This is a Blog site created by Bob Reed (in Florida) for folks who live--or used to live--in Marcus, Iowa. Its purpose is to exchange notes, news, remembrances, and thoughts about life in and about Marcus, or news about one's family, friends or acquaintances.
from Max Reed Cary-over from the September section:
Anonymous said... I called the Marcus News a couple of weeks ago to ask about the "Re-think" letter that was in the paper. Mary Radke told me that she was the one who wrote it. Jeff Gross
October 01, 2009
Caryn Barry said... I found this on the internet yesterday, thought people might be interested. I had never heard of her and when I typed in her name this morning, I found lots of testimonials from her but seems she lives all over the United States. Goes to show you can't believe everything you read.
I lost 47 lbs with my hectic life and these (FREE) products
By Alyssa Johnson
My name is Alyssa Johnson from Marcus, IA and I wanted to share my weight loss story with you. I am no celebrity, fitness fanatic, a person that has tons of money for a personal trainer or someone like that. I am just a wife/mom who figured out a system that worked better than all the famous diets, work out programs, etc.
First off let me tell you a little about myself. My husband Adam and I have been married for 15 years. We have 2 boys and a girl. Our oldest Brent is 13, then Taylor 9 and Ashley 5. Brent and Taylor were doing baseball together, however recently Taylor started soccer instead.
Which basically means our lives are more hectic with me chauffeuring around the kids and remember which day is which practice and who goes where. Hopefully my story can inspire you to try what I discovered and lose some weight!
October 02, 2009
Anonymous said... Ok, that last post makes absolutely no sense to me. Can someone clarify what it is the poster is trying to say?
October 03, 2009
Baritone Bob said... Caryn is remarking on an internet marketing scheme. There are multiple versions of it on the internet, and one version claim to be written by a Marcus resident.
My prayers and best wishes go with Margaret Dorr as she journeys to her new home. I do hope you will continue to visit with us here. I wish you much happiness -- maybe you can continue to write your weekly column here.
I just learned about these Bison North of Sioux City. Can't wait to drive over there and take some pics next time I am in the Marcus area.
Thanks for the kind words about my mother Julie. I believe she intends to keep writing for the paper once she is settled in her new home but I will let her speak for herself once she is back on the internet.
I often have detoured from the straight and narrow route to and from the airport in Omaha to travel through the Loess Hills. It is an especially beautiful ride now, in the fall. Are your leaves at their peak yet? We aren't there yet, but I think it will be fast and furious this year.
Just a note to say that the Marcus Jaycees are celebrating 45 years of doing things in Marcus. There will be an article in the Marcus News in the next week or two about the Marcus Jaycees History. If you get a chance read it and see what the Jaycees have all done for Marcus.
To Anonymous who asked if anyone has read "Methland". I bought the book the day it came out. It is interesting to read and it has a lot of science stuff in it. It does get confusing from time to time, but it is a very good book. It is scary knowing that it is right here in Iowa, in Olwein in fact. I used to live in Ottumwa and I didn't even know this was going on. I was shocked, surprised, and I just couldn't believe it. It is a good book to read though.
This is to express my appreciation of some of the great folks of Marcus for bailing me out of a jam during my recent two-week bicycle trip through Western Iowa.
I had flown in to Des Moines, the start and end of my trip, a few days before from Philadelphia. I was out after dark because of a bridge outage and that day's 30 mph headwinds when Phil Dorr, who was passing by in his car, told me to meet him at Marcus Junction. He said he'd find someone who'd drive me and my bicycle to Lemars, my planned destination. Well that someone turned out to be none other than his brother, Kurt, who now lives in Illinois and is a son of Margaret Dorr, who writes Grey Matters for the Cherokee paper. Kurt was kind enough to save me from having to pedal the remaining 20 miles or so in darkness. We shared a wonderful dinner at Archie's Waeside, where I had one of my most memorable steaks, a petite tenderloin the quality of which you just can't get in my hometown of Philadelphia.
I went on to have a most enjoyable ride through Sioux City, Onawa and along the Western Skies Byway (Iowa 44) through Harlan, Elk Horn, Panora and back to Des Moines.
I'm sending Kurt some photos to post. You folks are lucky to have such striking, uncluttered Don't take it for granted!
I am sure most Marcus folks already know this but for those of us not in the immediate area.......watch the Philly/LA game on TV right now and note that Bruce Dreckman of Marcus is working the first base line as I type (Thursday night) and will be working behind home plate for tomorrow's game!!! Sure cool to see and it is neat to see one of the many wonderful Dreckman family members representing Marcus so well.
This is Ann Dorr, Margaret Dorr's daughter. As many of you know, Mom has moved to an Assisted Living Facility near me in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She's given me the OK to share her new contact information. Her new address is: 2115 First Ave SE #2225 Cedar Rapids, IA. 52403 Her new phone number is: 319-297-5563 Her new email address is: mdorrol@aol.com She is getting settled in and plans to continue writing her column for the Cherokee Chronicle Times. I am so very happy to have her this close after all these years. Your loss has been my family's gain. Thanks for all the love and kindness you shared with my mother while she lived in Marcus. May God continue to bless you all, Ann Dorr
Hey----What's happened to the Bloggers? You didn't have to stop blogging just because I left town! I really need to hear more about Marcus than ever before. Keep the messages coming! Margaret Dorr
Are you using this Search route when you need to find something on the Web? http://www.goodsearch.com
A very small sum benefits the Marcus Historical Society every time you use it. Small, indeed, but so far, more than $93.00 has been raised for the Society. Not so small.
If you put it in your “Favorites” list and use it every time you need to look up something on the Web, you too can contribute to the cause. (Even you folks who just read and don't write.)
Tim Galles no longer works for the city of Marcus. There was a disagreement about several things so Tim left. Tim Galles is now working for Marucs Lumber.
Randy Wevaling will be done a a ploice officer of Marcus at the end of this month do to cut backs by the City council.
Alot of poepl seam to think that the council is cutting back on things to save up enough money to hirer a city manager (Darrell Downs) But the city has run how many years with just a council. So can anyone explain why we need a city manager?
Probably a good discussion for a city council meeting. Speak up about your concerns. That's what city council meetings are for -- public forum for the good of the town.
Cherokee Times Article Seems like number 3 makes sense to me.
Extension Line Monday, October 26, 2009 Jerry Chizek, ISU Regional Extension Education Director
The Rural Brain Drain, part 3 For the past two weeks I shared portions of an article entitled "The Rural Brain Drain" found in the October 6th edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. This week's Part 3 focuses on actions that can be taken to address the concern. Part 3 of 3: What can be done to plug the brain drain?
Small towns need to equalize their investments across different groups of young people. While it would be impractical, and downright wrong, to abort students' ambitions, there must be a radical rethinking of the goals of high-school education. The single-minded focus on pushing the most motivated students into four-year colleges must be balanced by efforts to match young people not headed for bachelor's degrees with training, vocational, and assorted associate-degree programs.
Also, school officials, parents, educators, and students must resist the temptation to think the non-college bound will just get a job if a degree is not in the cards. Gone are the days of plentiful, well-paying blue-collar factory jobs that provided a 19-year-old with a living wage. Thinking that working the line at John Deere or Winnebago will vault you into the middle class makes about as much sense as buying eight-track tapes in the iPod age. The reality is that students not earning a college degree need as much, if not more, intensive preparation for today's labor market.
The next step is to build better links between high-school and postsecondary education. Most of the job growth within Iowa is expected to come from computer, biotech, wind energy, and health care. Matching high-school students not headed for university with vocational or community-college programs, nurturing their interests while in high school through internships and training, will prepare them for the new economic growth areas. The growing distance-learning technology should not cater only to older, returning students. If students are interested in wind technology or nursing, rather than making them take social studies senior year, how about connecting them with a distance-learning class at Iowa Lakes Community College in Introduction to Computers?
Third, small towns should seek to embrace immigration. Ph.D.'s from India or China and less-skilled immigrants from Mexico or Central America should all be recruited and supported in an effort to make the heartland an immigrant enterprise zone. The region is in critical need of professional-class workers, and bringing in Hispanic workers for the food industry will not be enough to rejuvenate the region.
Fourth, areas that are losing population can help remain vibrant by enticing much-needed high fliers to come back home. There are free land programs in Kansas, Minnesota, and North Dakota, a statewide campaign in Iowa to bring back professionals, and student-loan-forgiveness programs in Maine for college graduates willing to commit to stay in the state. While the jury is out on whether any of those programs work, we believe that towns can help themselves by identifying future professionals and offering them tuition relief for graduate school that is contingent on a 10-year commitment to practice in the area. Many rural areas are medically underserved and this is one way to tackle that basic problem.
The rural crisis has been ignored for too long, but, we believe, it isn't too late to start paying attention. The residents of rural America must embrace the fact that to survive, the world they knew must change.
VOTE NO? Surely you are kidding. How many times have you stayed at the motel by the way and do you really think the extra 5% on a $60 rate is gonna break the bank? $60 x 5% = $3.00 per night.
Make sure you read again about what we are going to do with the extra revenues that are generated with this tax before you chew the hand off that feeds you. Just saying!
Not sure who's posted the above remarks, but can either of you tell me how much money this is expected to generate? I believe I read in the paper that 50% of the revenues will go to the Community Center and 50% will be used as the City sees fit. How much total revenue is expected? Feel free to correct me if this is wrong.
Here in Florida, our local governments live off the hotel and resort taxes. Our Orange county collections were $164 million in 2008. Thank you visitors.
UPDATE: Should expect potentially $10,000/year raised in the motel tax and this doens't even include the tax that comes in from the guests who stay at the Cozy Cottage and the Martin House. 50% of this amount will go to help suppor our community center and their operational expenses. Explain to me again how this is detrimental to our great community of Marcus, Iowa.
P.S. Every other community around the area has a similar tax at a higher rate than Marcus does already!
A few weeks ago a gentlemen posted on here about his bike trip through Marcus. I found out his wife is an author. The link below is to her website. She has written about Spam and the Philly Cheese Steak. Thought some of you might get a kick out of her books.
because some people don't like having there names out there. Some like just seeing their names out there for some other purpose. I feel it is up the the individual if they want to put there name or not!
Let me assure you I don't enjoy having my name out there then have someone come along and call this the Dorr blog if that is what you are implying. I do it because it's the right thing to do.
QUOTE "because some people don't like having there names out there. Some like just seeing their names out there for some other purpose. I feel it is up the the individual if they want to put there name or not!"
Yeah Kurt this makes perfect sense to me! Geez you grew up in a small town and by now you know there are always those in any community that love to take shots behind the CURTAIN at those who are not as insecure and willing to sign there name to letters to the editor, school board votes, city council meetings, and even the Marcus BLOG.....
Maybe I'm dead wrong, but I don't think signing or not signing a post is a matter of personal taste or choice. I think it is simply a matter of courtesy. You wouldn't send a letter to a friend without signing your name, so why wouldn't you show the same courtesy when posting on the Blog ? Where's Emily Post when we need her? Woops! I guess that really dates me. It's Annie these days, isn't it? Margaret Dorr
For those of you who don't live in Marcus might want to know that we have a local food pantry. It was started a year ago and has served over 30 families of the MMC school district. The only qualification to use the food pantry is that you live in the MMC School district.
Currently the food pantry is looking for a good used kitchen table for a single mother with 4 kids. If anyone in the area has one please contact Rachel Holmes - email srholmes@midlands.net. The food pantry could also use donations of laundry soap, cleaning supplies, personal items, soups, pasta meals, sauces, condiments, PB&J,
We give God the credit in building the food pantry he has been such a blessing to so many in need. We really appreciate all the food and financial support we have received over the past year.
Rachel Holmes Community Ministry Po Box 267 Marcus Ia 51035
The 75th annual Marcus Community Fair will be August 11-14th, 2011. Is there anyone (committee) that is willing to organize an All School Reunion? We ask that you work with us in scheduling the main event and anything leading up to it, but we'd like this committee to take on the brunt of the work involved. Along this same line, is there anyone willing to coordinate an All School Marching band? Again we want you to work with us on the scheduling, but we need you to do the leg work. These were a couple of suggestions that have been mentioned to us and we're asking for some volunteers to step up and help make the 75th celebration special one. If your interested please get a hold of one of us on the Fair Board. Thanks Paul Wilkens Marcus Fair Board
I am posting your notice on my class Web site too. I will offer to do what I can long-distance. I sure wouldn't want to head up the committee, but I could help with PR, advertising, press releases, etc. We could get a Facebook page started and get the word out there. Save the date stuff like that.
If I may I would recommend you contact Tom Cronin re the ALL SCHOOL MARCHING BAND activity. I believe he could pull this off for you and the community!
Would love to see them march in the PARADE btw....hint hint!!!!
Great stuff and as usual the Marcus Fair Board is to be commended. Y'all go above and beyond. Now if you can just hold off until Friday afternoon with making sure all of your entries get in for various things up in the buildings it might encourage those coming home to bring some items back with them for the FAIR to see if they still have the magical touch!!! Judging these events on Saturday vs Friday would be encouraging for us out of towners.....another hint hint!!!!
I know I have a few sister-in-laws who are very gifted when it comes to crafts and such but they don't live in the community thus having their entries by Thursday night is not feasible.
I keep forgetting to add this here. Our Iowa magazine is looking for a Cherokee County correspondent. Maybe they have one by now, but it would be great to have one from Marcus. If you haven't seen this magazine yet, check it out. It has fabulous photography from across the state, but it is definitely in need of some features from northwest Iowa features. Of course, it doesn't pay, but it might be the first step to getting some coverage for the 75th fair in 2011.
When I was a kid part of the excitement was checking out your entries to see if you'd won anything. Holding that excitement off until Saturday doesn't seem fair and waiting to judge the baked goods on Saturday won't work either. It's a nice idea to get more entries, but Saturday judging seems a bit late in the game.
When you were a kid there were 3 farms to a section and each family had 10 kids or so it seemed. Now you are lucky if you have 3 farms to 5 sections thus the dynamics have changed and the number of entries is down as a result of less people to play!
Thus when my daughter wanted to enter her entry for the fair this year and we worked on it during the summer to enter in the fair..........and if you can't get off work early to be home by Thursday night..........see where I am going with this?
Again, this isn't only about me or my family but I know tons of talented people who come home every year for the fair but by the time they get home on Friday night it is toooo late to enter anything in the fair. Thus to add to the excitement of the fair for the families of people coming home and to add to the number of potential entries in the buildings I thought trying something new might be interesting.
Just like this year the fair board had fireworks during the fair and it went over quite well and they did it on Saturday night for all to participate in.......hopefully it will now become a fair tradition as the community thoroughly enjoyed this added event.....and most of us don't get home for the 4th of July so it was a nice way to spend a night with tons of friends in the home town!
Same concept if I may add but just a different event.....and yes local kids and adults can wait one more day to see what they won and likewise the local folks can have an extra day to submit their entries. Plus there will potentially be more competition which always adds to the excitement.......Just my two cents worth!
The fire works were done this year at the fair because of the Dorr family reunion and was pushed by a Dorr! Don't you think the fairboard and the other people in Marcus have enough to do during the fair? The fairboard memebers have families to, can't they enjoy the fair with famliy? It is nice people come home during the fair but come on give the people of Marcus and the fairboard credit for the great fair and the planning that goes on for this! Like I said it is great to have freinds and family comeback for the fair but you come back and don't have to worry about anything except have fun and enjoy yourself. The fairboard is a great bunch of people and so are the people of Marcus!!! That is my 2 cents. Sorry if this offends anyone.
WOW.....since you have your facts completely wrong I would suggest you visit with Paul Wilkens re the fireworks.
Have you ever heard of the Westernaires.....that might be your first hint on how off base you are.
Re the fireworks I am most hopeful that the fair board will see to it that they will continue to support fireworks being held during the fair and for the record the Dorr family doesn't have an annual reunion...now the Specht family does but that is held in July and in Cleghorn. Don't confuse the two even though my grandma was a Specht!
With regard to my suggestion about the food and craft showings/competition....well I don't have a clue who you are since you seem to like to hide behind the curtain but for the record when I was a kid there were a lot more items on display in the buildings......i.e. a numbers game. More people on farms and the like meant more canned items and such.
If you have a better idea on how to help assist the wonderful fair board and the Marcus fair continue to be a great event then have at it. With regard to my suggestion it was just a thought on how to maybe bring renewed attention to the arts and crafts part of the wonderful fair experience and help keep the buildings full of wonderful items for all to view!
BTW, I would love to see a poetry/writing section added to the fair buildings with a judging done over the weekend so all of us could get exposed to the likes of Julia Simpson/Meylor---Margaret- Dorr as well as others who I don't even know about...just trying to think outside the box and work with Paul and his board to expand and see our fair continue to be the great event it is every year.
If this riles you up and you aren't comfortable with change then forgive me. I will no longer posts my thoughts on this board but will deal with the fair board directly so as not to cause you alarm!
With regard to the fair and the fair board......no one has ever taken one bit of what they do for granted. We are truly blessed to have such a find group of folks who are so generous with their time and commitment to the fair. Something tells me that deep down inside more than a few of the board members realize what a treasure we have in our community fair and they serve with BIG and OPEN arms knowing how wonderful of a tradition they are caring on and how much joy it brings to so many people every year during the fair weekend!
No I got my facts right about the fireworks! Almost everyone in Marcus knows how a Dorr called around asking for a few good men to put on a street dance and have fireworks. You wanted this done for the Dorr Family reunion at the Marcus Fair. Several people was asked to put on a street dance with the charades on mainstreet cuase you wanted to dance under the stars and you would help raise the money for it. I got my facts right.
A wise man knows when to let the issue drop. Let's let it drop and think about what we can do to aid with the task at hand. (You both obviously love the fair and Marcus, so funnel it into something productive.)
Amen. It's pointless. Everyone knows how much the fair board does and how hard it works to put on a fair that's older and better than most county fairs. There's no disputing that at this site. Stop trying to create rancor where none exists. Brainstorming ideas is simply that -- we're stirring the pot with possibilities. We may not always agree, but we can still respect each other.
I'd also suggest that if the need exists for volunteers during fair time, you might be surprised by the vistors who would sign up for tasks, if asked. Maybe we'd like to give back. We see Marcus residents working at the fair. Maybe it doesn't have to be that way. Maybe visitors could pitch in so that residents -- our old neighbors and longtime friends (after all, we're not strangers!) -- could enjoy it too. Again, just an idea ... just stirring the pot.
Hi everybody. I have a little bit of an announcement. I am now a Mary Kay consultant, and I am not sure if there is one around here or not. I know there is in Orange City and LeMars. I am having a skin care class on Monday November 9, 2009 at 6:00 pm at the senior center. If you are intrested in coming please let me know ahead of time so I can get a head count.
I am new at this and I am just trying to get out and meet new people and come out of my shell as I have said in the past. I don't know alot of people in town and I figured this would probably be the easiest way for me to get out there.
You can email me at tonyadempster2005@hotmail.com for any questions or to place an order.
Thanks Julie for posting our request to your class web-site. Getting the word out is exactly what we need to do. Our request will also be in the Marcus News, so I hope more people get to thinking about it. Once we get a committee put together any offers of assistance from alumni that no longer live close by can be put to good use, so thanks again. Paul
Thank you very much Philip Dorr. I appreciate that. Although I haven't officially met Kristi yet, we will be meeting on November 9. I am sure she is a wonderful lady and I can't wait to meet her!
I've been reading the comments re: anonymous vs disclosure when posting comments. I keep thinking that there's a reason why we vote confidentially. Confidentiality is sometimes necessary for people to be able to express themselves without fear. Railing against anonymous contributors may stop interesting ideas or facts. Remember Deep Throat?
from Max Reed
ReplyDeleteCary-over from the September section:
Anonymous said...
I called the Marcus News a couple of weeks ago to ask about the "Re-think" letter that was in the paper. Mary Radke told me that she was the one who wrote it.
Jeff Gross
October 01, 2009
Caryn Barry said...
I found this on the internet yesterday, thought people might be interested. I had never heard of her and when I typed in her name this morning, I found lots of testimonials from her but seems she lives all over the United States. Goes to show you can't believe everything you read.
I lost 47 lbs with my hectic life and these (FREE) products
By Alyssa Johnson
My name is Alyssa Johnson from Marcus, IA and I wanted to share my weight loss story with you. I am no celebrity, fitness fanatic, a person that has tons of money for a personal trainer or someone like that. I am just a wife/mom who figured out a system that worked better than all the famous diets, work out programs, etc.
First off let me tell you a little about myself. My husband Adam and I have been married for 15 years. We have 2 boys and a girl. Our oldest Brent is 13, then Taylor 9 and Ashley 5. Brent and Taylor were doing baseball together, however recently Taylor started soccer instead.
Which basically means our lives are more hectic with me chauffeuring around the kids and remember which day is which practice and who goes where. Hopefully my story can inspire you to try what I discovered and lose some weight!
October 02, 2009
Anonymous said...
Ok, that last post makes absolutely no sense to me. Can someone clarify what it is the poster is trying to say?
October 03, 2009
Baritone Bob said...
Caryn is remarking on an internet marketing scheme. There are multiple versions of it on the internet, and one version claim to be written by a Marcus resident.
October 03, 2009
Is there an Alyssa Johnson in Marcus? Someone might want to make her aware of it.
ReplyDeleteGreat story about Hoeflings' pumpkin patch.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chronicletimes.com/story/1575395.html
Anyone else selling pumpkins? I wanted to make sure you had equal time. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Methland-Death-Life-American-Small/dp/1596916508/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254682165&sr=1-1
ReplyDeleteAnyone read Methland? It's about Meth in Iowa. Pretty scary stuff.
My prayers and best wishes go with Margaret Dorr as she journeys to her new home. I do hope you will continue to visit with us here. I wish you much happiness -- maybe you can continue to write your weekly column here.
ReplyDeleteThank you to the Marc-ettes for my cookbook that came today!
ReplyDeleteBison in Iowa Video
ReplyDeleteLink to Broken Kettle Grassland Preserve
Link to story about Bison being moved to Broken Kettle
I just learned about these Bison North of Sioux City. Can't wait to drive over there and take some pics next time I am in the Marcus area.
Thanks for the kind words about my mother Julie. I believe she intends to keep writing for the paper once she is settled in her new home but I will let her speak for herself once she is back on the internet.
Kurt Dorr
Julie I am glad to hear your got your cookbook. I hope you enjoy all the great recipes.
ReplyDeleteKristi Ames
I often have detoured from the straight and narrow route to and from the airport in Omaha to travel through the Loess Hills. It is an especially beautiful ride now, in the fall. Are your leaves at their peak yet? We aren't there yet, but I think it will be fast and furious this year.
ReplyDeleteJust a note to say that the Marcus Jaycees are celebrating 45 years of doing things in Marcus. There will be an article in the Marcus News in the next week or two about the Marcus Jaycees History. If you get a chance read it and see what the Jaycees have all done for Marcus.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Snow!!?? Really?
ReplyDeleteIt's snowing here in Marcus this morning. Big white fluffy flakes. It's way to early for this stuff.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous who asked if anyone has read "Methland". I bought the book the day it came out. It is interesting to read and it has a lot of science stuff in it. It does get confusing from time to time, but it is a very good book. It is scary knowing that it is right here in Iowa, in Olwein in fact. I used to live in Ottumwa and I didn't even know this was going on. I was shocked, surprised, and I just couldn't believe it. It is a good book to read though.
ReplyDeleteThis is to express my appreciation of some of the great folks of Marcus for bailing me out of a jam during my recent two-week bicycle trip through Western Iowa.
ReplyDeleteI had flown in to Des Moines, the start and end of my trip, a few days before from Philadelphia.
I was out after dark because of a bridge outage and that day's 30 mph headwinds when Phil Dorr, who was passing by in his car, told me to meet him at Marcus Junction. He said he'd find someone who'd drive me and my bicycle to Lemars, my planned destination. Well that someone turned out to be none other than his brother, Kurt, who now lives in Illinois and is a son of Margaret Dorr, who writes Grey Matters for the Cherokee paper. Kurt was kind enough to save me from having to pedal the remaining 20 miles or so in darkness. We shared a wonderful dinner at Archie's Waeside, where I had one of my most memorable steaks, a petite tenderloin the quality of which you just can't get in my hometown of Philadelphia.
I went on to have a most enjoyable ride through Sioux City, Onawa and along the Western Skies Byway (Iowa 44) through Harlan, Elk Horn, Panora and back to Des Moines.
I'm sending Kurt some photos to post. You folks are lucky to have such striking, uncluttered Don't take it for granted!
Phil Blumenkrantz
mniteoil@gmail.com
I am sure most Marcus folks already know this but for those of us not in the immediate area.......watch the Philly/LA game on TV right now and note that Bruce Dreckman of Marcus is working the first base line as I type (Thursday night) and will be working behind home plate for tomorrow's game!!! Sure cool to see and it is neat to see one of the many wonderful Dreckman family members representing Marcus so well.
ReplyDeletePhilip Dorr
guess ill be voting for mickey mouse in this nov. election seems like a whole lot better choice than the ones we have now
ReplyDeleteguess you better run for office yourself
ReplyDeleteWho is running?
ReplyDeleteThis is Ann Dorr, Margaret Dorr's daughter. As many of you know, Mom has moved to an Assisted Living Facility near me in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She's given me the OK to share her new contact information.
ReplyDeleteHer new address is: 2115 First Ave SE #2225
Cedar Rapids, IA. 52403
Her new phone number is: 319-297-5563
Her new email address is: mdorrol@aol.com
She is getting settled in and plans to continue writing her column for the Cherokee Chronicle Times. I am so very happy to have her this close after all these years. Your loss has been my family's gain. Thanks for all the love and kindness you shared with my mother while she lived in Marcus. May God continue to bless you all,
Ann Dorr
Hey----What's happened to the Bloggers? You didn't have to stop blogging just because I left town! I really need to hear more about Marcus than ever before. Keep the messages coming!
ReplyDeleteMargaret Dorr
from Max Reed
ReplyDeleteHey, Bloggers!
Are you using this Search route when you need to find something on the Web?
http://www.goodsearch.com
A very small sum benefits the Marcus Historical Society every time you use it. Small, indeed, but so far, more than $93.00 has been raised for the Society. Not so small.
If you put it in your “Favorites” list and use it every time you need to look up something on the Web, you too can contribute to the cause. (Even you folks who just read and don't write.)
Max
Tim Galles no longer works for the city of Marcus. There was a disagreement about several things so Tim left. Tim Galles is now working for Marucs Lumber.
ReplyDeleteRandy Wevaling will be done a a ploice officer of Marcus at the end of this month do to cut backs by the City council.
Alot of poepl seam to think that the council is cutting back on things to save up enough money to hirer a city manager (Darrell Downs) But the city has run how many years with just a council. So can anyone explain why we need a city manager?
Probably a good discussion for a city council meeting. Speak up about your concerns. That's what city council meetings are for -- public forum for the good of the town.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing we need one to manage the city.
ReplyDeletemaybe someone will write in Randy or Tim in on the ballot this election
ReplyDeleteThe new young man out at Marcus-Vet Clinic has done a wonderful job with my pets. Good to see new people in Marcus.
ReplyDeleteCherokee Times Article
ReplyDeleteSeems like number 3 makes sense to me.
Extension Line
Monday, October 26, 2009
Jerry Chizek, ISU Regional Extension Education Director
The Rural Brain Drain, part 3
For the past two weeks I shared portions of an article entitled "The Rural Brain Drain" found in the October 6th edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. This week's Part 3 focuses on actions that can be taken to address the concern. Part 3 of 3: What can be done to plug the brain drain?
Small towns need to equalize their investments across different groups of young people. While it would be impractical, and downright wrong, to abort students' ambitions, there must be a radical rethinking of the goals of high-school education. The single-minded focus on pushing the most motivated students into four-year colleges must be balanced by efforts to match young people not headed for bachelor's degrees with training, vocational, and assorted associate-degree programs.
Also, school officials, parents, educators, and students must resist the temptation to think the non-college bound will just get a job if a degree is not in the cards. Gone are the days of plentiful, well-paying blue-collar factory jobs that provided a 19-year-old with a living wage. Thinking that working the line at John Deere or Winnebago will vault you into the middle class makes about as much sense as buying eight-track tapes in the iPod age. The reality is that students not earning a college degree need as much, if not more, intensive preparation for today's labor market.
The next step is to build better links between high-school and postsecondary education. Most of the job growth within Iowa is expected to come from computer, biotech, wind energy, and health care. Matching high-school students not headed for university with vocational or community-college programs, nurturing their interests while in high school through internships and training, will prepare them for the new economic growth areas. The growing distance-learning technology should not cater only to older, returning students. If students are interested in wind technology or nursing, rather than making them take social studies senior year, how about connecting them with a distance-learning class at Iowa Lakes Community College in Introduction to Computers?
Third, small towns should seek to embrace immigration. Ph.D.'s from India or China and less-skilled immigrants from Mexico or Central America should all be recruited and supported in an effort to make the heartland an immigrant enterprise zone. The region is in critical need of professional-class workers, and bringing in Hispanic workers for the food industry will not be enough to rejuvenate the region.
Fourth, areas that are losing population can help remain vibrant by enticing much-needed high fliers to come back home. There are free land programs in Kansas, Minnesota, and North Dakota, a statewide campaign in Iowa to bring back professionals, and student-loan-forgiveness programs in Maine for college graduates willing to commit to stay in the state. While the jury is out on whether any of those programs work, we believe that towns can help themselves by identifying future professionals and offering them tuition relief for graduate school that is contingent on a 10-year commitment to practice in the area. Many rural areas are medically underserved and this is one way to tackle that basic problem.
The rural crisis has been ignored for too long, but, we believe, it isn't too late to start paying attention. The residents of rural America must embrace the fact that to survive, the world they knew must change.
Vote "NO" to the 5% Hotel/Motel TAX on the November 3rd City Election ballot.
ReplyDeleteVOTE NO? Surely you are kidding. How many times have you stayed at the motel by the way and do you really think the extra 5% on a $60 rate is gonna break the bank?
ReplyDelete$60 x 5% = $3.00 per night.
Make sure you read again about what we are going to do with the extra revenues that are generated with this tax before you chew the hand off that feeds you. Just saying!
Not sure who's posted the above remarks, but can either of you tell me how much money this is expected to generate?
ReplyDeleteI believe I read in the paper that 50% of the revenues will go to the Community Center and 50% will be used as the City sees fit. How much total revenue is expected?
Feel free to correct me if this is wrong.
Ask the motel board what the annual revenues have been for the past 12 months and take that by 5%. Therein lies your answer "roughly."
ReplyDeleteHere in Florida, our local governments live off the hotel and resort taxes. Our Orange county collections were $164 million in 2008. Thank you visitors.
ReplyDeleteUPDATE:
ReplyDeleteShould expect potentially $10,000/year raised in the motel tax and this doens't even include the tax that comes in from the guests who stay at the Cozy Cottage and the Martin House. 50% of this amount will go to help suppor our community center and their operational expenses. Explain to me again how this is detrimental to our great community of Marcus, Iowa.
P.S. Every other community around the area has a similar tax at a higher rate than Marcus does already!
How come everyone is afraid to sign their name?
ReplyDeleteKurt Dorr
A few weeks ago a gentlemen posted on here about his bike trip through Marcus. I found out his wife is an author. The link below is to her website. She has written about Spam and the Philly Cheese Steak. Thought some of you might get a kick out of her books.
ReplyDeleteKurt Dorr
Cheese Steak and Spam
Here is a link to her other books.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn Wyman's other books
because some people don't like having there names out there. Some like just seeing their names out there for some other purpose. I feel it is up the the individual if they want to put there name or not!
ReplyDeleteLet me assure you I don't enjoy having my name out there then have someone come along and call this the Dorr blog if that is what you are implying. I do it because it's the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteKurt Dorr
QUOTE "because some people don't like having there names out there. Some like just seeing their names out there for some other purpose. I feel it is up the the individual if they want to put there name or not!"
ReplyDeleteYeah Kurt this makes perfect sense to me! Geez you grew up in a small town and by now you know there are always those in any community that love to take shots behind the CURTAIN at those who are not as insecure and willing to sign there name to letters to the editor, school board votes, city council meetings, and even the Marcus BLOG.....
Sincerely,
Anonymizer........:)
Maybe I'm dead wrong, but I don't think signing or not signing a post is a matter of personal taste or choice. I think it is simply a matter of courtesy. You wouldn't send a letter to a friend without signing your name, so why wouldn't you show the same courtesy when posting on the Blog ? Where's Emily Post when we need her? Woops! I guess that really dates me. It's Annie these days, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMargaret Dorr
How is life in eastern Iowa, Margaret? Do they speak differently out that way? A tavern is a what ...?
ReplyDelete10/29/09
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who don't live in Marcus might want to know that we have a local food pantry. It was started a year ago and has served over 30 families of the MMC school district. The only qualification to use the food pantry is that you live in the MMC School district.
Currently the food pantry is looking for a good used kitchen table for a single mother with 4 kids. If anyone in the area has one please contact Rachel Holmes - email srholmes@midlands.net. The food pantry could also use donations of laundry soap, cleaning supplies, personal items, soups, pasta meals, sauces, condiments, PB&J,
We give God the credit in building the food pantry he has been such a blessing to so many in need. We really appreciate all the food and financial support we have received over the past year.
Rachel Holmes
Community Ministry
Po Box 267
Marcus Ia 51035
Marcus for Progress is having a soup supper on November 6th. Come and enjoy your supper with friends and neighbors. And even some family! It is 5-8pm.
ReplyDeleteThe 75th annual Marcus Community Fair will be August 11-14th, 2011.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone (committee) that is willing to organize an All School Reunion? We ask that you work with us in scheduling the main event and anything leading up to it, but we'd like this committee to take on the brunt of the work involved.
Along this same line, is there anyone willing to coordinate an All School Marching band? Again we want you to work with us on the scheduling, but we need you to do the leg work.
These were a couple of suggestions that have been mentioned to us and we're asking for some volunteers to step up and help make the 75th celebration special one.
If your interested please get a hold of one of us on the Fair Board.
Thanks
Paul Wilkens
Marcus Fair Board
Paul,
ReplyDeleteI am posting your notice on my class Web site too. I will offer to do what I can long-distance. I sure wouldn't want to head up the committee, but I could help with PR, advertising, press releases, etc. We could get a Facebook page started and get the word out there. Save the date stuff like that.
Paul:
ReplyDeleteIf I may I would recommend you contact Tom Cronin re the ALL SCHOOL MARCHING BAND activity. I believe he could pull this off for you and the community!
Would love to see them march in the PARADE btw....hint hint!!!!
Great stuff and as usual the Marcus Fair Board is to be commended. Y'all go above and beyond. Now if you can just hold off until Friday afternoon with making sure all of your entries get in for various things up in the buildings it might encourage those coming home to bring some items back with them for the FAIR to see if they still have the magical touch!!! Judging these events on Saturday vs Friday would be encouraging for us out of towners.....another hint hint!!!!
I know I have a few sister-in-laws who are very gifted when it comes to crafts and such but they don't live in the community thus having their entries by Thursday night is not feasible.
Phil Dorr
Sorry, Paul.
ReplyDeleteThat "anonymous" volunteer was me.
I keep forgetting to add this here. Our Iowa magazine is looking for a Cherokee County correspondent. Maybe they have one by now, but it would be great to have one from Marcus. If you haven't seen this magazine yet, check it out. It has fabulous photography from across the state, but it is definitely in need of some features from northwest Iowa features. Of course, it doesn't pay, but it might be the first step to getting some coverage for the 75th fair in 2011.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid part of the excitement was checking out your entries to see if you'd won anything. Holding that excitement off until Saturday doesn't seem fair and waiting to judge the baked goods on Saturday won't work either. It's a nice idea to get more entries, but Saturday judging seems a bit late in the game.
ReplyDeleteJulie:
ReplyDeleteWhen you were a kid there were 3 farms to a section and each family had 10 kids or so it seemed. Now you are lucky if you have 3 farms to 5 sections thus the dynamics have changed and the number of entries is down as a result of less people to play!
Thus when my daughter wanted to enter her entry for the fair this year and we worked on it during the summer to enter in the fair..........and if you can't get off work early to be home by Thursday night..........see where I am going with this?
Again, this isn't only about me or my family but I know tons of talented people who come home every year for the fair but by the time they get home on Friday night it is toooo late to enter anything in the fair. Thus to add to the excitement of the fair for the families of people coming home and to add to the number of potential entries in the buildings I thought trying something new might be interesting.
Just like this year the fair board had fireworks during the fair and it went over quite well and they did it on Saturday night for all to participate in.......hopefully it will now become a fair tradition as the community thoroughly enjoyed this added event.....and most of us don't get home for the 4th of July so it was a nice way to spend a night with tons of friends in the home town!
Same concept if I may add but just a different event.....and yes local kids and adults can wait one more day to see what they won and likewise the local folks can have an extra day to submit their entries. Plus there will potentially be more competition which always adds to the excitement.......Just my two cents worth!
Phil Dorr
The fire works were done this year at the fair because of the Dorr family reunion and was pushed by a Dorr!
ReplyDeleteDon't you think the fairboard and the other people in Marcus have enough to do during the fair? The fairboard memebers have families to, can't they enjoy the fair with famliy?
It is nice people come home during the fair but come on give the people of Marcus and the fairboard credit for the great fair and the planning that goes on for this!
Like I said it is great to have freinds and family comeback for the fair but you come back and don't have to worry about anything except have fun and enjoy yourself.
The fairboard is a great bunch of people and so are the people of Marcus!!!
That is my 2 cents.
Sorry if this offends anyone.
WOW.....since you have your facts completely wrong I would suggest you visit with Paul Wilkens re the fireworks.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard of the Westernaires.....that might be your first hint on how off base you are.
Re the fireworks I am most hopeful that the fair board will see to it that they will continue to support fireworks being held during the fair and for the record the Dorr family doesn't have an annual reunion...now the Specht family does but that is held in July and in Cleghorn. Don't confuse the two even though my grandma was a Specht!
With regard to my suggestion about the food and craft showings/competition....well I don't have a clue who you are since you seem to like to hide behind the curtain but for the record when I was a kid there were a lot more items on display in the buildings......i.e. a numbers game. More people on farms and the like meant more canned items and such.
If you have a better idea on how to help assist the wonderful fair board and the Marcus fair continue to be a great event then have at it. With regard to my suggestion it was just a thought on how to maybe bring renewed attention to the arts and crafts part of the wonderful fair experience and help keep the buildings full of wonderful items for all to view!
BTW, I would love to see a poetry/writing section added to the fair buildings with a judging done over the weekend so all of us could get exposed to the likes of Julia Simpson/Meylor---Margaret- Dorr as well as others who I don't even know about...just trying to think outside the box and work with Paul and his board to expand and see our fair continue to be the great event it is every year.
If this riles you up and you aren't comfortable with change then forgive me. I will no longer posts my thoughts on this board but will deal with the fair board directly so as not to cause you alarm!
With regard to the fair and the fair board......no one has ever taken one bit of what they do for granted. We are truly blessed to have such a find group of folks who are so generous with their time and commitment to the fair. Something tells me that deep down inside more than a few of the board members realize what a treasure we have in our community fair and they serve with BIG and OPEN arms knowing how wonderful of a tradition they are caring on and how much joy it brings to so many people every year during the fair weekend!
Philip Melvin Dorr
No I got my facts right about the fireworks! Almost everyone in Marcus knows how a Dorr called around asking for a few good men to put on a street dance and have fireworks. You wanted this done for the Dorr Family reunion at the Marcus Fair. Several people was asked to put on a street dance with the charades on mainstreet cuase you wanted to dance under the stars and you would help raise the money for it.
ReplyDeleteI got my facts right.
A wise man knows when to let the issue drop.
ReplyDeleteLet's let it drop and think about what we can do to aid with the task at hand.
(You both obviously love the fair and Marcus, so funnel it into something productive.)
Amen. It's pointless. Everyone knows how much the fair board does and how hard it works to put on a fair that's older and better than most county fairs. There's no disputing that at this site. Stop trying to create rancor where none exists. Brainstorming ideas is simply that -- we're stirring the pot with possibilities. We may not always agree, but we can still respect each other.
ReplyDeleteI'd also suggest that if the need exists for volunteers during fair time, you might be surprised by the vistors who would sign up for tasks, if asked. Maybe we'd like to give back. We see Marcus residents working at the fair. Maybe it doesn't have to be that way. Maybe visitors could pitch in so that residents -- our old neighbors and longtime friends (after all, we're not strangers!) -- could enjoy it too. Again, just an idea ... just stirring the pot.
Hi everybody. I have a little bit of an announcement. I am now a Mary Kay consultant, and I am not sure if there is one around here or not. I know there is in Orange City and LeMars. I am having a skin care class on Monday November 9, 2009 at 6:00 pm at the senior center. If you are intrested in coming please let me know ahead of time so I can get a head count.
ReplyDeleteI am new at this and I am just trying to get out and meet new people and come out of my shell as I have said in the past. I don't know alot of people in town and I figured this would probably be the easiest way for me to get out there.
You can email me at tonyadempster2005@hotmail.com for any questions or to place an order.
Thanks guys.
Thanks Julie for posting our request to your class web-site. Getting the word out is exactly what we need to do.
ReplyDeleteOur request will also be in the Marcus News, so I hope more people get to thinking about it.
Once we get a committee put together any offers of assistance from alumni that no longer live close by can be put to good use, so thanks again.
Paul
HI all. I know I posted earlier about my Mary Kay business. This is my email address for my direct link to my email.
ReplyDeletetdempster@marykay.com
Tonya:
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your new venture. I am sure with your attitude and moxie you will do well.
It has been a pleasure sharing in your new adventure moving to Marcus and making such an effort to integrate yourself into the community.
You have a wonderful neighbor in Ms. Ames btw so I am sure between the two of you good things will continue to come your way!
Philip Melvin Dorr
Thank you very much Philip Dorr. I appreciate that. Although I haven't officially met Kristi yet, we will be meeting on November 9. I am sure she is a wonderful lady and I can't wait to meet her!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading the comments re: anonymous vs disclosure when posting comments. I keep thinking that there's a reason why we vote confidentially. Confidentiality is sometimes necessary for people to be able to express themselves without fear. Railing against anonymous contributors may stop interesting ideas or facts. Remember Deep Throat?
ReplyDeleteExpress themselves without fear? Fear of what?
ReplyDeleteFear of being ridiculed for their opinion. Dont say it doesnt happen because we all know it does.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing to fear but fear itself.
ReplyDelete