Stories from Friday, March 6, 2020

Mary L. Grefe Cooper, age 87, of Lampasas, TX formerly of Washta, IA, passed away on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at Spring Oaks Nursing and Rehab of Lampasas, TX.  A funeral service will be held on April 25th, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Holstein with Merlyn Smith officiating.  Burial will be held at a later date. ...

Ruth I. Hayes, 73, of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away Tuesday morning, March 3, 2020 at Unity Point Health-St. Luke’s in Sioux City, Iowa. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 7th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa. ...

The growing problem of a shortage of school bus drivers threatens the transportation programs of many rural Iowa schools, including Cherokee and surrounding districts. Among the many reasons for this job pool drain are: Area school superintendents and transportation directors who were contacted all agree that a driver shortage is very real, and is causing some districts to pay to charter buses for after-school activities such as ball games, track and field meets, musical competitions, field trips, etc.. ...

Frank May, a school bus driver in Georgia, recently wrote a letter to his school district detailing the many duties of a bus driver in an effort to promote more public awareness. “I wanted to let the public know what really is happening on the bus they see going down the road,” May said. “I hear parents and the public in general complaining about bus drivers.They do not know what a driver is going through and handling on the bus every day."...

This month’s CCSD alumni spotlight is Ken Braband. He graduated from Cherokee Washington High School in 1972. Ken pursued his post secondary education and received a BA in  Journalism from Iowa State University in 1976. Ken’s current Location is in Green Bay, WI and is a retired writer.  He now volunteers as a kayak instructor for disabled veterans. If you would like to check out Ken’s website, it is www.liquidadventuring.com...

At last Sunday’s Cherokee Symphony Concert we celebrated the 250th birthday of Ludwig Van Beethoven by listening raptly to a wondrous selection of the German rebel’s radical, innovative music brilliantly performed by our incredible Symphony Orchestra...

Cherokee and MMCRU cagers highlighted this season’s Chronicle Times “All-Area Basketball Team” selections, landing seven and five players, respectively, on the top two teams. Chronicle-Times area coverage players eligible for the CT All-Area honors represent Alta-Aurelia, MMCRU, Cherokee, River Valley, Ridge View and South O’Brien...

I tripped and knocked over my golf clubs and bag in the garage the other day and as I picked them up it dawned on me that I haven’t swung them for about six years and probably won’t ever again. Suddenly sad and melancholy, I started looking around the garage and saw my youngest son’s old “Little League” bag with his glove, spikes, balls and bat he will never use again. ...

Byron J. Reed passed away at his home in Queen Creek Arizona on the morning of February 15, 2020 due to complications of pancreatic cancer. He was 71 years old. Byron was born on February 3, 1949 to Jim an Alice (Wallace) Reed in Cherokee Iowa. After graduating from Washington High School, he attended Mankato State University where he ran on the track team...