Andy Anderson and Tony Bohnenkamp will be taking the Brooklyn Opera House stage on Friday, Feb. 4 to tribute Elton John and Billy Joel. Lisa Irion will perform her Tribute to Cher show the following month on Saturday, March 26. Collectively, these two performances will highlight and pay tribute to these iconic artists who have stood the test of time. 
    "Elton & Billy - The Tribute”  will be a three-hour tribute experience of the legendary piano men. Anderson (Elton John) and Bohnenkamp (Billy Joel) bring their music and iconic personalities to life with spot-on performances, accompanied by outrageously fun outfits. With the backing band of Nick Borrer, Joe Kiplinger and Sam Mogerman, those attending will enjoy popular hits like “Bennie and the Jets,” “Only The Good Die Young,” “Rocket Man” and many more. 
     In March, Lisa Irion will also be coming to the Brooklyn Opera House to tribute Cher. Lisa has been performing her Tribute to Cher show for corporate events, casinos, public and private events across the USA and internationally since 2003. She sings the hits live in beautiful costume replicas from Cher's concerts. Audience participation is a hallmark of her show and makes for a personal and memorable experience. 
   “We are excited to bring these popular tribute shows to the Brooklyn Opera House,” said Laura Manatt, General Manager.  “These performances bring the legendary work of these famed artists.”
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.brooklynoperahouse.com. 

By J.O. Parker
 
      Change is coming to the Grinnell Tigers athletic program.
     Grinnell is leaving the Little Hawkeye Conference and is joining the bigger WaMaC beginning with the 2023-24 school year.
    The Grinnell-Newberg Community School District Board of Directors voted on the move at its regular meeting on Jan. 12.
   “Grinnell isn't seeing the economic development that the other Little Hawkeye schools are experiencing,” noted athletic director Chris Coffman of the move. “Our enrollment is stagnant while the others are growing.”
    Coffman added that with the addition of Indianola to the Little Hawkeye Conference, the competition has been great, but it definitely has tipped the scales towards the larger schools.
        “For Grinnell to be successful, our students need to be involved in activities year-round,” Coffman said. “We don't have the luxury for athletes to specialize like the larger schools.”
     Grinnell joined the Little Hawkeye Conference with Pella and Knoxville in 1996 following the reorganization of the South Central Conference at the end of the 1995-96 school year. 
     Grinnell and Pella Christian are the two smallest schools in the Little Hawkeye Conference with Indianola being the largest. 
       In the WaMaC, Grinnell will be one of the larger schools behind Clear Creek-Amana and Marion.
According to Coffman, Grinnell has been discussing this change for a while. 
      “The timing was right with Beckman Catholic and Maquoketa leaving the WaMaC (at the end of the 2022 season) and the uncertainty of the LHC, due to the breakup of the C.I.M.L. (Central Iowa Metro League),” he said.
      Beckman Catholic and Maquoketa are leaving for the River Valley Conference.
      With the departure of Beckman Catholic and Maquoketa, the WaMaC will be 11 school for one year and then move to 12 with the addition of Grinnell the following year. 
    The WaMaC includes Mount Vernon, Solon, West Delaware, Benton Community, Center Point-Urbana, Clear Creek-Amana, Independence, Marion, South Tama County, Vinton-Shellsburg and Williamsburg.

​By J.O. Parker
 
      Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and a great way to spend it would be by attending the TKM Productions presentation of “Weekend Comedy,” a two act play by Sam and Jeanne Bobrick.
     The play is about a couple in their mid-50s and a couple in their mid-20s who have accidentally rented the same cabin for a three-day weekend. The couples decide to share it. The older couple is married, the younger couple is not. What follows is the comedic clash between generations and ideas.
The production is sponsored by the Brooklyn Ruritan Club and will be held on Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Michael J. Manatt Community Center, 105 Jackson St. Show time is 6 p.m. both nights.
     The Valentine’s Day dinner and show is going be a lot of fun,” said Rusty Clayton with the Ruritan Club.
Tickets now available
    The meal will be prepared and served by the Brooklyn Ruritan Club. The meal will be served in the Michael J. Manatt Community Center with the production taking place in the Brooklyn Opera House.
    Tickets are available at Rusty Clayton’s office, Aggie’s Hair Care or from any Ruritan Club member for $40 per person. Tickets will not be sold at the door. There is assigned seating. For more information, to purchase tickets or to reserve tables for groups, call Rusty at 641-990-4304.
    This is a fundraiser for the Ruritan Building Expansion Project.

​      Three of the founding members of the Brooklyn Ruritan Club, which was charted on Jan. 20, 1977, cut a cake in honor of the club’s 45th anniversary last week. Pictured are, from left: Roger Van Ersvelde, Rusty Clayton and Jim Foels. The Brooklyn Ruritan Club is involved in a number of community outreaches throughout the year and has donated more than $1 million back to the community since the club was first chartered 45-years ago.

By J.O. Parker
 
         The Brooklyn Ruritan Club celebrated its 45th anniversary milestone last week.
      Rusty Clayton, Jim Foels and Roger Van Ersvelde, three of the original founding club members, celebrated the anniversary on Jan. 20 with a cake and a time of reflection at the Ruritan Club Building on the north edge of town.
        The Brooklyn Ruritan Club was charted on Jan. 20, 1977 with 18 members. The club currently has 26 members of which 5 are Rising Seniors.
      Each year, the local club choses 4-5 high school seniors to participate in club activities and complete a community service project of their choosing. Each senior then receives a $500 scholarship to further their educational goals.
     Through the years, the Brooklyn Ruritan Club has given more than $1 million back to the community through service projects and other activities.
     Ruritan is a national organization dedicated to community service with the purpose of making their area a better place to live and work. The slogan of Ruritan is Fellowship, Goodwill, and Community Service. Club membership represents a cross section of the community which the club serves and is available to all persons interested in their community.
    The first Ruritan Club was chartered May 21, 1928, in Holland, Va. Since that first club, Ruritan has grown throughout the United States of America, and in doing so, has become "America's Leading Community Service Organization." The name "Ruritan" is a combination of the Latin words for country "ruri" and the small town "tan," interpreted as pertaining to rural and small town life.
     The Brooklyn Ruritan Club is involved in a number of community outreaches throughout the year. This includes a breakfast, which this year will be served on Feb. 27, which will benefit “Big Hearts 4 Tiny Hands,” a local grassroots effort to provide support for families with babies in the NICU. The club also operates concession stands at the Brooklyn Raceway and at the What Cheer Flea Market. In addition, the club offers catering services, hosts a car show on Flag Day weekend, sponsors a camper to Camp Courageous, hosts a Veteran’s Day program, hosts a Valentine’s Day play and meal and is involved in other community projects.
     The club’s latest project is an effort to honor Brooklyn’s Harold “Pie” Keller, one of the six Marines who raised the American Flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. The new memorial, which will be located at the Brooklyn Avenue of Flags, will be dedicated on June 11.
    “The organization has been good for the community and members personally,” noted Clayton, a founding member and club treasurer. “We also are looking to add to our membership and welcome anyone interested in giving something back to the community. They should reach out to a club member.”

​   Rep. Dave Maxwell announced last week his re-election bid for the new Iowa House of Representatives District 53. Rep. Maxwell currently serves House District 76 consisting of all of Poweshiek County and 12 townships in Iowa County. After the re-districting in 2021, Poweshiek County remains whole, but the Iowa County part of District 76 was replaced by a comparable piece of Tama County and is now District 53 of the Iowa House.  Representatives serve their current districts through Dec. 31, 2022.
     “I think I have done a very good job serving District 76 and I regard myself as a “common sense conservative” and as such I can work across the aisle when needed and also work with my Republican colleagues,” noted Rep. Maxwell.
    Rep. Maxwell was born and raised in rural Deep River, attended Deep River Independent grade/junior high, then high school at Montezuma Community.
He studied two years at the University of Northern Iowa and two years at Iowa State University, when his schooling was interrupted by military service.
    “After three years in the United States Army, one of them spent in Viet Nam, I returned to Iowa and worked for my cousin in the farm drainage business,” Rep. Maxwell said. “A few years later, I started Maxwell Tiling, Inc. and have been in business in the same location for the past 47 years.”
  Rep. Maxwell is married to Kristin Armstrong and between them, have four children, nine grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Rep. Maxwell belongs to the United Church of Deep River, LICA, AGC and is a member and past commander of the Deep River American Legion Post #296.
     For more information, please call 641-660-0792 or email [email protected].

Continued support from Grinnell College and the community helps libraries expand their collections and enrich educational experience at Grinnell Middle and High schools
 

​     Grinnell-Newburg students showcasing some of their favorite books at the library. Pictured are, from left: Olivia Blankenfeld, Nathaniel Zug, Will Burkhead, Hailey Buban, Thea Larsson, Gavin Gilman, Cara Locker and Zoe Stoner.

​   As a partner in education with Grinnell High School, Grinnell College donated 10 percent of December sales from the Pioneer Bookshop to the Grinnell-Newburg High School and Grinnell Middle School libraries. The donation reflects the outstanding support of local shoppers.
    According to Chelsey Kolpin, Grinnell-Newburg High School and Middle School librarian, the funds will be used to continue to focus on diversity in both school collections to make sure all voices are represented, as well as updating popular series and filling student requests.
   “I am so thankful for the support Grinnell College gives us in this gift of books,” Kolpin said. “The pandemic prevented our partnership from happening last year, and that made me realize just how much this donation adds to our library collections. It's a game changer, as it allows me to add books to the libraries throughout the winter and spring, when my building budgets tend to get thinner.”
    "The Pioneer Bookshop recognizes that fostering the love of reading at an early age creates lifetime readers,” said Cassie Wherry, manager of the bookstore. “We want to show our support for the school libraries by helping them create a selection of books popular with our youth. Thanks to all the Pioneer Bookshop shoppers who helped support this donation by shopping locally in December." 

     Grinnell-Newburg students reading with friends in the library. Pictured are, from left, front row: Reagan Stensrud, Lily Montgomery, Rome Tew, Kyle McDonald, Brady Grife. Second row: Derek Doty, Satgam Sharma, Ben Kelne, Ethan Sheko and Will Burkhead.

      To support children’s dental health needs, local dentists and their staffs will volunteer their time and materials to provide free dental exams and limited services to children, ages 3 – 18, who are under-insured (Medicaid/Title 19) or uninsured and have an economic need. A parent/guardian needs to call one of the offices and schedule an appointment prior to Feb. 1. 
    The total number of appointments will be limited and will fill up quickly. Parent/guardian attendance is strongly encouraged, but if one cannot attend the appointment with the child, a consent form must be competed at the dental office prior to the appointment.
       Call one of the offices below to make a free dental clinic appointment:
• Dental Associates, 902 Park St., Grinnell – 641-236-6174
• Family Dentistry, Grinnell Office, 825 Broad St., Grinnell – 641-236-6169
• Family Dentistry, Montezuma Office, 105 S. 4th St., Montezuma – 641-623-2013
• Family Dentistry, Victor Office, 208 Washington St., Victor – 319-647-2141
Additional Resource
    I-Smile is a resource in Iowa for help with securing a dental home. The Poweshiek County Dental Coalition teams with I-Smile to ensure children have access to dental care. The local I-Smile Coordinator can be reached at 641-828-2238, ext. 161.
 For more information contact the Poweshiek County Dental Coalition, 515-650-1877, [email protected].

     The children of Corey and Jen Latcham of Grinnell, Henry, 2, left, and Carter, 3, right, enjoy playing in the snow and showing off the snowman they built with the help of mom and dad after the first band of snow went through the area on Friday, Jan. 14. “We all played outside in the snow and built the snowman together for about 30 minutes, before the second band of snow started,” said Jen.
Submitted photo

​      Deputies with the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office spent Dec. 21, 2021 delivering 30 food boxes to families in need all across Poweshiek County. The food boxes were prepared by Hy-Vee and paid for by a non-profit group of veterans who wished to remain anonymous. Pictured are, from left: Poweshiek County Deputy Matt Maschmann, Deputy Steve Kivi, Sheriff Tom Kriegel and Deputy Steve Warnick. Submitted photo.

By J.O. Parker
 
      Thanks to the generosity of a non-profit group of veterans and the hard work of deputies with the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office, families all across the county had a brighter Christmas. On Dec. 21, 2021, deputies on both the day and night shifts, packed the jail van with food boxes that were prepared by Hy-Vee and paid for by the group of veterans who wished to remain anonymous.
    “We worked with city offices and school districts in Brooklyn, Montezuma and Grinnell to identify people in need,” said Sheriff Kriegel.
     Deputies delivered food boxes to 30 families in Montezuma, Malcom, Deep River, Brooklyn, Grinnell and one family in Chelsea.
   “All of those boxes were donated and put together by generous and caring people in our community,” said Deputy Steve Kivi, who helped deliver the food boxes. “Even though we were just the delivery people, it made us feel really good to have a small part in making Christmas a little better for a few families in communities that we serve.”
      “People were really grateful for it and happy,” said Sheriff Kriegel.

     In December 2021 community mini-grants were awarded to seven local initiatives, totaling $25,121. Since 2002, the mini-grant program has directed more than $507,000 toward 209 community-driven initiatives.
Fall 2021 Grant Recipients

• Ahrens Park Foundation, $3,500 for a community survey and land survey for early stages of an outdoor learning environment/classroom project.
• Blessed Community Meal, $2,000 in support of this long-standing community meal for anyone at no cost.
• Grinnell Community Early Learning Center, $2,155 to update/replace its infant and toddler gym.
• Grinnell Newburg School Foundation, $7,500 for National Board Teacher Certification registration, making this program more equitable for all current teachers.
• Grinnell Parks and Recreation, $1,316 for an inclusive swing seat in Central Park so all children can enjoy the outdoor playscapes, regardless of their physical abilities.
• Imagine Grinnell, $4,300 toward the TreeCorps watering and maintenance project to replace the tree canopy in our community lost during the derecho.
• Local Foods Connection, $4,350 to help with community-supported agriculture share costs to make it easier for families to access fresh, local food.

    “After taking a pause on the mini-grant program in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 due to the pandemic, I am very excited to announce the awards for our 2021 fall grant cycle,” said Donnette Ellis, community relations and grant coordinator at Grinnell College. “The committee did an outstanding job working through the applications and making recommendations. There were also a few proposals that we shared with the Nonprofit Emergency Relief Fund Committee and with The Andrew W. Mellon Presidential Grant Committee. Being able to collaborate with our community partners has allowed more dollars to reach more projects.” 
Spring 2022 Community Mini-Grants
     Grinnell College is now accepting applications for the spring cycle of community mini-grants. Grant applications are due by April 8, 2022, and awards will be announced by May 20, 2022. Grants are reviewed by a volunteer committee of faculty, staff, local Grinnell College students and community members. Preference is given to proposals that leverage collaborative partnerships within the community. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $7,500. For more information or to download an application, visit: grinnell.edu/about/offices-services/community-enhancement/investments/mini-grants, or contact the Office of Community Partnerships, Planning and Research at 641-269-3900.