Alexa Gulker - Bethel Christian Reformed Church

January 9, 2013
Sioux Center News
Section 1 / Page 3
SECOND FRONT PAGE
Lein to leave chamber in September
(Sioux Center News photo by Steve Hoogland)
New Year’s Baby arrives at 2:19 a.m.
The New Year’s Baby at the Sioux Center Community Hospital and Health Center,
Elizabeth Yasmin Perez-Merlos, came into the world just a couple hours into 2013. She was
born at 2:19 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1. Elizabeth’s parents are Angela and Mario Perez-Merlos of
Rock Rapids. Elizabeth has a big brother, Oscar, 4.
By Steve Hoogland
Ardith Lein has been executive director of the Sioux
Center Chamber of Commerce
for the past 24 years. Last fall,
she announced she would be
retiring from her position by
Sept. 1.
Lein began working for the
chamber Sept. 5, 1989. It was
a busy time for the community.
“Preparations already were
underway for the celebration
of the Sioux Center centennial in 1991,” Lein said. “There
was a lot of buzz, I was on the
committee and this was the
hub. I was enmeshed in those
activities.”
In the midst of those preparations, the Register’s Annual
Great Bicycle Ride Across
Iowa started in Sioux Center
in 1990. It was the first time
Sioux
Center
hosted
RAGBRAI.
“It began with a flurry of
activity,” she said. “That was a
good. It set a direction. The
chamber was already evolving:
planning retail promotions,
the community barbeque and
indoor fair.”
Before coming to the
chamber, Lein had been
involved in retail as a buyer at
Inga’s clothing and later as
owner of Ingas for My Lady.
When her husband died, she
(Sioux Center News photo by Steve Hoogland)
Ardith Lein has been executive director of the Sioux
Center Chamber of Commerce since 1989. She announced
earlier this fall that she would be retiring from the position
later this year.
closed her clothing store
because it took so much of
her time. With 8-year-old and
13-year-old children, she
worked at Young American
and then at Walmart as a
department manager.
Lein remembers when she
joined the chamber staff, her
first office was a small cubicle
lein reflects,
see Section 1 / Page 8
Gulker dances way to center
stage at Capital One Bowl
By Renee Wielenga
The sight of 60,000 people surrounding her on New Year’s Day
didn’t bring up any nerves for
17-year-old Alexa Gulker. The realization she would be on national
television didn’t unnerve her
either.
“I don’t get nervous; I get
excited,” said Gulker, a senior at
Western Christian High School in
Hull. “I was so excited about the
fact that I got to perform in front
of so many people.”
The Sioux Center resident
kicked off 2013 in style by dancing
drill-team style in the All-American
Halftime Show during the Capital
One Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on
Jan. 1.
Of the nearly 400 girls performing that also included Western
Christian sophomore Abbie Van
Otterloo of Rock Valley, Gulker
was one of 14 chosen to dance
center stage — sort of.
“The original plan was for my
small group to dance on stage with
(country music star) Dierks
Bentley,” Gulker said. “When I
found that out I was pretty excited. I really like country music, and
I was quite familiar with who he
is.”
The small group ended up performing in front of the country
singer due to the small stage size.
“I really have no idea how I
was chosen out of all those girls
to be part of that group,” Gulker
said. “At first, when I was separated out in practice, I was
bummed. I thought I was the
scrap group. Hearing I was going
to dance close to Dierks Bentley
made me excited.”
students dance,
see Section 1 / Page 6
(Photos submitted)
Sioux Center resident Alexa Gulker (right), 17, dances in front
of the stage on which country singer Dierks Bentley sang live during
the Capitol One Bowl halftime show in Florida last week Tuesday.
Alexa Gulker said she didn’t mind performing in front a stadium full of
60,000 people. The prospect of being watched by so many people excited her,
rather than stirred up her nerves.
County supervisors open new year with oaths, assignments
By Renee Wielenga
Members of the Sioux
County Soil and Water
Conservation Commission
brought budget requests to
the Sioux County Board of
Supervisors for the first time
in more than 30 years.
Two of the funding
requests that came at last
Tuesday’s meeting were for
new programs the commission would like to implement
in Sioux County.
Commission
chairman
Allan Reinders of Sioux
Center introduced a request
for $15,000 to fund grass
seeding corners of potentially
high-risk uncontrolled intersections on gravel roads.
Reinders said there are
approximately 1,500 intersections in the county.
“Our plan is to contact
the landowner to determine
interest in seeding and maintaining the intersection in
exchange for payment,”
Reinders said.
An estimated 150 feet from
each corner — about .25 acre
— would be taken out of production and seeded. Reinders
said the cost is about $300
per corner.
“On dangerous intersections in the county, we’d like
to do this to all four corners,”
Reinders said.
supervisors hear,
see Section 1 / Page 8
Fine collections
provide county income
By Renee Wielenga
Sioux County gained about
$28,500 in new income JulyDecember, reported Sioux
County attorney Coleman
McAllister at the regular Sioux
County Board of Supervisor’s
meeting Tuesday.
McAllister said his office
has gathered more than
$71,200 total in fine collections, but about $42,700 of
income went to the state.
“Collecting these fees is
not our main priority in our
office; we work on it as we
have time,” McAllister said.
“But we’ve maxed out the
amount we can collect with
the number of people we have
in my office.”
McAllister said if his office
could hire a part-time person,
that job would be to focus
supervisors designate,
see Section 1 / Page 7
(Sioux Center News photo by Renee Wielenga)
Three of the Sioux County Board of Supervisors, Al
Bloemendaal of Sioux Center, Mark Sybesma of rural Hull
and John Degen of rural Hawarden, stand in the Sioux
County Courtroom as they take the oath of office last
Wednesday during their first meeting in the new year. They
were sworn in by Judge James Scott.
Section 1 / Page 6
Sioux Center News
January 9, 2013
NEWS
for the record
Weather report
Date
12-31
1-1
1-2
1-3
1-4
1-5
1-6
High Low
29
11
18
-2
31
3
30
6
30
7
27
3
25
3
n
Prec.
T
T
T
T
0
0
T
Dinner Date
Jan 15: Scalloped potatoes
w/ham, lettuce salad, apricots,
molasses cookie
Senior citizens who wish to
participate in senior meals
should
call
the
New
Homestead at (712) 722-2237
by 11 a.m. the previous day.
Meals are served at the New
Homestead at 5:30 p.m.
n
Clinic calendar
Behavioral Health:
Scholten –Jan. 15, 22
Vogel – Jan. 15, 22, 29
Koerselman, LISW – Jan.
9, 16, 23, 30
Cardiology:
Majerus – Jan. 15
General Surgery:
Naqvi – Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31
Stelzer – Jan. 16, 23, 30
Cao – Jan. 14, 15, 21, 22,
28, 29
Nephrology:
Luqman – Jan. 14, 18
Neurology:
Case – Jan. 17
Grudem – Jan 11
Oncology:
Wender – Jan. 18
Elson – Jan. 15
Ophthalmology:
Osmundson – Jan. 16
Orthopedics:
Johnson – Jan. 21, 28
Sherman – Jan. 9, 16, 23,
30
Podiatry:
Oelke – Jan. 17
Urology:
Block – Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30
Call 722-8134 for appointment.
n
Driver’s license exams
Monday - National Guard
Armory, Sheldon, 9:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.
Tuesday - Centre Mall,
Sioux Center, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday - Centre Mall,
Sioux Center, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Thursday - Centre Mall,
Sioux Center, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday - Treasurer’s Office,
Orange City, 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m.
n
Court report
Marriage Licenses:
Aaron Rozeboom, Sioux
Center, and Kimberly De
Jong, Orange City.
Ryan Hoekstra, Sioux
Center, and Heidi Postma,
Sheldon.
Christopher
Maassen,
Canton, S.D., and Amy
Bakker, Hull.
Van
Dyke,
Timothy
Coralville, and Nichole
Hulstein, Coralville.
Tyler Kallemeyn, Palos
Park, Ill., and Tiffany Schuller,
Orange City.
Adam Hoogendoorn, Rock
Valley, and Lindsay Van Den
Top, Hull.
Brock Jensen, Orange City,
and Carissa Cleveringa,
Orange City.
Tyler Wassenaar, Orange
City, and Kristen Schouten,
Orange City.
New Probate Cases:
Estate of Lois Vogel.
Estate of Jeanette Rozeboom.
Probate Cases Closed:
Estate of Rocille Benson.
Judgments Filed in Small
Claims Against:
Andrew Kinney, Primghar,
defendant, in favor of
Hawkeye Adjustment Service,
plaintiff, in the amount of
$1,502, plus interest and court
costs.
Alberto Armenta, Sr.,
Hawarden, defendant, in favor
of BMSI Credit Services,
plaintiff, in the amount of
$377.35, plus interest and
court costs.
New Lawsuits Filed:
Wells Fargo Bank, NA,
plaintiff, vs. Brandon Johnson,
Sioux Center, defendant. The
plaintiff has elected foreclosure without redemption.
Unifund CCR Partners,
plaintiff, vs. Kallen Mouw,
Sioux Center, defendant. The
plaintiff prays that this court
enter judgment against the
defendant, in the amount of
$13,666.19, plus interest and
court costs.
Discover Bank, plaintiff,
vs. Bernard J. Wynia, Sioux
Center, defendant. The plaintiff prays for judgment against
the defendant, in the amount
of $17,035.41, plus interest,
court costs and additional
relief as the court deems just,
fair and equitable.
Civil Cases Closed:
Midland Funding, L.L.C.,
plaintiff, vs. Ryan Maher,
Hawarden, defendant. Judgment is entered in favor of the
defendant, in the amount of
$15,140.13, plus interest and
court costs.
Information Was Filed in
District Court:
Jeremy Weiler, LeMars,
driving while revoked.
Kent Vink, Doon, providing alcohol to minor.
Christopher
Sheffield,
Rock Valley, driving while
revoked.
Nathan Stienstra, Orange
City, OWI - third offense.
Criminal Cases Closed:
State of Iowa vs. Anthony
Taylor, Fairbank, defendant, is
convicted of operating while
revoked and shall pay a $1,000
fine, surcharges and court
costs. The defendant is also
convicted of possession of
marijuana, third offense and
shall serve 365 days in the
Sioux County Jail with all but
30 days suspended and with
credit for time already served.
The defendant shall pay a
$625 fine, surcharges and
court costs.
Magistrate Court: Christopher D. Bloemendaal, Doon, failure to pay
fine.
Ryan J. Emerson, Sioux
Center, improper use of registration, violations of conditions of restricted license,
speeding.
Lucas E. Soodsma, Doon,
speeding.
Sadie R. Davis, Hawarden,
speeding.
Raymond D. Roberson,
Hull, no valid driver’s license.
Chad E. Nelson, Ireton,
failure to secure child.
Cordell J. Wobbema, Sioux
Center, dark window.
Jacobi M. Wynia, Sioux
Center, following too close.
James Joffer, Sioux Center,
speeding.
Rafeal Soto III, Rock
Valley, employee providing
tobacco to minor.
Gina
R.
Roberson,
Granville, speeding.
Jillian N. Estes, Sioux
Center, speeding.
Chad A. Wynia, Maurice,
operation without registration.
Barbara Hansen, Alton,
speeding.
Daniel W. Vreugdenhil,
Sioux Center, dark window.
Mollie M. Van Otterloo,
Sioux Center, operation without registration.
Brandon A. Ogren, Orange
City, operation without registration.
Loretta K. De Boom,
Hawarden, operation without
registration.
Luis A. Trejo Reyes, Sioux
Center, no insurance.
Kayla D. Van Beek, Ireton,
speeding.
Jaedyn T. Rus, Rock Valley,
speeding.
Leslie D. Slaght, Rock
Valley, fail to obey stop sign
and yield right of way.
Arlin G. Brummel, Hull,
dark window.
Brady G. Van Sloten,
Ireton, seatbelt.
M.
Diekevers,
Todd
Boyden, pursuing, kill, trap,
buy, sell.
E.
Penning,
William
Granville, speeding.
Christopher R. Avery,
Ireton, operate without registration.
Cathy M. Peck, Hawarden,
speeding.
Alexander R. Hurtado,
Sioux Center, speeding.
n
Police report
On Jan. 6, the Sioux
Center Police Department
arrested and charged Ben
John Vonk, 23, of Sioux Falls.
Vonk was charged with
public intoxication.
n
On Dec. 30, the Sioux
Center Police Department
filed charges on Mitchell
Fuchi Phomphakdy, 20, of
Sioux Center.
Phomphakdy was charged
with disorderly conduct and
person under legal age.
n
On Dec. 30, the Sioux
Center Police Department
filed charges on Diego
Armando Hurtado, 21, of
Beaufort, S.C.
Hurtado was charged with
disorderly conduct.
n
On Jan. 2, the Sioux
Center Police Department
arrested Philip Stacy, 32, of
Sioux Center.
Stacy was charged with two
counts of lascivious acts with
a child.
n
Sheriff’s report
At 12 a.m. Wednesday, Jan.
2, the Sioux County Sheriff’s
Department responded to a
report of illegal activity taking
place at the Granville Event
Center on Main Street in
Granville.
Upon investigation, deputies arrested Michael Wolff,
19, of Emmetsburg; Zackary
Fay, 19, of Spencer; Ryan
Dodge, 20, of Spencer; and
Corey Vergith, 18, of Spencer
for possession of drug paraphernalia.
n
The Sioux County Sheriff’s
Department investigated a
reported violation of a nocontact order at a business in
Granville at 11:15 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 3.
Deputies determined that
David Vande Weerd, 53, of
Hospers violated a no-contact
order which had been placed
on him. Vande Weerd was
arrested for the violation.
n
An
accident
which
occurred on Elmwood Avenue
two miles south of Rock
Valley was investigated by the
Sioux
County
Sheriff ’s
Department at 12:13 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 6.
Curtis Van Der Vliet, 52,
of Sioux Center was driving a
2007 Ford F150 pickup north
on Elmwood Avenue. Kevin
Ymker, 36, of Ireton was driving a 2008 Chevrolet
Suburban south on Elmwood
Avenue. Van Der Vliet
attempted to make a left turn
onto a residential driveway
when his vehicle struck
Ymker’s vehicle.
No injuries were reported.
Van Der Vliet’s pickup
sustained
approximately
$5,500 in damages. Ymker’s
vehicle sustained approximately $4,500 in damages.
Van Der Vliet was cited for
failure to yield upon left turn.
n
Cash stolen from Hospers businesses
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Department investigated two business burglaries in Hospers Wed.
Jan. 2. In both burglaries, the perpetrator(s) took
cash.
At 3:04 a.m. deputies responded to a burglar
alarm at the Conoco Service Station, 209 Hospers
Drive South. Deputies discovered someone had
broken a window and entered the business.
At 8:42 a.m., deputies responded to a second
burglary that occurred at Kelly’s Drive Inn and
Pizza, 100 Sunrise Drive. It was discovered that
someone broke a window and entered the business.
Anyone with information regarding either of
these crimes is asked to contact the Sioux County
Sheriff’s Department; anyone who wishes to remain
anonymous can use the Text-A-Tip program.
Fire damages hog structure
Damage to an empty hog confinement building
near Orange City is estimated at $50,000 after a
fire. The Sioux County Communications Center
received a report of a structure fire at 5:50 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 2.
The Orange City Fire Department, Orange City
Ambulance and Alton Fire Department responded
to the scene of a hog confinement on fire at 4142
Jay Avenue two and one-half miles northeast of
Orange City.
No animals were in the confinement at the time
of the fire. The building was currently undergoing
construction improvements.
Cause of the fire has been determined as accidental in a joint investigation by the Sioux County
Sheriff’s Department, Orange City Fire Department
and the Iowa State Fire Marshal.
Burglary attempted in Maurice
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Department investigated a report of an attempted burglary at 7:55 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 2, that occurred at Maurice Tire
and Repair, 418 2nd Street in Maurice.
The burglary attempt occurred between 10 p.m.
Jan. 1 and 7 a.m. Jan. 2.
Anyone with information concerning this crime is
asked to contact the Sioux County Sheriff’s
Department, and may use the Text-A-Tip program
to remain anonymous.
Employees recognized
for years of service!
Jake Koerselman was recently presented with an
engraved pen and a gift of his choice from Ribbon Gift
in recognition of his 5 years of dedicated service to
Peoples Bank. Pictured is Dale Vander Berg making the
presentation to Jake. Congratulations Jake!
Sheriff’s arrests
(Photo submitted)
Western Christian High School senior Alexa Gulker of Sioux Center and sophomore Abbie
Van Otterloo of Rock Valley earned their tickets to the All-American Halftime show after
participating in the a three-day MA Dance Camp in Sioux City last June.
Students dance at bowl game
from Section 1 / Page 3
Gulker’s invite to the AllAmerican Halftime Show
came last June after she participated in a three-day MA
Dance Camp in Sioux City —
one of 24 MA Dance Camps
held throughout the United
States in 2012.
Western Christian dance
team coach, Kayla Kooima,
encouraged Gulker to attend.
“The camp doubles as a
tryout,” Gulker said. “They
give out ribbons based on
who gets it the quickest. A
white ribbon means they
offered you a spot to dance at
the Capital One Bowl, the
Cotton Bowl or in the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day parade — or
two or three of the events.”
Gulker couldn’t believe she
received a white ribbon.
“I still remember calling
my mom and telling her,”
Gulker said. “All of it really
didn’t sink in for me either
until I got on the plane to go
to Florida.”
Gulker chose to perform at
the Capital One Bowl because
she enjoys performing on
football fields and the trip
included extra activities.
Gulker’s Dec. 27-Jan. 3 trip to
Florida with her mom, Melissa
Gulker, included stops at Walt
Disney World and Universal
Studios.
Despite the sunburn after
an 8 a.m.-4 p.m. outdoor
practice the day before the
event, Gulker would do it all
over again in a heartbeat.
“It was a lot different than
performing in Western’s
gym,” she said. “I’ve been
asked a lot if I was nervous,
but I didn’t really focus on
the people so much but on
the cameras because there
were cameras everywhere.
That was a little intimidating
but the whole thing was 10
times more exciting than I
thought it would be.”
The Sioux County Sheriff’s
Department has made the following recent arrests—
F David Douglas Harrington,
34, of Gowrie was arrested
Wednesday, Jan. 2, and was
charged with failure to appear.
F Aaron Ray Stettnichs, 21,
of George was arrested Friday,
Jan. 4, on an out-of-county
warrant.
F Trevor Michael Saarie, 21,
of Hospers was arrested
Monday, Jan. 7, and charged
with OWI.
Peoples Bank recently recognized Grant De Vries for
his 5 years of dedicated service to Peoples Bank in the
Wealth Management Department. Pictured is Grant
receiving an engraved pen and a gift of his choice from
Ribbon Gift from his supervisor, Mike McAlpine.
Congratulations Grant! An arrest is an accusation,
and the defendant is presumed innocent until and
unless proven guilty.
Bring your
family, neighbors
& friends
to enjoy
a FREE Meal!
Thursday, Jan. 10
6:00 – 7:30 pm
New Life Reformed Church
(One block East of Walmart stoplight)
Sioux Center
Member FDIC
Traiga a su familia,
vecinos, amigos para
disfrutar una
comida juntos GRATIS
Host of the Month:
Covenant CRC &
Amistad Christiana
en jueves,
10 de enero
6:00 – 7:30 pm
New Life Reformed Church
(Dé vuelta a la izquierda
(hacia el este en semáforo
de Walmart y siga una cuadra)
Sioux Center
Want to be a meal host? Call Jen at 712-449-5027