04/27/23: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Movie night at First Reformed Church in Melvin

The next movie night at the First Reformed Church in Melvin will be Sunday evening, April 30 at 7 p.m. At that time the movie "Lifemark" will be shown.

The movie is based on a true story of an 18-year-old boy named David whose comfortable world is turned upside down when his birthmother unexpectedly reaches out to him, longing to meet the son she's only held once. With the encouragement of his adoptive parents, David sets out on a journey of discovery that leads to a staggering truth from his past. "Lifemark" is an incredible story that celebrates the gift of life.

Refreshments will be served during a brief intermission.

Grand opening of NCC Health Science Building

The celebration of the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the newly-remodeled and expanded Health Science Building, Building H, at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon will be held Thursday April 27, at 9:30 a.m.

The Health Science Building was designed as a modern healthcare facility. The labs interconnect like those in a functioning hospital since interdisciplinary training is an essential component in the curricula. EMTs, CNAs, nurses, radiologic technologists, medical coders and other professionals all learn their own disciplines, but they are also learning alongside their future peers. By interacting with each other, just like in a real hospital setting, they are better prepared to excel as future health care professionals.

The labs feature state-of-the-art equipment such as high-fidelity manikins, which simulate realistic scenarios so students can practice their skills, implement clinical decision making and evidence critical thinking in a safe and controlled environment, without risking harm to an actual patient.

The celebration will include a coffee along with remarks from representatives of NCC and the Sheldon Chamber of Commerce at 9:45 a.m. Tours of the new facility that feature NCC students providing live high-fidelity manikin simulation demonstrations will take place from 10 a.m.-noon. Refreshments will be served.

The open house is open to the public and community members are encouraged to attend.

NCC named finalist for Aspen Prize

The Aspen Institute has announced the winners and finalists of the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's premier award for two-year colleges. Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon was recognized as a finalist.

The Aspen Prize jury was impressed by NCC's remarkably high completion rate; 74 percent of its students finish in three years. The college achieves this through strong structured and cohort-based programs, as well as thoughtful, effective systems that ensure faculty and staff respond quickly whenever students struggle in their coursework.

"The results are not just strong graduation rates but exceptional success rates after graduating," said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program in a news release. "Completers earn about 30 percent more than other new hires in the area, and 62 percent of transfer students go on to earn bachelor's degrees. That's more than 15 points above the national average."

Since its creation in 2010, the Aspen Prize has been the nation's signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high, improving and equitable outcomes for students both while in college and after graduating. The 2023 winners were selected by an independent nine-member Prize Jury of leaders in politics, journalism and education.

Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges that show outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor's attainment, workforce success, equitable access and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

The selection process for this year's prize began in October 2021, when an expert data panel guided the Aspen Institute in crafting a formula to assess student outcomes at nearly 1,000 community colleges in key areas such as retention, completion and equity. Based on that formula, 150 top community colleges were invited to apply. A selection committee of 16 higher education experts reviewed 109 submitted applications and chose 10 finalists in May 2022, following the announcement of 25 semifinalists in April 2022.

Two of the finalists, Amarillo College, Texas, and Imperial Valley College, California, were awarded a $1 million prize.

New open class event at O'Brien County Fair

The 2023 O'Brien County Fair will feature a "favorite bar" recipe in the open class exhibit building. Plates of bars may be entered for judging on Saturday, July 22, from 7:30-10 a.m.

You may enter any of three classes: brownie, fruit bar or any other. The recipe should accompany your entry. Get into the fun and consider entering a bar that is your family's favorite.

If you want to review other open class craft classes, refer to the O'Brien County Fair book available on line at obriencountyfairiowa.com.

The O'Brien County Fair begins on Saturday, July 22 and concludes on Thursday, July 27 with the livestock sale.

Barn quilt display at O'Brien County Fair

If you have ever driven by a farmstead with a beautiful barn quilt hanging on a barn or outbuilding that catches your eye, the O'Brien County Fair is offering an opportunity to paint a barn quilt yourself.

The fair board will provide a 2' x 2' board that can be obtained at Neal Chase Lumbar Store in Primghar. You may then enter your barn quilt for judging on Saturday, July 22, from 7:30-10 a.m. The barn quilts will be on display in the open crafts building during the fair, July 24-26, and then kept there permanently.

You may also enter a barn quilt in the open class and then take it home; however, you will have to purchase the board yourself. If you have any questions, please call Jan Gaudian at (712) 757-2345.

If you want to review other open class craft classes, refer to the O'Brien County Fair book available on line at obriencountyfairiowa.com.

Beware of burning: Rules on disposing of solid waste

As the weather gradually warms up and spring cleaning begins, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is reminding residents of the open burning regulations.

Today's waste materials are filled with potentially toxic chemicals that are released to the atmosphere when burned, many of which weren't around 50 or 60 years ago. Once pollutants are in the air, human health can be negatively impacted and pollutants could affect crops and water sources.

To minimize potential health and environmental dangers from pollutants released into the air, the best course of action is to follow DNR regulations and county and city ordinances before burning. Residents should also take note of any burn bans in place. Residents can contact their local DNR field office with any additional questions.

Items that should never be burned include: Rubber tires, household garbage/recyclables, materials that could contain asbestos, asphalt shingles, railroad tires, treated wood, dead animals, construction/demolition debris, petroleum products, plastic, metals, carpet and furniture.

There are a few exemptions to open burning rules, including landscape waste that came from the owner's property, recreational fires, training fires, burning disaster rubbish and residential waste.

Landscape waste and trees/tree trimmings originating on the property can be burned but cannot be transported to another property to burn. In certain cases, burning cannot occur within one-quarter mile of an inhabitable structure.

NWI fishing report

All lakes are ice-free. Most courtesy docks are not yet in place. The walleye season on the Iowa Great Lakes is closed until May 6.

East Okoboji Lake: The lake is open; no courtesy docks are in place. The water temperature is in the mid-40s.

Black crappie, fair. Bluegill, fair. Yellow perch, fair. Sorting may be needed.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: The lake is ice-free. The water temperature is in the mid-40s.

Black crappie, good. Yellow perch, fair. Use small jigs tipped with a minnow. Sorting may be needed.

West Okoboji Lake: The lake is ice-free. The water temperature is in the low 40s.

Black crappie, fair. Try small jigs tipped with a minnow. Bluegill, fair. Yellow perch, fair.