TAKES HURDLE, HIGH JUMP EVENTS FOR EG
Freshman Chelsi Wilkens got her East Greene track career off to a good start with three first-place showings in two meets.
Wilkens won the 100 meter shuttle hurdles in her high school debut at the Richard Ryan Relays in Gowrie on April 4, the first meet of the season. Her time was 18.68. Wilkens also anchored East Greene’s winning 4 x 100 meter shuttle hurdle relay, which broke the tape in 1:22.42. Other members of the championship relay team are senior Tia Lowe and freshmen Emily Jacobsen and Brooke Popp.
Jaclyn Baldwin, a sophomore at Paton-Churdan, placed in three events at the meet, hosted by Prairie Valley (Gowrie). She was fourth in the 200 meters, 29.67; fifth in the 400 meters, 1:12.87; and sixth in the 100 meters, 14.21. Her placements gave PC 7 points in the team standings.
East Greene rounded its scoring in the team standings, 21 points, with a sixth place finish in the 4 x 100 meter relay in a time of 1:00.58.
Team Standings @ Gowrie: West Bend-Mallard 163, Prairie Valley (Gowrie) 151, Pocahontas Area/Pomeroy-Palmer 88, Southeast Webster-Grand 76, Laurens-Marathon 33, Coon Rapids-Bayard 24, East Greene 21, Paton-Churdan 7.
Wilkens was a winner in a debut event again on April 18 when she took first in the high jump at the Southeast Webster-Grand Eagle Relays in Burnside with a jump of 4’10”. The shuttle hurdle relay had another good outing with a fourth-place finish at 1:21.92. The coed meet ended after the 100 meter hurdles due to the cold weather further complicated by rain and wind.
Team Standings @ Burnside: Woodward-Granger 108, South Central Calhoun (Rockwell City) 73, Southeast Webster-Grand 65, Newell-Fonda 47, Glidden-Ralston 28, East Greene 24, Coon Rapids-Bayard 22.
District track assignments were announced and East Greene will participate in the District 9 Class 1A meet at Manson. Other teams in addition to the host school, Manson-Northwest Webster, are Coon Rapids-Bayard, Glidden-Ralston, Madrid, Newell-Fonda, Northeast Hamilton (Blairsburg), Paton-Churdan, Pocahontas/Palmer-Pomeroy, Southeast Webster-Grand, St. Mary’s (Storm Lake) and Woodward-Granger.
League opponents from the Rolling Hills Conference at District 6 in Guthrie Center are Adair-Casey, CAM (Anita), Elk Horn-Kimballton/Exira, and Walnut. The combined Iowa Christian/Ankeny Christian squad will compete at District 10 at Martensdale-St. Mary’s and Orient-Macksburg will be at District 3 at Creston.
The Rolling Hills Conference meet is tonight, May 2, at Panora. Nine teams will compete for the crown as ICA/ACA is a combined team. EHK/Exira is the returning champion.
Jefferson-Scranton will compete at the Class 2A district meet at Ida Grove with Audubon, East Sac County, IKM-Manning, Kuemper (Carroll), Logan-Magnolia, Maple Valley-Anton Oto, OA-BCIG (Ida Grove), Prairie Valley (Gowrie), South Central Calhoun and Tri-Center (Neola).
Monday, May 2, 2011
Grand Junction Area Obituaries
VIRGENE NATION
Funeral services for Virgene Nation, 85, were held Thursday, April 21, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Grand Junction. She died Monday, April 18, 2011, in Des Moines. Interment followed in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Grand Junction.
A vigil was held Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at St. Brigid followed by visitation with the family. Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. The Rev. Don Ries of St. Brigid celebrated the mass.
Virgene was born Aug. 8, 1925, in the family home in Beaver Township, Boone County, to Phillip and Ursula (Lentz) Lawler. She graduated from Ogden High School in 1942, where she was in the Homemaking Club and the Camera Club. She was Homecoming Queen her senior year.
She worked in the Boone County Courthouse in 1941 and 1942 and at the Ankeny Ordinance Plant in 1943.
Virgene married Paul Lowry in 1944, was widowed, and married Jack Nation in 1949. She provided home care for many elderly in the area. She was active in Grand Junction Business and Professional Women’s Club, St. Brigid Altar Society, Greene County Meals on Wheels, and Greene County ARC (food pantry).
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Leo and Charles Lawler, sisters Grace Garland and Vera Lawler, her brother-in-law Pat Garland, her sister-in-law Jackie Lawler, and granddaughter Grace Nation.
She is survived by her 11 children (and spouses): Theresa (Gregg) Gross, Venice, Fla.; Francis (Tracy) Nation, Ogden; Liz Karber, Glendale, Ariz.; Dan (Vicki) Nation, Jefferson; Patty (Paul) Mears, Jefferson; John (Jody) Nation, Ogden; Hal (Terri) Nation, Fort Dodge; Chris (Audrey Staples) Nation, Ogden; Catherine (Brad) Clark, Boone; Dot (Bob) Muir, Rippey; and Cec (Bill) Hammel, Jefferson; 31 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Susie Lawler, Ogden.
FLORENCE URE
A service of remembrance was held Tuesday morning, April 19, at Central Christian Church in Jefferson for Florence Jean Ure, 83, longtime Greene County resident. Debra Griffin, pastor of the church, officiated. Interment was in Junction Township Cemetery with Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home of Jefferson in charge of arrangements.
She died April 15, 2011, at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Jefferson.
Florence was born June 19, 1927, in the Carroll County. She was the daughter of Charlie and Lora (Sapp) Dobson. Florence graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1944.
On June 22, 1947, she married John “Jack” Ure at Jefferson. They became the parents of one son, Joseph.
Florence lived most of her married life in Jefferson. Through the years she worked as a sales clerk at Coast to Coast hardware store, and she also owned and operated the Maidrite Café for several years. She was a member of Central Christian Church in Jefferson.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, Floyd Dobson and Carl Dobson; her companion, Don Jorgensen; two granddaughters, Samantha Ure and Monica Ure; one niece; and one nephew.
Survivors include her son, Joseph (Teresa) Ure, Panora; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a sister, Irene (Stan) Reed, Boone; brother Wayne (Frances) Dobson, Gowrie; sister-in-law Florence Dobson, Wellman; and nieces and nephews.
MYRON “MIKE” LINN
Funeral services for Myron “Mike” Linn, 84, longtime Rippey area resident and farmer, were held Saturday morning, April 16, at the Rippey United Methodist Church. Pastor Paul Barrow officiated. LaVere Derry, representing Kinkead-Martin American Legion Post of Rippey, presented the flag. He died Dec. 17, 2010, at his daughter’s home in Cochise, Ariz.
Myron “Mike” Linn, the son of Floyd and Mary (Cross) Linn, was born Dec. 4, 1926, near Ralston in Carroll County. He moved to the Rippey area when he was 12 years old and graduated from Rippey High School in 1945. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy after serving in World War II where he was a gunner on the aircraft carrier USS Salerno Bay.
He was united in marriage to Kathleen Andrews on Sept. 22, 1948. To this union were born three children: Dan, Peggy and Rebecca.
Mike and Kathleen farmed in the Rippey area for 60 years. He was a member of the Rippey United Methodist Church and the American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandson Jason Whelchel.
Mike is survived by his wife Kathleen of Rippey; son Dr. Dan (Val) Linn, Newark, Del.; daughters Peggy Porretta, Cochise, Ariz., and Rebecca Linn, Dana; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He is also survived by his sisters, HelenTuhn and Margery Shearer, both of Stockton, Calif., and Barbara Rogers, Redfield; his brothers, Paul (Lorraine) Linn, Evington, Va., and Jim (Shirley) Linn, Grand Junction; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
EVERETT BENSON
A service of remembrance was held Thursday morning, April 14, at the Slininger-Rossow Chapel in Jefferson for Everett James Benson, 83, of Dana. The Rev. LoDeene Glawe of Dana officiated. Interment was in Paton Township Cemetery at Paton.
He died April 9, 2011, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.
Everett James Benson, son of Emanuel J. Benson and Ethel (Tourte) Benson, was born Sept. 10, 1927, in Dana. Everett grew up in Dana and graduated from Dana High School in 1945. He then attended Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla., where he received his commercial pilot and instructor ratings.
Everett was united in marriage to Ruby Mylenbusch in Fort Dodge in 1949. They were the parents of one daughter, Lana. They made their home in Dana.
Everett loved to fly. He worked as a pilot instructing others to fly and as an aerial sprayer. He eventually moved the business to his farm at Dana where he added a landing strip to he could work from home. He also enjoyed square dancing.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Bulah O’Neal.
Everett is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ruby; his daughter Lana (Gary) VanDusen of Alabama; two grandsons, Cory (Lisa Cain) Kurth, Dana, and Christopher Kurth, Independence, Mo.; four great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
ROSELLA REESE
Funeral services for Rosella Reese, 92, of Dana were held Wednesday morning, April 20, at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson. Pastor Steve Ransom of First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction officiated. Interment was in Jefferson Cemetery.
Rosella Marabetta Madsen Reese was born Aug. 3, 1918, in Rochester, Minn. Her parents, Lawrence Madsen and Olena Shaw Madsen were homesteaders in Montana where Rosella lived the first four years of her life. Her father and maternal grandparents had all emigrated from Denmark. Danish was the first language Rosie spoke.
In 1922, the family moved to Monona County, Iowa, and Rosie graduated from Mapleton High School. She taught country school at Grand Center, Rodney and Castana, all in Monona County, with a standard teaching degree.
In 1950, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, having attend classes in the summers and then attending the entire year of 1949. Beginning in August 1950, she taught sixth grade in Ames for seven years. While living in Ames she played violin with the Ames Orchestra and learned to square dance.
Rosie married Walter Reese on Dec. 30, 1956, and became stepmother to Dwight, Terry and Dan.
Rosie was a member of First United Methodist Church of Grand Junction and the Retired Teachers Association.
Five years ago she became a resident of Greene County Medical Center’s long term care. She died April 15, 2011.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Walter, and sister Florence.
Rosie is survived by her stepsons, Dwight (Donna) Reese, Cumberland, Wis., Terry (Jeri) Reese, Jefferson, and Dan Reese, Yakima, Wash.; three sisters-in-law, Evelyn Crouse, Jefferson, Betty Reese, Jefferson, and Grace Reese, Shelbyville, Ky.; one brother-in-law, Joe Eslick, Bigfork, Mont.; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other extended family.
CLEO BLANSHAN KRAUTHOFF
Cleo Mary Blanshan Krauthoff died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Parkridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Pleasant Hill, near Des Moines. She had been a resident at Parkridge since 2005. In accordance with her wishes, her body has been cremated and a graveside service will be held at a later date.
Cleo was born in 1922 on the family farm outside of Grand Junction to Merton and Sadie Blanshan. She graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1941. After graduation, she moved to Chicago. In 1944, she married DeVere Krauthoff and they lived in Wichita, Kans., before returning to Iowa. Cleo and DeVere had two children, Delores and Thomas. They lived in Des Moines until 1969 when they moved to Hartford, Iowa. While living in Hartford, Cleo retired from her position as office manager at Schulze & Burch Biscuit Co. Her career covered time as a bookkeeper, bank teller, IRS employee and office manager.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her siblings Naomi, Harold, Donald, Kenneth and June. She is survived by her children, Delores Gurnsey and Thomas Krauthoff; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Parkridge Activity Center at Parkridge Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Pleasant Hill.
PAUL JOHNSTON
Paul Johnston, 73, longtime educator and coach in Webster City, died April 28, 2011, at Paula J. Baber Hospice House in Fort Dodge. A celebration of Paul’s life will take place Tuesday, May 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church in Webster City with Rev. Linda Bibb officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post #191. Foster Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Paul Hunter Johnston, son of Niles and Evelyn Lindberg Johnston, was born Dec. 7, 1937, in Odebolt, Iowa. His mother was a longtime English teacher at Grand Junction High School where he and his sister, Pauline “Polly,” graduated in 1956. Paul received a bachelor of arts degree in 1960 from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and a master of arts degree from Northeast Missouri State University in 1969. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army beginning in 1960 and served as a computer programmer at the Pentagon.
He began teaching mathematics in the Webster City school system in 1962. He was passionate about athletics, and coached a number of different middle school and high school sports. He taught for 34 years in the Webster City school district and retired in 1996.
Paul married Sharon McCormick Mahan on July 23, 1977, at West Des Moines, and they became the parents of Scott, Krista and Katrina. He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, Main Street Kiwanis, and the National Antique Oldsmobile Club. He had been a resident of Southfield Wellness Community since February 2007.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon; son Scott (Kristy Mahan) Johnston, Cedar Rapids; daughters Krista (Tracy) Claude, Prescott, Wis., and Katrina (Mat) Johnson, Ankeny; six grandchildren; sister Polly (David) Johnson, Louisville, Ky.; and nephews Scott (Vonnie) Johnson and Todd (Lee) Johnson, niece Betsy Johnson, six great-nieces, and two great-nephews.
Memorials gifts will be used to establish a college scholarship in Paul’s name for a Webster City High School student majoring in math or science education. Write a personal tribute or light a virtual candle for the Johnston family at www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com.
Funeral services for Virgene Nation, 85, were held Thursday, April 21, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Grand Junction. She died Monday, April 18, 2011, in Des Moines. Interment followed in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Grand Junction.
A vigil was held Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at St. Brigid followed by visitation with the family. Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. The Rev. Don Ries of St. Brigid celebrated the mass.
Virgene was born Aug. 8, 1925, in the family home in Beaver Township, Boone County, to Phillip and Ursula (Lentz) Lawler. She graduated from Ogden High School in 1942, where she was in the Homemaking Club and the Camera Club. She was Homecoming Queen her senior year.
She worked in the Boone County Courthouse in 1941 and 1942 and at the Ankeny Ordinance Plant in 1943.
Virgene married Paul Lowry in 1944, was widowed, and married Jack Nation in 1949. She provided home care for many elderly in the area. She was active in Grand Junction Business and Professional Women’s Club, St. Brigid Altar Society, Greene County Meals on Wheels, and Greene County ARC (food pantry).
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Leo and Charles Lawler, sisters Grace Garland and Vera Lawler, her brother-in-law Pat Garland, her sister-in-law Jackie Lawler, and granddaughter Grace Nation.
She is survived by her 11 children (and spouses): Theresa (Gregg) Gross, Venice, Fla.; Francis (Tracy) Nation, Ogden; Liz Karber, Glendale, Ariz.; Dan (Vicki) Nation, Jefferson; Patty (Paul) Mears, Jefferson; John (Jody) Nation, Ogden; Hal (Terri) Nation, Fort Dodge; Chris (Audrey Staples) Nation, Ogden; Catherine (Brad) Clark, Boone; Dot (Bob) Muir, Rippey; and Cec (Bill) Hammel, Jefferson; 31 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Susie Lawler, Ogden.
FLORENCE URE
A service of remembrance was held Tuesday morning, April 19, at Central Christian Church in Jefferson for Florence Jean Ure, 83, longtime Greene County resident. Debra Griffin, pastor of the church, officiated. Interment was in Junction Township Cemetery with Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home of Jefferson in charge of arrangements.
She died April 15, 2011, at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Jefferson.
Florence was born June 19, 1927, in the Carroll County. She was the daughter of Charlie and Lora (Sapp) Dobson. Florence graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1944.
On June 22, 1947, she married John “Jack” Ure at Jefferson. They became the parents of one son, Joseph.
Florence lived most of her married life in Jefferson. Through the years she worked as a sales clerk at Coast to Coast hardware store, and she also owned and operated the Maidrite Café for several years. She was a member of Central Christian Church in Jefferson.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, Floyd Dobson and Carl Dobson; her companion, Don Jorgensen; two granddaughters, Samantha Ure and Monica Ure; one niece; and one nephew.
Survivors include her son, Joseph (Teresa) Ure, Panora; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a sister, Irene (Stan) Reed, Boone; brother Wayne (Frances) Dobson, Gowrie; sister-in-law Florence Dobson, Wellman; and nieces and nephews.
MYRON “MIKE” LINN
Funeral services for Myron “Mike” Linn, 84, longtime Rippey area resident and farmer, were held Saturday morning, April 16, at the Rippey United Methodist Church. Pastor Paul Barrow officiated. LaVere Derry, representing Kinkead-Martin American Legion Post of Rippey, presented the flag. He died Dec. 17, 2010, at his daughter’s home in Cochise, Ariz.
Myron “Mike” Linn, the son of Floyd and Mary (Cross) Linn, was born Dec. 4, 1926, near Ralston in Carroll County. He moved to the Rippey area when he was 12 years old and graduated from Rippey High School in 1945. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy after serving in World War II where he was a gunner on the aircraft carrier USS Salerno Bay.
He was united in marriage to Kathleen Andrews on Sept. 22, 1948. To this union were born three children: Dan, Peggy and Rebecca.
Mike and Kathleen farmed in the Rippey area for 60 years. He was a member of the Rippey United Methodist Church and the American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandson Jason Whelchel.
Mike is survived by his wife Kathleen of Rippey; son Dr. Dan (Val) Linn, Newark, Del.; daughters Peggy Porretta, Cochise, Ariz., and Rebecca Linn, Dana; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He is also survived by his sisters, HelenTuhn and Margery Shearer, both of Stockton, Calif., and Barbara Rogers, Redfield; his brothers, Paul (Lorraine) Linn, Evington, Va., and Jim (Shirley) Linn, Grand Junction; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
EVERETT BENSON
A service of remembrance was held Thursday morning, April 14, at the Slininger-Rossow Chapel in Jefferson for Everett James Benson, 83, of Dana. The Rev. LoDeene Glawe of Dana officiated. Interment was in Paton Township Cemetery at Paton.
He died April 9, 2011, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.
Everett James Benson, son of Emanuel J. Benson and Ethel (Tourte) Benson, was born Sept. 10, 1927, in Dana. Everett grew up in Dana and graduated from Dana High School in 1945. He then attended Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla., where he received his commercial pilot and instructor ratings.
Everett was united in marriage to Ruby Mylenbusch in Fort Dodge in 1949. They were the parents of one daughter, Lana. They made their home in Dana.
Everett loved to fly. He worked as a pilot instructing others to fly and as an aerial sprayer. He eventually moved the business to his farm at Dana where he added a landing strip to he could work from home. He also enjoyed square dancing.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Bulah O’Neal.
Everett is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ruby; his daughter Lana (Gary) VanDusen of Alabama; two grandsons, Cory (Lisa Cain) Kurth, Dana, and Christopher Kurth, Independence, Mo.; four great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
ROSELLA REESE
Funeral services for Rosella Reese, 92, of Dana were held Wednesday morning, April 20, at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson. Pastor Steve Ransom of First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction officiated. Interment was in Jefferson Cemetery.
Rosella Marabetta Madsen Reese was born Aug. 3, 1918, in Rochester, Minn. Her parents, Lawrence Madsen and Olena Shaw Madsen were homesteaders in Montana where Rosella lived the first four years of her life. Her father and maternal grandparents had all emigrated from Denmark. Danish was the first language Rosie spoke.
In 1922, the family moved to Monona County, Iowa, and Rosie graduated from Mapleton High School. She taught country school at Grand Center, Rodney and Castana, all in Monona County, with a standard teaching degree.
In 1950, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, having attend classes in the summers and then attending the entire year of 1949. Beginning in August 1950, she taught sixth grade in Ames for seven years. While living in Ames she played violin with the Ames Orchestra and learned to square dance.
Rosie married Walter Reese on Dec. 30, 1956, and became stepmother to Dwight, Terry and Dan.
Rosie was a member of First United Methodist Church of Grand Junction and the Retired Teachers Association.
Five years ago she became a resident of Greene County Medical Center’s long term care. She died April 15, 2011.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Walter, and sister Florence.
Rosie is survived by her stepsons, Dwight (Donna) Reese, Cumberland, Wis., Terry (Jeri) Reese, Jefferson, and Dan Reese, Yakima, Wash.; three sisters-in-law, Evelyn Crouse, Jefferson, Betty Reese, Jefferson, and Grace Reese, Shelbyville, Ky.; one brother-in-law, Joe Eslick, Bigfork, Mont.; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other extended family.
CLEO BLANSHAN KRAUTHOFF
Cleo Mary Blanshan Krauthoff died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Parkridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Pleasant Hill, near Des Moines. She had been a resident at Parkridge since 2005. In accordance with her wishes, her body has been cremated and a graveside service will be held at a later date.
Cleo was born in 1922 on the family farm outside of Grand Junction to Merton and Sadie Blanshan. She graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1941. After graduation, she moved to Chicago. In 1944, she married DeVere Krauthoff and they lived in Wichita, Kans., before returning to Iowa. Cleo and DeVere had two children, Delores and Thomas. They lived in Des Moines until 1969 when they moved to Hartford, Iowa. While living in Hartford, Cleo retired from her position as office manager at Schulze & Burch Biscuit Co. Her career covered time as a bookkeeper, bank teller, IRS employee and office manager.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her siblings Naomi, Harold, Donald, Kenneth and June. She is survived by her children, Delores Gurnsey and Thomas Krauthoff; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Parkridge Activity Center at Parkridge Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Pleasant Hill.
PAUL JOHNSTON
Paul Johnston, 73, longtime educator and coach in Webster City, died April 28, 2011, at Paula J. Baber Hospice House in Fort Dodge. A celebration of Paul’s life will take place Tuesday, May 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church in Webster City with Rev. Linda Bibb officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post #191. Foster Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Paul Hunter Johnston, son of Niles and Evelyn Lindberg Johnston, was born Dec. 7, 1937, in Odebolt, Iowa. His mother was a longtime English teacher at Grand Junction High School where he and his sister, Pauline “Polly,” graduated in 1956. Paul received a bachelor of arts degree in 1960 from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and a master of arts degree from Northeast Missouri State University in 1969. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army beginning in 1960 and served as a computer programmer at the Pentagon.
He began teaching mathematics in the Webster City school system in 1962. He was passionate about athletics, and coached a number of different middle school and high school sports. He taught for 34 years in the Webster City school district and retired in 1996.
Paul married Sharon McCormick Mahan on July 23, 1977, at West Des Moines, and they became the parents of Scott, Krista and Katrina. He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, Main Street Kiwanis, and the National Antique Oldsmobile Club. He had been a resident of Southfield Wellness Community since February 2007.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon; son Scott (Kristy Mahan) Johnston, Cedar Rapids; daughters Krista (Tracy) Claude, Prescott, Wis., and Katrina (Mat) Johnson, Ankeny; six grandchildren; sister Polly (David) Johnson, Louisville, Ky.; and nephews Scott (Vonnie) Johnson and Todd (Lee) Johnson, niece Betsy Johnson, six great-nieces, and two great-nephews.
Memorials gifts will be used to establish a college scholarship in Paul’s name for a Webster City High School student majoring in math or science education. Write a personal tribute or light a virtual candle for the Johnston family at www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
EG, JS School Boards Review Sharing Report
WHOLE-GRADE ARRANGEMENT WOULD CLOSE RIPPEY
School board members and advisory committees from East Greene and Jefferson-Scranton got their first look at the recommendations for future sharing from Educational Consulting Services (ECS) on Wednesday night, April 20, at a joint meeting held in the commons of Jefferson-Scranton elementary school in Jefferson.
The meeting—the first to introduce findings by ECS—drew about 80 residents from the two districts.
ECS recommends East Greene and Jefferson-Scranton move forward on a two-way whole grade sharing arrangement that would send all 7 through 12th grade students from East Greene to Jefferson-Scranton and all Jefferson-Scranton 5th and 6th grade students to the East Greene school building in Grand Junction, which is currently the middle and high school facility serving East Greene students in grades 6-12.
ECS further recommends that the Grand Junction building house the EG district’s kindergarten through fourth grade students and that the Rippey building be “phased out.” Rippey currently houses EG grades K-5.
Jefferson-Scranton students in grades K-4 would continue to attend classes in the J-S elementary building on East Russell Street.
In making the presentation, Jerry McCall, the ECS consultant who prepared the report, outlined the demographic changes in Greene County, noting that the population has decreased from 15,455 in 1950 to 9,336 in 2010. “That’s a decline of 6,000 people,” he pointed out.
The population shift in the area has been significant. In the East Greene district the population change from 2000 to 2010 was: Grand Junction, 964 to 824, a 14.5% decrease; Rippey, 319 to 292, an 8.5% decrease; and Dana, 84 to 71, a 15.5% decrease.
McCall said that of the county’s 9,336 residents, the break down from those living in the towns is 6,711 with 2,265 defined as rural, roughly a 72/28 percentage breakdown.
The population of Junction Township (including Grand Junction) dropped to 1,162 residents in 2010 from 1,327 in 2000. Subtracting the Dana and Grand Junction residents (895 total) means that 267 residents live in the rural areas of the township. The breakdown of town/rural residents in Junction Township is 77/23.
Some of those residences are so close to the towns—especially in Grand Junction—that the actual number of inhabited farm residences more than a mile from town is even less.
The population in Washington Township dropped to 502 residents in 2010 from 594 in 2000. With 292 of the township’s residents in the town of Rippey, that indicates 210 live in the rural area. The town/rural breakdown for Washington Township is 58/42.
These numbers are significant because Junction and Washington Townships are the largest geographically in the county. Junction is the size of 1 2/3 townships; Washington the size of 1 1/3 townships.
Junction Township is the largest township in both size and population and is the second largest population district with the city of Jefferson the largest, 4,345. Scranton Township (includes town of Scranton) is next, 707, followed by Highland (includes Churdan), 538, and then Washington.
The 2010 populations of the other Greene County townships in order by size are: Paton (includes town of Paton), 396; Grant, 201; Jackson, 199; Bristol and Kendrick, each 192; Hardin, 168; Cedar and Franklin, each 158; Dawson, 156; Willow, 133; and Greenbrier, 129.
McCall then showed the school age population in the two districts in the last five years: Jefferson-Scranton had 1,138 students in grades K-12 in 2006 but has 1,041 in 2011, a decrease of 97 students while East Greene had 378 students grades K-12 in 2006 but 266 in in 2011, a decrease of 112 students.
The combined loss of students for the two districts, 209, equates to about 35-40 students a year for each of the last 5 years, or “about two classes” (classroom sizes), said McCall.
He also outlined the current school enrollment of Paton-Churdan, 153, which is the smallest of the county’s three districts and also sends some of its high school students to classes in Jefferson, which has been the situation for East Greene the last several years—especially for upper level, advance placement and vocational classes.
The Paton-Churdan school district spans the county’s four northern townships: Cedar, Highland, Dawson and Paton. Combined, their population is 934 and a good chunk of the southern half of Dawson Township (former Paton Consolidated School District) went over to Jefferson (now Jefferson-Scranton) when the Paton school district was closed in 1962. That territory stayed with Jefferson when the Paton-Churdan school district was created two years later.
However, the total K-12 enrollment in Paton-Churdan has held relatively steady for the last 5 years. Relative to overall size, however, McCall noted “Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene combined have lost more students in the last 5 years than are enrolled in the Paton-Churdan system.”
At this point in time, Paton-Churdan has expressed no interest in further sharing beyond its high school academics and sports sharing (football, wrestling, softball and baseball) agreements, which were renewed at the beginning of the current school year. Presently, East Greene shares only wrestling with JS beyond academic sharing, but next year EG will send its vocal and instrumental students to JS.
The three school districts do share teachers with the breakdowns anywhere from 80/20 to 50/50.
McCall noted that Greene County’s total current school age population, 1,460 students, is 15.6% of the county’s total population, 9,336. “Our firm has been working with school districts with a 12% to 28% of the population range,” he explained. “So, having a 15.6% school-age population in Greene County is somewhat reasonable. That most likely will go down to 12% but not much lower.”
McCall the outlined the physical infrastructure of the two school buildings in the East Greene district and the four buildings in the Jefferson-Scranton district. He noted that all of the buildings are “solid, good facilities. Structurally, they are all fairly good and all are well maintained.”
Most importantly, he emphasized that all of them “are safe places for students to have an education.”
The buildings and their square footage are:
Rippey: 36,000 square feet, a multi-floor facility built in the early 1920s with an addition in the late 1950s that included a multi-floor expansion to the west (check this) and some single-floor classroom space along with a gymnasium/auditorium and locker rooms and new entry-way and foyer to the east side of the original building.
Grand Junction: 50,000 square feet, but some space is not included, which he said was the “sub-basement under the 1954 addition which is the building’s school lunchroom and kitchen. The multi-floor portion of the building was opened in 1915 while the gymnasium/auditorium and some classroom space were added in 1939 and three classrooms, music room, lunchroom (basement) and new entrance, lobby and restrooms were the 1954 addition.
Jefferson-Scranton District Administration and Special Programs Building: 14,000 square feet. This is a former lower elementary grade building located across the parking lot from the current middle school (which is the former Jefferson High School).
Jefferson-Scranton Elementary: 63,000 square feet in a single story “that functions well for an elementary school,” said McCall. Using a measuring stick of 130 square feet per student, a school building of this size works optimally with 400 to 450 students but “500 students would be tight—that would be too many students. A school building of this size (63,000 square feet) is the recommended size for new school construction for serving between 400 to 450 students, so the elementary school is a good fit for its current and proposed future use.
Jefferson-Scranton Middle School: 55,000 square feet which is a bit misleading, McCall pointed out, as 15,000 square feet of the total is the gymnasium/auditorium (used for high school athletics--basketball, wrestling, volleyball). McCall said the actual academic space is 40,000 square feet. A multi-story facility located near downtown Jefferson, this building was constructed in the same era (1915-1925) as the oldest portions of the Rippey and Grand Junction buildings. “The classrooms are fairly small, which does not provide much flexibility for middle school programs,” he said. “As a functional middle school, it leaves something to be desired, but it’s usable for the given time frame.”
Jefferson-Scranton High School: 86,000 square feet, this facility (constructed in the late 1960s) is a single-story structure that can handle 400 to 450 students. Currently, 334 students are enrolled in Jefferson-Scranton High School and with the 87 current students enrolled in East Greene High School, the total enrollment for whole grade sharing would be 421 high school students.
The combined total of school facility space is 299,772 square feet. “That’s a tremendous amount of space and you don’t need that much space for 1,300 students.”
McCall outlined the cost savings for each district based on an incentive formula created by the state to encourage whole-grade sharing. The formula takes the total cost per student in the district that will send its students to its sharing partner, and multiplies that times 10% of the number of students sent to the partner school.
Grand Junction 5th-6th grade facility: With this center handling the 5th and 6th grade programs, the total number of students would be 212 with 54 from East Greene and 158 from Jefferson-Scranton. Total savings: $5,965 x 15.8 = $94,247 for Jefferson-Scranton.
Jefferson 7th-8th grade facility: With 38 students from East Greene added to 160 students from Jefferson-Scranton, the facility would house 198 students with a cost per student of $5,817. Total savings: $5,817 x 3.8 = $22,105.
Jefferson 9th-12th grade facility: 87 from East Greene added to the 334 from Jefferson-Scranton would comprise of high school of 421 students. Total savings: $5,817 x 8.7 = $50,608.
The savings for Jefferson-Scranton would be $94,247 and the savings for East Greene would be $72, 713 for a combined savings between the two districts of $166,000.
McCall also shared information of other school districts in the state of approximately 1,300 students and the number of attendance centers and total number of teachers for each. The attendance centers ranged from 3 to5 with the average number of teachers at 92.3. Earlier, he had noted that the largest cost for school districts is personnel—at about 80% of the total district expenditures.
“It’s about 110 to 112 at present, which is about 20 more than the average, but with an annual retirement rate of 5-8% within 2 to 3 years it would be reduced from 110 to 95,” said McCall.
So, McCall concluded, the big picture look by grade levels and attendance centers would be:
K-4: Attendance centers at Grand Junction and Jefferson
5-6: Grand Junction
7-8: Jefferson
9-12: Jefferson
His summary report also noted these three points:
• Phase out Rippey
• Monitor the districts’ continuing demographics
• Consider discussions with adjacent school districts (most notably Paton-Churdan)
Looking down-range, the combined district could look at phasing out the existing middle school in Jefferson and build a new 5-8 attendance center adjacent to the high school. With 5th and 6th grade students shifted away from Grand Junction, that facility would continue as a primary attendance center and town center at Grand Junction. One option, however, would be to tear down the existing multi-story building which was opened in 1915.
He did, however, point out that the 3-story portion of the Grand Junction building is “very solid.”
McCall also briefly touched on future use of the Rippey school building and the future use of the middle school building in Jefferson should a new 5-8 building be constructed in the future. He suggested community services and new business incubator as possible uses as part of the “town center” concept.
The middle school building in Jefferson could be adapted to work with the existing Greene County Recreation Center, McCall said, and development of the site to include a possible acquatic facility would give Jefferson recreation amenities to keep pace with other larger nearby communities like Carroll, Boone, Ames and Des Moines.
He said the two school boards are looking at a Feb. 1, 2012, date to make their intentions known and get the process moving forward, so they can take advantage of the cost-savings incentives that are currently in place.
According to the Iowa Code, if the two boards make a decision to pursue whole grade sharing, then not less than 90 days prior to signing an agreement, each board must publicly announce its intent to negotiate a sharing agreement.
Then, not less than 30 days prior to signing the agreement, each board would need to hold a public hearing outlining the proposed sharing plan which would allow for comments by the parents or guardians of the affected pupils and the certificated employees of the school district.
School board members and advisory committees from East Greene and Jefferson-Scranton got their first look at the recommendations for future sharing from Educational Consulting Services (ECS) on Wednesday night, April 20, at a joint meeting held in the commons of Jefferson-Scranton elementary school in Jefferson.
The meeting—the first to introduce findings by ECS—drew about 80 residents from the two districts.
ECS recommends East Greene and Jefferson-Scranton move forward on a two-way whole grade sharing arrangement that would send all 7 through 12th grade students from East Greene to Jefferson-Scranton and all Jefferson-Scranton 5th and 6th grade students to the East Greene school building in Grand Junction, which is currently the middle and high school facility serving East Greene students in grades 6-12.
ECS further recommends that the Grand Junction building house the EG district’s kindergarten through fourth grade students and that the Rippey building be “phased out.” Rippey currently houses EG grades K-5.
Jefferson-Scranton students in grades K-4 would continue to attend classes in the J-S elementary building on East Russell Street.
In making the presentation, Jerry McCall, the ECS consultant who prepared the report, outlined the demographic changes in Greene County, noting that the population has decreased from 15,455 in 1950 to 9,336 in 2010. “That’s a decline of 6,000 people,” he pointed out.
The population shift in the area has been significant. In the East Greene district the population change from 2000 to 2010 was: Grand Junction, 964 to 824, a 14.5% decrease; Rippey, 319 to 292, an 8.5% decrease; and Dana, 84 to 71, a 15.5% decrease.
McCall said that of the county’s 9,336 residents, the break down from those living in the towns is 6,711 with 2,265 defined as rural, roughly a 72/28 percentage breakdown.
The population of Junction Township (including Grand Junction) dropped to 1,162 residents in 2010 from 1,327 in 2000. Subtracting the Dana and Grand Junction residents (895 total) means that 267 residents live in the rural areas of the township. The breakdown of town/rural residents in Junction Township is 77/23.
Some of those residences are so close to the towns—especially in Grand Junction—that the actual number of inhabited farm residences more than a mile from town is even less.
The population in Washington Township dropped to 502 residents in 2010 from 594 in 2000. With 292 of the township’s residents in the town of Rippey, that indicates 210 live in the rural area. The town/rural breakdown for Washington Township is 58/42.
These numbers are significant because Junction and Washington Townships are the largest geographically in the county. Junction is the size of 1 2/3 townships; Washington the size of 1 1/3 townships.
Junction Township is the largest township in both size and population and is the second largest population district with the city of Jefferson the largest, 4,345. Scranton Township (includes town of Scranton) is next, 707, followed by Highland (includes Churdan), 538, and then Washington.
The 2010 populations of the other Greene County townships in order by size are: Paton (includes town of Paton), 396; Grant, 201; Jackson, 199; Bristol and Kendrick, each 192; Hardin, 168; Cedar and Franklin, each 158; Dawson, 156; Willow, 133; and Greenbrier, 129.
McCall then showed the school age population in the two districts in the last five years: Jefferson-Scranton had 1,138 students in grades K-12 in 2006 but has 1,041 in 2011, a decrease of 97 students while East Greene had 378 students grades K-12 in 2006 but 266 in in 2011, a decrease of 112 students.
The combined loss of students for the two districts, 209, equates to about 35-40 students a year for each of the last 5 years, or “about two classes” (classroom sizes), said McCall.
He also outlined the current school enrollment of Paton-Churdan, 153, which is the smallest of the county’s three districts and also sends some of its high school students to classes in Jefferson, which has been the situation for East Greene the last several years—especially for upper level, advance placement and vocational classes.
The Paton-Churdan school district spans the county’s four northern townships: Cedar, Highland, Dawson and Paton. Combined, their population is 934 and a good chunk of the southern half of Dawson Township (former Paton Consolidated School District) went over to Jefferson (now Jefferson-Scranton) when the Paton school district was closed in 1962. That territory stayed with Jefferson when the Paton-Churdan school district was created two years later.
However, the total K-12 enrollment in Paton-Churdan has held relatively steady for the last 5 years. Relative to overall size, however, McCall noted “Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene combined have lost more students in the last 5 years than are enrolled in the Paton-Churdan system.”
At this point in time, Paton-Churdan has expressed no interest in further sharing beyond its high school academics and sports sharing (football, wrestling, softball and baseball) agreements, which were renewed at the beginning of the current school year. Presently, East Greene shares only wrestling with JS beyond academic sharing, but next year EG will send its vocal and instrumental students to JS.
The three school districts do share teachers with the breakdowns anywhere from 80/20 to 50/50.
McCall noted that Greene County’s total current school age population, 1,460 students, is 15.6% of the county’s total population, 9,336. “Our firm has been working with school districts with a 12% to 28% of the population range,” he explained. “So, having a 15.6% school-age population in Greene County is somewhat reasonable. That most likely will go down to 12% but not much lower.”
McCall the outlined the physical infrastructure of the two school buildings in the East Greene district and the four buildings in the Jefferson-Scranton district. He noted that all of the buildings are “solid, good facilities. Structurally, they are all fairly good and all are well maintained.”
Most importantly, he emphasized that all of them “are safe places for students to have an education.”
The buildings and their square footage are:
Rippey: 36,000 square feet, a multi-floor facility built in the early 1920s with an addition in the late 1950s that included a multi-floor expansion to the west (check this) and some single-floor classroom space along with a gymnasium/auditorium and locker rooms and new entry-way and foyer to the east side of the original building.
Grand Junction: 50,000 square feet, but some space is not included, which he said was the “sub-basement under the 1954 addition which is the building’s school lunchroom and kitchen. The multi-floor portion of the building was opened in 1915 while the gymnasium/auditorium and some classroom space were added in 1939 and three classrooms, music room, lunchroom (basement) and new entrance, lobby and restrooms were the 1954 addition.
Jefferson-Scranton District Administration and Special Programs Building: 14,000 square feet. This is a former lower elementary grade building located across the parking lot from the current middle school (which is the former Jefferson High School).
Jefferson-Scranton Elementary: 63,000 square feet in a single story “that functions well for an elementary school,” said McCall. Using a measuring stick of 130 square feet per student, a school building of this size works optimally with 400 to 450 students but “500 students would be tight—that would be too many students. A school building of this size (63,000 square feet) is the recommended size for new school construction for serving between 400 to 450 students, so the elementary school is a good fit for its current and proposed future use.
Jefferson-Scranton Middle School: 55,000 square feet which is a bit misleading, McCall pointed out, as 15,000 square feet of the total is the gymnasium/auditorium (used for high school athletics--basketball, wrestling, volleyball). McCall said the actual academic space is 40,000 square feet. A multi-story facility located near downtown Jefferson, this building was constructed in the same era (1915-1925) as the oldest portions of the Rippey and Grand Junction buildings. “The classrooms are fairly small, which does not provide much flexibility for middle school programs,” he said. “As a functional middle school, it leaves something to be desired, but it’s usable for the given time frame.”
Jefferson-Scranton High School: 86,000 square feet, this facility (constructed in the late 1960s) is a single-story structure that can handle 400 to 450 students. Currently, 334 students are enrolled in Jefferson-Scranton High School and with the 87 current students enrolled in East Greene High School, the total enrollment for whole grade sharing would be 421 high school students.
The combined total of school facility space is 299,772 square feet. “That’s a tremendous amount of space and you don’t need that much space for 1,300 students.”
McCall outlined the cost savings for each district based on an incentive formula created by the state to encourage whole-grade sharing. The formula takes the total cost per student in the district that will send its students to its sharing partner, and multiplies that times 10% of the number of students sent to the partner school.
Grand Junction 5th-6th grade facility: With this center handling the 5th and 6th grade programs, the total number of students would be 212 with 54 from East Greene and 158 from Jefferson-Scranton. Total savings: $5,965 x 15.8 = $94,247 for Jefferson-Scranton.
Jefferson 7th-8th grade facility: With 38 students from East Greene added to 160 students from Jefferson-Scranton, the facility would house 198 students with a cost per student of $5,817. Total savings: $5,817 x 3.8 = $22,105.
Jefferson 9th-12th grade facility: 87 from East Greene added to the 334 from Jefferson-Scranton would comprise of high school of 421 students. Total savings: $5,817 x 8.7 = $50,608.
The savings for Jefferson-Scranton would be $94,247 and the savings for East Greene would be $72, 713 for a combined savings between the two districts of $166,000.
McCall also shared information of other school districts in the state of approximately 1,300 students and the number of attendance centers and total number of teachers for each. The attendance centers ranged from 3 to5 with the average number of teachers at 92.3. Earlier, he had noted that the largest cost for school districts is personnel—at about 80% of the total district expenditures.
“It’s about 110 to 112 at present, which is about 20 more than the average, but with an annual retirement rate of 5-8% within 2 to 3 years it would be reduced from 110 to 95,” said McCall.
So, McCall concluded, the big picture look by grade levels and attendance centers would be:
K-4: Attendance centers at Grand Junction and Jefferson
5-6: Grand Junction
7-8: Jefferson
9-12: Jefferson
His summary report also noted these three points:
• Phase out Rippey
• Monitor the districts’ continuing demographics
• Consider discussions with adjacent school districts (most notably Paton-Churdan)
Looking down-range, the combined district could look at phasing out the existing middle school in Jefferson and build a new 5-8 attendance center adjacent to the high school. With 5th and 6th grade students shifted away from Grand Junction, that facility would continue as a primary attendance center and town center at Grand Junction. One option, however, would be to tear down the existing multi-story building which was opened in 1915.
He did, however, point out that the 3-story portion of the Grand Junction building is “very solid.”
McCall also briefly touched on future use of the Rippey school building and the future use of the middle school building in Jefferson should a new 5-8 building be constructed in the future. He suggested community services and new business incubator as possible uses as part of the “town center” concept.
The middle school building in Jefferson could be adapted to work with the existing Greene County Recreation Center, McCall said, and development of the site to include a possible acquatic facility would give Jefferson recreation amenities to keep pace with other larger nearby communities like Carroll, Boone, Ames and Des Moines.
He said the two school boards are looking at a Feb. 1, 2012, date to make their intentions known and get the process moving forward, so they can take advantage of the cost-savings incentives that are currently in place.
According to the Iowa Code, if the two boards make a decision to pursue whole grade sharing, then not less than 90 days prior to signing an agreement, each board must publicly announce its intent to negotiate a sharing agreement.
Then, not less than 30 days prior to signing the agreement, each board would need to hold a public hearing outlining the proposed sharing plan which would allow for comments by the parents or guardians of the affected pupils and the certificated employees of the school district.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Eye on GJ Goes Blue and Gold!
ALUMNI BANQUET PREVIEW: CLASS OF 1951
As anticipation mounts for “Alumni/Memorial Day Weekend” in Grand Junction, where graduates and natives of Grand Junction and the greater East Greene community (GJ, Dana, Beaver and Rippey) return for the annual East Greene/Grand Junction Alumni Banquet on Saturday evening of the long weekend, Eye on GJ is embracing the spirit and school colors of Grand Junction High School by shifting to a blue and gold color scheme.
And continuing with the theme of the scheme (colors), we present a look at the GJHS Class of 1951, which is celebrating its 60th year anniversary.
The Class of 1951 was 29-members strong and was comprised of students from the elementary schools in Grand Junction and Beaver and St. Mary’s Academy in Grand Junction. Here, as they appeared in order in the Blue Jay, the yearbook of 1951, is the graduating class:
Wayne Ellwanger, president
Roger Van Pelt, vice president
John Friel
Rita Gross
Norman Tolsdorf
Janice Miller
Mary Reiniman
Vera Mae Ritter
Charles Clark
Daniel Cleland
Richard Greene
Verdell Ritter
Dorothy Doran
Phyllis Creamer
Tommy Fisher
Mary Hunter
Darrell Kersey
Carol Lewis
Claude Winchell
Katherine Ferguson
Ruth Frantz
Marlene Raner
Virginia Hoskinson
Velma Renslow
Graham Phinney
Myrna Henderson
Evelyn Smalley
Wayne Lingner
Belva Rose
The Bluejay hoopsters were coming off several very successful seasons and the ’51 squad was relatively inexperienced. But that year’s Bluejay squad rolled up a 13-9 winning record, finishing in a tie for third in the Greene County Conference with Cooper with a 5-4 record. In the county tournament, GJ rolled over Dana 72-33 and Cooper 48-38 to advance to the championship game, where they were downed by Churdan, 52-31. In Class A sectional action, Perry got the best of the Bluejays, 44-36, in the first round. (In those years, GJ played in Class A in the post-season sectionals along with Jefferson, Carroll, Perry, Ogden and Boone while all the other teams from the smaller towns played in the Class B sectionals. In some years, the As and Bs competed separately until reaching the state tournament, while in other years they were mixed together at either the district or substate levels. The state tournament was broken into Class A and B divisions in 1956 and continued that way through 1960 before reverting to a one-class tournament in 1961 then again splitting into two classes in 1967.)
Wayne Ellwanger and Tommy Fisher, the only two seniors on the ’51 team, were co-captains. Other team members were Bob Johnson, Jim Powers, Dick Frantz, Don “Zeke” Rees, Lee Deal, Jim Jewett, Dale Mount, Dick Phinney, Dick Mitchell, Dave Wetrich and Dick Greene, manager. The coach was Ed Chuck, who taught science, coached baseball and was athletic director.
Myrna Henderson and Ruth Frantz were the only seniors on the Bluejayettes basketball team, which finished the season 6-14 after a second-round loss in sectional action to Jamaica, having beaten Bagley in the first round. Four of the losses were by 3 points or less, so with a few breaks the team could have gone 10-10. Competition was very tough within the Greene County Conference as two teams advanced on to the districts and one, Churdan, advanced to the state tournament. Myrna, a guard, was named captain of the team while Marilyn Wood, a junior guard, was named co-captain. The offense was lead by junior Shirley Cronin, who averaged 22.1 points a game and moved her three-year career scoring total to 1,102 points. Other team members were Ardis Underwood, Clara Busch, JoAnn Luther, Janice Cummings, Beverlee Ferguson, Norma Hillman, Margaret Mount and Beverly Edgar. Patsy Bradwell was team manager and Miss Schneider, who taught sixth grade, was chaperone. The coach was Mr. Holle, who taught social science.
The Bluejays were 8-2 in fall baseball, advancing to the county tournament championship where they fell to Churdan, 4-3, in an extra-inning thriller.
GJ cheerleading squads in the late 40s and early 50s were co-ed. The squad of five in 1950-51 was comprised of four seniors—Marlene Raner, Rita Gross, Velma Renslow, Charles Clark—and one sophomore, Art Deal. The girls and guys each wore white satin bomber jackets with blue piping with the girls pairing theirs with blue-and-gold satin skirts while the guys wore white cotton chinos and blue sneakers. The pep band members wore white shirts with blue ties and dark slacks or trousers.
The GJHS band was 49-members strong and participation was high in mixed chorus and boys’ and girls’ glee clubs. The drama students presented six, one-act plays to the community in the gym-auditorium that year. GJHS students also had active FHA and FFA groups in 1950-51.
Four class members earned scholarship honors for all of the three years (senior, junior and sophomore) that students were recognized—Tommy Fisher, Ruth Frantz, Virginia Hoskinson and Roger Van Pelt. Katherine Ferguson was honored for scholarship her senior and junior years and Rita Gross was honored senior year. Verdi Anderson, who earned scholarship honors as a sophomore and was one of four members of the cheerleading squad that year (1948-49), transferred to Paton his last two years, graduating with the Paton High School Class of 1951.
Ruth Frantz was editor of the “Scoop,” the school newspaper that appeared each week in the Globe-Free Press, with John Friel as co-editor. Roger Van Pelt and Rita Gross were editors of the Blue Jay.
The superintendent that year was W.J. Edgar and the principal was R.F. Leland. School board members Jack Mears, Leon Frantz, Harold Radebaugh, Mryon Jewett and John Young, with Mears serving as president. J.E. Brady was the board secretary and Claus Loof was the treasurer.
The 1951 Blue Jay also makes note of class members who were “the original six,” having entered kindergarten together in the February 1939—Tommy Fisher, Katherine Ferguson, Ruth Frantz, Myrna Henderson, Virginia Hoskinson and Roger Van Pelt.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: The Class of 1951 is full of names synonymous with Grand Junction: Frantz, Van Pelt, Tolsdorf, Gross, Hoskinson, Fisher and Kersey. Many went on to success beyond central Iowa while others settled down into productive lives in Grand Junction. Dorothy Doran, a Beaver girl, married Cecil Rueter GJ ’47 and raised a family in Grand Junction and helped her husband build a very successful business, known today as Rueter’s Red Power. She and her oldest son, Kim, are both celebrating milestone reunions this year as Kim is a member of the EG Class of ’71, the 40th anniversary class. Katherine (Kate or Kathy) Ferguson advanced on to Drake University where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She then married Roger Fisher GJ ‘50, the brother of classmate Tommy Fisher, and they raised three children, first in rural Grand Junction, and then in a beautiful home that continues to grace the wooded area of East Main Street. Roger and Kathy divorced in the mid-1970s and Kathy returned to Drake and finished work on her bachelor’s degree. She eventually relocated to Colorado while Roger presently lives in Des Moines.
Myrna Henderson had a long and successful career working in Des Moines and often returned to Grand Junction to visit family and friends, among them her dad, Claude Henderson; Florence (Henderson) Dobson; Janet Henderson; sister-in-law Dorothy Henderson; and nephew Gary Henderson and his family. Tommy Fisher remained in the area and his children attended Ogden Community Schools. Several of them live in the area. Rita Gross Reedy died last March in Elkhorn, Neb. Rita was one of 12 children in the Gross family—all educated at St. Mary’s Academy and GJHS. The two surviving Gross children are Eileen GJ ’44 and Emmett GJ ’53.
As anticipation mounts for “Alumni/Memorial Day Weekend” in Grand Junction, where graduates and natives of Grand Junction and the greater East Greene community (GJ, Dana, Beaver and Rippey) return for the annual East Greene/Grand Junction Alumni Banquet on Saturday evening of the long weekend, Eye on GJ is embracing the spirit and school colors of Grand Junction High School by shifting to a blue and gold color scheme.
And continuing with the theme of the scheme (colors), we present a look at the GJHS Class of 1951, which is celebrating its 60th year anniversary.
The Class of 1951 was 29-members strong and was comprised of students from the elementary schools in Grand Junction and Beaver and St. Mary’s Academy in Grand Junction. Here, as they appeared in order in the Blue Jay, the yearbook of 1951, is the graduating class:
Wayne Ellwanger, president
Roger Van Pelt, vice president
John Friel
Rita Gross
Norman Tolsdorf
Janice Miller
Mary Reiniman
Vera Mae Ritter
Charles Clark
Daniel Cleland
Richard Greene
Verdell Ritter
Dorothy Doran
Phyllis Creamer
Tommy Fisher
Mary Hunter
Darrell Kersey
Carol Lewis
Claude Winchell
Katherine Ferguson
Ruth Frantz
Marlene Raner
Virginia Hoskinson
Velma Renslow
Graham Phinney
Myrna Henderson
Evelyn Smalley
Wayne Lingner
Belva Rose
 |
Grand Junction High School as it appeared in 1950-51. |
At that time, the school facilities consisted of “Old Main,” the school building built between 12th and 13th Streets in 1915 and the gymnasium-auditorium addition built in 1939. Grand Junction was long known as the town with the “big gym” as the other area schools all had the older-style gyms built in the lower, or basement level, of the school buildings, which was the case in Rippey (cement floor), Dana (wood floor), Beaver, Jefferson, Scranton, Churdan and most other high schools in the area.
The 1915 building in Grand Junction, too, featured a lower-level gym with big cement block-type seating along the sides. As such, the building’s third-floor study hall served as an auditorium with a small stage, which was a visible structural feature for many years despite this part of the school room being remodeled various times. The GJ teams in the 1920s and 1930s played on the hardwood floor of the spacious top floor of the Legion Hall on Main Street in Grand Junction.
The Bluejay hoopsters were coming off several very successful seasons and the ’51 squad was relatively inexperienced. But that year’s Bluejay squad rolled up a 13-9 winning record, finishing in a tie for third in the Greene County Conference with Cooper with a 5-4 record. In the county tournament, GJ rolled over Dana 72-33 and Cooper 48-38 to advance to the championship game, where they were downed by Churdan, 52-31. In Class A sectional action, Perry got the best of the Bluejays, 44-36, in the first round. (In those years, GJ played in Class A in the post-season sectionals along with Jefferson, Carroll, Perry, Ogden and Boone while all the other teams from the smaller towns played in the Class B sectionals. In some years, the As and Bs competed separately until reaching the state tournament, while in other years they were mixed together at either the district or substate levels. The state tournament was broken into Class A and B divisions in 1956 and continued that way through 1960 before reverting to a one-class tournament in 1961 then again splitting into two classes in 1967.)
Wayne Ellwanger and Tommy Fisher, the only two seniors on the ’51 team, were co-captains. Other team members were Bob Johnson, Jim Powers, Dick Frantz, Don “Zeke” Rees, Lee Deal, Jim Jewett, Dale Mount, Dick Phinney, Dick Mitchell, Dave Wetrich and Dick Greene, manager. The coach was Ed Chuck, who taught science, coached baseball and was athletic director.
Myrna Henderson and Ruth Frantz were the only seniors on the Bluejayettes basketball team, which finished the season 6-14 after a second-round loss in sectional action to Jamaica, having beaten Bagley in the first round. Four of the losses were by 3 points or less, so with a few breaks the team could have gone 10-10. Competition was very tough within the Greene County Conference as two teams advanced on to the districts and one, Churdan, advanced to the state tournament. Myrna, a guard, was named captain of the team while Marilyn Wood, a junior guard, was named co-captain. The offense was lead by junior Shirley Cronin, who averaged 22.1 points a game and moved her three-year career scoring total to 1,102 points. Other team members were Ardis Underwood, Clara Busch, JoAnn Luther, Janice Cummings, Beverlee Ferguson, Norma Hillman, Margaret Mount and Beverly Edgar. Patsy Bradwell was team manager and Miss Schneider, who taught sixth grade, was chaperone. The coach was Mr. Holle, who taught social science.
The Bluejays were 8-2 in fall baseball, advancing to the county tournament championship where they fell to Churdan, 4-3, in an extra-inning thriller.
GJ cheerleading squads in the late 40s and early 50s were co-ed. The squad of five in 1950-51 was comprised of four seniors—Marlene Raner, Rita Gross, Velma Renslow, Charles Clark—and one sophomore, Art Deal. The girls and guys each wore white satin bomber jackets with blue piping with the girls pairing theirs with blue-and-gold satin skirts while the guys wore white cotton chinos and blue sneakers. The pep band members wore white shirts with blue ties and dark slacks or trousers.
The GJHS band was 49-members strong and participation was high in mixed chorus and boys’ and girls’ glee clubs. The drama students presented six, one-act plays to the community in the gym-auditorium that year. GJHS students also had active FHA and FFA groups in 1950-51.
Four class members earned scholarship honors for all of the three years (senior, junior and sophomore) that students were recognized—Tommy Fisher, Ruth Frantz, Virginia Hoskinson and Roger Van Pelt. Katherine Ferguson was honored for scholarship her senior and junior years and Rita Gross was honored senior year. Verdi Anderson, who earned scholarship honors as a sophomore and was one of four members of the cheerleading squad that year (1948-49), transferred to Paton his last two years, graduating with the Paton High School Class of 1951.
Ruth Frantz was editor of the “Scoop,” the school newspaper that appeared each week in the Globe-Free Press, with John Friel as co-editor. Roger Van Pelt and Rita Gross were editors of the Blue Jay.
The superintendent that year was W.J. Edgar and the principal was R.F. Leland. School board members Jack Mears, Leon Frantz, Harold Radebaugh, Mryon Jewett and John Young, with Mears serving as president. J.E. Brady was the board secretary and Claus Loof was the treasurer.
The 1951 Blue Jay also makes note of class members who were “the original six,” having entered kindergarten together in the February 1939—Tommy Fisher, Katherine Ferguson, Ruth Frantz, Myrna Henderson, Virginia Hoskinson and Roger Van Pelt.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: The Class of 1951 is full of names synonymous with Grand Junction: Frantz, Van Pelt, Tolsdorf, Gross, Hoskinson, Fisher and Kersey. Many went on to success beyond central Iowa while others settled down into productive lives in Grand Junction. Dorothy Doran, a Beaver girl, married Cecil Rueter GJ ’47 and raised a family in Grand Junction and helped her husband build a very successful business, known today as Rueter’s Red Power. She and her oldest son, Kim, are both celebrating milestone reunions this year as Kim is a member of the EG Class of ’71, the 40th anniversary class. Katherine (Kate or Kathy) Ferguson advanced on to Drake University where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She then married Roger Fisher GJ ‘50, the brother of classmate Tommy Fisher, and they raised three children, first in rural Grand Junction, and then in a beautiful home that continues to grace the wooded area of East Main Street. Roger and Kathy divorced in the mid-1970s and Kathy returned to Drake and finished work on her bachelor’s degree. She eventually relocated to Colorado while Roger presently lives in Des Moines.
Myrna Henderson had a long and successful career working in Des Moines and often returned to Grand Junction to visit family and friends, among them her dad, Claude Henderson; Florence (Henderson) Dobson; Janet Henderson; sister-in-law Dorothy Henderson; and nephew Gary Henderson and his family. Tommy Fisher remained in the area and his children attended Ogden Community Schools. Several of them live in the area. Rita Gross Reedy died last March in Elkhorn, Neb. Rita was one of 12 children in the Gross family—all educated at St. Mary’s Academy and GJHS. The two surviving Gross children are Eileen GJ ’44 and Emmett GJ ’53.
Friday, April 1, 2011
EG Class of 1971 Plans Reunion June 11
OPENS INVITATION TO CLASSES ’68 TO ‘76
Plans are underway for the 40th anniversary of East Greene’s Class of 1971. A day-long reunion with golf in the afternoon and an evening of dinner and socializing will be Saturday, June 11.
The class is casting a wider net beyond just the ’71 bunch by extending the reunion invitation to EG classes from the late ’60s to mid-’70s. “We would like to invite the surrounding classes of 1968 through 1976 to join in the fun,” says Kim Rueter, one of the reunion organizers. “We hope to have some teachers available to share memories.”
The plans for June 11 to date include a golf outing from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hill Golf Course at Grand Junction with a dinner and socializing from 4 to 9 p.m. at the home of Kim Rueter, south of Grand Junction.
“We are still making plans and wanted to let you know to get this date on the calendar,” says Rueter, who is coordinating the event with Susan (Kriger) Hogueison and Duane Davis. “We are looking forward to a great turnout.”
For more information about the event, contact eghs71@aol.com (Susan), krueter@prairienet.com (Kim) or dddavis53@gmail.com (Duane).
EYE ON GJ SAYS: What a terrific idea! And a great way to catch up with old friends from "back in the day" at East Greene. The Eye Guy was two years behind this '71 bunch so he has a lot shared memories. Sounds like a great time for catching up for the local folks and a terrific reason for EG grads to come on back to the 'old home town!
Plans are underway for the 40th anniversary of East Greene’s Class of 1971. A day-long reunion with golf in the afternoon and an evening of dinner and socializing will be Saturday, June 11.
The class is casting a wider net beyond just the ’71 bunch by extending the reunion invitation to EG classes from the late ’60s to mid-’70s. “We would like to invite the surrounding classes of 1968 through 1976 to join in the fun,” says Kim Rueter, one of the reunion organizers. “We hope to have some teachers available to share memories.”
The plans for June 11 to date include a golf outing from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hill Golf Course at Grand Junction with a dinner and socializing from 4 to 9 p.m. at the home of Kim Rueter, south of Grand Junction.
“We are still making plans and wanted to let you know to get this date on the calendar,” says Rueter, who is coordinating the event with Susan (Kriger) Hogueison and Duane Davis. “We are looking forward to a great turnout.”
For more information about the event, contact eghs71@aol.com (Susan), krueter@prairienet.com (Kim) or dddavis53@gmail.com (Duane).
EYE ON GJ SAYS: What a terrific idea! And a great way to catch up with old friends from "back in the day" at East Greene. The Eye Guy was two years behind this '71 bunch so he has a lot shared memories. Sounds like a great time for catching up for the local folks and a terrific reason for EG grads to come on back to the 'old home town!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Eight EG Students Earn High Honors
AMONG 71 STUDENTS NAMED TO TRIMESTER HONOR ROLL
Eight East Greene Senior High School and Junior High School students were named to the “All A” Honor Roll for the second trimester. They were among the 71 students named to Honor Roll for the second trimester.
All A Honor Roll (4.0 grade point): Senior—Nathaniel Beyerink, Wesley Onken; Junior—Joseline Hoffman; Freshman—Katerine Beyerink, Sean Kenan; 8th Grade: Bailey Godwin, Hannah Onken; 7th Grade—Maxwell Neese.
High Honor Roll (3.67-3.99 grade point): Senior—Schyler Bardole, Katlynn Gannon, Brittanee Heaning, Molly Neese, Alyssa Rothmeyer; Sophomore—Tory Beger; Freshman—Gabriel Bardole, Joe Pena; 8th Grade—Cody Burkett, Hannah Gunn, Nathan Hoffman, Jolee Wessling; 7th Grade—Hannah Cooklin, Matthew Gordon, Faith Hanson, Emily Most; 6th Grade—Mason Burkett, Hayden Hoffman, Thomas Jacobsen, Luke Molle, Taylor Wessling.
Honor Roll (3.0-3.66): Senior—Jasmine Kinney, Kelli Luther, Nicholas Nicolaisen, Robbie Ritchie; Junior—Samantha Blackmon, Zachary Hiller, Harrison Johnston, Trista Shore; Sophomore—Brandy Burrow, Brittany Gunn, Kimberly Hatfield, Megan McElheney, Alanna Orfield, Reed Ostrander; Freshman—Shelby Cooklin, Zachery Fouch, Emily Jacobsen, Timothy Lint, Chelsi Wilkens; 8th Grade—Ryan Blumberg, Andrew Clark, Samantha Hobbs, Dylan Lansman; 7th Grade—Tyler Beger, Nathaniel Biggart, Kamie Coffin, Ashley Kellogg, Benjamin Lint, Kimberly Millard, Wyatt Tipton; 6th Grade—Dylan Davis, Dylan Fouch, Nicholas Hidlebaugh, Anthony Jacobsen, Hunter Kinney, Spenser Kirk, Grason Lansman, Samantha Lehnhoff, Katelynn McDowell, William McFarland, Nicholas Smith, Jesus Zuniga.
Eight East Greene Senior High School and Junior High School students were named to the “All A” Honor Roll for the second trimester. They were among the 71 students named to Honor Roll for the second trimester.
All A Honor Roll (4.0 grade point): Senior—Nathaniel Beyerink, Wesley Onken; Junior—Joseline Hoffman; Freshman—Katerine Beyerink, Sean Kenan; 8th Grade: Bailey Godwin, Hannah Onken; 7th Grade—Maxwell Neese.
Honor Roll (3.0-3.66): Senior—Jasmine Kinney, Kelli Luther, Nicholas Nicolaisen, Robbie Ritchie; Junior—Samantha Blackmon, Zachary Hiller, Harrison Johnston, Trista Shore; Sophomore—Brandy Burrow, Brittany Gunn, Kimberly Hatfield, Megan McElheney, Alanna Orfield, Reed Ostrander; Freshman—Shelby Cooklin, Zachery Fouch, Emily Jacobsen, Timothy Lint, Chelsi Wilkens; 8th Grade—Ryan Blumberg, Andrew Clark, Samantha Hobbs, Dylan Lansman; 7th Grade—Tyler Beger, Nathaniel Biggart, Kamie Coffin, Ashley Kellogg, Benjamin Lint, Kimberly Millard, Wyatt Tipton; 6th Grade—Dylan Davis, Dylan Fouch, Nicholas Hidlebaugh, Anthony Jacobsen, Hunter Kinney, Spenser Kirk, Grason Lansman, Samantha Lehnhoff, Katelynn McDowell, William McFarland, Nicholas Smith, Jesus Zuniga.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Grand Junction 2020: "Blueprint for the Future"
Grand Junction 2020 is designed as an umbrella group for economic development and planning with an immediate mission to revitalize Grand Junction, Iowa.
The goal of Grand Junction 2020 is to generate enough initial growth in the community to move the population to 1,000 from its current population of 824. The long-term goal is to continue to enhance the community so it will reach a more sustainable population of 2,000 (or 2,020) by the year 2020 with enough school-age children to sustain its self-contained Pre K-12 school district with Rippey and Dana—the existing East Greene Community School District.
Presently, the school district is under pressure to reorganize with Jefferson-Scranton with the first step being a whole-grade sharing arrangement. Interestingly, in the discussions between the two school districts, there has been no mention of the status of Paton-Churdan, the third—and by far the smallest—of the three school districts in Greene County into any short-term whole grade sharing or long-term reorganization.
Keeping the school district intact will help attract new residents to the community—especially families with school age children—and make the community more attractive to existing residents with families, residents with no children, new Baby Boomer retirees, other retirees, and existing senior citizens.
Should a reorganization be inevitable, East Greene and Grand Junction should work to insure that at least a Pre-K through 5th grade school—most likely a new school building—remains in Grand Junction. Related to that topic, any future discussions involving the City of Jefferson and Jefferson-Scranton school officials should also include consideration of building new school district infrastructure in Grand Junction at the corner of Highway 144 and Old 30 to house a district-wide middle school (grades 6-8) and keeping the current elementary facility in Rippey.
Most notable about the year 2020 is that it follows by one year the town’s sesquicentennial (150th birthday) in 2019, and could serve as a starting point for the next phase of Grand Junction’s future to be taken up by a new generation of leaders.
Grand Junction 2020 breaks down into three key areas:
*Industrial and Business Development
*Main Street Revitalization
*Residential Growth
Each of these key three development areas is conducive to the town’s future sustainability, and each is predicated on a key geographical component of the town.
Industrial and commercial development is targeted to two areas north of the Union Pacific railroad tracks that bisect Grand Junction (west to east). 1. Commercial growth is proposed for a corridor along the south side of U.S. Highway 30, 2.) Industrial development is planned for the area north of U.S. 30 extending to and beyond the town’s northern borders, primarily along a corridor flanked by Iowa Highway 144 and the Union Pacific north-south railroad line. A very strong anchor to [further] industrial development is the new Grand Junction LDC ethanol plant opened by the Louis Dreyfuss Corporation in May 2008, which added 60 good-paying jobs to the area.
Main Street revitalization foremost embraces the historic business district section between 10th Street and 14th Street with a particular focus on the area between the library and the post office, but also incorporating key points eastward along Main Street and Old Highway 30 to the Historic Bridges area—the eastern entry point to Grand Junction—and all the way from Main Street west and then south on Highway 144/Old Highway 30 to the southernmost entry point to Grand Junction (Star Motel and former Miller’s Standard Station). For reference points, 11th Street with City Hall on one side and the Watts Office Building and Peoples Trust and Savings Bank on the other side should be regarded as our core, or central reference point, for all discussions of Main Street revitalization.
New residential development should primarily focus in areas that extend south and east from existing residential neighborhoods in South Grand Junction and Central Grand Junction: 1.) An area south of City Park and Elizabeth Street; and 2.) An area south of the existing town border that runs parallel to Hager Street, east of 15th Street, and north of the county road as it extends eastward from Elizabeth Street. This is primarily the agricultural land parcel north and east of Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Secondarily, development should be considered for 3.) the existing area in North Grand Junction in the vicinity of 18th Street North where it intersects with Second Street, which continues east past the city limits as 217th Street and then curves north as V Avenue and crosses the small tributary that flows into West Beaver Creek one-half mile to the east. This are--extended beyond the city limits-- should also be considered for residential development potential. These are farmlands both within and outside of the city limits.
Further, if any school construction should occur near the Highway 144 corridor near the existing Karber Field athletic facilities and swimming pool, then 4.) the city should look at developing new residential areas on the west side of town.
Another point to keep in mind if that Grand Junction is to really develop to its full potential, the city, county and area economic development officials need to advocate converting Highway 144 from two lanes to four lanes from its current four-lane existence in Perry all the way to Grand Junction and the 144-30 intersection with the possibility of extending north of town to help develop the 144 industrial corridor alongside the existing Union Pacific rail line that runs north from Grand Junction, currently anchored by the LDC Grand Junction ethanol plant. This should be done as overall master plan with the widening of Highway 30 from four lanes from its current 4-to-2 lane dropoff at Ogden to Carroll.
Industrial and Commercial Development
Future industrial and commercial development in Grand Junction needs to focus on two key areas:
1. Industrial development along the north-south UP and Iowa Highway 144 corridor, incorporating the existing property within the City of Grand Junction corporate limits from U.S. Highway 30 North to First Street East, the city’s northernmost border. These existing city limits stretch along the blocks platted but never developed along the north side of First Street East over to a point where Second Street East meets what would be an extension of 15th Street North, running north from U.S. Highway 30. The city limits continue from there eastward to 17th Street North (platted but not developed) and down to where 17th Street would intersect with U.S. 30.
Currently this area is served by 11th Street North which runs parallel to the north-south UP tracks and is accessed from U.S. 30 and one intersecting east-west street, Second Street North, which connects with Highway 144 to the east, but that intersection is not within the city limits. 11th Street north ends at First Street EAst which extends east from that point for two blocks and then ends.
The City of Grand Junction should also consider extending its borders northward to expand this industrial development corridor to bring it within closer proximity to the LDC Grand Junction ethanol plant and the recently created East Greene Bioenergy Park just south of LDC GJ.
2. Expanded commercial development that builds upon Grand Junction’s healthy commercial corridor that runs alongside the south side of existing U.S. 30 from Rueter’s Red Power, one-half mile to the west of the 144 and UP intersections, to Casey’s, Ferg's/My Thye's, Thorpe Auto Sales, and Janco Motel on the opposite side, or east, of the 144 intersection. The area along U.S. 30 from 15th Street west to 11th Street is ripe for commercial development as is the area from Rueter’s east toward the 144 intersection. The 15th-to-11th Streets segment is especially ripe for a new stand-alone supermarket, such as a Sav-A-Lot (limited assortment chain from Supervalu Inc.) or a Hometown Foods (Panora, Guthrie Center).
The area south of U.S. 30 and along 11th Street is also ripe for industrial and/or heavy commercial development, keying off the success of Mid-Iowa Concrete Products and Neese Inc., located on either side of Division Street.
It is imperative that city and economic development officials designate a corridor on the northside along existing U.S. 30 for the future acquisition of land for the inevitable expansion to a four-lane highway from Ogden to Grand Junction, and then Grand Junction to Jefferson, and eventually from Jefferson to Carroll, making U.S. 30 four lanes from Ames to Carroll. City and development officials should begin discussion immediately with officials at the Iowa Department of Transportation to determine how much land would be needed for the additional two lanes that would go through Grand Junction.
This four-laning of U.S. 30 is also key to stabilizing and expanding Grand Junction through a strong industrial-transportation alliance in the future.
Main Street Revitalization
The establishment of the American Museum of Railroad and Highway Heritage is imperative to any significant turnaround of Grand Junction. The museum is the cornerstone to Main Street revitalization and would bring a renewed focus and energy to Grand Junction, and capitalize on its inherent strengths—most notably its vibrant railroad and highway heritage, its current highway-railroad positioning, and future transportation potential.
The construction of the museum would be a huge undertaking with costs estimated as high as $3 million. The open space on the west side of the block north of Main Street just east of 12th Street (opposite the alley to the east of Peoples Trust and Savings Bank) is the perfect site for the proposed museum.
This is the historic space at the corner of 12th and Main occupied since the founding of Grand Junction in 1869 by the legendary Hillman Building--three storefronts--and the Oddfellows Lodge building which was the fourth storefront (with upstairs lodge facilities). For many years, K&R Ceramics occupied this storefront.
Because of the museum’s significance, it is explained in greater detail in Appendix A.
The museum with roughly 3,000 square feet of exhibit space would serve as key attraction for individual visitors and group tours with the ultimate goal of casting a wider net to attract people from all over the country, and perhaps internationally.
It is not logical to expect that a town of Grand Junction’s size could attract the type of businesses it had up until the 1990s such as a hardware store or clothing store. The museum, however, would be the impetus to attract other retail businesses: sit-down restaurant, coffee shop similar to a Prairie Blue in Jefferson, antique store, a gift shop, perhaps even an art gallery.
The new museum could also be the central component to a redesigned Main Street, keying off our beautiful arc lamps, exigent curbing/paving, and beautiful tree-lined eastern entry point on East Main, and interesting (and historic) 144/Old 30 curve at the western entry point.
It goes without saying that all past, present and future efforts in promoting the Linocln Highway need to have Grand Junction--a world class "brand" for both the Lincoln and rail national rail heritage--at the forefront.
The town has been presented a significant gift with the development of Historic Bridges/Lincoln Highway Welcome Center at the Old 30/New 30 intersection at the town’s eastern border.
With a renewed sense of purpose and hopefully a growing population (see points above and below), a revitalized and re-energized Main Street/Downtown area would attract other services: insurance, financial, medical, etc.
That being said, here and now, the community should open discussions with officials at McFarland Clinic in Jefferson and Ames and the Greene County Medical Center to establish a medical clinic on Main Street in Grand Junction to service the residents of Grand Junction, eastern Greene County and western Boone County. Outreach should also be made to the dentists in Jefferson and Perry to also establish services in Grand Junction.
The establishment of a supermarket should be made a priority. City and development officials, however, need to look at whether a limited assortment grocery would fare better on Highway 30 (south side) or on Main Street. Both have advantages, so a strategic plan needs to be put into place with regard to how best serve the residents of Grand Junction and surrounding areas and thus guarantee success for the new store owner/developer.
Further, with continued emphasis on the ongoing centennial celebrations, it might be wise to reach out in the immediate future to another convenience store company and urge them to take a look at Grand Junction because of the growing interest of travel on the original Lincoln Highway and in noting 1.) it’s particular location as an entry point just 10 miles from the heavily trafficked four-lane U.S. Highway 30 (and US 169 intersection) and 2.) the gateway to such a significant historical portion of the Lincoln Highway, considering that the original Lincoln spans the entire width of the United States from coast to coast, and in Greene County it runs from Grand Junction to Jefferson and to Scranton—essentially traversing the three largest towns in the county.
The logical place for a new convenience store, noting that Casey’s is just off Highway 30, is on Main Street, most likely at the eastern or western end. The old Ferguson’s Texaco corner at 13th and Main would be one of the most viable locations.
The first significant centennial of the Lincoln is 2013 and then other significant 100th year anniversaries of the Lincoln will follow in succeeding years, such as the “first in the state/first in the nation” paving of the Lincoln across Greene County—which was widely supported by the business and community leaders of Grand Junction.
There has been some incremental improvement on Main Street with the repainting of the service station property on the nortthwest corner of Main and 13th, which lends this property to some historical valuation from its Lincoln Highway/Old US 30 era as it was for many years a service station (mostly DX, operation by Karl Martin and later years by Patty Kersey but the affiliation of her gas supplier is not clear, but it may have been the Coop), with its last usage in the 1980s. Discussion has been underway recently about another business planning to open on Main Street, most likely a sit-down restaurant.
Residential Growth
South Junction Estates: Originally, Grand Junction was platted to extend four blocks beyond the current developed street, Elizabeth Street. In later years, when the proposed plats did not sell there, the land reverted to agriculture and the corporation limits were redrawn to place this land outside of the city limits. The proposal would be to convert this land back to residential and create average size lots with news homes priced in the median price range ($60,000 to $100,000) of home prices in the area. These homes would be targeted to families looking to move up from their first or “starter” home and would primarily be first, new-home buyers. Many would come from the pool of owners of existing older properties in Grand Junction and other communities.
The name “South Junction Estates” stems from the fact that the farms and farmland to south of Grand Junction are located in the southern half of Junction Township which is often featured in plat maps and atlases as “South Junction Township.” Junction Township is actuall the size of 1 and 2/3 townships with Washington Township (Rippey area) being 1 and 1/3 townships--when measured in comparison in size to all other townships in Greene County. [Note: Originally, in 1854 Greene County had just two townships--Washington and Jefferson. The existing townships were created in subsequent years out of the two original townships.]
A key selling point to the developer and prospective home buyers in South Junction Estates is close proximity to the City Park on Elizabeth Street, the junior-senior high school two blocks north of the park between 12th and 13th streets, the swimming pool on 9th Street, the ball park across 13th street from the school, three churches on Hager Street, and easy access to Highway 144 via Elizabeth Street. The park itself could be used as a gateway to South Junction Estates or the park could be extended on the opposite side of South Junction Estates with the street access alongside this “new” park on south side of the street.
Hager Heights: The farmland area behind the developed homes along East Hager Street has always flooded in rainy weather because of its low-lying elevation and the fact it serves as a runoff area for the higher elevations that run along Greene County 228th Street, which is parallel to Hager Street. The most low-lying area adjacent to the city limits that runs behind the blocks on the south side of Hager Street would be the site of a 2- to 3-acre lake, approximately from a line drawn from 16th Street to 20th Street. The lake would serve as the design anchor for a series of broad, winding streets through the development—bounded by the east-west city limits on the south and 228th Street to the north. The lake itself would serve as a buffer between the established residences (old Grand Junction) and these new homes on homesites larger than in old Grand Junction or even South Junction Estates.
Homes built here would sell in the $120,000+ range and be targeted to more affluent buyers who might be looking at Grand Junction as a good bedroom community or possibly retirees originally from the area or elsewhere who might want to move back but still live in a nice home rather than an apartment. These homes would sit on ¼-acre to ½-acre lots. Access would be from off 15th Street (marked by a lighted, brick entryway defining the area as “Hager Heights,” to connect with the town grid of streets) but also with an entry off of the county road, 228th Street, which is the continuation eastward of Elizabeth Street.
NOTE: Ownership of this land has changed hands in the last 20 years or so several times but is presently owned by Jan Scharingson, a resident of rural Grand Junction and a longtime high school English teacher with deep roots in the community as her father was Jack Carter, a GJ native and well-known local businessman until he moved to Ames in the late 1960s. Jan and her brothers and sisters all attended St. Mary’s Academy until the school was closed in 1962. [Jan '64 and Susie '66 are EGHS graduates while the younger Carters--Barb, Chuck, Joanne, Dick and Annette--finished up over in Ames.]
Northdale: While South Junction Estates and Hager Heights would appeal to home buyers in the upper and middle price ranges, Northdale would be a more mixed income area with smaller, tract-style homes with smaller yards and mutli-family buildings designed as both rentals and condominiums. This area would be designed to feed off the proximity to the highway for more blue-collar commuters and to the industrial development planned for the area just to the west of Northdale. Home prices would range from $40,000 to $70,000.
Westview: If a proposed Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene school district reorganization should take place in the next few years, the current Grand Junction and Dana residents specifically, should make the case for a new school facility to be built opposite the current East Greene football field on Highway 144 or in that general area—keying off the access of both Highway 144 and Old Lincoln Highway (230th Street). The residents of the district should also make the case that a JS and EG merged district should take a new name. Most appropriate and most utilitarian would be to name the district Lincolnway Community School District. Thus, the new Lincolnway district should be served by a new 6-8 grade middle school to be built in the vicinity of the Old 30-144 intersection with access off each roadway. More about this topic is addressed in Appendix B. Elementary students from the east side of the county would continue to use the existing elementary school at Rippey; Jefferson and Scranton students would attend the elementary school in Jefferson; and all students would attend the existing high school in Jefferson, with plans formulated to build a new gymnasium adjacent to the high school, replacing the one at the existing junior-senior high school as that school building will be phased out.
Should a new school building be built in this part of Grand Junction, the demand for new housing would be very high. As such, a proposed development targeted to the higher range of home buyers of Northdale and the lower range of home buyers of South Junction Estates (roughly $60,000 to $90,000) would be the key demographic here. Multi-family housing would prohibited here but lot sizes for single homes would be smaller, so that families would allow for children to play freely from yard to yard and home to home—building a cohesive “Westview” community. Key attributes here besides the proposed future school facility are the adjacent EG football and track facility and the Grand Junction Municipal Swimming Pool. A connotation of “Westview” is that it would be west-facing—toward Jefferson—the inevitable direction of the elementary students who attend classes in Rippey seven miles to the south and middle school in Grand Junction (or similar arrangement of elementary in Grand Junction and middle school/high school in Jefferson).
If a new school were to be built here, and the existing 1915 school structure on 12th Street be razed, the remaining portions of school property should be turned over to developers to create a Grand Junction Gardens (working title) mixed-use facility of condominiums, senior housing, and assisted living targeted to former residents who attended high school and/or elementary school—essentially all the graduates of GJHS from the late 1940s and 1950s, and all the EGHG graduates since 1960. The 1939 gymnasium-auditorium and the 1954 classroom addition could be used by the proposed GJ Gardens and/or the town of Grand Junction for a community center or to a possible private owner/developer for business purposes.
--Compiled by Alan Robinson, March 4, 2011
The goal of Grand Junction 2020 is to generate enough initial growth in the community to move the population to 1,000 from its current population of 824. The long-term goal is to continue to enhance the community so it will reach a more sustainable population of 2,000 (or 2,020) by the year 2020 with enough school-age children to sustain its self-contained Pre K-12 school district with Rippey and Dana—the existing East Greene Community School District.
Presently, the school district is under pressure to reorganize with Jefferson-Scranton with the first step being a whole-grade sharing arrangement. Interestingly, in the discussions between the two school districts, there has been no mention of the status of Paton-Churdan, the third—and by far the smallest—of the three school districts in Greene County into any short-term whole grade sharing or long-term reorganization.
Keeping the school district intact will help attract new residents to the community—especially families with school age children—and make the community more attractive to existing residents with families, residents with no children, new Baby Boomer retirees, other retirees, and existing senior citizens.
Should a reorganization be inevitable, East Greene and Grand Junction should work to insure that at least a Pre-K through 5th grade school—most likely a new school building—remains in Grand Junction. Related to that topic, any future discussions involving the City of Jefferson and Jefferson-Scranton school officials should also include consideration of building new school district infrastructure in Grand Junction at the corner of Highway 144 and Old 30 to house a district-wide middle school (grades 6-8) and keeping the current elementary facility in Rippey.
Most notable about the year 2020 is that it follows by one year the town’s sesquicentennial (150th birthday) in 2019, and could serve as a starting point for the next phase of Grand Junction’s future to be taken up by a new generation of leaders.
Grand Junction 2020 breaks down into three key areas:
*Industrial and Business Development
*Main Street Revitalization
*Residential Growth
Each of these key three development areas is conducive to the town’s future sustainability, and each is predicated on a key geographical component of the town.
Industrial and commercial development is targeted to two areas north of the Union Pacific railroad tracks that bisect Grand Junction (west to east). 1. Commercial growth is proposed for a corridor along the south side of U.S. Highway 30, 2.) Industrial development is planned for the area north of U.S. 30 extending to and beyond the town’s northern borders, primarily along a corridor flanked by Iowa Highway 144 and the Union Pacific north-south railroad line. A very strong anchor to [further] industrial development is the new Grand Junction LDC ethanol plant opened by the Louis Dreyfuss Corporation in May 2008, which added 60 good-paying jobs to the area.
Main Street revitalization foremost embraces the historic business district section between 10th Street and 14th Street with a particular focus on the area between the library and the post office, but also incorporating key points eastward along Main Street and Old Highway 30 to the Historic Bridges area—the eastern entry point to Grand Junction—and all the way from Main Street west and then south on Highway 144/Old Highway 30 to the southernmost entry point to Grand Junction (Star Motel and former Miller’s Standard Station). For reference points, 11th Street with City Hall on one side and the Watts Office Building and Peoples Trust and Savings Bank on the other side should be regarded as our core, or central reference point, for all discussions of Main Street revitalization.
New residential development should primarily focus in areas that extend south and east from existing residential neighborhoods in South Grand Junction and Central Grand Junction: 1.) An area south of City Park and Elizabeth Street; and 2.) An area south of the existing town border that runs parallel to Hager Street, east of 15th Street, and north of the county road as it extends eastward from Elizabeth Street. This is primarily the agricultural land parcel north and east of Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Secondarily, development should be considered for 3.) the existing area in North Grand Junction in the vicinity of 18th Street North where it intersects with Second Street, which continues east past the city limits as 217th Street and then curves north as V Avenue and crosses the small tributary that flows into West Beaver Creek one-half mile to the east. This are--extended beyond the city limits-- should also be considered for residential development potential. These are farmlands both within and outside of the city limits.
Further, if any school construction should occur near the Highway 144 corridor near the existing Karber Field athletic facilities and swimming pool, then 4.) the city should look at developing new residential areas on the west side of town.
Another point to keep in mind if that Grand Junction is to really develop to its full potential, the city, county and area economic development officials need to advocate converting Highway 144 from two lanes to four lanes from its current four-lane existence in Perry all the way to Grand Junction and the 144-30 intersection with the possibility of extending north of town to help develop the 144 industrial corridor alongside the existing Union Pacific rail line that runs north from Grand Junction, currently anchored by the LDC Grand Junction ethanol plant. This should be done as overall master plan with the widening of Highway 30 from four lanes from its current 4-to-2 lane dropoff at Ogden to Carroll.
Industrial and Commercial Development
Future industrial and commercial development in Grand Junction needs to focus on two key areas:
1. Industrial development along the north-south UP and Iowa Highway 144 corridor, incorporating the existing property within the City of Grand Junction corporate limits from U.S. Highway 30 North to First Street East, the city’s northernmost border. These existing city limits stretch along the blocks platted but never developed along the north side of First Street East over to a point where Second Street East meets what would be an extension of 15th Street North, running north from U.S. Highway 30. The city limits continue from there eastward to 17th Street North (platted but not developed) and down to where 17th Street would intersect with U.S. 30.
Currently this area is served by 11th Street North which runs parallel to the north-south UP tracks and is accessed from U.S. 30 and one intersecting east-west street, Second Street North, which connects with Highway 144 to the east, but that intersection is not within the city limits. 11th Street north ends at First Street EAst which extends east from that point for two blocks and then ends.
The City of Grand Junction should also consider extending its borders northward to expand this industrial development corridor to bring it within closer proximity to the LDC Grand Junction ethanol plant and the recently created East Greene Bioenergy Park just south of LDC GJ.
2. Expanded commercial development that builds upon Grand Junction’s healthy commercial corridor that runs alongside the south side of existing U.S. 30 from Rueter’s Red Power, one-half mile to the west of the 144 and UP intersections, to Casey’s, Ferg's/My Thye's, Thorpe Auto Sales, and Janco Motel on the opposite side, or east, of the 144 intersection. The area along U.S. 30 from 15th Street west to 11th Street is ripe for commercial development as is the area from Rueter’s east toward the 144 intersection. The 15th-to-11th Streets segment is especially ripe for a new stand-alone supermarket, such as a Sav-A-Lot (limited assortment chain from Supervalu Inc.) or a Hometown Foods (Panora, Guthrie Center).
The area south of U.S. 30 and along 11th Street is also ripe for industrial and/or heavy commercial development, keying off the success of Mid-Iowa Concrete Products and Neese Inc., located on either side of Division Street.
It is imperative that city and economic development officials designate a corridor on the northside along existing U.S. 30 for the future acquisition of land for the inevitable expansion to a four-lane highway from Ogden to Grand Junction, and then Grand Junction to Jefferson, and eventually from Jefferson to Carroll, making U.S. 30 four lanes from Ames to Carroll. City and development officials should begin discussion immediately with officials at the Iowa Department of Transportation to determine how much land would be needed for the additional two lanes that would go through Grand Junction.
This four-laning of U.S. 30 is also key to stabilizing and expanding Grand Junction through a strong industrial-transportation alliance in the future.
Main Street Revitalization
The establishment of the American Museum of Railroad and Highway Heritage is imperative to any significant turnaround of Grand Junction. The museum is the cornerstone to Main Street revitalization and would bring a renewed focus and energy to Grand Junction, and capitalize on its inherent strengths—most notably its vibrant railroad and highway heritage, its current highway-railroad positioning, and future transportation potential.
The construction of the museum would be a huge undertaking with costs estimated as high as $3 million. The open space on the west side of the block north of Main Street just east of 12th Street (opposite the alley to the east of Peoples Trust and Savings Bank) is the perfect site for the proposed museum.
This is the historic space at the corner of 12th and Main occupied since the founding of Grand Junction in 1869 by the legendary Hillman Building--three storefronts--and the Oddfellows Lodge building which was the fourth storefront (with upstairs lodge facilities). For many years, K&R Ceramics occupied this storefront.
Because of the museum’s significance, it is explained in greater detail in Appendix A.
The museum with roughly 3,000 square feet of exhibit space would serve as key attraction for individual visitors and group tours with the ultimate goal of casting a wider net to attract people from all over the country, and perhaps internationally.
It is not logical to expect that a town of Grand Junction’s size could attract the type of businesses it had up until the 1990s such as a hardware store or clothing store. The museum, however, would be the impetus to attract other retail businesses: sit-down restaurant, coffee shop similar to a Prairie Blue in Jefferson, antique store, a gift shop, perhaps even an art gallery.
The new museum could also be the central component to a redesigned Main Street, keying off our beautiful arc lamps, exigent curbing/paving, and beautiful tree-lined eastern entry point on East Main, and interesting (and historic) 144/Old 30 curve at the western entry point.
It goes without saying that all past, present and future efforts in promoting the Linocln Highway need to have Grand Junction--a world class "brand" for both the Lincoln and rail national rail heritage--at the forefront.
The town has been presented a significant gift with the development of Historic Bridges/Lincoln Highway Welcome Center at the Old 30/New 30 intersection at the town’s eastern border.
With a renewed sense of purpose and hopefully a growing population (see points above and below), a revitalized and re-energized Main Street/Downtown area would attract other services: insurance, financial, medical, etc.
That being said, here and now, the community should open discussions with officials at McFarland Clinic in Jefferson and Ames and the Greene County Medical Center to establish a medical clinic on Main Street in Grand Junction to service the residents of Grand Junction, eastern Greene County and western Boone County. Outreach should also be made to the dentists in Jefferson and Perry to also establish services in Grand Junction.
The establishment of a supermarket should be made a priority. City and development officials, however, need to look at whether a limited assortment grocery would fare better on Highway 30 (south side) or on Main Street. Both have advantages, so a strategic plan needs to be put into place with regard to how best serve the residents of Grand Junction and surrounding areas and thus guarantee success for the new store owner/developer.
Further, with continued emphasis on the ongoing centennial celebrations, it might be wise to reach out in the immediate future to another convenience store company and urge them to take a look at Grand Junction because of the growing interest of travel on the original Lincoln Highway and in noting 1.) it’s particular location as an entry point just 10 miles from the heavily trafficked four-lane U.S. Highway 30 (and US 169 intersection) and 2.) the gateway to such a significant historical portion of the Lincoln Highway, considering that the original Lincoln spans the entire width of the United States from coast to coast, and in Greene County it runs from Grand Junction to Jefferson and to Scranton—essentially traversing the three largest towns in the county.
The logical place for a new convenience store, noting that Casey’s is just off Highway 30, is on Main Street, most likely at the eastern or western end. The old Ferguson’s Texaco corner at 13th and Main would be one of the most viable locations.
The first significant centennial of the Lincoln is 2013 and then other significant 100th year anniversaries of the Lincoln will follow in succeeding years, such as the “first in the state/first in the nation” paving of the Lincoln across Greene County—which was widely supported by the business and community leaders of Grand Junction.
There has been some incremental improvement on Main Street with the repainting of the service station property on the nortthwest corner of Main and 13th, which lends this property to some historical valuation from its Lincoln Highway/Old US 30 era as it was for many years a service station (mostly DX, operation by Karl Martin and later years by Patty Kersey but the affiliation of her gas supplier is not clear, but it may have been the Coop), with its last usage in the 1980s. Discussion has been underway recently about another business planning to open on Main Street, most likely a sit-down restaurant.
Residential Growth
South Junction Estates: Originally, Grand Junction was platted to extend four blocks beyond the current developed street, Elizabeth Street. In later years, when the proposed plats did not sell there, the land reverted to agriculture and the corporation limits were redrawn to place this land outside of the city limits. The proposal would be to convert this land back to residential and create average size lots with news homes priced in the median price range ($60,000 to $100,000) of home prices in the area. These homes would be targeted to families looking to move up from their first or “starter” home and would primarily be first, new-home buyers. Many would come from the pool of owners of existing older properties in Grand Junction and other communities.
The name “South Junction Estates” stems from the fact that the farms and farmland to south of Grand Junction are located in the southern half of Junction Township which is often featured in plat maps and atlases as “South Junction Township.” Junction Township is actuall the size of 1 and 2/3 townships with Washington Township (Rippey area) being 1 and 1/3 townships--when measured in comparison in size to all other townships in Greene County. [Note: Originally, in 1854 Greene County had just two townships--Washington and Jefferson. The existing townships were created in subsequent years out of the two original townships.]
A key selling point to the developer and prospective home buyers in South Junction Estates is close proximity to the City Park on Elizabeth Street, the junior-senior high school two blocks north of the park between 12th and 13th streets, the swimming pool on 9th Street, the ball park across 13th street from the school, three churches on Hager Street, and easy access to Highway 144 via Elizabeth Street. The park itself could be used as a gateway to South Junction Estates or the park could be extended on the opposite side of South Junction Estates with the street access alongside this “new” park on south side of the street.
Hager Heights: The farmland area behind the developed homes along East Hager Street has always flooded in rainy weather because of its low-lying elevation and the fact it serves as a runoff area for the higher elevations that run along Greene County 228th Street, which is parallel to Hager Street. The most low-lying area adjacent to the city limits that runs behind the blocks on the south side of Hager Street would be the site of a 2- to 3-acre lake, approximately from a line drawn from 16th Street to 20th Street. The lake would serve as the design anchor for a series of broad, winding streets through the development—bounded by the east-west city limits on the south and 228th Street to the north. The lake itself would serve as a buffer between the established residences (old Grand Junction) and these new homes on homesites larger than in old Grand Junction or even South Junction Estates.
Homes built here would sell in the $120,000+ range and be targeted to more affluent buyers who might be looking at Grand Junction as a good bedroom community or possibly retirees originally from the area or elsewhere who might want to move back but still live in a nice home rather than an apartment. These homes would sit on ¼-acre to ½-acre lots. Access would be from off 15th Street (marked by a lighted, brick entryway defining the area as “Hager Heights,” to connect with the town grid of streets) but also with an entry off of the county road, 228th Street, which is the continuation eastward of Elizabeth Street.
NOTE: Ownership of this land has changed hands in the last 20 years or so several times but is presently owned by Jan Scharingson, a resident of rural Grand Junction and a longtime high school English teacher with deep roots in the community as her father was Jack Carter, a GJ native and well-known local businessman until he moved to Ames in the late 1960s. Jan and her brothers and sisters all attended St. Mary’s Academy until the school was closed in 1962. [Jan '64 and Susie '66 are EGHS graduates while the younger Carters--Barb, Chuck, Joanne, Dick and Annette--finished up over in Ames.]
Northdale: While South Junction Estates and Hager Heights would appeal to home buyers in the upper and middle price ranges, Northdale would be a more mixed income area with smaller, tract-style homes with smaller yards and mutli-family buildings designed as both rentals and condominiums. This area would be designed to feed off the proximity to the highway for more blue-collar commuters and to the industrial development planned for the area just to the west of Northdale. Home prices would range from $40,000 to $70,000.
Westview: If a proposed Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene school district reorganization should take place in the next few years, the current Grand Junction and Dana residents specifically, should make the case for a new school facility to be built opposite the current East Greene football field on Highway 144 or in that general area—keying off the access of both Highway 144 and Old Lincoln Highway (230th Street). The residents of the district should also make the case that a JS and EG merged district should take a new name. Most appropriate and most utilitarian would be to name the district Lincolnway Community School District. Thus, the new Lincolnway district should be served by a new 6-8 grade middle school to be built in the vicinity of the Old 30-144 intersection with access off each roadway. More about this topic is addressed in Appendix B. Elementary students from the east side of the county would continue to use the existing elementary school at Rippey; Jefferson and Scranton students would attend the elementary school in Jefferson; and all students would attend the existing high school in Jefferson, with plans formulated to build a new gymnasium adjacent to the high school, replacing the one at the existing junior-senior high school as that school building will be phased out.
Should a new school building be built in this part of Grand Junction, the demand for new housing would be very high. As such, a proposed development targeted to the higher range of home buyers of Northdale and the lower range of home buyers of South Junction Estates (roughly $60,000 to $90,000) would be the key demographic here. Multi-family housing would prohibited here but lot sizes for single homes would be smaller, so that families would allow for children to play freely from yard to yard and home to home—building a cohesive “Westview” community. Key attributes here besides the proposed future school facility are the adjacent EG football and track facility and the Grand Junction Municipal Swimming Pool. A connotation of “Westview” is that it would be west-facing—toward Jefferson—the inevitable direction of the elementary students who attend classes in Rippey seven miles to the south and middle school in Grand Junction (or similar arrangement of elementary in Grand Junction and middle school/high school in Jefferson).
If a new school were to be built here, and the existing 1915 school structure on 12th Street be razed, the remaining portions of school property should be turned over to developers to create a Grand Junction Gardens (working title) mixed-use facility of condominiums, senior housing, and assisted living targeted to former residents who attended high school and/or elementary school—essentially all the graduates of GJHS from the late 1940s and 1950s, and all the EGHG graduates since 1960. The 1939 gymnasium-auditorium and the 1954 classroom addition could be used by the proposed GJ Gardens and/or the town of Grand Junction for a community center or to a possible private owner/developer for business purposes.
--Compiled by Alan Robinson, March 4, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
