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The
Official Newspaper of Anamosa, located in Jones County, Iowa
Anamosa News
Since 1855
 Thursday,
September 13, 2007 |
Bieber Upsets Mitchel
by Michelle Phillips |
Newcomer Brian Bieber beat out nine year veteran Anamosa School Board member Jim Mitchel for one of two at-large seats. Incumbent Julie VonMuenster retained her spot.
Bieber received 302 votes, VonMuenster 261, Mitchel got 197 votes and 102 write-in votes were cast for Aaron Zumbach.
“I’m disappointed,” stated Mitchel after the results were tallied. “I’ve enjoyed my time on the board, working with the staff and indirectly with the students and families.”
A clearly exited Bieber exclaimed, “I want to say thank you to all those that supported me and encouraged me to run for the board. I hope I can steer things in the right direction for students, taxpayers and teachers.”
Mitchel said he wished the new board well and hoped they would continue on a path of new direction.
Bieber said he felt his win was attributed to Anamosans desire for change and to have some “young blood” on the board.
The new board will be sworn in at the September 17 meeting and because Mitchel served as president, the new school board will also have to vote in a new board president.
In the Midland Community School District, the race was too close to call on Tuesday night.
“We have some absentee ballots that may affect that race,” said Jones County Auditor Janine Sulzner.
The Director at-large position of which Sulzer made reference tallied 263 votes for Carol Reilly, 203 for Mark Doll and 216 write-in votes were cast, though it was unclear if Terry Lineberg received enough write-ins to beat out Doll.
In the Director at-large to fill position, Carol Andresen ran unopposed and received 328 votes.
The race in Olin involved two at-large seats and both Marlin Francksen, 56 votes, and Mike Hansen, 49 votes, will serve on the board.
In Monticello, a 67¢ PPEL (physical plant and equipment levy) easily passed 86-36. the measure only required a simple majority of votes.
Jeff Hinrichs ran unopposed in Monticello and received 122 votes.
Sulzner reminded that all votes were unofficial as of press time. The official count will be announced after canvassing on September 14. |
Council Hears Concerns Over Storm Drainage
By Ben Parker |
The September 10 Anamosa City Council meeting went quickly because a lot of items were not ready, or there wasn’t enough information to comfortably make decisions.
Cathy Bahl came in with pictures of the storm sewer near Theresa Avenue, showing it completely filled with mud and silt. This was one of three storm sewers that have been completely blocked.
She came before the council to recommend they at least try to do something. She didn’t have many suggestions to make. The solution could be something as simple as landscaping, or putting in tile or fixing existing tile. Either way, it was causing problems with water drainage. No action was taken and more information will be gathered.
One of the items put off until later was the issue allowing an honor guard to fire a 21-gun salute inside the city limits. The council wanted to reword the ordinance to at least allow it inside cemeteries, leaving room for possible future expansion. Some are torn about whether to allow it at funeral services,or to advise taking the deceased to an Anamosa cemetery for the salute before moving on to the site of internment.
Normally, the salute would be done at the site of internment, but this issue arose because some families may ask for it inside Anamosa at the funeral service as a tie to the town.
Another item concerned a property that Dick Dearborn wants to purchase. He appeared before the council to ask a few questions and make clear what he had in mind for the property.
Currently, the lot he has does not meet up with zoning code, since it contains a multi-family home on an inadequate space of ground. He wants to have it rezoned using the new property and part of another lot so that it would meet requirements for a single-family residence.
Dearborn was given a list of agencies and items he would have to contact or acquire. Whether he will be able to get it done before the next meeting will determine whether the date of the public hearing will need to be changed from the slated September 24 hearing.
Action by the council:
• The Ordinance, which will dedicate parcel 2007-93 as a public right of way street up to the pedestrian bridge was approved. The council waived any further readings.
• After much deliberation, the council decided to approve a seasonal 15-minute parking on the north side of First Street between Scott and South Williams.
• The council approved purchasing of shoring equipment for work on the water main and sewer lines.
• There is an area on Cedar and Locust Streets that needs sewer services installed. Currently, the lots are undeveloped with a couple of exceptions, but it could see future expansion, and Larry Driscoll suggested setting up each lot to accommodate any future housing in the area. The motion was approved.
• The Council decided to cancel all bids on seeding the Happy Hollow Site. It was recommended that the dirt in the area would not currently sustain bluegrass, and instead chose to try to rent the county’s seeding and drilling equipment to help prepare the ground. It was recommended that contractors would be ripping up the ground, anyway, so there was little reason to put too much more money into the project.
• A loan and disbursement agreement was approved that would provide for issuing and paying for up to $3,000,000 in sewer revenue bonds.
• After expressing a desire to continue his position, Don Harmon was voted to remain on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
A lot of delays could mean an overstuffed agenda for the meeting on September 24. |
Jones County Tattoo Offers Permanent Art
By Michelle Phillips |
Nate Trotter has loved to draw as long as he can remember, and now the Anamosa resident is putting his talent to use as the proprietor of Jones County Tattoo.
About three years ago in Waterloo, Nate said he met a tattoo artist from New York who needed a place to stay. He stayed with Nate for about nine months. and taught him how to tattoo. “I practiced on fruit, and you can buy fake skin or get your buddies to be guinea pigs,” Nate explained.
He hadn’t pursued a career in tattooing until one day his fiancé, Brooke Kirchhoff was opening Occasions and asked him why he didn’t get into tattooing.
“I had been collecting equipment, so I took over the back room (of Occasions),” said Nate who has been tattooing for about two years.
Nate said people have a misconception that tattoo parlors are dark and dirty and that it’s “big, bad guys who get tattoos.”
In reality, tattoo parlors are regulated, inspected and licensed by the state and are clean environments. Before working in a shop, the tattooist must take classes on blood-born pathogens.
Disposable needles are the standard, and everyone from bikers to housewives sport tattoos these days.
Nate said setting up a shop takes more than space and a tattoo gun, and there are many aspects of tattooing.
“You have to have good people skills. It’s almost like bedside manner. There’s more to it than putting a tattoo gun together,” he added.
Nate said he works on both new tattoos and repairs but does plenty of new tattoos as well. His advice for someone considering a tattoo; “They have to realize this isn’t going to be gone in a few years. Make sure you love the tattoo, make sure you love the design and make sure you love what it represents.”
He said he gets people in the shop that know exactly what they want or draw their own artwork. Others need to look at examples or simply know that they want a tattoo.
Cost for tattoos is based on size, detail and the number of ink colors. Prices start at $55 per tattoo or $75 for a foot tattoo.
“We’re going to start doing $55 Foot Fridays,” Nate said.
He hopes to add a piercer to the business and perhaps another tattoo artist if business continues to grow.
Right now, Nate is getting most of his business from Anamosa and surrounding communities, but hopes once he has a bigger sign, he’ll begin to get some more walk in business. He said response from the community has been positive.
“A lot of people say it’s about time we had a tattoo shop in town,” he stated.
When asked how many tattoos he has, Nate replied, “Not enough.” |
Nate Trotter covered up the name Jake, shown in the top photo, with the demon pictured at the left.
Bottles of tattoo ink. Nate works on a large tattoo during the Jones County Tattoo open house on September 8; The finished tattoo. Jeremy Eiben of Anamosa discusses drawings Nate has designed for his tattoo. |
Sidecars Roar into Town for Rally
By Ben Parker |
Motorcycle engines were roaring outside the Anamosa Motorcycle Museum. They come from near and far. Young and old, the riders of the sidecar rally do what they enjoy for a living and as a hobby. It was the annual Sidecar Rally on September 8, the fourth to be held in Anamosa.
The event wasn’t just for show. John and Kandy Dennis of Sidecars Unlimited in Fairfax organize the rally, and they were present to hand out give-away prizes as well as sidecar rides.
This year, the couple was handing out t-shirts, hats, movies, and miniatures, and in the evening, they were holding a buffet at Huntington’s in Marion.
John Dennis is known for finding just about any sidecar a person could want. Still, the more rare the car, the more pricey it will be.
If a person were so inclined, a bike and sidecar could easily be found for sale at the sidecar rally. Dale Beeks from Mt. Vernon has only been cycling for one year, and he bought his old military cycle at last year’s rally.
Beek’s sidecar was the only one mounting a parasol in the old gun-mount. “I had to put something logical on the mount,” he said.
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Above: Dale Beeks from Mount Vernon is glad to answer questions about the inspiration behind his ride.Sidecars of all kinds lined the sides of Huber Street, from the old-fashioned to the futuristic. John Dennis actually had a hand in finding and fixing the Wisner Cycles sidecar. |
Even though there are many things to do, the rally is about showing off all kinds of side cars. Futuristic, old-fashioned, opened, or enclosed, there was something to fit anyone’s taste.
But, the bikes weren’t the only things to see. Some of the riders were characters in their own right. Margaret Wilson, sporting a light blue bandana over her white hair, has been cycling for nearly 61 years. During the parade, her husband, Melbourne “Mike” Wilson, got to ride in the side car while she drove through town. He has been riding for nearly 74 years, and they both still ride solo.
Mike Wilson not only rode as a hobby but also sold motorcycles early in life. As a World War II pilot, he also likes to fly, and he started a charter business, which he still does to this day. They are both currently part of the Board of Directors of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Ohio.
Doug Bingham, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2004, is best known for his Griffith Park Rally in California held each October. This year will be his 36th year organizing the rally. Bingham’s induction into the Hall of Fame came through stunt work and the use of sidecars in the film industry. His sidecars have been used to cover the LA Marathon, New York Marathon, Beta Breakers in San Francisco, the Olympics and Drake Relays. |
Fairbanks Wins UCC Iron Chef Competition
By Michelle Phillips |
Anxious chefs from the Anamosa area gathered at WapsiAna Park carrying potato dishes for an Iron Chef competition on September 9. The cooking contest was part of the United Congregational Church of Christ’s Family Food and Fun Fest.
The three judges, chosen for their experience with food ,were: Betty Biggart, soon to open Betty’s Hometown Café; Brenda Downing owner of Tyler and Downing Eatery in Anamosa; and Michelle Phillips, Anamosa Journal-Eureka Editor.
Although the contest was called an Iron Chef competition, the food items were not prepared on site, and the secret ingredient could be either potatoes or sweet potatoes. The categories were as follows: Appetizers, Soups and Salads, Breads, Entries, and Desserts. Contestants’ entries were scored on taste, presentation, use of the secret ingredient and originality. Prizes were awarded to the first place contestant in each category. They received a golden spatula, a cooking magazine and a half-pound bar of chocolate. An overall grand prize winner received a $50 Pampered Chef gift card.
The winners are:
• Appetizers–Jackie Robertson, Chocolate Dip Potato Chips
• Soup and Salads–Jamie Nelson, Sweet Potato Salad
• Bread–Ellie Duschek, Potato Bread Rolls
• Main Course–Judy Eden for her Company Potatoes Casserole
• Dessert and Grand Prize–Carol Fairbanks and her Potato Tasties
Fundraisers for the day included a silent auction and a 50/50 drawing.
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Above: Winners of the Iron Chef: Judy Eden, Jackie Robertson, Carol Fairbanks, Jamie Nelson and Ellie Duschek. The winners in each received a decorative Golden Spatula, a half-pound bar of chocolate, and an issue of a cooking magazine. The grand prize of a $50 certificate to Pampered Chef went to Carol Fairbanks; Left: Carla Burge MC’s during the Competition. |
| Jamie Nelson, organizer of the Iron Chef competition, said the money raised from the event would help fund missions for the church, including the Thanksgiving Day meal and Bible school. |
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