Page 4 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 2-3-2016

Opinion
Page 4 • Feb. 3, 2016
25 Years Ago
January 1991
The City of Clear Lake will make
an application for a REAP (Resources
Enhancement and Protection) pro-
gram grant to help curb erosion in the
Sea Wall area. Erosion has been an
ongoing problem in the Sea Wall area,
as the lake water has washed away the
earth base of the wall. Due to the low
level of the lake, now is an appropriate
time to get the work done.
The Clear Lake Winter Dance
Party will be held Feb. 1 and 2, at
the Surf Ballroom. Friday night will
be Back to the 50’s Sock Hop. Fea-
tured performers for the Feb. 2 event
will be Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson,
Jack Scott, D.C. Drifters and the Sun
Rhythm Section.
An objection has been voiced
about the planned razing of the
Ventura Post Office and Library, but
Mayor Bob Wolfram says the Council
is still 100 percent behind replacing
the city’s aging structure with a new
building. Sharon Kaster, of Ventura,
approached the council for a second
time asking the council to consider
preserving the 97-year old structure
because of its unusual architecture.
The State Board of Education has
approved a new program in the area
of business education for the Ventura
School District. According to school
Superintendent Gary Schichtl, the
new curriculum will be a model of-
fice arrangement which stresses job
placement skills for students following
graduation.
Kirk Severtson, 14, won the High
School Division of the Fort Dodge
Area Symphony Young Artists Au-
ditions. Severtson will play the first
movement of Concerto No. 20 in d
minor by Mozart. He is the son of
John and Jana Severtson, of Clear
Lake.
Clear Lake volunteers aided the
American Cancer Society by holding
Jail and Bail. The volunteers doubled
the goal for the event by raising ap-
proximately $12,522. The top fund-
raisers were George and Edna Klaasen,
who raised edges of $2,484. Roma
Sedars raised $1,200 and Barb Dwyer
raised $1,045.
The Clear Lake boys basketball
team is 6-0 in NCC action. The team
romped Webster City, 85-46. The
Lynx didn’t score for the first five min- that the time can be seen plainly and
utes of the fourth quarter. Matt Freese-
mann led offensively with 27-points.
The Clear Lake wrestlers placed fifth
Cheering on the Hawkeyes
This bunch from Clear Lake attended the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, Calif., on
Jan. 1, to cheer on the Hawkeyes. The group was on a family vacation to San
Diego, Calif. Pictured (L-R) is Katie Berry, Josh Jones, Matt Berry, Robert
Berry, and Jean Casey. - Submitted photo
12 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA. 50428 • Ph. • 641-357-2131 • Fax • 641-357-2133
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REMEMBER WHEN
in the rugged North Central Confer-
ence Tournament. Chad Whitecotton
picked up his 75th win of his career
by claiming the 119-pound champi-
onship. Shawn Zimmerman won the
130-pound bout.
50 Years Ago
January 1966
The Clear Lake City Council
wants to test the sentiment of he busi- Rhythm Section entertained the crowd.
ness community before it proceeds
with a government-financed study
for possible urban renewal assistance.
The council also discussed the Iowa
Highway Commission plans for fail-
ing a four-lane highway from Mason
City to Clear Lake. The Mayor B.C.
Myhr said he was advised by District
Engineer Robert Tutton that long-
range plans call for Highway 18 to be
routed south of Clear Lake.
Clear Lake will host the areas first
annual Snowmobile Rally. The snow-
mobiles are equipped with motor,
runners, and a fiberglass body. The
races, or rally will be Saturday and
Sunday.
Bob Olson was the top scorer for
Ventura with 18-points. The Vikings
fell to Woden-Crystal Lake, 80-49.
The girls’ team also fell to W-C, 66-
53. Shirley Eden led Ventura with
26-points.
75 Years Ago
January 1941
All business places will close Fri-
day during the funeral services of the
late Oluf T. Hansen, who died after a
three year illness at the age of 69.
It seems probable there will be no
skating on the lake this winter. The
lake froze over very rough and then
it snowed which left the surface in a
worse condition.
Justices of the Peace for Grant
Township are Burton Prescott and
Howard Cash. Constables are Hans
Hendrickson and Eli Mack.
The city pump was used to flood
a place for skating last week. A large
crowd gathered to enjoy the sport.
85 Years Ago
January 1931
O.T. Hansen has installed an all
electric clock in the dry goods depart- North Iowa! Whether this is your
ment of his store. It is large enough
is said to be an absolute correct time
keeper. Stop in and check it out.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Kennedy de-
parted by auto for a several weeks trip
Serving Clear Lake & Ventura
communities since 1869
Chris Barragy
[email protected] [email protected]
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Poodle skirts and pompadours were popular again in 1991 at the Surf Ball-
room for the annual Winter Dance Party. The crowd danced to the tunes
of Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, Jack Scott, the D.C. Drifters and the Sun
through the south.
The Jay Decker $30,000 home on
the north lake shore, which has been
under construction several months, is
nearing completion and will be oc-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Welcome!
To the Editor,
On behalf of the Surf Ballroom
& Museum Board of Directors, vol-
unteers and staff, I would like to
welcome rock and roll fans back to
first or 37th visit, we hope your time
here with us is memorable! We know
that visitors to our communities will
experience the charm and hospitality
found here year round.
The Winter Dance Party event is
a celebration of the lives and legacies experience. Thank you for being part
of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and
J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson,
and continues to be an event like no
other in the country, perhaps even the
world. Nowhere else can you take a
step back in time to relive or experi-
ence how things were in 1959, form
a lifelong friendship with someone
from across the ocean, or rub elbows
with your favorite rock ‘n roll icon.
Our 2016 lineup promises ener-
getic performances, touching tributes,
and a celebration of rock ‘n roll his-
tory that the Surf Ballroom’s annual
Winter Dance Party has become syn-
onymous with. The events that trans-
pired in 1959 have long been referred
to as “the day the music died.” A large
part of our mission here at the Surf
Ballroom is to ensure that the music
lives on forever. From educational
programming in area schools and a
one of a kind Winter Dance Party
Kids Show, to historical presentations
and performances, our event’s goal is
to create traditions and memories that
will last a lifetime.
In addition to all of the opportu-
nities that take place at the Surf, we
hope that visitors and community
Owner/Publisher...... Mike Finnegan
[email protected]
Editor.................. Marianne Morf
[email protected]
Michelle Watson Amy Palmer
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Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
Under The
Golden Dome, Too
Representative Linda Upmeyer
515-281-3221
[email protected]
Putting the pieces together
Some of the big pieces of this
year’s session are beginning to fall into
place and the Legislature is moving
along efficiently. Committees and
subcommittees are hard at work doing
their business with the Iowans they
represent in their minds. The Capitol
has been full of Iowans each week and
I’ve had many opportunities to speak
with people from back home in while
they’re visiting Des Moines.
This week, the House contin-
ued to move forward on an educa-
tion funding proposal, by passing an
increased investment for our K-12
schools. The bill passed by the House
provides schools with an additional
$81 million in funding, so that they
can invest in technology and curricu-
lum needed to improve the classroom
experience for their students. When
you combine this with an additional
$53 million in funding for the Teach-
er Leadership Compensation system
passed as a part of education reform
in 2013, 84% of new available rev-
enue will be going towards education
in Iowa this session. Schools in north
Iowa with TLC
In a budget year where revenue
growth is slower than some have an-
ticipated, House Republicans have
made funding for schools our first
cupied by the Decker family in the Amanda Ragan
near future. The location on the shore
of beautiful Clear Lake is ideal for a State Senator
home.
515-281-3371 or 641-424-0874
[email protected]
Iowa is not ready for Medicaid transition
members take part in the many other This week, I was part of a group
special activities that will be taking that submitted a letter to President
place throughout Clear Lake and Ma- Obama and other federal officials
son City this week. The Clear Lake about our growing, heartfelt concerns
Arts Center, MacNider Art Museum, over Governor Branstad’s unilateral
Clear Lake and Garner Schools, and decision to privatize Iowa’s Medicaid
many area restaurants and bars are program. We appreciate the decision
host to symposiums and activities, free by federal officials in December to
movies and tours, record shows, en- delay implementation of Medicaid
tertainment and more. We hope that privatization until March 1. It’s clear
you’ll support them as they support they recognized that the Governor’s
the Surf ’s important annual tradition! Administration was trying to do too
However you take part in this special much, too fast and failing to protect
weekend, we hope that you enjoy your Iowans.
But Iowa still isn’t ready. Since the
of the 2016 Winter Dance Party – delay by the Centers for Medicare and
your support of our event and historic Medicaid Services (CMS) more than
venue is very much appreciated. 40 days ago, we have seen no evidence
May the music and memories live that the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise
on forever! and the out-of-state companies picked
Laurie Lietz, Executive Director to help privatize Medicaid have taken
Surf Ballroom & Museum, Clear Lake the steps necessary to ensure the health
and wellbeing of more than 560,000
Iowans. The concerns CMS expressed
about Iowa’s Medicaid privatization
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and top priority. House Republicans
have increased funding and support
for schools each year since being in
the majority, totaling over $500 mil-
lion. Additionally, House Republi-
cans have been able to follow through
on each year’s funding commitment
to schools. Past General Assemblies
made an unfortunate habit of promis-
ing increases and failing to fulfill their
promise, either by underfunding what
was passed or even cutting money
halfway through the school year. This
forces school districts to shift those
shortfalls to property owners by rais-
ing property taxes.
While some have claimed that
Iowa will see a mass layoff of teach-
ers as a result of House Republican’s
funding proposals, any rhetoric of
that nature is simply unfounded. In
fact, data shows that the number of
teachers in Iowa classrooms has in-
creased steadily each year that Repub-
licans have been in the majority, and
we have almost reached the level we
were at prior to the across-the-board
cuts to education during the previous
Democrat administration.
House Republicans are proud of
the investments we have made in edu
See UPMEYER on page 5
in December are equally valid today.
They include:
•Arbitrary and unrealistic imple-
mentation timeline
•Failure to establish adequate
provider networks in advance
•Disruptions of longstanding pa-
tient-provider relationships
•Diminished quality and access
to health care services
•Compromised patient care
•Inadequate communication
with patients and providers
For all these reasons, we are call-
ing on President Obama and other key
federal officials to deny Iowa’s applica-
tion to establish a statewide private
managed care system for Medicaid.
Instead, Iowa should continue im-
proving patient outcomes, increasing
access to care and making the existing
public management of Medicaid more
efficient.

See RAGAN on page 5
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