04/14/22: 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.

Adopt-A-Pot returns in Hartley

Nineteen pots are available for "adoption" this summer in Hartley. See the ad on Page 5 for more details.

Hartley library closed for flooring installation

The Hartley Public Library will be closed from Saturday, April 16 through Saturday, April 30, for installation of new flooring.

No meeting space will be available. No overdue fines will be charged during this time. Patrons should hold their books and materials rather than returning them, as the drop box will also be closed. WiFi and Bridges online resources will be available as usual.

Contact the library with any questions at (712) 928-2080.

Info sought on HHS grads

The All-School Reunion Committee is seeking information on the whereabouts of the following Hartley High School graduates. If you know their location or if they're deceased, please contact Steve Lux or Clayton Pyle, or send an email to [email protected].

The committee is searching for everyone to invite them to the reunion in August. Any information is appreciated to keep records up to date.

Some names have been added and some removed from the list that was published in last week's newspaper.

1938: Donald Wiese.

1940: James Smith.

1945: Miriam Pruitt.

1950: Gloria Muhs, Marlene Iblings and Marchi Lingert.

1951: Cass Curtis.

1952: Marcia Peters and Judy Maloney.

1953: Maxine Brammer.

1954 Shirley Gibbs.

1955: Edward Kramme, Dick Dirksen, Vivian VanderAarde and Joan Boetel.

1957: Norman Kroese.

1963: Glenna McGee, Lois Pidima and Teena Gilbert.

1964: Kenny Hewitt.

1965: Carla Putnam, Robert Schmidt, Sandy Hoffman, Tom Erichsen, Thietje Hunt and Charlie Arthur.

1966: Patsy Dilaura and Dick McBride.

1967: Merlene Mulder, Carol Mathews, Jerry Goetsch, Ronda Parish and Janice Person.

1968: Douglas Luinstra.

1969: Linda Thorp and Pamela Stange.

1970: Debra Perry, Kim Boyer, Mary and Mark Linder.

1971: Dale Barker and Pam Pierce.

1972: Rachel Bos and Shelly Meir.

1973: Gary Ruby.

1974: Paula Magnussen and Dean Cook.

1975: Adriana Gonzalez and Phyllis Ronnefeldt.

1976: Wilman Feeley, Russell Ruby and Mark Muhs.

1977: Jean Carney, Duane Rohde and Roger Prins.

1978: John Lyman.

1979: Mark Jager.

1981: Jeff Klatt.

Hartley native retiring from ISCPA

Iowa Society of CPAs (ISCPA) recently announced that CEO Cindy Adams will retire in October. A search committee comprised of current and past executive committee board members has been selected to identify potential candidates and name her successor.

Adams, a Certified Public Accountant, has served as CEO since 2012 and has been a member of ISCPA for 40 years, including serving as board president and as a committee volunteer. While CEO of ISCPA, Adams also served as a member of the AICPA Task Force on the Future of Learning, National Accreditation Commissioner, member of the Drake University School of Accounting Advisory Board, past president of CPA Society Executives Association (CPA/SEA) and is currently serving on the NASBA State Societies Relations Committee.

"It has been my honor and privilege to lead this organization and work with and for so many outstanding, intelligent and passionate Iowa CPAs," Adams said in news release. "It has genuinely been a highlight of my long career in this profession. I am proud of the continued evolution of the Society during my tenure, striving to meet member needs and solve problems. We have accomplished many awesome things together, and I will remain forever thankful for the friendships and connections I have made while serving as CEO."

Adams is a native of Hartley. She graduated from Drake University and earned her CPA certificate in 1981. After starting her career in public accounting, she spent more than 25 years in the industry segment of the profession with Holmes Murphy in West Des Moines where she was vice president of information technology. She took the reigns at ISCPA in February 2012.

"Cindy is a phenomenal leader," said Emily Heeren, finance manager with Corteva Agriscience and ISCPA chair. "Her vision has led the society through many changes. Her passion for the profession is visible in all that she does, and I can't thank Cindy enough for her leadership over the last 10 years. She has strengthened the Society and set it up for future success."

Revolving loan fund aids in Nelson Locker purchase

O'Brien County Economic Development Corporation (OCEDC) recently aided Josh Paskert's purchase of Nelson Locker in Hartley through an O'Brien County Revolving Fund Loan.

OCEDC, in conjunction with the O'Brien County Revolving Loan Fund Committee, approved financing for the business acquisition. The Revolving Loan Fund is used to attract, retain or expand business or industry. Revolving loan funds may be used for the following: Land purchases, building purchases, building construction, machinery purchases, equipment purchases and any other uses deemed appropriate by the RLF Committee.

"OCEDC and the Revolving Loan Fund Committee are pleased to assist with this business acquisition," said OCEDC Director Kiana Johnson in a news release. "O'Brien County is proud to foster an entrepreneur friendly environment. We value our O'Brien County businesses, such as Nelson Locker, and appreciate the contributions they make to our local economy and workforce."

Another NCC program among best in nation

BestAccreditedColleges.org has named the Automotive & Light Duty Diesel program at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon No. 4 in the nation on their list of Best Associate Degrees in Automotive Technology.

According to BestAccreditedColleges.org, "We create our guides and school rankings with student education in mind. This list will help our readers and potential students learn about Northwest Iowa Community College's excellent offerings. We considered hundreds of institutions across the country and ranked Northwest Iowa Community College using data around financial aid awards, the quality of education, faculty, campus resources and more."

The rankings by BestAccreditedColleges.org only include accredited, non-profit public and private schools. Their objective approach to judging schools uses a proprietary ranking system which combines current data points from the U.S. Department of Education with school-specific details.

Data points include: Cost of attendance – tuition cost, financial aid, availability of alternative tuition and loan default rates; Accessibility - admittance rates, education support and resources, non-traditional credit programs, dual, AP and transfer credit programs; and quality and value – retention rates, graduation rates and student-faculty ratio.

"Station Eleven" is next book club pick

Between the Covers Book Club will be discussing "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel on Tuesday, April 26, at 5 p.m. in the front room of the Hartley Public Library. If a location change is needed due to ongoing renovations at the library, it will be announced on the library's Facebook page and a note will be put on the front door.

In this award-winning book, Canadian author Emily St. John Mandel introduces readers to Kirsten Raymonde who will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of "King Lear." That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.

Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony and have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band's existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

Regular hours at Royal library

Hours at the Royal Public Library are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 3-5 p.m .; and Tuesday and Saturday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

RSVP celebrates National Volunteer Month

April is National Volunteer Month. As RSVP "Celebrates Service," the organization shines a light on the people who find their purpose in volunteerism. RSVP honors the volunteers, all 55+, who bring their lifetime of experience and wisdom to address local needs and create stronger communities and schools in northwest Iowa.

RSVP is one of three national AmeriCorps Seniors programs managed and grant funded by AmeriCorps. Northwest Iowa RSVP has been active for 45 years in Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth and Palo Alto counties. Iowa Lakes Community College has served as the program's only local sponsor since 1977.

RSVP matches volunteers' skills, experience, and interests with placement in volunteer opportunities in area elementary schools, food banks, charity-based thrift stores, blood drives, and community-based activities and events.

Volunteers lift the spirits of their communities with their service! Nationally, over 200,000 RSVP volunteers are actively involved in their communities. In 2021, 344 Northwest Iowa RSVP volunteers served 24,384 hours in their communities. As management of the pandemic evolved, people returned to their community missions, and the Northwest Iowa RSVP team added 109 new volunteers.

Clay County: Forty-one RSVP volunteers dedicated 3,256 hours as Pen Pals with local students; sorted, organized, and delivered free Literacy Partners books to 1,218 PK-elementary students; provided home-delivered meals; prepared and served meals for area residents; assisted the Mobile Food Pantry; managed donations at Many Hands Market; and completed many sewing and knitting projects for residents.

Dickinson County: One hundred-seven RSVP volunteers dedicated 7,501 hours as Pen Pals and Reading Buddies; organized and delivered free Literacy Partners books to area students; assisted with the Dickinson County Nature Center; served American Red Cross blood drives; were Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors and schedulers; supported food security efforts with Meals on Wheels/Volunteer Action Center, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. (UDMO), and Lake Park Food Pantry; advocated for children in the court system; groomed and patrolled walking and biking trails; managed donations and distributions for Cherished Again and were involved in many community activities and events.

In addition to helping others, RSVP volunteers also help themselves by living active, healthy lives through volunteering. A growing body of research points to mental and physical health benefits associated with volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, decreased rates of depression, and fewer physical limitations.

Call 811 or contact Iowa One Call before digging

April brings warmer temperatures and outdoor projects that often involve digging. The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) reminds Iowans to always schedule a utility location request through Iowa One Call or by calling 811 prior to beginning any digging work. Calling 811 is free and it's the law.

Whether you are a resident, contractor or professional excavator, a call to 811 or submitting information online to IowaOneCall.com notifies operators with underground utility facilities of your intent to dig. Iowa law requires that any resident or professional excavator contact 811 or Iowa One Call a minimum of two business days before digging to prevent serious injuries, utility service disruptions and possible costly repairs that could occur when buried gas, electric, communications, water or sewer lines are damaged.

Once a locate request is submitted, utility companies visit the site, typically within two business days, to mark the underground utilities with color-coded flags and paint that indicate where utility lines are buried. The Attorney General's office enforces the One Call law and the IUB assists the AG by investigating One Call complaints. The IUB recommends following these steps before starting any digging project:

• Plan ahead and always call 811 at least 48 hours before digging anywhere.

• Consider relocating any digging project that is near utility line markings.

• Confirm that any contractor you have hired has called 811. Don't allow digging if utility lines aren't marked.

Iowa's 811 call center is available to receive locate requests and assist with damage prevention needs. Learn more by visiting the Iowa One Call or Call 811 websites. Safe digging information is also available on the IUB website.

Iowa boat registrations expire April 30

Iowans will be registering more than 231,000 boats before April 30, when current boat registrations expire. Boat registrations are good for three years and registration fees go to support water trails, navigation enforcement, aquatic invasive species, and boater education and safety.

Boat registrations are handled by Iowa's county recorders and boat owners may bring their current registration to any recorder's office when they renew. Nonresidents who register their boat in Iowa will go to the county where the boat is primarily used.

Owners who purchased a boat from a private seller and are registering it in their name should bring the signed registration and to make sure the title is signed over to them, if applicable.

Only boats displaying a current registration are allowed to operate on Iowa waters.

NWI fishing report

The walleye season for the Iowa Great Lake chain is closed. The season opens back up May 7. Most area lakes are ice free allowing for open water fishing; courtesy docks are not in place yet.

East Okoboji Lake: The lake is ice free. Water temperature is in the mid-30s.

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

Lost Island Lake: Yellow perch, fair. Lots of sorting may be needed.

Minnewashta Lake: The lake is ice free. Black crappie, fair. A nice crappie bite can be found with a little bit of movement around the lake. Bluegill, fair. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait. Pumpkinseed, fair.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): The lake is ice free. Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: The lake is ice free. Launching boats is difficult with low water levels. The only courtesy dock in place is at Templar ramp; conditions are very shallow.

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

West Okoboji Lake: The lake is ice free. The only courtesy dock in place is at Triboji ramp. Water temperature is in the mid-30s.

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.

Drought conditions improve with March rainfall

Precipitation for March averaged 2.67 inches, almost a half inch above normal. This above-normal rainfall helped to improve drought conditions across many areas of the state, especially in the southern and eastern parts of Iowa, according to the latest Iowa DNR Water Summary Update.

However, at the start of April, about 60 percent of Iowa remains in some form of dryness or drought. Concern continues for water resources in parts of northwest Iowa.

"Precipitation totals in March were above normal, which is just what was needed across the state," said Tim Hall, DNR's coordinator of hydrology resources, in a news release. "We are now into what is normally the wettest three month period in the state, and if we continue to get above normal rainfall through June we should see a reduction in drought conditions moving into the growing season."

Streamflow levels are normal across much of the state, with lower flows in northern and western Iowa.

Prairie Lakes AEA included in $1M grant

Iowa's nine Area Education Agencies have received computer science grant funding from the Iowa Department of Education that will provide close to $1 million in computer science professional development and impact nearly 850 educators this summer. The grant will be used to pay for the professional learning opportunity, and it also provides a stipend for teachers who participate in that professional development.

Last year, Iowa's AEAs were awarded almost $500,000 that supported 6-12 Computer Science professional development for teachers. That equates to roughly $1.5 million dollars in grants the past two years dedicated to expanding computer science instruction in K-12 schools across Iowa.

"This year, we added some 'next level' opportunities for those districts who were ready to move beyond the beginner level of implementation," said Julie Graber, computer science contact for Prairie Lakes AEA, in a news release. "While the AEAs receive the grant funding, it's truly the educators and schools who benefit. By working collaboratively as Iowa's AEAs, we can offer all Iowa students and teachers access to the same, high-quality resources and learning."

For Prairie Lakes AEA, this will directly benefit 21 schools who indicated interest and signed up to participate in opportunities outlined in the grant. Locally, Clay Central/Everly, Okoboji, Spencer, Sioux Central and Harris-Lake Park are members of Prairie Lakes AEA.

ILCC honored for commitment to STEM

Iowa Lakes Community College was presented with a flag at a recent Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council meeting to recognize its ongoing commitment to driving STEM education and awareness in Iowa.

To help expand STEM into communities throughout the state, the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council divided the state into six regions. Each region is appointed an institution of higher education to serve as a hub for the STEM Network and help expand STEM programs. Iowa Lakes has served as a regional hub for the Northwest region since July 2012.

The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council recognized seven hub institutions for building local partnerships and collaborating with schools and businesses to deliver STEM opportunities to students.

DNR monitoring for avian influenza in wild birds

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and its federal partners are working together to monitor for the presence of avian influenza in Iowa's wild birds.

Avian influenza is a highly transmissible, naturally occurring disease often found in certain waterfowl and shorebirds. There are various strains of the disease ranging from strains causing no harm to domestic poultry to strains that are lethal.

"Bird loss in the wild is a natural occurrence, so seeing one dead bird shouldn't be cause for alarm, but if someone is finding a number of dead birds, especially ducks, geese or raptors, we want to know about it," said Dr. Rachel Ruden, state wildlife veterinarian with the Iowa DNR, in a news release.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an online database tracking avian influenza positive wild birds by state.

Ruden said those who find five or more dead wild birds within a week should report their findings to their local wildlife biologist or state conservation officer. Contact information is available online at http://www.iowadnr.gov under the About DNR tab on the homepage.

Avian influenza can exist in a deceased bird for several weeks, depending upon environmental conditions.

"We are encouraging the public not to handle sick or dead birds or to take sick birds to a wildlife rehabilitator to avoid unintentionally spreading avian influenza in the event that the bird is positive," said Dr. Ruden.

At this point, she said, backyard birdfeeders are not of concern, unless mallards are actively using the feeder. Avian influenza's impact on upland birds, like wild turkeys, is much less, because of the behaviors and preferred habitats make them less likely to encounter the disease in the wild.

Fish hatcheries busy netting walleye

The late night, annual walleye collection has begun at Clear Lake, Rathbun Reservoir, Storm Lake and the Iowa Great Lakes. Crews with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Bureau will set gillnets at night looking for walleyes that are ready to spawn.

This time of year, hatcheries operate around the clock as local staff bring in the nightly haul well past midnight. As fish "ripen," the eggs are removed from the walleyes and the fish are returned to the lake where they were caught to make room for the next night's catch.

The goal is to collect enough fish to hatch 140.9 million walleye fry that will supply Iowa lakes and fish hatcheries.

After being closed for the past two spawning seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clear Lake, Rathbun, Spirit Lake, and Storm Lake fish hatcheries are open and ready for visitors. Contact the hatchery you plan to visit for visitor hours.

• Spirit Lake Hatchery filling with northern pike

Crews with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources placed fyke nets in the outlets of the sloughs that flow into Big Spirit Lake on April 3 to start collecting northern pike. The fish spawn in sloughs and shallow vegetated areas around the Iowa Great Lakes prior to ice leaving the lakes.

A total of 195 adult northern pike were collected in three days. The fish were transported to the Spirit Lake Hatchery. The broodstock produced over 1.7 million eggs, which are currently being incubated in special jars that allow fresh water to flow over the eggs, supplying oxygen.

In less than two weeks, the fry will hatch and be stocked into Iowa's shallow lakes.

The Spirit Lake Hatchery is open to the public. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week until May 6.