ron Hometowner serving the communities of Akron, IA and Westfield, IA with Local News, Sports and What's Happening in the community. Designed by River City Digital Design www.rivercd.com
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November 21, 2007 What's Happening? Thanksgiving service An Ecumenical Thanksgiving Worship Service sponsored by the Akron Area Ministerial Association, will be held Wed., Nov. 21 7 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Akron. All offerings will be given to Mid-Sioux. Donations of non-perishable food items will also be collected that evening. Beresford craft fair The annual Beresford Craft Fair is Nov. 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Beresford High School gym. Pancake Breakfast The Akron Knights of Columbus next Pancake Breakfast is Sunday, Dec. 2. Watch next week for more details. Soup Supper Peoples Bank is sponsoring a Soup Supper Dec. 7, 5-7 p.m. at A-W. ACT play The comedy, “Caught in the Net” by Ray Cooney will be presented at Akron Community Theatre Nov. 29, 30 and Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. Nora Store Nora Store is holding its annual Open House, “The Reason for the Season” beginning Nov. 23, 24, 25 and the following two weeks. Lutefisk dinner St. Paul Lutheran Church in Elk Point is holding its annual Lutefisk/Meatball dinner Dec. 1, 4-7:30 p.m. Coat Drive The Akron Saddle is spearheading a Coat Drive for Mid-Sioux. Drop off spots include the Akron Children’s Center, The Akron Hometowner office, and Britton Chiropractic & Rehab Clinic. Open House Peoples Bank is holding a Christmas Open House Dec. 21, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
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Hearts filled
By Julie Ann Madden Cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year is a little bit easier and more pleasurable at the Akron Senior Citizens Center, according to Head Cook Barb Mitchell. The center’s kitchen has been renovated -- walls painted and new flooring installed as well as the most important part -- a brand new stove. “It was the first time since the building was remodeled into the center that the flooring and stove had been replaced,” said Head Cook Barb Mitchell. “It’s been about 30 years ago.” The old stove’s ovens could no longer keep a constant temperature making baking a real chore to create those cookies for which the center is quite famous, she said, explaining “Our secret to great cookies is that we don’t bake them all the way so they stay nice and soft. We leave them set on the tray for two minutes after removing them from the ovens.” An appeal to the community as well as seeking a Plymouth County Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) grant raised enough money for the renovations. The new Garland electric stove, which was installed in July, has two large ovens, six burners and a grill. “It’s so much easier to fix food with the new stove,” said Mitchell. “We serve 75 people a day, including take-out meals. That’s why it was so important to have a good working stove.” “The new flooring is awesome,” she said. “It brightens up the kitchen.” In addition, Mitchell doesn’t have to worry about the kitchen staff tripping over tears in the old flooring or staff complaining of fatigue and aches and pains from standing on the old flooring. “The new floor is cushioned,” explained Mitchell. “It doesn’t make it so hard on us.” The kitchen is much easier to clean up -- much more sanitary with the renovations, she added. “We want to thank everyone who helped us get these items,” said Mitchell, explaining the county grant was $3,000 and the City of Akron gave $3,000. In addition, the First National Bank, Peoples Bank, Friendship & Service Club and many of the center’s patrons donated to this project. Last Friday, Mitchell was making the final plans for the center’s traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. Besides turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce, the meal included sage dressing made using Mitchell’s family recipe. “That recipe has been passed down from my parents, the late Ed and Irene Greenleaf, who used to work with me here,” said Mitchell. “I use lots of their recipes.” “Our priority is our people,” said Mitchell. “We love to serve the people here, and we try to treat them like royalty.” “We welcome everybody,” she said, explaining that the center is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. “The more, the merrier.” The noon meal price is a suggested donation of $2.75 per person 60 years of age and older and $5 per meal for those under age 60. Meals that are delivered have a suggested donation price of $3.25 each. “It’s a suggested donation,” said Mitchell. “If you cannot afford it, pay what you can.” A box sets on a table for patrons to drop their donations. “It’s confidential,” said Mitchell. “Drop a donation in or pretend to do so.” “Anyone is welcome to come here any time,” said Mitchell. In addition to a noon meal, seniors play cards, pool and do puzzles. There is also exercise equipment available for seniors and their guests. Besides Mitchell, Lila Henke is the center’s kitchen aide and there are several volunteers: • Bonnie Hartmann, Betty Heyl and Jean Tharp decorate the center monthly as well as set the tables. • Mickey Clarey and Rob Clarey set at the desk answering the telephone, greeting people and answering questions. • Smokey Mast and Teresa Moring help create the delicious meals. • Pat and Arnie Bremer deliver meals to shut-ins, and Wanda McCrill delivers meals to the Ridgewood Apartments.
Westfield councilor candidate requests recounting of votes
By Julie Ann Madden The final results of the Westfield city councilor election are not in yet. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, the Plymouth County Auditor’s Office received a request from Westfield write-in council candidate Marion Ross to have the votes recounted. During the original counting of the votes after the poll closed on Nov. 6, there had been a question as to whether to count Ross’ write-in votes when the voter had not filled in the oval next to writing in her name. That night, the polling officials counted only the 13 votes where voters had both written Ross’ name and filled in the oval next to her name. However, Iowa law states that is how to count votes cast using the Optical Scanner method. On paper ballots, voters only have to write a person’s name on the write-in candidate line for it to count as a vote. A recount of the votes is also governed by state law. A recount can only be requested by a candidate in that particular race and a “Recount Board” of three people is selected to do the recounting. Since Ross requested the recount and filed the required paperwork, she could choose one person of the three persons for the Recount Board. She chose Westfield Librarian Trudi Cadenbach, who lives in Westfield. The highest vote-getter in that race gets to select the second person. Incumbent Gerald Bohr received the most votes, and he selected The Akron Hometowner news reporter Julie Ann Madden, who is not a resident of Westfield. Then Cadenbach and Madden had until 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 to select a third person. If they could not agree on who the third “vote counter” would be, then a judge would have made the decision. They chose Dawn Coffee, a new resident of Westfield, and she agreed to serve on the Recount Board. At 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, the three went to the Plymouth County Auditor’s Office and met with Deputy Auditor Cheri Nitzschke. The four people went into a courthouse conference room where the original ballots were unsealed. The absentee ballot had been sealed in its own envelope since the election, and the rest were in the manila envelope that polling officials had placed them in the night of the election. According to Nitzschke, the ballots are not reviewed unless a recount is requested; however, the auditor’s office must keep the ballots for six months after the election. The recounting of the votes was open to the public, and Daily Sentinel reporter Magdalene Biesanz was present for part of the recount. The Recount Board and Nitzschke were not allowed to leave the room until the process was completed. After being instructed in election voting laws by Nitzschke, the Recount Board completed the process in just over an hour. According to election law, one ballot was considered spoiled. There were a total of 20 ballots where voters had written Marion Ross’ name, changing her total number of votes to 20. This means that Marion Ross will fill the second seat on the council, and not Kelvin Solomon, who had the second highest number of votes in the original poll officials’ count. The Recount Board’s tallies are the final count, according to Nitzschke. On Tuesday, Nov. 20 (yesterday and after press time) the Plymouth County Supervisors will vote to amend the canvassing to the Recount Board’s results.
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Designed by River City Digital, 2007
