10 years ago May 19, 2016
• The new track at Murray School District is going to mean many things to a lot of people, but first, it will show how students can take something from the classroom and apply it to real-world knowledge. In the college algebra and calculus classes, students used the formula for circumference to come up with three possible plans for a 300-meter track of various lengths.
• Clarke qualified eight events to the state track meet: girls shuttle hurdle relay team, two girls 100m hurdles, girls shot put and high jump; boys shot put, 800m and 1600m runs.
• Clarke County Hospital and UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine are ready to bring a new look to Clarke County as part of the new hospital expansion. 63,000 square feet of additions and renovations have been added to the hospital to better accommodate the needs of the county.
25 years ago May 17, 2001
• In the ongoing water saga, Southern Iowa Rural Water Association plans to contribute an estimated $637,000 to a new water treatment plant for the city of Osceola. The $2.45 million project in Osceola will enable SIRWA to provide its customers in Clarke County with water from Creston or Leon, in addition to Osceola. The project includes the installation of new water lines in Clarke County and the construction of a new water tower south of Osceola.
• A lengthy project to establish a community-based childcare center in Osceola moved a giant step forward this week with the purchase of the building that housed Samuelson Funeral Home. The purchase will allow The Village to open in September. The location is adjacent to Southwestern Community College on the west edge of Osceola.
• How many grades in the Murray Community School District showed an increase in standardized test scores this school year? All but one. With the exception of the seventh grade, every grade that takes the Iowa Test of Basic Skills showed improvement, some by as much as 15%.
• Murray girls track made it three-fourths of the way to the state track meet in the 4x800 meter relay, but Corning grabbed the gold at the end of the race and broke the Mustangs’ hearts. The Mustangs got off to an early lead from Jennifer Jensen, with Amy Flaherty and Lori Risser keeping good pace as Corning closed in. As Miranda Shields took the baton for the final 800m, she couldn’t hold off the tough Corning anchor.
• Forty volunteers of the Clarke County Hospital were recently recognized for their more than 4,595 volunteer hours completed this year.
50 years ago Tues., May 18, 1976 Osceola Tribune
• At the spring conference of all Iowa Farm and Land Institute held in Des Moines, realtors from throughout the state reviewed farm sales made since September of last year. In 1975, the average price of land in the state was $1,001/acre. This year in April, the average price was $1,143, a 14.2% increase.
• An audit of Clarke County for 1974-75 showed a total $3,010,436.33 collected in property taxes with an addition $27,872.20 taxes collected on mobile homes.
A total of $439,869.85 was sold in auto licenses with taxes collected in the amount of $141,020.97. Taxes collected and paid to the six districts within the county were: Clarke, $1,402,940.21; Murray $314,854.55; Interstate 35, $73,250.42; Mormon Trail, $42,414.76; Grand Valley, $1,157.64 and East Union, $15,919.30. Southwestern Community College received $54,644.81.
50 years ago Thurs., May 20, 1976 Osceola Sentinel
• The city of Osceola, through the cooperation of the Clarke Community Schools, will offer tennis lessons this summer to those students now in the fourth grade through high school. Lessons will also be offered for adults. The instructor for the lessons will be Mrs. Connie Wise.
• The chairman of the Clarke County ASCS Committee announced that 1976 Beekeeper Indemnity Program in the county may receive indemnity payments for bee colonies damaged or destroyed by exposure to pesticides. Beekeepers must show the number of colonies or queen nuclei maintained.
100 years ago The Osceola Sentinel Thurs., May 20, 1926
• By action of the Osceola City Council last week, Osceola has in prospect one of the most extensive improvements in the history of the city, with a resolution of necessity designation 62 blocks for pavement.
• April 1926, with an average rainfall of .91 inches for the state of Iowa, is the driest of the 54 Aprils on record. The next-direst April on record was in 1879, when the average rainfall at 90 stations averaged 1.13 inches.
• In accordance with a recent law passed by the Iowa State Legislature and by an order received from the State Highway Commission, all objectionable highway signs will be removed from primary roads in the state tomorrow. This includes all signs on the fences and within the right-of-way, except those of civic nature that do not obstruct the view or will not interfere with the reading of highway markers. The new federal markers will be erected within a short time.
• April 1926, with an average rainfall of .91 inches for the state of Iowa, is the direst of the 54 Aprils on record. The next-direst April on record was in 1879, when the average rainfall at 90 stations averaged 1.13 inches.
