01/26/23: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

UI announces fall dean's list honorees

More than 7,500 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the dean's list for the 2022 fall semester.

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn graduates included on the list are Bennett Haack, of Sanborn, Interdepartmental Studies; and Samuel Heyn, of Sanborn, Journalism and Mass Communication. Both are second-year students.

Degree-seeking undergraduate students who achieve a grade-point average of 3.50 or higher on 12 semester hours or more of graded coursework during a given semester or summer session are recognized by inclusion on the dean's list.

Several local students on ISU fall Dean's List

More than 10,200 Iowa State University students were recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the fall semester 2022 Dean's List. Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Local students are listed below.

Everly: Aliah Faith Habben, 2, Kinesiology and Health; Morgan Jean Jensen, 4, Architecture-Professional Degree; Emily Marie Joenks, 4, Agricultural and Life Sciences Education; and Joseph Alan Langner, 4, Horticulture.

Hartley: Bryce Randall Batien, 4, Animal Ecology; Seth David Morphew, 4, History; and Marty Deve Schmidt, 4, Human Development and Family Studies.

Royal: Kally Fahnlander, 3, Graphic Design; and Nicole Lynn Fahnlander, 2, Marketing.

H-M-S alumni graduate from NCC

Fifty-six students graduated from Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon at the end of the fall 2022 semester.

Area graduates include Jagger G. Anliker, of Primghar; and Nathan K. Serr, of Sanborn. Both received Associate of Arts degrees and are members of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Class of 2021.

Included on dean's list at BVU

More than 500 students at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake were named to the fall 2022 dean's list. The dean's list recognizes full-time students achieving a 3.5 grade point average or higher for the semester.

Students from this area who were recognized are Brea Bendlin, of Royal; Olivia Grooters, of Sanborn; and Christian Voss, of Everly.

Lyrical Iowa 2023 Poetry Competition

Iowans are invited to submit poetry to the annual Lyrical Iowa Poetry Competition.

There is no entry fee, and no membership or book purchase required. The contest is open to all residents of Iowa from kindergartners to centenarians (students may be Iowa residents or attend a school in Iowa).

Participants may submit up to a total of five poems in any of seven categories for adults; students submit up to five in their division (grades K-4; 5-8; 9-12, college). Only one poem per person may be published. Selections are made anonymously by expert out-of-state judges.

Adult contests include: the Lucille Morgan Wilson Poetry Award for general (any subject/form); Traditional Forms: ghazal, pantoum, sonnet, and villanelle; Haiku; National/world Events; Humorous Verse; and Poetry for Children (any subject/form suitable for children). New this year is the Grant Wood Country Poetry Award, any form, inspired by any artwork by Grant Wood.

Student divisions are open to any subject and form. Line limits are specified in all categories/divisions.

The contest is open now through Feb. 28. Rules are available online at http://www.iowapoetry.com/rules2023.htm. Before entering, be sure to read some of 2022's winning poems at http://www.iowapoetry.com/lyricaliowa.htm. Notifications are sent early summer to winners and those whose poem is selected for publication; Pushcart Prize nominees (iowapoetry.com/pushcart.htm) will be announced in early fall. Email submissions are preferred for adult and college divisions; all K-12 must mail in submissions by USPS to appropriate school editors.

If you cannot access the internet, send a SASE (self-addressed, stamped, envelope) for contest rules to Iowa Poetry Association c/o Marilyn Baszczynski, Editor, 16096 320th Way, Earlham, IA 50072.

The Iowa Poetry Association, founded in 1945, is a non-profit organization whose sole objective is to promote interest in and appreciation of poetry among Iowans through educational opportunities, poetry writing and slam contests and the publication of an annual anthology of Iowa poetry. Besides sponsoring annual writing contests and a series of slam competitions, IPA offers two hybrid workshops each year held in Des Moines and a program of monthly virtual mini-workshops and readings. Membership is open to any individual or group with an Iowa address.

Results of testing conducted at City of Everly

T.P. Anderson & Co., P.C. has released a report on certain testing conducted at the City of Everly.

The firm reported that certain tests were performed on the city's financial information for the year ended June 30, 2022. An audit was not performed, but testing covered areas such as bank reconciliations, debt compliance, disbursement and receipt testing, among other things.

Specific tests performed and the findings related to those tests are on file with the City of Everly, the Auditor of State's office and on the website at https://auditor.iowa.gov/audit-reports.

Audit report released for City of Hartley

T.P. Anderson & Co., P.C. has released an audit report for the City of Hartley.

The firm reported that the city's receipts totaled $8,204,603 for the year ended June 30, 2022. They included $383,719 in property tax, $4,017,385 in charges for service, $549,303 in intergovernmental receipts and $249,523 in local option sales tax.

Disbursements for the year totaled $7,651,772. They included $441,746 in public safety, $194,898 for culture and recreation, $219,105 for public works and $4,040,156 for business-type activities.

A copy of the audit report is available for review in the City Clerk's office, in the office of the Auditor of State and on the website at https://auditor.iowa.gov/audit-reports.