The Keokuk High School will host a Financial Student Aid Workshop Series that will start with Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID workshops throughout November and December.

This is meant to help parents and students every step of the way for students that plan to utilize financial aid to attend college or a career/technical school.

Specifically, the FSA ID workshops will help participants sign up for an ID needed to fill out a FAFSA form required to receive federal financial aid. The workshops will be hosted by Tina Clark, the College and Career Transition Coach at KHS, and Clark said that the workshops are especially needed this year as a new federal act has been implemented and the FAFSA process has changed for 2024-25.

FSA ID Workshops at KHS will be held open house style:

•       Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 1-4 p.m.
•       Monday, Nov.13 from 4-8 p.m.
•       Friday, Nov.17 from 2-6 p.m.
•       Monday, Nov.20 from 2-6 p.m.
•       Monday, Nov. 27 from 2-6 p.m.
•       Wednesday, Nov. 29 from 1-4 p.m.

Clark also suggests that parents and students fill out an Iowa Financial Aid Application as well to apply for grants, scholarships and potentially qualify for loans at iowacollegeaid.gov.

In December, additional FSA ID workshops will be held at KHS and in January, FAFSA Workshops will occur, check the Keokuk Community School District website, keokukschools.org or social media for dates. On Feb. 1, the deadlines will start for applications/FAFSA form submissions for some higher education institutions (colleges/universities).

For additional information or questions, KHS parents and students are also able to schedule individual meetings with Clark by calling (319) 313-1926 or emailing tina.clark@keokukschools.org.

The City and School Elections will take place on November 7^th, with polls open from 7:00am through 8:00pm. Qualified electors may vote, but they must present themselves as well as identification at the polls.

Depending on where you live, you may not vote in the same place as your friends. There are nine different precincts for citizens of Henry County.

If you live in the Trenton, Marion, or Jefferson Township (including Wayland, Olds, and the portion of Coppock within Henry) you will be voting at Wayland City Hall, 218 W Main St.

For those who live in the Canaan and Scott Townships (including Winfield and the part of Wayne Township*) you will vote at Winfield City Hall, 115 N Locust St, Winfield.  *(that part of Wayne Township residents living east of James Avenue to 140th Street and south of 140th Street east of Highway 218 and south to the township line.)*

Voters who live in the Tippecanoe Township, Salem Township, as well as Salem, Hillsboro, and Center Townships, will cast their ballot at the Emergency Management Building, 900 W Washington St in Mt. Pleasant,

Precincts 4 through 7 will all vote at the Veterans Hall of Mt. Pleasant, 300 W Monroe St. If you are unsure which ward you live in, head to https://henrycounty.iowa.gov/election/ which lists out the wards and provides additional details.

New London voters will split between precinct 8 and 9. Jackson and Baltimore Township residents will be at New London Christian Church, 2770 New London Road.

Those in New London Townships (including the city of New London) will vote at 103 W Washington St, the New London Community Center.

Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a regular ballot. Voters who are not pre-registered – such as voters registering to vote on election day – and voters changing precincts must also provide proof of residence.

A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of identification may have their identity/residence attested to by another registered voter in the precinct, or prove their identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents.

For additional information about providing proof of identity and/or residence visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/voterid or phone (319) 385- 0756.

Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further information, please contact the County Auditor’s Office at 319-385-0756 or e- mail sbarber@henrycountyiowa.us. For TTY access, dial 711 + (319)-385-0756

There was a tractor fire in the Houghton area on Monday night.

On November 6^th at approximately 6:06pm, Houghton and St. Paul Fire Departments were dispatched to Justin Menke’s residence, 2 miles south of Houghton, for a report of a tractor fire.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a tractor overwhelmed by fire. The tractor had two anhydrous tanks hooked up to it and was parked near a fuel tank. The tractor was deemed a total loss. West Point Fire was called for mutual aid but was later called off.

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.

“Corn and soybean harvest is beginning to wind down thanks to more agreeable weather, though there is still plenty of farm and field work left to finish up yet this fall,” said Secretary Naig. “While statewide drought remains a concern heading into the 2024 growing season, the bursts of October rain helped improve soil moisture in parts of northwestern and eastern Iowa.”

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

Crop Report

Colder than normal temperatures but dry weather led to 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 5, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork included harvesting corn and soybeans, completing fall tillage, applying fall fertilizer, baling stalks, and hauling manure.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 40 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 27 percent very short, 43 percent short, 29 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Corn harvested for grain reached 89 percent statewide, a day ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average.

Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was at 16 percent. Soybeans harvested reached 97 percent, on pace with last year but 9 days ahead of the average.

Livestock reports included calves being weaned and cattle being turned out onto stalk fields.

Weather Summary
Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

A generally quiet weather pattern set up over Iowa as measurable precipitation was only reported at northern and southeastern stations. Unseasonably cold conditions also blanketed the Upper Midwest with negative departures of up to 10 degrees reported across southwestern Iowa; the statewide average temperature was 36.5 degrees, 7.5 degrees below normal.

Gusty northwesterly winds and overcast skies held daytime temperatures in the mid-30s to low 40s through Sunday (29th) afternoon with a statewide average high of 38 degrees, 18 degrees below normal. Light rain and some snowflakes were observed in southeastern Iowa with 0.02 inch of rain reported at Rathbun Dam (Appanoose County). Clouds cleared through the evening with additional spotty clouds filtering through central Iowa into Monday (30th) morning as the first widespread killing freeze was reported; lows ranged from the upper teens northwest to mid-30s southeast. Stronger westerly winds developed into the afternoon as daytime temperatures rose into the upper 30s and low 40s. A southerly shifting wind signaled a fast-moving low pressure center that brought spotty snow showers across northern Iowa overnight into Tuesday (31st). Several stations measured at least a trace with 0.1 inch in Elkader (Clayton County) to 0.9 inch at Waukon (Allamakee County) as winds returned to a gusty northwesterly direction. Halloween trick-or-treaters were greeted with temperatures in the upper 20s and low 30s as clouds cleared western Iowa. Starry skies persisted into Wednesday (1st) with clouds increasing after daybreak in northwest Iowa. Strong southerly winds helped boost temperatures into the low 50s west while across the state, mid 40s were observed where clouds were present.

Clear conditions and light, variable winds allowed morning lows on Thursday (2nd) to drop into the 20s with a few locations in the low 30s. Under sunny skies, a range of afternoon temperatures was reported with upper 40s in northern Iowa to upper 50s farther south and west. Overnight lows into Friday (3rd) rose as a warm front lifted north across Iowa with upper 40s and low 50s over Iowa’s southern half. A weak low pressure center pushed across the state through the day as light rain showers formed in southeastern Iowa; Keokuk Lock and Dam (Lee County) measured a 0.01-inch total with 0.02 inch in Mount Pleasant (Henry County). Afternoon temperatures hovered in the 50s with winds turning northerly as the low pressure system exited Iowa. Patchy fog was reported on Saturday (4th) morning with lows dropping into the 30s by sunrise. Daytime conditions were pleasant under clear skies with temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s; the statewide average high was 59 degrees, six degrees warmer than normal. Clouds moved into central Iowa early on Sunday (5th) with fog forming in southeastern Iowa, where temperatures were in the low to mid-30s. Slightly warmer temperatures were observed in northwestern Iowa where low to mid-40s were present.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at most of Iowa’s stations to 0.07 inch at stations in Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.03 inch, while the normal is 0.56 inch. Sioux City Airport (Woodbury County) reported the week’s high temperature of 64 degrees on the 4th, 11 degrees above normal. Audubon (Audubon County) reported the week’s low temperature of 11 degrees on the 1st, 20 degrees below normal.

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

Mt. Pleasant City offices will be closed on Friday, November 10th, in observance of Veterans Day.