The Henry County Supervisors met this morning at 9 a.m. for the monthly department head meeting.

Rodger Pitzenbarger gave an update on behalf of the Henry County Veteran’s Affairs. Pitzenbarger mentioned there was amazing turnout at their monthly veteran’s breakfast held the third Friday of the month at the Moose Lodge in Mount Pleasant. Pitzenbarger also gave an update on changes headed down the pipeline for the PACT Act. The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. KILJ will bring more information as it is received on the cancers under consideration for addition.

Caleb Waters gave an update on behalf of the Henry County Conservation Department. Waters reported campgrounds are already completely reserved for Labor Day weekend. The conservation department is happy to welcome the new Head Naturalist Kendall Prehn and are looking to hire a part time tech position to help with maintenance in Henry County parks, as well as an open position on the board for the conservation department. The Henry County Conservation Department is also working to build a new dump station to replace the out of commission previous dump station, with permitting and data collection estimated at around $27,000.

Lynnae Buffington updated the board of supervisors on behalf of the Recorder’s Office, stating deer tags will be available August 19^th and that trapping and hunting guides are available outside of the recorder’s office in the Henry County Courthouse.

Sarah Berndt gave an update on behalf of the Southeast Iowa Link (SEIL) Access Office about the new mobile crisis response service now available in Henry County. For more information on this great service in our area read the full article HERE.

Rich McNamee gave his monthly update for the Henry County Sherriff’s Office. There is a jailer opening, as well as a couple of ongoing fundraisers. Axel stuffed animal look alike dogs are available for $20, and the golf tournament set for September 22^nd is already sold out.

Jake Hotchkiss the Henry County Engineer updated construction continues on Lowell Hill South of the bridge. Major grading is now complete, and the contractor is finishing modified subbase, asphalt will begin application late next week depending on weather. Ash Avenue South of Hillsboro is now open to traffic as of last Friday.

Shelly Barber, Henry County Auditor, reported property taxes are one step closer to being sent to residents. Auditor staff are currently being trained on the new voting system that will be used in the September 12^th special election for the Mount Pleasant Community School District as well as subsequent elections.

There are unlimited resources for canning recipes such as cookbooks, websites, family recipe boxes, and more. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recommends following scientifically researched and tested home canning recipes to ensure a safe, quality product.

The biggest concern with home canning is the prevention of botulism which can thrive in an oxygen-free, vacuum-sealed jar if the product has not been prepared or processed correctly. To avoid the potential of botulism, it is important to determine if the recipe is safe before gathering the ingredients and proceeding.

Is the recipe Generational or a Historic Recipe? Home food preservation is an ever-evolving science. The only safe home canning methods recognized today are processing in a boiling water bath, atmospheric steam canner, or pressure canner for a specified time. When used properly, these methods provide adequate heat to destroy harmful or spoilage organisms and drive air out of the jar for a strong vacuum seal. Recipes or instructions before 1994 are considered outdated unless formulations match new research-tested formulations.

Thickeners such as flour, starches, gelatin, pectin and even Clear Jel®, should not be used in canning recipes unless the recipe has been tested for such. Thickeners slow the rate of heat penetration into the product and may result in under processing and an unsafe product. Adding more processing time to accommodate the use of added thickeners is unsafe. Thickeners should be added to the product at time of use.

Added Ingredients? It is not safe to add extra ingredients to a recipe; adding beans or corn to a canned salsa recipe is not safe. It is also not safe to add extra vegetables to low-acid products, like extra onions, chilies, or peppers to tomato products or salsas. Additions may decrease the acidity and/or increase the density of the product resulting in an unsafe product.

Using current, research-based recipes from reliable sources is the best advice. The most recent USDA updates to home canning were made in 2015. Additional research has shown that elderberries and white peaches should not be canned due to safety concerns. Reliable canning resources include:

• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• So Easy to Preserve (6th edition)
• USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning 2015
• University Cooperative Extension Publications (.edu)
• North Central Region Food Preservation Resources

FULL ARTICLE HERE!

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced August 2nd that six Soil and Water Conservation Districts will receive water quality funding from the Publicly Owned Lakes program to help protect and enhance public lakes in Iowa.

This program, which is jointly administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, provides cost-share funding to landowners for conservation practices on private land within watersheds above publicly owned lakes and reservoirs. Eligible practices include soil conservation and water quality practices that reduce nutrient loss and sediment delivery to Iowa’s public lakes. These resources complement additional efforts by the departments and their public and private partners to enhance and protect water quality in Iowa lakes and other surface water.

“Iowa’s many public lakes are key assets to our state, and we want to ensure that Iowans can enjoy these beautiful attractions for generations to come,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Building partnerships with other government agencies, private organizations, farmers and landowners is the proven model that will ensure we can continue to accelerate conservation practice adoption across the state and make even more water quality progress.”

“Iowans value water quality and desire safe, healthy lakes in their pursuit of outdoor recreation,” said Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon. “Partnerships to establish conservation practices on land that drains into our public lakes is critical to enhance and protect water quality for future generations.”

Each year, a minimum of five percent of the appropriation to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for soil conservation cost share goes toward protecting the water quality of publicly owned lakes in Iowa. Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts submit applications, which the Iowa Department of Natural Resources uses to establish a priority list of watersheds above significant public lakes. Private landowners are then eligible to receive additional cost-share for practices that improve water quality.

This year $580,267.28 in funding will allow for targeted conservation practices, including 560 acres of cover crops, 50,890 feet of terraces, 12 grade stabilization structures, 4 water and sediment control basins, and 11 acres of grassed waterways. Landowner cost-share and the adoption of these practices will help protect these lakes for the enjoyment of all Iowans and those who visit our state.

Clarke County Reservoir

Clarke County SWCD

$105,975.00

Lake Geode

Des Moines County SWCD and Henry County SWCD

$9,966.00

Lake Icaria

Adams County SWCD

$109,250.00

Lake Miami

Monroe County SWCD

$47,250.00

Three Mile Lake

Union County SWCD and Adair County SWCD

$244,854.41

Twelve Mile Lake

Union County SWCD and Adair County SWCD

$62,971.87

Back to school time brings excitement and nerves to school age children, and a few headaches to their parents. Henry County Public Health is looking to make this time as easy as possible on everyone involved. This coming Tuesday, August 8^th from 4-7 p.m. there will be a Back to School Health Fair in Manning Hall at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 607 S. Jackson Street in Mount Pleasant. This health fair will include back to school immunizations which are required for kindergarten, 7^th graders and high school seniors, dental screenings required for kindergarten and high school freshmen, lead testing required for kindergarten, vision screenings required for kindergarten and 3^rd graders, and sports physicals for $25 cash only. There will also be language translation available, community resource tables, kids activities, giveaways, and food trucks. Physicals and most screenings have paperwork that will need to be filled out, these are available at the event as well as online at healthyhenrycounty.org/publichealth. The Henry County Public Health Back to School Health Fair is this Tuesday, August 8^th from 4-7 p.m. in Manning Hall at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Mount Pleasant. If you have kids headed back to school, this is the perfect event to ensure they have everything they need before the school year begins.