05/26/22: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Volunteer umpires needed in Hartley

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

See the ads on Page 3 for more details.

Spring honor list announced at NCC

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon has announced the honor list for the spring semester. Students on the list are full-time and have achieved an average grade point of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

The following area students are included.

Everly: Emily Sindt, Associate of Arts.

Hartley: Cherryenne Hibbing, Associate of Arts; Ethan Spronk, Industrial & Commercial Wiring.

Primghar: Jagger Anliker, Associate of Arts.

Sanborn: Jayden Lyman, Health Information Technology; Nathan Serr, Associate of Arts.

June is Invasive Species Awareness Month

In an effort to increase awareness of invasive species and the impact they have on Iowa's ecosystems and economy, Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa.

Each year, public and private organizations spend millions of dollars in an effort to control invasive plants, insects, diseases and animal species in Iowa's woodlands and urban areas.

Invasive species, such as emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, spongy moth and oriental bittersweet threaten Iowa's ecosystem by competing with and destroying native trees and disrupting the natural complex habitat system.

Iowa woodlands, wildlands and waterways draw hundreds of thousands of tourists and recreational users each year. Raising awareness of invasive species and their impacts is an important step towards behavior change, which can prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species.

Invasive Species Awareness Month provides an opportunity for government agencies, businesses, industries, conservation and recreation groups, and community organizations to join forces, and take action against the introduction and spread of invasive species in Iowa.

Iowa's free fishing weekend is June 3-5

Iowa residents can try fishing without buying a license on June 3, 4 and 5 as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' free fishing weekend. All other regulations remain in place.

Free fishing weekend is a great time to learn how to fish, take your family fishing, or introduce a friend to fishing. Find a list of stocked lakes and ponds that are easily accessible in parks and along trails on the Iowa DNR's interactive Iowa Community Fisheries Atlas at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Fish-Local.

Fun, hands-on fishing events will be offered across Iowa to help families new to fishing get started. Check the general fishing calendar on the DNR website at http://www.iowadnr.gov/fishing for a list of free fishing events.

H-M-S Middle School honor roll

The following Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Middle School students were named to the honor roll for the third trimester.

A Honor Roll

Grade 5: Hunter Ahrenstorff, Jax Butcher.

Grade 6: Keely Ebel, Ellie Pals, Adilynn Postma, Lexi Schmillen, Laura Vargas.

Grade 7: Grant Kunzman, Ava Shriver, Kamrynn Visser, Camryn Wilson.

Grade 8: Natalie Daggett, Payton Diehm, Lindsey Van Es, Lillian Van Loon.

A- Honor Roll

Grade 5: Alayna Benz, Ella Bleeker, Wyatt Brigham, Ryen Conaway, Viviana Delacruz, Aubrey Dodge, Elijah Lee, Alexis Myers, Kaylee Neumann, Jaxsen Rieck, Kate Rodriguez, Kyli Rose, Slayde Sanculi, Kellan Shaughnessy, Aubreyana Stallman, Alex Vogt, Audra Vollink.

Grade 6: Addily Benz, James Carlin, Lily DenBeste, Caden Douma, Kate Gellerman, Brayden Moore, Mallory Pearson, Victor Rodriguez, Hunter Schomaker, McCoy Smith, Carolina Van Beek, Kenadie Van Loon, Mason VerHelst, Jackson Vogt, Olivia Williams, Kaelyn Wingert.

Grade 7: Joe Buhrmann, Emery Cammann, Reese Croatt, Luke Dagel, Kynlee Dolphin, Mason Johnson, Madalynn Lauer, Graham Lux, Eli Mastbergen, Jenna McCallum, Brody Meendering, Mykle Meyers, Braden Niichel, Josiah Nitzel, Tre Rohlfsen, Amelia Tait, Briely Tewes, Alyssa Tifft, JW Van der Merwe.

Grade 8: Ashyia-Cherie Betz Murphy, Joshua Cruz-Salzillo, Clara Funk, Trannetta Hayes, Jordan Lux, David McIlroy, Kaylee Newkirk, Layla Nunez, Moriah Otto, Hadlee Rohlfsen, Abigail Rons, Riley Russell, Isaac Schierholz, Lawton Schiphoff, Grace Shaughnessy, Evelyn Steffen, Hannah Tessum, Owen Tifft, Jozelyn Torres.

B Honor Holl

Grade 5: Reed Baker, Treyton Block, Beau Funk, Kallie Jederberg, Niemi Radtke, Zoila Ramos, Ema Stofferan, Caleb Tripp.

Grade 6: Dallas Greer, Addison Huffman, Santiago Ibarra, Riley Mattingly, Thalia Rodriguez, Kaidence Shaffer, Ava Vogt, Owen Werkmeister.

Grade 7: Nathaniel Ball, John Buhrmann, Jessica Diaz, Taylor Dykstra, Xavier Kleve, Mahkenzie Mattingly, Kathleen McDaniel, Thomas Moore, Brett Mosier-Tatsumi, Bryson Nelson, Noah Niichel, Caroline Ramos, Joannah Romero, Parker Russell, Kinley Sampson, Easton Teal, Riley Wiersma, Kloe Wolthuis.

Grade 8: Carter Dolphin, Madeline Flores, Caleb Grotluschen, Draven Kruse, Jared Leth, Pamela Mutombo, Lily Nellis, Jafet Ortiz, Jackie Ramirez.

Admission details announced for 2022 Clay County Fair

A new promotion providing free admission after 7:30pm each day highlights some admission changes for the 2022 Clay County Fair powered by SMU, Sept. 10-18.

Sponsored by the Spencer Chamber of Commerce, Spencer Chamber Nights will provide free admission for everyone after 7:30 p.m. and replace the previously offered evening discount.

Adult admission, which last increased in 2017, will remain at $10 from 7 a.m.-7:30 p.m. with free admission after 7:30 p.m. Children 12 and under always attend the fair for free. Advance adult gate admission will be $8.

Complete details on how to purchase tickets can be found at http://www.claycountyfair.com.

Besides advance admission, other discount days include the following:

· Veterans Appreciation Day (Monday, Sept. 12) – veterans and active military, free

· Senior Day (Tuesday, Sept. 13) – Age 65 & over, $8

· Kids Day (Friday, Sept. 16) – Kids 18 and under, free

NWI fishing report

Courtesy docks are in place. Area water temperatures have been rising quickly due to very warm weather. Most lakes are in the 60s and at crest or higher levels. Water clarity has been fairly good on most area lakes. Bass and panfish are moving to shallower water from the basins, making shore and dock fishing easier.

East Okoboji Lake: Lake temperature wasin the upper 60s last Thursday. The water level is 3 inches over crest. The walleye season is open. There has been a fairly good crappie bite recently. Anglers using electronics have been fairly successful finding schools of fish. Fish are moving shallower.

Black crappie, good. Bluegill, fair. Yellow bass, fair.

Minnewashta Lake: Bluegill and crappie fishing has been; some sorting may be needed.

Black crappie, good. Bluegill, good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: Water temperature was in the mid-60s last Thursday. The lake is 17 inches below crest, making launching boats more difficult. Courtesy docks are in place. The walleye season is open.

Black crappie, fair: Use a tube jig and bobber. Bluegill, fair. Yellow perch, fair.

West Okoboji Lake: Water temperature was in the lower 60s last Thursday. The water level is 3 inches over crest. The walleye season is open.

Black crappie, fair. Bluegill, fair. Largemouth bass, fair. Smallmouth bass, fair.

Leave firewood at home

Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer, thousands of Iowa will be camping and building campfires. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages campers to buy firewood from where they will burn it instead of bringing it from home.

"Moving unseasoned firewood around the state can threaten the health of our forests by spreading insects like emerald ash borer (EAB) that live in firewood," said Tivon Feeley, DNR Forest Health forester, in a news release

EAB is a small, metallic-green, invasive wood-boring beetle native to east Asia that attacks and kills ash trees. It attacks trees of any size, age, or stage of health.

The spread of EAB into uninfected areas has been primarily through people moving firewood from county to county or state to state. "These pests don't move far on their own, but they can travel hundreds of miles in a single day in contaminated firewood," said Feeley.

Plenty of firewood is available locally near state and county parks. Simply ask a park ranger or campground host for local firewood availability. Make sure to burn all of the firewood at the campsite and not leave it or transport to a new area.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requires all firewood sold or acquired in Iowa to have the county and state of harvest location on the label of packages and the delivery ticket for bulk firewood.

Senior 4-H'ers reflect on years in program

O'Brien County is home to 10 graduating senior 4-H members. As they graduate and enter their post high school endeavors, the seniors took a minute to reflect on a beloved memory or share advice for younger 4-H members as they round out their time in O'Brien County 4-H.

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn graduate Jackson Albert said, "My favorite 4-H activity is showing cattle at the fair."

Another H-M-S graduate, Brenton Thomas, reflected, "My favorite memories from 4-H are the water wars that happen at the end of fair at the wash rack. My advice to younger 4-H members is to try new projects and reach outside of your comfort zone."

It is evident that the memories made, fun had and lessons learned in 4-H will remain with these graduates for years to come.