Kathleen Klehr, the longtime executive director of the Scott County Historical Society, has retired, effective March 29.
Over the years, Klehr helped create 117 exhibits, led a rebranding effort that included redesigning the society's website and helped to develop a mobile recording studio to gather and preserve stories. She also guided the museum through a structural redesign and the revamping of its garden.
A six-year WWII project included collecting stories from the war front and at home and became a book titled "Never Forgotten: Stories by Scott County World War II Veterans." The 2010 exhibit accompanying that research, "Heroes Among Us: Scott County's World War II Veterans," won state and national recognition.
Klehr expanded the Historical Society's collections, acquiring materials ranging from farm equipment to a circus carriage. During her tenure, the society's reliance on Scott County money declined from 87 percent of its budget in 2005 to 56 percent in 2018.
Erin Adler
St. Francis
School board weighs graduation venue
The debate continues at St. Francis High School over whether this year's graduation should be held inside the gymnasium or outside at the football field.
School board members are expected to consider the subject again at Monday's meeting after earlier supporting the indoor option, with officials citing budget concerns. The district estimates that having commencement inside the gym would cost about $7,000 less.
Proponents of the outdoor venue say they worry about seating constraints in the gym, with each student limited to four tickets. Students have been collecting signatures for a petition and have also started a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs.
Though commencement has typically been inside in recent years, it was held on the football field most recently in 2017.
