A year in review: hard news

Jan. 5—From suspects apprehended to buildings being torn down, Union County saw a plethora of big headlines in 2022.

CNA Managing Editor John Van Nostrand summed up 2022 in one word — change. "We have new leadership with our supervisors, we are advancing with green tech with the approval of a solar power project and I think we're seeing how the whole nation's situations affect us locally with inflation, recovering from COVID," he said. "At the same time, I think Creston still wants to be the go-to place for this corner of the state. We still have all of our essentials. I still think we can be a viable, appealing place to live, work and play."

Rebuilding scout cabin is building interest

In January, locals came together to pioneer a movement to save the Girl Scout cabin after it was condemned to be demolished in December 2021.

Since that December meeting, supporters of the restoration project came forward to the park and rec board and city council, and made appeals to the public via social media and television. Many have shared fond memories of scout activities at the cabin on Facebook. Some have offered financial contributions or committed donations of labor and materials.

In March, an engineering firm claimed the cabin could be saved. The information contrasted what the board had heard from a different firm.

In May, the group met again with the parks and rec board, accepting its fate of demolition, but asking for a new one to be constructed in its place. The Save the Girl Scout Cabin committee was not unanimous in their decision with four out of five members voting to rebuild.

In November, the Creston Fire Department used the Girl Scout cabin as a training opportunity and burned the building.

Library to check out another building

In February, the Gibson Memorial Board of Trustees approved to research a partnership with Greater Regional Health as its foundation in November purchased the former Walmart building on U.S. Highway 34. The foundation is planning remodeling the building into a community and event center. Library board president Ann Coulter said library board members approached the hospital about the idea.

In May, board members were told there is plenty of room to house the library within the building, but no action was taken.

The Tractor Supply store, which opened in 2016, uses about 20,500 square feet. There is about 43,8000 square feet remaining and the library would get 14,300 square feet. A proposed floor plan of the entire building has the library in the middle of the building between Tractor Supply and the hospital's uses.

In July, after months of discussion and an architect's conceptual drawings of remodeling, Greater Regional Health notified the library board to no longer consider the former Walmart building as a possible relocation site.

Locals devastated as Wilson Hall is torn down

In May, work began to demolish Southwestern Community College's beloved Wilson Hall.

Wilson Hall was SWCC's first dormitory, erected in the mid 1970s. The building was entirely built by the students and faculty of the college. The carpentry and masonry classes built everything from the ground up.

The decision to tear down came down to several key factors. After a bad rain several years ago, the basement of the dormitory flooded, and despite many efforts, Vice President of Economic Development Tom Lesan said they haven't been able to waterproof the building since.

The building came to be shortly after the death of Mary Wilson, who was the secretary of instruction in the 1970s. Her daughters, only 6 and 2 years old at the time, have looked at the building with pride for the last four decades.

As the college is still coming back from COVID, they don't have immediate plans for the building lot, but if the need for another dormitory comes up, Lesan said it would be a great spot.

Severe storms rip through Union County

In June, a severe storm featuring 67 mph straight-line winds ripped through Union County.

Many homes in Creston were left without power or internet as transformers blew and branches fell onto utility poles — even sparking flames. Alliant Energy worked through the night to restore power to homes — some not coming back until nearly 4 a.m.

For days following the storms, the public was asking the same question — where were the sirens? Many remember the tornado of 2012 where sirens also weren't sounded and have questioned why this continues to be an issue.

According to Creston Fire Chief Todd Jackson, one of three pieces of criteria must be met in order for sirens to sound. Either 60 mph sustained winds, trained storm spotters reporting a confirmed tornado with potential to impact the area or reported hail of one inch or greater in diameter. While the National Weather Service continues to say there are no confirmed tornados, there were wind gusts of 67 mph.

Jackson said when he alerted dispatch to sound the alarm, power was off and the programs were not loaded after the backup generator kicked on. By the time they were on, the winds were so heavy, he could not tell if they were sounded.

Local law agencies team up in drug-related training

In June, Union County deputies, Creston and Afton officers and a Ringgold County paramedic trained together in Creston as they worked to finalize the Multi-Jurisdictional Entry Team.

The team's purpose is to be a united entity trained in warrant entry and searching.

In November, the team began making a dent in the drug problem of southwest Iowa.

In one month's time, the team conducted search warrants in Redding, Clearfield, Lenox, Lorimor and Creston resulting in 13 arrests, 63 felony charges and more than 40 seized firearms.

A Creston raid netted four arrests and 45 felony charges. Confiscated were drugs, guns and paraphernalia.

The raid lasted nearly eight hours and included the search of a three-story house, two sheds and a garage. Many paraphernalia items were discovered, including bongs, baggies, pipes, scales, fertilizer, grow lights and a ventilation system.

Agrivision looking to build in Union or Taylor county

In August, Union County Board of Supervisors approved a preliminary proposal Wednesday for Agrivision to consider to build a new service and retail building west of Creston, outside of city limits. Lenox City Council also approved proposals July 25 for the John Deere agricultural implement dealer to consider building outside of Lenox in Taylor County.

The building is expected to be about 100 feet by 250 feet for a service area. A similar size building will be needed for sales, offices and parts. Estimated total cost for the buildings is $8 million.

Agrivison's Todd Barker said the facilities in Creston and Lenox are, "30 years past their prime. Everyday we work in Creston we are working on stuff outside because we can't get it inside. To continue to attract the skill sets it takes to work on iron and technology, those don't match the skill sets that say, 'I don't want to work out in 0 degrees or under the blistering hot sun.'" The service areas will have air conditioning.

In September, Agrivision announced they would be going to Taylor County.

Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in spring 2023. The shop will be sized to house 20 plus technicians, with a mix of shop and dedicated field technicians. The state-of-the-art facility will be equipped with overhead cranes, expanded parts inventory and a wash bay. Once established, the new location will employ 35 to 45 people.

Shots fired during Union County pursuit

In September, Sergeant Dan McNeill with the Union County Sheriff's Office located Daniel Floyd Edwards, wanted for parole violations with nationwide extradition.

Edwards has been linked to thefts of motorcycles, cars, pickups, 4-wheelers, tractors, dump trucks and semis in multiple counties.

According to a Union County Sheriff's report, McNeill witnessed Edwards driving a 2013 Chevrolet 2500 with a 18 foot dual-axel trailer on Kingfisher Avenue and 240th street heading north. McNeill activated emergency lights and sirens in a marked sheriff vehicle.

A pursuit ensued as Edwards attempted to elude the sergeant at speeds exceeding 25 mph over the speed limit. The sergeant gave chase until Edwards became high-centered in a farm field west of the 260th Street and High and Dry Road intersection.

The sergeant radioed for immediate assistance after McNeill fired shots at the tires of the vehicle, but Edwards was not stopping attempts to elude.

A coalition of unlikely allies

In September, the Warren Cultural Center in Greenfield hosted speakers to explain the influx of carbon pipelines in Iowa.

Three companies, Summit, Navigator and Wolf are proposing building pipelines across Iowa that would trap carbon emissions from ethanol and fertilizer plants and store them underground. This captured carbon dioxide can also be used for fossil fuel extraction through enhanced oil recovery.

In a map included in a Navigator press release, new Phase II pipeline showed the project running from the Poet plant in Menlo to its Corning plant. This carbon pipeline would run through Adair County. The Navigator pipeline is 1,300 miles long and reaches plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois and dispenses in South Dakota.

Land owners can refuse a survey, but Iowa law states with proper notice, surveyors can still access the property. Land owners can refuse to sign the easement allowing the pipeline access to their land, but eminent domain laws give government the power to take property even if owners don't want to sell.

The property needs to be for a "public use," typically roads or bridges, and land owners must be paid "just compensation" for their property.

Opponents of the proposed pipelines say they should not be classified as "public use" because they are dangerous, not a climate change solution, will use a massive amount of public money and may hurt farmers in the long run.

There are 1,500 parcels of land along Summit's route refusing to sign easements.

In November, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) said if the company is not able to obtain more easements, IUB will not approve the petition.

Alliant explains proposed solar power project

In September, Iowa Utilities Board and Alliant Energy invited the public to an informative meeting about Alliant's proposal to build a solar-power generation and battery storage facility east of Creston.

Planning for the project started in 2018 and should all legal work and procedures not have delays, construction is expected to begin in late 2023 or spring 2024. Alliant has acquired 307 acres for the project but plan on having only 76 acres dedicated to the solar power and battery. The lease for the land is initially 30 years but Alliant can utilize an additional 20-year option afterward.

The estimated 99,000 solar panels will the sun's rays into electricity and that will be divided between the power grid and saved in the battery system. Electricity from the solar field will be used by area Alliant customers. Battery power can be used when solar generation is low.

Alliant is still researching what solar panels to use. The panels will be able to absorb sun direct from the sun and rays reflected off the ground. Panels will be about 8 x4 feet and will tilt as the sun moves during the day. Panels will be installed on steel piles driven at least 8 feet into the ground. About 25,000 steel piles are expected to be used.

Hopkins wins supervisor seat

In November's election, Union County voters strongly favored Dennis Hopkins for the supervisor seat.

Running as a Republican, Hopkins won with 2,645 votes. Democrat Shaun Kelley received 1,005 votes. Unaffiliated candidates Roger Vicker had 751 and Roy Klobnak had 103. Hopkins takes the place of Ron Riley who chose not to run for another term.

Union County had a 55% voter turnout with 4,615 ballots cast.