Le Mars Community Celebrates Homecoming Week
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community Schools are celebrating Homecoming festivities this week with the pinnacle event occurring Friday evening with the football game against the Storm Lake Tornadoes. Nancy Isebrand is the faculty counselor with the Le Mars Community High School Student Union, and tells how the students are dressing in different outfits during this week.
Isebrand says coronation ceremonies and pep rally will take place on Friday beginning at 1:00 p.m. inside the new competition gymnasium. Isebrand says the ceremonies will be video streamed to the internet. She recites the candidates of the royal court.
Following the king and queen coronation will be the annual Homecoming parade.
Isebrand says for anyone wanting to have an entry in the Le Mars Community Homecoming parade should contact the school offices.
The Le Mars Community school official says the royal court will be introduced during the game Friday evening. Following the game will be the Homecoming dance, and Isebrand says students need to know there is a dress code associated with the Homecoming dance.
KLEM radio will broadcast live the coronation ceremonies, as well as the parade.
Wall Street Journal Gives High Ranking To Dordt University
(Sioux Center) — For the sixth year in a row, Dordt University has been ranked number one in the nation for student engagement, according to The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education’s College Rankings 2022.
“As a prospective student is making a decision about which college to attend, there are many voices whispering to them regarding quality factors of various schools,” says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president at Dordt.
“Frankly, it can be overwhelming. To have a globally recognized and trusted entity like The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education speak so positively about Dordt University for six years in a row is certainly encouraging for us.”
According to The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education rankings, “decades of research has found that the best way to truly understand teaching quality at an institution—how well it manages to inform, inspire, and challenge students—is through capturing what is known as ‘student engagement.’”
The engagement category is 20% of the overall College Rankings 2022. To determine if the college effectively engages with its students, the category takes into account the number of accredited programs offered at Dordt, the level of student engagement, the opportunities for professors and students to interact, and whether students would recommend Dordt to a friend.
“I’d like to highlight the commitment, care, and expertise of our faculty and staff who—along with our students—create the outstanding Christ-centered campus learning environment at Dordt which has been highlighted here,” says Hoekstra. “And to know that this type of engagement is really what drives life-long outcomes for the value of a college education is truly something for which we give thanks.”
Iowa Medical Director Pedati Stepping Down Next Month
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa health officials say State Medical Director Caitlin Pedati is leaving in late October. Doctor Pedati was the medical epidemiologist in Nebraska before she was hired in June of 2018 by the State of Iowa. The Iowa Department of Public Health says Pedati “plans to pursue new career opportunities.” Governor Reynolds thanked Pedati for her outstanding service throughout the pandemic. Reynolds gave Pedati a significant pay boost last year, for an annual salary of 265-thousand dollars. Kelly Garcia, the interim director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, says the work of the last 18 months has been difficult at best and Pedati’s personal sacrifice is to be commended.
Hinson Criticizes House Bill Extending Debt Limit and Continuing Resolution
(Washington, DC) — Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is criticizing House passage of a bill that would extend the debt ceiling and continue funding the government. The Iowa Republican said in a statement, “Suspending the debt limit until December 2022 is essentially ignoring the overdue balance in our already depleted bank account for over a year. This is reckless and irresponsible.” Hinson says that America’s credit card is maxed out. Democrats argue that Republicans raised the debt ceiling twice under President Trump and added nearly eight-trillion dollars in debt.
Harvest Field Fires Much Greater Risk Due to Drought
(Ames, IA) — Iowa farmers are asked to stay vigilant for field fires this harvest during drought conditions. Iowa State University Extension ag engineer Kris Kohl says after a series of rural fires in 2012, a study was conducted that focused on variables like temperature, humidity and wind.
It suggested that if the wind was over 20 miles an hour in dry conditions, things can take off and burn really fast. Kohl recommends farmers use a leaf blower to blast the dust and debris off their hot machinery, especially when the weather is perfect for a wildfire. Kohl also suggests producers have a disc attached to a large tractor rather than trying to use water to battle any potential fire out in the fields.
Principal Charity Classic Raises Record $7.3 Million in 2021
(Des Moines, IA) — Organizers of the Principal Charity Classic says this year’s golf tournament raised a record amount of money for Iowa children. A total of seven-point-three-million dollars was raised – which tops the previous record of six-point-seven million. The money will go to Blank Children’s Hospital, MercyOne Des Moines, United Way of Central Iowa and Variety. The annual P-G-A Tour Champions event in Des Moines has raised more than 37-million dollars since 2007. Next year’s tournament is June 1st through 5th at the Wakonda Club.
