Iowa State University scientists are leading a new study to mine the intricate content of pigs’ blood cells to improve selection for disease resilience.
“We’re looking for new, more effective ways to measure and predict different traits in pigs, especially disease resilience,” said Christopher Tuggle, professor of animal science and the lead investigator on a new grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
“Many of the traits pork producers want to improve by genetic selection are difficult to measure and predict,” Tuggle said. “Growth rate is easy to measure, and as a result, we’ve made significant improvements in this area. Disease resilience, on the other hand, is much more challenging and an area where we haven’t made enough progress.”
Blood samples are often used as a practical way to search for markers of disease or immunity.
Funding is available to help farmers explore new ways to process, market, and sell their products
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced in recent days that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is again offering Choose Iowa Marketing and Promotion grants for 2023. The program matches up to $25,000 per project to help farmers, businesses, and non-profits increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings. The recent announcement was made during a visit to 2022 Choose Iowa grant awardee Skyview Farms of Nora Springs.
The moderate, left of center party in Congress passed the historic Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and President Biden signed it into law. The Inflation Reduction Act improves the lives of millions of Americans and their families and will hold greedy corporations accountable for price gouging.
One huge benefit in the Inflation Reduction Act is lower prescription drug costs. Medicare is finally allowed to negotiate for lower drug prices. Taxpayers and patients will save over $280 billion over the next 10 years.
Medication costs for seniors is being reduced. The capping of out-of-pocket expenses at $2,000 a year certainly benefits seniors while lifesaving insulin is capped at $35 per month. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, medicines become affordable for millions.
Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism (ACED) has announced Welsh’s Farm & Home in Lansing as the 2022 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award winner. The announcement was made at the ACED Annual Meeting held at Village Creek Bible Camp in rural Lansing Thursday, October 20. ACED Board President Christina Drahos shared the following nomination information with those in attendance:
Mural design for new Waterville home ... The image above is the mural design created by Kee High School sophomore Izzy Hammell for the Wolfpack Theater Company’s new permanent home in the Waterville Community Center, which has been created from the former Waterville School. Hammell’s design will be painted on the wall of the former school’s previous music room the Wolfpack uses for rehearsal and performance space. Submitted photo.
The designer, and the director ... Pictured at right above is Kee High School sophomore Izzy Hammell, who designed the mural that will be painted on the wall of the Wolfpack Theater Company’s new rehearsal and performance space at the Waterville Community Center. Pictured with Hammell, at left, is Wolfpack Theater Company founder and director Adam Hooten, who recognized Hammell’s creativity and tasked Hammell with creating the design for the new Wolfpack space. Submitted photo.
by Julie Berg-Raymond
The Wolfpack Theater Company has been growing in popularity since its recent beginnings in the Waukon area. The youth-focused outlet for creativity has now found a more permanent home for its rehearsal and performance space in the former music room of the former Waterville School - now the Waterville Community Center.
Friday, October 21 at approximately 4:15 p.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff’s 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a motorcycle accident on Great River Road north of its intersection with Wexford Hollow Drive, about six miles north of Harpers Ferry.
According to an initial report from the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, Paul Robert Werner, age 62, of Shakopee, MN was traveling southbound on Great River Road when he failed to negotiate a left curve in the roadway, lost control of the motorcycle he was driving and entered the ditch. Werner was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
Assisting at the scene was the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, Harpers Ferry Fire and Rescue, and Veterans Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service. The accident remains under investigation by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office.
State placewinning singing sisters ... The sister pair of Monica and Laira Davis (left to right) display the certificates they received for being State placewinners in the 2022 VFW Auxiliary Red, White and Blue National Anthem Singing Contest. Monica Davis was named a First-Place State winner and advances on to the National level of competition, and Laira Davis was chosen as a Third-Place winner and is now performing the National Anthem at Kee High School home athletic events. Submitted photo.
Gustave F. Kerndt VFW Auxiliary Post #5981 in Lansing has announced the 2022 Red, White and Blue National Anthem Singing Contest winners at the Department (State) level of competition. A pair of sisters from the Lansing area were named among the best in the state of Iowa taking part in this year’s competition.
Monica Davis, a senior student at Kee High School in Lansing, was named the First-Place winner at the State level in the Grades 9-12 Division and received a certificate and $25 award. Laira Davis, a sixth grade student at Lansing Middle School, was named the Third-Place winner in her grades K-8 Division at the State level and received a certificate and $10 award.
Thursday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m., the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present a program on the Pan Am Clippers in World War II at its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. The program will be repeated Saturday morning, October 29 at 10 a.m.
A video will be shown commemorating the contributions of the former Pan American Air Lines during WWII. Its legendary Pan Am Clipper flying boats, international routes and experienced air crews were vital to the war effort. Just after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, the Clippers and their facilities on the Islands of Midway, Wake and Guam were also attacked.
The public is invited to attend the program. There is no admission or membership charge to attend the program. The facility is handicapped accessible.
As part of its Live & Learn: enriching lives through monthly learning series, Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is offering a book signing and discussion with Karla Gavin this Thursday, October 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the library’s lower level Community Room.
Karla Gavin, author of “Calming the Creative Chaos: Quotes for Everyday Life”, began collecting quotes at a very young age. Join her as she discusses the impact words have on people’s lives. Her book will be available for purchase.
Gavin has worked in a variety of positions within higher education during her career, and she has used many quotes to prepare speeches, class presentations, or to emphasize a point within a conversation. She has enjoyed serving as a 4-H leader, helping to plan and build a softball/baseball complex and running the concession stand, planting trees with the local tree board, and serving on a variety of committees within the local school district, to name a few.
Supervisors sign Tobacco Awareness Week Proclamation ... The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors proclaimed November 13-19 as Tobacco Awareness Week at its Monday, October 24 regular meeting. In attendance at the meeting to discuss and witness that proclamation were Helping Services for Youth and Families Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Ashley Havenstrite and Prevention Specialist Jenny Rose (pictured left to right in front row of photo at right), with Allamakee County Board of Supervisors members Larry Schellhammer, Dan Byrnes and Mark Reiser also pictured, left to right, in the back row of the photo. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
by Joe Moses
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 24 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of the Tobacco Awareness Week Proclamation, consideration of the language, contract and scoring criteria relating to the Allamakee County Facade Grant Program and the consideration of quotes for a new dump truck chassis for the Secondary Roads Department. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.
The Third Readings of Amendment #11 and #12 to Zoning Ordinance L were approved, with Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer and Zoning Administrator Stephanie Runkle both indicating that no written or verbal comments have been received. Additionally, both amendments were approved for adoption by Board Chairperson Larry Schellhammer and Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dan Byrnes.
