07/16/20: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Herman’s Hermits sets date for 2021 Clay County Fair

The Clay County Fair recently announced the rescheduling of Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone with special guest Gary Lewis & The Playboys for the 2021 Clay County Fair on Sunday, Sept. 12.

Herman’s Hermits featuring Peter Noone has sold over 52 million recordings. Noone himself is a multi-talented entertainer, who has been delighting audiences nearly all his life. At the age 15, Peter achieved international fame as “Herman,” lead singer of the legendary pop band Herman’s Hermits. His classic hits include “I’m Into Something Good,” “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter,” “I’m Henry VIII, I Am,” “Silhouettes,” “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat,” and more. In all, 14 singles and seven albums went gold.

It was the summer of 1964 when Gary Lewis & The Playboys were discovered; before long, the group took their first single, “This Diamond Ring,” straight to No. 1. After their second hit, titled “Count Me In,” went to No. 2, Gary and the band proved that they would be a continued success. They followed with more Top 10 songs such as “Save Your Heart For Me,” “Everybody Loves A Clown,” “She’s Just My Style,” “Sure Gonna Miss Her,” and many more.

If you had already purchased tickets for the 2020 show, your seats are reserved for 2021. If you wish to request a refund, you may do so by contacting Midwestix, the Fair’s official ticket provider. Due to COVID-19 and limited office hours, the best way to request a refund is to email [email protected].

Refunds for this show can be requested for 30 days or until Aug. 10. Handling and processing fees, which are included in advertised ticket prices, are non-refundable.

Tickets are now available.

Counting turkeys

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is looking for help with its annual turkey population estimates in July and August.

Participation is easy: Just note the date and county in which the turkey was seen, if it was an adult female or adult male (males have beards on their breast), and whether there were young poults. There is a link to an online survey and survey card at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Turkey-Hunting for those willing to help.

The DNR has mailed survey cards to select turkey hunters who are asked to provide the date and county in which the turkey was seen. If you did not receive a survey card, you are still encouraged to report turkey sightings using the Iowa DNR webpage link. An excellent video of hen turkeys with poults can be viewed on the Iowa DNR’s Facebook page.

Annual population surveys conducted by the DNR are an important component of the species management plans, which includes providing hunting opportunities. All participation is appreciated.

Fishing bite remains mostly good in NWI

Iowa Great Lake water temperatures have warmed up substantially and are currently 79 degrees or warmer. This week’s extended forecast calls for temperatures ranging from the upper 70s to upper 80s.

East Okoboji Lake: The walleye season is open. The water temperature is 80 degrees. There is a great panfish bite that is moving farther out into deeper water post-spawn. Bluegill, excellent. Large schools are moving into the shallows to bed and can easily be caught around hoists and docks. Black crappie, fair. Yellow perch, good. A good open water bite has started to pick up.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye, good.

Spirit Lake: The walleye season is open. A great walleye and yellow perch bite has been seen lately with many yellows over 10 inches being caught. The water temperature is 79 degrees. Bluegill, good. Schools are starting to move deeper off shore post-spawn. Walleye, good. A fairly good bite lately can also be seen from shore. Try bottom bouncers or crankbaits to cover more water. Black bullhead, fair. Anglers have been successful at the north grade. Yellow perch, good. The bite has really picked up; fish are a little deeper than what can be easily fished from shore. Try small humps in the main basin or weed edges.

West Okoboji Lake: The walleye season is open. The water temperature is 80 degrees. The panfish bite has been great. Bluegill, good. Schools are starting to move deeper off shore. Try fishing in about 16 feet of water in the weeds or weed lines. Smallmouth bass, fair. Find smallmouth bass on rock piles or on the points. Largemouth bass, fair. Find largemouth bass on the weed lines. Yellow perch, fair. Schools have started to move deeper off shore.

35 percent of state classified as abnormally dry

Although statewide precipitation was near normal in June, northeast Iowa experienced extra wet conditions while western parts of the state have entered moderate drought, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows abnormally dry conditions in about 35 percent of the state, with eight west-central counties classified as being in moderate drought.

Statewide precipitation averaged 4.85 inches in June, or 0.17 inches less than the 30-year climatological average. However, the state’s western half observed drier-than-normal conditions with precipitation deficits of up to four inches. On the other hand, much of eastern Iowa reported general rainfall totals from two to six inches above average, due in part to the remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal, which moved through Iowa as a tropical depression on June 9. Cristobal is only the second tropical system on record to transverse Iowa, with the only other occurrence happening on Sept. 11, 1900.

“June saw low rainfall amounts in western Iowa and is causing concern about growing drought conditions. Unfortunately, the western part of Iowa tends to be where groundwater supplies are the most vulnerable, so we will be watching those areas carefully,” said Tim Hall, DNR’s coordinator of hydrology resources, in a news release.

Iowa experienced warmer-than-normal conditions statewide during June with an average temperature of 72.9 degrees, 3.2 degrees below normal. This ties June 2020 with 1954 and 2005 as the 18th-warmest June on record.

Named to DMACC president’s list

Des Moines Area Community College President Rob Denson recently released the listing of students eligible for the spring semester President’s List. Among them is Marty Schmidt, of Hartley, a Liberal Arts student.

To be eligible for the President’s List, a student must have completed a minimum of six credits and earned a 4.0 grade point average for the semester.

Graduate from DMACC

More than 800 students graduated this spring from Des Moines Area Community College’s Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Newton, Urban and West campuses.

Graduates from this area are Cole Maaland, Liberal Arts; and Cailey Schaa, Liberal Arts.

Writing prompt for HPL summer program

The writing prompt for the fifth week of the Hartley Public Library’s summer library program is “The library of the future.”

Submit 1-2 pages to the library by Thursday, July 23 with your name and a phone number or email address, and whether you give permission for others to see your work with or without your name on Facebook, the library’s website or displayed in the library.

Blood donors help to save over 100 lives

Thirty-one donors registered at the blood drive held in Hartley on June 24. According to LifeServe Blood Center, the 38 lifesaving products that were collected will help save over 114 lives. There were no first-time donors.