Vet tech students receive pins

Students enrolled in Northeast Community College’s veterinary technology program received their white lab coats and pins during a special ceremony held recently in Norfolk, Neb.

Members of the class of 2021 received their veterinary technician pins and members of the Class of 2022 were awarded a monogrammed white coat to mark their formal acceptance into the program. The ceremony was held in the College’s Lifelong Learning Center with only the students in attendance due to COVID-19 social distancing protocols.

Out-of-state students receiving white coats included Katie Vander Stoep, of Hartley.

Stay safe on the ice

The Iowa Department of Natural Resource is reminding everyone to beware of ice conditions and check ice thickness often as temperatures continue to warm.

Ice conditions change constantly and its thickness can vary across the lake. Rocks, trees, docks or other things that poke through the ice will conduct heat and make the ice around it less stable. Trust your instincts – if the ice does not look right, don’t go out.

A blanket of snow on top of an ice-covered lake insulates the ice, slowing its growth and hiding potential hazards or weak spots. River ice is 15 percent weaker than lake ice. Ice with a bluish color is safer than clear ice. Avoid slushy or honeycombed surfaces and stay away from dark spots on the ice. Don’t walk into areas where the snow cover looks discolored.

The DNR recommends a minimum of four inches of quality ice for fishing and at least five inches for snowmobiles and ATVs.

Donors help save over 100 local lives

LifeServe Blood Center registered 35 donors during the drive that was held in Hartley on Feb. 24. Five were first-time donors. The 37 blood products that were collected will help save a total of 111 local lives.

Please consider becoming a donor at the next blood drive which is scheduled for Wednesday, April 21, from 12:30-5:30 p.m. at the Hartley Community Center.

O’Brien, Clay counties adopt livestock master matrix

Once again, 89 of Iowa’s 99 counties notified the DNR in January that they plan to evaluate construction permit applications and proposed animal confinement locations by using the master matrix.

With few exceptions, most counties will use the matrix during the next 12 months. The following counties will not use the matrix in 2021: Davis, Des Moines, Keokuk, Lee, Mahaska, Osceola, Plymouth, Wapello, Warren and Washington.

Additional requirements are required for animal confinement producers who need a construction permit before they can build in counties that use the matrix. Producers qualify by choosing a site and using practices that reduce impacts on air, water and the community.

Counties that adopt the master matrix can provide more input to producers on site selection, and proposed structures and facility management. Participating counties score each master matrix submitted in their county and can recommend that DNR approve or deny the construction permit. They can also join in DNR visits to a proposed confinement site.

While all counties may submit comments to DNR during the permitting process, counties that adopt the master matrix can also appeal a preliminary permit to the state Environmental Protection Commission.

The master matrix applies to producers who must get a construction permit to build, expand or modify a totally roofed facility. Generally, these are confinement feeding operations with at least 2,500 finishing hogs, 1,000 beef cattle or 715 mature dairy cows.

NWI fishing report

The walleye season is closed on Spirit, East Okoboji and West Okoboji lakes. The Iowa Great Lakes were fully iced up last Thursday with thickness ranging from 18-22 inches. Warm weather has left the snow on top of the ice very sloppy in some areas. Ice conditions still allow for some full-sized vehicles to be driven out on the ice; use caution and check conditions before driving out.

Center Lake: Caution – Winter aeration system is currently in use. Ice thickness was around 16.5 inches last Thursday.

East Okoboji Lake: Ice conditions varied across the lake last Thursday with averages around 18 inches or more. Bluegill, good. Easily catch lots of bluegill; a lot of sorting may be needed with many 7.5- to 9-inch fish. Yellow perch, fair. Black crappie, fair.

Ingham Lake: Caution – winter aeration system is currently in use. Ice thickness was around 16 inches or more last week with a major open hole from the lake aeration unit. Yellow perch – fair. Anglers are catching larger yellow perch, but with low frequency. Some good-sized perch have been seen recently.

Lake Pahoja: Bluegill, fair. Use small jigs tipped with waxworms. Black crappie, fair. Try small jigs tipped with waxworms.

Minnewashta Lake: Ice thickness varied around 19 inches last week. Bluegill, good. Lots of 4- to 6-inch fish are being caught. Black crappie, good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Caution – winter aeration system is currently in use. Ice conditions were around 18-22 inches last Thursday, but can be variable. Use caution; a side-by-side went through the ice the last week of December. Walleye, fair.

Spirit Lake: Ice thickness across the lake was around 19 inches or more last Thursday. Caution – there are holes that are open or recently iced over. Yellow perch, fair. Perch fishing has been tough, but once you find them, many quality 9- to 10.5-inchers have been caught. Walleye, fair. Walleye bite has been tough.

Trumbull Lake: Ice thickness was around 11 inches last Thursday with an open hole on the north end caused by geese.

West Okoboji Lake: Ice thickness varied last Thursday, starting around 19 inches. Caution – there are many seams across the lake. Panfishing has been spotty in many of the bays where many anglers have been able to sight fish in around 10 feet of water along weed lines. Many fish are headed to the basins with the latest cold front. Yellow perch, fair. Bluegill, good.