Story City Historical Society
Hosts: Paul Wierson and Howard Hammond
Guest: Kate from Story City Historical Society
Bob Anderson, Ames History, Emergency Preparedness
Originally broadcast 08/03/2015
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A tribute to Bob Anderson, who passed away July 27th, founder and director of the Raptor Resource Center in Decorah Iowa. The Raptor Resource Center is world famous for the Decorah Eagle Cam, but Bob's greatest legacy is possibly that he brought Peregrine Falcons back to Iowa. Pat Schlarbaum tells that story with the help of other staff from the Raptor Resource Center, Amy Ries, Jon Stavers, and John Dingley. There will be a memorial service for Bob on Sunday, Aug 8 at 1pm at the Decorah Fish Hatchery in Decorah Iowa. Directions to the Decorah Fish Hatchery.
Alex Fejhar from the Ames History Center, submitting himself to our first installment of a new segment called "WHY IS THAT??" explains how Northwestern Avenue was made and why the houses stand at an angle.
Keith Morgan Story County Emergency Management< Coordinator, gives important, practical life-saving information on planning for emergencies. It is worth it to listen and act on his advice.
Working Together... or Not?
Originally broadcast 07/31/2015
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Host Greta Anderson covers Tuesday's Ames city council vote in favor of the latest settlement with Breckenridge LLC, which will result in the sale of the "South Parcel" to Iowa State University, the "Middle Parcel" to the City of Ames for affordable owner-occupied homes, and will leave the "North Parcel" along Lincoln Way to the developer for the high-density student housing. A long and protracted negotiation with hundreds of hours of volunteer and staff hours of input has resulted in what most city council members describe as the best victory possible. In state government, "working together" was not this year's watchword, as Governor Branstad's veto of one-time education funding, says guest Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames), chair of the Senate Education Cmte., undermined the hard-won compromise of the split legislature. Reporter Kay Puttock leads off the show with American Legion guest Doug McRae as part of July's community service appreciation program.
The Iowa Farm Crisis of the 1980s with Dr. Neil Harl
A look back at the Iowa Farm crisis of the 1980's; what happened, why it happened and what it means in the context of today's economic landscape.
Joe Hayneck, a former ISU engineering student, was the son of a Southern Iowa farm family and grew up during the farm crisis of the 1980s. He tells his story here with fragments of music from a musical - Farmer Song - that he and his mother wrote about the farm crisis. It was eventually performed at the New York fringe festival. Today, Joe works in Des Moines as an engineer but his home in Murray, Iowa, out of which he also runs a radio station – KSOI community radio.
Dr. Neil Harl, explains why the farm crisis happened and shares general insights on the economics of farming, as well as lending and interest rate management and the consequences of government policies. Harl is a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture at Iowa State University, Emeritus Professor of Economics, and Former Director of the Center for International Agricultural Finance. He is also a member of the Iowa Bar.
Fred Johnson, Georgie Tsushima, Emerald Ash Borer, and Shagstock
Originally broadcast 07/27/2015
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At the Unity Church's memorial service for former Ames resident and educator Fred Johnson, Fred's friends and family explain the meaning of the wooden radio displayed at the front of the room, which literally served as the urn for his ashes.
A gathering of more than 200 people at Brookside Park honored the memory of Georgie Tsushima, reknowned skateboarder and filmmaker from Ames, who died at the age of 26. Friend and skateboarder Derek Siedelmann describes Georgie and his life, the effect he had on many, and the moving gathering that culminated with a skateboard thumping salute and a rainbow in the sky. Derek tells us how skateboarding feels.
Ames Public Relations Officer Susan Gwiasda tells us that the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic is 10 miles from Ames and the proactive measures Ames is taking in anticipation of the destruction of Ash trees. Amy Yoakum, Natural Resource Specialist, and Erica Eaves, Outreach Coordinator at Story County Conservation, describe the innovative Wasp Watchers biosurveillance volunteer program to identify the presence of emerald ash borers. Amy also provides information on how to identify stricken trees.
Nevada: County Fair and Briggs Terrace Evergreen Lane
Nevada resident Jessica Eyanson offers a portrait of community life and spirit in Nevada as she describes various ways residents gather to help and support each other, as well as the Nevada and Colo volunteer fire departments.
Kris Corbin, a volunteer at the Nevada Historical Society and Vice Chairman of the Board, gives some background history and a tour of Briggs Terrace Evergreen Lane, the museum/mansion in Eastern Nevada, whose grounds also house historic structures including carriage houses, the George Child log house, and Halley School. Corbin explains how and why the estate house was built and tells us about the people that lived there, offering a glimpse into early life in Nevada.
In “Tuning into Agriculture,” reporter Greta Anderson interviews Chasity Moody, a young farmer and competitor at the Story County Fair happening in Nevada. Chastity describes how she has prepared herself and the animals she will show.
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