Main Streets & Backroads with Carlene Hall

Mills County Routes is proud to welcome a new sponsor, Travis Waldstein of Waldstein Plumbing and Air Serve Heating and Air Conditioning.

Travis is a Navy veteran who served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and deployed during operations near Somalia and in the Persian Gulf. In this episode, he shares stories from carrier life, flight deck experiences, and what service meant to him and his family.

After the Navy, Travis built his HVAC career in Southwest Iowa and founded Air Serve in 2009. More recently, he launched Waldstein Plumbing alongside his son Hayden, a Marine Corps veteran who now runs the plumbing division.

Together, they serve customers throughout Mills County, Glenwood, Lake Ohana, Mineola, and surrounding communities.

This episode is about service, family, friendship, and building businesses that support the people of Southwest Iowa.

Thank you to Travis Waldstein for supporting Mills County Routes and for continuing to serve this community.

The Mills County Historical Museum in Glenwood, Iowa is preserving the stories, artifacts, and legacy of our community for future generations.

In this episode of Mills County Roots, Karlene Hall sits down with Lauren Culp, curator of the Mills County Historical Museum, and Georgia Jewell, Vice President of the Board. Together they share the history of the museum, its collections, and the powerful volunteer effort that keeps local history alive.

This episode highlights:

• The Tabor Northern Railroad and its impact on Mills County
• Glenwood and area high school history displays
• Antique storefront recreations including pharmacy, barber shop, and general store
• Farm equipment, horse drawn carriages, and early household appliances
• Native American artifacts including Clovis points dating back 10,000 to 12,000 years
• The museum event rental space and upcoming annual car show

The museum continues to grow through community support and volunteers. If you care about preserving local history in Mills County, this is your invitation to get involved.

The Mills County Historical Museum is located in Glenwood, Iowa and serves as a living archive of our shared story.

Subscribe for more local stories from Mills County and Southwest Iowa.

Today we’re in Henderson, Iowa, inside a building you don’t see repurposed every day: a 1906 Methodist church transformed into modern apartments now known as Henderson Suites.

Carleen Hall sits down with Audie Rainey and Kinsey Rainey of Ruby Realty to talk about:

✅ How this project began through longtime Henderson resident Betty Byers
✅ Why preserving small-town landmarks matters
✅ What it took to secure and restore the building (roof, steeple removal, repairs)
✅ How they kept the stained glass and original character
✅ The importance of compassion in housing and property management
✅ A full walkthrough tour of the apartments, decks, lofts, privacy layout, and more

This is more than a renovation. It’s a story about community, legacy, and building something that fits the town instead of bulldozing history.

If you love small town stories, renovation projects, local business, or Iowa history, you’re going to love this episode.

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Henderson Suites Tour | 1906 Church Turned Into Apartments (Ruby Realty)

Alt (community angle)
Saving a Henderson Landmark: From Methodist Church to Henderson Suites

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Audie & Kinsey Rainey Share the Story Behind Henderson Suites

We’re in Henderson, Iowa today, inside something seriously special.

This 1906 Methodist church has been transformed into modern apartments called Henderson Suites, and we sat down with Audie Rainey and Kinsey Rainey of Ruby Realty to hear how it happened and why they approached it with so much care.

This episode covers:
• The emotional importance of the church to local families
• How the project started through longtime Henderson resident Betty Byers
• Preserving stained glass and the building’s character
• The renovation process and the vision behind it
• A full walkthrough tour of the suites

It’s the kind of project that can become a real catalyst for growth in a small town, without losing what makes that town feel like home.

Watch the episode and take the tour with us.

In this episode of Mills County Routes, we attend the first in a new monthly speaker series designed to reconnect the community through free educational events.

This month’s presentation features Eric Van Fleet, Marine Corps veteran and electrical engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, who shares the powerful history of the USS Iowa (BB-61) — known as:

• The Big Stick

• The Great Ghost

• The Battleship of Presidents

Eric walks us through:

⚓ The evolution of battleships from the Civil War’s USS Monitor
⚓ The rise of naval armor and turret warfare
⚓ The sinking of the Bismarck
⚓ Why aircraft carriers ultimately replaced battleships
⚓ The size, speed, firepower, and armor of the USS Iowa
⚓ Naval ship classifications (BB, DDG, CG, SSBN) explained

At 57,000 tons and three football fields long, the USS Iowa was one of the most powerful battleships ever built. But history shows how technology — and warfare — changed faster than anyone expected.

This speaker series takes place every second Sunday of the month, offering free educational programming and opportunities for community involvement.

If you love military history, Iowa connections, or naval engineering, this one is packed with insight.

Subscribe to Mills County Routes for more local stories, events, and educational conversatio

In this episode of Mills County Routes, Carleen Hall visits Fine Arts on 5th in Malvern, Iowa during their annual “Soup-er Bowl” community event — where guests enjoy handmade soup in handcrafted ceramic bowls by artist Danielle Wigham.

But this episode carries something deeper.

Gallery owner Emily McQueen shares the emotional news that she will be relocating this summer and passing the torch to fellow artist Susie Kutnik, who will continue the gallery’s mission of bringing creativity, education, and community connection to Mills County.

Inside this episode:

• The history and transformation of the historic brick building

• The vision behind Fine Arts on 5th as both a gallery and teaching studio

• Why community art spaces matter in rural Iowa

• The importance of creativity in a world driven by technology and AI

• Susie Kutnik’s plans to continue the gallery’s mission

• A featured look at Danielle Wigham’s handcrafted ceramic work

Fine Arts on 5th has become more than a gallery. It’s a creative hub, a gathering place, and a reminder that art connects generations.

If you value local art, small-town creativity, and community-driven spaces, this one’s for you.

Subscribe to Mills County Routes for more stories highlighting the people and places that shape southwest Iowa.

In this episode of Mills County Routes, host Carleen Hall visits Little Red Service in Malvern, Iowa to talk with owner Don “Little Red” Graalfs, a multi-generation Mills County local with more than 30 years in the automotive industry.

Don shares how he started in a Glenwood gas station, worked through multiple dealerships, learned the customer side of the business, and eventually opened Little Red Service in 2019. The conversation also captures what makes small-town service special: trust, relationships, and showing up when people need help.

This episode covers:

• Auto repair and light maintenance (oil changes, tires, basic service)

• Mobile help within a 5-mile radius (jumpstarts, flats, lockouts)

• Building a business in Malvern and staying about a week out for scheduling

• The story behind the shop’s one-of-a-kind decor

• Don’s love of fishing and hunting, including walleye trips to South Dakota and Minnesota

• Training the next generation in the shop (shoutout to Joel)

Subscribe for more interviews featuring the people, businesses, and stories that keep Mills County moving.

Bad things happen. Fires, floods, sewage backups, mold, hoarding situations, bed bugs.
And when they do, people need honest, compassionate professionals they can trust.

In this episode of Mills County Routes, host Carleen Hall sits down with Cindy Schmader, owner of ServiceMaster Restoration Service by Schmader – Council Bluffs.

Cindy shares how she built a restoration business over more than 20 years, why integrity and confidentiality matter when you’re working inside people’s homes, and what it really looks like to help families recover after disaster.

This conversation covers:

• Fire, water, and mold restoration

• Sewage backup cleanup

• Hoarding and trauma-informed cleaning

• Bed bug cleaning and stigma

• Carpet, upholstery, and rug cleaning

• Why reviewing your insurance coverage yearly is critical

It’s a powerful reminder that while bad things happen, good people make the difference in how families recover.

What happens when art, nature, and community collide?You get the work of Anna Stoysich.In this episode of Mills County Roots, we visit Anna in her Malvern home studio and at the Malvern Library to explore her pottery, public art, and the creative process behind her work. From hand-built cups made for everyday rituals to a large-scale community tile mural celebrating Iowa’s wetlands, Anna’s art invites us to slow down, notice more, and reconnect.We talk about:Growing up creative and staying connected to that giftWhy she hand-builds instead of using a pottery wheelTeaching art to kids, adults, scouts, and community groupsHer years as a naturalist at Waubonsie State ParkThe story behind The Celebration, the tile mural at the Malvern LibraryHow imagination, play, and art help us care for each other and the landThis episode is a reminder that art isn’t something reserved for galleries.It’s something we’re all wired for.📍 Filmed in Malvern, Iowa🎨 Featuring Anna Stoysich, ceramic artist and educator👉 Like, subscribe, and share if you believe creativity makes communities stronger.#MillsCountyRoots #IowaArt #Ceramics #PublicArt #CommunityMural #HandBuiltPottery #MalvernIowa #ArtAndNature

Mulholland Grocery has been part of Malvern, Iowa since 1875. That’s fires, depressions, wars, changing habits, big-box competition, and one devastating blaze that shut the doors for three long years.In this episode of Mills County Roots, host Carlene Hall sits down with Tom Mulholland, the man who brought the family name back to the store, rebuilt after the fire, and kept a small-town grocery alive when it would have been easier to walk away.You’ll hear:• How the original store burned and was rebuilt brick by brick• Stories from customers who remember Santa Claus upstairs• Why Mulholland’s meat and sausage are famous across Iowa• What it’s really like to lose everything overnight• The hard, honest reality of rebuilding when insurance isn’t enough• Why this store matters to the future of MalvernThis episode is about more than groceries.It’s about commitment, community, and choosing to stay when leaving would be easier.📍 Recorded in Malvern, Iowa🎙 Part of the Mills County Roots podcast👍 Like, subscribe, and share to support local stories that matter

Welcome to the first episode of Mills County Roots, a local podcast sharing real, uplifting stories from Mills County, Iowa. As local media coverage continues to shrink, important community stories often go untold. This show exists to spotlight the people and organizations strengthening our towns and remind us why living in Mills County matters.Host Carlene Hall, local musician and seasoned radio personality, sits down with Beverly Fletcher, District Governor for the 9 Southwest District of Lions Clubs of Iowa, to talk about service, community, and why early intervention changes lives.In this episode, you’ll hear:What the Lions Club really does and why it matters locallyAn inside look at Iowa Lions KidsSight, a free vision screening program for children ages 6 months through kindergartenHow early vision screening can prevent learning challenges later in schoolThe impact of Lions Club programs for vision, hearing, glasses, and hearing aidsReal numbers showing how thousands of children across 20 counties are being servedWhy the Lions are raising funds for new KidsSight camera technologyA powerful personal story about education, family, and long-term impact📊 By the numbers (July–December):203 screening sessions3,228 children screened411 children referred for follow-up care20 counties served across Southwest IowaThis conversation highlights the heart of Mills County and the surrounding communities. Neighbors helping neighbors. Quiet work that changes lives. The kind of service that doesn’t make headlines but absolutely should.💛 Want to support Iowa Lions KidsSight or learn more?Contact Beverly Fletcher directly:📞 712-355-3529📧 [email protected]🎧 Mills County Roots shares daily conversations with business owners, nonprofit leaders, and community builders who make this place worth calling home.👉 Subscribe for more local stories.👉 Share this episode to help spread the word.👉 Support your local Lions Club.Because this is what community looks like.