Combs wins first place display at Denver gun

emocrat
D
The
Wednesday
July 11, 2007
$100
Index...
Almanac .................................... P. 2
Editorials ................................... P. 4
Sports ......................................P. 1B
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Life ..........................................P. 8B
Bloomfield
Iowa’s Best...
Founded September 15, 1869 Bloomfield, Davis County, Iowa © 2007 by Bloomfield Communications, Inc. / USPS 058260
14 pages, two sections and a supplement / No. 28
Entrepreneur help
The City of Bloomfield and the Bloomfield
Area Development Group are collaborating
with Bloomfield Main Street to assist aspiring entrepreneurs in bringing their visions of
owning a business in Bloomfield to fruition.
See Page 3.
On state committee
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey this week welcomed Jeani Leyda of
Bloomfield and Susan Vance Hjelm of Lake
Park to the State Soil Conservation Committee. See Page 3.
Mustangs win
The Mustang baseball team belted out 13
hits in a 14-6 win over Van Buren Monday
in the first round of the Class 2A District
Tournament. See Page 1B.
To state
The Davis County Babe Ruth 13-year-old
all-star team heads for Newton Friday to compete in the Iowa Babe Ruth 13-Year-Old State
Tournament. See Page 1B.
Hats Off to the
Davis County
Fair
Tuesday, July 10
Hat Theme: Straw hats.
6 p.m.—Harness races.
7 p.m.—Calcutta and Invitational Team Roping
in the Pavilion.
7:30 p.m.—Queen Contest.
Wednesday, July 11
Hat Theme: Funniest hat.
7 p.m.—Barnyard Olympics.
7:30 p.m.—Impact Pro Wrestling with Harley
Race and “Jaws” Kincart.
Thursday, July 12
Hat Theme: Red hat or Stars and Stripes hat.
9:30 a.m.—Pie and Cake contest.
7:30 a.m.—Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders
with 305 winged sprints.
Friday, July 13
Fireworks end successful Fourth...
Fireworks at the conclusion of Wednesday night’s Fort
Bloomfield Rodeo performance capped off a busy Fourth
of July in Bloomfield. The day started with the Rotary
Club’s annual pancake breakfast followed by a special
Fourth of July event to raise money for new Christmas
lights for the Bloomfield square. The annual rodeo parade
and the rodeo itself followed.
Organizers of the Fourth of July celebration were extremely happy with attendance at the event on the square
that featured kids’ games, food and other displays.
An estimated $4,000 in profits were raised Wednesday
for the new lights.
Bloomfield Main Street’s Image Committee is spearheading the effort to get new lights and has presented a
plan calling for the installation of $27,000 in lights over
a period of years if necessary.
Davis County Hospital employees are raising funds for
the Christmas lights and the Fourth of July celebration
was an outgrowth of that fund-raising effort.
City Council okays funding requests for groups
The Bloomfield City Council Thursday night approved
annual funding requests by the Davis County Development Corporation (DCDC), Bloomfield Main Street, and
the Davis County Daycare.
The council voted on all three requests, but the vote
was simply a formality. All three requests were previously
submitted to the council. Requests went to the council last
fall and council members made room in the 2008 fiscal
year budget so that those requests could be fulfilled.
DCDC was given its annual funding of $2,000 for the
2008 fiscal year. Development director John Schroeder
also talked to the council about putting some promotional
stuffers in the city bills, which would help promote the
speculative building and an open house DCDC is planning for the facility. The council agreed to allow the
stuffers to be put in the bills.
The council approved a $25,000 request by Bloomfield
Main Street for its annual funding. The Council also approved a $5,000 request by the Davis County Daycare
for annual funding. The money given to the daycare
will be given in the form of utility credits throughout
the next year.
The council met with Davis County native Kirby Moss
concerning health insurance issues. Moss came to the
council representing Auxiant, a Cedar Rapids based firm
that works in the insurance industry.
Moss presented the council with some information
concerning the company and talked to the council about
the possibilities of having Auxiant be the city’s health
insurance agent and third party administrator for the
self-funded plan.
“I would just like your permission to look at the city’s
current plan. My intentions are to look for ways that we
might be able to improve it and maybe save you some
money. If you like what we can offer you, we can help
you purchase the right insurance and do the third party
administration,” he said.
Moss offered no quotes or figures during last week’s
meeting but simply wanted permission from the council to
do an analysis of the city’s plan to see if or how Auxiant
could save the city money. The council agreed to Moss’
request and was told he would be done with the analysis
in about two weeks.
The council discussed the utility billing clerk’s position
with Steve Siegel who represents the city’s labor union.
Problems were created when Dee Johnson resigned
from the position and it was filled from within by Donna
Grim. Grim is one of two employees certified to run the
water plant.
Shifting Grim to the city clerk’s office leaves only one
full-time, certified water plant operator. The city now
has the task of trying to find a grade II certified operator
to work at the plant. Currently, Janice Liles is certified
City Council
■ Please turn to Page 6
Hat Theme: Business logo hat.
5:30 p.m.—Davis County Hall of Fame and
Fair Awards.
7:30 p.m.—USRA Auto Races.
Saturday, July 14
Hat Theme: Cowboy hat.
9 a.m.—Chili cook-off.
10 a.m.—Kids’ games.
11 a.m.—Turtle Races.
Noon—Antique and classic tractor pull.
6 p.m.—Monster Arm Wrestling Tournament.
6:30 p.m.—Baby Contest.
7 p.m.—Twin States Truck and Tractor Pull.
8 p.m.—LoCash Cowboys in the Pavilion.
Sunday, July 15
Hat Theme: Favorite farm hat.
1:30 p.m.—Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull and Talent Show.
6 p.m.—Drawing for Fair Quilt.
7 p.m.—Smash for Cash demo derby.
Monday, July 12
Junior Livestock Sale.
Daily Events
Livestock shows.
4-H and Art Hall exhibits.
Bingo.
Chicken bingo.
Free entertainment.
Drawings for Prizes.
Exotic animal encounters, magic shows and
displays.
Decorated Campsite Contest.
Combs wins first place display at Denver gun show
By Scott Spurgeon
Editor
Don “Duck” Combs of Bloomfield
has turned a life-long passion into an
award-winning hobby. Combs recently took first place for his display
at a gun show in Denver, Colo.
Combs is an avid gun collector of
many quality guns but specializes in
the collection of Winchester Model
12 and Winchester Model 42 guns.
Combs’ winning display in the
Denver show featured the Model 12,
model 42 and the Winchester Model
61. “It was the first time I did a display with three guns,” said Combs.
Winning the first place display is
something that Combs has worked
hard to achieve. He has won the
honor at many gun shows around
the country and has now added the
gun show in Denver to his resume
of winning displays.
“It’s all about the accoutrements,”
he said of his display. “You display
the guns, but what makes a good
display are all the other items you
put with it.”
Combs’ display featured the guns
and also featured many different
brands of shell boxes that were of
the same time period as the guns
he displayed. Then there was the
collection of advertising posters,
calendars, catalogues, brochures,
hunting boots, taxidermy animals,
and even shipping crates and many
other items that Combs puts with his
display to help authenticate the time
period which the guns themselves
came from (1912-1932).
“I am very interested in history,
and all of these things are a part
of history,” said Combs. “I collect
them. We are simply caretakers of
these things,” he said. “That is what
is important.”
Because of his love of guns and
his interest in history, Combs said he
has a, “never-ending want for things
like this.”
Combs is fascinated by the attention to detail and the attention
to graphics that were displayed by
companies manufacturing the various
items. “They were obviously going
after a certain clientele of people,”
he said.
Part of Combs’ display includes
the Winchester table covers from the
Grand American Trap Shoot that was
held in 1958. The covers included
patches of all the awards you could
win. Combs has two of the three table
covers that exist, and he knows where
the third one is. “I have tried to get
it, but the guy won’t sell it to me,”
said Combs.
Combs’ love of guns and collecting began in the 1960s after a friend
took him to a gun show. Since that
time, Combs has done countless
hours of research and has even
taken a trip to the east coast to visit
the Winchester factory to meet with
some of the workers that actually
produced some of the guns that he
collects. The factory is located in
New Haven, Conn.
“Winchester made only 168,000 of
the Model 42s,” said Combs. “I had
88 of these guns at one time and sold
most of them. I have started collecting them again and have about 30 of
them right now.” Combs’ total collection numbers more than 200 guns.
“I have an interest in anything
used as a part of history. I have a
particular interest in the Civil War. I
also recently bought a World War I
Doughboy helmet,” he said.
At the time Combs began collecting, a friend sold him his first collector’s gun. He worked extra odd jobs
to make the extra money needed to
pay for the gun. “I have been doing
it ever since,” he said.
Combs attended his first gun show
in Kansas City in 1964 and has been
traveling around the country for multiple gun shows a year ever since.
With all of the research Combs
has done, his wife Judy says it has
forced him to also learn how to use
the computer. He now spends time
almost daily doing research on the
Combs
■ Please turn to Page 6
Show winner: Don Combs of Bloomfield is
seen here with many of the things that describe
him as a person. An avid St. Louis Cardinals
fan, he sports the baseball cap. The Winchester
shirt he wears during gun shows, the many
posters and other items displayed on the wall
are part of Combs’ collection of items related
The Bloomfield Democrat Online: http://www.bdemo.com
to the manufacture of Winchester guns, upon
which he has done extensive research. Combs
collects Winchester guns and has won several
gun show displays for his efforts. The “Minute
Man” trophy he is holding is the reward he received for recently winning a gun show display
in Denver, Colo.
Page 6 • The Bloomfield Democrat • Bloomfield, Iowa • July 11, 2007
Combs
■ Continued from Page 1 
Fun and games: Kids of all ages were treated
Internet for information about the
guns he collects.
Because of his research and interest in the Winchester Model 42,
Combs has become known nationally
as an authority on the gun. “I get calls
almost daily from people who have
questions and want to know something about the gun,” he said.
Combs’ research has also helped
him get involved in the writing of
two books on guns. While he was
not the author, it was his information that went into the books, and
many pictures of his collection were
also used to illustrate what the guns
are like.
Combs can tell you just about
anything you want to know about the
Model 42 and other guns. “I also keep
very thorough records about the guns
I have. I have a book of records on
each gun I ever bought that includes
how much I paid for it. I also have a
separate book on all the guns I have
ever sold and how much I sold them
plastic balls. Winners were awarded prizes. Due
2x2
to fun and games of all types during
the ad(s)
July 4 to the warmer temperatures kids and adults
celebration last week. Here kids used
tosquirt
runguns
theworking this game enjoyed becoming very wet.
to try and squirt shaving cream faces off these
NO EXPERIENCE?
week of
NO PROBLEM.
Mime
workshops
scheduled
Davis County youth will be able
to learn the art of mime and illusion
on Tuesday, August 7, when Fax
Gilbert of Fairfield, a mime and illusion artist, presents two workshops
at the Kay Burchette Cultural Cener
in Bloomfield.
A session for interested youth ages
6-8 will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:15
a.m. and a session for ages 9-13 will
be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Gilbert will present an introduction
to improvisation and mime and will
involve the youth in theatre games
and illusion activities.
The workshops are being sponsored by the local Spectrum Center
for the Arts and are limited to approximately 15 youth per session.
Since there is limited capacity, youth
are encouraged to pre-register by
contacting Karen Spurgeon at 641664-1048, 641-208-3202, or send an
email to [email protected]. Registration fees are $10.00 per child and
should be submitted by July 27.
“Children should really enjoy
this opportunity to learn some of the
basics of mime and illusion,” stated
Spurgeon. “Fax Gilbert was an artistin-residence in the Davis County
Schools in January and presented
an evening performance at the Iowa
Theatre under the sponsorship of
the Spectrum Center. The response
and interest of the students as well
as the adults in the audience were
phenomenal,” she said.
Stay informed!
with
The Bloomfield
Democrat
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Grand Marshal: John Petefish of Bloomfield served as the
water at the spec building in Bloomfield so that landscaping can be done
to help sell the building.
■ Continued from Page 1 
• Company-provided CDL training for qualified
candidates
• $33,500-$60,500 (depending on experience)
• Low-cost medical and dental insurance
schneiderjobs.com
from Electric Pump for a sewer lift
station in Bloomfield. The council
also approved a 90-day installation of
City Council
As a driver for Schneider National
we’ll train you in every aspect of the job.
1-800-44-PRIDE • 1-800-447-7433
currently owns the Model 42 used
by John M. Olin, who was the president of Winchester during the Great
Depression. Combs also had Olin’s
model 12 at one time but has since
sold it.
Combs also owned a pair of guns
owned by former president Dwight
D. Eisenhower. Combs says he also
spent $25,000 once on a pair of guns
known as the Alaskan pair. They were
a Model 42 and a Model 12 that were
made special for an Alaskan hunting
guide by Winchester executives.
Combs plans to continue collecting and showing his collection at gun
shows all over the country. There is
one show he still has not won that
he would like to win before he quits.
“I have never won the gun show
put on by the Ohio Gun Collectors.
I finished second once, but I have
never won it,” he said. “Maybe one
of these days I can win it, but it is a
tough one to win.”
and working the plant. Retired plant
operator Joe Woolard also has agreed
to help out on a limited basis.
During discussions at the meeting,
DPW Ted Henderson said that Grim
would have to continue working at
the water plant to help
cover days off
EOE M/F/D/V
and things like that. That also creates
a problem in the clerk’s office with
the shortage of help to take care of
the utility billing.
The council held a closed session,
citing Iowa Code 388.9 as the reason
for going into closed session. The
council took no action after reconvening the meeting.
Under unfinished business, the
council approved a resolution calling for the voluntary annexation of
property owned by Pam Sessions.
They continued to discuss a preconstruction contract with the Iowa DOT
concerning street approaches to the
highway in Bloomfield. Again the
council took no action.
The council approved a $25 acrossthe-board increase for cemetery grave
opening and other related fees. The
council approved a $51,950 upgrade
Sale on
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When you begin planning for a new grain bin, please contact your electric cooperative. Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative may have transmission
lines crossing your property in the vicinity of your proposed bin. We will provide
assistance in planning for a safe environment for everyone working and living
around grain bins. The State of Iowa requires specific clearances for electric lines
around grain bins as shown in the drawing below. The clearances are required by
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by the Iowa Utilities Board to provide this annual notice to farmers, farm lenders,
grain bin merchants and city and county zoning officials. If you have any questions concerning the drawing, please contact Northeast Missouri Electric Power
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Pony Rides, Sand Volleyball, Children’s Events,
Historical Tours, Antique Power Displays,
Wood Carvers, SPAM® Cooking Contest, Rodeo
& Friday Night Dance, Saturday Dance & Beer
Garden, Saturday Dance @ City Auditorium, Arts
& Crafts Booths, Auto Show, Eating Contests,
Two Stages of Continuous Entertainment,
Music, Magic & More...Fun For Everyone!
Ifmores
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will be held July 25 and 26 on the
Thank you
Village
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Store Hours:
Mon.-Sat. 8-8
Sun. 10-4
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Read Every Issue!
07/09/07
for,” he said.
When you walk into Combs’
home, you know right away that he
is an avid gun collector and enthusiast. Many areas of the home are
lined with gun-related artifacts from
the early 1900s as well as the guns
themselves.
Combs’ wife travels to many of the
gun shows with him throughout the
year. “She helps set up the displays.
She can do some of that better than
I can and make it look nice,” said
Combs.
“One thing about doing this, I have
found that you must be knowledgeable, and you have to know what you
are doing if you are going to enter
gun shows,” he said. “If you don’t,
you can get yourself into trouble
very quickly. For me, I have been
doing this long enough; it’s a labor
of love.”
Combs has owned some rather
prestigious guns over the 40 years
he has been collecting them. He
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SOURCE: American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C2-2007
“National Electrical Safety Code,” Rule 234f, page 114
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