Thursday
December 19, 2013
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Lenox defense stifles SW Valley boys SPORTS, page 1S
Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in Union County
photo by LEAH BAUER/USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station/bugwood.org
This is a photo of an Emerald Ash Borer — an invasive beetle recently found in Creston.
DES MOINES – Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been positively identified in a residential tree in the city of Creston — making this the fifth location where the invasive beetle has been found in Iowa. EAB kills all ash tree species and is considered to be one of the most destructive tree pests ever seen in North America. The current EAB infestation was found as a result of an arborist contacting state officials about a suspect
Iowa authorities are actively searching for a 23-year-old female from Creston. Brooke Carter was reported missing to the Creston Police Department Sunday. According to a Creston Police report, the last contact family and friends had with Brooke was Sunday around 1 p.m. while she was driving from De Soto back to Creston. Brooke is 5-foot, 8-inches tall, 128 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. If you have any information in this case, contact Creston Police Department at 641-782-8402 or missing persons information line at 1-800-346-5507.
Freezing rain advisory
National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a freezing rain advisory effective 6 p.m. today through 6 a.m. Friday. Drizzle will develop in the evening and persist overnight. Total ice accumulation is estimated at less than 1/10 of an inch. “People need to be aware of this advisory and be especially careful around bridges, culverts and underpasses,” said Jo Duckworth, emergency management coordinator in Union County. “Those areas will freeze first and conditions will get worse later tonight. Anyone planning to travel tonight should be very cautious and monitor the roads closely.” NWS reports another system is expected Saturday evening into Sunday morning that could bring a combination of ice and moderate snow.
Creston man charged with child porn offenders
A Creston man was sentenced to prison time during a child pornography investigation along with four other men. Michael Hanold, 35, 2229 High and Dry Road (last known address), was Please see QUICK NEWS, Page 2
ties in eastern Iowa was issued on Nov. 1 intended to slow the accidental movement of EAB by humans. An additional quarantine in response to this new confirmed infestation is being developed. A quarantine restricts movement of hardwood firewood, ash logs, wood chips and ash tree nursery stock out of the quarantined counties. Most EAB infestations in the United States have been started by people unknowingly moving infest-
ed firewood, nursery plants or sawmill logs. The adult beetle also can fly short distances, approximately 2 to 5 miles. “Preventive treatments next spring — mid-April to mid-May 2014 — are available to protect healthy and valuable ash trees within 15 miles of the known infested area,” said ISU Extension Please see ASH BORER, Page 2
Bus barn plans changed
QUICK NEWS Authorities searching for missing Creston female
ash tree. Investigation by the Iowa EAB team members revealed characteristic galleries and D-shaped exit holes in dead branches and a partial adult beetle was positively identified by federal identifiers. EAB infestations had previously been discovered in Allamakee County in May 2010, Des Moines County in July 2013, Jefferson County in August 2013 and Cedar County in October 2013. A quarantine covering 25 coun-
By BAILEY POOLMAN
CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
The original plans for Creston Community School District’s new bus barn changed and so did the cost. The bus barn will now have a concrete floor instead of the gravel originally scoped out. The building was destroyed in the April 2012 tornado, and since then, the district has been holding hearings for contractors to rebuild. During Monday’s school board meeting, Superintendent Steve McDermott presented the findings of the state fire marshal’s office.
Concrete “Recently, we’ve received a ruling from the state fire marshal’s office concerning the main storage area of the bus barn, the transportation building, where the actual vehicles will be stored,” said McDermott. “Origi- McDermott nally, if you remember, we had gravel planned for that space. We did receive a ruling that said, strictly by code, that needs to be a hard surface back there instead. Which means concrete.” However, this change will require an increase of cost for the structure. Insurance will cover
CNA file photo
A new bus barn still hasn’t been rebuilt at Creston School District after a tornado destroyed the old one in April 2012.
57 percent of the new construction, which represents the cost of the original building, while the school district pays for the remaining 43 percent. “However, we have yet to know what kind of cost difference that will be,” McDermott said. “Concerning that hard surface, that also means in order to make that safe back there, we’re talking about a heat source to make sure those floors stay dry — radiant heat.” There were concerns for the cost of the changes, including heating the building to prevent ice from forming on the concrete. “Heating a bus barn, so to keep ice off the concrete floor? I think we’re looking at a major expense there,” said Ron Dunphy, Creston School Board
Christmas Basket Fund still accepting donations The 2013 Union County Christmas Basket Fund is underway. Donations totaling $19,085.05 have been received to date. This year’s fund goal was $19,000, but additional donations are apprciated to help with next year’s campaign. Last year, 219 baskets serving 854 people and nursing home baskets were distributed. Residents of care centers in Creston and Afton received fruit and Kleenex. Baskets include meat, canned goods donated
through efforts of Boy Scouts and school and community projects and certificates redeemable at local supermarkets for perishable foods. Each child 18 and younger will also receive a gift certificate for clothing items. The Christmas Basket Fund board is assisted in packing and distributing baskets by local service club volunteers, Boy Scouts and FFA students from Creston Schools. Please see BASKET, Page 2
member. Radiant heat is a process that transfers radiant energy from one heat source to another object. It is a common heating process for outdoor buildings. It can be placed under the floor, in the walls or in ceiling panels, and then heats people or objects, rather than air, which is a more direct path for the heat to travel.
Building Creston School Board held a special meeting in October and voted for C and J Conservation to do the dirt work for the bus barn, which includes excavation, sewer work and parking lot surfacing. The bid was $192,680, while the engineer’s projected cost was $18,765 more. Instead of keeping other bids
on their own, the plan will be to compile them as a whole. “Originally, the concrete was a separate bid, the steel building was a separate bid, the automatic doors were a separate bid. And, at this point, because of the bid process and the bids we’ve received, and this change from the state fire marshal, we’ve decided to roll those together into one bid package. We believe that will get us better pricing when bid in January, so the building can be completed hopefully this spring and summer,” said McDermott. McDermott said, considering the ruling, he felt it was the best thing to do for the bus barn and plans to have more information by January’s regularly scheduled board meeting.
creston city council
New police officer joins Creston Police Dept. By KYLE WILSON
CNA asst. managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
A new police officer will soon join the Creston Police Department. Creston City Council voted unanimously to hire Matt Carr contingent upon successful completion of testing. Carr is a 2009 graduate of Orient- Carr Macksburg High School. He currently works as a sheriff’s deputy in Ringgold County. “His tentative start date (with us) will be sometime after the 10th of January,” said Creston Police Chief Paul Ver Meer.
Ver Meer also added one of his new officers — Sam Abell — recently graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Abell was one of three officers in his class to become part of the 300 Club — a physical fitness standard recognized by the Academy.
Wagner’s final night
Larry Wagner, ward 5 city councilman, attended his final city council meeting Tuesday. Wagner was given a plaque by Creston Mayor Warren Woods recognizing his seven years of service on the council. “Larry has contributed a lot to the city council and every other duty assigned to him,” Woods said. “He asked a lot of Please see COUNCIL, Page 2
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Friday weather High 24 Low 18 Full weather report, 3A