News Center newsletter

To the Editor:

I encourage all our neighbors in northeast Iowa to support the Solar Energy Tax Credit bill currently going through the Iowa Legislature (HF 221).

After years of researching renewable energy and trying small projects on our farm and in our home, we decided to grow our effort to “farm” the sun by adding a solar energy project. The Solar Energy Tax Credit at the time made the price tag look a little more manageable.

This tax credit, however, needs to be expanded now so farmers and others will be encouraged to add solar without having to be on a years-long waiting list to get the credit. The current law was tied to an expiring federal credit and the amount allocated for each year did not meet the demand. HF 221 fixes these issues.

This guy, Jim Rossi of Lansing, is one of few remaining U.S. Army Veterans from World War II, and he helped a lot of people. He was just 18 when is Army Tank Battalion came upon a horrific place called Buchenwald. It was created in 1937 near Weimar, Germany and many of its first internees were Communists. Yes, Jim remembers the place.

He’s going on 95 and is grateful for the health he has. I always remember Jim as my first Scoutmaster. He has a lot of talent in the kitchen. He is a good guy, and you know what, the country needs more like him. Thank you, Jim!

John Dunlevy

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15: August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Crop Certification

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP2) Re-Opening
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, enacted December 2020 requires FSA to make certain payments to producers according to a mandated formula. USDA is now expediting these provisions because there is no discretion involved in interpreting such directives, they are self-enacting.  This includes:

• An increase in CFAP 1 payment rates for cattle. Cattle producers with approved CFAP 1 applications will automatically receive these payments beginning in April. Eligible producers do not need to submit new applications, since payments are based on previously approved CFAP 1 application.  Rates are below.  Please review your payment when received to ensure an accurate calculation.

Drainage water recycling (DWR) is a drainage management system designed to capture water during wet periods so it can be used later when growing crops are thirsty.

Versions of DWR have been around for years, but adoption has remained limited. Now, interest is growing as the practice is recognized for its potential to improve water quality and help farmers reduce risks from weather volatility.

Research underway by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center (INRC) and the Iowa Soybean Association is analyzing drainage water recycling’s costs and benefits, with funding from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the INRC and the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.

Agronomists say risk of cold snap far from over

A warm start to April is giving farmers an opportunity for an early start in the fields. How much to do now depends on where you farm and your level of risk assessment.

According to the April 5 soil temperature map provided by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, nearly all counties in Iowa are at 50 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer – the minimum for planting corn.

However, agronomists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach say it’s still early, both in terms of the optimum planting window and the risk for spring frost.

Historically, the optimum planting window for Iowa corn has been April 11 to May 18, with a shorter window in the northern part of the state compared to the south. And the risk for a heavy frost (temperature below 28 F) remains above the 50th percentile until about mid-April.

April 18-24 is National Laboratory Week. The Veterans Memorial Hospital Lab continues to offer community wellness testing at a low upfront cost. Veterans Memorial Hospital offers this service to help accommodate individuals that may forgo these important tests due to the cost of high health insurance premiums and deductibles. Individuals can select from a menu of wellness tests during select hours. While these tests do not take the place of regular medical care, they are a tool for patients to monitor their own health and wellness.

Anyone can call the Lab to set up an appointment. Appointments are available between the hours of 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday - Friday. A physician’s order is not required for these tests. Results are then mailed to the individual within five business days.

A donation of $10,000 was recently received from Waukon State Bank in support of the current renovations to the Veterans Memorial Hospital clinic building which will open May 3. Pictured, left to right, at the clinic registration desk are Dave Martin, Hospital Maintenance and Project Supervisor; Laura Baxter, RN, Clinic Manager; Gail Prestemon, Nicole Willis, Justin Sweeney, Gina Curtin, Amy McCormick and Dan Denk of Waukon State Bank; Michael Coyle, Hospital CEO; and Kevin Hanson, President of the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation. Those interested in scheduling an appointment with one of the clinic providers for a date in May or beyond are invited to call the new clinic phone number at 563-568-5530. Donations are still being accepted by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation. All gifts to the Foundation are tax deductible. Anyone with any questions about the campaign or Foundation is invited to call the hospital at 563-568-3411. Submitted photo.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will be opening the new Waukon Clinic Monday, May 3. Those wishing to make an appointment are invited to call the new clinic number of 563-568-5530 now to schedule an appointment for May or beyond.

Health insurance plans that are currently contracted with Veterans Memorial Hospital will also be accepted in the clinic. Those who are questioning if their health plan will be accepted should call their insurance company. Medicaid covered patients should contact Medicaid to make Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Clinic their primary care facility.

The hospital’s electronic medical record system will also be integrated into this new clinic with access to electronic records from other medical facilities.

by Tami Gebel, Occupational Therapist

Have you heard someone over the age of 60 years old say.... “In my day, we didn’t have computers to do all of these things for us.”  When they were young, writer’s cramp was a pain in the hand caused by holding a pencil for too long while writing on paper. These days, writer’s cramp is rare because everything is typed, texted, e-mailed or faxed.

Today the pain experienced from technology use is not limited to our hands; we have pains in our eyes, back, neck, wrists, elbows and shoulders. There is even new terminology, such as ‘texting thumb,’ ‘text claw,’ and ‘text neck’ to describe the pains we are experiencing with use of cell phones, computers, tablets, laptops, and even video gaming systems.

Thanks to the efforts of the Christensen family, the Julie Christensen Memorial Blood Drive will be held Wednesday, April 21 at the Waukon Wellness Center from 1-5:30 p.m. in the Senior Center in cooperation with Life Serve Blood Center.

Julie was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia November 27, 2019 and was in the hospital until February 14, 2020. She was then able to come home for a short while before she was admitted back into the hospital March 7, 2020 for more chemo and a stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor in Germany. It was a perfect match. Julie’s stem cells grafted well and she became Leukemia free. During this time, Julie received 45 units of blood and 38 units of platelets.