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Sarah (Wargin) Wilkins celebrated her 106th birthday with family and friends at Thornton Manor in Lansing on Easter Sunday.

Sarah was born March 27, 1899 near Harpers Ferry. Sarah has three living children and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Sarah loves to play Bingo and attends mass regularly. Sarah has resided at Thornton Manor since 1999.

In front of a backdrop of criticism of U.S. farm subsidies by our world trade partners, American producers are worried about what a cut-back in those "entitlements" might mean for their future operations. No one is really sure how our ag sector would fare if the guv'ment rug were literally pulled out from under it.

Monitoring will begin in April to help determine if trees planted around an Iowa poultry production facility can reduce odor and dust. It is hoped that the information learned from this project can be applied to other livestock enterprises.

The monitoring at the Sparboe Farms facility near Eagle Grove is just one part of a multi-faceted research effort to study the use of trees, shrubs and other perennial plants to reduce odors around poultry and egg production facilities.

Brandon James Bublitz, a senior at Waukon Senior High, was chosen by the Allamakee County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners to receive a $500 scholarship. Bublitz will now have his application sent to regional competition with the Conservation Districts of Iowa. Bublitz is the son of Kevin Bublitz of Monona and Jacolyn Bublitz of Waukon. He will graduate in May and is planning on attending Kirkwood Community College - Cedar Rapids, IA to study in the field of Water Treatment.

Learn more about two exciting agriculture producer- and small business-oriented grant programs by attending an Information Session sponsored by USDA Rural Development from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 1. The session will be conducted via the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) and broadcast at 15 locations throughout the state, including at Northeast Iowa Community College's Dairy Education Center located at 1527 Hwy 150 South - Room #114 in Calmar.

Topics include Section 9006 Renewable Energy System and Energy Efficiency Improvement Grants and Value-Added Producer Grants.

At least 40,000 farmers in six Iowa watersheds are among those invited to participate in the first national sign up of the historic new Conservation Security Program (CSP). This includes producers in two Iowa watersheds included in the 2004 CSP pilot program sign-up. The 2005 sign up will be available from March 28 to May 27.

• March 30 - Dairy Breeding & Genetic Selection: Dairy breeding management protocol, genetic selection, timed programs, corss-breeding, and other issues.

• April 6 - Developing a Financial & Operational Management Plan: Covers business arrangement plans & financing options.

• April 13 - Marketing Your Milk: Will detail avenues for attaining higher milk prices and reducing risk through milk marketing tools.

Don't forget to set your clocks AHEAD one hours this weekend!

Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 am on Sunday, Aprul 3...

Progress continues to be made in the development of a trio of community improvements aimed at revitalizing education, community wellness, and growth within Waukon and the surrounding area, and an initial influx of nearly $400,000 in federal government grant funding has given the overall project a considerable boost toward becoming reality.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its annual banquet Saturday, April 9 at the Waukon Reception and Banquet Center. Social hour will begin at 6 p.m., with dinner being served at 7 p.m. and the evening’s program set to begin at 8 p.m. One of the highlights of the evening will be the announcement of Waukon’s “Person of the Year”.