Sioux City Journal from Sioux City, Iowa • 3

The Sioux City Journal Monday, Oct. 3, 1 988page A3 Roof Garden Jf 4 i tj I 1 1 I If 5 1 I Iff 4tWV "WWeWp'r immm hl K7 lun'eer1 ''refighters from a dozen departments helped burn the Roof Garden Ballroom in Arnolds Park as a part of a training exercise Sunday morning. The blaze, which created billows of smoke visible 20 miles away, collapsed the wooden OMhsTn)'" hUr" (Ph0t by corresPndent Russ burned to ground ARNOLDS PARK, Iowa It took less than an hour Sunday' morning to burn the remains of the Roof Garden Ballroom, an area landmark for more than half-a-century on the eastern shore of West Lake Okobji. Nearly 70 firefighters were involved in the inferno following a practice burn where rookies were able to test their equipment under controlled circumstances. The exercise lasted for almost an hour before the fire was allowed to engulf the wooden structure.

The second floor of the famed ballroom was removed by a salvage crew two months ago. For local resort owner Jenny Pick it was a sad day. "The Roof Garden has been like a part of our family for over 40 years," Pick said. "But we're glad to see that Long Lines will finally be doing something positive here." The Ballroom, which was the sight of many swing and big band era dances in the 1930s and 40s, was closed last year following the purchase of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park by Long Lines, of Sergeant Bluff. Long Lines, which has developed several Okoboji-area properties, plans to redevelop the amusement park area.

While a building permit had been issued a year ago, the redevelopment of the park has been delayed repeatedly by Long Lines, which had expected to make an announcement regarding the area on Labor Day. 1 1 Nebraska tax bases By Associated Press Fifteen of the 300 teachers in the North Platte, School District have lost their jobs during the last three years. An elementary school has been closed, and industrial arts, advanced French and electronics courses have been dropped because they had fewer than 10 students each. Superintendent Doug Christensen said the school district has reached the point "where we just aren't going to cut any more." The district set its budget to collect the same number of local tax dollars for the 1988-89 school year as it collected last year, Christensen said. Because of a shrinking property tax base, the tax levy needed to be raised 4.4 percent just to obtain the same amount of money, Christensen said.

Other Nebraska cities, counties and school districts face similar problems, officials say. Reasons ranging from the decade's farm recession to the end of federal revenue sharing have forced local officials to tighten the spending belt as never before. The latest threat to the property tax base is the legal challenge by three railroads that eventually could snowball into a $161.5 million annual tax revenue loss in Nebraska. That challenge now has begun to siphon off money used for hiring teachers, fixing roads and treating mental illness. "It is contributing to the decline of rural Nebraska," said state Sen.

Vard Johnson of Omaha, chairman of the Legislature's Revenue Stolen car found submerged OKOBOJI, Iowa A vehicle that was reported to be stolen in Esther-ville was recovered from East Lake OkobojijSaturday Car' aiP52 0mni- was discovered submerged early Saturday morning 75 feet from shore near the Schrieber Boat Rimp the" according to the Dickinson County Sheriff office. The car is believed to have been involved in several hit and run accidents before being driven into the lake Teen-ager buried in ditch cave-in DES MOINES Iowa (AP) A Boone teen-ager was killed in a cave-in au'thoTSs'said116 3 abUt fUr miles 2t aSkfin ah J6' Jr, S6Veral minUteS in the aCcident inestigatoTssaid fe" atP him in the 6-fooWeeP tch, when rescue workers reached and was pronounced dead at about 7:30 p.m. after being flown to a Des Moines ho finer hellCOpter' said Dr C- Wooters- Polk County medical ex- No one wins Iowa Lotto jackpot Hrn (AP, No one picked all six Iowa Lotto numbers SrSiL80 shouId hit $2 2 million Wednesday's drawing, state lottery officials announced. A computer check of entries showed 27 with five of Saturday's numbers. Holders of those entries can claim $500 prizes saturaays Holders of another 1,323 entries with four of the numbers can receive $20 1 prizes, white a free play will be awarded to holders of each of he 18,532 entries with three of the six numbers.

Lotto America rises to $5 million DES MOINES Iowa (AP) No one claimed this weekend's $4 million ffiaassy came close' a spokean for th" drftSSSSS "eXt SatUrday'S She said a check of computers disclosed no ticket was sold with all seven numbers drawn Saturday night, but that 12 tickets matched sfrof he numbers good for a prize of $3,188 to each holder. An additional 583 tekets matched five numbers for a prize of $126, and 10,592 Uckete may be exchanged for $5 for matching four of the numbers Bill Zahren As the presidential election approaches, I have decided to offer-George and Mike some help (because I know they both read The Journal) by passing on some rules that smart campaigners always follow. Rule 1 When in a bind, bash the press. Let's take full advantage of the popular distrust and dislike of those nosy busybodies in the media. Everyone hates them, and as Hitler proved, sharing whipping boys brines people together.

So when people ask why you said you kill all the opposition members of Congress with a dull ax if elected, just tell them you were misquoted or that it was taken out of context. Say something like, "I think the media is blowing that all out of proportion That usually works. Rule 2 Say words and phrases IiKe( "God-fearing" and "God willing' and "God bless you." In general, just try to work God into your speech whenever possible. Many voters will immediately assume that because you can say the word you must believe in Him, and there are another 4.5 million votes right there. But for heaven's sakes don't get the strongly religious voters riled, or they might beat you about the head and shoulders with chains or pour Liquid Plumber into your crankcase.

Rule 3 NEVER, EVER, EVER say the word "taxes" out loud. If you must, call them "revenue enhancements" or "additional revenues" or "funding adjustments" just don't say the T-word. I call this the Fritz Mondalerule. Fritz broke the T-word rule in 1984 and look where it got him. Forget the fact that most middle-class people got a tax hike (just like Fritzy predicted) from Uncle Ron after the election, even though he says it isn't so.

At least Ronnie had the good sense before the election to insist taxes wouldn't go up. Rule 4 If you are an incumbent (which sort of applies to George) blame everthing on the other party's members of Congress. It'll be pretty" tough for a couple hundred people to rebut your accusations. You'll end up with great air time. -The taxes? Free spending Democratic congressmen.

The deficit? Social spenders or military monsters (depending on the party of the speaker). In general, pretend the president has no control over what is passed in the houses of Congress unless it turns out to be good, of course. Rule 5 Don't do anything until the television cameras show up. You don't want to waste effort for those print media hacks, unless thpv to use four or five pictures. These are the visual '80s, men.

The average attention span of a person who actually cares enough to Vote is right around two minutes for non-fiction television and about 1.32 minutes for non-fiction Drint. Ynu pan see the best bet is television. After all, those newspapers are full of smart-aleck columnists hr are always filling readers' heads with lot of trash. Rule 6 Master the art of vagueness. An alternativp is tn language no one understands, but everyone thinks sounds good.

Use sentences like, "We are investigating the problem of the deficit, but I can assure you this, we will not raise taxes unless of course it becomes a question of providing for the defense of our country, the needs of those who fought to keep it free, or for our elderly citizens who deserve to be treated decently in this nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." In general, stay away from specifics. You've both showed some talent for vagueness, but there is room for improvement. Say you are concerned, throw in a "God-fearing" or two, praise members of large voting blocks, but for heaven's sake don't give any specifics. Those can wait until after the election, when you can afford to be honest with the voters. Rule 7 People have been complaining that you both are boring, unelectrifying and definitely not macho.

Rule No. 7 is to generate a little more excitement by wearing a sidearm, taking the media along as you stalk and kill several woodland creatures, chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes simultaneously, and working a few curses into your speeches. Macho stuff like that appeals to many voters. If that fails, we could always replace the next debate with several rounds of bare-knuckled fisticuffs. Follow these few rules and I can assure you of greater media visibility, which is the name of the game these days.

After all, I don't know of a newspaper or television station that wouldn't use pictures of you two flailing away at each other toe to toe especially if you took off your suit coats first. Bill Zahren is a Journal staff writer who may end up as a media consultant in the 2004 presidential race. property shrink Johnson said in a newspaper interview that homeowners in Nebraska pay property taxes that are among the nation's highest. But those property taxes are producing declining amounts of revenue because of a shrinking tax base, he said. The railroad lawsuit is built around a provision in a federal law that bars states from adopting tax policies that discriminate against railroads.

The three railroads the Union Pacific, Burlington Northern and Chicago North Western say they should be exempt from paying taxes on their personal business property in Nebraska because the state exempted some other types of commercial personal property, mainly business inventory, farm machinery, livestock, feed and stored grain. The railroads challenged the personal property tax they pay on their business equipment that includes train cars, engines, corporate aircraft, desks and computers. Earlier, U.S. District Judge Warren Urbom of Lincoln -granted that same personal property tax exemption to several companies that own railroad cars. The basis of the court protest by the rail car companies and the railroads is a federal law that prohibits tax discrimination against railroads.

The railroads have won a temporary court reprieve from paying personal property taxes in Nebraska. If the railroads succeed, other businesses might contend they also shouldn't have to pay the personal property tax on their equipment. to their present location near Rnr. bank, on the corner of Highway 50 and exit 26 on Interstate 29, 8 miles northwest of Elk Point. They bought an abandoned gas station which they renovated into a home in front and a workshop in back.

Now their yard is full of ornaments of many shapes, sizes and varieties. They also make many of their own molds when a customer wants something different. There is a lot of preparation to making the ornaments. Virginia cleans and oils the mold, while Carl mixes fine sand and cement and pours it. The mold is then left to dry for two days before being removing.

Carl, 73, does all the lifting, which can get pretty heavy at times. Some of the molds weigh over 400 pounds. "I'm as strong today as any man half my age. I'm not afraid of hard he said. Carl does all the repairs on the molds.

He said he once took one to a welder, felt he had been overcharged for poor work and decided he'd be better off doing the repairs himself. In between making the ornaments, the Hawkins turned the main station building into their home. Complete renovations include large spacious and airy rooms. Everything is meant to make a cheerful and homey atmosphere. In one end stands an organ that Carl often plays for relaxation in the evenings.

They have three grown children, Edith, Ken and Jake, 18 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Retirement still means hard work for the Hawkins, but that's all right by them. They believe that's. what has kept them young. Homecoming royalty ONAWA, Iowa Matt Westendorf and Karen Sturzenegger were elected king and queen of this year's West Monona High School homecoming festivities.

Westendorf is the son of Neil and Shirley Westendorf, while Sturzenegger is the daughter of Dean and Phylis Sturzenegger. WCTU contest MOVILLE, Iowa The Women's Christian Temperance Union is sponsoring a coloring contest for children in grades 1-3, and poster and essay contests for grades 4-12. The contests' rules, packets and other literature may be ordered from Signal Press, 1730 Chicago Evanston, 111. 60201. For more information, contact Catherine Voas, president of the Moville WCTU and state director of education at 873-3261.

Public hearing IDA GROVE, Iowa The Ida Grove Board of Adjustment will conduct a public hearing to consider a special use permit from Dr. S. Tony Moussalli for a doctor's office at 208 Moorehead St. The hearing will be at 6:30 p.m. today at the Ida Grove City Council Chambers.

Drug awareness LAWTON, Iowa Members of the Aid Association of Lutherans (AAL) will present a drug awareness program entitled "Get Involved Before Your Kids Do" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Community Presbyterian Church in Lawton, and again at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton. Family featured ODEBOLT, Iowa An article featuring Jane and Jack Hogue and their family, of rural Odebolt, appears in the current issue of "Iowan Magazine." The article features their family-owned business, the "Prairie Pedlar," in which they raise, harvest and dry flowers and herbs which are utilized into everlasting bouquets and country decor. Roping classes MOVILLE, Iowa Starting Tuesday, the Tri-State Roping Club will conduct a series of beginning roping classes at the roping barn in Moville For more information, contact Chuck Newman at 378-2526.

Fair meeting MOVILLE, Iowa r- The Woodbury County Fair Association will hold its annual meeting at 7:30 p.m. today at the Farmers Mutual Insurance Building in Moville. Art purchased SIOUX CENTER, Iowa Harvest," and "Jonah and the Vine," artworks by Dordt College alumni, have been purchased for display in the hallways of the Dordt classroom building. "Springtime Harvest" is a bronze sculpture by Gary Alsum of Loveland, a 1979 graduate "Jonah and the Vine" is by 1980 graduate Gerald Folkerts of Winnipeg, Manitoba. They broke the mold with this couple -4 By Sheryl Livingston Journal correspondent BURBANK, S.D.

Twenty years ago Virginia Hawkins' doctor said she'd never walk again, due to severe arthritis, if she remained much longer in the damp working conditions of her poultry dressing business. She hari wnrkpd all her life and didn't want to quit altogether. She and her husband, Carl, had always been fascinated by the many lawn ornaments they'd seen while vacationing in Florida. They liked them so well they had bought some for their own, seeing as how none were available nearby. The pair decided, then, to give the lawn ornament business a try.

Then residents of Norfolk, they sold their poultry dressing equipment and bought some molds instead. Their first molds were made of fiberglass and were four common molds. Virginia ran the operation 10 years until Carl retired from his foreman's position at Norfolk Iron Metal. They have worked as a tandem ever since, though they'd often worked side by side before the first time as certified welders in the Oregon Shipyards during World War II. "I loved to weld, it is like sewing to me," said Virginia, a native of Rock Rapids, Iowa.

After the war they moved to Norfolk, with Carl joining Norfolk Iron Metal. He and his wife again worked together from time to time when the company needed certified welders for specialty jobs. The Hawkins moved two years ago Carl and Virginia Hawkins of Burbank, S.D., dismantle a rW.