Plymouth County Veterans Affairs to host Centenarian Recognition Presentation
Plymouth County Veterans Affairs will host a special Centenarian Recognition Presentation for three veterans over the age of 90 currently residing in Plymouth County.
The presentation, held in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Development and Civic Engagement, will honor 94-year-old Navy veteran Matthew Flanigan, 99-year-old Army veteran Lawrence Maynard, and 102-year-old Army veteran Lester Janssen. The three men currently reside in the Akron Care Center in Akron. According to Plymouth County Veterans Affairs director Jim Jones, each veteran will have a Recognition Letter read and presented to them from the Secretary of the VA, thanking them for their service.
The presentation will be held at the Akron Care Center on Wednesday, April 29th at 10am.
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Northwest Financial Corp. earns “Top Workplace USA” award
Northwest Financial Corp. has been awarded a 2026 Top Workplace USA award from USA TODAY, the company announced in a press release. The award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that “have created exceptional, people-first cultures.”
Winning organizations are recognized “for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement,” and are determined by employee feedback through a confidential survey conducted by Energage, who’s operated the Top Workplaces program since 2006. The results are calculated based on employee responses to statements about “Workplace Experience Themes,” which Energage says are “proven indicators of high performance.”
Northwest Financial president and CEO Greg Post said in a statement that being named a Top Workplace USA “is deeply meaningful because it reflects what our employees experience every day,” and the recognition “confirms that our focus on collaboration, growth, and purpose-driven work is resonating with our team.” Post further stated that Northwest Financial was “committed to creating an environment where employees feel heard, supported, and empowered to do their best work.”
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State grants can help pay for planting trees
Communities across Iowa that want to spruce up their tree canopies can now apply for grants to buy trees to plant, and the grants will cover other costs like mulch, tree staking and protection, and even supplemental watering. Chip Murrow, an urban forestry program specialist with the Iowa DNR, says the Iowa Tree Planting Grants are available for governmental entities, volunteer groups, and service organizations.
Murrow says the grants are to help plant trees on publicly-owned properties — to diversify the tree canopy, increase tree benefits, aid with energy costs and health disparities, and to increase access to parks and nature. The application process will only be open for a few more months.
The deadline to apply is June 22nd, with recipients to be notified by July 1st. Funding for the programs comes from the USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act.
(Story via Radio Iowa)
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