Dragonfly Books invites everyone to an Evening in Conversation with Chris and Emily Norton based on the upcoming book The Seven Longest Yards (Zondervan, 2019) . This moderated conversation provides attendees a unique opportunity to hear from Chris and Emily a week before the book is published and to receive their own autographed copy.
If you would like to guarantee an autographed copy of "The Seven Longest Yards", tickets are available for $29 (the cost of the book plus tax) at https://chrisnortondecorah.brownpapertickets.com/ or in store at Dragonfly Books. Free tickets to guarantee a seat are available at Dragonfly Books.
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Note: Eagle Bluff van transportation is NOT available for this class. You will be driving yourself to Whispering Winds hobby farm.
**Schedule a private fossil hunt, tailored to you. For 1 to 10 individuals. Perfect for individuals trying to grow their collection, birthday parties, completion of Boy and Girl Scout Badges, or just a fun day out!
Optional fee: $5 for a laminated fossil site map, several different site maps are available. Cash payable to instructor at class
Instructor -Beverly Sandlin is an amateur paleontologist and host of Bluffcountryfossils.net & accompanying Fossil Adventure Blog. She has lectured throughout southeast Minnesota on fossils and has hosted numerous tours and fossil hunts. Whispering Winds and one collection site are handicap accessible.
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This program will be held in the green space west of John Cline School. Bring your own mat or towel (limited supply available). No need to register, just show up!
Yoga in the Park is sponsored by Gundersen Health Clinic and Winneshiek Medical Center.
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In the event of rain, fireworks will be rescheduled to Sunday, July 8, at dusk
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Event is free and open to the public and books are available for purchase.
If you can't attend but would like a book, please call Dragonfly Books to reserve a copy and have it autographed for you.
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Tuesday: stock car races at the Upper Iowa Speedway.
Wednesday: Rogue Rodeo from Albia. Named the Iowa Rodeo Cowboys’ Association’s Best New Rodeo in 2016, its motto is “Old Roots, New Boots.”
Thursday: National Tractor Pullers’ Association (NTPA) tractor pull.
Friday: “Back to Classic Rock Night.” Northeast Iowa’s Challenger will open for headliner Cherry Pie, from Milwaukee, Wis. Challenger is a “classic modern rock” band made up of Dave Carmody (lead guitar and back up vocals), Joe Grimelli (rhythm guitar and backup vocals), Charlie Meyer (bass guitar and back up vocals) and Brent Woodson (drums and lead vocals). A fun, family-friendly festival band with over 18 years of experience, Cherry Pie plays all of the biggest “Hair Band” hits and ballads of the ‘80s, in addition to a few anthems from the ‘70s. The band employs a top tier sound, lighting and special effects crew.
Saturday is “Country Music Night,” with details to be announced at a later date.
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Join Ross Evelsizer, Watershed Planner from Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development, for a program discussing how increased flood frequencies, repeated damage to public infrastructure, changing precipitation patterns, and water quality concerns impact the future of Winneshiek County residents.
Hear about how the Upper Iowa Watershed Management Authority is addressing these issues and how you can be involved.
The Upper Iowa River Watershed Resiliency Plan, which was developed by the Upper Iowa River Watershed Management Authority and their partners, seeks to improve and protect ground and surface water quality; reduce the risk to and impact of flooding to social, economic and ecological systems; and build human and landscape resiliency. It is a comprehensive plan that calls us all to action and it sets the stage for success.
Sliding scale ($5-$15) for donations accepted.
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Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center (119 Winnebago, Decorah) is hosting a program with Michael Luick-Thrams, PhD on Monday, July 22that 6:30pm.
A Continent Divided: How Germany and Europe have Reacted to Today's Refugees and Migrants
In this program, Luick-Thrams will offer a review of the strains caused by swelling numbers of non-Europeans in Europe today, as well as the evolving issues involving their integration and a growing restrictive reaction on the parts of Europeans everywhere. A lively Q-and-A session as well as an all-group discussion will follow.
Iowa social historian Michael Luick-Thrams lives in Germany, where he teaches and writes. He directs two non-profits (www.TRACES.org) that deal with multi-cultural issues. Since 1.5 million refugees or migrants began arriving, Luick-Thrams has witnessed not only the Germans specifically but Europeans generally struggle with how to respond to their new neighbors.
A sliding scale donation of $5-$15 is asked at the door.
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The meals will be served at a later date decided by royalty and buyer, and will be at either the buyers home or business.
Proceeds from the Box Social silent auction will go towards purchasing chairs and tables for the exhibit halls.
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Claire is a 2017 graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and has been the recipient of an Iowa Arts Fellowship, a Sun Valley Writers' Conference Fellowship, and a Key West Literary Seminar Scholarship. She is currently an adjunct professor of creative writing at the University of Iowa, and she also teaches fiction writing at the Iowa Young Writers' Studio. Her short fiction has appeared in, among others, Barrelhouse Magazine, Little Fiction, and Longform. Her short story, "I Only Want to Talk About the Nice Things," was one of 2016's Best of the Net, and was #1 on Longform's 2015 fiction list.
Claire has worked as a paralegal, a nanny, a temp, and a staff writer at a woodwind non-profit. She is not a woodwind musician. She has half of a master's degree in social work. Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, she now lives in Iowa City, where she is at work on a second novel.
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Participants are invited to bring a sign and a chair. There will be at least one person there eah hour between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center (119 Winnebago St., Decorah) will be open from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. as a place to go for restrooms, cooling off, water, etc.
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This program will be held in the green space west of John Cline School. Bring your own mat or towel (limited supply available). No need to register, just show up!
Yoga in the Park is sponsored by Gundersen Health Clinic and Winneshiek Medical Center.
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The Fair Fun Run will be held Saturday, July 13. This event for the whole family consists of a 3/4 mile distance for children 12 and under and a 3-mile distance for older children and adults. Each participant is eligible for a prize drawing held during the awards ceremony (must be present to win). Refreshments are also provided. Awards to 1st-3rd place in each age division.
This event is made possible with the support of the Winneshiek County Fair Board and these sponsors: Collins Aerospace, Deco Products Company, Gundersen Health System, Oneota Valley Family Eye Care, Stanley Engineered Fastening, and The Family Table.
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Get the scoop on innovative agritourism and pizza farms, as well as production for organic grains and livestock.
Join in a farm tour with potluck to follow. Please RSVP and bring a dish to share.
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11 months, 4 women, 120 homes, and over 112 tons of carbon saved – Our Green Iowa AmeriCorps team has made an impressive impact in Northeast Iowa through home energy assessments and environmental education. Come hear stories from the field and appreciate the energy-saving superstars that are creating boots-on-the-ground change right here in Northest Iowa.
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Butterburgers and Badges will feature local law enforcement officers providing table service for guests dining inside.
The officers will collect tips for their service, which along with one dollar for every purchase of any size Culver's Concrete Mixer, will benefit Special Olympics. In addition, local Special Olympics athletes will be on-hand to meet and greet guests.
Certain locations will also have canisters on display throughout the month of July to help collect change in a movement called Change for Champions.
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We invite you to bring in your poetry, or prose, or spoken word! Add it to the Word Salad. “Locally sourced. sometimes fresh.” Three minutes per person. You can sign up at the door at 6:45, show at 7:00.
June Melby is the author of My Family and Other Hazards, a memoir about her family’s miniature golf course. As a performance poet, she has been seen at the Knitting Factory and CBGBs in New York, LA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and poetry slams in Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and London.
Before and after the open mic, join us for vinyl night! Every Wednesday, bring your favorites and enjoy a few drink specials.
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All performances take place in front of the Winneshiek County Courthouse on Main Street. In the event of bad weather, musicians may choose to perform in the covered parking lot under the Decorah Public Library. Changes will be announced with local media.
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This program will be held in the green space west of John Cline School. Bring your own mat or towel (limited supply available). No need to register, just show up!
Yoga in the Park is sponsored by Gundersen Health Clinic and Winneshiek Medical Center.
more info...
Learn how to make healthy lifestyle changes at Winneshiek Medical Center’s pre-diabetes education class on Saturday, July 20 from 9 am to 12 noon on the lower level of the medical center. The class costs just $25 thanks to the generous support from the Depot Outlet and the Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation. Participants will receive valuable materials and education not typically covered by insurance.
The WMC pre-diabetes education class is open to anyone interested in understanding and preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes. Instructors will discuss the definition of pre-diabetes, risk factors, prevention of type 2 diabetes and carbohydrate counting.
Class size is limited; the registration deadline is Wednesday, July 17. Call 563-387-3156 to register or for more information.
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Under Paris Skies found their inspiration in sidewalk cafes, French cabarets, Gypsy camps, Argentine dance halls and Euro streets.
Music will be outdoors if weather allows, $5 cover charge.
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A Continent Divided: How Germany and Europe have Reacted to Today's Refugees and Migrants
In this program, Luick-Thrams will offer a review of the strains caused by swelling numbers of non-Europeans in Europe today, as well as the evolving issues involving their integration and a growing restrictive reaction on the parts of Europeans everywhere. A lively Q-and-A session as well as an all-group discussion will follow.
Iowa social historian Michael Luick-Thrams lives in Germany, where he teaches and writes. He directs two non-profits (www.TRACES.org) that deal with multi-cultural issues. Since 1.5 million refugees or migrants began arriving, Luick-Thrams has witnessed not only the Germans specifically but Europeans generally struggle with how to respond to their new neighbors.
A sliding scale donation of $5-$15 is asked at the door.
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Since 1967, over 1 1/2 million visitors from all over the world have attended our festival in Decorah, Iowa!
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Thursday July 25, 2-6
Friday, July 26, 10-2
Saturday July 27, 1-5
PLEASE COME VISIT AND ENJOY THE AMAZING VIEW FROM ATOP RIDGEWOOD DRIVE
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Stop by from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in Vesterheim’s Bruening Visitor Center, 502 W. Water Street, to learn a tune, share a tune, jam with us, or just come to listen.
Bring any instrument you play and join in. This informal music collaboration is great fun for all levels and happens the fourth Sunday of each month.
Drop in whenever it works in your schedule. No charge. Recording device advised.
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More than half of Iowa farmland is rented. In some Iowa locations, as much as 70 percent of the land is farmed by farmers who don’t own the land.In Northeast Iowa, the result is many conversations and negotiations between farmland owners and producer-tenants to determine what makes sense for farmland leases and cash rental rates – both fixed rent and flexible arrangements. Strong landlord/tenant relationships are important for the long-term viability of Iowa’s farming communities.
These are just a few reasons why Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers workshops designed to answer questions that land owners and tenants have about farmland leasing and land management issues.
These workshops will be held across northeast Iowa counties starting July 29 through August 15.
Melissa O’Rourke, ISU Extension Farm & Agribusiness Management Specialist will present a wide range of topics related to farmland leasing and management.
O’Rourke is a licensed attorney with extensive experience in working with farm, ranch and agribusiness interests.
“Year after year, I receive numerous contacts from persons who have questions about farmland values and rental rates,” says O’Rourke.
“The interest in and conversations about farm leasing arrangements continues to grow, and 2019 is no different,” O’Rourke noted. “We always have good attendance and discussion at these meetings.”
“Due to the volatility of commodity and land markets, we have seen had increased inquiries regarding both fixed and flexible cash lease methodologies,” says O’Rourke. “There are dozens of methods for putting together flexible cash lease arrangements, and we will work through several examples.”
O’Rourke also noted that ISU research indicates that on average, cash rent values across the state have declined for several years. The most recent ISU cash rent survey showed steady rents to slight declines in Iowa.
O’Rourke has also seen that farmland owners and producer-tenants need to have more conversation about the cost of inputs to put in the crop and reasonable expectations on profit margins.
“ISU Extension and Outreach has good resources for people to use to gain an understanding of how crop input costs can be considered in setting cash lease rates, and I’ll show how those can be used.”
O’Rourke also noted the increasing age of farmland owners. “ISU Extension research indicates that the average age of farmland owners continues to rise,” stated O’Rourke. “Fifty-five percent of Iowa's farmland is owned by people over the age of 65, while 28 percent of the land is owned by individuals over age 75. We find that children and surviving spouses may be less likely to continue operating the farm themselves. That’s a major reason why farmland leasing continues to increase.”
O’Rourke encourages anyone with an interest in farmland rental rates to attend these meetings. “Both farmland owners and producer-tenants should attend. In fact, the ideal situation is for these folks to attend together and then sit down at the kitchen table to discuss their farm lease arrangements for the coming year.”
Workshop attendees will receive a comprehensive workbook packed with information about land values, leasing and different types of farm lease arrangements. “Everyone should leave with a heightened understanding of farmland leasing and land management issues.”
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In early 2019, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's oldest gun violence prevention advocacy group changed its name to Brady and expanded its efforts. The End Family Fire program is one of four new initiatives.
Family Fire is a shooting involving an improperly stored or misused gun found in the home, resulting in death or injury. Incidents include unintentional shootings, suicides, and other gun-related tragedies. There are easy, every-day steps that each of us can take to prevent such occurrences.
Kisa Shapiro will present what can be done legislatively and what can be done at home to prevent gun violence.
Sliding scale ($5-$15) for donations accepted at the door.
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