MR. CHURDAN

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com You can tell that Paul White loves to tell the story about the constipated patient of Dr. O.C. Lohr. From 1898 until his death in 1944, Oscar Lohr was the first of three generations of Lohr doctors to practice in the town of Churdan.

Dr. Keith Van Beek, owner of Jefferson Family Dentistry, has completed the advanced training needed to be able to offer orthodontics locally. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD

No need to drive anymore for braces

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com Five seconds. That’s how long it took last week for Dr. Keith Van Beek to snip a wire poking the inside of Sadie Gilbertson’s cheek from her braces.

Greene County offensive lineman Tyler Miller (66) announced his verbal commitment to Iowa State University Thursday. The 6-8, 285 pound lineman is rated a three star recruit in the Class of 2020 by 24/7 Sports. He held offers from six D-I schools. BRANDON HURLEY | JEFFERSON HERALD

STAYING NEAR HIS ROOTS: Miller picks ISU

By BRANDON HURLEY Sports Editor sports@beeherald.com @BrandonJHurley ---- Tyler Miller’s trust felt at home with the program he came to know best.

“I don’t know how else to keep them remembered,” says John Mosher, a Churdan native who’s trying to raise money for a memorial to all veterans buried in the Highland Twp. Cemetery. One of the cemetery’s oldest veterans is Charles H. Ferguson, who served in the Union Army’s war against the Plains Indians in the 1860s. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD PHOTOS

Some gave all, all gave some

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com Walking through the Highland Twp. Cemetery with John Mosher is like getting a crash course in the people’s history of Churdan. He stopped last week at a wide, grey stone bearing the name Ferguson.

The Rev. Julie Poulsen (left) and site manager Dianne Blackmer started raising awareness last year about the need for a bigger food pantry. A year later, they’re getting their wish. HERALD FILE PHOTO

Food pantry to expand across town

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com When Dianne Blackmer arrived at the food pantry last Wednesday morning, there were already 11 people waiting to get in. The pantry didn’t open for another hour.

Responding to trends in the funeral industry, local funeral director Aaron Schroeder is about to construct his own crematory on land near the Super 8. Although the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home offers cremation and a selection of urns, cremations currently have to be outsourced to a funeral home in Ames. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD PHOTOS

SPREADING OUT

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com The reality of small-town living is that there are a number of things you have to leave Greene County to buy or do.