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Today is Thursday, May 30, the 151st day of the year. There are 215 days remaining in 2024. Below are a collection of news items found in the Creston News Advertiser for this week in history.
3 years ago (2021)
Creston area residents will soon have one more full-service dining option. Willy’s Bar & Grill is set to open, “hopefully before July fourth returns,” said owner Ryan Hayes. ”We’ve got a double stack oven and we’ve got a stovetop flat grill,” he said. “We can probably cook about anything - so it’s not just bar food.” He plans to employ about 25 people, with a mix of full and part-time workers. The labor market across the country has been tight in recent months, but Hayes said he doesn’t think he’ll have a problem finding employees in this area.
Creston senior Maddie Frey battled through an injury in placing eighth in Class 1A singles at the Girls State Tennis Tournament at Byrnes Tennis Center Wednesday and Thursday. Frey became the school’s first state medal winner since 2016.
Scoring is good. Winning is better. After losing three games earlier this weeks, and not scoring in two of them, Creston exploded for 19 runs in a 19-8 win Thursday at Glenwood.
14 years ago (2010)
The residences of Garry Bjustrom and Terry Weeda were damaged by an F2 tornado hitting six miles north of Mount Ayr on Highway 169 at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening.
Classroom teachers retiring from Creston Community Schools have accounted for 346 years of service in the district, for an average of 28.8 years per teacher. In addition, 2010 retiring staff includes Charlene Dunphy, superintendent’s secretary, 25 years; Sherill Giza, paraprofessional, 15 years; Marsha Jimerson, paraprofessional, 22 years; Connie Swanson, paraprofessional, 20 years and Sue Tilley, elementary secretary, 26 years.
Four outgoing seniors were thanked for their contributions to a “building” program at the Creston boys track banquet Wednesday night in the Creston High School commons. Tyler Coenen, Ryan Helm, Ryan Maitlen and Brian Meyer were senior lettermen on the 2010 Panther track team.
25 years ago (1999)
The Creston baseball team used its long ball and solid pitching to improve its record to 4-0 Saturday at Corning’s Red Raider Tournament. In the opener Creston cruised to a 11-3 win over Corning with Phil Jensen on the mound. Brian Bucklin was on the mound for the 7-1 win over West Central.
Union County’s public safety department became a one-man show Tuesday night. Effective 7 p.m., Union County Sheriff John Coulter is the only department employee on active duty until June 13, when a payroll period starting in the next fiscal year applies. The jail was shut down and all jail staff was laid off, as were all office staff and deputies, after the Union County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to deny the sheriff’s request for a $17,000 budget amendment.
The troubled compost site south of McKinley Park in Creston is closing. After more than three years hodge podge of junk and garbage being dumped there, the city’s composting and yard waste storage will be moved to Osage Street.
Burton R. Jones Middle School sixth-grader Sam Johnson won the grand prize in the “Book About Me” photo composition contest out of 3,314 U.S. school entries. He will receive a personal computer and Samsung camera, and his classmates each received their own cameras for participating.
36 years ago (1988)
Creston fourth grade TAG students visited Babe’s Restaurant in Des Moines after Sara Vicker sent a letter to the owner, Bisignano, seeking information on Italy. Bisignano contacted Dr. Joseph LaCava, professor of Italian studies at Drake University. The class was invited to Des Moines, guests of Bisignano and LaCava, where they got information, posters, books and cookbooks. They also were treated to a pizza party and a tour of the restaurant.
Finishing second behind a speedy South Tama outfit, Creston’s 800 relay unit of Dennis Shaw, Ty Schrock, Corey Eaton and Chris Eaton, ran 1:31.74 in the state finals Saturday. The mark was just .02 off the school record established on the Ames track in 1969.
Union County Chief Deputy Sheriff Willard Von Tull, Republican candidate for sheriff, said today he seeks the office because county residents who feel change is needed strongly encouraged him to do so.
Over $1,500 was raised in the April 30 March of Dimes Walk in Creston with more than 26 people walking 18 miles to raise money for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. The walk brought in the most money in its three-year history.