was born August 5, 1931, at Mount Ayr, Iowa. He left this life on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon, Iowa. Jim grew up in Mount Ayr and graduated from…
Read MoreClark resigns as K-12 principal in Diagonal
Following a closed session to open a special meeting held Friday, December13, the Diagonal Community School board of directors accepted the resignation of K-12 principal and district technology director Gary Clark, effective December 20. No further details were available due to statutes limiting release of information affecting personnel. District superintendent Larry McNutt will serve as…
Read MoreEarl Keith Whitson
Earl Keith Whitson passed peacefully December 11, 2024, after 87 years. Born in Ringgold County, 3rd of 4 children, of LeRoy M. Whitson and Alice D. Scott Whitson. Keith grew up in a farm-focused family, playing basketball and baseball, graduating from Beaconsfield High School in 1955. Shortly after that, he married the love of his life…
Read MoreSpecial city council meeting held Dec. 10
The City of Mount Ayr held a special meeting with council members on Tuesday, December 10 at 6 p.m., stating they would be utilizing Jason Palmer as legal counsel during the special session. While council member Chandra Poore did not attend, Mack Greene, Mike Wik, Jessica Murphy, Matt Henle, Brent Wise, City Administrator, Dennis Dugan…
Read MoreBart French
Bart French, 92, of Wapello passed away on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at Sunrise Terrace Care Center. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 16, 2024, at Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Services of Wapello. A time of remembrance with Military Honors will be held at 3 p.m. following…
Read MoreSnapshots of History: Redding High School
By Mike Avitt I found a little more information on the beginning of Redding’s brick schoolhouse. The Redding newspapers from this time frame are not available and the Redding correspondent to the Mount Ayr newspapers was inconsistent or non-existent. The Redding Centennial Book says the school was built in 1914 and added onto in 1917.…
Read MoreDonna Jean (Roush) Wilson
Donna Jean (Roush) Wilson was born April 19, 1932, in Taylor County, IA to Leslie and Cleo (Posten) Roush. Her family lived on a farm north of New Market, IA, where she and her older brother Carrell attended country school. They had to walk 1-1/2 miles to school, with a group of 5 boys and…
Read MoreSpot for Biden’s library
To the editor: I hear Joe is having trouble raising money for his presidential library. I have a solution. We could rename the Mount Ayr Public Library to the Joe Biden Presidential Library! I understand there are already several left learning books on the shelves! If there is too much room for the JBPL, it…
Read MoreLooking Back
One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 24, 1924.) Near Gravity, Taylor county, J.S. Francis says that in sinking a shaft for coal a piece of wood was discovered at a depth of 65 feet. The piece of timber was embedded in blue clay. It was a small log about 6 feet…
Read MoreDiane Lynne Drake
Diane Lynne Drake, daughter of Curt and Donna Wilson, was born on February 13, 1958, in Mount Ayr, IA. She was welcomed home by her brother Douglas and later David. Diane grew up on farms outside of Maloy and Redding and attended her elementary school years there. In middle school, she began attending Mount Ayr…
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