Iowa Wesleyan University invites the community to celebrate the holiday season with the time-honored tradition of Lessons & Carols, a service highlighting the students of the Iowa Wesleyan Music Department and music performers within the Southeast Iowa Community.

This sacred service, entitled “Let My Love Be Heard,” will be held live on Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4, 2022, at 7 PM in the Iowa Wesleyan University Chapel Auditorium in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. This signature holiday service will feature performances from The Mount Pleasant Chorale, IW Choir, Primae Voces, SEISO Chamber Orchestra, and more.

Join us as we celebrate the holiday season with traditional and contemporary choral and instrumental music paired with scriptures that recount the Christmas story.

“Advent, and the Christmas season, is one of the most special times of the year. Lessons & Carols captures the essence of this beauty and wraps it in a musical gift,” said Blair Buffington, Director of Choral Activities and Artistic Director of the event. “Our Iowa Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff work very hard and look forward to making this gift to the community.”

This event is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken at the end of the service to benefit the students in the IW Music Department.

Iowa Wesleyan University: As Southeast Iowa’s regional comprehensive University, Iowa Wesleyan University is a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers.

On November 5th, at approximately 12:56 A.M., the Henry County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a single vehicle accident in the 2300-grid of 120^th Street in rural Winfield. Tyler Unternahrer of Wayland, was driving Eastbound on 120^th Street when the vehicle drifted off the shoulder. Tyler then overcorrected and lost control in the wet gravel, causing the truck to slide into the north ditch. Tyler was transported to Henry County Hospital by a family member with non-life threatening injuries. As a result of the investigation, Tyler was issued a summons for Reckless Driving and a citation for Failure To Maintain Control.

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

Much-needed and above-average rainfall was observed across the southeastern half of Iowa through the first week of November. Positive departures between two to three inches were common at several south-central and eastern stations. Unseasonably warm temperatures also blanketed the state with a statewide average temperature of 51.0 degrees, 8.3 degrees above normal.

Showers spun into Iowa’s southeastern corner through early Sunday (30th) afternoon as generally clear, warm conditions were reported across the rest of the state. Several stations reported a few tenths of an inch with a gauge in New London (Henry County) measuring 0.34 inch. Daytime temperatures reached into the mid 60s in western and southern Iowa with upper 50s in the northeast. A wide range of overnight lows spanned the state with mid 20s in the northwest to low 50s southeast reported at 7:00 am on Monday (31st). Winds out of the west and sunny skies held afternoon temperatures in the mid to upper 60s as high pressure dominated the Midwest. Winds shifted to a southerly direction into Tuesday (1st) with unseasonably warm temperatures in the mid to upper 70s statewide under clear skies. Overnight conditions were cloudless as temperatures held in the upper 40s and low 50s with southerly winds becoming blustery on Wednesday (2nd). Daytime highs pushed into the 70s for a second day as sustained winds held in the 20 to 30-mph range in northwestern Iowa; the statewide average high was 74 degrees, 21 degrees above normal.

Cloud cover increased west to east into Thursday (3rd) morning as a low pressure system approached Iowa from the west. Gusty southerly winds continued, pumping moisture into the Midwest as highs ranged from the upper 60s north to mid 70s south. Showers began forming in western Iowa after sunset as the low pressure center pushed across Iowa. Widespread showers and some thunderstorms continued overnight and through Friday (4th) leaving behind beneficial totals over much of Iowa. Dreary conditions were observed throughout the day as rain continued and highs hovered in the upper 30s and low 40s. The system held on in eastern Iowa through Saturday (5th) afternoon as sunshine broke out in western Iowa. Most Iowa stations reported measurable totals from the event with nearly 100 stations measuring at least an inch. More than 50 stations observed two or more inches with stations in south-central Iowa reporting the highest totals; Lamoni (Decatur County) dumped out 3.51 inches while Osceola (Clarke County) reported 4.18 inches. As clouds dissipated, temperatures rebounded into the 50s west while mid 40s were present in eastern Iowa. Winds shifted to a southerly direction late in the night before swinging back around the west by sunrise on Sunday (6th). Morning lows were warmer than average with mid to upper 40s over northern Iowa with warmer conditions farther south.

Weekly rain totals ranged from 0.01 inch at Estherville Municipal Airport (Emmet County) to 4.30 inches in Osceola. The statewide weekly average rainfall was 1.47 inches; the normal is 0.54 inch. Lamoni (Decatur County) and Little Sioux (Harrison County) reported the week’s high temperature of 80 degrees on the 2nd, on average 24 degrees above normal. Sibley (Osceola County) and Sioux City Airport (Woodbury County) reported the week’s low temperature of 23 degrees on the 5th, on average five degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the mid 40s north to low 50s south as of Sunday.

October 31 – November 1, 2022

DES MOINES, Iowa (November 7, 2022) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented today on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November.

“Soybean harvest is nearing completion with corn close behind and farmers are also busy with other fall field work as conditions allow,” said Secretary Naig. “Portions of the state received nearly a month’s worth of badly needed moisture last week. Looking ahead, we will see a few more days of warm and dry conditions before a weather pattern change ushers in colder air.”

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

Crop Report

Warm and dry conditions early in the week helped accelerate row crop harvest, which remained ahead of average with 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 6, 2022, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork included harvesting row crops, completing fall tillage, anhydrous application, baling stalks, seeding cover crops, and applying manure.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 17 percent very short, 37 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 25 percent very short, 39 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.

Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 89 percent complete, 6 days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain remained 17 percent.

Soybean harvest was virtually complete at 97 percent, 8 days ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of the average.

Livestock were mostly doing well, with some reports of calves being treated for pneumonia.

The 4-H Family of the Year helps continue the strong tradition and history of Washington County 4-H.  They have helped make our 4-H program one to be proud of.  Receiving the 2022 4-H Family of the Year is the Steve and Pam Davis Family.

What is so unique and special about Pam Davis and her family is they are now five generations deep being involved with Washington County 4-H!  While we can congratulate Pam and her husband Steve, their children and grandchildren and nephew and his children – what isn’t visible are the generations before them.  Pam’s grandma started one of the first clubs in Washington County and her mom and dad were both club leaders.  Pam was a member of the Eager Beavers and Washington Hustler clubs.  She has followed in her mom’s footsteps in being a club leader now of the Crooked Creek club for 23 years.  Steve and his brother were once fair board members.  Steve and Pam raised their children (Arial, Eric, Mindy, and Kim) in the sheep department and the entire family is still active working with the sheep committee for weigh-ins, check-ins, show day, and the auction.  The list is just endless. This family answers the 4-H call.

As a volunteer, Pam is at all the leader meetings – even the optional ones.  She will be there early and will stay there late to fill in any gaps or needs.   She has years of wisdom that has come in useful to new leaders and new staff.  Anyone who knows Pam knows she has a firm list of expectations (just ask anyone in her club) but we also know that they come from the purest of heart.  She wants all 4-Hers to make the best better.  She believes in the 4-H family.

It is evident this family (all five generations of them) take pride in 4-H.  They have been or are being raised into the 4-H way of life.  Pam said this is a place she believes in, they all do, because it teaches discipline, communication, cooperation, and is a place to make lifelong friendships.  Pam and Steve even met in 4-H and she shared she has a 50 year old friendship today that all started in 4-H.

What is special about this Davis family is they really have never sat out. They never took a few years off after one graduated or one moved away.  They keep coming and helping and answering the call.  They are not in it just for their own kids but for all the kids.  They have been here long enough to see many first-year members turn in to graduating members and to become some of their best fans.  They believe in the growth kids make in 4-H.  Steve and Pam continue to stay busy in the 4-H family now as active 4-H grandparents.