09/08/22: Area Happenings & Accomplishments
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Iowans can request absentee ballots
Iowans can now request absentee ballots for the November general election.
State law allows Iowans to request absentee ballots beginning 70 days before an election. County auditors will begin mailing absentee ballots to those that requested them starting Oct. 19. That is also the first day Iowans can vote in-person for the Nov. 8 election.
Absentee ballot request forms are available on the secretary of state’s website. Voters need to download the form and mail it to their county auditor. Providing a phone number or email address on the form is encouraged, but not required.
Military members stationed outside the U.S. and overseas citizens can also begin requesting absentee ballots for the November general election. For more information to help prepare for the general election, Iowans are encouraged to visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.
Everly farm sweeps Babydoll Sheep Show
Schoelermans Babydoll House, of Everly, took top honors in the Babydoll Sheep Show judged at the 2022 Iowa State Fair. The farm was awarded the Champion Ram and Ewe banners and first place in the Premier Exhibitor contest.
The following are the awards for Schoelermans Babydoll House:
Champion Ram; Champion Ewe and Premier Exhibitor.
February Ram Lamb, Pair of Ram Lambs, Pair of Yearling Yews, January Ewe Lamb, March & After Ewe Lamb, Pair of Ewe Lambs, Pair of Lambs, Young Flock and Flock, first place.
Color Ram Lamb-All Ages, first and third place; Yearling Ewe and Color Yearling Ewe, first and fourth place; February Ewe Lamb, second and fifth place; and Color Ewe Lamb-All Ages, first and fourth place.
Suffolk breeders compete for state fair honors
KC Suffolks, of Parkersburg, exhibited the Grand Champion Ram in the Suffolk Sheep show judged at the 2022 Iowa State Fair. KC Suffolks also took home the first place Premier Exhibitor title.
Schoelerman Suffolks, of Everly, received the following awards: Yearling Ewe, fifth place; Yearling Ewe, sixth place; Pair of Yearling Ewes, third place; Shorn Ewe Lamb-All Ages, first and third place; Pair of Ewe Lambs, eighth place.
Iowa’s FAFSA completion rate stabilizes
Nearly half of Iowa high school seniors in the Class of 2022 applied for college financial aid via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, halting a four-year trend of declining FAFSA completion rates in the state.
However, despite the FAFSA completion rate stabilizing, it has not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and significant equity gaps remain between gender, race and income levels. The findings are detailed in Iowa College Aid’s “FAFSA Filing in Iowa: 2022” report.
During the 2022-23 cycle, 49 percent of Iowa high school seniors completed the FAFSA, equaling last year’s percentage, which was the first FAFSA cycle to occur entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the percentage of Iowa high school seniors completing the FAFSA remained the same, it is a four percentage point decline from the 53 percent completion rate achieved in the 2018-19 cycle.
When separated by race and ethnicity, Asian, Hispanic and Black students all experienced modest increases in FAFSA completion rates during the most recent cycle. However, Hispanic and Black students still have the lowest completion rates of any race/ethnicity, lagging the completion rate of White students by approximately 20 percentage points.
Significant gaps in completion rates also remain between female and male public high school seniors, as male students complete the FAFSA at a rate that trails their female counterparts by 15 percentage points. This rate remains consistent with results from the previous four cycles.
According to Iowa College Aid, these numbers underscore the importance of efforts to increase Iowa’s rates for filing the FAFSA, which is required for all federal and state financial aid and most forms of aid from colleges and universities. This summer, in partnership with the Iowa College Access Network, Iowa College Aid hired 11 FAFSA associates to help students file their applications and follow through on plans to seek postsecondary education.
Iowa College Aid is also hosting a FAFSA Learning Day on Oct. 11 as part of FAFSA Awareness Week, Oct. 10-14. The week is a statewide initiative to educate and inform Iowans with step-by-step strategies and information on completing the FAFSA and securing aid to finance postsecondary education.
Fair announces safety and security changes
Keeping their safety and security in mind, fairgoers can expect several changes at the 2022 Clay County Fair powered by SMU, Sept. 10-18.
“For more than 100 years, the fair has been a safe and welcoming environment for all of our guests,” said Fair Manager Jeremy Parsons in a news release. “While that continues to be our top priority, we must also make changes to maintain that environment in a world that is changing outside of our gates.”
To better secure the fairgrounds, public access to the fair will be available during the following times at the following gates:
• Gate A – 7 a.m.-11 p.m. (4th Avenue West Historic White Tower Gate)
• Gate C – 7 a.m.-11p.m. (4th Avenue West)
• Gate D – 7 a.m.-11 p.m. (Sacred Heart Church)
• Gate E – Open 24 hours (11th Avenue West)
• Gate G – 7 a.m.-11 p.m. (West 18th Street)
“I think everyone would agree that limiting overnight access to one gate is a definite improvement in security,” said Parsons. “At the same time, we will be flexible. If a Grandstand show runs late or the carnival remains open later, we will not limit access to those gates until all of the fairgoers are off of the fairgrounds.”
The fair is also working to eliminate pedestrian and vehicle traffic entering the fair at the same locations. To minimize pedestrian and vehicle crossover traffic, Gate C will be a vehicle entrance only. Pedestrians wishing to walk into the fair will be asked to use Gate A.
“By making this change, the fair can safely get pedestrians across the intersection of Gate C and up to Gate A on a sidewalk rather than the pedestrians walking up the same driveway being used by vehicles,” he said. “We’ve had numerous near-accidents over the years.”
Parsons also reminded fairgoers of other safety and security policies that are in place each year:
• No person other than authorized law enforcement personnel are allowed to bring a firearm or deadly weapon onto the Clay County Fairgrounds. Firearms are prohibited with or without a valid Iowa permit to carry.
• No pets are allowed with the exception of fair entries (livestock shows) or service dogs.
• The following items are prohibited from being carried into the fair: remote devices, drones, bikes, segways, skateboards, roller blades, hover boards, laser pointers, fireworks and illegal substances.
• The fair reserves the right to search all bags, backpacks, coolers, purses, containers etc. upon entry to the Clay County Fairgrounds and upon request while on the Clay County Fairgrounds.
• The fair will conduct bag checks and security screenings at selected Grandstand events during the fair. Please allow additional time for those bag checks and screenings.
For more information the Fair’s safety and security procedures, please visit https://claycountyfair.com/visit-the-fair/guest-services/.
NWI fishing report
Most area lake temperatures are in the mid to low 70s. This week’s forecast calls for continued temperatures in the 70s-80s. Bass and panfishing have been a bit slower on most lakes. Try fishing along weed lines in 15-plus feet of water. Most fish have been caught out in deeper water as temperatures have increased.
East Okoboji Lake: Lake temperature was in the mid-70s last Thursday. The water level is at crest. Fish are out deeper during warm water temperatures. Trolling has been working very well. Find crappie and yellow bass in 12-17 feet of water. Try fishing weed lines where there is new vegetation growth.
Black crappie, good. Best bite is in 10-15 feet of water along weed lines. Bluegill, good. Walleye, fair. Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps in the main basins. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow bass, good.
Lost Island Lake: Fishing/trolling is getting more difficult as aquatic vegetation reaches the surface in many places. There has been a decent-sized algae bloom lately. Black crappie, fair. Walleye, slow. Try trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs off weed lines. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow perch, fair.
Minnewashta Lake: Bluegill and crappie fishing has been good; some sorting may be needed. Black crappie, good. Bluegill, good.
Silver Lake (Dickinson): The late afternoon bite has been fair. Many anglers are targeting fish schools during the day. Vegetation growth and a large algae bloom are making fishing more difficult in many areas. Many large schools of young of the year bullhead are swimming around the lake.
Walleye, fair. Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps.
Spirit Lake: Water temperature was in the low 70s last Thursday. The lake level is 2 inches below crest. The walleye season is open. Most species are out deeper in 17-plus feet of water.
Black bullhead, fair. Try fishing the northern grade of Spirit Lake. Black crappie, fair. Use a tube jig and bobber. Bluegill, fair. Walleye, fair. Use spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps; try to find weed lines. Yellow perch good. Many perch can be caught, you may need to sort for size.
West Okoboji Lake: Water temperature was in the lower 70s last Thursday. The water level is at crest. Most fish are out deeper in 15-plus feet of water. Rocky points and areas with new vegetation growth have seen the most success.
Black crappie, good. Use crankbaits or shad raps. Bluegill, good. Try small shad raps. Largemouth bass, fair. Smallmouth bass, fair. Try fishing off points with surface baits or jerk baits. Walleye, fair. Try fishing off points by trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Some fish have been caught while trolling for crappie.
