Elected to second term as NACCAS commissioner

During the month of November 2022, 1,400 cosmetology schools and institutions throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam voted to elect commissioners for the National Accrediting Commission for Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS). Becky Brockmann, of Hartley, won the election as Professional Services Commissioner, and on Jan. 1, 2023 her second three-year term began.

This promotion is highly coveted and a huge honor to achieve throughout one's lifetime. Brockmann serves as secretary on the commission's executive board.

The goal of NACCAS is to foster and improve post-secondary education and training. It establishes minimum standards of performance towards ensuring that accredited schools offer successful programs to prepare graduates for licensure, certification and employment.

NACCAS also insists each accredited institution carries out its educational activities in ethical and responsible ways. Brockmann serves on nine committees, including Academic Institutional Changes, Education Quality and Compliance, Distance Education, Appeal Panel, File Review, Standards and Policies, and Constitution and Procedures. She also attends annual update workshops in various state locations.

The national office is based in Washington D.C. and quarterly meetings are held on site.

Commissioner Brockmann will continue to travel throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam to ensure all schools and students receive unsurpassed educational objectives while upholding compliance.

Kirkwood announces Dean's List honors

Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean's List for the fall 2022 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college.

Local students on the list included Kaley Pearson, of Hartley.

Morningside announces fall 2022 Dean's List

Morningside University recently announced that 471 students were named to the Dean's List for the fall semester of the 2022-23 academic year.

The Dean's List recognizes Morningside students who achieve a 3.67-grade point average or better and complete at least 12 credits of coursework with no grade below a "C-." Students that achieved a 4.0-grade point average are denoted with an asterisk (*).

Local students include: Thomas Heetland*, of Hartley; Eli Honken*, of Hartley; and Charity Muller, of Hartley.

ISU honors fall graduates

Nearly 1,800 graduates received degrees from Iowa State University Dec. 16-17 during commencement ceremonies at Hilton Coliseum.

Local graduates included Joseph Langner (Bachelor of Science, Horticulture), of Everly.

NWI fishing report

Most lakes have 12-plus inches of ice. Larger lakes may have areas with thinner ice; use caution when going out, especially if using an ATV or vehicle.

East Okoboji Lake: Ice thickness is around 12-plus inches in most areas.

Black crappie, good. Try small jigs tipped with a minnow or tube jig and bobber. Bluegill, good. Use tube jigs, plastics, or other small jigs. Northern pike, good. Tip-ups are working well. Yellow perch, fair. Minnows work well; some sorting may be needed.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Ice thickness is 12-plus inches. Use caution; the lake aerator is in use. This creates an open hole on the east side of the lake.

Walleye, good. Best bite is at dusk.

Spirit Lake: The lake is entirely iced over with 12-plus inches in most places. The best ice is on the south end and Anglers Bay. The north end and Buffalo run are heaved up making access dangerous. Marble beach access is heaved up at the boat ramp, but a path is clear just north of it.

Walleye, good. Best bite is around dusk. Yellow perch, good. Use small jigs tipped with a minnow. Sorting may be needed.

West Okoboji Lake: Most bays have safe ice for small machines. Ice thickness is about 11.5 inches at Emerson Bay and about 15 inches at Haywards Bay. The bluegill bite in Little Emerson Bay has been very good.

Black crappie, fair. Try small jigs tipped with a minnow. Bluegill, good. Use tube jigs, plastics, or other small jigs. Yellow perch, fair. Try small jigs tipped with a minnow. Sorting may be needed.

Iowa PBS to show 2023 Iowa State Dance Championships

Iowa PBS will present exclusive coverage of the 2023 Iowa State Dance Championships on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. The two-hour coverage will showcase winning routines and interviews with coaches of the teams. The competition will be rebroadcast Sunday, Jan. 29 at 1 p.m.

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Dance Attack performed at the event held in Des Moines Nov. 30 and Dec. 1-2. The team took home awards in the following categories: Class I Lights, second place; Class I Hoopla, Division I; Class II Novelty, Division I; and member Delany Murphy earned a Division II rating in solo Class III.

Approximately 5,000 of Iowa's best young dancers showcased their talents in what is considered to be one of the nation's largest and most prestigious events of its kind. Teams from 255 high schools and 25 colleges competed for state championship top honors.

For more than four decades, the talents of Iowa's young dancers have taken center stage at the event. Teams perform in a variety of categories including pom, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, kick, lyrical, prop, novelty, color guard, co-ed and all-male.

Hosts for this two-hour, fast-paced coverage are ISDTA Executive Director Andrea Dana, ISDTA Board President Stacie Horton and dance championships event announcer Scott Enyart.

DNR Water Summary: 3rd year in a row of drought in Hawkeye State

2022 ended on a good note, with December's precipitation above normal. While the precipitation numbers for November and December were encouraging, the state of Iowa saw its third year in a row of drought conditions.

Wetter fall months have been common over the past few years, but despite recent wet months, precipitation deficits for the year are more than 8 inches. According to the latest water summary by the Iowa DNR, streamflow, soil moisture and shallow groundwater conditions are showing some improvement, but more rainfall is needed.

"We need more moisture throughout the winter and spring months to make a significant impact on drought conditions in Iowa," said Tim Hall, Iowa Department of Natural Resources' coordinator of hydrology resources, in a news release. "January is the driest month of the year, but over the last four days we have received nearly the entire month's worth of moisture, which is encouraging."