04/08/21: Area Happenings & Accomplishments
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Adopt a Pot in Hartley this spring
The Adopt a Pot program will once again return this spring in Hartley. Participants can contribute to the beautification effort in a variety of ways, be it through the donation of time, money, both or one.
Fifteen petunia-filled pots will be placed throughout the City With a Heart this spring. If interested, contact Sue Schulz (712) 261-2605 or Dyan Roth (712) 229-2503 by May 1.
Clay County 4-H seeks nominations for Hall of Fame
Clay County 4-H is seeking nominations for the 2021 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame Inductee. The Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame honors 4-H volunteers, supporters and pioneers who have made a significant contribution to the Iowa 4-H Youth Development Program.
Nominees can include individuals who practice community citizenship, exemplary leadership in their profession or community, and character qualities exemplified by evidence of the role of the 4-H program in their life and their continuing commitment to 4-H and youth development. Individuals may also be former 4-H members who have achieved notable accomplishments or successes in their chosen career or life goals and who continue to use those successes to be a mentor or role model.
Nominations must be received by May 3 in the form of a letter to the Clay County Extension Office, 110 West 4th Street, Suite 100, Spencer, or emailed to xclay@iastate.edu. There is no required formal application.
For more information please contact Isabel Dehrkoop or Michele Hogrefe at (712) 262-2264 or via email at dehrkoop@iastate.edu or mhogrefe@iastate.edu.
Always call 811 before digging
The Iowa Utilities Board, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and Common Ground Iowa are reminding Iowans to practice caution with any digging project by requesting a utility location through Iowa One Call or by calling 811 prior to beginning any digging work. Calling 811 is free and it’s the law.
A call to 811 or submitting information online to IowaOneCall.com notifies operators with underground utility facilities of your intent to dig. Iowa law requires that any resident or professional excavator contact 811, or Iowa One Call, a minimum of two business days before digging to prevent serious injuries, service disruptions and costly repairs that could occur when buried gas, electric, communications, water or sewer lines are damaged.
Once a locate request is submitted, utility companies would typically respond within two business days by marking the underground utilities with color-coded flags and paint that indicate where utility lines are buried. The Attorney General’s office enforces the One Call law and the IUB assists by investigating One Call complaints.
The IUB recommends following these steps before starting any digging project: Always call 811 at least 48 hours before digging anywhere; plan ahead and be flexible regarding potential delays due to COVID-19; consider relocating any digging project that is near utility line markings; and confirm that a contractor has called 811. Don’t allow digging if utility lines aren’t marked.
Iowa’s 811 call center is available to receive locate requests and assist with damage prevention needs. Learn more by visiting the Iowa One Call or Call 811 websites.
New law impacts boat operators on federal waterways
A new federal law that went into effect on April 1 requires the operator of a boat with an installed Engine Cut-Off Switch (ECOS) to use the ECOS link while operating on all federally navigable waterways. In Iowa, that means the four flood control reservoirs: Coralville, Rathbun, Red Rock and Saylorville; and the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
The link is usually a coiled bungee cord lanyard clipped onto the operator’s person, personal floatation device or clothing and the other end attached to the cut-off switch, but there are plenty of variations on the market, including electronic wireless devices.
When an operator is wearing a link while underway, the engine will cut-off if the operator is separated from the operating area, an occurrence that can happen if the operator is ejected from the vessel or falls within the vessel. The shutdown of the engine is essential for safety reasons. If the operator is ejected from the vessel, the shutdown may prevent the operator from impacting the vessel’s spinning propeller, and may aid the operator in safely returning to the drifting vessel.
The intent of these new laws is to improve safety for all recreational boaters by reducing the potential for propeller injuries to recreational vessel operators, other users of the nation’s waterways, and marine law enforcement officers responsible for responding to runaway boats. Boats with motors less than 3 horsepower are excluded from the law.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has authority to enforce federal law on the federal reservoirs, the U.S. Coast Guard patrol has the authority to enforce federal law on the border rivers.
Spirit Lake Hatchery filling with northern pike
Crews with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources placed fyke nets in the outlets of the sloughs that flow into Big Spirit Lake on March 23 to start collecting northern pike. The species spawn in sloughs and shallow vegetated areas around the Iowa Great Lakes prior to ice leaving the lakes.
A total of 207 adult northern pike were collected in three days and transported to the Spirit Lake Hatchery. The broodstock produced more than 1.7 million eggs, which are currently being incubated in special jars that allow fresh water to flow over the eggs and supply oxygen.
In less than two weeks, the fry will hatch and be stocked into Iowa’s shallow lakes.
All DNR offices, including fish hatcheries, are closed to the public until further notice due to COVID-19 precautions.
NWI fishing report
The walleye season is closed on Spirit, East Okoboji and West Okoboji lakes. The Iowa Great Lakes are ice-free, but none of the courtesy docks are in place yet.
Grants awarded to expand college, career transition counselors
The Iowa Department of Education and Iowa College Aid last week awarded six $50,000 competitive grants to help establish new college and career transition counselor positions that will focus on preparing more high school students for success in college, postsecondary career training and the workforce.
Des Moines Area Community College, Hawkeye Community College, Iowa Lakes Community College, Iowa Valley Community College District, Kirkwood Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College each won a start-up grant to support new college and career transition counselors who will work in partnership with area school districts and their students and families to support career exploration and transitioning to college and career training. The college and career counselors will work closely with high school juniors and seniors during the school year as well as the summer after high school graduation and their first year of college or career training.
The grants will support 13 new college and career transition counselors who will work with students in 22 school districts across the state, including Okoboji and Spencer.
Supported by the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, commonly referred to as Perkins V, and additional financial support from Iowa College Aid, the three-year grants will help establish college and career transition counselors for academic years 2021-22 through 2023-24. To make these shared positions sustainable, ongoing funding will be provided by the colleges and districts.
