Hawks Win Third Straight

DOWN ORIENT-MACKSBURG, 69-41

East Greene worked itself into a high seed in the upcoming post-season with three straight hoop wins, the latest a 69-41 stroll over Orient-Macksburg on Friday, Jan. 27, in Rippey.

The win moved EG to 8-6 in the Rolling Hills Conference and 8-7 overall. Better yet, the Hawks record for post-season seeding improved to 7-4, which ties them with Guthrie Center and Ankeny Christian Academy for the No. 1 seed among the 10 teams in District 6.

Head-to-head competition is the first reference for breaking ties, and of the three teams, only EG and ACA had faced each other this season. EG beat the Eagles in Ankeny two weeks ago as one of the wins used for seeding purposes (games 5-14), but the Iowa High School Athletic Association considers all games during the season for head-to-head competition. ACA had downed EG back in December in Rippey, so the teams split their two games. East Greene and Ankeny Christian each have 7 tie-breaker points earned by wins over 1A teams.

That still leaves the teams deadlocked, so the IAHSAA uses an alphabetical tiebreaker, which alternates each year. This year, the team that starts with the lower letter gets the nod, so “e” wins over “a” giving EG the No. 2 seed for District 6.

Guthrie Center gets the No. 1 spot based on a points system as the Tigers earned extra points for wins over three Class 2A teams (2 points each) and losses to three 2A teams (1 point each). Guthrie’s point total of 13 outdistanced EG’s 7.

Seeding in each Class 1A district puts the top two seeds in opposite brackets. The teams are then divided geographically and seeded. Other teams in District 6 and their season records for games 5-14 are Woodward-Granger 6-5, Coon Rapids-Bayard 5-6, Audubon 3-8, Southeast Webster-Grand 3-8, Glidden-Ralston 2-9, Madrid 1-10 and Paton-Churdan 0-11.

Opening round games on Monday, Feb. 13, will pit the No. 7 and No. 10 seeds in one game and the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds in another game. The 7-10 winner will face the No. 2 seed and the 8-9 winner will take on the No. 1 seed. Most likely, based on seeding win-loss records, Audubon will be the seventh seed and host Paton-Churdan with the winner moving on to face East Greene. Glidden-Ralston will host Madrid, and the winner traveling to top seeded Guthrie Center.

OSTRANDER DOMINATES THE BOARDS

EG’s inside-outside duo of Reed Ostrander and Wyatt Beaman led the charge against Orient-Macksburg. Ostrander took command inside early in the game, helping the Hawks to a 15-12 first quarter lead. Beaman started finding the range in the second period and EG outscored the Bulldogs 19-10 to take a 34-22 advantage at halftime. EG extended the lead to 50-27 after three periods and coasted to the win the rest of the way.

Ostrander scored 30 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and blocked eight shots while Beaman connected on 5 of 19 three point shots, a field goal and two free throws for 19 points. Tory Beger added 10 points and 8 assists, and Cody Hidelbaugh pulled down 10 assists.

As a team, the Hawks were 17 of 28 in shooting for 61% and connected on 8 of 31 three-point attempts for 26%. EG went 11 of 16 from the line for 69%. The Hawks pulled down 39 rebounds.

Last Tuesday, Jan. 24, EG beat Paton-Churdan, 81-62, in Churdan. That followed the win over Ankeny Christian, 60-53, in Ankeny on Jan. 17. ACA had downed the Hawks earlier in the season and was battling Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton and CAM (Anita) for the conference lead. EG’s game at Rippey against Walnut on Friday, Jan. 20, was postponed to Monday, Feb. 6, due to a car accident that seriously injured a member of the Walnut girls team the previous day, Jan. 19 so the Hawks had a week-long gap between the ACA and PC games.

Ostrander had 29 points and 26 rebounds against PC, which is one of the top rebounding performances in school history. Beaman added 16 points on 4-12 three-point shooting and 2-3 on two-point goals.

After posting a 14-11 first quarter lead, EG put up 29 points in the second quarter to take a 43-25 lead at the half. EG held the advantage the rest of the way, giving the Hawks a sweep of the home-and-away series with the Rockets this year.

Ostrander pulled down 27 rebounds in the Ankeny Christian game for his career-best rebounding effort, which he almost equaled a week later against Paton-Churdan. He led the Hawks with 22 points. Beaman had 17 and Alex Gordon added 12. ACA’s 6-7 center Ben Taylor led all scorers with 25 points.

Ostrander, a junior, is the second-leading rebounder in the state in Class 1A with 16.2 rebounds a game. He is the leading rebounder in the Rolling Hills Conference and second-leading scorer.

EG goes on the road to face Glidden-Ralston tomorrow night, Tuesday, Jan. 31, and then to Adair-Casey on Friday, Feb. 3. The make-up game with Walnut will be Monday, Feb. 6, in Rippey with the Hawks hosting Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton in the final conference game the following night. The regular season ends Friday, Feb. 10, at Audubon, a member of the Western Iowa Conference.

Rolling Hills Conference Boys Basketball

CAM (Anita) 14-1
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 14-1
Ankeny Christian 11-4
East Greene 8-6
Adair-Casey 8-7
Iowa Christian 6-9
Orient-Macksburg 6-9
Walnut 3-11
Glidden-Ralston 4-11
Paton-Churdan 0-15
 
Friday, Jan. 27 Scores:
EG 69, OM 41
AC 59, GR 36
CAM 83, PC 50
ANK 47, WAL 31
EEHK 70, ICA 37
 
Tuesday, Jan. 24 Scores
EG 81, PC 62
ANK 47, AC 45
CAM 60, WAL 41
GR 48, ICA 45
EEHK 49, OM 37
 
Friday, Jan. 20 Scores:
WAL @ EG, postponed to Monday, Feb. 6
ANK 69, GR 58
CAM 58, AC 36
EEHK 71, PC 37
OM 30, ICA 29
 
 

Hawkettes Get Win No. 2

DOWN PATON-CHURDAN 43-29

East Greene turned the tables on Paton-Churdan with a 43-29 win Tuesday night in Churdan. It was the Hawkettes’ second win of the season and a 21-point turnaround from a 38-31 loss to the Rockettes in Rippey back on Dec. 13. PC came from behind in that game and took command in the second half while the Hawkettes’ offense fizzled.

East Greene was ahead in the first half of this game too, leading by six at the half, but history did not repeat itself as the Hawkettes put together their best fourth quarter of the season, outscoring the Rockettes 14-7, to seal the win. It was the most consistent play by the Hawkettes all season, The two teams were tied up 7-7 after the first period, but EG moved ahead 18-12 at the half and held the lead 29-22 after three, and then put the pedal to the metal in the last stanza to win going away.

EG’s inside due of Hannah Onken and Chelsi Wilkens each notched a double-double against PC. Onken led the charge with 21 points and 20 rebounds and Wilkens had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Bailey Godwin with 5 and Jolee Wessling with 3 rounded out the EG scoring. The Hawkettes were 16 of 31 in field goal shooting for a solid 52%, well above their 34% season average. EG was 11 of 20 from the foul line for 55%.

Taryn Jewett led the PC attack with 16 points. The Rockettes were 13 of 48 from the floor (27%) and 2-5 from the foul line (40%). PC had the edge in ball handling with 9 turnovers compared with 15 for EG. But the Hawkettes had the upper hand on the boards.

EG hosts Orient-Macksburg tonight in Rippey. The Bulldogs are 8-6 in the conference, tied with CAM (Anita) for fourth place. OM won the first contest in Orient last month, 66-51, so the Hawkettes will be trying once again to turn the tables against a team that beat them in the first half of the conference season. EG is in last place in the league at 2-11 just behind PC and Glidden-Ralston at 3-11. Next week, EG has road games at Glidden-Ralston and No. 15-ranked Adair-Casey, then returns home for its final two regular season games against Walnut on Monday, Feb. 6, and Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

  
Rolling Hills Conference Girls Basketball
Elk Horn-Kimballton/Exira 13-1
Adair-Casey 12-2
Iowa Christian 11-3
Orient-Macksburg 8-6
CAM (Anita) 8-6
Ankeny Christian 5-9
Walnut 4-9
Paton-Churdan 3-11
Glidden-Ralston 3-11
East Greene 2-11

Tuesday, Jan. 23 Results:

EG 43, PC 29
AC 60, ANK 44
CAM 45, WAL 32
ICA 52, GR 26
EEHK 59, OM 46

Three Die In Rippey Car Crash Sunday

CARS COLLIDE ON E57 JUST WEST OF RIPPEY
 
Three people were killed in a two-car crash yesterday afternoon, Sunday, Jan. 22, just west of Rippey.

Killed in the crash were David James Muir, 42, Rippey; Andrew Gordan Jackson, 19, Orient; and Dwight Lee Snowgren, 54, Jamaica.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash occurred on County Road E57 one mile west of Rippey shortly before 2 p.m. A 2002 Pontiac Firebird driven by Muir was eastbound at a high rate of speed when it went out of control and crossed the center line, colliding with a westbound 2011 Ford F150 pickup driven by Snowgren.

The impact pushed both vehicles into the north ditch, where both vehicles rolled onto their sides. Jackson, a passenger in the Firebird, and both drivers were killed and pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the Creston News Advertiser, Jackson was wearing a seat belt but Muir and Snowgren were note.

The accident remains under investigation. The Iowa State Patrol was assisted by the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.

Services are pending at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson for Snowgren, a Greene County resident. He lived at 1860 340^th Street, the line between Greene and Guthrie counties, on the Greene County side, just north of Jamaica.

Tonight’s EG-Walnut Games Postponed

SERIOUS ACCIDENT INJURES WALNUT GIRLS BB PLAYER

Tonight’s East Greene boys and girls varsity basketball games with Walnut at Rippey have been rescheduled. Notices posted on the East Greene Hawks Facebook Page and the One Notify email alert system say the postponement is due to a Walnut student who was seriously injured in a car accident.

“Please keep that girl in your thoughts and prayers,” urges the EG Facebook posting.

According to the website for Omaha TV station, KETV, 15-year-old Josephine Anazlone of Avoca was seriously hurt in the crash north of Walnut last night, Thursday, Jan. 19. KETV reports that the Pottwattamie County Sheriff’s Office said Anzalone “lost control of a minivan after hitting a deer around 8 p.m. The van rolled and Anzalone was thrown from it.”

She was taken by medical helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. The crash is under investigation.

Anzalone, a sophomore at Walnut High School, is a starter on the Warriors’ girls basketball team. No make up date has yet been announced for the EG-Walnut games.

Hawks End 4-Game Skid at Ankeny

OSTRANDER GRABS 27 CAROMS IN 60-53 WIN

The streak has ended. East Greene put a stop to a four-game losing streak in boys basketball with a 60-53 win over Ankeny Christian Academy in Ankeny on Tuesday night.

After some poor starts in its last few games, the Hawks came out solid and played the Eagles even through three quarters of play. A big 22 to 11 push in the last quarter sealed the win over a team that had rolled over EG by 20 points back in December.

“This was a great win for our program,” said assistant coach Mark Renslow. “We changed up our defensive scheme and it worked out great.”

Ankeny Christian was up by three after one quarter of play, 18-15, and held a slim advantage at the half, 26-25. The Eagles pulled in front 42-38 by the end of the third period, but the Hawks bore down and took command of the game in the last quarter.

The Hawks were paced by Reed Ostrander who scored 22 points, pulled down 27 rebounds and blocked 6 shots. Renslow said Ostrander’s 27 rebounds is most likely a school record. “I’m checking on that.”

Also in double figures were Wyatt Beaman with 17 points and Alex Gordon with 12. The Hawks continue to look to regain the shooting touch that helped them to a four-game win streak before the Christmas break. Against Ankeny Christian, they were 19 of 51 for 37% but only 4 of 20 from behind the three-point line for just 20%. The Eagles were 21 of 63 from the field for 33% and 3-11 behind the arc for 27%.

The game was won at the free throw line, where EG went 18-27 for 67% compared with ACA’s 8-15 for 53%. Rebounding was even with EG holding a slight 42-40 advantage.

This was a key win for EG as the Eagles were still in contention for the Rolling Hills championship after beating Paton-Churdan 69-33 last Tuesday to move to 8-2 in the conference, just behind co-leaders CAM and Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton at 9-1.

ACA and EEHK then tangled on Friday night at Ankeny, with the Spartans getting a 69-46 win to move to 10-1 and dropping ACA to 8-3, leaving them in third place just ahead of Adair-Casey (7-4), who lost by 7 to EEHK. CAM rolled over EG in Rippey 74-43 that same night—the Hawks’ fourth straight loss—to stay deadlocked with EEHK for the league lead. The loss dropped EG to 5-6 in the league so it didn’t look too promising with a road game at the third-place team in the conference next on the schedule.

EG evened its league mark to 6-6 and is now tied with Orient-Macksburg for fifth place, just behind Adair-Casey (7-5). ACA (8-4) remains in third place behind the co-leaders.

EG and ACA are also in the same district for post-season play and are jockeying for a good seed, which is based on results of games 5-14 on each team’s season schedule. The win moved EG to 5-4 for the seeding standing and dropped ACA to 6-3 with two games left for seeding purposes for both teams. EG hosts Walnut tomorrow night in Rippey and takes on Paton-Churdan in Churdan on Tuesday.

Rolling Hills Conference Boys Basketball

CAM (Anita) 11-1

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 11-1

Ankeny Christian 8-4

Adair-Casey 7-5

East Greene 6-6
Iowa Christian 6-6
Orient-Macksburg 5-7
Walnut 3-9
Glidden-Ralston 3-9
Paton-Churdan 0-12

Tuesday, Jan. 17, Scores:

EG 60, ANK 53

EEHK 49, AC 42

CAM 60, GR 45

ICA 45, WAL 39

OM 41, PC 34

Hawkettes Fall to Iowa Christian, 58-28

SCHUT’S DOUBLE-DOUBLE PACES ICA

Iowa Christian Academy (West Des Moines) stayed in the hunt for the Rolling Hills Conference championship with a 58-28 win over East Greene on Tuesday, Jan. 10, in Urbandale. The game was played at Des Moines Christian in Urbandale, as ICA has no gym of its own and plays its home games on various courts in the Des Moines area. So far this season, the Trailblazers have played home games at Des Moines Lincoln, Waukee and Johnston. Ankeny is the site for two upcoming home games.

ICA jumped out to a 17-5 first quarter lead. The lead at 29-10 was at half time and 44-20 after three periods. Karlie Schut led ICA with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Jenna Anderson pulled down 15 rebounds.

EG hosts CAM (Anita) on Friday, Jan. 13. Game time is 6:15 p.m.

This was the third straight game for EG against the top three teams in the conference—Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, CAM and ICA.

ICA improved to 8-2 in the Rolling Hills Conference and remains in the title race with EEHK (10-0) and Adair-Casey (9-1). The Trailblazers host ICA in Waukee this Friday and then host EEHK on Jan. 27 in Des Moines. AC and EEHK will face off on next Tuesday in Adair.

Rolling Hills Conference Girls Basketball

Elk Horn-Kimballton/Exira 10-0

Adair-Casey 9-1
Iowa Christian 8-2
Orient-Macksburg 5-5
CAM (Anita) 5- 5
Walnut 4-6
Paton-Churdan 3-7
Ankeny Christian 3-7
Glidden-Ralston 2-8
East Greene 1-9

Tues., Jan. 10, Scores:
AC 54, WAL 26
CAM 55, OM 49
EEHK 63, GR 26
ICA 58, EG 28
PC 45, ANK 26

Hawks Suffer Third Straight Hoops Loss

OUTSCORED BY ICA 19-2 IN FIRST QUARTER

A poor start against Iowa Christian saw East Greene trail 19-2 after the first quarter and go on to lose 46-32 in boys hoops action Tuesday night, Jan. 10, in Urbandale. The game was a “home” game for Iowa Christian, but since the school has no gymnasium, the game was held on the home court of Des Moines Christian in Urbandale.

The outcome is regarded somewhat of an upset, as the Hawks had easily dismissed of the Trailbazers, 54-34, in the season opener on Nov. 29 in Rippey. ICA’s 14-point win was a 34-point turnaround.

“We couldn’t get the ball in the basket,” said Mark Renslow, assistant coach. Along with the shooting woes, the team had problems passing the ball.

The Hawks did bounce back to outscore Iowa Christian 30-25 the rest of the game, but they had dug themselves too big of a hole in the disastrous first quarter. “The kids just gave up,” said Renslow. “We just quit on ourselves and the team.”

EG cut the gap to 23-10 at the half and both teams scored 12 points in the third stanza, allowing ICA to maintain a 35-22 advantage. EG outscored the Blazers 12-11 in the last period, but it wasn’t enough, as Iowa Christian prevailed, 46-32. It was EG’s worst offensive game of the season.

Alex Gordon, EG’s top outside shooter, had an off night, hitting just 2 of 21 shots, and Wyatt Beaman, a starting guard, was not available for the game.

One bright spot was the continued solid play of center Reed Ostrander, who scored 19 points, pulled down 17 rebounds and blocked 7 shots. Ostrander was 9-15 in shooting and was good on his sole 3-point attempt. The Hawks connected on just 15-52 shots (29%) with most of the misses coming from 3-point range (2-29). The Hawks had no free throw attempts.

The loss hurt EG’s seeding for the upcoming district tournament, which is based on a team’s win-loss record from games 5-15. The Hawks started out the season 1-3 but then went on a four game winning streak, to give the Hawks a 4-0 seeding record starting with its fifth game. Even two losses to two of the strongest teams in the Rolling Hills—Adair-Casey and Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton—still left the Hawks at 4-2 for seeding. But the upset loss to ICA and with conference co-leader CAM coming to Rippey on Friday, it looks like the Hawks could lose their fourth straight game and drop to 4-4 in the seeding.

“Starting today, we consider ourselves 0-0 and will work hard in practice to get this ship righted,” said Renslow.

CAM brings a 10-2 season record to Rippey on Friday. CAM and Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton are tied for the league lead with 9-1 records. EEHK, whose lone loss is to CAM, is looking to win its second straight Rolling Hills crown and make a repeat trip to Class 1A State Basketball Tournament in March.

Rolling Hills Conference Boys Basketball

CAM (Anita) 9-1
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 9-1
Ankeny Christian 8-2
Adair-Casey 7-3
East Greene 5-5
Iowa Christian 4-6
Orient-Macksburg 3-7
Walnut 3-7
Glidden-Ralston 2-8
Paton-Churdan 0-10

Tuesday, Jan. 9, Scores:
ANK 69, PC 33
CAM 55, OM 48
ICA 46, EG 32
WAL 69, AC 58
EEHK 74, GR 43

Council Names New Board Members

KATE NEESE APPOINTED TO GJ LIGHT, WATER BOARD

Grand Junction City Council got organized for 2012 at its December meeting by swearing in the mayor and two council members; appointing a new council member to fill a vacancy; and approving new members of the Municipal Light and Water Board Trustees, Board of Adjustment, and Park and Recreation Commission.

Mayor Gerold “Jerry” Herrick was sworn in for two-year term. Herrick was re-elected in the November election, beating then-City Councilman Dave Kersey, who has since resigned from the council. Also elected in November were incumbent City Councilwoman Pat Fagen and Alan Robinson, who fills the seat vacated by Barb Walker. Fagen and Robinson were sworn in to four-year terms at the December 12 meeting. Robinson’s term went into effect Jan. 1.

The council reviewed new appointments to the various boards and commissions serving Grand Junction, in addition to approving Pierre Kellogg, a council member, as mayor pro-tem, and appointing Darren Jackson to the unexpired term vacated by Kersey, who resigned just prior to the November meeting, a week after the city election. Herrick defeated Kersey by 60 votes, 115 to 55.

Herrick presented his appointments to several boards to the council, and all were approved. Kate Neese was appointed to the Grand Junction Municipal Light & Water Board of Trustees, replacing Jim Gilley, who had served for 18 years. Neese began serving a six-year term, effective Jan. 1.

Leo Kersey was named to a five-year term on the Board of Adjustment. Five members were appointed to one-year terms on the Park and Recreation Commission: Barb Walker, Carrie Fox, Mark Renslow, Shirley Herrick and Jean Tuhn. All term appointments were effective Jan.1. The mayor makes all appointments to those boards and the Library Board of Trustees with council granting final approval except Planning and Zoning, which council appoints directly.

The new lineup of city boards with their term lengths and expiration dates (on Jan. 1 of the year listed) are:

Municipal Light and Water Trustees (6-Year Terms)
Mick Burkett, 2014
Eleanor Krieger, 2014
Jeff Thorpe, 2016
Dale Higgins, 2016
Kate Neese, 2018

Board of Adjustment (5-Year Terms)
Don Claman, 2014
Mark Renslow, 2014
Dean Scalfaro, 2015
Jerry Beyerink, 2015
Leo Kersey, 2017

Park and Recreation (1-Year Term, All Expire 2013)
Barb Walker
Carrie Fox
Mark Renslow
Shirley Herrick
Jean Tuhn

Planning and Zoning (Appointed by Council; 5-Year Terms)
Marty Hoffman, 2014
Dennis Jacobs, 2014
David Higgins, 2015
Wayne Emmett, 2016
Jeremy Richards, 2016

Library Board of Trustees (6-Year Terms That Expire on July 1)
Becky Kersey, 2012
Betty Griffith, 2015
Diane Kafer, 2016
Lana Miller, 2017

The city council meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in council chambers at city hall. Agenda items for tonight’s January meeting include a review of the city’s dog nuisance ordinances with David Morain, city attorney; swearing in of new council member Darren Jackson; progress of the revitalization of the southwest side of Main Street between 11th and 12th Streets) including asbestos inspection, possible asbestos removal, and dates to begin demolishing the buildings; and updates on meetings with officials of Peoples Trust and Savings, Morton Buildings and Jensen Construction on plans to build a new fire station-community center on the vacated lots.

EG Hoop Squads Fall at Elk Horn

GIRLS FALL TO NO. 11 EEHK 62-24; BOYS LOSE 64-48

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton swept both East Greene teams last night in basketball action in Elk Horn, with No. 11 Spartan girls remaining unbeaten in conference play with a 62-24 drubbing of the Hawkettes. EG fell to 1-11 for the season and 1-8 in the Rolling Hills. EEHK is now 10-1.

EEHK boys kept their first place spot in the league secure with a 64-48 win over EG. The Spartans remain tied with CAM (Anita), a 67-51 winner on Friday over Iowa Christian Academy (West Des Moines), at 8-1 in the conference. EG falls to 5-5 for the season and remains fifth in the league at 5-4.

Reed Ostrander led the Hawks with 19 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocked shots. Tory Beger had 15 points and Wyatt Beaman 11. The Hawks shots 17-32 and went 8-13 from behind the three-point line. EG connected on 6-11 free throws. As a team, the Hawks pulled down 30 rebounds against EEHK.

Next up for EG is a road game Tuesday at Iowa Christian, which will be another tough game for the girls, as the Trailblazers are 7-2 in the conference, just behind EEHK (9-0) and Adair-Casey (8-1). With nine games completed, this marks the beginning of the “back nine” or second half of the conference season, so Iowa Christian will get rematches with both EEHK and AC, the only teams to beat the Trailblazers.

The Hawks will be looking to get back on track with a win over ICA, a team EG beat handily in the season opener on Nov. 29 in Rippey.

ICA does not have a gymnasium, so its home games are played at various gyms in the Des Moines area. Tuesday night’s game will be played at the Des Moines Christian gymnasium in Urbandale.

Rolling Hills Conference Girls Basketball
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 9-0
Adair-Casey 8-1
Iowa Christian 7-2
Orient-Macksburg 5-4
CAM (Anita) 4- 5
Walnut 4-5
Ankeny Christian 3-6
Paton-Churdan 2-7
Glidden-Ralston 2-7
East Greene 1-8

Rolling Hills Conference Boys Basketball

CAM (Anita) 8-1
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 8-1
Adair-Casey 7-2
Ankeny Christian 7-2
East Greene 5-4
Orient-Macksburg 3-6
Iowa Christian 3-6
Glidden-Ralston 2-7
Walnut 2-7
Paton-Churdan 0-9

Grassley Sets Town Hall Meeting Here Jan. 19

SENATOR SCHEDULES MEETINGS IN ALL 99 COUNTIES

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley will be in Grand Junction on Thursday, Jan. 19, to meet with area constituents at the Grand Junction Community Center, 212 Main Street, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

This will be Grassley's town meeting for Greene County. He announced this week that he will hold town meetings in all of Iowa's 99 counties in 2012.

Grassley's town meeting for Guthrie County will be Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. at the Panora Community Center on the town square.

Grassley has held at least one meeting in each of Iowa's 99 counties every year since he was first elected in 1980. This year's slate of meetings kicks off with meetings in 36 counties in January, including 25 town hall meetings.

Meeting Set to Discuss Rippey School Closing

SCHOOL BOARD, PUBLIC TO MEET JAN. 18 IN RIPPEY

Patrons of the East Greene School District will have the opportunity to discuss plans to close the classroom portion of the Rippey elementary school at a special public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Rippey building.

The public meeting will be held in conjunction with the board’s regular January meeting. Normally, the board holds one school board meeting each year in Rippey but that meeting—planned for the fall—was rescheduled as the board dealt with various matters pertaining to the upcoming whole grade sharing with Jefferson-Scranton in 2012.

The board voted to hold a public meeting at its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at the ICN Room in the Grand Junction building.

Whole grade sharing and the district’s enrollment declines are the key reasons for phasing out use of the Rippey building as an elementary attendance center. East Greene will continue to offer a separate high school and junior high sports program next year, so the Rippey gym will be used for high school basketball in the winter and high school and junior high volleyball in the fall.

School officials have noted that due to fewer students attending East Greene the top floor of the Rippey building is not used for classroom space. Next year the high school building in Grand Junction will be converted to a 5^th and 6^th grade attendance center as the junior high and high school students will attend classes in Jefferson. EG high school students have been attending a number of classes at Jefferson-Scranton the last several years, and whole grade sharing is regarded by many as the next logical step.

The recommendation to close the Rippey building was first made by a consultant hired by East Greene and Jefferson-Scranton to address whole grade sharing and a possible reorganization of the two districts in the future. He indicated all the K-4 student enrolled in East Greene and the 5^th-6^th grades of both districts could fit comfortably in the Grand Junction building.

Looking down-range a few years, Superintendent Mike Harter told Eye on Grand Junction in the spring that interest has been expressed in buying the Rippey building, but he did not address any firm financial offers or their intended uses for the building. He did not indicate if the interest came from individuals or groups.

In other business Dec. 21, the board:

*  Accepted the resignation of Mailee Kerr as part-time custodian in the Rippey building and hired Zach Hiller, an East Greene senior, to help out in the Rippey building as a replacement for Kerr.

* Reviewed an open enrollment request from a student to open enroll to Ogden.

* Approved a Dropout Prevention Modified Allowable Growth application for $51,842.

* Approved setting driver education fees for East Greene resident students at $200 and non-resident students at $250, and to approve contracts for instructors Dave Kuehl and Mike Harter at $175 per student.

* Scheduled a public hearing for extension of the Instructional Support Levy at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18.

* Scheduled a board work session with Matt Gillaspie of Piper Jaffray on Wednesday, Dec. 28, and a subcommittee meeting with the Jefferson-Scranton school board on Wednesday, Jan. 11. EG and JS boards will hold a joint meeting on Feb. 8.