Page 4 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 4-20-2016

Opinion
Page 4 • April 20, 2016
25 Years Ago
April 1991
If someone were to write a
book about the effort to build a new
Ventura library, it would have to be
classified as a mystery. Last week
Ventura Mayor Bob Wolfram, who
has spearheaded the effort to build a
new library for more than a year, an-
nounced that the city leaders had de-
cided to construct the library on city
property located on the north side of
the town, between the City Hall and
Fire Barn. That decision was made
after concerns surfaced that the city
might be destroying a historically
valuable building if it razed the exist-
ing library and post office structure.
Although plans had been drawn,
fundraising was well underway, and
contract negotiations were nearly
completed with the United States
Postal Service, city officials decided to
explore other options.
Storms rumbled through the area
Friday that packed winds of up to 60
mph and downed numerous trees.
In an effort to lessen the poten-
tial for a disastrous accident at the
dangerous intersection of N. 20 St.
and Highway 18, the Clear Lake City
Council was expected to ask the state
for help in evaluating the busy inter-
section.
ABCM Corporation, the parent
company of the Oakwood Care Cen-
ter, has announced the appointment
of Paul G. Klus as Oakwood’s new
manager. Klus is from Mason City.
Kathy Walls, a member of the
Clear Lake girls track team, was in-
cluded in this week’s issue of the Iowa
Girls High School Athletic Union
Weekly Track and Field Leader Re-
port. Walls successfully cleared 4’10”
in the high jump.
The Clear Lake girls track team
opened the season at the Clear Lake
Under The
Golden Dome, Too
Representative Linda Upmeyer
[email protected]
Meet Alex Byrnes, Speaker’s Page
With nicer weather fi-
nally here, farmers have got-
ten out to the fields to begin
planting for this year. Several
legislators are farmers them-
selves, so they are looking
forward to wrapping up ses-
sion so that they can return
home and get back to life
on the farm. We continued
work on the state budget this
week and while we may not
complete our work by Day
100, I continue to believe
that should be our goal and
have charted a path to do so.
Each session, high
school students from across the state
are given the unique opportunity to
work as pages in the legislature. This
once in a lifetime experience gives
students the chance to see the inner
workings of state government and
make connections and friendships
that will last a lifetime. This year, my
page was Alex Byrnes, of Osage, and
in this week’s newsletter she shares her
experience:
“Hello, my name is Alex Byrnes
and I am the Speaker’s Page for the
2016 Legislative Session. Here is a sum-
mary of myself and how I was granted
this opportunity to work in this beauti-
ful Capitol.
I grew up on an acreage eight miles
Northwest of Osage, which is located
about 20 miles from the Minnesota
border. While attending Osage High
School, I had the opportunity to par-
12 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA. 50428 • Ph. • 641-357-2131 • Fax • 641-357-2133
Kim Ritter Kathleen Thul
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John Schmidt
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REMEMBER WHEN
Efforts add up in 1991
These Clear Lake students made high marks at the 9th Annual Sixth Grade Math Bee. The team of (seated L-R): Michael
Burgart, Jane Cherry, Ben Gordon and Greg Johnson placed second at the bee and have qualified for the State Math Bee.
Taking fifth place honors was the team of (standing L-R): Jed Latham, Erin Pleggenkuhle, Allison Secory and Kyle Smith.
Continuing (L-R): Maribeth Bernard, Keith Niebuhr, David Severtson and Brad Schutte placed 12th as a team. Alter-
nates to the team (kneeling in the front) Nicki Heinnicutt (left) and Cassie Fredia (right). Placing individually month the
140 competitors were: Michael Burgart, third place and a qualifier for the State Math Bee; Jed Latham, fourth; and Jane
Cherry, fifteenth. Pictured in the center back is math teacher and coach Jane Angle.
Early Bird and placed second in the
eight field competition. First place
finishers included Kathy Walls in the
high jump; Kendra Berge was first in
the long jump with a leap of 14’7”; the
800 meter relay team of Nikki Schina-
gel, Sabra Aswan, Sara Wempen and
Kime Moore in 1:57.2; Berge broke
the tape in the 200 meter dash clock-
ing in at 27.81; the 400 meter relay
team of Schinagel, Wempen, Walls
and Berge took first in 54.34.
Entertaining at the Surf Ballroom
will be the Kenny Hofer Orchestra,
Reminisce Band, Hal’s Ramblers, and
Sammy Jensen Orchestra.
515-281-3221
emy Awards. The movie stars Audrey a “camp” in the woods near the camp-
ticipate in cross country, track, Student
Council, 4-H, National Honor Society,
and Model U.N. I will graduate from
Osage on May 22.
Living in rural Iowa, the Page pro-
gram is not widely known. However,
because my dad is a State Representa-
tive, he informed me about this oppor-
tunity. Having an opportunity to work
in the Capitol was extra-special because
my dad is retiring this year and it is also of Public Safety to oversee and ef-
my senior year.
I have always had an interest in
politics, so this was something I was re-
ally looking forward to. In order to be a
page, I had to discuss this with my high
school counselor, Mrs. Dohlman, and
she encouraged me to go for it. How-
ever, I did not want to graduate early,
so I had to figure out my class schedule.
I ended up taking five classes during the
session which at times was very stressful,
See UPMEYER on page 5
Serving Clear Lake & Ventura
communities since 1869
Chris Barragy
[email protected] [email protected]
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50 Years Ago
April 1966
There is an increasing sales vol-
ume of agricultural products and
increasing employment in the Clear
Lake area, an economic study shows.
The report shows a decreasing number
of farms in the area as the size of farms sorts of novelties by cutting old alumi- Recruiters are clever.
has increased.
The Junior Chamber of Com-
merce sponsored the annual Easter
Egg Hunt in City Park. Cash prizes
were given to children finding eggs
with lucky numbers.
The Barrel Drive-In is open
and ready to serve up their broasted on the Stone Ranch Saturday. While
chicken. Get 30 pieces of chicken for in the barn he stepped into a stall and
$6.25; 10 pieces of chicken for $2.15; a horse made a lunge at him cutting
or four pieces for 50¢.
Playing at the Lake Theater is
“My Fair Lady,” winner of eight Acad- nuisance. Nearly every night there is
Hepburn and Rex Harrison.
60 Years Ago
March 1956
High winds Saturday and Sunday
quickly cleared the west end of Clear
Lake of the winter accumulation of
ice, leaving the remainder in the east
end to be disposed of by the sun and
wind.
The open season on golf balls gets
Amanda Ragan
State Senator
515-281-3371 or 641-424-0874
[email protected]
Iowa focuses efforts to stop human trafficking
Human trafficking uses force,
fraud or coercion to exploit someone
for sex or labor. It is now a $150 bil-
lion industry, and it’s happening in
Iowa.
SF 2191, approved unanimously
by the Legislature and signed into
law, establishes an Office of Human
Trafficking within the Department
fectively coordinate efforts to combat
human trafficking. The office will
work with government agencies and
community organizations with exper-
tise in human trafficking prevention,
victim protection and assistance, law
enforcement and prosecution.
While awareness about the is-
sue is growing, human trafficking
has only recently been recognized
as a crime by many. It’s hard to esti-
Owner/Publisher...... Mike Finnegan
[email protected]
Editor.................. Marianne Morf
[email protected]
Michelle Watson Amy Palmer
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Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
GUEST EDITORIAL
Human trafficking happens here
By Kay Day, of Clear Lake
It’s not just a third world prob-
lem. While it’s seldom recognized for
what it really is, trafficking in human
lives is a thriving business right here
in America. Slavery. People making
millions of dollars off the misery of
other human beings. It is a crime hid-
den in plain sight.
As of 2014, human trafficking
was a $150 billion per year business
and growing. Sex trafficking made up
about $99 billion of this. This crime
is no respecter of persons. It is found
in wealthy communities, poor com-
munities, black, white, Asian and
Hispanic communities; it’s in our
cities and in rural America. It im-
pacts every demographic imaginable.
Labor trafficking and sex trafficking
happen here, and the commercial sex-
ual exploitation of children is growing
so rapidly that it will soon surpass the
illegal sale of drugs and arms.
Boys are not immune
The average age of a girl entering
the sex trade in America is between
11 and 14 years old. The life expec-
tancy of a girl in the sex trade is just
seven years. Only one percent to two
percent of trafficking victims are ever
rescued. And the girls being trafficked
underway Saturday. Manager Elwood in America are predominately Ameri-
Zipse qualified the announcement can children. They are our daughters,
only in the event of good weather. Les our sisters, the neighbor’s teenage soc-
Hugh will manage the golf shop, as- cer player, your babysitter. While 82
sisted by Don Bell. percent to 98 percent of those forced,
Ray Stevens, a radio and TV tech- coerced or tricked into sex trafficking
nician by trade, has been making all are girls, boys are not immune.
num photography records. Recruiters are experts at enlisting
Clear Lake firemen were called to the trust of their targets. They are very
put out a large grass fire on Fletcher good at identifying those who will
Drive on the camp grounds. be most vulnerable. Then they start
their pursuit.
100 Years Ago While in the majority of hu-
April 1916 man trafficking cases the recruiter is
a stranger, many are people your child
J.C. Jensen attended a sale down knows. While this is inconceivable to
you and me, many children are sold
and bruising his face.
The tramp question has become a
What Is
Wrong With
Everyone?
ground and considerable disturbance
is caused. In some cases, cottages By Guest Columnist Dorothy Rosby
were broken into. Too many of these
fellows wouldn’t work if they had a I like my drinks ice cold or scald-
chance, preferring to beg from door to ing hot—nothing in between, except
door. tomato juice which I like at room
Mason City has fined a number of temperature. I like tea, but I don’t
auto speeders $15 and costs. If Clear care for coffee. And I like iced tea
Lake would do the same, the treasury better than hot tea, except when I’m
would be flush. Let’s go get those law chilly. I’m often chilly, even in the
breakers and earn some money. summer, because some people turn
their air conditioners higher than I
think should be legal.
No, I’m not nuts, though I do
like nuts—any kind. But I like pista-
chios and almonds best and cashews
least. That’s lucky because my hus-
band likes cashews best. We get along
fine with a can of mixed nuts, which
some would say is a fitting metaphor. bles go down? (Yes, I know tomatoes
I’m not telling you all this because
I aspire to be one of those celebrities
making demands for my dressing
mate the reach of human trafficking room. But since you asked, I’d like red
because related laws and definitions roses, a radio tuned to NPR, and diet
are changing quickly to address the cola. I want the cola over crushed—
problem. For example, those engaged not cubed—ice, and I’d prefer it from
in forced prostitution or survival sex a fountain, not a plastic bottle. Either
were once considered offenders but Pepsi or Coke is fine though. I’m not
are now regarded as victims. picky.
The average age of entry into No, the reason I’m telling you all
forced prostitution is 12 to 14 for this is because I’m intrigued by prefer-
girls and 11 to 13 for boys, accord- ences. If I could get a research grant to
ing to the Polaris Project, a human study something, I would study why
trafficking victim advocacy organi- other people like what they like and
zation. Many of these kids have run not what I like. Is everyone except me
away from troubled homes and wind deeply flawed?
up in another horrific situation. The I doubt I could get a research
National Network for Runaway Youth grant though, because I can’t see a
reports that within the first 48 hours foundation thinking this is as impor-
of being on the street, one in three
kids are lured into sexual exploitation,
usually with the promise of shelter,
food or a fictitious modeling contract.
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by members of their own family mem-
bers who are desperate to make some
quick money. Recruiters are both
men and women, sometimes working
as teams. We feel safe in the heartland
of America, but it is happening here
with increasing frequency.
Prevention is the key.
To prevent trafficking we must
raise awareness, educating our kids,
our teachers and law enforcement offi-
cers about the methods and resources
traffickers use to entice their victims.
Do you know the social networking
sites and apps the traffickers frequent
to find victims? Do you know how to
recognize a trafficking victim? Do you
know who to call if you suspect some-
one is a victim? Do you know how to
support the rehabilitation of rescued
trafficking victims?
Inform yourself.
Begin informing yourself by at-
tending a special screening of the
movie, “Caged No More,” at Cinema
West Theatre in Mason City, Iowa
on Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. This
movie, brought to you by the co-pro-
ducer of “God’s Not Dead” is fiction
but is based on real events. The movie
is not graphic and has a Dove rating
of PG-13. If you are ready to discuss
sex and sex trafficking with your teen,
you can feel comfortable with having
them see the movie with you as part of
their education.
Following the movie, informa-
tion for teens, parents and educators
will be available, including a list of
dangerous social networking sites and
non-profit organizations engaged in
fighting trafficking. A special reading
list and a “Gentlemen’s Club” pledge
will be available for men.
Tickets are available ONLY on-
line. Google: Caged No More Movie
then go through the menu to reserve
your tickets before May 5. For more
information, you may call Kay Day at
641-355-3735.
tant as I do, plus I’m not a researcher.
What I am is particular and curious.
For example, I’m particular about
not putting salt on my watermelon
and curious about why some people
do. On the other hand, some people
like salt on their tomatoes (me), and
some people think that’s a waste of
tomatoes and salt. They might even
sprinkle sugar on their tomatoes,
which I consider completely irratio-
nal.
Is it nature? Are their taste buds
simply inferior to mine? Or is it nur-
ture? Did their mothers think a spoon
full of sugar would make the vegeta-
are fruits, but I prefer to think of them
as vegetables.)
In keeping with my ice cold and
scalding hot preference, I believe it’s
never too hot to eat soup and never
too cold to eat ice cream. But I have a
relative who turns his nose up at soup,
behavior I consider un-American. And
given the choice, he would choose any
other dessert over ice cream. If he can’t
be trusted to choose rocky road over
butterscotch pudding, how can he be
trusted at all.
I used to lunch with a friend who
after carefully removing all the onions,
peppers, and tomatoes from her salad
would give them to me. I’d watch her
doing this and think, “What is wrong
See ROSBY on page 5
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