09/24/20: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

O'Brien County has Top 10 COVID-19 positivity rate

O'Brien County reached a dubious milestone this week when it locked down the state's 10th-highest COVID-19 positivity rate.

According to the state's coronavirus update page Tuesday night, the number of positive tests returned in O'Brien County over the last 14 days was 15.1 percent, ranking No. 10 in Iowa. Sioux County was No. 1 with 28.8 percent, Osceola County was No. 2 with 26.1 percent and Clay County was No. 34 with 9.7 percent.

The total number of deaths associated with COVID-19 increased over the past week by one in O'Brien County to nine, and also by one in Clay County to four. Overall, O'Brien County has had 324 total confirmed coronavirus cases since March and 177 recoveries, while Clay County has had 301 cases and 230 recoveries.

The COVID-19 outbreak at Prairie View Campus in Sanborn grew by four over the past week. According to the state data, the facility has had 29 confirmed cases and 18 recoveries.

Statewide, there have been 81,674 positive cases, 59,221 recoveries and 1,293 deaths. Iowa's positivity rate was 10.9 percent as of Tuesday night.

Shayne Mayer appointed to judgeship

Gov. Kim Reynolds recently appointed a Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School alumnus to a judge position in northwest Iowa.

Shayne Mayer, of Rock Rapids, was appointed as a district court judge in Judicial Election District 3A. She currently serves as the Lyon County attorney and president of the Iowa County Attorneys Association. She previously engaged in private law practice in Iowa and South Dakota.

Mayer is the daughter of Mark and Shandra Mayer, of rural Hartley. She is a 2002 graduate of Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School and has served as the Lyon County attorney since 2012. She received her undergraduate degree from Briar Cliff University and her law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law.

Mayer fills the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of District Court Judge Don Courtney. Judicial Election District 3A includes Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola and Palo Alto counties.

USDA designates 10 Iowa counties as primary natural disaster areas

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 10 Iowa counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in Buena Vista, Hamilton, Harrison, Ida, Madison, Monona, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie and Story counties who suffered losses caused by recent drought may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.

This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

Producers in the contiguous counties listed below are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. In Iowa, those include: Adair, Boone, Calhoun, Cass, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Crawford, Dallas, Franklin, Guthrie, Hardin, Humboldt, Jasper, Kossuth, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Montgomery, O'Brien, Palo Alto, Sac, Shelby, Union, Warren, Webster, Woodbury and Wright.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is May 10, 2021.

Knapp marks 15 years at Evertek

Cynthia Knapp, of Everly, was recently honored for her 15 years of service as a team member at Evertek. Cynthia enjoys her job at Evertek and the loyal customers that the company serves.

"It is a progressive company in an ever-changing industry, so there are always new things to learn," she said. "We are a team and I consider them family."

Cynthia works in the billing and collections department.

CC/E enrolled in Summer Food Service Program

The Clay Central/Everly Community School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all eligible children free of charge. To be eligible to receive free meals at a residential or non-residential camp, children must meet the income guidelines for reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program.

Children who are part of households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) benefits or benefits under the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) are automatically eligible to receive free meals. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals are being served at the elementary in Royal. Operating days are from Sept. 14-Dec. 31, or until funds are depleted.

Contact the school for more information.

Northwest Iowa Lake temps continue to dip

Iowa Great Lake water temperatures have dropped in the past week with the cooler temperatures and are 64 degrees or lower. The area walleye bite should start to pick up as water temperatures start to fall, and the panfish bite should start to pick up around shore as fish move towards shallower water. The yellow perch bite has already started to pick up.

East Okoboji Lake: The walleye season is open. The water temperature is 64 degrees. Bluegill, good. Find schools in deeper water. Black crappie, fair. Yellow perch, good. Yellow bass, good.

Lake Pahoja: Bluegill, good. Use small jigs tipped with waxworms. Black crappie, good. Try small jigs tipped with waxworms. Largemouth bass, good. Use rubber worms or other slow-moving jigs.

Lost Island Lake: Yellow perch, fair. Walleye, fair.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: The walleye season is open. The water temperature was 60 degrees last Thursday.

Bluegill, good. Schools are starting to move deeper off shore post-spawn. Walleye, fair. 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 starting to be found closer to shore from accessible areas such as docks. Other areas to try are small humps in the main basin or weed edges. Many 9-inch fish being have been caught.

West Okoboji Lake: The walleye season is open. The water temperature was 64 degrees last Thursday.

The panfish bite has been good. The ability to anchor or use Spot Lock is very useful to stay on fish in about 20-30 feet of water. Fish will start to move to shallower water soon and be able to be caught from docks/shore. Bluegill, excellent. Schools are deeper off shore. Try fishing in 20-30 feet of water off most points. Anglers have had success using pilkies. 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. Yellow bass, excellent. Easily find yellow bass while fishing for bluegill.

Foundation awards $1,500 grant to Seasons Center

The Clay County Community Foundation granted Seasons Center for Behavioral Health with an award of $1,500 for infant mental health resources.

During 2019, Seasons Center served 1,285 children ages 0-18 at Autumn’s Center in Spencer; 54 were ages 0-5. Between 2017 and 2018, Seasons served 120 children ages 0-5. With appropriate resources and therapeutic toys, Seasons Center can support the development of healthy behavior and provide children the opportunity to learn and express themselves through role-playing.

Clay County Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life throughout the county by investing in area nonprofits through grant programs and by providing individuals, families and area businesses who love their community with a way to give back.

Seasons Center for Behavioral Health serves over 5,300 individuals, children and families across a 19-county service area.