News Center newsletter

Nancy Jane Barry, 72, of Lansing died Sunday, April 11, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Memorial Mass was held Friday, April 16 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Rev. John Moser as the Celebrant. Inurnment followed at Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing.

Nancy Jane was born November 29, 1948 in Grinnell. She was daughter number three of John Leland Barr and Laura Jean (Hammer) Barr. Nancy grew up in rural Grinnell. In 1967 she graduated from Grinnell High School and she continued her education at Morningside College in Sioux City.  Her education at Morningside included a semester at the United Nations in New York City and a semester in France. She received her B.A. degree in 1971.

Friends and family are invited to attend an internment service and Celebration of Life for Connie Snitker May 15, 2021 at 2 p.m. in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing. Guests will be greeted by Connie’s son, Jason Snitker of Ventnor City, NJ; her brother, Wayne Snitker and family of Clarksville, TN; and her sister, Carrie Stilwell (nee Snitker) and family of Naples, FL.

Music will be provided by singer Kevin Johnson. Pastor Laura Gentry will preside over the scripture, blessing and eulogy.

Following the Celebration of Life there will be refreshments offered in downtown Lansing.

Memorials can be sent to:

American Heart Association National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231.

Condolences can be sent to Jason Snitker at 6101 Monmouth Avenue, Apt. 101, Ventnor City, NJ 08406.

Lila Ann Brandos Garcia passed away June 29, 2020 in Dolan Springs, AZ of heart congestion. She still has many relatives in the Brandos, Ralston and Sass families in northeast Iowa.

Lila Ann Brandos was born April 13, 1933 in Cedar Rapids to Lawrence and Florence (Ralston) Brandos, who was an Allamakee County native. Lila had five brothers and three sisters. She is survived by her six children, Linda, Lois, Paulette, Paul, Kathleen and Eric, along with 12 grandchildren.

Anyone wishing to share condolences or family history may call her daughter, Linda Dreier, at 951-277-2355.
 

To the Editor:

Hate is a pretty strong word. It’s been used a lot lately. Maybe we should tone it down a little. I would like to rebut a few items from Mr. Johnson’s letter.

A total of 30,573 false or misleading statements from President Trump during his four-year tenure. Mr. Johnson says, “Who cares?” Wow, we should all care. Truth is the foundation of democracy. We citizens should expect the truth from our country’s highest official. Much of what we are living with now, the fracturing of our society, the anger and mistrust, has been brought on by those lies, spoken or tweeted. Once stated, never corrected and, sadly, believed.

And they continue, the name calling and accusations. Biden is a liberal. Well, look it up. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary says, “one who is open minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional or established forms or ways, an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights.”

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.