Iowa City Press-Citizen from Iowa City, Iowa • 2

Iowa City Press-Citizen-Saturday, August 21, 1982 A temporary job turns into a lifetime career West Branch bank president started as a janitor By PAULA COHEN Press-Citizen Reporter WEST BRANCH About 64 years ago, a man called "Rum" was asked to be a substitute bookkeeper at the West Branch State Bank for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, the bank's board of directors decided they needed to keep Lawrence C. Rummells around, and elected him It was a temporary job that turned into a lifetime career for Rummells, 80. He's been at the bank ever since, serving the past 38 years as president. Rummells' last year as janitor was in 1935, but some things just aren't forgotten.

"I still see things a janitor needs to do," he said. And his interests have not been confined to his banking career. For the past 43 years, Rummells and his wife, Mable, have donated hundreds of hours and more than $500,000 to various organizations in West Branch, including the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association the city of West Branch, the Cookson Memorial Home, West Branch United Methodist Church, and the community golf course. The couple recently donated $100,000 to the Herbert Hoover Endowment, a branch of the library association. None of the money will be spent, but interest earned on it will be used for renovation, maintenance and repairs at the Hoover Historic Site in West Branch.

Because of the Rummells' dedication to the library association over the years, a portion of the main lobby at the Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch was dedicated to them in a ceremony Aug. 9. It is called the "Rummells Gallery." Though Rummells suffered a stroke July 16, both he and his wife attended the ceremony. He is still recuperating, and has not been working at the bank. But he says he intends to return.

Rummells has served on various boards over the years, including a current term as vice president of the board of trustees of the library association, and 27 years on St. Luke's Hospital board in Cedar Rapids. "I tried to resign from the (library association) board in 1977," he said. "I wanted to give someone else a chance to serve. But nobody would let me." He said he stayed on the board because members of Hoover's family personally requested it.

The Rummells, who have been married 59 years, began donating Bartel may appeal legal fee issue to U.S. Supreme Court By ANNETTE WILLIAMS Press Reporter The Iowa Supreme Court has refused to review the question of whether Richard Bartel should be awarded legal fees he incurred while defending a challenge to his election in 1972 to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. But Bartel, who has fought for payment of those fees for years, may appeal his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to his attorney, Jon M. Kinnamon.

Bartel would pursue the case because of its strong implications for future political elections and because Bartel has exhausted all legal remedies available in Iowa, Kinnamon said. "The people deserve legal representation for the person they select," Kinnamon said. "And many dedicated candidates may just quit their (elected) positions if anyone challenges them if they have to assume the entire costs of protecting themselves." It would cost Bartel another $100 to file an appeal with the United States Supreme Court and about $900 to have the appeal printed up by a commercial printer. Kinnamon said that Bartel would have to spend an additional $1,000 to $2,000 to cover the cost of the appendix and brief if the Supreme Court decided to hear his case. Bartel had asked the state Supreme Court to review a Court of Appeals decision which denied him $9,679 in legal fees he had sought from the board of supervisors.

But the court found that the county would not have to pay Bartel's legal fees. Kinnamon said he had asked the court to interpret an Iowa statutue which says the public must pay all costs in an election contest. Bartel's efforts to obtain legal fees began in 1972 after P.C. Walters of rural Iowa City filed an election contest alleging that Bartel was not qualified for county supervisor because of an alleged Canadian felony conviction in 1964. Bartel defeated Walters in the November 1972 election and took office in January 1973, while the election contest was still pending.

In October 1973, a contest court ruled in favor of Bartel, saying that he was qualified to serve as a county supervisor. The judges in that case determined that Bartel was qualified 1 to be a county supervisor because no judgment had been served against him in his Canadian breaking and entering case. Bartel was only 20 years old at the time of the case and was not represented by legal counsel in the hearing. Any felony conviction obtained without counsel is illegal under waives American his law right unless to the counsel, accused and Bartel did not waive that right, Kinnamon said. Although Bartel was successful in defending against the election contest, the county refused to reimburse him for his costs and attorneys' fees.

Bartel first sued Walters for payment of his legal fees, but the claim was rejected in Johnson County District Court. In 1977, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling. In February 1981, he filed a suit against the county board of supervisors for reimbursement of those fees. His claim was rejected in May by the Court of Appeals, and he subsequently appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court. Rush-hour service to resume Monday for city buses Starting Monday, Iowa City Transit will begin its school-year schedule including extra rushhour service to Hawkeye Apartments and the near east side of Iowa City.

The Hawkeye Express route will provide additional service from Hawkeye Apartments to the North Hospital. Express buses will leave Hawkeye Drive Apartments every half hour between 7 and 9 a.m. Buses will arrive at 20 and 50 minutes after the hour. In the afternoon, buses will leave the downtown interchange at 4:05 and 4:35 p.m. and from the hospital at 4:10 and 4:40 p.m.

heading outbound to Hawkeye Apartments. The "East Side Special" will provide additional service to the Court Hill area. This route will money to various organizations in 1945. "It just seemed like the more I gave away, the more kept coming in," he said. During his teen-age years, Rummells mowed lawns, delivered groceries and worked in a movie theater.

But what he really wanted to be was a pharmacist. After graduating from West Branch High School in 1918, Rummells had a decision to make. He had promised to work for the pharmacist at the local drug store, and was asked by the West Branch bank president to work for two weeks, replacing the regular bookkeeper. Both jobs began on the same day. "So I told him (the banker), 'I'm not going to work for you unless you make it right with the pharmacist," Rummells said.

Apparently all was made right, because Rummells began working at the bank the next week. In 1944, he was elected by the board to succeed F.L. Pearson as "cashier" of the bank, which at that time was the equivalent of bank president. But the actual title went to someone else. "At that time, the title of president went to a farmer and a representative of the people, and a member of the board, not necessarily a banker," Rummells explained.

"That was to keep the Rummells and his wife, people and farmers involved." The Rummells saved their money, and worked a farm in rural West Branch. "We traded our house (in town) for an 80-acre farm, and kept adding to it as the City Council to discuss inner city study The Inner City Area Study will be the topic of discussion at the Iowa City City Council's informal meeting Monday night. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Iowa City Civic Center. The Inner City Area Study examines the inner city residential and commercial area and makes recommendations regarding land use.

The purpose of the plan is to guide future. land use based on general concepts for the area and not on specific uses for specific lots. This study is intended to supplement the city's Comprehensive Plan, a zoning policy guide approved in 1978. Senior Planner Doug Boothroy said the study attempts to deal with the "political realities" of the inner city, an area roughly bounded by Brown Street to the north, Muscatine Avenue to the east, the Rock Island Railroad tracks to the south and Capitol Street to the west (excluding the central business district. Some residents are arguing that current zoning levels in some sections of the area are allowing too many apartments to be built, disrupting' the concept of neighborhoods.

City planners argue that changing the zoning would put many existing buildings out of zoning compliance. They are attempting to strike a compromise by down-zoning some areas' and creating "corridors" of high density apartment population in others. Woman pleads guilty to theft An Iowa City woman pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing a total of about $1,000 from the cash registers while she worked at an Iowa City department store. Colleen M. Albaugh, 26, of 625 Emerald St.

was charged with second-degree theft July 16 after authorities at Younker's at the Old Capitol Center accused her of taking the money since she began working there in March. Johnson County District Court Judge Robert E. Ford set sentencing for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 1.

Two charged in utility theft Johnson County sheriff's deputies filed theft charges against two men accused of stealing a large spool of electrical wire from a Lone Tree utility early Friday morning. Duane Whitehall, 20, of rural Nichols were each charged with Richard Hammonds, 21, of rural Columbus Junction and third-degree theft. At initial court appearances Friday, Johnson County Associate District Court Judge Joseph Thornton set Aug. 27 preliminary hearings on the charges. Both men were released on their own recognizances.

Court records said deputy Robert McClanahan was on routine patrol in Lone Tree about 1:15 a.m. when he saw a car driving away from Iowa Electric Light and Power Co. A large spool of electrical wire was in the trunk of the car, records said. The car went about seven blocks before it finally stopped with a flat tire, records said. Widow files suit against county The widow of an Iowa City man has filed suit against Johnson County, claiming that an unsafe county road caused the accident in which her husband died.

Nona Halblom of 951 Maiden Lane is seeking damages ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 damages in a three-count suit filed Friday in Johnson County District Court. She seeks damages on behalf of herself and her late husband, Lewis L. Halblom. Lewis Halblom died at the age of 66 in a two-car crash on Highway 1 at Mormon Trek Road last Feb. 22.

Iowa State Patrol troopers said at the time that Halblom's car rear ended a car driven by Lois Ann Miller of rural Wellman about 4:20 p.m. Miller and Nona Halblom were also injured in the accident but recovered from their injuries. The court petition bringing Halblom's suit claims the county was negligent for extending Mormon Trek Road from the Iowa City city limits and intersecting it with Highway 1. The intersection was "an extremely dangerous place" that the county didn't maintain safely, the petition said. Freedman to speak at West Branch WEST BRANCH University of Iowa President James 0.

Freedman will speak in a dedication ceremony for the new West Branch High School at 2 p.m. Sunday, in the high school auditorium. The $3 million school, which was completed in time for the 1981-82 school year, was designed by Olsen, Popa, Novak architectural firm in Marion. Members of the firm will be participating in the ceremony. The program, expected to last about an hour, will feature a tour of the building and music entertainment by the West Branch Swing Choir.

An open house will also be held in the high school commons, and will be hosted by the school board and school administrators. Mable, in the 'Rummells Gallery' money was available," Rummells said. Mable took in boarders, and helped with the 1,000 laying hens on the farm. The Rummells have two daughters. Barbara Thompson of Iowa of the Hoover Library.

City is an administrative tary at Mercy Hospital, and drey Kofoed of West Branch across the street from her ents. Her husband, John, is tive vice president of the bank: Construction closing recreation lot The parking lot behind the Iowa City Recreation Center will be closed during construction for about six weeks, starting Monday. Repairs planned on the lot are a new slab, curb and gutters, a storm sewer system and improved lighting. City engineers advise those using the center to park in the Chauncey Swan lot, the old Public Library lot or the Dubuque Street ramp. Park beach closed weekdays F.W.

Kent Park beach will be closed Monday through Friday and Aug. 30-Sept. 3 because school has resumed, a park spokesman said. The beach will remain open on weekends through Labor Day, Sept. 6.

Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Man pleads innocent to robbery charge CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) An Olin man pleaded innocent Friday in U.S. District Court to a robbery charge filed in connection with the armed holdup of an Oxford Junction bank in 1977. James Dean Hodgden, 22, who this week moved from Minnesota to.

Olin, appeared in the federal courtroom in Cedar Rapids. Trial was set Sept. 20 before Judge Eward J. McManus. Hodgden was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Sept.

23, 1977, armed robbery of Citizens State Bank in Oxford Junction. Authorities said $4,074 was taken. Package from Thailand seized DES MOINES (AP) Drug enforcement officers say a package mailed to Des Moines from Thailand and containing either opium or morphine base could signify a new problem involving the city's Southeast Asian population. The package led Drug Enforcement Administration agents to a house on the north side of Des Moines last Friday where a Southeast Asia immigrant was arrested. Des Moines police, who aided in the investigation, said they so rarely see the substance that they did not know its value.

But there are concerns that if either opium or morphine base becomes widespread here, it could be converted to heroin for a profit. Some drugs of abuse obtained from opium include heroin, morphine and codeine. The substance, found inside three small purses and two cold cream jars in the package, was sniffed out by a dog at an airport mail center in Los Angeles. After determining the contents, drug agents allowed the package to continue to Des Moines where authorities followed it and arrested Koua Thao, 33. He was charged with importation of a controlled substance.

After a preliminary hearing, he was released on his promise to appear in court and another was set for Aug. 24. Arkansas couple killed in crash WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) An Arkansas couple was: killed and four members of a Colorado family were injured shortly after noon Friday in a three-vehicle crash near Webster City, the Iowa State Patrol said. Dead are Wilbur Kuschke, 70, and his wife, Irene, 69, of Horseshoe Bend, Ark. The accident happened on Interstate 35 about three miles north of the U.S.

Highway 20 interchange. Troopers said a semi-trailer truck driven by Michael Thomas of Decatur, hit the rear of the Kuschke car, which in turn careened across the median and slammed into a van driven by Rachel Cardillo, 40, of Colorado Springs, Colo. Mrs. Cardillo, her husband, Charles, 39, and their two young children were injured. travel outbound along Burlington Street to Court Street to Terrace Road, then south to Friendship Street and return to Court Street via First Avenue.

"Special" buses will depart from downtown at 7:20 and 7:50 a.m. The buses will leave Friendship and Terrace stop at 7:29 and 7:59 a.m. East Side Special buses will continue west through the downtown area to the North Hospital entrance. In the afternoon, "Special" buses will leave the North Hospital entrance at three and 33 minutes after the hour between 4 and 6 p.m. East Side Special buses will depart from the downtown area at 10 and 40 minutes after the hour from 3:40 until 5:40 p.m.

These extra rush-hour buses will operate only while the university is in session. Clarification Due to incorrect information provided to the Press-Citizen, the sponsoring organization of the "Arts Overture" at the University of Iowa Sept. 10 was misidentified in Friday's Press-Citizen. The sponsoring organization of the program is the Friends Development Council of the Museum of Art, according to Winston Barclay, the assistant director of Arts Center Relations for UI. Deaths PEON Charlene Cline Charlene Cline, 55, of Route 3, Iowa City, died Friday 'evening at Mercy Hospital following a sudden illness.

Funeral services are pending at the Donohue-Lensing Mortuary..