There’s a unique little store on Main Street in Holstein called Spirits, Stogies & Stuff. Brenda Cronin, along with her husband Jeff, own the floral shop, liquor, and gift store. Jeff also owns Jeff Cronin Trucking. Brenda explained how it all began.
“On May 1st, it’s been 23 years that we’ve owned the store,” she said. “In ‘97, we purchased the trucking company, and when we purchased the store, we moved the trucking office there also. This used to be an appliance/liquor store, so we bought it and I answered the phones and did all his bookkeeping from here.”
Anita Radke began her 45-year teaching career in a parochial school in Hospers, Iowa. The following summer, she married Mike Radke and accepted a second grade teaching position in Galva. When the 1980 reorganization of Galva and Holstein occurred, she began teaching third grade in Holstein, teaching first, second, and third grades until her retirement from full-time teaching in June 2016. In July 2016, her phone started ringing, asking her to teach half time fifth grade in Galva. After conversations with her husband, she accepted – thinking it was a one year commitment.
Jackie Courtright is retiring from teaching English at Ridge View High School. She once taught at Washington High school in Cherokee for 29 years. She took early retirement from there, but missed teaching, so, when she was asked in 2005 to teach half time at Holstein High School, she took it on. She has been teaching a total of 50 plus years.
While being led down to Courtright’s room for this interview, a colleague said in regards to Courtright’s retirement, “She will be greatly missed.”
Tears came to Courtright’s eyes when she heard this, as she said,
Ridge View High school theater department presented Shakespeare’s A Midsummer night’s dream on Thursday, April 27 and Saturday, April 29 in the evening at the Rosemary Clausen Center for Performing Arts. Much dialogue for these young actors to learn. They did a fine job.
A short synopsis of the play is this: People get lost in the woods. A fairy called Puck manipulates their romance affections and (in one case) anatomical head-shape. Actors put on a play to celebrate Theseus’s wedding day.
Galva-Holstein Elementary performed their Spring Concert on Tuesday, April 25. To begin, Mr. Jonah Kistenmacher directed the 5th Grade Band to play 3 songs: Theme from Symphony No. 9, Indigo Rock, and Shine. It was a pleasant performance, for sure.
For the rest of the evening, Ms. Amanda Kinney directed her music class through many cultures:
Roxanne (Roxy) Stevenson, owner of Stevenson Studios Photography in Holstein, along with studio manager Kim Stevenson, create lasting memories of your kids growing up through school and sports photography. Roxy started the business back in 2005, and slowly built it up over the last 18 years. As the business grew, more help was needed to accommodate the growth, so she reached out to her sister-in-law, Kim.
Ridge View high school social studies instructor Dale Tokheim has influenced many young people, both through his teaching and his coaching duties. Tokheim is in his eighth year teaching high school social studies at Holstein. He taught middle school social studies for 21 years at Schaller-Crestland and Ridge View. Tokheim has also coached a variety of sports at both schools. He discussed some of his coaching experience.
Ridge View students competed at the State FFA Convention. Kenna Wiese entered in Public Speaking and received Silver. Kiara Dutler, Grace Naberhaus, Beth Mentzer and Kyler Wunschel entered the Farm Business Management and received Silver. Liz Schimmer, Tyler Friedrichsen, Nora Pickhinke, and Morgan Wright entered the Poultry Judging and received Silver.
RAPTOR NATION: Ridge View High School's Grand March/Prom took place on Saturday, April 22nd. Grand March was located in the South Gym of the high school and began at 6:00 PM. The theme this year was "Under the Stars." All community members were welcome to attend. The dinner and dance began at 7:15 PM at the Cobblestone Inn and Suites. Go Raptors!
Iowa State Bank is excited to announce that we’re expanding our banking services in Galva as of April 3. We’ve supported local agricultural operations with a local loan production office since December of 2022, and now with Federal and State approvals, we’re adding a full line of banking services that will be offered at our Galva office.
