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The 2018 Waukon boys track team will benefit from the experience of nine varsity letterwinners returning from last season, with nearly half of those returning with the ultimate experience every high school track and field athlete would like to have from qualifying for the State Meet. Those nine veterans include seven seniors, one junior and one sophomore who will all be looked to for leadership of this season’s squad made up of 56 total members.

A large returning class of 18 varsity veterans will help lead the way for the 2018 Waukon girls track season now getting underway. That returning list of experience for this season’s track Tribe will feature just three seniors and near equal totals of eight juniors and seven sophomores to headline an overall crew of 37 track and field athletes.

Those varsity veterans include just a pair of competitors with the ultimate experience of State Meet qualification, as senior Lauren Elliott and sophomore Alyssa Nesseim return from their first-time competitions at the season grand finale as members of the Indians’ distance medley relay crew that qualified to compete among the Class 2A elite last spring. Seniors Alexz Grampovnik and Laurel Keenan join Elliott as the senior trio leading that returning veteran crew, with this season’s only other senior competitor being foreign exchange student Lia Maffini.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that those who write about old age as the Golden Years either have been very lucky health-wise or have not reached old age.

As if I needed one, I encountered another health problem in which age and life style might be involved.

After a fruitless three day effort to secure medical help from my customary source, I was forced to look elsewhere, and a new physician prescribed a med that took care of the problem in a day!

The problem was serious because it denied this right-handed person the use of his right hand! I could not even open a pill bottle or lift a coffee cup without pain, and trying to shave with the left hand resulted in several scrapes that bled. There were a couple other more embarrassing chores which were difficult, but I shan’t go into those!

But even with that new health problem solved, the instructions about how to deal with it raised more questions. About diet.

Why Good Friday and Easter?

Why Good Friday and Easter? It all goes back to one moment in time, a moment that corrupted the human race. Moses tells us about that moment in the Book of Genesis: “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Genesis 3:6).

The Fall into sin is not only the reason for Christianity but also all other religions.

All religions hearken back to the Fall and propose a remedy for it. And it is either God or man that provides the remedy.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Submit Loan Requests for Financing Early
The Farm Loan team in Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties are already working on operating loans for spring 2018 so it is important that potential borrowers submit their requests early so they can be timely processed. The farm loan team can help determine which loan programs are best for applicants. 

FSA offers a wide range of low-interest loans that can meet the financial needs of any farm operation for just about any purpose.  The traditional farm operating and farm ownership loans can help large and small farm operations take advantage of early purchasing discounts for spring inputs as well expenses throughout the year. 

The Iowa Pork Industry Center with Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) and Iowa State University (ISUEO) Extension and Outreach are offering ventilation workshops designed to help teach producers about the proper use of swine building ventilation equipment to improve pig well-being and minimize operating costs.

The workshop will be held March 20 at the Postville Veterinary Clinic, 110 Hyman Dr., Postville and offered March 21 at the Featherlite Center, 220 7th Street West, Cresco.

Jay Harmon, Iowa State University agricultural and biosystems engineering professor, said The workshop ‘Managing Your Unseen Employee: The Ventilation System’ provides a two-pronged approach to understanding issues and consequences of decisions by combining classroom instruction with hands-on trials and application of knowledge gained in a real-world setting”.

For the second year, Practical Farmers of Iowa has planned a series of spring field days focused on cover crop issues in grazing and row crop systems. Farmers and community members are invited to see cover crops in action on working farms around Iowa, and learn about cover crop basics as well as practices used to maximize the financial return from cover crops.

All field days in the series run from noon to 3 p.m., and are free and open to everyone. Each field day starts with a complimentary lunch. RSVPs are requested for the meal to Debra Boekholder at (515) 232-5661 or debra@practicalfarmers.org.

Many events include stops at multiple farms and locations. Specific details about each field day will be announced closer to the date. Host details and locations – along with a map of events – are also available at practicalfarmers.org. Events in the series include:

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD
Veterans Memorial Hospital

You may have heard about Green Smoothies, but have you ever tasted one? If not, you may want to reconsider.  Here is a short list of why you will gladly add a Green Smoothie to your daily diet. We have provided two recipes for you to try. Feel free to substitute any of your favorite fruits or vegetables.

To Lose Weight: When I work with weight loss patients, one of the easiest ways for them to start losing weight is to add more fruit,  vegetables and water to their daily diets. My most successful weight loss clients are now eating a total of 8-10 servings of fruit or vegetables daily. To easily reach this goal; eat more vegetable-based soups, make omelets loaded with vegetables and drink green smoothies often.

“Welcome to Medicare” is a free, two-hour seminar offered by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors. This program will be held Thursday, March 29 from 5-7 p.m. in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

“We’re excited to offer this free seminar to the community,” says Russ Hagen, SHIIP volunteer. “Medicare is such an important program and understanding what it offers helps assure that anyone eligible gets the health benefits they deserve.”

“Welcome to Medicare” will cover Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, the prescription drug benefit (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance.

A new, local Caregiver Support Group will begin meeting monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital. The meetings will take place the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held Monday, March 19 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

This informal meeting is open to anyone who provides care and support for a family member or friend. Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This new Caregiver Support Group will continue to meet the third Monday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.