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Tue

Jul

Monona Butterfly Garden and Trail celebrates 15 years of educating, beautifying community

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/14/2015 - 14:50

For 15 years, the Monona Butterfly Garden and Trail has given local residents the opportunity to exercise and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. Area pollinators, like bees and butterflies, enjoy the flowers, too. (Photos by Jim Langhus)

The 15th anniversary of the Butterfly Garden and Trail will be celebrated with an open house Saturday morning, July 18.

“We’ve had wonderful help, with people giving money, time, ideas and plants,” said Monona Butterfly Garden and Trail volunteer Shirley Seitz, calling it a true community endeavor.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Fifteen years ago, the site that is now home to the Butterfly Garden and Trail, on West Davis Street, in Monona, wasn’t filled with a brightly-colored array of flowers and butterflies. Rather, it featured street drainage along with dangers like an exposed sewer and a phone line that was uncovered in four places, collecting refuse.

“It was a dumping ground,” said Butterfly Garden and Trail volunteer Shirley Seitz. “It was a place you told kids to stay away from.”

Tue

Jul

Garden View has provided easy transition for residents for 10 years

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/14/2015 - 14:47

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

For 10 years, Garden View Senior Community in Monona has helped ease the transition for residents moving from their own homes to assisted living.

“Nobody ever wants to leave their home, but we allow [residents] to come in and make their apartments theirs,” said Garden View Executive Director Randee Blietz. “The goal is to make it as smooth as possible.”

Garden View opened in 2005, after a community survey found a need for an assisted living option in the area, explained Florence Bruns, who was part of the building committee and has lived at Garden View since 2008.

Tue

Jul

Mar-Mac PD searching for new officer

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/14/2015 - 14:46

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

On July 7, the Mar-Mac Public Safety Commission accepted the resignation of officer Dylan Rumph, who took a position with the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office after nine years with Mar-Mac.

“Thanks for giving me my start,” Rumph told the commission. “I enjoyed my time here.”

Tue

Jul

Moyna, Boylen share Russian adventure

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/07/2015 - 11:28

Wetlands Centre Director Katrina Moyna (left) and Wetlands Centre board member and MFL MarMac teacher Scott Boylen (second from right), pose with Russian hosts Elena and Igor by Lake Itkul, in Khakassky State Nature Reserve. The two visited Russia June 12-20 through the Russia-USA Wetland Center Exchange Program. (Submitted photo)

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

On July 1, Driftless Area Wetlands Centre Director Katrina Moyna and Wetlands Centre board member and MFL MarMac teacher Scott Boylen spoke about their recent visit to Russia, from June 12-20, through the Russia-USA Wetland Center Exchange Program: Linking People and Wetlands project.

The Wetlands Centre in Marquette was one of three wetlands centers in the United States chosen to participate in the project, which seeks to identify shared challenges organizations in the U.S. and Russia face in regard to wetlands education and outreach.

Tue

Jul

Presenters share culture, artistry at Emma Big Bear event

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/07/2015 - 11:26

At the Emma Big Bear Birthday celebration July 5, Melanie Sainz showed off her Ho-Chunk regalia, including moccasins, leggings, a skirt, blouse, necklaces and hair wrap created by herself and female relatives over the years. By donning the pieces, she said it allows her to reminisce about the memories connected to each one. (Photos by Audrey Posten)

Terry Landsgaard shows off some of the unique Emma Big Bear baskets in his collection.“Hers are so characteristic,” he said, telling attendees of the distinguishing factors between Emma’s and other Ho-Chunk baskets. “That’s what I find different about her from others. It’s the character, variety and patina.”

Spencer Lone Tree, of Postville, another Emma Big Bear relative, rounded out the presentation, singing some of his music, including one song he played for Emma as a young man. He also spoke about his books, which tell of a fictional Ho-Chunk boy named Night Sun. Through his writing, Lone Tree shares Ho-Chunk history imparted from his parents and grandparents.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

In an event sponsored by the Emma Big Bear Foundation, Emma Big Bear’s 146th birthday was celebrated in Marquette July 5, with several informative presentations by speakers Melanie Sainz, Terry Landsgaard and Spencer Lone Tree.

Tue

Jul

Monona Council receives update from MCED

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/07/2015 - 11:22

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times

Speaking to the Monona City Council July 6, Monona Chamber and Economic Development Executive Director Rogeta Halvorson said she was pleased with this year’s Hay Days celebration, held June 19-20.

“I loved having it back downtown,” noted Halvorson, who helped promote the event and was part of the Hay Days committee. She said she received several nice comments from attendees.

Tue

Jul

Tapping our roots at family reunions

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/07/2015 - 11:21

The grandchildren of George Whitaker and Fanny Mae Cunningham Hazlett held a reunion at the Farmersburg Community Center on Saturday, June 27. George and Mae were the parents of Irwin Hazlett, Wilma Schlitter, Merlie Henkes, Frances Fuelling, Jane Coffman, Dolly Wirkler and Bill Hazlett. Of the 21 grandchildren, seven are deceased: Edgar Hazlett, Jim Hazlett, Norma Grahn, Pat Towers, Dan Coffman, Marilyn Gullickson and Margie Hazlett. Unable to attend: Shirley Jackson of Wilmington, Del., and Dean Hazlett of Clarksville, Tenn. Grandchildren attending the reunion: Carole and Jim Gerdes, Monona; Rollie Henkes, Monona; Polly Morrison, White Bear Lake, Minn.; Jannes DeCamp, Lombard, Ill.; Orrin Fuelling, Meridian, Miss.; Gene Fuelling, Oelwein; Quentin and Kathy Coffman, Eldridge; Toni Clow, Cedar Rapids; Bill and Kate Hazlett, Shellsburg; Mary and Larry Elgin, Cedar Rapids; Martha and Greg Fletcher, Independence; and Michele Van Wey, Farmersburg. Great-grandchildren attending: Lisa and Jeff Woodman, Monona; Jill Nathe, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; Teresa Coffman, Madison, Wis.; Tanya Clow, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Nathan, Melissa and Sage Clow, Cedar Rapids; Amanda and Joe Coates, Madison; Mackenzie and Graydon, Pleasant Hill; and Victoria and AJ Van Wey, Farmersburg. Also attending were the current owners of the Hazlett Family Farm, Lawrence and Janice Lotza. (Submitted photo)

An original plat map of township 95

By Rollie Henkes

Even if you weren’t “family,” I think you could have taken away something from the Hazlett family reunion last month, especially with respect to your roots and family tree.

Typical of such reunions, we enjoyed renewing connections over coffee and a sumptuous potluck as we gathered at the Farmersburg Community Center. But as things went along, we learned even more about who we are.

Tue

Jun

On an unusually nice winter Sunday

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/30/2015 - 12:22

The McGregor Lions Club is seeking help from the community to identify all of the 11 men who joined the military after hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor while playing a game of football at McGregor’s Cannon Park. (Photo by Audrey Posten)

Group hopes to identify, honor local men who joined military after hearing about Pearl Harbor while playing football together

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

For 75 years, McGregorites have heard a story telling of a unique show of friendship and patriotism following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Tue

Jun

Geocaching offers chance to explore area’s hidden treasures

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/30/2015 - 12:21

The icons on this map from geocaching.com represent the geocaches located around the Mar-Mac area. Pikes Peak State Park (bottom right) and Bloody Run County Park (top left) are both popular locations.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

The natural features, historic sites and cultural centers of the area offer an abundance of treasures for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, whether it’s a hike to the top of a bluff, a stay at a cozy B&B or a display of 100-plus-year-old items at a museum. But, sometimes, there’s more than meets the eye, as spots like these, as well as dozens of other local points of interest, are home to hidden treasures called geocaches (pronounced geo-cash).

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunting game. The term was coined from the words geography and cache, which refers to a hiding place for concealing and preserving items.

Tue

Jun

Veterans receive Quilts of Valor

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/23/2015 - 14:56

Local veterans Ivan Melcher, Don Havelick, Julius Dettmann, George Balekos, Fred Heins, Sheryl Zittergruen, Jerry Kruse, Ed Parker, Bruce Lenth and Steve Russett received Quilts of Valor at Monona Hay Days June 20. (Photos by Audrey Posten)

Steve Russett helped plan the event and was surprised to learn he was also a quilt recipient. Here, he hugs organizer and quilter Diana Parker.

Veteran Jerry Kruse, who was honored with a Quilt of Valor June 20, shakes hands with a little girl and her father following the presentation during Hay Days.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Ten area veterans were honored with Quilts of Valor at Monona’s Hay Days celebration June 20. Since its inception in 2003, when quilter and blue star mother Catherine Roberts came up with the idea of using quilts to comfort veterans while her son was deployed in Iraq, the Quilts of Valor Foundation has awarded over 119,000 quilts to service members and veterans touched by war.

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