The unofficial end to summer this weekend is expected to draw thousands of Iowans to their state parks and waterways.  The DNR reminds users to abide by all safety measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.

Boating Safety

Boaters headed out to a lake, river, pond or any other waterway should follow these safety tips:

• Plan ahead and avoid peak hours and large crowds of boaters.
• Park your vehicles and trailers in designated parking spaces NOT in grass areas or they will be ticketed and towed.
• Alcohol and boating don’t mix. Wind, sun glare and heat can enhance the effects of alcohol, hindering the operator’s ability to make necessary decisions.
• The same limit of .08 for operating a vehicle under the influence applies to boating.
• Always have a designated operator that avoids consuming alcohol.
• Wear your life jacket, it floats, you don’t! Any children under the age 13 must wear a lifejacket at all times on a vessel underway in Iowa.
• Every boat or vessel must have a wearable life jacket for everyone on board; a USCG approved throw-able flotation device is also required on vessels 16 feet or longer.
• Make sure there is a charged fire extinguisher on board, as well as a horn/whistle.
• Slow down and watch for other boaters or personal watercraft.
• Avoid dams and other hazards on waterways.
• Obey all posted warning signs and rules.
• Drain plugs and other water draining devices must be removed and/or remain open during transport to avoid the spread of invasive species.

Beach & Swimming Safety

Wherever you choose to swim this Labor Day weekend, whether it’s a backyard pool, a pond or lake, or a public pool, please follow these safety tips:

• Keep young children at arm’s reach at all times. Never, even for a moment, leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while swimming.
• Drowning is silent.
• Learn how to perform CPR.
• Avoid alcohol use while swimming.
• Alcohol is prohibited at some public beaches.
• Glass bottles are prohibited on beaches.
• Stay within the roped area of the lake.
• Swim with a buddy.
• Obey posted signs and flags.
• Wear a life jacket or some kind of personal flotation device.
• Use sunscreen and drink plenty of water as needed.
• Iowa’s public beaches do not have lifeguards on duty.
• Check for bacteria levels at state park beaches at: https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-to-do/beach-monitoring
• Because the beaches are busier this summer, staff are encouraging visitors to utilize the non-peak times and days. For the busier beaches/parks, the non-peak days usually include Sundays through Thursdays, and Fridays before 5:00 pm. If you plan to go to the beaches on Saturdays, the non-peak hours are usually before noon.

Parks staff may temporarily close parking lots when they become full and limit the number of visitors at that point. The DNR recommends visitors go to another nearby park or beach that is not as heavily populated. Visitors are reminded to only park in designated parking spaces. All violators will be cited by staff.

State Parks/Campgrounds Safety

This weekend will be another very busy one if you plan to visit a state park and campground, use these safety tips to ensure an enjoyable time:

• Pack snacks, food, water and personal hygiene products, including hand sanitizer, to bring along for hiking and utilizing the state parks.
• Stay hydrated with plenty of fluids.
• Don’t hike alone and always have some way to communicate if you get lost and need help.
• Wear proper outdoor attire for hiking.
• Plan ahead for your visit to our parks and campgrounds. If a parking lot becomes full at a park or campground, staff may temporarily close the parking lots and limit the number of visitors at that point.
• If there is no parking available, do not park in the grass areas or any other area that is not a designated parking spot. All violators will be cited.
• Utilize the parks during non-peak times, which often include mornings and evenings.
• If a park is heavily populated, find another nearby state park that is less populated.
• Don’t transport firewood, buy it locally.
• Be respectful of your neighbors camping around you.
• Slow down on park roadways and obey posted speed limit signs. Families and kids are often walking or biking on the roads.
• “Carry In, Carry Out”—please pick up any trash and carry out what you carry into the park. Be respectful and care for our natural resources.
• Campers should dispose of trash in receptacles, not burn it in the campfires.
• Check the DNR website for all of the latest closures.
• If you plan to fish, be sure to have a current fishing license. You can purchase one by visiting www.iowadnr.gov/fishing, or by downloading the Go Outdoors Iowa app on your smartphone through the Google Play store or the App Store. You can also purchase your fishing license at some local retailers.

Paddling Safety

Whether it be tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking or canoeing, paddlers are enjoying the splash of the water, scenic views, and wildlife viewing from Iowa’s rivers, rapids and streams. Stay safe each time you paddle with these simple safety tips:

• With very low water levels in central and western Iowa, due to drought conditions, some waterways are not suitable for paddling, often leaving paddlers stranded.
• Always know your river conditions before you go paddling. For the latest river conditions, contact Iowa DNR Customer Service at 515-725-8200 or your local county conservation board for updates.
• Let others know where you will be paddling, including what access to what access, and when you are expected to return.
• Always wear your life jacket. Kids under age 13 must wear a life jacket at all times. The vessel must have enough life jackets for all members on board.
• Avoid sandbar crowds and “rafting” up together. Tubers are reminded not to go in groups larger than 10 and don’t tie tubes to one another.
• Check the Iowa DNR’s interactive paddler’s map at iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Where-to-Paddle for updates on real-time hazards like downed trees and log jams, strainers and bridge construction. Pay attention to the dam warning signs and know where dams are located before you head out on the water.
  Find individual water trail maps, including access points at iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Water-Trail-Maps-Brochures.

The shorter days and more moderate temperatures make this fall a great time for gardening projects.  The Cass County Master Gardeners invite you to their annual Fall Plant Sale, set for Saturday morning, September 9, at the Cass County Community Center, 805 W 10th Street on the Fairgrounds in Atlantic. The sale will be open to the public to purchase divided perennials suitable for fall planting. Plants expected to be on the sale include iris (bearded and Siberian), peonies, daylilies, spring-flowering bulbs, hostas, perennial geranium, anemone, baptista, salvia, sedum, garden mum, rudbeckia, clematis, oregano and other herbs, lily of the valley, yarrow, houseplants including aloe and more. There will also be a large collection of gently used garden decor, pots, books, and tools for shoppers to explore.

The sale begins at 8 AM, and will be held in the front parking lot of the Cass County Community Center on the fairgrounds in Atlantic. Interested gardeners are encouraged to arrive early for best plant selection, as the annual spring and fall sales occasionally sell out before 10 AM, especially high-demand plants.

The Master Gardeners will bring perennials dug and divided from their own gardens to the fall plant sale.  Community residents are also welcome to donate plants, and members may even help you dig! Please call in advance and make arrangements to drop off donated plants before the date of the plant sale. All funds raised from the sale support local Master Gardener projects such as community garden spaces, educational activities, grants and scholarships.

Many perennials work well for fall dividing and transplanting, including daylilies, peonies, garden phlox, bleeding heart, coneflowers, speedwell, and more. Iris and hosta can also be transplanted successfully in early fall.  By dividing the plant when it is not flowering, all the energy it produces can be directed to root and foliage growth, so plants overwinter in place and come back strong in the spring.  Additionally, the cooler weather is easier on the plants (and the gardener!), and the plants generally do not use as much water as in spring and summer.  Plants should be placed in the ground as early in fall as possible, but most can be successfully planted up until the ground freezes.  The plants should also be adequately watered until the ground freezes, which is particularly important in dry years. If you have questions about dividing and caring for plants, stop by the Extension Office or visit the online Extension Store to pick up a free publication on dividing and caring for perennial plants in the garden!

To donate items, or for more information about these events and other Master Gardener activities in Cass County, please call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, stop by the office at 805 West 10th street in Atlantic, email Cass County Extension Director and Master Gardener Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.  You are also invited to follow the Cass County Master Gardeners Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CassCoMG to keep up with local events and tips for gardening!

Jim Field visits with Kaycie Waters-Broka, Natural Resources Field Specialist with ISU Extension and Co-Chair of the Master Conservationist Program, about the Master Conservationist event in the Loess Hills.

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Today:  Widespread haze after 4:00 pm.  Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.  North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tonight:  Widespread haze after 2:00 am.  Areas of smoke before 2:00 am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
Wednesday:  Widespread haze before 5:00 pm Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.  South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday:  Sunny, with a high near 85.  South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday:  Sunny, with a high near 90.  Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Monday’s high was 84.  This morning’s low 55.  This day last year the high was 84 and the low 52.  The record high for this date is 102 degrees set in 1894 and the record low of 34 was set in 1893.  Sunrise this morning at 6:42 am and this evening’s sunset will be at 7:58 pm.

Produce in the Park is a weekly farmers market and community gathering held every Thursday evening from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the Atlantic City Park, now – October 12th.

This week, Sarah Selders will be providing live music and fresh, gourmet pizza will be on site from Hungry Spartan Pizza. Numerous vendors will be in attendance offering sweet treats, plants, crafts, baked goods and produce, produce, PRODUCE!

This week you can look forward to the following vendors:

Bridgewater Farms: wide assortment of produce
Brun Ko Farms: assortment of tomatoes, peppers, herbs, eggs, pork, lamb & chicken
Frosting, Inc.: gourmet cupcakes
Sue’s Country Garden: assortment of plants, produce, baked goods & jams/jellies
Cake’s, Cookies & Confections: assorted pastries & desserts
CJ Treats: baked goods & candles, soaps, body scrubs & oil diffusers
CK3 Farms: wide assortment of produce including watermelon
Harrisdale Farmstead: assortment of produce
Holaday Baking Company: assortment of baked goods & concession items
Imagine Garden Gifts: unique garden gifts including antique, vintage, and repurposed planters.
Johnna Joy Designs: wide selection of handmade jewelry & art
Kringleman: assorted Danish pastries
Neighborhood Bakehouse: sourdough, baguettes, sandwich bread & mini chocolate baguettes
Noble Provisions: homegrown ribeyes, beef snacks (jerky, summer sausage, beef sticks), beef brats, patties, pork brats, Italian sausage, & ground pork
Oak Hill Honey: home raised raw packaged honey
Piper’s Brae: assorted produce, jams/jellies, syrups & eggs
Ter-Bear Honey: home raised raw packaged honey
The 11th Acre: wide assortment of produce, baked goods, cottage foods & crafts

Our featured kids activity will be ‘Art in the Park’, featuring fun artistic crafts for kids to do, provided by YOUR FORTE. Visiting organizations include Zion Recovery and Cass County Cats. Yard games will also be on hand, provided by Atlantic Parks & Recreation.

All vendors accept cash, with many accepting credit cards and Venmo. All qualifying food vendors accept SNAP/EBT (also known as food stamps) with all fresh produce vendors accepting Double Up Food Bucks–coupons given for SNAP/EBT purchases of fresh produce.

For updates and information on Produce in the Park or how to sign up to participate, visit www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. ‘Like’ or ‘follow’ Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/).

Today:  A slight chance of sprinkles after 5:00 pm. Mostly sunny with a high near 88.  South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.  Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tonight:  Mostly clear with a low around 58.  North wind 5 mph.
Tuesday:  Mostly sunny with widespread haze after 2:00 pm and a high near 85.  North wind 5 to 10mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Wednesday:  Sunny with a high near 84.  South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday:  Sunny with a high near 87.  South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Sunday’s high was 82 degrees, this morning’s low 54.  This day last year the high was 86 and the low 65.  The record high for this date is 100 degrees set in 1984 and the record low is 35 set in 1967.  Sunrise this morning will be at 6:41 am and sunset tonight is at 8:00 pm.

Today:  Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. North northeast wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.
Tonight:  Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 54. East northeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
Sunday:  Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 82. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night:  Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South southeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
Monday:  Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 8 to 11 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.
Monday Night:  Mostly clear, with a low around 58. North wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Tuesday:  Sunny, with a high near 84. North wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday’s high was 92 and this morning’s low is 69.  This day last year the high was 81 and the low 58,  The record high is 100 set in 1955.  The record low is 39 set in 1904.  Sunrise Saturday is at 6:39 am and sunset this evening is at 8:03 pm.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced today it is updating the  Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payment rate to support livestock producers in the Midwest who have lost cattle to the extreme heat and humidity experienced this summer. To help indemnify ranchers to reflect a trend towards higher cattle weights in feedlots, the 2023 LIP payment rate for beef calves over 800 pounds will increase from $1244 per head to $1618, an increase of $374.

“The recent heat domes plaguing many parts of the country have proven to be unsurvivable for some animals and temperatures are not expected to let up any time soon. This is one of the latest, many examples of how a changing climate is creating immediate challenges for farmers and ranchers, and we’re finding that our emergency relief programs need to adapt accordingly,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Given these circumstances and the trend towards higher weights in feedlots, it became clear that USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Payment rates were not reflective of the true market value for cattle. This change will better indemnify the investments producers have in the livestock they raise, and we will continue to find flexibilities where possible to help our farmers and ranchers in the wake of climate-related impacts.”

LIP provides benefits to livestock owners and some contract growers for livestock deaths exceeding normal mortality from eligible adverse weather events, certain predation losses and reduced sales prices due to injury from an eligible loss. Indemnity payments are made at a rate of 75% of the prior year’s average fair market value of the livestock.

The updated LIP payment rate is effective immediately and will be applied retroactively starting Jan.1, 2023, for all eligible causes of loss including excessive heat, tornado, winter storms, and other qualifying adverse weather. Producers who have already received LIP payments for 2023 losses will receive an additional payment, if applicable, commensurate with this updated rate. For details on eligibility and payment rates, review the LIP fact sheet.

FSA recognizes that an annual update of LIP payment rates does not account for the volatile nature of livestock markets and is further exploring flexibilities to establish more current payment rates.

More Information

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.

Family Crisis Support Networks hosted a duck pond activity

The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council partnered with the Healthy Cass County Coalition and other community organizations to host their second annual Family Fun Day at the 2023 Cass County Fair.

On Saturday, July 29th, the fairgrounds were full of family activities from noon-4 PM, including water fights, a duck pond, a garden story walk, hands-on S.T.E.M. activities, a book walk, yard games and more! Each station earned a stamp on a prize card that rewarded the family with a food voucher provided by the Family Crisis Support Network.

Thank you to all the participating organizations for making the day a huge success:  Healthy Cass County, Shift ATL/Sunnyside Range, Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, Atlantic Fire Department, Atlantic Public Library, Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Cass County Master Gardeners, Cass County ISU Extension, Cass County Farm Bureau, Iowa Learning Farms, Cass County 4-H and Iowa Corn.

Iowa Learning Farms set up their Conservation Station to teach about the science of water quality and natural resources through hands-on interactive activities

The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Healthy Cass County loved seeing families enjoy some time together at the Cass County Fair while gathering ideas for activities that can be done at home, at school and out in the community as a family. The council also reminds people that child abuse is preventable, and everyone can play a part in creating safe, healthy, and nurturing environments for kids in our local communities. We cannot wait for next year to do it all over again!

For more information and updates about the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, visit @CassCountyChildAbusePreventionCouncil on Facebook.

4-H Staff and volunteers provided hands-on robotics experiences to youth

For more information on local health and wellness events, resources, and partnerships follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.

On Monday, Aug. 21, the DNR was notified of a black liquid in an unnamed tributary, approximately 1 to 1 ½ miles from the North Raccoon River. This liquid has been identified as hog manure and the investigation is ongoing.

Although the manure is no longer actively flowing, an unknown amount of manure continues to be pooled in numerous areas in the tributary and in drainage district tile 37B, verified with the Greene County Drainage District.

The public is asked to continue to avoid swimming or recreating in this area. Additionally, it is recommended that livestock using the tributary for watering be limited as well.

Throughout the week, DNR staff have investigated the area by checking tiles, tile intakes, and drainage tile outlets. Additionally, local officials and multiple landowners have provided information. Field tests show dissolved oxygen at zero and ammonia concentrations greater than 300 ppm, which is as high as the field tests read. Water samples have been collected and sent to the State Hygienic Laboratory for further analysis and are expected within the next 7-10 business days.