News Center newsletter

Harold Frank Vorwald, 83, of Monona died peacefully with his family by his side Monday, December 18, 2017 at Northgate Care Center, Waukon. Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, December 23 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Monona with Rev. Nils de Jesus Hernandez as the celebrant. Burial followed in St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery, Monona.

Harold was born June 18, 1934 on his family farm outside of Clayton. His parents were Erwin (Jack) and Agnes (Burr) Vorwald. He attended Country School Rural Clayton through the third grade, then attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School through the tenth grade. Harold graduated from Garnavillo High School in the Class of 1952.

Harold was married June 14, 1956 to his loving wife, Joanne Jarms, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Garnavillo. Harold also received baptism, first communion and confirmation at St Joseph’s.

By Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• December 25: Office closed for Christmas
• January 1: Office closed for News Years Day

USDA Farm Service Agency Offers Text Alerts to Allamakee County Producers
Producers in Iowa can now receive notifications from their county office through text messages on their cell phone. Whether producers are in the field, on a tractor or even on horseback, this service enables FSA customers and stakeholders to receive notifications while on the go. Producers will receive text messages regarding important program deadlines, reporting requirements, outreach events and updates.

Boots in the Barn to start in January

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer a new program for female beef and dairy producers held in northeast Iowa starting in January. Boots in the Barn is a three-part series for women involved in cattle production. Three workshops will be offered January 4, 11, and 18. Dairy topics will be discussed from 1-3 p.m. and beef topics from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

“We’ve had great success with programs designed specifically for women,” said Denise Schwab, beef specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Women often prefer to learn in small groups and with hands-on opportunities. They like to ask lots of questions of presenters without feeling intimidated, so programs designed specifically for women are very effective.”

Attention agriculture friends in NE Iowa! Do you respect our farmers? Do you love agriculture? Do you enjoy being with kids? Do you have some free time to work with children in the classroom? Then this event is perfect for you! Join us for an Ag in The Classroom volunteer free workshop January 19 at the NICC Calmar Dairy Center.

Howard County Farm Bureau and Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation have partnered with NICC Calmar Dairy to host an Agriculture in the Classroom County Contacts Workshop Friday, January 19, 2018. There will be a 9 a.m. optional tour of the NICC Robotic Dairy Operation and the new Beef Learning Facilities. The workshop will begin at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Northeast Iowa Community College Dairy Center 1527 Iowa 150, Calmar, IA 52132.

By Sara Berges, Allamakee SWCD

Many of you have heard that you can receive a $5 per acre discount on your crop insurance premium for cover crops. There is a lot of confusion about how to apply for it and who is in charge of the program. The program is offered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture (IDALS) for acres of cover crops that were planted in 2017 without state or federal program incentives (WQI, state cost share, EQIP, CSP, etc.). The sign-up is available online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/covercropdemo. There is no paper form available at the Allamakee SWCD/NRCS office. The sign-up deadline is January 15, 2018.

By Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that there is an old saying, repeated in the words of a song, to the effect that “some days are diamonds, some days are coal.” In addition to the relative value and attractiveness of the two things, I think the message also conveys that both are created in part by pressure.

I could not help but think about how that phrase might apply to Senator Al Franken, the Minnesota Democrat who says he will resign after many of his fellow party office holders put pressure on him to do so following charges of sexual misconduct.

For several weeks prior to those charges, he had a hagiography on the national best selling books list. I did not plan to buy it, so am a bit vague on the title, but it was something like “Giant (maybe lion?) of the Senate.”

And soon, he will be out of the senate.

Maybe.

The Greatest Gift

As Christmas time is here once again, many of us think of gifts. Many of us put much thought into what we’re going to give that special someone; we try to think of a gift that would bless or benefit them. The tradition of gift giving at Christmas, the celebration of the God of heaven taking on human flesh, is a small token of what God, our heavenly Father, has given to us. In a single gift, God gave everything He had so that we would have everything we need! This is the greatest message of hope there is, and it never changes. The Christmas message is a message of hope!

Jesus is God’s greatest gift. And how we love to reflect about how that gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes. It’s a story that never grows old. God sent His Son, not to give us religion, but to restore our relationship back to Himself. The receiving of God’s gift, His Son, fulfills our greatest need and longing.

To the Editor:

Democracy becomes imperiled when politicians lie in order to gain support from citizens who expect their leaders to honestly explain and justify their policies. Sadly, the President and Republicans have shamefully distorted the facts in their attempts to win support for their tax proposals that will benefit corporations and the wealthy at the expense of ordinary working Americans.

To the Editor:

The teaching of the churches is that Yahshua, or Jesus, was born December 25. This is a teaching started by the Catholic church hundreds of years ago. That and many other Catholic traditions are glibly being followed by the Protestant churches, apparently not checking out what they started from.

Such is the teaching of the present day of His birth. This celebration of His birth is not found anywhere in the Bible, and there is no record of Him ever celebrating His birthday because celebrating birthdays was of the Pagan Heathen nations. It is sun worship and was and is hated by our God, Yahweh.

Veterans Memorial Hospital recently received a very generous donation of children’s books from Maxwell Moore, son of Andy and Emily Moore of Waukon. For his birthday, in lieu of presents for himself, he requested that his friends bring a book to be donated to the hospital for children of any age to enjoy. Maxwell is pictured here with many of the books his friends so generously gave him in honor of his seventh birthday. These books have been scattered around into every department of the hospital, including the Monona Clinic, by the Housekeeping staff to ensure each waiting room has a few new books for the young patients to enjoy while visiting the hospital. Submitted photo.