The Pioneer Enterprise

09/15/2022

09/15/2022

West Fork Board Meeting September 19th at 4pm. Save the date!

West Fork CSD Regular Board Meeting
Sheffield, Iowa 50475 - Media Center Sheffield Campus
or contact the school to be sent a link to attend via Zoom

Agenda

Monday, September 19, 2022 at 4:00 P.M.

I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Welcome Visitors and Media Representatives
IV. Constituent Communications
V. Approval of Consent Agenda
1. Approval of Agenda
2. Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting
3. Approval of Financial Reports
4. Approval of Bills and Claims
5. Open Enrollment

VI. Reports

● Principal Report
● Superintendent Report
● Transportation Report
● Buildings & Grounds Report

VIII. Old Business

● FEMA Safe Room Project Update
● Purchase of Lot at 203 2nd Street South in Rockwell Update

IV. New Business

● Oath of Office Board Member
● Board Policy Review 800 & 900 Series 2nd Reading
● Special Education deficit for the 2021-2022 school year
● Resolution to request allowable growth to cover the special education deficit
● Wrestling Discussion and Update both Boys & Girls

IX. Personnel
● Contracts

● Resignations
X. Announcements
XI. Other Business
XII. Adjournment

The next Board meeting will be October 17 th at 5:15 PM in Rockwell.

09/15/2022

Jack Zimmerman Turns The Page Party September 16th 2022
By Matt Grohe

When Jack Zimmeran started working at The Sheffield Press in 1956 it cost .03 to mail a letter, gas was .23 cents a gallon, a loaf of bread was .18 cents, and it would be 7 more years until Eugene and Mary Sukup would debut their Stirway stirring machine and found Sukup Manufacturing. It’s been a 66 year ride for Jack and Sheffield. But like all good things it’s coming to an end as JZ turns the page and moves on to his next adventure September 16th 2022.

The festivities will kick off at 9am as Jack opens The Press office for the final time, not so much for printing but instead for greeting the public at an open house ito honor Jack and The Press from 9am-4pm. The public is invited to tour the shop at 305 W Gilman St, listen to Jack’s recollections and enjoy light refreshments and snacks.

After the open house the party will move to Godfather’s Pizza at 805 Central Avenue In Hampton where a dinner will be held in Jack’s honor from 4:30pm to 7:00pm. The public is invited to the gala where The Sheffield Press will be picking up the tab for a full buffet dinner of Godfather’s famous pizza and fried chicken, plus full salad bar with sides and drink bar. There will be a gift table and cards to sign so people can share their recollections and sentiments as well as decades of bound editions of The Sheffield Press for people to look through and enjoy.

The event will be free but those wishing to make a donation may do so by contributing to two of Jack’s Sheffield designated non-profits, the Sheffield EMS Center and The West Fork Food Pantry. RSVP is not necessary, just show up if you can to help us let Jack know how much we appreciate his over six decades of service to the communities of Sheffield, Chapin, Hampton, Rockwell, and Franklin County. See you there!

09/15/2022

The Pioneer Enterprise delivery update!

We goofed! This week's Enterprise news was intended to go out in the Clear-Lake mirror reporter which will be acting more as a regional publication and including coverage of Rockwell and West Fork Schools, but there was a hiccup and the edition did not make it to Enterprise subscribers. Our apologies.

The new edition with expanded content will be in mailboxes and on newsstands next week as usual. A feature story will appear about the change and more details will be forthcoming. Thank you for your understanding as we work to make this happen.

In the meantime we hope you can join us for our open house tomorrow from 9am-4:30pm at the Sheffield Press office in Sheffield as we celebrate Jack Zimmerman and his 66 years of service at the Press!

09/15/2022

NEWS RELEASE: GRANT application deadline approaching

2022 GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE BY SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

The deadline for applying for a 2022 grant from The Foster and Evelyn Barkema Charitable Trust is quickly approaching. Applications will be accepted through September 30, 2022. Forms may be obtained by contacting Zoe Brown, PO Box 461, Hampton, Iowa 50441, or email: [email protected].

The Barkema Charitable Trust was organized for the purpose of making grants to qualified tax-exempt organizations. Special consideration is given to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations which are of a charitable, educational, literary, health or public service nature and are located within the Belmond-Klemme, Hampton-Dumont-CAL or West Fork School District.

09/15/2022

Harvest Season Yields Opportunity for Farmers to Give Back Through Gift of Grain

Sept. 14, 2022 – With harvest season upon us, the Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation wants farmers to know about and to consider the opportunity to benefit their local community through a gift of grain. Donating a gift of grain is a simple way to make a charitable gift outside of the traditional cash contribution.

“Making a gift of grain is a unique way of giving that many don’t consider although it might make sense for an individual or family who farms and is also interested in being charitable,” said Terry Gaumer, affiliate development director with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. “The value of the grain can be used to start an endowed fund at the Community Foundation. We grow the initial gift and the interest on the fund can be granted out to causes important to the individual or family to better the community, forever.”

By giving grain to the Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, farmers can avoid including the sale of the grain in their farm income. Although a charitable income tax deduction is generally not available, the significant benefit is the avoidance of declaring it as income. The cost of growing the crops is deducted, which typically results in saving self-employment tax, federal income tax and state income tax. Benefits can be had even if one does not itemize the deductions and takes the standard deduction. Farmers considering a gift of grain are encouraged to first discuss this option with a tax advisor.

The simplest way to give a gift of grain is to let the Community Foundation know of the intended gift. The gift should be from unsold crop inventory with no sale commitment made prior to the gift. The crop is then taken to the grain buyer and the seller tells the buyer how much grain he/she would like to put into an account set up by the Community Foundation. The grain buyer then notifies the Community Foundation which sells the grain and receives the sale proceeds.

Gifts of grain to endowment funds with a qualified community foundation, like the Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation, are eligible for a 25% state tax credit on the total value of the gift through the Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program. All qualified donors can carry forward the tax credit for up to five years after the year the donation was made. More information about Endow Iowa can be found at www.cfneia.org/endowiowa.

Questions about gift of grain or other types of gifts can be directed to Terry Gaumer at 319-243-1354 or [email protected].



For more information about the Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation, visit www.cerrogordoccf.org.

The Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation is a local organization making grant investments to organizations that create a stronger and more vibrant quality of life in Cerro Gordo County and helps people establish permanent funds for the causes they care about in their community. The Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, a nonprofit committed to creating long-term impact in 20 counties in Iowa. For more information, contact 319-287-9106 or visit www.cfneia.org. CFNEIA is confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.

07/01/2022

06/20/2022

The Rockwell City Council unanimously voted to maintain the ban on a local dog.
Read more about it here -
https://bit.ly/3Hw2Mr2

The Rockwell city council discussed a local dog, the yearly firework display, the to***co permit for Jonesy’s Stop & Shop, an update to the quonset building, nuisance properties, the playground project, and the committee responsibility handbook in their regular meeting on Wednesday, June 1.

06/17/2022

The primary Election Day was held Tuesday, June 7. Cerro Gordo county residents flooded to the voting locations in numbers dwarfing past primaries.
Read more about the results here -
https://www.thesheffieldpress.com/content/cerro-gordo-primary-results

The primary Election Day was held Tuesday, June 7. Cerro Gordo county residents flooded to the voting locations in numbers dwarfing past primaries.

06/08/2022

The District 2 County Board of Supervisor Republican Candidate will be Casey M. Callanan. Chris Watts is the Republican candidate in District 1. District 3 Republican candidate will be Don O'Connor and the Democratic candidate will be Lori Meacham Ginapp. For more information on the primary election, check out the June 16 edition of the Pioneer Enterprise.

05/12/2022

The Rockwell city council discussed utility billing, crosswalk painting, a local dog, “Mission Main Street”, and nuisance properties in their regular meeting on Wednesday, May 4. Read more about it here -->
https://bit.ly/39fMm9a

The Rockwell city council discussed utility billing, crosswalk painting, a local dog, “Mission Main Street”, and nuisance properties in their regular meeting on Wednesday, May 4.

05/11/2022

Join me for the first Coffee with an Editor! Every Wednesday morning from 10:00 - 12:00, I will be at Block 10 in Sheffield. Bring your stories and get some of the best coffee around!

04/14/2022

After five years in the making, the Playground Project in Rockwell broke ground last week. The large lot south of the Rockwell Aquatic Center has been prepared for the playground equipment installation, tentatively set for the beginning of May.
Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/3xulRqS

After five years in the making, the Playground Project in Rockwell broke ground last week. The large lot south of the Rockwell Aquatic Center has been prepared for the playground equipment installation, tentatively set for the beginning of May. After the equipment has been installed, the poured rubb...

04/13/2022

A tornado watch has been placed into effect for Cerro Gordo county until 12:00 a.m. this evening.

04/13/2022

The Tornado Warning in Cerro Gordo County has been extended to 9:00 p.m.

04/13/2022

A tornado warning has been placed in effect for an area including Thornton, IA until 8:15 p.m. this evening.

Stay safe out there!

04/07/2022

Wind Farm ordinance has first public hearing

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors has decided to make adjustments to the proposed wind farm ordinance following its first public hearing on Monday, April 4.
Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/3uf71SV

03/31/2022

West Fork Seniors compete at State Speech

On Saturday, March 12, 2022 three West Fork Seniors competed at the State Individual Speech Contest. Tanishka Daver received a II rating in poetry, entitled “Planet Earth”;
Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/3Nz5KxN

03/25/2022

The Rockwell City Council heard from the police chief, discussed signage and the installation of the new park, and held the public hearing for the fiscal year of 2022-23 in their regular meeting on Wednesday, March 16. Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/381ZLBi

The Rockwell City Council heard from the police chief, discussed signage and the installation of the new park, and held the public hearing for the fiscal year of 2022-23 in their regular meeting on Wednesday, March 16.

03/22/2022

You still have time to get in your guesses for the 2022 Oscars! The one with the most correct entries will win a prize!

Find the ballot here: https://bit.ly/3NbKzSb

This is not affiliated with Facebook.

03/11/2022

You really are in luck! This month if you have a colored print ad and add in a Preferred Partner and Story Sponsorship you can get your print ad doubled in size! Send us a message today if you are interested.

03/10/2022

The Rockwell City Council discussed library hours, to***co policy, and Zeidler cemetery land during their regular meeting Wednesday, March 2.
The council heard from Caroline McManigal, director of the Rockwell Public Library who presented an update to the operating hours. Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/3KyELzX

The Rockwell City Council discussed library hours, to***co policy, and Zeidler cemetery land during their regular meeting Wednesday, March 2.

02/10/2022

Franklin 4-H’ers Compete at Western National Roundup

Livestock quiz bowl is a team event for 4-H members where they test their knowledge of beef, sheep, swine and meat goats.
Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/34vXwoo

12/23/2021

ROCKWELL — The Rockwell City Council at its Dec. 15 regular meeting opened four sealed bids for the sale of Lots Seven, Eight and Nine of Block Ten in Rockwell.
Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/3FsHicR

ROCKWELL — The Rockwell City Council at its Dec. 15 regular meeting opened four sealed bids for the sale of Lots Seven, Eight and Nine of Block Ten in Rockwell.

11/24/2021

ROCKWELL — The Rockwell City Council at its Wednesday, Nov. 17 meeting approved a zoning change for three lots located at 213 Main Street E.
Read the full story here -->https://bit.ly/3l15QBF

ROCKWELL — The Rockwell City Council at its Wednesday, Nov. 17 meeting approved a zoning change for three lots located at 213 Main Street E.

11/11/2021

Area residents of Cerro Gordo County took part in the Nov. 2 City and School Board elections.
Unofficial results from that voting was as follows, with the official canvass of ballots taking place on Tuesday of this week.
See results here -->https://bit.ly/3ndxPQd

Unofficial results from that voting was as follows, with the official canvass of ballots taking place on Tuesday of this week:

10/29/2021

Due to an error on our part, the Official Ballot for City/School Election Cerro Gordo County was, unfortunately, was missed from the paper.

You can find the sample ballot along with all the other information here --> https://bit.ly/2Zx9dsf

Due to an error this election information for Cerro Gordo elections was missed in the Pioneer Enterprise. You can find the informaton here.

10/07/2021

Friends Motorsports offers a variety of services

ROCKWELL — Friends Motorsports, located at 209 Adams Street in Rockwell, offers a wide variety of services for vehicle owners from throughout the area.
Thomas Friend is the owner of the business, which opened in Rockwell on June 2.
Read the story here -->https://bit.ly/3uS6jKf

09/30/2021

Quilts of Valor Foundation honors area military veterans

MESERVEY — The Quilts of Valor Foundation for North Central Iowa honored a number of area military veterans Thursday night for their loyal years of service. Dianne Weide of the area chapter began the program at the Meservey Legion Hall by providing a background of the history of Quilts of Valor.
The national group was founded in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, who is a quilter and mother of a military son deployed to Iraq in 2003.
Read the story here -->https://bit.ly/3CUIDr6