Rippey Wind Energy Project

Work continues on the Rippey Wind Energy's 50 MW project covering  3,489 acres  in Junction and Washington Townships of Greene County, Iowa. The project includes 20 2.5 MW Nordex turbines with a height of 100 meters to the hub and with a 100 meter blade diameter generating a swept area of almost 2 acres. With blades extended skyward, the total height is 492 feet. Basically, the higher and longer the blades, the greater the generating capacity. Including Rippey, and two other projects the parent company, RPM Access LLC,  is developing in 2012, the combined electrical output  should serve the electrical requirements of almost 70,000 homes. RPM Access LLC is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The Rippey project construction is well underway, with road construction, laydown areas, and substation grading completed in late 2011. In early April, 2012, turbine locations were excavated and foundation construction commenced. It is expected that turbine foundation work will be finished in late May to coincide with deliveries of tubular tower sections, blades, and nacelles. By the end of July, the wind generators should be erected and then will be subjected to rigorous testing with a substantial completion date of mid September.
Jim Dimond, Site Developer for Rippey Wind Energy LLC stated that their principal goals were zero recordable injuries, promoting good landowner relationships, adherence to easement agreements, and on-time completion. RPMA has worked with Mortenson Construction and Nordex before and has a close working relationship and knowledge of the critical requirements for a successful build.
Power from the Rippey project has been sold under a long term power purchase arrangement with Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) for use within its network of 13 rural electric cooperatives serving 58 of Iowa's 99 county. Wind energy is a unique opportunity for Iowa to source its electrical requirements locally in a way that benefits landowners, counties and the state. Further, this energy is clean and serves to advance our desire for energy independence. Iowa has the highest percentage of its electrical power from wind (18.8% in 2011) at the same time it has very competitive consumer electricity rates.
Dimond pointed out the extraordinary cooperation of landowners and the county in bringing this project to fruition. The company identified Tim Healey, County Zoning Administrator, Jane Huen, County Auditor, Wade Weiss, County Engineer, Don Van Gilder, Deputy County Engineer, the Board of Supervisors and Board of Adjustment as being of major assistance in the long 4 year lead-up to construction.
For those wishing to track the progress of construction, go to website http://rpmaccess.com/projects.html. You will need Google  Earth. If you point the cursor at the turbine or road entrance, you will see weekly sequential progress photos for each turbine and entrance.

And now the news......
May 18, 2012

Rippey School Building Retirement Celebration

This article is your invitation to attend the Rippey School Building 91st birthday and retirement on Monday May 21. Beginning at 1:30 P.M all former staff, teachers, administrators, and students who attended classes in the building will be welcomed. 

The last assembly will begin with the “Star Spangled Banner”, followed by “Hail to Rippey” being sung by those in attendance. The school re-organized in 1962 with Grand Junction and Dana, and to recognize the significance of that, the “East Greene” fight song will also be sung.

The people living in Washington Township and the City of Rippey have long demonstrated a history of forward thinking about the education of their young people.  In 1898 Washington Township had 11 country schools, and a Township High School. Rather than having 12 independent school boards they collectively showed uniqueness for education conformity by electing one board. The town of Rippey also had a high school and in November of 1919, the township members and the Rippey citizens voted 154 to 23 to merge the schools into the Rippey Consolidated School. 

A board was elected and bids were let. The amount of $147,000 was offered to a Des Moines firm. There were no wooden floors in the building. Rather concrete or terrazzo flooring was used. A stage was located on the side of the gymnasium to allow for plays and performances. 450 persons could be seated for a performance, as a balcony was also included in the plans.

286 students enrolled at the beginning of the school year in 1921. 6 bus routes picked up the first child on the route at 7:30 AM. 7 persons graduated four men and three women. Their class motto was “Not Luck, but Pluck”. The following year 9 persons graduated with three of those students planning to go to college the following fall.

91 years of students and education, numerous stories and events occurred within the building.  Estimate of the number of graduates and attendees was unavailable at this writing, but efforts to identify that number continue.  One of the writer’s favorite was a family story usually re-told every Christmas, about the Globe Trotters playing in the Rippey gym. One handled the ball against the 5 Rippey players while the other 4 gave an impromptu concert, by playing the piano and having a singing trio.

A power point presentation will be presented during the program, including photos of those first buses, students and teachers. Some of the current students have completed projects about the town, and surrounding area, and the history of the school. Those projects will be presented also. During the retirement celebration the Friend of Education award will be presented by the East Greene School Board. The building will be available for touring, and light refreshments will be served by the elementary teachers of the building and the Friends of Rippey.

Submitted by Mary Weaver
Historical information cited taken from “The Rippey Booster” newspapers of the time

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An open house will be held at 1:30, Monday,May 21 at the Rippey Elementary School.  This will be a time of sharing memories of the school.  The elementary teachers have had the students learning about the building and the school which has been open for over 90 years.  All former teachers and the community is invited to come to the program and if they wish, tour the building.

The Rippey High School reunion will be held on Saturday, May 26th at the Rippey United Methodist Church.  A meal will be served at 6pm for which reservations are needed.  Prior to the supper the Rippey Library will be open from 4:00 until 5:30.  The library has completed their move since the last reunion.   The Class of 1962, the last class to graduate from Rippey will be honored as the 50 year class. 

Jean Borgeson and Velda DeMoss attended the graduation open house for Ben Hecht on Saturday afternoon.  Ben, the son of Colleen and Evan Hecht of rural Fonda is a 2012 graduate of Newell-Fonda High School.  Also attending from this area were Jan Scharingson and Burton Toyne.  Ben had received many awards in sports and music and will attend ISU this fall. 
Later that evening Velda attended a graduation reception for Brandon Brend near Ogden. 

Velda DeMoss attended the Senior Class night for South Central Calhoun at Lake City on Sunday evening. Michael DeMoss is a member of the graduating class.  

Saturday, June 2nd Friends of Rippey will host a Cemetery Walk at the Rippey Cemetery.  Several persons will portray local early settlers in the Rippey area.   Following the Walk, a meal will be served at the Rippey United Methodist Church.   The walk will begin at 4 pm and Wilford Roberts of Perry will be on hand with his "people mover" to make traveling the cemetery easier.  Tickets will be sold and this is a fundraiser for Friends of Rippey with the proceeds going to the expansion of the community building. 

 

Click here to see Press Release and pics for the Library Project (updated 5/8/12)

Updated 2/25/12, Velda's Varieties, click here!!

New* addition to LIbrary News here.

Click here for pictures and updates of alumni reunions.

* New 6/15/2011 addition to the recollections page, be sure to see it here.

*New Page, 1912 Fire added to Historical Happenings! Also added, pictures of the demolition with articles and updates as received.

 

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