The Chronicle, Vol. 120, No. 15, April 14, 2011

Grab your basket and come and join us!

Easter Egg Event

Saturday, April 23, 9:30 a.m.

Odebolt Community Center

Odebolt Nursing & Rehab Center
[from April 21 Chronicle]

For children up to 9 years.
Assemble in the parking lot by age groups.
Cash prizes will be in some of the eggs.
Children must have their own baskets.

Afterwards cookies and juice will be served by ONRC

Sponsored by Wheeler Lodge #398 of Arthur
Rainbow Assembly & Arthur Eastern Star.

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OA/BCIG FFA Week Activities

    •    Members cooked and served a meal for 150 students attending the Western Valley Conference music event held at the school.
    •    Members grilled burgers for the entire high school.  Special thank you's to Odebolt Locker and Tony Hoelscher, and to the Ida County Pork Producers for use of the grill.
    •    Six members participated in ag safety day at the Sac County Fair Grounds.  They taught water safety, food safety, chemical look-alike, pet safety and provided a grain bin demonstration to second grade students.
    •    25 members drove tractors to school on March 29, a new record.


Holy Week and Easter Services in Odebolt and Kiron

April 21, Maundy Thursday

 2:30 p.m. Faith Lutheran - Maundy Thursday service at ONRC
 5:00 p.m. United Methodist - Maundy Thursday service
 7:00 p.m. Faith Lutheran - Holy Communion joint service at Bethel Lutheran, Kiron
 7:00 p.m. First Baptist, Kiron - Holy Communion
 7:00 p.m. First Presbyterian - Worship with Holy Communion
 7:00 p.m. Trinity Lutheran - Maundy Thursday Communion service
 7:30 p.m. St. Martin Catholic - Holy Thursday mass

April 22, Good Friday

10:30 a.m. Faith Lutheran at ONRC
12:00 p.m. St. Martin Catholic
 1:00 p.m. Trinity Lutheran - Tre Ore service
 6:30 p.m. United Methodist, First Presbyterian AT Faith Lutheran

We Remember Calvary 

a contemporary Tenebrae service

Good Friday, April 22, 6:30 PM

Faith Lutheran Church, Odebolt, Iowa

Presented by 25-voice Odebolt Community Choir

Barb Votrobeck, Director; Sonya Nielsen, Accompanist

Sponsored by OAK Ministerial Association

 7:00 p.m. Trinity Lutheran - Tenebrae candlelight service
 7:30 p.m. Bethel Lutheran, Kiron - Good Friday service

April 23, Holy Saturday

 8:30 p.m. St. Martin Catholic - Easter Vigil AT Sacred Heart in Ida Grove
 8:30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran - Easter Vigil candlelight service

April 24, Easter Sunday

 7:00 a.m. Faith Lutheran - Easter Sunrise service
 7:00 a.m. Trinity Lutheran - Easter sunrise service, Easter breakfast
 7:30 a.m. St. Martin Catholic - Easter sunrise service and breakfast
 7:30 a.m. United Methodist - Sunrise service with breakfast following
 8:30 a.m. First Presbyterian - Easter brunch
 9:00 a.m. First Baptist, Kiron - Fruit, rolls and coffee
10:00 a.m. First Presbyterian - Worship with baptisms and six new members
10:30 A.M. First Baptist, Kiron - Worship service
10:30 a.m. St. Martin Catholic - Easter Sunday mass
10:30 a.m. United Methodist - Worship service

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The DownTown Cafe, Odebolt

Open Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Buffet style dinner including ham, turkey & broaster chicken

School Board Minutes .... Courier news

Recent OA-BCIG School Board Minutes
from http://oabcig.org/boardagenda/main.html
4/11/11 OA minutes
4/12/11 OA Special Board Minutes
4/13/11 OA Special Board Minutes

=======================
News from 4/13/11 Ida County Courier
on-line at www.idacountycourier.com

OA-BCIG TO PRESENT "ANCHORS AWEIGH" PLAY SATURDAY

     Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek- Ida Grove High School will present “Anchors Aweigh” Saturday, April 16, at 7 p.m., at the ECC auditorium in Ida Grove. Whitney Simonson is the play director.
    Captain Creeg has great apprehensions about his next cruise on the S.S. Flounder. It’s sink or swim for the old schooner, as the mysterious owners of the line are aboard the old ship to decide her fate. As if that wasn’t enough pressure, the cruise falls on June 10, a day the suspicious old sea salt has always dreaded.
     Passengers arrive for the singles’ cruise, including a famous romance novelist looking for inspiration for her next novel, her chronically depressed secretary still pining for a lost love and a pair of small-time hoods as stowaways hoping to escape a big-time hood, Big Edie who, of course, is also on board in pursuit. Did we forget to mention the prince posing as a gangster to look for a bride because he believes showing a tough exterior is the best way to a woman’s heart? You can just imagine all the trouble in which he quickly finds himself.
     To add to the mayhem, a pair of tired old ladies fl utter about the ship while a domineering mother tries to make her socially deprived sons more sociable, only to discover they become too social for her agenda. You will be awash with tides of laughter as they get swept away with mistaken identities, lively chase scenes and a storm that almost sets the entire cruise aground.
   
EASTER EGG HUNT - April 23
Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center will host Odebolt’s egg hunt on Saturday, April 23, at 9 a.m.

PRAIRIE PEDLAR HOSTS LUNCH-N-LEARN THIS SATURDAY
     The Prairie Pedlar of rural Odebolt is packing all of its enthusiasm for spring into one lunch-n-learn session on Saturday, April 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the garden. Participants are invited to watch gardening demonstrations and discussions.
     Discussions will highlight hardy ornamental shrubs that should become part of your perennial border, new garden tools and heirloom tomatoes. The main feature will be table settings for special occasions – from floral centerpieces and party favors to surrounding embellishments; the discussion will highlight a variety of entertainment details.
     Participation will include lunch and a $20 gift certificate that may be used at the greenhouse or gift shop on that day or anytime in 2011. A registration fee of $35 is required prior to the event to confirm reservations. Call 712-668-4840 to reserve a space.   www.prairiepedlar.com/

FIRE AT YOUNGREN FARM
     On April 11 at 1:10 p.m., the Odebolt Fire Department was called to a house fire at Travis Youngren’s farm at 1711 290th St. According to Jerry Youngren, the family was conducting a controlled burn from debris from Saturday’s tornado when embers ignited the house on fire. He said they could have put the fire out, but discovered there wasn’t any water available on the farm place. The department was at the scene three hours.

MUSIC DONATION
     The Happiness Express Chorus of Denison presented the O-A/BC-IG vocal music department with $150 recently. Chorus members Jerry Einspahr and Kevin McFarland presented the money to Teri Olson and Kim Clausen, representing the O-A/BC-IG Music Boosters. The gift represents a portion of $2,100 that is being distributed to the vocal music departments at 10 area high schools and two vocal music workshop programs.
     “It costs money to run a vocal music program,” said Einspahr. “With the budget cuts being experienced by our local schools, the chorus decided that we wanted to help. Our show patrons and local business sponsors have been very supportive in past years, so we have decided to return a portion of our spring show profit to the communities in which our members live.”
     Business sponsors include First State Bank, Lackman Miniature Ponies and Ida Family Chiropractic, all of Ida Grove; Bar V Feedlot, Cubby’s Inc., Einspahr Furniture and Pan-Agra, Inc., all of Odebolt; DC Specialties, Schaller Telephone Company and State Bank, all of Schaller. The Happiness Express is the performing chorus of the Denison Barbershop Harmony Society.
     Members come from within a 60-mile radius of Denison. The male a cappella group meets on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. at the Denison High School. Local members include: Einspahr and McFarland of Odebolt; Ed Nelson and Rod Schneider of Ida Grove; and Dennis Cook of Schaller.

Photos of tornado damage to Fertig barn

 

(Click the photos to enlarge)
Tornado damage to Bill and Mark Fertig's hog barn 6 mi south of Ida Grove. 

Submitted by Brad Lundell on 4/14/11

Photos of tornado damage north of Odebolt, Iowa

   

Click on the slide show to see enlarged photos.

If you cannot see the above slide show, CLICK HERE

The above are photos taken by Michelle Carstensen following the April 9, 2011 tornados that hit Sac County, Iowa. These are some of the farm places north of the town of Odebolt, Iowa that were hit. Not included were shots of widespread debris in the fields and bent-over roadside poles.

Michelle and husband Andy were near the devastation, but only lost a child's swing set.

This is the same line of tornados that devastated the town of Mapleton to the southwest of Odebolt. The town of Early to the northeast also received quite a bit of damage, as well as many farms in the area.

Information from the Des Moines Register: Four tornados were confirmed in Sac County.

The path of the largest tornado was a mile wide and tracked 11 miles from near Odebolt to about six miles northwest of Early. The twister, rated an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, had peak winds of 140 mph.

Three EF2 tornados had winds of at least 125 mph and half-mile-wide paths, leveling buildings around Early, Nemaha, Newell and Odebolt and other rural areas in Sac County.

City of Odebolt: Tree City USA Recipient

Madeline Meyer and Elaine Rex attended the Community Forestry Awards Luncheon
April 5th in Johnston, Iowa to accept Odebolt's 11th consecutive Tree City USA Award. 
Governor Terry Branstad is on the right and a Forestry representative on the left.

The National Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Forestry Bureau are proud to announce that the City of Odebolt has received the 2010 Tree City USA award 21st Annual Community Forestry Awards Luncheon, held at the Stoney Creek Inn, Johnston on April 5, 2011.

State Forester Paul Tauke commented, “The Tree City USA award is a symbol for communities who have made a commitment to the management of public trees.”  The City of Odebolt has provided an outstanding example for other Iowa communities, by enhancing our forest resources and demonstrating the great value of trees in providing multiple benefits for future generations.

The City of Odebolt was one of 88 Iowa communities to qualify for Tree City USA status. To receive the award a city must meet four minimum requirements:  1) The city must possess either a city forester or an active city tree board, 2) The city must have a tree ordinance, 3) The city must annually spend at least $2 per capita for its community forestry program.

Death Notice: Dolores (Huebner) Gunderson

Dolores Ann (Huebner) Gunderson entered eternal life on Sunday April 3, 2011 age 77.  (Mrs. Donald Gunderson)
Visitation: Saturday April 16th from 10-11AM - Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church, 2366 N. 80th, Wauwatosa, WI, followed by memorial service at 11AM.  Burial of cremains at Odebolt Cemetery, Odebolt, Iowa.

Click for more information

April 13, 7 pm, Agenda for Special School Board Meeting

ODEBOLT-ARTHUR
COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Special Board Meeting
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Conference Room—Odebolt

Tentative Agenda:

I.    Call to Order
II.    Approval of Agenda
III.    Welcome Visitors
IV.    Initial Proposal of the O-A Educational Association
V.    Exempt Session as per Iowa Code 20.17.3 to Discuss Negotiation Strategies
VI.    Initial Proposal of the O-A School Board
VII.    Discuss Time & Place of Next Meeting with the Association
VIII.    Adjournment

After the Board Negotiating Committee receives the Association’s initial offer, the Board Committee will enter into exempt session to discuss how they wish to reply. When finished with their discussion, the Board Committee will respond with their initial offer to the Association.

Odebolt tornado damage reports

PHOTOS OR STORIES of tornado damage to share?  

You may post on this blog by clicking "comments" at the bottom of the post.  Or email

From Sioux City Journal - article on Early contains story about damage to Jenny and Brian Buehler farm.

4/10/11 - From Barbara (Huldeen) Votrobeck -- after a drive around the affected area on Sunday.

 - Brian Buehler's garage is caved in, the barn is gone, and the corn crib across the road to the west is only partially there.
 - Joe Wadsley lost his machine shed, there's a big hole in the house roof, and the semi is on it's side.
 - Keith Mentzer is missing some old buildings and there is damage to the house.
 - Gene Diersen lost his barn and other structures, but house looks okay.
 - The house west of Wadsley's, where a Christiansen used to live just has four walls.
 - Gary Siebrecht has trees down and the place just north of him has damage, but we couldn't drive up there.
 - Dale and Sandy Ullrich live about a mile south of us and three miles west, just north of Shirley Hemer's west corner and they have lost several buildings and trees.
 - Travis Youngren, one mile east of Brian Buehler lost his machine shed.

We didn't drive up by Early, but apparently there's a lot of loss up there.

4/11/11 - From Kathy Larson

 ...we spent the day (Sunday 4/10) at Brian/Jenny Buehler's and Roger/Ellen Buehler's doing some major cleanup.  At least their houses are still standing (that's all that is standing at Brian's place and it has a lot of damage), but others are not so fortunate.   So much damage, but lots and lots of helpers.  At one time today I bet there were between 75-100 people at Buehler's.  Many worked in the fields cleaning up debris.  Odebolt is a wonderful community for helping out those in need.  Makes you proud to be a part of it.

4/11/11 Fom Vicki Beckman

Town of Odebolt,for most part untouched; path from Mapleton to nemaha hit and miss; Dale Ullrich farm, machine shed at the Youngren (Kessler) farm place, Brian Buehler place, Keith Mentzer"s place hit hard; Town of Early closed off and Red Cross was there yesterday afternoon. Mapleton by far the worst.

East Sac, OA-BCIG and Galva Holstein/Schaller Crestland were all having prom that night, something the kids will always remember!

4/11/11 Updates: April 9th Tornado

Click for Sioux City Journal tornado / damage stories (scroll down a bit)


WHERE TO GET HELP - Tornado victims in Sac County should call their sheriff's office.  In Sac County, where tornadoes damaged Early and rural Odebolt, call 712-662-7127.

The Des Moines Register    www.desmoinesregister.com
EXCERPTS:
"National Weather Service experts have confirmed two twisters struck Ida County on Saturday night. There were four more in Sac County, two in Pocahontas County and one in Kossuth County."

"The path of the largest tornado was a mile wide and tracked 11 miles from near Odebolt to about six miles northwest of Early. The twister, rated an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, had peak winds of 140 mph."

"Three EF2 tornados had winds of at least 125 mph and half-mile-wide paths, leveling buildings around Early, Nemaha, Newell and Odebolt and other rural areas in Sac County."


STATEMENT FROM FEMA REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR BETH FREEMAN ON IOWA TORNADOES AND SEVERE WEATHER

“On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), I would like to express our concern to the residents of communities that were impacted by Saturday evening’s tornadoes in northwest Iowa.  Also, I would like to commend the work of the local and state first responders for the measures taken in the aftermath of the storms to protect lives and provide immediate assistance during this difficult time.

FEMA has been in constant contact with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (IHSEMD) since the severe weather hit, and we stand ready to assist if requested. The state continues to assess the needs of the communities impacted. Iowans should continue to listen to instructions from their local leaders on seeking assistance and stay alert to weather conditions as additional severe weather is possible today.”

4/10/11 - Western Iowa Tornadoes

A tornado has destroyed downtown buildings, torn off the high school roof and flattened a grain elevator last night in Mapleton but no serious injuries have been reported. The tornado appeared to be about a quarter-mile wide.

In Early a tornado ripped roofs off buildings and homes and uprooted large trees, but there were no reports of injuries. In Schaller, a twister knocked down a dozen trees and felled multiple power poles.

Odebolt's Mayor, Ronald J. Rex stated, "We missed 'the big one' by a whisker. After hitting Mapleton it worked its way through Ida County and touched down again 2 1/2 miles north of Odebolt. Some farms got hit, however I am not sure which ones. Power lines are down and there may be more damage on towards Early. I hear the city of Early got hit but I don't know how badly.

MORE INFO
"Western Iowa Tornadoes"
Videos on YouTube