01/23/25: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

NWI fishing report

Many larger lakes have areas of open water or areas that have iced over very recently. Be cautious of seams that have popped up on many lakes. Most area lakes have 12 or more inches of ice. The extended forecast calls for continued below freezing temperatures. Check ice thickness often when going out

East Okoboji Lake: Ice thickness is around 11 inches in most areas. A handful of areas have just frozen over recently, mainly on the northern most basin.

Black crappie, good. Bluegill, good. Largemouth bass, fair. Yellow perch, good. Many perch seen; sorting most likely needed.

Ingham Lake: There is a large open hole just north of the island. Ice thickness is around 11.5 inches.

Walleye, fair. Morning and afternoon bite is best.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): The lake aerator is in operation. Ice thickness is around 12.5 inches. Walleye, good. Bite hit-or-miss, but very good when bite is on.

Spirit Lake: The lake has suitable ice for fishing, but also has a large open water section off Big Stoney Point. Ice thickness is up to 12 inches in some locations; there are thinner areas on the main basin that froze more recently. There is no access on the south end due to a large heave.

Black crappie, good. Anglers are finding quality-size crappie up to 14-inches. Bluegill, good. Walleye, good. Yellow perch, good. Sorting is needed; anglers are finding many of acceptable size.

West Okoboji Lake: Most areas are now fishable; there are still many unsafe areas or areas of open water on the main lake.

Black crappie, fair. Bluegill, good.

South Dakota State announces fall 2024 dean’s list

More than 3,900 students were recognized for their outstanding academic performance over the fall 2024 semester at South Dakota State University in Brookings by being named to the dean’s list.

To earn dean’s list distinctions in SDSU’s colleges, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credits and must have earned at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. More than 1,600 students received a 4.0 GPA, and those are indicated with an asterisk.

Everly: Haley Berends, Shelby Davis, James Rickerl and *Emily Sindt, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Hartley: Aiden Nitzel, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Sanborn: *Tamson Budden, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; and Adelle Wolfswinkel, College of Nursing.

NCC celebrates top national, state rankings for 2025

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon has received prestigious national and state accolades for its exceptional academic programs, online offerings, and overall excellence in community college education.

Among the numerous honors, NCC was named No. 1 Best Associate College in Iowa and No. 1 Best Online Community College in Iowa. These rankings were awarded by University Headquarters (HQ), a leading independent educational organization known for its unbiased college rankings. Using a proprietary formula, University HQ highlights top programs and provides trustworthy data to help students and families make informed decisions about higher education.

NCC also earned national recognition in several other categories, including No. 11 Online Associate in Business Management and Best Online Community Colleges, No. 13 Online Associate in Accounting and No. 20 Online Associate in Information Technology (national rankings); as well as No. 19 Best Accounting Programs in Iowa (state ranking).

ILRW receives federal aid

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) this week announced over $2.3 million in federal funding to support Iowa’s rural communities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will administer the funding through its Rural Development grant program.

Among the recipients was Iowa Lakes Regional Water in Clay County with $24,000 to repair flood damage to northwest Iowa’s water distribution system. Once completed, the project will benefit 100 households in rural Clay County.