03/14/24: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

H-M-S competes at IATC indoor meet

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn track and field athletes competed at the IATC Indoor Championships, which were held at the Lied Recreation Center in Ames on March 7-8.

In the girls’ Class 1A 60-meter dash preliminaries, Pamela Mutombo finished 45th (:09.24), Megan Otto was 49th (:09.44) and Payton Diehm finished 51st (:09.48). H-M-S placed 23rd in the 4x100 meter relay (:58.61).

In the field events, Otto placed 15th in the high jump (4’7”) and Diehm was 31st in the long jump (11’2-1/2”). Alexis Grover finished 28th in the shot put (26’8-3/4”) and Cammy Wilson placed 34th (24’1-1/4”).

Jacob Cates had the best finish for the Hawk boys, placing ninth in the Class 2A shot put (42’4-3/4”).

Competing in the 60-meter dash prelims were Jr Araiza, 40th (:07.80), Caleb Grotluschen, 46th (:07.86) and Ethan Wiersma, 53rd (:08.57). Ryan Grotluschen placed 18th in the 800-meter run (2:13.82) and Wiersma finished 31st in the 60-meter hurdles (:10.78).

H-M-S placed 21st (10:00.17) in the 4x800 meter relay.

All-state girls’ BB teams released

The Iowa Print Sports Writers Association (IPSWA) has announced the 2024 girls’ basketball all-state teams. The teams were selected during an in-person meeting attended by approximately 37 Iowa print sports writers and basketball coaches on March 2.

Callie Levin, of Solon, was selected as Miss Iowa Basketball.

The Miss Basketball honor and the all-state teams are voted on by both sports writers and high school basketball coaches who attended the meeting. Nominations were taken in advance and were also made during the selection meeting. Only one vote was allowed per class from each newspaper or school.

Two players from War Eagle Conference schools were selected to the all-state teams. Whitney Jensen, of Remsen St. Mary’s, was named to the Class 1A first team, and Bailey Boeve, of Hinton, was placed on the Class 2A third team.

ILCC aviation program receives federal grant

Three Iowa community colleges, including Iowa Lakes Community College, will receive a total of more than $1.2 million to expand their aviation training programs. These Aviation Workforce Development grants were made possible thanks to program funding in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, legislation U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) supported.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awards follow:

• $493,657 to Iowa Lakes Community College to boost interest and enrollment in aviation programs, increase the availability of financial assistance and prepare area high school participants for high-demand aviation careers;

• $500,000 to the Iowa Western Community College to advance outreach campaigns, expand program capacity, enhance student support services and upgrade instructional equipment and technology;

• $302,816 to Indian Hills Community College to increase career outreach to Iowa students, upgrade training equipment and provide financial support to students in need.

NWI fishing report

Essentially all lakes are ice-free. Lake temperatures are still low. Most courtesy docks are not in place. The walleye season is closed on the Iowa Great Lakes until May 4.

East Okoboji Lake: Black crappie, fair. Use minnows and plastics. Bluegill, fair. Yellow perch, fair. Sorting will most likely be needed.

Ingham Lake: Walleye, fair. Anglers have been successful morning and evening.

Scharnberg Pond: Trout were stocked this winter. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: Black crappie, good. Minnows and plastics work well. Many nice-sized fish have been seen lately. Bluegill, fair. Yellow perch, good. Find good numbers; may need to sort for size.

Shoreline stabilization project underway at Silver Lake in Dickinson County

Work is underway to stabilize the shoreline on the northwest section of Silver Lake in Dickinson County.

The contractor will close segments of the Trappers Bay State Park roadway as work progresses. Road closures and signage will be adjusted to allow as much public access as possible. Access must be restricted when trees are being removed to ensure the safety of park users. The public is advised to not drive or walk past the road closure signs.

Silver Lake’s water quality has declined in recent years, in part from an estimated 1,600 pounds of phosphorus that enters the lake each year from shoreline erosion.

“Stabilizing large sections of shoreline that is actively eroding is an important part of the overall restoration strategy for Silver Lake,” said Chris La Rue, wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR, in a news release.

About 4,000 feet of Silver Lake’s shoreline was stabilized in 2022. This phase of the project will stabilize 3,500 feet of deteriorated shoreline and remove less desirable underbrush, like honeysuckle, Chinese elm and autumn olive, that do little to prevent erosion. Stable, quality trees, like bur oaks, will remain where possible. The area will be reseeded with native grasses and flowers and covered with a natural erosion netting until the vegetation is established. Riprap will be used to protect against wave-action erosion at the water level.

Protecting the shoreline is an important part of the overall plan to improve the health and water quality of the 1,032-acre natural lake. This plan, developed over the last few years, was largely driven by the community and other partners.

“A lot of credit goes to the Silver Lake Protective Association and the City of Lake Park for their efforts to partner with the Iowa Lake Restoration Program and local funding sources like the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission,” said Mike Hawkins, fisheries biologist with Iowa DNR. “This project is only the first in a series of improvements for the lake and its watershed.”

This project will be constructed in two stages. The current stage of removing trees and brush will be completed in March. There will then be a short delay before work begins to repair and armor the shoreline. If the weather cooperates, work on the second phase of the shoreline project is expected to be completed this fall.

Lakeshore owners with erosion concerns on their own property are encouraged to contact the DNR to request a site visit and receive technical advice about protecting their shoreline.

Program ranks in Top 4

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon is a Top 4 finalist in the Tomorrow’s Tech 2023 School of the Year Contest. With the honor, NCC’s Automotive & Light Duty Diesel Program stands out as one of the elite in the nation.

As a token of recognition for its outstanding performance, NCC will be awarded a $500 gift card from WIX Filters. Additionally, the program will be featured on Tomorrow’s Tech’s website and in their newsletter, highlighting the quality education and training NCC provides to its students.

Chuck Ball, an Automotive Instructor at NCC, expressed gratitude for the recognition.

“Being among the Top 4 is a significant achievement for us. It reflects our continuous effort to adapt and excel in automotive education. We are excited for the recognition and the opportunity to utilize the WIX gift card to further enhance our program,” Ball said.

Other members of the NCC Automotive & Light Duty Diesel Team are Mark Steinle, Instructor; James Gaard, Instructor; and Karri Spanjer, Parts/Service Store Associate.

Graduates from Morningside

Fifty-two Morningside University students graduated with bachelor’s degrees and 53 students earned graduate degrees in December 2023.

Locally, Charity Muller, of Hartley, earned her BS in Elementary Education-Teacher Cert.

H-M-S students learn about beef cows

In February, second and fourth grade students across the region learned about beef cows during visits from Siouxland Agriculture in the Classroom.

Students learned how leather shoes, marshmallows, tennis rackets and other items we may use daily are byproducts made from a cow.

Second graders got to dress up a classmate as a beef cow with all the essential body parts a cow needs such as a tail to swat flies, hooves to help them walk around, and udders to produce milk for baby calves. Fourth graders had the opportunity to feel what the four compartments of the ruminant stomach are like and learn about the history of beef cows being raised across the whole United States and all 99 Iowa counties.

Siouxland Agriculture in the Classroom is a non-profit organization, funded by donations from local supporters, with a goal of teaching the area students where their food comes from and basic agriculture process. The organization teaches 4,500 students each month in second and fourth grade with 200 classrooms in 57 schools. It covers Sioux, Plymouth, Woodbury, Monona, Ida, Cherokee, and O’Brien counties.

Locally, H-M-S Elementary students in second and fourth grades regularly receive visits from the group, as do classrooms at Sanborn Christian, Sheldon Christian, Sheldon East Elementary and South O’Brien Elementary.

Submit apps for Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Awards

The annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations for their generous volunteer efforts, is now accepting nominations through April 30 at 10 p.m. Categories for the awards include: Individual, group and length of service.

Since 1982, the Governor’s Volunteer Awards have recognized thousands of volunteers for their efforts to make their communities and the state better through projects in arts and culture, education, mentoring and STEM, to name a few.

Nominations are accepted online from: City, county, state and federal governments, community colleges, private colleges, universities, Iowa MENTOR certified programs, K-12 schools (public and parochial), national service programs operating in Iowa (AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors), nonprofit and charitable organizations, and non-state government organizations.

To learn more, visit https://volunteer.iowa.gov/about/recognition-programs/governors-volunteer-awards.