Progress was made at the Iowa Transportation Commission on Tuesday, November 12^th. The ITC approved $3,523,206 for nine State Recreational Trails Program projects. The State Recreational Trails Program was created in 1988, designed with the idea of developing and maintaining recreational trails and trail-related facilities for motorized and non-motorized trail users.

Funding is available to cities, counties, state agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations through an annual application-based program.

The Flint River Trail Connection in Burlington will receive $71,625, and the Bentonsport Bridge Rehab (Van Buren County Conservation Board) will receive $ 403,000 in approved funding.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“Between periods of rain last week, the unseasonably warm temperatures helped Iowa farmers continue to wrap up harvest and complete other field work, the widespread rainfall over the last few weeks has been beneficial in improving drought conditions across large swaths of Iowa. We can expect the warmer temperatures and more active weather pattern to continue as we head toward Thanksgiving.” said Secretary Mike Naig.

Moderate rainfall during the week slowed harvest as Iowa’s farmers had an average of 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 10, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting row crops, completing fall tillage, baling stalks, and applying fall fertilizer and manure.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 12 percent very short, 36 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 45 percent short, 35 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 95 percent statewide, 4 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the five-year average. Farmers in south central Iowa still have over 15 percent of their corn for grain remaining to be harvested. Moisture content of field corn harvested for grain remained steady at 14 percent.

Livestock producers reported muddy feedlots.

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

The New London community is adding some competition to their holiday spirit, This Christmas. Sign ups are open for the Lighting contest for New London Residents. Chelsea Boecker with the New London holiday stroll committee talks about the holiday competition.

Winner receives a cash prize and bragging rights of the best decorations in New London for 2024. Like and follow the New London Iowa Holiday Stroll on Facebook for more details.

The Mount pleasant School Board meets Monday night, the 11^th for their general meeting. In this month’s meeting, the school board heard from the School Guidance counselor, Allie Brockheart and some of the student council members. The Student Council talked about their recent Halloween dance they held. The Student Council also created posters advocating for suicide prevention and placed those around the different campuses.

The FFA Students also presented a recap to the school board about their trip to the national FFA convention that was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Fourteen students and two chaperones attended workshops and took tours of Ag related companies. The group took part in general sessions at Lucas Oil Stadium, where the networked with fellow FFA members from across the country. During their time at the FFA convention, they took some time to have some fun and do some team building activities in town as well. The students went to a trampoline park, and a haunted house.

Superintendent Henricksen went over the certified enrollment numbers. 1,757.13 students enrolled for 2024; enrollment is up 24 students from last year. The board also discussed the intersection of East Harvest Drive and South Grand becoming a four-way stop and possible speed limit change for the area of that intersection. That decision is coming soon.