Mary Ortner resides in a small nook attached to the Art Social Gallery and her studio in Holstein, Iowa. She grew up on a farm west of Galva. She was a competitive barrel racer as a youngster. Her life after that measures her exciting story.
Tyson Thoreson is a Photography artist from Holstein. Thoreson was born in Ida Grove and went to school in Holstein. He started being fascinated with storms in high school. He and his dad would sit outside and watch the storms. He became kind of a storm-chaser then. Thoreson recalls his prom night of 2011,
“It was the day the tornado hit Mapleton. They tried to lock down the school and keep everyone in. I went out and got in my vehicle and drove to Mapleton to watch the storm. I got there and realized I did not know what I was doing. I remember driving away.”
Justin Mason, owner of Mason Auctions in rural Odebolt, is living out his dream of auctioneering farm toys and ag memorabilia. Mason explained the services that his business provides.
“We’re a full-service auction business located here in rural Odebolt,” he said. “We sell anything from farm equipment to construction equipment, real estate, and personal property. A focus of our business is specialty collections, like farm toys and ag memorabilia.”
Justin talked about the far-reaching impact of his auctions.
Jaide Wulf is the new director of nursing for Odebolt Specialty Care. She comes to us from Schleswig where she lives with her two daughters and a son, and Jaide’s boyfriend and his daughter. She has been a traveling nurse for the past several years. Her commute has been no closer than 45 minutes from home, so she decided it was time to find a job that would keep her closer to home. She began working as Director of Nursing at OSC in June. She has an Associates Degree in Nursing from Western Iowa Tech.
Wulf wants to make a difference in her own community. Her strife is this:
I had a visit with Kathy Breyfogle, a longtime member of the Galva-Holstein School District Foundation, who raised and helped design the Rosemary Clausen Center. The Center, which is an addition to Ridge View High School in Holstein, is a venue for performing arts. Breyfogle shared some background on how the project originated.
Lorna Steenbock is grateful to many people as she steps down after 24 years of service as the Ida County Auditor. Steenbock shared a little of her background prior to becoming Auditor in 1999.
“Little did I know,” she said, “that when I graduated from Schleswig High School in 1974, and later graduated from Spencer School of Business, and then was employed in the office of Farmland Foods in Denison for 13 years, and later worked part-time for Northwest REC - that I would be the Ida County Auditor.”
Mayor Nathan Weitl called the Ida Grove Council meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. Those present were Jeff Miesner, Jason Schable and Angie Johnson. Gregor Ernst and Jared Bogue were absent. Attorney Justin Reininger, was also present. This reporter, Mary Morgan, was present.
The Mat Rats Wrestling Club in Odebolt has been going on for 34 years now. It is not affiliated with the school, although wrestlers have practiced there. They need more mat time than what the school can offer, so now they are renovating the old Cafe building in Odebolt into a place for all to practice.
LaDonna Miller is a fine longtime member of Odebolt’s townsfolk. Miller, with her sweet demeanor, tells about her life.
“I grew up south of Odebolt, in what people call the Boyer Hills, until I was in 3rd grade. Then, I went from going to a country school to now the school building in Odebolt. The greatest thing I thought, was we got to have hot lunch. I had a classmate that helped me find where everything was and where to go. Her name was Janice Smith. I still tell her today at class reunions how grateful I was for her help.”
Kristina Boysen, owner of 5 Star Dance & Tumbling Academy in downtown Ida Grove, has a lifelong passion for dance. Boysen, an Odebolt native, opened her dance studio in 2005. Her classes attract students from up to an hour away. Boysen explained why she decided to open a dance studio.
“Dance and tumbling has been a part of my life since I was 3,” she stated. “It’s always been a huge passion and something I enjoy, and I wanted to share my love of it with others.”
Boysen described the variety of classes available at her studio.
