Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Wins reserve champion title at Iowa State Fair
John Vander Veen, of Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn FFA, won the Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer title during the FFA Breeding Beef Show on Thursday, Aug. 11, at the 2022 Iowa State Fair.
Additionally, Vander Veen earned Champion Foundation Simmental Heifer honors at the show in Des Moines.
4-gal best ball tourney at Meadowbrook
Meadowbrook Ladies held a 4-gal best ball tournament on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Fourteen teams competed in the event.
Flight winners were: First Flight (61) – Amy Essick, Deb Jostand, Sarah Smith and Deb Hinkeldey; Second Flight (69) – Sue Schulz, Betty Harms, Teri Fredericks and Jan Norton; and Third Flight (74) – Kara Heyn, Linda Strubbe, Kelly Woizeschke and Stacey Murphy.
Businesses and individuals donated door prizes.
Graduates from Morningside
One hundred ninety-six undergraduate students and 241 graduate students graduated from Morningside University on Saturday, May 14 at the commencement ceremony held at Elwood Olsen Stadium on Morningside’s campus.
Included in the class was Leticia Del Real, Bachelor of Arts, of Hartley.
Republicans sweep Iowa State Fair Straw Poll
Republican candidates won all six races in Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s State Fair Straw Poll this month.
Conducted on iPads at the secretary of state’s booth inside the Varied Industries Building, the poll gauged fairgoers’ support for candidates in Iowa’s U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor’s races. It was held throughout the state fair Aug. 11-21. More than 2,600 individuals cast votes.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R) was the favorite choice in the U.S. Senate race, garnering 59 percent of the votes cast. Michael Franken (D) picked up 34 percent.
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) won the straw poll in the governor’s race, with 57% of the vote. Her 1,507 votes were the most of any candidate in any race. Deidre DeJear (D) was second with 30 percent and Libertarian Rick Stewart placed third at 9 percent.
Also polled were Iowa’s four U.S. House races. In the First Congressional District, Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) won with 61 percent of the vote compared to Christina Bohannan (D) with 32 percent. In Iowa’s Second Congressional District, Ashley Hinson (R) garnered 60 percent of votes cast. Liz Mathis (D) picked up 32 percent.
In Iowa’s Third Congressional District, Zach Nunn (R) won the Straw Poll with 58 percent of the vote compared to Cindy Axne’s (D) 39 percent share of the vote. In the Fourth Congressional District, Randy Feenstra (R) outdistanced the field with 63 percent, Ryan Melton (D) placed second at 23 percent and Bryan Jack Holder (Liberty Caucus) was third at 10 percent.
The State Fair Straw Poll also included this question: “What is your favorite part of the Iowa State Fair?” Fair Food was the top choice at 35 percent, People Watching placed second at 24 percent and Livestock/Agriculture came in third at 17 percent.
NWI fishing report
Most area lake temperatures are in the mid-70s. Bass and panfishing has been goodon most lakes out along weed lines in 15-plus feet of water. Most fish have been caught out in deeper water as temperatures have increased.
East Okoboji Lake: Lake temperatures were in the mid-70s last Thursday. The water level is at crest. Fish are out deeper during warm water temperatures. Trolling has been working very well. Find crappie and yellow bass in 12-17 feet of water. Try fishing weed lines where there is new vegetation growth.
Black crappie, good. Best bite is in 10-15 feet of water along weed lines. Bluegill, good. Walleye, fair. Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps in the main basins. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow bass, good.
Lost Island Lake: Fishing/trolling is getting more difficult as aquatic vegetation reaches the surface in many places. There has been a decent-sized algae bloom lately. Black crappie, fair. Walleye, slow. Try trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs off weed lines. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow perch, fair.
Minnewashta Lake: Bluegill and crappie fishing has been good; some sorting may be needed. Black crappie, good. Bluegill, good.
Silver Lake (Dickinson): The late afternoon bite has been fair. Many anglers are targeting fish schools during the day. Vegetation growth and a large algae bloom are making fishing more difficult in many areas. Many large schools of young of the year bullhead are swimming around the lake.
Walleye, fair. Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps.
Spirit Lake: Water temperature was in the mid-70s last Thursday. The lake level is 2 inches below crest. Most species are out deeper in 17-plus feet of water.
Black bullhead, fair. Try fishing the northern grade of Spirit Lake. Black crappie, fair. Use a tube jig and bobber. Bluegill, fair. Walleye, fair. Use spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps; try to find weed lines. Yellow perch, good. Many perch can be caught, you may need to sort for size.
West Okoboji Lake: Water temperature was in the lower 70s last Thursday. The water level is at crest. Most fish are out deeper in 15-plus feet of water. Rocky points and areas with new vegetation growth have seen the most success.
Black crappie, good. Use crankbaits or shad raps. Bluegill, good. Try small shad raps. Largemouth bass, fair. Smallmouth bass, fair. Try fishing off points with surface baits or jerk baits. Walleye, fair. Try fishing off points by trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Some fish have been caught while trolling for crappie.
Iowa crop progress and condition report
Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released Monday by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service noted cooler temperatures and much-needed rainfall last week. While showers and thunderstorms brought heavier totals across the drought region, several months of above-average precipitation is still needed to relieve the most intense drought conditions in Iowa.
The rain received last week was welcomed as stressed soybeans continue to set and fill pods. Fieldwork included harvesting corn for silage, cutting hay and applying pesticides.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 18 percent very short, 30 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Thanks to widespread rain during the week, less than half of the topsoil is considered short to very short compared to 53 percent a week ago. Subsoil moisture condition rated 21 percent very short, 33 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Corn silking or beyond was 97 percent with 84 percent of the corn crop in dough stage or beyond, five days behind last year but two days ahead of the five-year average. Thirty percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the dent stage, five days behind last year and one day behind average. Some of the corn crop has started to mature at one percent. Corn condition remained 66 percent good to excellent. Ninety-seven percent of soybeans were blooming with 88 percent of the soybean crop setting pods, eight days behind last year and two days behind the five-year average. Two percent of the soybeans were turning color. Iowa’s soybean condition was 62 percent good-to-excellent. Oats harvested for grain reached 91 percent, eight days behind last year and 10 days behind the average.
Fifty-three percent of the Iowa’s third cutting of alfalfa hay was complete. All hay condition rose slightly to 48 percent good-to-excellent. Pasture condition rated 33 percent good-to-excellent. Grasshoppers are a concern in some areas.
Celebrate and learn Hispanic and Native American cultures at CCF
Hispanic and Native American cultures will be celebrated with their own special festivals in Central Park during the 2022 Clay County Fair powered by SMU.
“One of the goals of the Fair is to recognize and celebrate all of the diverse cultures that can be found in Clay County and northwest Iowa,” said Fair Manager Jeremy Parsons in a news release. “These two events help us to accomplish that goal and provide unique entertainment and educational opportunities.”
A new feature at the 2021 Fair, the Hispanic Festival will return on Sunday, Sept. 11 with two musical artists. Popular local radio host DJ JC will perform at 3 p.m., followed by Rey De Rancho, a local favorite and a popular norteña band based out of Mankato, Minn. They will be performing sets starting at 4:30 p.m.
Brand new at the fair in 2022 is the Native American Festival on Sunday, Sept. 18. Performing at 11 a.m, 1 p.m., and 3 pm, The Many Moccasins Dance Troupe is an international professional Native American dance ensemble. They will expose fairgoers to both traditional and contemporary Native American Dance.
