Sign up for the Guttenberg Rotary Club’s second annual trivia night on Friday, January 25! Doors open at the Guttenberg Golf Club at 5pm, trivia starts at 6:30pm. Buffet dinner is included in the entry fee, dinner starts at 6pm. All proceeds benefit the Guttenberg Swimming Pool Wave of the Future project. Only 18 tables are available, so make your reservations today. Send $300 by January 19 to Guttenberg Rotary Club, PO Box 1025, Guttenberg, IA 52052. Call John or Crystal with questions at 563-252-1030.

Umbrella Arts is pleased to present the Sinatra Experience on March 23 from 7-8:30pm at PromiseLand Winery in Guttenberg. Featuring “Chicago’s Sinatra” Steve Jacobs (aka Steve Swing) and his tribute to the music of Old Blue Eyes, live in concert! Advanced tickets $15, available through Umbrella Arts members, or call the Guttenberg Chamber of Commerce at 563-252-2323.

Sat. Jan. 12 from 9-noon OR Tues. Jan. 15 from 1-4:00 – “Barnwood Bird”.  $65 includes a glass of wine, snacks and all supplies. —  Create a chickadee on barnwood with acrylic and oil paints.  Or bring a reference photo and paint in your bird of choice! Tues. Jan. 22 from 1-4:00 OR Sat. Feb 2 from 9-Noon – “Moonlight in the Pines”  $60 —  Create this 11×14 painting using acrylics and oils.  Optional frames are $24 and can be mounted in frames before leaving class, so you can hang your art on your wall at home. Sat. Jan. 29 from 9:30 – 11:30.  “Wine Bottle Santa” – $35.  Serving mimosas and muffins during this creative wine bottle class with guest artist Donita Hegemann from Whispering Pines Ornamental Concrete.  Donita will be showing us how to create this sweet little wine bottle, complete with white lights inside to enjoy during the rest of the winter months. Sat. Feb. 16th from 9 am – 1 pm. “French Painting with Lunch”  – $75 —  We’re celebrating YOU this Valentine’s Day.  Personalize this pretty little painting with your own hair color and choice of dress color in oils using palette knives, fingers and brushes.  Optional frames at $20  Complimentary Mimosas will be served during class time.  This class is followed by a delicious French lunch at the Kaffee 1858 in a private setting by Chef Sara.  The menu is chicken mushroom crepes, celery salad, creme brulee and one glass of bubbly. FINALLY, every Thursday is “Open Door Thursday” from 1-7PM in the classroom.  This means for a door fee of $10, you can gather up your supplies and come in, use an easel or a table and work on your existing project or get help starting a new painting.  I will have a still life set up if you choose to paint or sketch from it.  If you don’t have supplies but still  want to come in and create, you are welcome to use my painting or sketching supplies for a studio fee of $15 per hour.  Get as much or as little help from me as you wish during this time.  This is a time for creativity and art community support. https://www.bentwillowstudio.com/bwclasses.html#/

A job fair is scheduled at Pattison Sand Company for January 23 from 3-8pm. For more information, visit www.PattisonSand.com or call 563-964-2860. Jan 2019 Job Fair Flyer

“Estate & Transition Planning 101: The Nuts & Bolts to Get You Started” ——— Program set in Elkader on January 28 ——— Concerned about transferring family, farm or business assets, updating will or trust documents, powers of attorney and health care directives? Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers a program to answer questions about these and other transition and estate planning topics. Clayton County Extension-Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is hosting “Estate and Transition Planning: The Nuts & Bolts to Get Your Started” on Monday afternoon, January 28 at the Keystone AEA Center in Elkader. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program is from 6 to 9 p.m. There is a $10 fee to cover program costs including materials and light refreshment. The program cost is reduced thanks to a sponsorship from Julie Doeppke of American Family Insurance in Elkader. Pre-registration is requested to adequately plan for the seating, materials and refreshment. Presenting at this seminar is Melissa O’Rourke, Attorney and ISU Extension Farm and Business Management Field Specialist, who will present important information on transition and estate planning. Key topics will include: property ownership, wills, federal estate tax, Iowa inheritance tax, gifting, trusts, healthcare planning, and gifting strategies. “Families and individuals often procrastinate about planning,” says O’Rourke. “This may simply be due to confusion about how to build a plan or hesitancy to discuss and make difficult decisions.” This seminar will answer questions and get you started on putting together a plan for lifetime transitions and estate planning. O’Rourke will also talk about how families can start conversations about estate planning, transitioning a farm or other small business, including building a team of professionals to assist in the process. Powers of attorney and healthcare planning will also be highlighted. “While a basic will can provide a good estate plan for many estates, a trust may be an appropriate tool for some families and individuals” says O’Rourke. The meeting will explain the current status of federal estate and Iowa inheritance tax law and provide information to assist participants to work more effectively with their professional and legal advisors. Melissa O’Rourke earned her J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law. Her areas of expertise include agricultural law, employment legal issues, land and leasing issues, estate and succession planning. Call ISU Extension at 563-245-1451 in Elkader to pre-register for the event, or email hloan@iastate.edu. More information and a printable flyer and registration form can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/clayton.   For more information contact: ● ISU Extension & Outreach—Clayton County (Holly Loan, Executive Coordinator)– Phone 563-245-1451 ● Melissa O’Rourke – morourke@iastate.edu – Phone 712-395-0006 (housed at ISU Extension, Winneshiek County office) Farm & Agribusiness Management Specialist for Northeast Iowa Elkader Mini Poster 2019

Hiking, and Biking, and Climbing Oh My! On Wednesday, January 16th, 2019, join Clayton County Conservation and the Turkey River Recreational Corridor to mingle with like-minded recreation enthusiasts. Learn about locations and opportunities in the Corridor to Hike, Run, Bike, Climb, Paddle, and Explore and hear from recreation club leaders about how to start your own club and what clubs already exist for you to check out! Speakers representing Dubuque Kayak & Paddlers, the Mississippi Valley Running Association, Driftless Dirt, Tri-State Mountain Bike Riders, and Climb On Dubuque will share their success stories and experiences. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear about all of the upcoming recreational projects happening in the Turkey River Corridor that will improve experiences and access to outdoor recreation in Northeast Iowa! Details: Date: Wednesday, January 16th, 2019 Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm Location: Osborne Nature Center – 29862 Osborne Rd, Elkader, Iowa 52043 Look for the Hiking, and Biking, and Climbing Oh My! event on Facebook and contact Mallory Hanson, Turkey River Recreational Corridor Director (mallory@northeastiowarcd.org, 563-864-7112), or Kenny Slocum, Clayton County Conservation Naturalist & Resource Manager (kslocum@claytoncountyia.gov, 563-245-1516) with any questions. The mission of the Turkey River Recreational Corridor is to connect Clermont, Elgin and Elkader to develop and enhance the existing natural resource base through the creation of land and water trails to serve as the catalyst for economic growth and development. More information about the Turkey River Recreational Corridor can be found at www.turkeyrivercorridor.com. Press Release Hiking And Biking And Climbing Oh My!

Celebrate winter in Edgewood with Edgewood’s first ever Winter Festival on February 2, 2019, 1-4pm! Meet Queen Elsa, enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride, family activities, a bonfire, snowshoeing, an igloo and snow hill, and goats recycling Christmas trees!

January 1, 2019 at 1pm is the First Day Hike at Pikes Peak State Park! Start your year with a hike through scenic Pikes Peak!

Upcoming events at the Elkader Opera House It Runs in the Family: April 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 – 7:30 p.m., April 7 – 2:00 p.m A Year in the Death of Eddie Jester: June 6, 8, 9 The Return: A Tribute to the Beatles: June 21, 7:30pm

For more information on upcoming Clayton County events, visit our calendar.