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America’s funniest video? Iowa’s A video taken at Creston Elks Lodge #605 will be featured on America’s Funniest Home Videos 6 p.m. Sunday on ABC ■
By KYLE WILSON
CNA managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
S
et your DVR. A small group of Crestonians will be featured in a video airing on America’s Funniest Home Videos (AFV) 6 p.m. Sunday on ABC. The video — submitted by Penny Oetken of Creston — captures her screaming reaction after coming in close contact with a jumping squirrel inside Creston Elks Lodge #605 in January. She captured the squirrel video footage Jan. 18. Penny said the squirrel had been in the lodge for several days prior — even doing damage to tiling on the third floor. Penny said members were made aware of the squirrel and, that Saturday, members observed the squirrel bolt from the women’s restroom at the lodge, down the staircase (pictured above) into the dining room. “We all saw him,” Penny said. “Some of us went toward the women’s restroom staircase and the other half went down the staircase by the bar.” Elks Lodge members Kevin Mahan, Tyler Mahan, Bill Oetken and cook Clint Williamson all trekked downstairs to corral the squirrel and usher it back up the (women’s restroom) staircase and out the front door.
Oetken CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
This is the staircase at Creston Elks Lodge #605 where Penny Oetken took video footage of a squirrel on the loose in the lodge. The video will be featured on America’s Funniest Home Videos 6 p.m. Sunday on ABC.
But, they ran into some problems. “We chased him all over the downstairs dining room,” Tyler said. “He went under tables, used chairs to jump over tables. We had aprons and towels trying to direct him where we wanted. We just wanted to keep him out of the kitchen area.” While that was happening, other Elks members blocked off all ground floor entrances to the women’s re-
“It was like a scene from Rocky and Bullwinkle.” — Penny Oetken
Creston
stroom, third floor, coat and bar rooms. “It was about that time I got the idea this should be on video,” Penny said.
Tyler said the squirrel finally cooperated after about 20 minutes and they were able to funnel him up the stairs. “They yelled, ‘here he comes,’” Penny said. The squirrel sprinted up the stairs and at the landing used the sidewall to spring into the air directly toward Penny’s camera phone. “It was like a scene from Rocky and Bullwinkle,” Penny said, laughing. “He flew right at me.” The squirrel landed near her feet, then darted north toward the bar room, but Jenny Mahan was blocking the entrance with a floor mat. While screaming, Penny continued filming the entire event until the squirrel exited the front door at the Elks and ran across West Montgomery Street toward Hair Tech. “She doesn’t normally get scared like that,” Bill said. Penny posted the video that Saturday on social media and friends urged her to submit the video to America’s Funniest Home Videos. She did on Jan. 25 and less than one month later she received a call from Sean Nietschmann with AFV in Los Angeles, Calif., informing her the video was selected for the show and he would call her a week before it aired. On Monday, Nietschmann called. Oetkens said they plan to watch the show Sunday from the comfort of their own living room. “They have prize money for each show,” Bill said, “but I doubt we are part of that because they didn’t ask us out (to California). We’re probably just another clip on the show. We’ll find out Sunday, I guess.”
Best Burger awarded today Iowa’s Best Burger for 2014 was announced 11:30 a.m. today on WHO 1040 Big Show. Check out the Creston News Advertiser website to see who was crowned the winner and pick up a copy of Friday’s newspaper for a full story on the contest. Elm’s Club in Creston made the top 10 for Iowa’s Best Burger for the second year in a row. Brick City Grill — owned by Orient-Macksburg graduate Jason Mikkelsen — also made the list of finalists. Judging was conducted by an anonymous panel and was based on taste, presentation, proper internal cooking temperature of 160 degrees.
Auditor’s office closed Memorial weekend Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad recently signed HF2366 into law, altering when county offices can be open for voter registration. Voters can no longer pre-register Saturday, May 24. “County auditors have wanted this bill passed for a while now,” said Union County Auditor Sandy Hysell. “We just don’t see a lot of people coming in ... it will be a cost savings for the county not to be open Hysell for eight hours with no traffic.” The auditor’s office will be open until 5 p.m. Friday, May 23, for voter registration for the primary election. It will also be open Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for absentee voting.
County e-cigarette ordinance uncertain after bill passes (MCT) — Following the Tuesday passage of a statewide bill regulating the use of e-cigarettes, a similar ordinance proposed for Story County earlier this year will be reviewed by county officials to judge whether it is still necessary. If signed by Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, the state bill, as of July 1, would ban the possession and sale to minors of ecigarettes and require retailers to have a tobacco permit to sell them — regulations central to the county proposal. Story County Attorney Stephen Holmes said he noticed on the 10 p.m. news on Tuesday that the bill passed after a day of meetings and was considering how to advise the county’s Board of Supervisors, which would have to approve the ordinance, on how to proceed. “This all catches me by sur-
prise,” Holmes said. “I wasn’t aware this had gained life again. I thought it was not going to pass, but I’m pleased to say they did not let it drop.” E-cigarettes — battery-powered devices that vaporize liquids typically containing nicotine — are unregulated in Iowa. The Story County ordinance has been promoted as a way to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to people under the age of 18 without having to wait for action from the state Legislature, whose efforts appeared to have stalled earlier this year. Holmes voiced approval for a Senate amendment to the state bill, which originally was introduced in the House, that would ban minors from possessing ecigarettes regardless of whether they were used with nicotine products. He has argued that the stipula-
tion, which is also present in the ordinance drafted by the county attorney’s office, is essential to the enforcement of the law because without it police could not effectively establish probable cause. The state bill would not prohibit cities and counties from establishing stronger regulations of their own. But, Supervisor Rick Sanders said, “we’re not looking to hinder anybody or anything, we just want them not in the hands of minors.” If the bill “accomplishes what we were hoping would be accomplished here in Story County, clearly we won’t need to do anything,” he said. The state bill passed by a 74-23 vote in the House Tuesday after Please see E-CIGARETTES, Page 2
CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN
Display: Elementary and middle school students gather around sculptures and other art forms presented by Shenandoah students Wednesday during a show of student art from Hawkeye 10 schools including Atlantic, Creston, Clarinda, Denison, Glenwood, Harlan, Kuemper, Lewis Central, Red Oak, Saint Albert and Shenandoah. The show was hosted by Creston High School.
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Volume 130 No. 228 Copyright 2014
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Contents
Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Deaths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Heloise Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10 Throwback Thursday . . . . 12
Friday weather High 67 Low 45 Full weather report, 3A