03/24/22: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Summer rec program needs volunteers

The summer baseball and softball program in Hartley is need of coaches and umpires for the summer season. The rec department is also in need of a director.

See the ads on Page 3 for more details.

Moratorium on utility disconnections ends April 1

Iowa's annual winter home heating moratorium ends April 1. The Iowa Utilities Board reminds energy assistance customers currently protected from service disconnection to contact their local utility company immediately to discuss payment options and avoid disconnection that could begin as soon as April 2.

The federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to help low-income homeowners and renters pay a portion of their primary home heating costs through a one-time payment made directly to the utility or heating fuel vendor. Under Iowa's winter moratorium law, customers who qualify for LIHEAP or the federal Weatherization Assistance Program are protected from the annual shutoff of natural gas or electric service from November 1-April 1.

The LIHEAP program pays only a portion of utility bills to qualified low-income customers. Iowans can continue to apply for LIHEAP funds through April 30, and can learn more about eligibility and crisis assistance by contacting their local community action agency.

All utility customers, including those who do not qualify for energy assistance, may be eligible to enter into a reasonable payment agreement with their utility company that allows them to pay accumulated debt over time while maintaining utility service. Customers who were impacted by COVID-19 may qualify for assistance in paying their rent or water, gas or electric utility bills through the Iowa Rent and Utility Assistance Program administered by the Iowa Finance Authority, or by calling the Housing Recovery Support Team at (855) 300-5885.

IUB Customer Service staff is available to assist customers with questions about utility service disconnection or other issues that are not resolved directly with their utility company. Call (877) 565-4450 or email [email protected].

Annual spring wildlife survey underway

Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff is currently conducting their annual nighttime spring spotlight surveys across the state, collecting information on Iowa's deer and furbearer populations.

The annual survey is conducted from mid-March to mid-April in each county, beginning an hour after sunset, preferably on nights with low wind, good visibility and high humidity. The routes cover different habitats from river bottoms, to farm fields, prairies, woodlots, pastures and timber stands.

The 50-mile routes – two per county – are driven below 20 miles per hour with staff shining spotlights out of both sides of the vehicle, recording the number of deer and furbearers seen along with the habitat type, at different points along the way. Staff are careful to avoid shining homes and livestock while on the survey and contact the county sheriff ahead of time in case they receive any calls.

"This survey produces really valuable information on our deer and furbearer populations, both locally and at the state level, allowing us to see population trends over time," said Jace Elliott, deer research specialist with the Iowa DNR, in a news release.

The survey began in the late 1970s as a way to collect information on the raccoon population, but was expanded to include deer and other furbearers.

"It's an important index that is combined with other data and surveys we use that gives us the most complete picture for these species and guides our management decisions to benefit the resource," Elliott said.

The survey report will be posted later this summer to the Iowa DNR's website.

NWI fishing report

The walleye season for the Iowa Great Lake chain is closed. The season opens back up May 7. Ice conditions on most lakes in the area have deteriorated heavily with the recent warm weather. There are still a handful of areas that allow foot traffic for ice fishing. The quality of the ice has diminished heavily leaving many open holes, seams and very few good accesses.

Center Lake: Ice thickness is around 7 inches. There is a large open hole where the aeration unit had been running throughout the winter.

East Okoboji Lake: Ice conditions have diminished heavily, but are still allowing foot traffic. Try heavy tungsten jigs, plastics and baits.

Black crappie, fair. Bluegill, fair. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait. Yellow bass, good. With a little movement on the basin, you should be able find a decent bite and also catch a few other species.

Ingham Lake: Ice conditions vary heavily around the lake; most areas have 12 inches. There is a large open hole where the lake aeration unit had been running this winter.

Lost Island Lake: Ice conditions vary with an average of around 8 inches. Caution: The aeration system is currently in operation on the east side of the lake out from the nature center. This creates a large open hole in the ice.

Yellow perch, fair. Lots of sorting may be needed.

Minnewashta Lake: Ice conditions have deteriorated with an average ice thickness of 8 inches. The panfish and crappie bite has been fairly good.

Black crappie, fair. A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill, fair. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait. Pumpkinseed, fair.

Scharnberg Pond: Trout were stocked this winter; fish should be biting well. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

Brook trout, good. Rainbow trout, good. Trout are biting on a variety of different baits. Try a worm or lure that imitates a minnow.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): The lake has a large open hole along the eastern side; the eastern access is very diminished. Ice thickness still allows foot traffic in most places.

Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: The lake is open on the south side and has highly diminished ice conditions throughout the rest of the lake.

Black crappie, fair. Mostly being caught along with perch; use tube jigs with wigglers or pilkies. Bluegill, fair. Mostly being caught along with perch; use tube jigs with wigglers or pilkies. Walleye, slow. Season is closed until May 7. Yellow perch, fair.

West Okoboji Lake: Ice conditions around the lake have diminished heavily. There are still a few bay areas that are able to be fished by foot. Panfishing on Millers Bay has picked up with the warmer weather.

Black crappie, fair. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait. Bluegill, fair. Many anglers have been successful off Triboji on the north end of the lake. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait.

ILCC earns 2022-23 Military Friendly School designation

Iowa Lakes Community College earned the 2022-2023 Military Friendly School designation.

Institutions obtain the Military Friendly School designation by evaluating public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey, with only 665 earning special awards for going above the standard.

Viqtory, a veteran-owned small business founded in 2001, determines the methodology, criteria, and weightings utilized with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education and military recruitment fields. The institution's survey scores combined with the assessment of the institution's ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans determine the final ratings.

The 2022-2023 Military Friendly Schools list will be in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and online at http://www.militaryfriendly.com.

Iowa Lakes strives to be military and veteran-friendly, continually improving military and veteran students' and faculty members' experiences. Iowa Lakes has two Veteran Centers on the main campuses, a peer and staff mentorship program, and multiple Military and American Legion scholarship opportunities.