(Lewis, Iowa) – The sponsors of the Cass County Conservation Board’s (CCCB) Trumpeter Swan arrival contest have determined the official arrival of the swans at the Schildberg Quarry in Atlantic, was December 1st! On that day 12 Trumpeter Swans were here and stayed more than twenty-four hours. The winner that was the closest to that date was Mary Brasfield! She will receive a Trumpeter Swan prize.

In October, the CCCB invited Cass County residents to predict when the first Trumpeter Swan will arrive at the Schildberg Quarry. Trumpeter Swans have visited the Schildberg Quarry for at least Twenty-five out of the last twenty-six winters. Last year, the swans arrived December 2nd.

Cass County Conservation thanks to all who participated in this year’s contest!

CCCB file photo

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s busiest hunting season of the year opens Saturday (Dec. 7),  as some 100-thousand shotgun-wielding deer hunters will hit the woods and fields over the next few weeks. Megan Anderson, a trauma injury prevention coordinator at Gundersen Health System, says if it’s been a while since you’ve been hunting, you would likely benefit from brushing up on your safety skills.

All hunters should know rules like: When firearms aren’t in use, be sure they’re stored safely, locked and UN-loaded. Anderson says you should always know where other members of your party are located, and to let someone not with the group know where you are and when you’ll be back.

Especially during December, when the weather can quickly turn very cold and unpleasant, Anderson says proper clothing is vital.

Iowa has two deer shotgun seasons coming up. The first runs tomorrow through December 11th, while the second season runs December 14th through the 22nd. Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Lake Restoration Program is accepting public comments on the newly released draft 2024 Lake Restoration Report and 2025 Plan, now through Dec. 18th.  The report is available for review at: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Lake-Restoration. It highlights restoration projects completed around the state in State Fiscal Year 2024 and outlines plans for upcoming restoration projects.

The Lake Restoration Program works with communities and stakeholders across Iowa to improve water quality and recreational opportunities at publicly-owned lakes. Since the program’s creation in 2006, the Iowa legislature has invested more than $166 million in the lake restoration program. To date, DNR and project partners have invested in lake improvement projects at 72 lakes in 54 counties. Since 2006, 40 shallow lake/wetlands projects have also been completed, improving over 14,000 wetland acres. The program maintains a list of publicly-owned lakes and shallow lakes/wetlands prioritized for restoration.

Major projects completed in 2024 include a $2.92 million investment in Casey Lake, located within Hickory Hills Park (Black Hawk County), a $3.52 million investment at Three Mile Lake (Union County) and a $1.2 million program investment at Rock Creek Lake (Jasper County) to stabilize eroded shorelines. Major projects planned for 2025 include watershed and in-lake restoration work at Lake Keomah (Mahaska County), Diamond Lake (Poweshiek County), and McKinley Lake (Union County).

Additionally, several large-scale shallow lake/wetland restoration projects are underway, including projects at Pleasant Lake, and Lily Lake (both in Dickinson County) and East Twin Lake (Hancock County). Once again, the DNR is accepting comments through Dec. 18th. Comments may be submitted via email to michelle.balmer@dnr.iowa.gov or sent via mail to Michelle Balmer, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 6200 Park Avenue, Suite 200, Des Moines, Iowa 50321.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa anglers can buy the Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish license and tags from Dec. 15th through Jan. 7th. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says you can buy your special paddlefish license and tags on the Iowa DNR online licenses sales website at https://gooutdoorsiowa.com. A resident license sells for $25.50 and a nonresident license is $49. Anglers must also have a valid Iowa fishing license.

A limited number of paddlefish licenses are available – 950 resident, and 50 nonresident. Anglers may buy up to two tags – one between Dec. 15 and 31; and an additional tag between Jan. 1 and 7, or two tags if you didn’t buy one in December. The license, harvest tag(s), and regulations will be mailed to purchasers in mid-January. Purchasers will be asked to complete an electronic survey to help the Iowa DNR evaluate the success of the paddlefish season. Please complete the survey whether you harvested a paddlefish or not. The Iowa DNR is always working to improve the paddlefish season for anglers; any input provided is considered and is greatly appreciated.

Paddlefish-DNR photo

The Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish season opens Feb. 1 and runs through April 30. For more information about Iowa’s special paddlefish season, visit the Iowa DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/paddlefish – click on Missouri River Paddlefish Season and Regulations.

(Radio Iowa) – Wetlands in Iowa help prevent nearly 500-million dollars in flood damage every year, according to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Report author Stacy Woods says wetlands are natural floodwater barriers that absorb and slow down rushing water like a sponge. Federal data shows a decline in the number of wetlands, especially in the Prairie Pothole region, Great Lakes and southeast. Woods fears the trend could accelerate, as a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year stripped away federal protections in the Clean Water Act for many wetlands.

Woods says, “It’s critically important that we really step up to protect the wetlands that remain, because we’re going to need them as our flooding frequency increases with this warming climate.” The report’s findings build on peer-reviewed research, which estimates one acre of wetlands provides 745-dollars of flood mitigation benefits to residential homes. “We know that flooding is a significant issue,” she says. “It’s expensive, and it’s getting worse as the climate warms.”

Radio Iowa file photo

Along with flood mitigation, the report says wetlands provide habitat and food for roughly half of the endangered species in the U.S. They also act as natural pollution filters for drinking water. In the last two decades, Iowa has had six flood disasters with losses exceeding one-billion dollars.  “In our report, we were only looking at how wetlands benefit communities by mitigating flood damage,” Woods says, “but of course, wetlands bring so many benefits to communities.”

The report recommends boosting conservation programs that help restore and protect these habitats.

(Radio Iowa) – With Thanksgiving over, many people are now searching for a live Christmas tree. Northeast Iowa grower Robert Moulds says the wet spring was a relief this year after battling the drought. “This year, our trees around the state got plenty of moisture, and so the growing was much better than it has been the last two years,” he says. Moulds is a member of the Iowa Christmas Tree Growers Association and says traveling to his farm near Fairbank or others is a tradition for many. “You can go out in the field and select the tree and cut it, so you know exactly what you’re getting.,” Moulds says. “There’s, there’s about 70 Iowa Christmas tree farms in Iowa, Iowa Christmas Tree Association member farms, plus, we think probably about that many more again. So roughly 100 to 140 tree farms in Iowa.” Moulds has been in the business more than 40 years.

“Planted my first trees in 1980 and sold our first trees just a few in 1986,” he says. “and we’ve been selling trees since then. We sell, we sell around 2000 trees a year.” Muolds says the key to keeping a live tree fresh is the care you give it. “Have a good stand that holds plenty of water. Never let it run dry, always use hot water to help dissolve the resins that accumulate on the tree. That is the biggest thing, and a good fresh cut tree will stay well into January,” he says.

You can find out more about a Christmas tree farm in your area, by visiting iowachristmastrees.com.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – One of the nation’s largest food and agriculture companies, with ties to eastern Iowa, is cutting its workforce. Cargill announced plans to layoff five percent of its employees worldwide. According to the company’s website, it employs around 160,000 employees.

The Minnesota based company has made a profit after the pandemic with rising inflation. But says falling numbers of U.S. cattle and grocery prices are hitting them the hardest. The company has not said if the layoffs will impact the multiple Cargill plants across eastern Iowa.

The Minnesota company did release a statement to the ABC affiliate in Minneapolis saying, “To strengthen Cargill’s impact, we must realign our talent and resources to align with our strategy. This difficult decision was not made lightly.”

WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG)—More than 100 John Deere workers in Waterloo were told Tuesday (Dec. 4, 2024) morning that they will be without a job after the holiday season. It comes two weeks after Deere announced a net income of seven billion dollars last year. That’s a 16% decrease from the year before. Over 1,700 John Deere employees across Iowa have been laid off since the beginning of 2024. Waterloo has taken the brunt of the layoffs. Tuesday morning 112 employees at John Deere Waterloo Works were told their last day would be January 3. This brings the total layoffs in Waterloo alone to more than 1,000.

KCRG reports that in Davenport, 80 workers will also be losing their jobs after the new year. Those layoffs were announced back in October and will take effect on January 3rd. A John Deere plant in Des Moines laid off 166 employees earlier this year and Deere in Dubuque has lost 133. The company said it has seen declining demand for its products because of challenging market conditions. It cited the USDA expecting falling commodity prices for things like corn and soybeans.

John Deere gave the following reasons for why orders are down:

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts major row-crop cash receipts to be down another 18% in 2024, following a 5% decline last year.
• The USDA also forecasts marketing year average prices for the new crop (crops harvested this fall) to continue to decline from last year and to be down over 30% compared to a couple of years ago (compared to 2022: corn -37%, soybeans -24%, and wheat -35%).
  

The company also says its construction division is impacted by fewer new homes being built. The company said:

• In the construction industry, compared to its peak in 2021, single-family home sales are down 30%, single-family housing starts are down 10%, and multi-family housing starts are down 40%.
• Despite some interest rate reductions, the current interest rate level is still elevated compared to recent history.

Laid off employees will receive monetary and health care benefits for a period after their end date.