The Ida County Community Betterment Foundation (ICCBF), an affiliate of the Siouxland Community Foundation, recently awarded grants totaling over $128,000 to nonprofit organizations in support of projects and programs throughout Ida County. This brings the total grants awarded to over $1.6 million since the first grants were made in 2006.
Brian Bode, a teacher and coach in the Ridge View school district, does more than just teach subjects and coach sports. He sets a positive example, and gives students life lessons along the way.
Bode listed his duties as teacher and coach.
“I’m a fifth grade teacher,” he stated, “and we’re self-contained so I teach all subjects: math, reading, science, and social studies. I co-head coach high school football, head girls high school basketball, and head girls’ golf.”
Bode gave a brief history of his teaching experience.
The Holstein City Council conducted its regular meeting on Monday, May 1. Council members Regennitter, Schimmer, Stevenson, Wiese, and Voss were in attendance, as well as Mayor Breyfogle. Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman gave his quarterly report to the council. Director Niemeier updated the Council on public works. They have been busy doing spring work on city-owned property, mowing and fertilizing.
The Ridge View Spring Band and Vocal Concert and Art Show was a wonderful display of the arts throughout the night on May 2. In the High School Gym, art displays were set up for viewing - remarkable works. The Art Instructor is Mrs. Angie Kohn.
Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove recently held a ground-breaking ceremony for the Emergency Room and Lab Expansion and Renovation Project. The southeast corner of the hospital is where the expansion and renovation will take place. Glen Winekauf, CEO of Horn Memorial, explained what the project entails.
There’s a unique little store on Main Street in Holstein called Spirits, Stogies & Stuff. Brenda Cronin, along with her husband Jeff, own the floral shop, liquor, and gift store. Jeff also owns Jeff Cronin Trucking. Brenda explained how it all began.
“On May 1st, it’s been 23 years that we’ve owned the store,” she said. “In ‘97, we purchased the trucking company, and when we purchased the store, we moved the trucking office there also. This used to be an appliance/liquor store, so we bought it and I answered the phones and did all his bookkeeping from here.”
Anita Radke began her 45-year teaching career in a parochial school in Hospers, Iowa. The following summer, she married Mike Radke and accepted a second grade teaching position in Galva. When the 1980 reorganization of Galva and Holstein occurred, she began teaching third grade in Holstein, teaching first, second, and third grades until her retirement from full-time teaching in June 2016. In July 2016, her phone started ringing, asking her to teach half time fifth grade in Galva. After conversations with her husband, she accepted – thinking it was a one year commitment.
Jackie Courtright is retiring from teaching English at Ridge View High School. She once taught at Washington High school in Cherokee for 29 years. She took early retirement from there, but missed teaching, so, when she was asked in 2005 to teach half time at Holstein High School, she took it on. She has been teaching a total of 50 plus years.
While being led down to Courtright’s room for this interview, a colleague said in regards to Courtright’s retirement, “She will be greatly missed.”
Tears came to Courtright’s eyes when she heard this, as she said,
Ridge View High school theater department presented Shakespeare’s A Midsummer night’s dream on Thursday, April 27 and Saturday, April 29 in the evening at the Rosemary Clausen Center for Performing Arts. Much dialogue for these young actors to learn. They did a fine job.
A short synopsis of the play is this: People get lost in the woods. A fairy called Puck manipulates their romance affections and (in one case) anatomical head-shape. Actors put on a play to celebrate Theseus’s wedding day.
Galva-Holstein Elementary performed their Spring Concert on Tuesday, April 25. To begin, Mr. Jonah Kistenmacher directed the 5th Grade Band to play 3 songs: Theme from Symphony No. 9, Indigo Rock, and Shine. It was a pleasant performance, for sure.
For the rest of the evening, Ms. Amanda Kinney directed her music class through many cultures:
