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Big Sioux River Days Schedule |
Big Sioux River Days 2003Thursday, August 28, 2003:
Friday, August 29, 2003:
Saturday, August 30, 2003:
Sunday, August 31, 2003:
Monday, September 1, 2003, Labor Day:
CELEBRATION HIGHLIGHTS:ITÕS BAAACK!!! The Third Annual Nostalgia Kruz-in kicks off this yearÕs celebration. Come downtown for an evening of food, fun, and tire smoke! Join us at the City Park outdoor stage after the Grand Parade for Phil BakerÕs ÒMusic for KidsÓ. Whether youÕre 5 or 95, PhilÕs ÒINformanceÓ guarantees to have you tapping your toes and singing along! DonÕt miss it! DonÕt let your dancing feet wander far or youÕll miss Jason David Smith, onstage, at the City Park following Phil Baker. Back by popular demand, Jason has been featured on TNNÕs ÒCrook & Chase ShowÓ since he was here last year. Visit his website at www.jasondavidsmith.com. |
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Recreation Activities |
Upcoming ActivitiesYouth SoccerWho: Boys & Girls Kindergarten – 6th grade Cost: $10.00 per child (The cost will be $25.00 after Wed. September 3rd ) Where: West Sioux High School Soccer Fields Kindergarten (Includes all 5 year olds)
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd & 4th Grade
5th & 6th Grade
Reminder: Without volunteer coaches/parents we canÕt have a soccer league. Please volunteer and get involved with your kids. Registration Deadline is Wednesday, September 3, 2003. Forms can be picked up at W.S. Elementary or Middle School offices or at the Hawarden City office. 55 & Up Field TripWe will be taking a trip to the Clay County Fair in Spencer, IA on Thursday, September 11th. Admission prices: 19 - 64 year olds $5.00 / seniors 65 & up is $3.50. A free concert is being offered by the gospel group, Chancellors Quartet, at noon. We will leave from the Senior Center at 9:00 am and will return around 3:00 pm. Individuals will be responsible for their admission price and lunch. Transportation will be provided by vans free of charge. To register call Jami at 551-4412. Registration deadline is Monday, September 8th. |
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Hawarden Housing Grant Information |
City of Hawarden's New Housing Grant ProgramThis housing grant program is for down payment and closing costs for new or existing owner-occupied homes purchased by individuals/families within the City limits of Hawarden. The program is income based and seeks to stimulate renters to purchase homes while interest rates are low. Grant Amount: $2,500. Eligibility:
Award Dates: Grants are reserved based on purchase agreements and meeting eligibility requirements. Purchases must be completed within 90 days of grant reservation. Grants are awarded upon closing of property. All transactions must be completed prior to July 1, 2004, unless the program is continued by the Hawarden City Council. Brochures with an application that further describes this program and other city housing assistance programs are available at both local banks and the city offices. |
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Election InformationCity Council
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Public Service Positions up for ElectionThe Municipal Election to elect seven positions with the City of Hawarden will be held November 4, 2003. Up for election are two city council members, mayor, a park commissioner and three hospital trustees. Elected hospital trustees, city council members, and the mayor serve a four-year term. The park commissioner serves a six-year term. Eligibility To hold office in the city, a candidate must be an eligible elector. To be an eligible elector, the candidate must meet the same qualifications required to vote and be a resident of the City he or she plans to serve. Requirements to be a Candidate All candidates must complete and submit an affidavit of candidacy with their nomination papers. This affidavit is a written form that includes the office being sought, the candidateÕs signature witnessed by a notary public, and whether he or she is an eligible elector. The Nomination Petition also needs to be completed and have at least 10 signatures. A candidate can withdraw a nomination by filing a request with the city clerk. (See dates below) Election Process As previously stated the election will be held, Tuesday, November 4, 2003. Anyone receiving a majority of the votes cast is elected to the position. If no one running for a position receives a majority of votes for the position a runoff election will be held four weeks after the regular city election on Tuesday, December 2, 2003. Post Election After the election, citizens have 10 days to contest the election or request a recount. The term of office for a newly elected official begins at noon on the first day of January that is not a Sunday or legal holiday. Where to get Information Anyone interested in running for any of these positions can pick up the State of Iowa Affidavit of Candidacy and Nomination Petition Forms at the City Offices thru the City Clerk. Additional specific questions can be directed to the City Clerk. Also for those thinking about running, a Candidates Handbook is available at the City Offices covering information about finances, signs, etc. The following is the schedule of important dates for this election season:
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Hawarden Utility to continue to move Gas Meters Outside. |
Get Signed Up To Have Your Meters RelocatedThe City of Hawarden is moving all gas meters outside of houses, businesses, and other enclosed structures for safety reasons as part of a 6-year project. We are taking voluntary sign-ups for those homeowners that would like to have their meters moved out now. If you have just moved in, are doing construction, or are going to be around the house for a few days it may be a perfect opportunity to get the gas meter out of your way. Please call 551-2565 and get on the list today!!! |
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Hawarden Wellness Program |
Get Fit Hawarden!! Promoting Wellness Through CooperationIn a collaborative effort, the Hawarden Community Hospital is joining the other Sioux County hospitals in promoting health and wellness through a new walking program. As part of a friendly, inter-hospital competition, the total number of steps walked by each hospital will determine the overall winner. Participants registered through our hospital will record daily steps as counted by a pedometer, supplied at the time of registration. The program will be six weeks in length and will start after Labor Day. A fee will be charged. Watch for more details in the Advertiser, the Independent , and Channel 10. This event is coordinated by the Hawarden Hospital, Hawarden Recreation Department, and surrounding Sioux County hospitals. |
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Skunks in Hawarden -Information on deaing with a smelly visitor. |
Solving Problems with SkunksSkunks in Your NeighborhoodOccasional skunk sightings in a neighborhood need not be cause for alarm. Preventative measures such as covering garbage cans and not leaving pet food out will help discourage their presence. Also, covering openings under patios, porches, and crawl spaces will prevent occupancy. Always make sure no animal is denning there first. If a skunk wanders into your garage, don't panic. Just open the garage door before dusk, and wait until the skunk exits for nightly foraging. Sprinkle a wide band of white flour across the threshold, so you can see evidence of exiting footprints. For obvious reasons, keep all domestic animals away from the area. Once the visitor has left, close the door and make sure it stays closed. Evicting SkunksBecause skunks are nomadic, their residence under your shed, porch or outbuilding will resolve itself in due time: They'll just move on. However, if you must evict skunks from under a building, try spraying a mixture of eight ounces of dish detergent, eight ounces of castor oil, and one gallon of water around the area where the skunks reside. To determine if the den has been vacated, stuff newspaper in the entry hole; if animals are still present, the paper will be pushed out within 24 hours. The only way to keep skunks permanently out from under a building is to seal the structure off with chicken wire or hardware cloth. It's important to sink the wire down a few inches into the ground, bend it at a 45° angle, and then run at least 12 inches of wire out away from the building in a reverse "L" shape, so a false bottom is created-foiling any skunk who tries to dig back in. A note of caution: Be sure that all animals are out from under a structure before sealing it off; otherwise, the remaining skunks will starve to death. WindowsBecause of their natural nearsightedness and poor climbing ability, skunks often tumble into window wells and are unable to climb out. If the window well is shallow (under two feet), place a piece of wood in the well at less than a 45° angle to serve as a ramp. Make sure the board has a towel or chicken wire tacked to it for traction. If the window well is any deeper, put on heavy gloves, place smelly cheese in the far corner of an animal carrier or plastic rectangular garbage can tipped on its side, and slowly lower it into the window well. The skunk will be enticed by the cheese and should walk right into the container. Slowly raise the can or carrier, elevator style, to ground level, keeping your hands on the outside so you don't risk being bitten. Leave the area. The skunk will soon amble out. It's essential to then purchase or make a window well cover out of heavy wire mesh fencing, or this situation will recur. If you hire professionals to help remove the skunk, make sure they release the skunk on site. TrappingAlthough people's initial reaction may be to get rid of skunks, trapping will not solve the problem, because skunks from the surrounding area will quickly replace those removed. As long as an inviting habitat (brush or rock piles, elevated sheds, and openings under porches or house foundations) exists, skunks will use it. Trapping merely creates turnover in the population; in springtime, this can result in orphaned, starving skunks wandering around neighborhoods. RabiesPeople often have exaggerated fears about rabies and skunks. In the central United States, skunks may contract their own strain of rabies or serve as a "spillover" species for the raccoon variant that is currently present in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. However, since 1980, only one human death has been attributed to the skunk strain of rabies in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the few human deaths from rabies-on average two to three a year, nationwide—have largely been due to the bat strain or canine strains contracted overseas. The bottom line is that people stand a far greater risk of dying from a falling brick or bad hamburger than from skunk rabies. Nonetheless, it's important to take proper precautions by calling your local animal control officer if you observe a sick, disoriented skunk in areas where rabies occurs. What's That Smell?Skunks use their strong-smelling spray to defend themselves-in fact they don't have any other form of defense. The spray is composed of sulfuric acid that can be ÒfiredÓ from either of two independently operating anal glands. Skunks stamp their front feet as a warning when threatened, giving you a chance to back off. Dogs, however, tend to ignore this warning. That's why it's hard to find a human who has been sprayed, but easy to find a dog who has. Skunk odor on wayward pets may be neutralized with liberal amounts of vinegar or tomato juice. This will make the odor tolerable-only time will eliminate it. A reported deodorant recipe for skunk spray that can be used on animals and clothes includes these ingredients: 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn® liquid dish soap, Apply liberally and hold your nose! Chlorine bleach, ammonia, or commercial products containing neutroleum alpha may be used on inanimate objects - do not use these on any living thing. Carbolic soap and water are safe to use on skin. Liberal flushing with cold water will ease the discomfort of skunk spray in the eyes. - Laura Simon, Director, Urban Wildlife, The Fund for Animals, New York City - Some information in this page adapted from Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife, available from The HSUS. Copyright © 2003 The Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved. |
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