News Center newsletter

by the Iowa Department of Public Health and Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care

The summer cookout season is officially underway in Iowa. Along with it comes the danger of under-cooked meat or meat that has been improperly prepared and the illnesses it can bring. Each year, many get sick either directly of indirectly from food items that haven’t been properly prepared. One of the major dangers when meat is improperly prepared is E. coli 0157. Iowa State Epidemiologist Dr. Patricia Quinlisk said there is one simple rule that can cut down on the number of E. coli 0157 illnesses. “Cook all ground meat patties and poultry until the center is gray or brown. All juices running from the meat should be clear, with no trace of pink or cloudiness.”

Veterans Memorial Hospital hosted its biennial Safety Day Camp Thursday, June 10, drawing a record crowd of 151 children ages seven to 14. The children were divided into 10 different groups and spent 20 minutes at each of the 10 safety stations throughout the day.

The campers each assembled their own first aid kits at the camp, receiving instruction on how to manage a bleed, perform CPR, as well as caring for other types of injuries. In addition, each camper was sent home with a goodie bag following the event, filled with additional safety and first aid supplies for the home, such as safety goggles, ace wraps, tourniquets, ear plugs, sun block and insect repellent.  Most all of these items were provided by grant dollars awarded to the Iowa State University (ISU) Allamakee County Extension Office from Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH).

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, July 8 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church located in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once a month in Waukon, to allow for more donors to give. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

Blood centers across the United States see a decrease in blood donations during the busy summer months.  During the summer, people become more active, have busier schedules, spend more time outdoors and take vacations. While donations decline, hospitals see an increase in the need for blood. More driving can mean more automobile accidents. A person who has suffered severe injuries from an automobile accident can need up to 50 units of blood.

Leeta and Scott Votsmier of Waukon announce the birth of their son, Mace LeRoy Votsmier, born June 11, 2021 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. He weighed 7 lbs. 2 ozs. and measured 20 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins a sister, Henley (21 months).

Grandparents are Dan and Jane Sivesind and Chuck and Lois Votsmier, all of Waukon. Great-grandparents are Frank and Carol Sivesind of Waukon.

The parents of Haley Teske and Austin Day announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their children. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Tim and Rhonda Teske of Eldora and her grandparents are Evelyn and the late Mervin Reifschneider of Hubbard and Nancy and the late Marvin Teske of Eldora.

The bride-to-be is a 2021 graduate of Iowa State University in Ames with a major in Agriculture Studies and minors in Animal Science and Agronomy.

The groom-to-be is the son of Adam and Barbie Kossman and Erich and Meghan Welter and his grandparents are Michael Day of Prairie du Chien, WI, Kay Day of Seneca, WI, Roy and Kathy Kossman of Prairie du Chien, Linda and the late Steven Welter of Prairie du Chien and John and Betty Cooley of Bagley, WI. The groom-to-be is a 2020 graduate of Iowa State University in Ames with a major in Agronomy and a minor in Animal Science, and he is employed with Summit Farms. The couple will exchange vows in June and reside in Eldora.

Jenna Rosendahl and Jason Collins announce their engagement and upcoming wedding to take place at an outdoor ceremony in Eitzen, MN July 10, 2021.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Jill and Darryl Sharon and Anthony Rosendahl. She is employed as a medical lab technician at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

The groom-to-be is the son of John and Von Collins. He is employed as a mechanic with Decorah Chevrolet. The couple will reside in Waukon.

The Waukon High School Class of 1961 will meet at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 25 at Lids in Waukon. Additional planning for the class reunion to be held September 18 will be discussed.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15-August 1: Primary Nesting Season
June 15: COC Election Ballots Mailed to Producers in LAA 3
July 15: Crop Certification
July 23: CRP General Signup
August 6: CRP Continuous Signup

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has opened online registration at https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/News/Carbon-Credit-Markets-What-Farmers-N... for its upcoming virtual roundtable diving into key considerations for farmers seeking to adopt climate-friendly carbon sequestration and other practices with the hope of increasing their on-farm income.

IFBF’s “Carbon Credit Markets: What Farmers Need to Know” virtual roundtable will help answer questions and provide valuable insight as farmers seek to reduce their carbon footprint and navigate the ever-changing agriculture environment as private-sector companies present new opportunities and federal programs are developed.

Get a 2021 crop progress update at annual field day

The Annual Spring Field Day at Iowa State University’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will run from 1-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 24.

“As we continue to experience warm and dry weather conditions, part of our program will focus on implications and expectations of the 2021 crop, to help producers in future planning,” said Terry Basol, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University climatologist emeritus, will start the program by providing his insights on crop weather for the 2021 growing season.

Erin Hodgson, professor and extension specialist in entomology at Iowa State, will share the latest research on corn rootworm management.