Turkey Valley didn’t try and steal a base Thursday night against top-rated BCLUW until the seventh inning, when Megan Lukes headed toward second. The move may have caught the Comets off guard, and it ended with Lukes scoring the winning run, advancing the Trojan girls to the state tournament this week with a 3-2 win.
    Lukes slid into second, saw the throw from the catcher go into centerfield and  hesitated only a moment, getting up and legging in toward third. The ball was also overthrown on that play, allowing Lukes to score, break the 2-2 tie and get mobbed by her teammates.
    “I never expected to happen what happened,” said coach Randy Novotny. “I figured with two strikes and two outs it was the ideal time to try and surprise them. We did take them totally by surprise since they made a total of five mental errors on the play.”

Olson pleaded to lesser charges, gets 42 days

    A New Hampton man accused of neglecting a herd of horses in March was sentenced in Chickasaw County last week to 42 days in jail after pleading guilty to lesser charges.
    Kelly Olson, 41, was arrested in March after Fayette County Sheriff’s Department deputies discovered 18 malnourished horses on a farm near Hawkeye. Three other horses reportedly had died from neglect.
    The horses were discovered on March 9 eating wood of feed bunks and bark off trees according to duputy reports. The property located at 18129 250th St., which Olson rented, is owned by Terry Schott, 48, of Fredericksburg. Schott and Olson were also charged with illegal possession and transportation of a deer.

    Northeast Iowa Community College has ambitious construction plans underway throughout the college district, and are turning to the proven architectural services of Invision Architecture, based in Des Moines and Waterloo.
    The architectural firm will be responsible for designing building expansions and structural plans for new construction. Invision held planning and input sessions for the past two months to learn NICC’s organizational structure, staff needs, the layout of campus buildings and the college’s future plans.

     Friday’s high heat index was not enough to keep people from having a good time and supporting their local fire department.
    The Ionia Fire Department held its annual fish fry at Chickasaw Park with yet another good turnout. Ionia Firefighter Tim Phillips said it was a good crowd with approximately 1,100 people attending. A total of 1,600 pounds of fish was served and about $3,500 was raised during the event, Phillips added.

    A group of community-minded citizens in Fredericksburg are ready to party Hawaiian style.
    A Hawaiian luau will be held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at city hall. Organizers hope community members will put on their Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts to help raise money for an electronic billboard to be constructed at city hall. There is no charge for the hog roast; however, a free-will donation will be asked. In addition to roasted pig, the community-wide event will also feature music and a tiki hut bar. 
    “We want the sign to help promote events in our community, like the one they have in New Hampton and Denver,” said Fredericksburg Mayor Bryan O’Day.

    The community is invited to Mikkelson Park in New Hampton on Sunday evening, July 27, for Celebration in the Park 2008.
    This totally free event will feature free food (until it's gone) and the music of River. Sponsored jointly by First Baptist, Trinity Lutheran and United Methodist churches, the event will begin with food being served at 5 p.m., with the concert following at around 6 p.m.

    The Fire Department is making it easier for area residents to unload their empty cans.
    New receptacles for bagged cans only are now located in the parking lots at Pamida, Cenex, Geerts Plumbing and Heating and the New Hampton City parking area east of the Community Center. Two other bins that hold loose cans are located at Fareway and Joe’s Family Foods parking lots.

    Area children recently participated in a summer activity day sponsored by the New Hampton Park and Recreation. Children spent an afternoon making crafts and playing games at Mikkelson Park.

    The annual Northeast Iowa Antique Engine and Power Show will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 9-10 at the Fredericksburg Industrial Park.
    The event includes threshing demonstrations, corn binding, shelling and shredding, straw baling, ensilage cutting, steam engines, dynamometer, feed grinding, John Deere press baler, horse plowing, horse powered wagon hoist, shingle sawing, speed jack elevator drive, Dexter Braun’s chain saw carving, a farmers market, old-time music, petting zoo, kettle corn and silent auction plus commemorative caps and T-shirts will be sold. A flea market and antiques will round out the festivities.

    Chickasaw County 4-H and FFA students participated in the Achievement Fair this week in Nashua. The horse show (games), and poultry and rabbit judging was held Wednesday. Look for fair results in the Tribune’s special 4-H section Friday, July 25.

    The Chickasaw County Emergency Management agency has begun testing area wells for contaminates caused by the recent floods.
    Since the flooding began, Chickasaw County Emergency Management Director Ken Rasing said 24 flooded wells tested for coliform bacteria, E.coli bacteria and nitrates. Of those wells tested, seven have come back from the hygienic lab with one or more of the aforementioned contaminants.

    At a public hearing to consider Tax Increment Financing from the city for Croell Redi-Mix Inc., some objections from a council member caused the hearing to be postponed for two weeks.
    Councilman Don Schueth objected to the appearance of the Croell property located west of the Highway 63 bypass. Schueth said the property made a poor impression on visitors using the bypass. Schueth said he realized the heavy equipment used by Croell was not easy to make look good, but he suggested mowing the lawn, leveling a dirt pile and planting trees on the perimeter might enhance the appearance.

    A relaxing afternoon at the hotel pool could have turned tragic if it had not been for the quick actions of New Hampton resident Kandy Quass.
    While attending the U.S. Tumbling and Trampoline Association Nationals in Ohio, Quass used her CPR skills to help save the life of a boy who was found at the bottom of a hotel swimming pool.

CPR classes

What: Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton will offer CPR certification classes through the American Heart Association.
When: Friday, July 11, Monday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 23, at various times.
Where: Classes will be held at the hospital, 308 N. Maple Ave., New Hampton.
Information: For more information or to schedule a class, call 641-394-4121.

    When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Bay Valley Foods of New Hampton is a good example of that motivating proverb.
    Known for producing a variety of dried food products, the company recently fabricated a very different kind of “metallic” product.

    The continuing changes in Iowa agriculture have added a new dynamic in farm management decision-making. 
    To help Iowa landowners and renters, Iowa State University Extension is offering two educational opportunities for area producers on farmland leasing this summer. The deadline for terminating or changing a lease for the 2009 crop year is Sept. 1, 2008.
    ISU Extension Farm Management Specialist Robert Tigner is offering a farmland leasing workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12. The program will be presented at the Pinicon restaurant at 2205 S. Linn Ave., New Hampton, with a “Dutch-treat” buffet available beginning at 6 p.m. Coffee will be available during the workshop.