(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Montgomery County Extension Office in Red Oak, report Clayton and Jan Castle Renander of Montgomery County were inducted into the 2024 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, Aug. 18. Ninety-three Iowa counties participated this year and selected 125 inductees for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H. Inductees or their surviving family members were presented a certificate by the Iowa 4H Foundation President, Jeff Murphy, and State 4-H Program Leader, Mitchell Hoyer, as they were introduced on stage.

To say that Clayton Renander grew up with 4-H is, literally, the truth. His father, the late Carol Renander, began the Grant Spitfires 4-H Club, serving as its first leader. Consequently, 4-H has been a part of Clayton’s life from the beginning. As a member of the Grant Spitfires 4-H Club, Clayton participated in all club activities and has fond memories of 4-H meetings, especially playing outside with friends AFTER the meeting. Clayton’s main 4-H projects were his first love, cattle. While he never showed a grand champion, he loved the experience, from raising and feeding the cattle, to showing them in the ring. After graduating out of the Grant Spitfires, Clayton assumed the role of leader and soon became beef superintendent for the county fair. He held that position for more than 20 years. His children, Karl and Kate, participated in numerous 4-H activities but cattle were always their dad’s highlight. Clayton also served with the Extension Council and lent his expertise to any 4-H question posed to him, sometimes even when no one asked!

Unlike Clayton, Jan did not grow up with 4-H. Her introduction to 4-H and county fair began as an adult. Her first newspaper job was in the small town of New Albany, Mississippi, where she experienced the Union County Fair. In spring of 1985 Jan moved to Iowa as editor of the Red Oak Express. That summer she experienced her first Montgomery County Fair. After her first county fair experience, Jan determined to improve fair pictures. She was the first newspaper person to meet with county fair show superintendents to solicit their help. Working with Lynn Benson, county extension agent at that time, she developed the first picture board – a 10’x8’ wood frame covered in off-white canvas. When Jan and Clayton’s children joined 4-H, Jan learned how fun it is to be a 4-H mom! After Karl and Kate had graduated and Jan had left the newspaper, she continued to offer workshops for 4-H photography, helped mount pictures for judging, and became a 4-H photography judge herself, judging numerous county fairs and at the Iowa State Fair.

Photo courtesy Katie Hart, Montgomery County Extension

Counties select inductees for their exceptional work in contributing to the lives of 4-H members and the overall 4-H program. Many inductees serve as club leaders, youth mentors, fair superintendents or fair board members, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach county council members, county youth council members, fair judges, financial supporters, chaperones or ISU Extension and Outreach staff members. The inductees have demonstrated dedication, encouragement, commitment and guidance to Iowa’s 4-H’ers through the years.

“We are honored to recognize these special individuals, for their advocacy and dedication to the Iowa 4-H program,” shared Iowa 4-H Foundation Executive Director, Emily Saveraid.

“This is a great way to honor the volunteers and staff across the state of Iowa that generously give their time and talents to foster positive partnerships with our 4-H youth,” said Tillie Good, Iowa 4-H staff and volunteer development manager.

The Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame was initiated in 2002 to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of 4-H. A summary of previous honorees was on display at the 2022 Iowa State Fair in the 4-H Exhibits Building. These summaries are also available at the Iowa 4-H Foundation office in the Extension 4-H Youth Building at Iowa State University. Information about previous inductees to the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame also is available on the Iowa 4-H Foundation website, organized by year and by county. Go to www.iowa4hfoundation.org/ and under the heading “What We Do” select “Recognizing Service” then “Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame.”

(Radio Iowa) – The State Hygienic Lab has confirmed the first case of West Nile Virus this year in a man in Harrison County. Iowa State University entomologist Ryan Smith oversees the state’s mosquito surveillance program. “This year has been somewhat interesting in the fact that as we got into May and early June, we didn’t see a whole lot of mosquito activity,” he says, “and then later in June, especially as when we started seeing some of the heavy rainfall and flooding, really, across the state, and with that, I think we saw a big explosion of our mosquito numbers.”

The rains ended the drought and left the water that is key for mosquito breeding. “Mosquitoes take advantage of standing water. Any kind of flowing or moving water doesn’t allow for the juvenile stages of mosquitoes to survive, and so they really do thrive on that flooded or standing water in many of these locations,” Smith says. “And especially those counties that were impacted the most, especially out in western Iowa. I think we’ve seen really high numbers.”

He experienced the mosquito explosion first hand. “We’ve actually responded to some of the flooding that occurred in Sioux County this year, and you know, we saw really high numbers, and it doesn’t surprise me that we would have that kind of carry on, and many of the other affected areas that we kind of been able to trap in,” Smith says. Smith says there’s been an increase in disease carrying mosquitoes as well as those that are simply a nuisance. “Those are ones that will bite us, you know, and they’re going to be annoying, and, you know, that’s why we call them a nuisance,” He says. “Whereas others can actually kind of do the same. They can bite humans, but they can also transmit disease. And those are the ones that you know, at least from my perspective, that we really do worry about.”

The state Health Department recommends you dump out standing water to help cut the number of mosquitoes. Smith says that does work. “These mosquitoes usually don’t travel very far, and so if you can reduce places where they might breed, then more than likely you’re also going to reduce the impact of where you might find adult mosquitoes,” Smith says.

The Health Department also recommends that you wear mosquito repellent when outdoors to prevent mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk. The Health Department says those infected with West Nile may not experience any signs or symptoms of the virus. Some people experience minor symptoms like fever and mild headache, while others can develop serious symptoms such as a high fever, headache, disorientation, and muscle weakness. There were 17 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in 2023, and one death.