Volunteers at the Allamakee County Food Shelf ... Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers prepare for distribution of food at the Allamakee County Food Shelf in Waukon. Pictured, left to right, are Joe Schorr, Ann Roed, Sharon Costello, Jane Kallevang, Marilyn Schorr, John Grampovnik, Linda Groe and Wayne Burk. Submitted photo.
Tax training ... Local volunteers Ron Snitker and Janet Steiner recently joined a group of 17 volunteers preparing to take certification tests for tax preparation. The local volunteers assist in the RSVP tax preparation program. Submitted photo.
Allamakee County volunteers are a busy bunch
Senior Corps Week is being observed May 15-19, with local efforts being celebrated. The Senior Corps program is under the Corporation of National and Community Service with over 245,000 volunteers age 55-plus serving nationwide. Senior Corps programs are federally funded with local match and include Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents and the RSVP Volunteer Program.
Locally, the Northeast Iowa RSVP Program is under the sponsorship of the Decorah Public Library and covers the counties of Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek. Volunteers with the RSVP program are age 55-plus and serve at local non-profit agencies. They can be found everywhere with over 340 volunteers serving at 60 non-profit agencies.
Katelyn Leiran, daughter of Nancy and Steve Leiran of Waterville, has been selected as the 2017 Girls State Citizen by American Legion Auxiliary Unit #722 of Harpers Ferry. She is the granddaughter of the late Willard Leiran and Marlys Leiran of Waterville and of Walter and Francis Gronert of Grimes.
Leiran is currently a junior at Waukon High School. She will attend Girls State 2017 at Drake University in Des Moines June 18-23.
Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was all started by a dream of four women over 70 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process. Girls State is a "learning by doing" program, which takes the girls through the entire political process.
Monday, May 15 the regular Lansing City Council meeting was held. During the discussion many things were talked about, including: hazard mitigation plans, consideration of fixing a rain gutter problem for Our Savior Lutheran Church, discussing owners at 459 Wall Street purchasing chickens, a Parks Board position being available, information about the local swimming pool, and using the swimming pool shower facilities during RAGBRAI®.
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (UMRNWFR) is conducting a Compatibility Determination for the renewal of an existing utility right-of-way for Dairyland Power Cooperative, Q-7 and Q-9 transmission lines from Houston County, MN. Public comment is being sought in regard to impact on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates • July 15: Report All Spring-Seeded Crops • August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up
Sonny Perdue Sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture
Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by fellow Georgian and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a brief ceremony on April 25 at the Supreme Court building.
Perdue grew up on a dairy and diversified row crop farm in Bonaire, Georgia. Being uniquely qualified as a former farmer, agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator and governor of Georgia, he has experienced the agriculture industry from every possible perspective throughout his life.
Cost-share assistance available for cover crops, no till/strip till or nitrification inhibitor
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has announced the 2017 sign-up period is open for statewide cost share funds to help farmers install nutrient reduction practices. This program has been popular with farmers interested in adding additional practices to their operation. Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today reminded eligible farm owners that the deadline to apply for the 2017 Century and Heritage Farm Program is June 1, 2017. The program recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms.
“The application deadline for families with a Century or Heritage Farm is quickly approaching and I hope those with an eligible farm will take the time to apply,” Northey said. “This program is a great way to highlight the deep history and strong heritage of agriculture in our state.”
Farm families with a century or heritage farm must submit an application to the Department no later than June 1, 2017 to qualify for recognition at the Iowa State Fair this year.
It can be difficult for landowners to determine a pasture rental rate and lease terms. The most basic pasture arrangement is a conventional rental agreement which establishes either a price per acre or a monthly rate based on the number of grazing units. It is important to establish which party is responsible for specific input costs such as fertilizer and fence repair and who will determine when the cattle need to be removed based on stubble height. Other considerations include access to water, length of the grazing season, and the soil types. Weed management greatly affects the quality of the pasture as many weed species (such as thistles and multiflora rose) proliferate if not managed and can quickly take over a pasture. More management intensive systems like rotational grazing have greater input costs, but allow the producer to better utilize the pasture acres.
... that the single cell cartoon called “Pluggers” in the daily paper is a favorite of mine because I can relate to the same things the elderly man in the cartoon favors.
Some examples:
There was a list in USA Today of 25 television series shows, asking which viewers wanted to keep on the air. I saw one of them once. Otherwise, none at all.
This clergy column is called “Word for Word” but what if no words come? What if it seems God is silent? Does it mean abandonment?! I don’t believe so – I don’t believe we are ever alone - whether one believes in God or not, God is still with you!
There are numerous references to the fact (in the Hebrew Scriptures AND New Testament) that God does not abandon nor orphan us as His children. As I write this, Mothers’ Day is just days away and Father’s Day is a month away – many of us say we would be ‘lost’ without having had our moms and dads! So thinking about being orphaned/abandoned is perhaps the ‘word’ I should explore with you.
