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The Area Christian Women’s Club will meet at 12 Noon Tuesday, April 5 at the Grace Fellowship Hall located at Hwy. 9 and Montgomery Street in Decorah. The meeting program will focus on how to live healthy and happily ever after.

“How to Live Healthy Ever After”: Jennifer Mikkelson, of Decorah is a wife and mother, and a certified personal trainer and coordinator for Team Rehab. She teaches aerobics, senior classes, and therapy that can be done at home.

Saturday, March 12, students from the Waukon - Little Switzerland FFA chapter participated in leadership events at the Northeast District Convention. The members qualified for this event by placing first or second at the sub-district contests held in February. The Conduct of Meetings team of Bailey Schlitter, Alyssa Cooper, Hannah Gesing, Britney Heim, Shayla Troendle, Allison Eickelberg, and Caitlin Mellick received a silver rating for their efforts. Kate Kious participated in the Job Interview event and also received a silver rating.

Families in the agriculture business understand how children are often involved in the day-to-day operations of the farm. Whether they're old enough to participate in the work or just eager observers, it's important to safeguard children's health and well-being when they're surrounded by the daily rigors of farm life.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) is offering free Iowa Farm*A*Syst environmental assessments to the first 50 Iowa Farm Bureau members who sign up for the program.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has set May 13 of this year as the deadline for submitting applications for the agency's Farm Labor Housing program which provides special loans and grants to help finance housing for farm workers.

"We can help eligible farmers or organizations with financing options for a wide range of farm labor housing needs including building, buying or even repairing current housing," said Larry Youngblut, Multiple-Family Housing Specialist for the Waverly Rural Development office.

Sign-up is underway for USDA's 2003-2004 Crop Disaster Program (CDP), according to Derryl McLaren, State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Iowa. The program authorizes crop loss assistance for producers who suffered 2003 or 2004 crop year losses stemming from damaging weather.

"Unpredictable weather events, such as drought, floods, and hurricanes, put producers at financial risk and threaten to interrupt the production of a dependable and affordable national food supply," said McLaren.

Given the controversial nature of commodity and livestock checkoff programs, the checkoff-driven pork campaign to boost sales could be described as "edgy." Whatever it is, it ain't "blah." In fact, the addendum to the time-tested industry motto reads: "Pork. The Other White Meat - Don't be Blah."

Since the late 1970s, children have lost 12 hours per week in free time, including a 25% drop in playing and a 50% drop in unstructured outdoor activities, according to a study by the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center. During the same period, children's time in structured sports has doubled, and their passive, spectator leisure has increased from 30 minutes per week to over three hours.

Melissa Ehrhardt, daughter of Mark and Sandra Ehrhardt, was crowned 2005 Allamakee County Dairy Princess at the annual Allamakee County Dairy Banquet held this past Saturday, March 19 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Ehrhardt will assume her reign beginning in June of this year, replacing 2004 Princess Elizabeth Wonderlich (left). Ashley Johnson (right), daughter of Rich and Jackie Johnson, was chosen as this year’s Alternate Dairy Princess. More dairy banquet photos and awards are highlighted on Pages 10 and 11 inside this week’s Standard.

The Waukon Senior High School vocal trio of (left to right) seniors Rachael Hagen and Erin Torkelson, and junior Alison Blake prepare to lead the crowd at Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines in the National Anthem prior to the Thursday evening, March 17 Class 3A semi-final match-up between Crestwood of Cresco (players standing in background) and Ballard-Huxley at the Iowa High School Boys State Basketball Tournament. The trio was selected from a group of nominated performers.