Terry Traveller Visits River Valley Golf Course in Adel

I love to golf and in Adel there is no better spot than the River Valley Golf Course.

Most of my winter is spent counting down the days to the first blustery days of spring when I can finally hit the greens. And in the middle of March, I was out there, a wide smile across my face,

ISU Double Judged Open Horse Show in Adel, Iowa

Come out to the Dallas County Fair Grounds for the ISU Open Horse Show April 30th!

This double judged event will start with registration at 8am. Spectators will see presentations and awards from 9am-5pm.

Concessions will be snacks and beverages only.

Want to participate? Registrations are being taken now! Just contact Nicole Ferwerda at nikkif@iastate.edu to learn more.

Dallas County Fair Grounds
Highway 169, North of Adel
Adel, Iowa 50003
Website: www.dallascountyfair.com

An Interview with Short & Company, CPA, P.L.C.

Reprinted from DiscoverAdel Newsletter January 2009

January may seem dull after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but for some it is the beginning of an entirely new season, Tax Time.

By January 31st, everyone will receive their W-2s, 1099s, and other forms that are hard to understand. While most of us dread the April 15th deadline, our current economic turmoil has prompted the masses to file their taxes sooner. This year, let Short & Company handle all your tax needs!

Started in November of 1988 by John Short, CPA, Short & Company offers a wide variety of services related to Accounting, Insurance, Securities and Small Business consulting.

DiscoverAdel was able to sit down with John and Chris Oberreuter, CPA, who has been with the company for 15 years, to discuss the important questions this tax year presents as well as a new business addition to Adel!

Q. What are the differences between using Short & Company verses places like Jackson Hewitt?
A. There are dramatic differences between licensing and the requirements to stay licensed. John and Chris, both Certified Public Accountants or CPAs, are required 40 hours of continuing education a year whereas the representatives of other more commercial businesses are only required 6 hours. Short & Company is also open year round and available whenever a taxable event takes place.

Q. What licenses or designations do you have?
A. John Short is a licensed CPA and is also licensed to sell mutual funds, annuities and life and health insurance. Chris Oberreuter is a licensed CPA and is also licensed to sell stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, and life and health insurance. Denise Walter is a licensed CPA.

Q. What does a CPA do?
A. CPAs work with businesses and individuals on many financial related topics. This can range from keeping the books for a small company to auditing of major corporations to comply with SEC requirements. CPAs help individuals save tax dollars, help businesses obtain financing and save tax dollars, create business plans for businesses, and sometimes act as a chief financial officer for a small business.

Q. What do people need to bring with them for their appointment, what should they expect?
A. Appointments scheduled are 1-1 ½ hours long, possibly longer depending on the services needed. Make sure to keep track and bring all your records with you! Many people forget all of their 1099s and W-2s. These are produced due to taxable events or because of sources of income. This includes bank statements, college loan repayment, employment, and distributions from annuities, profit-sharing plans, retirement plans, IRAs, insurance contracts and/or pension plans.

Q. Are there deductions that people typically miss?
A. People tend to miss charitable donations made throughout the year. Make sure to get the receipt! Also, in the state of Iowa car licenses can be deducted. Most people forget or do not know it applies to them. Contact John or Chris to find out how this could impact your returns.

Q. Who needs to use the services of Short & Company?
A. Everyone can benefit from having a CPA file their tax returns. This year [2009] there have been six (6) tax law changes which can dramatically alter your returns, and we aren’t sure how the tax software will handle these changes. You want to have a CPA look over credit changes because you don’t want to miss deductions or credits. The problem with software is that you have to know how to answer the questions otherwise you can miss out. For example, due to flooding and severe weather this summer, much of Iowa is considered a Disaster Relief area, which means your physical location can change what credits or deductions you can file for.

Q. What suggestions can you provide during this period of financial strife?
A. Discuss your investments with a financial planner. Make sure your monitary plan is still solid and determine what is the best thing to do based on your personal situation. Remember that there are tax consequences for taking loans against your investments. Determine how these can affect you by contacting John or Chris.

Q. Another important issue is college planning as parents begin the Financial Aid process. What should parents know?
A. Start early! Once your children are in high school it is too late to plan for college. If you want your kids to go to college, start saving when they are young. 529 Plans are excellent tools for diligent, dedicated parents. However, the diligent can get burned when it comes time to fill out FAFSA forms. FAFSA is a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is how the federal government determines loans and grants. The forms considered the money parents and children make per year and in savings. Consider maxing out your 401ks or IRAs as they do not count towards FAFSA.

Make sure to stress academics to your children. Good grades can get you free money or scholarships to the college of your choice. Keep in mind that only 1% of high school students receive Athletic Scholarships. Top students have a wider college base to choose from and private colleges give out scholarships based not only on need, but grades and extra curricular activities.

The most important aspect of College Planning is knowledge. There are many resources available and parents need to be more active in seeking out advice. Short & Company is one of the valuable resources parents can use, and John and Chris are both available to provide more information.

So this year don’t wait in line for just any accountant, make an appointment to see the experts at Short & Company in Adel, Iowa!

Short & Company, CPA, P.L.C.
911 Main St.
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-4640
Website: www.ShortCPA.net
Email: coberreuter@shortcpa.net

Tim Canney and LSB Mortgage in Adel, Iowa

In an era of bailouts and recession, the local bank has stood strong on the pillar of customer service. Lincoln Savings Bank has brought this same mentality to Adel with LSB Mortgage. This month we spoke with VP of Mortgage

ADM Little League Baseball Pictures

Courtesy of Adel Parks and Recreation Department

Mark your calendars for the ADM Little League Baseball pictures!

Saturday May 7th at 8:30am at the Adel Little League Fields.

Nick Schenck
Parks & Rec Director
Adel, Iowa 50003
Phone: (515) 993-4525
Email: nschenck@adeliowa.org

Brick Streets Project – Parking Stripe Painting

Chad Bird, Adel’s City Administrator, has posted an open letter on the upcoming parking stripe painting and other check-off items.

More information and photos regarding Adel’s Street renovation can be found on the Brick Street Updates page by clicking on the “Orange Construction Hat” on the lower right side.

April 7th, 2011

All,

It is time to finally paint our parking stripes in the downtown area.

Please be aware of the following general schedule for the paint crews.

Starting Friday morning (April 8th) crews will begin the process to paint all traffic markings. It is anticipated that they will start on Main Street but this may be dependent on the number of vehicles in the area.

Once the process begins crews have been instructed to close no more than two parking sections (city blocks) at a time. Parking area being defined as a city block parking section – one entire side of the street. Once that area is complete and dry another area will be closed and so on.

Painting should take about 3 days to complete. The process will include grinding a portion of the concrete away and filling the ground section with durable epoxy paint.

After the painting is complete we will then move to permanent signage installation – perhaps by the end of next week (April 15th).

On another note, clean up of the Courthouse lawn will be complete by Monday, April 11th. Sod work will begin after the recommended planting date of April 15th.

As always, thank you for your patience.

Chad

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525

Handsome Hounds Board & Grooming Offers Convenient Hours

Handsome Hounds Board & Grooming offers convenient before work drop off and after work pick-up times for your pet.

Schedule a spring cleaning bath, nail trim or full groom for your furry friend.

April is filling up quickly so schedule your  appointment with Laura soon!

For a full list of services, customer testimonials and over 50 before and after photos visit the Handsome Hounds website, AdelGroomingBoarding.com.

Handsome Hounds Board and Grooming 
23266 268th Lane | Adel IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-4466
Email: HoundsGroomer@gmail.com
Website: AdelGroomingBoarding.com
Facebook: Handsome-Hounds-Boarding-and-Grooming

April 4th, Brick Street Update (Apr 4, 2011)

Chad Bird, Adel’s City Administrator, has posted an open letter on the latest progress on the Brick Street Renovation.

More information and photos regarding Adel’s STreet renovation can be found on the Brick Street Updates page by clicking on the “Orange Construction Hat” on the lower right side.

April 4th, 2011

All,

As our crews continue to work diligently on punch list items many details are being addressed.

The major work task this week will be to address the ‘trench” settling along the north side of Main Street in the 900 block. Work on this area should commence this week with removal of the brick, compaction and concrete work and then replacing the brick. It is anticipated this work will take the majority of the week.

Parking on the north side of Main will be prohibited during the work on this punch list item.

Other items in the works or recently completed include:

All major lighting and electrical work is complete, there is still some minor hand work to complete.

Landscaping plans are under way but must wait for the critical planting date of April 15 to actual begin. Once begun, that work should be completed in short order.

The new street banners are up, new banners with a new look.

All areas of the street and parking remain open. Only spot parking or driving restrictions will be enforced as work progresses.

Street signs and parking zone painting is planned but is also weather dependant. This work should commence around the April 15^th date also.

As always, thank you for your patience.

Chad

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525

John D. Gomke Charity

On December 3rd, 2009 John Donald Gomke was born. He passed away on January 6th, 2010 at 33 days.

His parents, Steve and Jessica Gomke, have set up the John D. Gomke Charity in his honor to educate parents and the community about Small Child and Infant death.

This month we spoke with Jessica about the accomplishments of the charity and upcoming events.

In December, the John D. Gomke Charity donated two AED machines to the ADM School District.

Dallas County EMT Mike Thompson trained the staff to properly use the portable defibrillator with pads for both children and adults.

In addition to the AEDs, John’s Charity will replace the pads as they expire or if they should be used in an emergency.

The latest news from the charity was the announcement of the 2nd Annual John D. Gomke Charity Golf Tournament June 18th at the River Valley Golf Course in Adel.

Last year’s event took place on a beautiful summer day with over 152 golfers ready to enjoy a fun day of golf for a good cause.

This year looks to be another well attended event, with golfers signing up now to ensure their spot. The tournament will be in a 4-Man Best Shot format broken into two morning and afternoon flights.

Sponsors are starting to line up, donating prizes and cash for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place of each flight, Hole-in-One, Eagle, Birdie, and Par winners, and Culligan Water will once again be donating water for the event.

One generous company will be showing their support in a big way. A new addition this year will be the All Day Free Driving Range, for which the charity is currently seeking sponsorship.

Non-golfers are also encouraged to participate! Come out to watch the tournament, enjoy lunch from the grill, or buy a tee shirt to show your support of this great cause.

Now is the time to sign up as all tee shirt orders must be placed by May 27th.

Started in May 2010 by John’s parents and godparents Josh & Shannon Benson and Mike Hiatt with a simple can drive, the John D. Gomke Charity raised over $11,000 in its first year.

“We have John’s best interests at heart. We do the Charity for John, it is what he would want us to do.

Our board is made up of people who love him as much as we do” said Jessica.

These funds are used solely for the charity which furthers awareness of proper Infant & Child CPR procedures by supplying free CPR Certification classes throughout Central Iowa.

“That’s where we sugarcoat it. We need to be more blunt that Infant and Child death does happen. Everyone thinks, ‘It will never happen to me,’ and then it does.”

Funds are also donated to the Mercy Foundation for materials to be used in creating keepsakes such as foot & hand ink prints, molds, and photographs.

The John D. Gomke Charity Board is busy at work planning an upcoming donation breakfast, and the 2nd Annual John’s Baby Steps 5K Run/Walk to take place in October. Stay tuned to DiscoverAdel.com for upcoming announcements or visit the John D. Gomke website at www.johndgomkecharity.org.

The charity continues to accept can and bottle donations which can be dropped off at Wells Fargo Bank in Adel. Please call Jessica at (515) 314-9171 in advance to schedule your drop off.

If you would like to support the John D. Gomke Charity or to find out more about the fine work accomplished by the organization, please visit www.johndgomkecharity.org.

John D. Gomke Charity
PO Box 613
De Soto, Iowa 50069
Phone: (515) 314-9171
Email: info@johnscharity.com
Website: www.JohnDGomkeCharity.org

Hy-Vac in Adel Now VALO BioMedia North America

Courtesy of VALO BioMedia North America

As of March 1st Adel’s well known agricultural company Hy-Vac has changed it’s name to VALO BioMedia North America, the SPF and Clean Egg Company.

The name change reflects new management within the Dallas County company.

President Tim Newberry states the name change is superficial, that VALO will continue to produce high quality SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) products for the animal research and health communities.

The Adel business is most excited about the expansion projects that started last year with improvements to the Adel facility. The company is looking forward to announcements regarding the company’s future which will be made in the coming months.

Stay tuned to DiscoverAdel to find out more about VALO BioMedia North America’s important role in the future of Dallas County!

VALO BioMedia North America
Formerly Hy-Vac
21459 Old Highway 6
Adel, Iowa 50003
Phone: (515) 993-3574
Fax: (515) 993-5192
Website: www.hy-vac.com

Adel Brick Streets Open Monday (Updated)

The intersection of Prairie and 9th Street will be open for traffic Monday the 21st.

Update: The barricades have been moved and the Streets are drivable as of Friday evening the 18th.

Crews are concentrating on the final repairs in the following weeks.

For more information, read Chad’s full article in the Brick Street Update section.

March 19th, 2011

Residents,

Well, the final brick have been installed and the handicap let downs are complete. The intersection at South 9th and Prairie is permanently open. 9th Street will be open on Monday morning.

City staff and elected officials held a walk through of the project site to create a punch list of repairs and work on that punch list will begin Monday morning. You should notice several different crews working on various aspects and final details in the next week.

Some of the punch list items that should be under way next week:

• Remove and replace any “bad” brick and inlay areas
• Final electrical work – lights
• Minor concrete removal and replace
• Landscaping and fill back of curb
• Drinking fountain installation

Work that is weather dependent and may not start until mid April:

• Final and permanent landscaping including flowers and plants
• Painting and striping of parking areas
• Final sign placement

If you have any questions on items specific to your building or area, please call or email me and we will try to get it addressed in the next couple of weeks.

Our contractor has indicated he would like to be completely done with this project by the end of April – I believe that to be an easily attainable target.

We are on the home stretch.

Thank you for your ongoing patience.

Chad

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525

March 14th, 2011

Crews have started laying bricks today along 9th St.

Once 9th is finished, crews will be begin on the final checklist to wrap up the brick street project.

Early Literacy Station Dedication Photos

Published: March 2011

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Members of the Adel Library Board, Wells Fargo, city leaders and local children were on hand Monday morning for the dedication of the Early Literacy Station (ELS).  The ELS was donated to the Adel Public Library by a grant form the Wells Fargo Foundation.

The station is loaded with 50 educational games and software for kids ages 2-10. It offers children a safe, standalone computer not connected to the Internet that is age-appropriate, engaging, and academically relevant for children.

The literacy station has an imaginative interface that encourages exploration. Many of the software programs contain disguised learning activities that expand the child’s experience through games and extension activities.

Top Row, L-R: Jim Sheriff, John McAvoy, Chad Bird, Pat Torpy, Laura Hanson, Paula James, Lori Brocka, Cheryl Semerad, Travis Etchison, Van VanBuren, and Mark Osborne. Bottom Row, L-R: Andre T, Gabriela T, Payton T, and Jessica Gomke.

Wells Fargo Foundation To Make Donation To Adel Library

Courtesy of Adel Public Library Published: March 2011

Presentation at the Adel Public Library, Monday morning at 11:00 am.

Wells Fargo Foundation has purchased an Early Literacy Station for our young patrons.

We are excited about this gift and wanted to share our good news with you. I have enclosed our press release so you can learn more about it.

I hope you can make it to the library Monday morning.

Thank you,
Paula James
Library Director
515-993-3512

The Adel Public Library and the Adel Public Library Foundation announces the acquisition of the Early Literacy Station (ELS), a complete educational solution loaded with 50 educational software titles for kids ages 2-10. This generous gift was purchased by Wells Fargo through a $2,600 grant from its foundation.

The Early Literacy Station offers children a safe, stand alone computer not connected to the Internet that is age-appropriate, engaging, and academically relevant for children. The ELS has a colorful keyboard and tiny mouse to promote easy learning and discovery.

The Early Literacy Station’s educational software covers seven curricular areas: reading, math, science, social studies, writing, arts & music, and reference. The system is designed to attract and educate toddlers through early elementary school ages.

“The Early literacy Station is an invaluable resource for our toddlers to 5th grade library patrons,” says Director Paula James. She adds, “The Adel Public Library is grateful for the generous support from Wells Fargo and for their commitment not only to the community but to the Adel Public Library as well.”

“At Wells Fargo, we see education as one of the most important investments we can make in the future of the communities we serve,” said Travis Etchison, Wells Fargo’s Business Banking manager for several Des Moines-area communities, including Adel. “We’re excited to be able to support a learning station that will engage children in Adel to learn and grow.”

Work Resumes on 9th St.

Work on Adel’s Historic Brick Streets is resuming this week.

The intersections at 9th and Prairie will be be closed to allow crews to lay brick on 9th street. Crews will remove the asphalt that was laid for winter.

DiscoverAdel will track the process through photos and updates in the Brick Street Updates section starting on Monday the 14th.

Brick Street Update – 9th St. To Be Finished