The One to Count On...

Local firefighters complete training 
Members of Knoxville Fire & Rescue and Indiana Township fire departments practiced fire truck maneuvering, hydrant testing, hose operation and took written exams over the weekend, as part of a state-certification program. Knoxville fire chief Mike Roberts says the training concluded the 32-hour certification course. 

Camping season approaches 
Three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Lake Red Rock open later this month. Park Ranger Tracy Spry says Wallashuck, Whitebreast and North Overlook campgrounds will open for the season on April 23. Spry says reservations can be made online at recreation-dot-gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to reopen Howell Station Campground for Memorial Day Weekend. It’s unknown when Ivans Campground could reopen.

County Board to consider Care Facility items 
The Marion County Board of Supervisors will discuss potential roof and electrical expenditures at the Marion County Care Facility during a special meeting at 9 a.m. in the Marion County Courthouse. The board will also have discussion on the medical examiner deputies for the northern part of the county, among other issues.

Post Offices face financial challenges 
Local post offices are taking steps to lower expenses as the U.S. Postal Service faces increasing financial pressures. Pella Postmaster Roger Hugen says they’ve reduced work hours by about 12 to 13 percent and that routes will be readjusted according to mail volume. Knoxville Postmaster Jack Moorhead says they’ve also restructured postal routes and reduced hours recently to maintain the offices efficiency to residents.

Traveling museum to visit Knoxville 
A traveling museum is making a stop at the Knoxville Public Library April 6th to detail the lives of the around 372,000 German prisoners of war, or POWs, held in camps across the United States during World War II. Library director Jan Behrens says the non-profit educational organization TRACES is featuring its retrofitted school "BUS-eum" which contains exhibits on the legacy of German POWs in the U.S. 

Tulip Court visits state capitol 
The 2009 Tulip Queen and Court is visiting the Iowa State Legislature today and bringing some guests. Each year the Tulip Queen and Court visits the State Capitol. Pella Chamber and PADCO Director Karen Eischen says this is the first year local officials have gone along for the trip. She says this is an opportunity to visit with legislators about different issues and how they could impact local businesses.

Scholarship deadline is today 
The submission deadline for most local scholarships is by end of the school day on Wednesday for graduating Knoxville seniors, and students should fill out an application if they haven’t already. That’s according to Kevin Crawford, president of the Knoxville Dollars for Scholars program, which awards a scholarship to every student who applies. 

American Legion announces essay contest winners 
American Legion Post 89 has announced the winners of their second annual 5th grade flag essay contest. According to the legion, first place went to Lucia Martsovitsova while Megan Kooker and Lauren Kriegel tied for second place. Third place went to Kayla Langstraat. The first place finisher now moves onto to the district contest that will determine the American Legion state contest winner. 

Raceway begins Anniversary Tour 
The Knoxville Raceway begins its 50th Anniversary Tour as it travels to racing events in multiple states over the next two years to rev up attendance for the 49th Annual SuperClean Knoxville Nationals this year and the historic 50th Annual Nationals race in 2010. Brian Stickel, director of marketing for the Knoxville Raceway, says the tour is an excellent way to continue building the racing fan base and to bring visitors to Marion County. 

Central to honor former music professor 
Central College plans to honor a former music professor with a special concert Sunday. According to Central, the music department will honor Edith LeCocq with a memorial concert entitled Mass of the Children. Several groups are scheduled to perform including the Central College Community Choir and Orchestra and the Pella Community Handbell Ensemble, among others. The performance is at 4 p.m. at Douwstra Auditorium.