The Henry County Supervisors held their weekly meeting on Thursday morning where a variety of business was done, such as the 2nd Reading of the Resolution depicting EMS as an Essential Service and an update from the Henry County Engineer.
During the talk with Jake Hotchkiss, Steve Detrick, who is running for a supervisor position, inquired about the possibility of installing a portable speed bump near the Salem school. During the school year, temporary stop signs are placed out, but the Henry County Sheriff agreed that not everyone adheres to the warning. Hotchkiss addressed the question by saying that this is something he could investigate, but research would have to be done. A supervisor added the idea of rumble strips, but that was quickly shot down as those can be ineffective. The room also discussed adding LED lights to the stop signs, which have proved to be effective.
Terri Bain, joined in support by the Henry County Engineer, Sheriff, and others, asked for a temporary ordinance encompassing Trenton for the day of the RAGBRAI overnight and the following day. This would reinforce the authority of the Sheriff’s department and road department to limit which roads drivers can use those days, and ensure vendors are set up in specific places. The Sheriff and County engineer will now meet with the Attorney’s office to iron out the details of the temporary ordinance.
Fort Madison Fire and Rescue has the honor of placing flags at Oakland Cemetery’s Veteran’s Circle. However, they require new flags to replace the older, faded cotton ones. If you know of any organizations or individuals who can donate flags or funds, please contact Fort Madison Fire and Rescue or visit them at their station. They are in need of 5′ x 9 1/2′ nylon flags.
The Mt. Pleasant City Council met yesterday evening for a regular meeting. With a smaller than usual board, thanks to the absence of Steve Engberg and the ward 4 council seat empty after the resignation of Jeff Batty, there was still business to be done. A resolution was approved yesterday approving the appointment of Kevin Glaha to fill the vacant seat on the board, his term will expire in December 2025. Gary Grunow, with the Parks and Rec department, reminded the room that the public pool is open for business this Monday!
Beverly Jean (Dory) Lamansky of Fairfield, passed away at the age of 91, May 21, 2024.
Friends may call after 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 24, 2024 with the family present from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield. Funeral service and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in East Pleasant Plain, Iowa. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Fairfield Community School District and directed to the family at 2946-122nd Blvd. Brighton, IA 52540.
Beverly was born in Cumberland, Iowa November 21, 1932, to Clark and Valera Dory.
Beverly graduated from Cumberland High School, Ottumwa Heights College, and Iowa
Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and had over 25 hours of post graduate coursework.
She taught elementary school in Anita, Pleasant Plain, Brighton, Washington, and Fairfield.
Beverly was honored as Reading Teacher of the Year in 1988 and Teacher of the Year in 1996
in Fairfield.
Beverly was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. For many years after retiring from her career in education, Beverly and her husband of almost 66 years, Harry Roy Lamansky, enjoyed traveling and camping frequently with Beverly’s older sister, Marilyn and Marilyn’s husband, Richard, often going to Texas for weeks at a time and often to Branson, Missouri. Beverly especially loved spending time with and attending the school events of her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was always willing to babysit and help out in any way she could. She also enjoyed reading and attending sporting events.
Beverly belonged to several organizations over the years including the 95 Club, American
Association of University Women, Delta Kappa Gamma, Jefferson County Retired School
Personnel, Fairfield Women’s Club (Garden Department), Jefferson County Hospital Auxiliary,
Jefferson County Reading Association, and the Flexibles. She was also a member of St.
Mary Catholic Church in Fairfield.
Beverly was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Roy Lamansky, of Fairfield, Iowa; her mother, Valera Mae Edwards Dory of Cumberland, Iowa; her stepmother, Anna (Paasch) Dory and father, Clark Dory of Atlantic, Iowa; her daughter, RoAnne Larson of Fairfield, Iowa; her
Sisters, Nancy Copher of Joplin, Missouri, Margaret Hardy of Red Oak, Iowa, Marilyn Bernhardt
of Kansas City, Missouri; her only brother, Clark Dory of Perry, Iowa; and her aunt, Evelyn
Edwards Hemphill of Cumberland, Iowa.
Beverly is survived by her sons, Joseph (Brenda) Lamansky of Brighton, Iowa, Daniel Lamansky of Brighton, Iowa, and Ronald (Christe) Lamansky of Pleasant Plain, Iowa; her daughters, Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army (Ret.) Jane Nefores (Chief Warrant Officer 3, U.S. Army, Ret. David Nefores) of Baltimore, Maryland, Barbara (Daniel) Mottet of Brighton, Iowa, and Karen (Heath) Foreman of Batavia, Iowa. Beverly’s surviving sisters are Rosemary Schrier of Atlantic, Iowa, Shirley (Richard) Ruge of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Sandra (Donald) Schlotzhouer of Atlantic, Iowa.
Beverly is survived by her grandchildren, Chad (significant other, Micheala Warren) Lamansky of Richland, Iowa, Thomas (Jennifer) Lamansky of Eldon, Iowa, Alison Connelly of Richland, Iowa, Abby (John) Utech of Agency, Iowa, April (Sergeant Ross Donelson, U.S. Army National Guard, Ret.) Donelson of Wayland, Iowa, Father John Lamansky (priest at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church) Iowa City, Iowa, Andrew (Kathleen) Lamansky of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, James (Michel) Lamansky of Columbus, Ohio, Nathaniel (fiancée Natalia Rodriguez) Lamansky of Darby, Montana, Cady (Richard) McCarty of Richland, Iowa, Cara (Josh) Beck of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cala (Jerred) Leonard of Fairfield, Iowa, Cody (Kimberly) McCoy of Ottumwa, Iowa, Dr. Carissa (Dr. Kylan) Sojka-DeVries, Ryan (Whitney) Larson of Marion, Iowa, Specialist Four Kyle Larson, U.S. Army National Guard of Fairfield, Iowa, Bethany Larson of Tempe, Arizona, Dorian (fiancé Austin Carlson) Larson of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Andrea (Technical Sergeant Michael Warren, U.S. Air Force) Warren of Fairfax, Virginia, Erik (Tori) Nefores of Millers, Maryland, Dana (William) Elam of Kirksville, Missouri, Curtis Mottet of Brighton, Iowa, and Jennifer (Scott) Krause of Birmingham, Iowa.
Beverly is survived by her great-grandchildren, Quinn, Kaelyn and Kinnick McCoy of Ottumwa, Iowa, Cody Mitchell, Levi, Hunter, Mitchell, and Rowan Connelly of Richland, Iowa, Brody, Liam and Myra Donelson of Wayland, Iowa, Bailey, Joseph, Isabelle and Tate Lamansky, of
Richland, Iowa and Joseph, Emma, Joshua, and Jacob Warren of Richland, Blake, Knox,
Aleigha and Brielle Lamansky of Eldon, Iowa, Sylvia Lamansky of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
Michael James Lamansky of Columbus, Ohio, Madilyn and Ellie McCarty of Richland, Iowa,
Lincoln Leonard of Fairfield, Iowa, Owen, June and Willem Beck of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Waverly and Wendelin Sojka-DeVries of Ashland, Oregon, Emma Larson of Fairfield, Iowa, Evie Larson of
Marion, Iowa, Liam and Bodhi Nefores of Millers, Maryland, Brogan, Avanley and Phaelan
Mottet of Fairfield, Iowa, Bria Elam of Kirksville, Missouri, Skye Krause of Ames, Iowa, and Rory
Jean I. Hepker, age 74, of Mt. Pleasant, formerly of Marengo, passed away peacefully Monday, May 20, 2024, at Arbor Court Nursing Home in Mt. Pleasant. Funeral service: 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 24, 2024, at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo with Roy Libby officiating. Burial will be at Dunkard Cemetery in Toddville, Iowa. A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m., until service time at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 24, 2024. In lieu of flowers memorials may be contributed to the American Diabetes Association for diabetic research.
Jean is survived by her daughter Tonya (Joe) Campbell-Golding, of TN; two grandchildren Melanie Campbell, of FL and Gabriel Whaley, of Mt. Pleasant; two sisters Ellen (Dave) Ewing, of NC and Janice (Jim) Hoylman, of Webster.
She is preceded in death by her parents Warren and Virginia; two sisters LaVonne Hinkle and Carol Jean Hepker, in infancy; and a brother Kenneth Hepker.
Jean Irene Hepker was born August 10, 1949, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Warren and Virginia Lee Hepker. She graduated from Iowa Valley High School in 1968. Jean was united in marriage to Donald Campbell and to this union Tonya was born. The couple later divorced. She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Marengo until she moved to Iowa City. Jean loved being an active member of the church, helping with mission projects and teaching Sunday school. Jean worked at Oral B and also provided childcare in her home for many years until she moved to Chatham Oaks in Iowa City. Jean enjoyed working on activity books, reading, doing word searches, and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes. She moved to Arbor Court Nursing Home in Mt. Pleasant where she liked to contribute to the activities there and also attended Wellspring Evangelical Free Church.
Iowa state parks and forests are gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the outdoor summer recreation season.
“Park visitors are excited to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather after a long winter inside,” said Sherry Arntzen, chief of the DNR’s State Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau. “Our parks offer a variety of activities for all enthusiasts from hiking the trails to picnicking, fishing and swimming. There’s something for everyone while enjoying the outdoors.”
Campers are urged to plan ahead when visiting Iowa state parks and forests for Memorial Day weekend. Most electrical and full hookup sites in busy parks are already reserved, so campers may want to consider non-electric sites or at “hidden gem” parks a little further away from home. Additionally, Iowa state parks and forests offer around 950 non-reservable sites available on a first-come, first-served basis, with most people choosing to stay Thursday through the weekend.
Park visitors can help take care of the parks by cleaning up trash after themselves, and carrying out what they brought in. Please park vehicles in designated parking lots and not along roadways. If visiting beaches, be aware that most swimming areas do not have a lifeguard on duty, and pets must be kept off beaches and be on a leash.
“We hope that campers enjoy their time and make memories while staying in our parks and recreational areas, and do so safely and return again,” Arntzen said.
Tips
Keep track of the weather and have a plan in case of severe weather
Pack bug spray, sun screen and a basic first-aid kit
Check the registration kiosk for activities in the area
Don’t burn trash
Don’t bring fireworks
Be a good neighbor. Observe quiet hours and pick up after yourself
Here is the link to the full Iowa Outdoors: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/IACIO/bulletins/39dd0ae
Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Thursday, May 23, 2024, in honor of Matthew Dickerson, an employee of the Iowa Department of Transportation who was killed on May 16 while working on I-80 near Council Bluffs.
“We honor the memory of Matthew Dickerson and his service to the state of Iowa as he is laid to rest this week,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Kevin and I pray for his wife, daughters, parents, and extended family during this difficult time.
“This senseless tragedy never should have happened. I urge all drivers to be alert when approaching any work area at any time. The workers on our interstates and roadways deserve our full attention and respect. Please be vigilant and reduce your speed whenever you’re near work areas to keep everyone safe on Iowa’s roads.”
Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.
Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties, and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flags at half-staff for the same length of time.
Eichelberger Farms has announced plans to construct an Agricultural Science Center for the WACO Ag program and FFA Chapter. The new facility will feature two classrooms, two locker rooms, a kitchen, specialized rooms for rabbits, poultry, and swine, pens for other large animals, as well as a greenhouse. There will also be a conference room to facilitate meetings with community partners who provide valuable real-world experience to the students. This would include guest speakers, land lab partners, and volunteers to train FFA contest teams.
The goal and vision of the facility is to create realistic workprelated opportunities for students that are not present in a typical school setting. The new ag center will allow the program to continue its education of agriculturally related topics with industry standard lab spaces and experiences.
Plans are to start construction in the fall of 2024 or spring of 2025, and the building will be located on the current High School campus in Wayland.
