It was an Extreme Makeover type experience as the Pre-kindergarten through 2nd graders at the Harlan Community School District along with parents, grandparents and administration unveiled an all new play house to the Primary Building. Mrs. Spangenberg’s 2nd grade class started the  project in November of collecting cans to help raise the funding needed for the new playhouse. With the help of Mr. Klaassen’s high school engineering class, every student designed a miniature playhouse to show
the designer’s what the kids wanted to see in the actual playhouse.

One of the 2nd graders, Teya Frolich said the class gave Leinen Construction some pointers on how the playhouse could be more efficient. The crew designed the playhouse with a skylight on the roof for the children. Mrs. Spangenberg said the class’s project tied into everything the students were learning in math and science. She says in addition to the cans, a bake sale was held. “We did a bake sale at Hy-Vee. Adam was great and allowed us, three moms, to do a bake sale on a Saturday morning. So some money came from that and some came from generous donations.”

One donation in particular was very heart warming. “We got a letter in the mail from Nan and it
was in honor of her husband. Her husband was known as the ‘Avoca Can Man.’ He would collect cans in Avoca, bring them to Harlan. He would cash them in, get the money and give it to youth organizations. And he passed away so that was in honor of him. That was really special and a
neat lesson for the kids to learn.”

Now that the project is over, the kids were asked how soon they would design a real house. They said it would be a “Couple of years.” The students were able to play in the playhouse at second recess this (Tuesday) afternoon.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

DEXTER, Iowa (AP) — A man who was helping to string a new power line near Dexter has died in a fall. KCCI-TV reports the man fell about 50 feet Tuesday morning while working as part of a crew a couple miles north of Dexter. The workers were hanging power lines on the west side of Dexfield Road when the fall occurred from a boom truck.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office says the man died from injuries he received in the fall. The man’s identity and other details weren’t available. Dexter is about 30 miles west of Des Moines.

The Cass and Adair County Boards of Supervisors will hold their regular, separate meetings Wednesday morning. In Atlantic, the Cass County Board will act on a suspension of taxes for a parcel of land in Section 28 owned by the City of Anita. Their meeting begins at 8:30-a.m.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Board will hold a Public Hearing on a Fiscal year 2014 Budget Amendment at 9:30-a.m., followed by approval of a Resolution amending the budget and an Appropriations Resolution.

At 9:45, the Adair Supervisors are scheduled to discuss and vote on a request by three Orient area farmers, all brothers in third generation business, to expand their hog operation. The Geidel brothers want to increase their hog confinement facilities from 2,500 head each, to 5,000 head each. The owners of a nearby, privately run tourist attraction, Hatfield Lakes, is protesting.

The Supervisors will discuss and act on a DNR Notice of Complaint; Master Matrix Scoring; A review of correspondence, and then make a recommendation to the DNR with regard to the request. The meeting at the Adair County Courthouse begins at 9-a.m.

Organizers of a fundraising event held last Friday in Exira was a big success. Several communities rallied together in support of an Exira area youth, Jon “Waffles” Herron. Jon is a junior in the Exira-EHK Community School district. Over the last two years, he’s experienced both his parents passing away and then to come home on prom night to find the home where he lives with his aunt burning down. The home was a complete loss.

front row: Kaele Lange, Kate McAlpin, Jon “Waffles” Herron, Jared Hansen, Jen Neville, Jessica Wood, Jake Paulsen
second row: Mitchell Pigeon, Rachel Walker, Nelson Zach, Harrison Olson, Cody Kommes
3rd row: Kennedy Madsen, Rachel Smith, Margo Christensen, Katie Kunik, John Schultes, Martin Olson

The communities put together a fundraiser for Jon and his aunt Kathy. The Exira Rec Center was packed. Organizers say there were waffle irons as far as the eyes could see. A free-will donation got those who attended the event waffles, sausage and all the fixings. There was also a bake sale that brought in additional funds. A forty-two inch flat screen TV was raffled off, and the winner of the television, Darrell Schroeter, donated it back to Waffles and Aunt Kathy.

Jon and Kathy would like to thank everyone who came out to support them. A thank you goes out to all of the area businesses, organization and people who donated time and money to make this all happen. The monetary donations along with the household and clothing donations have been so appreciated. They plan to stay in the area and hope to rebuild.

In all, the Waffles for Waffles fundraiser brought in over $9000. Any other donations can be made to the Exchange State Bank in Exira Iowa.