Sibley, Iowa — As we’ve mentioned before, there is a fundraising campaign underway in Sibley to raise money to replace the current dilapidated Sibley Swimming Pool. An fundraising event is planned for later his month to help give the campaign a shot in the arm, while giving Osceola County families a fun, family event in which to participate.
The Osceola County Scavenger Hunt will be held Saturday, October 24th. Shalynn Anderson is Chair of the committee raising funds for the new pool, and tells us how the Scavenger Hunt will work.
She says that registration for this family-friendly event is now open, and that the cost is $25 per person for adults, ages 6 to 15 are $5, and kids 5 and under are free.
Anderson talks about the schedule for the day’s events.
She says that a major donation from the Kiwanis Club has lifted the fund-raising total so far to about $150,000.
Again, the Osceola County Scavenger Hunt to benefit the Sibley Outdoor Aquatic Center Project will be held Saturday, October 24th.
Sheldon, Iowa — A rural Sheldon farm family is experiencing the giving attitude of their friends and neighbors during this harvest season.
Steve Van Beek of rural Sheldon was experiencing some unusual symptoms this past weekend and went to see the doctor. We caught up with Steve’s son, Ben, in the combine harvesting soybeans, and he told us what happened next.
He says that, after people heard that his dad would be out of commission for this year’s harvest, offers of support and harvest help have been rolling in.
Ben told us that he has been amazed and humbled by the outpouring of love and support from the people of northwest Iowa.
Ben says he won’t be in the combine Friday, as he’ll be in Sioux Falls while his dad is in surgery, but thanks to the generosity of the people of northwest Iowa, the harvest on their farm will still go on.
Sanborn, Iowa — A survey of land price trends shows that there has been a drop in Iowa land values. But a local auctioneer and appraiser is not concerned.
The Iowa Chapter of REALTORS Land Institute says that its September 2015 Land Trends and Values Survey shows a statewide average decrease of cropland values of 3.7 percent from March 2015 to September 2015. This, combined with the 7.6 percent decrease reported in March 2015, indicates a statewide average decrease of 11.3 percent from September 1, 2014 to September 1, 2015. All nine Iowa crop reporting districts showed a decrease in the average farmland value. The districts varied from a 1.9 percent decrease in the west central district to a 5.4 percent decrease in the south central district since March 2015. These estimates are for bare, unimproved land with a sale price on a cash basis.
But Todd Hatterman, appraiser and auctioneer with VanderWerff and Associates in Sanborn says he’s undeterred by the news.
The survey says that factors contributing to current farmland values include lower commodity prices, increasing interest rates, lack of stable alternative investments, cash on hand, and a limited amount of land on the market.
Kyle J. Hansen, real estate broker for Hertz Farm Management and chairman of the survey committee, said this decrease was anticipated. He says that land values are closely tied to the net revenue generated by what is able to be produced. Commodity prices are still the highest factor in establishing land values, he said.
Hatterman says he doesn’t believe that news of lower prices or price trends has much influence on the market.
Hatterman says demand remains strong.
The full survey summary is available at rlifarmandranch.com. Participants in the survey are specialists in farmland, and were asked for their opinions about the current status of the Iowa farmland market. Participants were asked to estimate the average value of farmland as of September 1, 2015.
This survey has been conducted in March and September since 1978 by the Iowa REALTORS Land Institute Chapter, which is an affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS and is organized for REALTORS who specialize in farm and land sales, management, development and appraisal.
Orange City, Iowa — Dedication is set for Friday afternoon in Orange City on a $3.3 million athletic training building at Northwestern College.
The dedication of Northwestern College’s new Juffer Athletic Fieldhouse is during the college’s Raider Days Homecoming and Parents Weekend.
Northwestern College Athletic Director Earl Woudstra gives us a little history.
He says there are three major activity areas in the new building.
Woudstra says the other areas are for strength and conditioning and golf.
Woudstra says the facility is named for Ron and Peg Juffer of Orange City.
The public is invited to the 4:30 PM ceremony, which will be followed by tours.
More information from Northwestern College:
The Juffer Athletic Fieldhouse includes the 6,300-square-foot Korver Athletic Performance Center with state-of-the-art Sorinex weight equipment; an area for dynamic stretching, speed work and resistance training; a reinforced throw wall for use of weighted medicine balls; and a wall-mounted large-screen TV for teaching athletes and kinesiology students proper technique. Use of the center will be supervised by certified strength and conditioning coaches.
The Juffer Fieldhouse also contains a 3,600-square-foot golf practice room with a practice putting green featuring an undulating surface and multiple holes; a straight-line putting station; a variety of turfs for practicing chip shots to the green; and four hitting stations—including one dedicated for swing analysis through the use of a launch monitor that gauges ball speed, spin and trajectory. There are also individual lockers for members of the college’s men’s and women’s golf teams.
The largest part of the building, the 20,000-square-foot Dave and Anita Bomgaars Family Field, is covered in FieldTurf and marked with a 40-yard football field, an indoor soccer field, and foul lines for baseball and softball. It is enclosed with netting for baseball and softball hitting and fielding, as well as equipped with pitching mounds, backstops and batting cages.
The golf practice room will be available to the public at designated times as an extension of their DeWitt Fitness Center membership or through daily use fees. The Bomgaars Field will also be open to the campus community and fitness center members at designated times.
Dave Bomgaars of Orange City, who served as chair of the campaign to raise funds for the $3.3 million building, will speak during the dedication program. Also scheduled to give remarks are Marty Guthmiller, chair of Northwestern’s Board of Trustees; Dr. Earl Woudstra, director of athletics; and Laura Hurley, a senior softball player from Canton, S.D., who is majoring in biology-health professions and mathematics. Bomgaars and his wife, Anita, and Ron and Peg Juffer will participate in the ribbon cutting.
Cannon Moss Brygger Architects of Sioux City designed the Juffer Fieldhouse. Hoogendoorn Construction of Canton, S.D., was the general contractor.
Sheldon, Iowa — In the past few months, Northwest Iowa Community College has partnered with a couple of northwest Iowa healthcare providers to try and help these providers with a possible solution to the shortage of Certified Nurses Aides. The college, in conjunction with the healthcare facilities have been holding informational meetings to give people more information about the CNA field, and the opportunities available in that field. The most recent meeting took place earlier this week, in conjunction with Sanford Sheldon.
Julie Waldstein is the Healthcare Career Pathways Navigator at NCC, and she says that most all healthcare facilities face a need for CNA’s.
She told us about the next step in the process for those who attended the most recent meeting.
Waldstein says that, not only will Sanford offer contingent job opportunities to the people who complete the application and interview process, but Sanford will pay for the CNA training for those people, as well.
She says that the success of the meetings they’ve held so far have encouraged her to look into planning future meetings in partnership with other healthcare providers in the area.
These CNA informational meetings are a partnership between Northwest Iowa Community College and area healthcare facilities.
Sheldon, Iowa — October is designated as Coop Month, a time of the year set aside to recognize coops, and their contributions to the economy of the area, and the profitability of their member producers.
Kevin Smith is the Manager of the Sheldon Farmer’s Coop Oil Station, and he tells us a little about Coop Month
He says that young people looking for careers can find a wide variety in the coop systems, from hands-on ag work, to the information technology and web design fields.
He says that, contrary to what one might think, being in farming isn’t necessary to be a coop member, they offer many products and services to those in town, as well.
In addition to Coop Month, October is also Pork Month, and Smith says the local Coop Oil stations have a giveaway promotion tied in with the pork industry.
Coop Month is celebrated every October across the United States.
Sibley, Iowa — As we’ve mentioned before, there is a fundraising campaign underway in Sibley to raise money to replace the current dilapidated Sibley Swimming Pool. An fundraising event is planned for later his month to help give the campaign a shot in the arm, while giving Osceola County families a fun, family event in which to participate.
