Dia de los ninos in Perry Saturday
The Perry Public Library is hosting a special event this weekend, aimed at emphasizing the importance of literacy for children of all backgrounds.
El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros takes place Saturday from 10am to 1pm. It stands for The Day of the Children or Day of the Books.
Kids of all ages are invited to participate in crafts, games and face painting. There will also be prize drawings and free books.
There’s no cost to attend and no registration is required. For more information, call Suzanne Kestel at 465-3569.
Unemployment Drops in Dallas, Greene and Guthrie Counties
Unemployment continues to drop here in the Raccoon River Valley.
According to Iowa Workforce Development, all three of our local counties saw a decrease in the number of people without a job last month.
Dallas County saw a 0.3 percent drop to 3.1 percent in March. Greene County’s unemployment rate also dropped 0.3 percent to 3.8 last month, while Guthrie County saw the biggest change with a 0.5 percent decrease to 4.8 percent in March.
Current numbers are also better than they were this time last year. In March of 2014, Dallas County’s unemployment rate was at 3.8 percent, Greene County’s was at 4.5 percent and Guthrie County came in at 5.8 percent.
Rain Continues to Fall Over the Raccoon River Valley
There’s still a week left in April and two of our local weather reporting areas have already surpassed the normal monthly rainfall totals.
According to the National Weather Service, Guthrie Center received 1.65 inches of rain this past week, for a total of 4.21 inches so far this month. Jefferson saw another 1.58 inches since our last report, for just over four inches this month and Perry added another 1.28 to their total this week, for a total of 2.27 inches.
Normal rainfall totals in April range between 3.37 and 3.76 inches locally.
There’s a strong chance of rain continuing through the weekend.
Perry School Board Approves 2015-2016 Calendar
There may still be a few weeks left in the current school year, but students and parents in the Perry Community School District now know what next year will look like.
The School Board approved the 2015-2016 calendar at their most recent meeting. Classes for first through twelfth grade students will start on Monday, August 24th. Kindergarteners will begin on the 26th and pre-school classes start September 1st.
Superintendent Lynn Ubben says this is slightly different from past years, since the waivers are not being granted like they used to be.
“We typically like to start on a Wednesday if we can, but since it was bumped later into the 24th, that would be the change.”
Right now, the last day of the next year is scheduled for May 25th, which is a Wednesday. Ubben says if they need to make up days because of weather cancellations, the first two will be scheduled Thursday and Friday of that last full week in May.
Bock Family Foundation Hands Out Spring Grants
The Bock Family Foundation awarded 33 grants, totaling more than $73,000 this week.
Among the recipients are the Perry PACES program that received two grants totaling $10,000, the First United Methodist Church received $5,000 to complete the inside lighting system, the Dallas County Conservation Board was awarded $5,000 for the Perry to Woodward trail connector project and HomeCare Services of Dallas County received $3,500 to assist with in-home health care services.
The nonprofit supporting organization gives financial awards to organizations that operate for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes.
This year’s spring grants ranged from $600 to $7,000. All recipients are located in Dallas County and are either a nonprofit organization or a unit of state or local government.
2015 Spring Bock Family Foundation Grant Recipients
First United Methodist Church, Perry – $5,000 to complete the inside lighting system
HomeCare Services of Dallas County – $3,500 to assist with in-home health care services
Carnegie Library Museum – $1,000 to assist with funding of programs
Perry Volunteer Fire Department – $3,000 to purchase a fire extinguisher training unit
McCreary Community Building – $750 for addition to timing system to be used by the Perry Swim Team
McCreary Community Building – $907.89 to purchase equipment for Tot Gym for children ages 0-6
Dallas County Conservation Board – $5,000 for Let’s Connect (Perry to Woodward trail project)
Perry Booster Club – $1,000 to assist in purchasing six tables
Perry High School (SkillsUSA and TSA) – $2,500 towards new concessions stand at HS football field and for disadvantaged students to attend state/national events
Perry High School – $1,500 to purchase books for Brady Library
Perry Middle School – $1,000 for Vocal Music Department
The Perry School Foundation Inc. – $2,000 for public art addition to Performing Arts Center’s lobby honoring Perry’s veterans
Perry Community School District – $2,500 for Perry Virtual Reality Program
PACES – $3,000 for middle school/upper elementary summer camps
PACES – $7,000 for summer pre-k to 5th grade learning center program
Perry Community School – $3,000 for storage units at Dewey Field Compex
Perry Community School – $3,000 to replace lockers at Dewey Field Fieldhouse
Perry High School – $3,000 to purchase trailer/accessories/parts for use by 5th-12th grade music department
St. Patrick’s Catholic School – $1,500 for playground improvement project
IA Fire Museum and Fire Prevention Center – $1,500 to purchase fire prevention literature and funding for kids hands-on activities
First Christian Church, Perry – $1,500 for The Clothes Closet
Perry Fine Arts – $600 for Lyra choral group performance and housing/meals
Perry Lutheran Home – $2,500 towards remodeling/renovating east wing on the 2nd floor
Perry Child Development Center – $1,800 for buffing/waxing of tile and carpet cleaning
Perry Child Development Center – $3,000 to provide three low income families with scholarships
Art on the Prairie/Pedal Perry Trail Sign Project – $1,000 to install signage along RRVT 2 locations in Perry
Art on the Prairie – $1,00 for signage and printing to promote Art on the Prairie festival
Fullhart/Carnegie Charitable Trust dba Hometown Heritage – $1,000 to develop self-guided history and art walking tour using QR code technology
Washington Township School Foundation – $2,000 for building interior walls in lunch/meeting rooms
City of Bouton (fire department) – $3,000 towards purchase of new fire gear/equipment and new tank for fire truck
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport – $2,500 towards purchase of new Ford Transit transport van
Minburn Community Betterment Group – $600 for Meet Me in Minburn summer concert series
HCI Hospice Care Services – $1,000- for bereavement program