Page 1 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 3-23-2016
P. 1
Kenny Rogers coming to Surf
pg. 7
Weather More weather on page 5.
Snow likely Wed. and Thurs. and a chance of a
rain/snow mix on Saturday.
USPS 117-120 VOL. 146 Issue 12 March 23, 2016 Serving Clear Lake and Ventura since 1869 • Hometown newspaper of Cerise & Dennis Sissel $1.50
Clear Lake City will TeamQuest
Mirror-Reporter lend VFW announces
CALENDAR money for workforce
memorial reduction
Wednesday concept
Iowa’s beauty creation Thirty-two will lose
jobs in North Iowa
A slide presentation and
lecture featuring nature photo- Plans for a Veterans Memorial at Ice declared ‘out’ March 16 TeamQuest, a Clear Lake based company, has notified em-
graphs from all across the state the former water tower site near City ployees of a planned workforce reduction effective April 22, 2016.
of Iowa will be shown today Beach are proceeding. Following days of below average temperatures and punctuated with high winds, the ice was de- The restructure plans will eliminate 32 positions from the North
(March 23) at 1 p.m. at the Monday night the Clear Lake City clared “out” on Clear Lake Wednesday, March 16. At that time the lake level was measured as Central Iowa area.
Clear Lake Public Library. En- Council approved a resolution authoriz- 5.40 inches above the weir at the Outlet, according to Paul J. Fredriksen, superintendent of the TeamQuest was founded 25 years ago to develop software
joy images of Iowa song birds, ing Mayor Nelson Crabb to sign a loan Clear Lake Water Department. “Ice-in” was declared by officials at the Water Treatment Plant for mainframe systems, while also developing and selling prod-
waterfowl, birds of prey, wad- agreement on behalf of the city with on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015. Fredriksen noted the average length of ice on the lake (since records ucts for distributed, virtual and cloud based platforms. Inevitably,
ing birds, mammals, butterflies Clear Lake V.F.W. Post 4868 to fund a began to be kept in 1937) is 125 days; the longest span was from Nov. 23, 1950 to April 28, 1951, the mainframe segment has been in decline, driven by the market
and other insects, in addition concept design for a proposed veterans 156 days, which corresponded with the latest Ice Out. The shortest amount of time the lake was adoption of more modern technologies.
to stunning prairie scenes and memorial. ice-covered was from Dec. 19, 1999 to March 6, 2000, 78 days.-Reporter photo by Chris Barragy. “TeamQuest is in the midst of a company transformation,”
wildflower close-ups - and of RDG Design, of Des Moines, said Paul Hesser, TeamQuest president and CEO. “We have
course the wildlife babies. Au- which has been used to develop a num- industry leading technology, an impressive customer base, and
thor Ty Smedes will accompany ber of streetscape designs for the City talented team members that are bringing about positive change
the slideshow presentation with including the recent City Beach, Sea to the company. Unfortunately, given the decline in our legacy
anecdotes about where and how Wall and North Lakeview Drive im- mainframe business, we can no longer afford our current employ-
the images were made. provements, has been retained for the ment level.”
work. The cost of the conceptual design Through 2015, TeamQuest added new leaders in software
Thursday work is $8,500. engineering, sales, marketing and finance. In addition, it acquired
Business Expo RDG is expected to present three Ottawa based PureShare, and recently announced its new product
design concepts to the VFW. A final de- suite, Vityl, which is a major industry advancement.
The Clear Lake Chamber sign will then be presented to the City “We are optimistic that the changes made in our products
of Commerce will host a Busi- later this year, according to V.F.W. Post and across the organization will have a dramatic, positive and sus-
ness Expo on Thursday, March Commander Mike Nelson. tainable effect on the future of the company,” said Hesser.
24, at the Surf Ballroom, 4-6:30 In November 2015 the Council TeamQuest provided notice to employees under the Iowa
p.m. The Expo will feature 40 voted unanimously in favor of a loan Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The com-
exhibitors. Admission is free. agreement with the V.F.W. to pursue pany will also provide the opportunity for employees to receive
phase one design services with RDG. separation pay and the opportunity to receive outplacement ser-
Friday However, Monday night Councilman vices.
Oakwood egg hunt Gary Hugi voted against the loan. He “These were difficult decisions that affected good people. We
did not comment on his action. want to help them manage through their employment transition,”
Oakwood Care Center, Previously, Council members he said.
400 Highway 18 West, Clear stressed they were not approving the
Lake, invites children and their site, but rather supporting creation of a Clear Lake photographer honored for her
families to an Easter Egg Hunt conceptual design which will provide a dedication to profession and focus on business
at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 25. visual for the amount of space a memo-
Have photos taken with the rial would occupy. Do what you love and love what you do. Speakar was recently honored for her dedication Lee Speakar displays the National Service Award she
Easter Bunny from 2-3 p.m. If the conceptual design is approved Good advice, right? But for those who love pho- to her field at the Winter Conference for Professional was given by the Professional Photographers of America
and City leaders vote to locate the me- tography and envision a career in the field, the ability Photographers of Iowa in Des Moines. She was the organization in recognition of her support and volun-
Saturday morial at the water tower site, the City to take good photos isn’t enough. recipient of the National Service Award, the highest teerism within the profession.-Submitted photo.
Easter egg hunt would also pay the $19,500 phase two Lee Speakar, owner of Speakar Photography in honor granted by the Professional Photographers of
cost for final design and construction, Clear Lake, has been a successful photographer for America. The award recognizes those whose support
An Easter Egg Hunt will be based on discussion in November. Nel- more than four decades. That’s testimony to not only for photography goes far beyond any regular expecta-
held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March son said the V.F.W. would enter into a her technical abilities, but her business sense. Today, tions or contribution. With a membership of more
26, in Clear Lake City Park. loan agreement with the City to repay one of her greatest pleasures is sharing the keys to than 26,000, the PPA is the largest international non-
This free event is intended for the funds once its fundraising campaign business success with those who enjoy taking photos profit association created for professional photogra-
for a memorial was underway. At that as much as she does. phers.
continued time Hugi said he was opposed to us- Speakar devotes a number of weeks each year Speakar’s start in photography wasn’t behind the
ing taxpayer money for the project, but teaching the business of photography at schools na- camera. She was an office assistant whose duties in-
More CALENDAR voted in favor of an agreement with the tionwide. She has shared her tips to business success cluded sales. She worked for photographers in the Des
on page 2 V.F.W. for repayment. In September with convention crowds as large as 15,000 in Atlanta, Moines area who had varied business models. Some
2015, Hugi voted against the develop- Ga., to student classrooms at Hawkeye Community specialized in church directories and school photos,
Inside ment of a plan for a memorial at the wa- College and Iowa Lakes Community College. while others catered to “high end” clientele, shooting
ter tower location. At whatever time a “I see students who enjoy photography and think photos in homes or on location. She eventually made
Opinion..................4-5 specific location is proposed for the me- it’s easy money. From my classes of 30 students, seven her way to Silver Springs, Md. and continued in the
Weather.................... 5 morial, Hugi supports holding a public will pursue photography as a small business; two in profession, gaining experience in wedding photogra-
Sports..................... 10 hearing to receive comments. 30 will stay in the field five years; one in 30 will stay phy and diplomatic shoots. When the Washington
Legals................12-13 beyond 10 years,” said Speakar. “I’ve learned through D.C. lifestyle didn’t suit her, Speakar returned to
Classifieds.........14-15 Other business the school of hard knocks and I think that’s why they Iowa and purchased the Oakwood Grocery Store on
In other business Monday, City Ad- listen to me. I tell them profit is not a four-letter Clear Lake’s south shore. She continued her interest
The ice was declared out on ministrator Scott Flory reported inter- word, it’s six. And it’s crucial to staying in a career in photography by working with Jean Poland, owner
Wednesday, March 16. At views are in progress for a new CLEAR that you love.”
that time the lake measured Project coordinator. See PHOTOGRAPHER on page 2
5.40” above the weir. A report A Water Management Authority
on Tuesday had the lake level
at +4.80” above the weir. See CITY COUNCIL on page 2
Clues needed to Waverly homicides
Mail: 12 N. 4th St., This is a weekly feature highlighting some of Iowa’s Julie Benning Case summary by Jody Ewing old Julie Benning suddenly vanished without a trace
Clear Lake, IA 50428 unsolved homicides in the hopes that it will lead to She had a quick smile, a zany laugh. She was while on her way to work in Waverly, Iowa.
Telephone: 641-357-2131 new tips and potentially help solve cases. The project bright, beautiful, spunky and ambitious. She loved Her father, Lowell Benning of rural Clarksville,
Fax: 641-357-2133 is a partnership between this newspaper and other getting out to meet people and making things hap- drove to Waverly and reported her missing to Police
Email: [email protected] members of the Iowa Newspaper Association. pen. She loved live music and the weekly Top 100 Chief Clarence Wickham. Mr. Benning knew that Ju-
Website: www.clreporter.com Countdown. Her creativity spilled over into every lie — the eldest of his five daughters — would never
aspect of her life; she not only designed and sewed just disappear without a word, and asked police to
@CLReporter her own dresses, but painted landscapes and portraits contact area media about his missing child. Wick-
of all things closest to her heart. She also was an ham, perhaps not fully convinced foul play was in-
avid reader — Nancy Drew mysteries were a favorite volved, suggested Benning make the media contacts.
— was already writing her own stories and had an The distraught father went to newspapers and
interest in investigative journalism. But the day af- radio stations in person, asking they alert the public
ter Thanksgiving on Friday, Nov. 28, 1975, 18-year-
See GONE COLD on page 8
