One Section • Volume 137 • No. 16June 14, 2018 www.pluimpublishing.com Orange City, Iowa

DEMOCRATCAPITALSIOUX COUNT Y

WEATHER

75¢ • THURSDAY

Local experts say county is a child-care desertBy KIM VAN ESCorrespondent

AREA — In a county with more than 50 child-care programs (centers and in-home providers), the term “desert” may seem like an exaggeration. After all, a child-care desert implies that child-care slots are nonexistent or insufficient. But, closer examination suggests that the crisis is real.

In 2015, Sioux County hospitals and Community Health Partners, providers of Sioux County’s public-health service, teamed up to do a health needs assessment. In each county community, meetings were held, and surveys were administered to determine gaps in care.

In each location, a child-care shortage was mentioned as a need. The report reads, “Community focus groups identified childcare services as a need citing lack of available spaces and limited after-hours care.”

According to 2017 Sioux County statistics from the Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral, 68 percent of families with children younger than six years had all parents working, thus needing some child care each week. Based on this statistic and the total number of children from birth to five years of age, more than 2,000 children in Sioux County need child care outside their home.

Compare that number to the number of child care spaces listed with CCR&R: 1,619. Those providers include day-care centers, licensed in-home providers, and other registered providers.

Wait lists confirm the shortage of child-care slots. At Orange City Area Daycare and Preschool, the school-year capacity is 283 children. Currently there are 37 children on the wait list. Director Sheri Konz tells parents that the soonest they can expect to enroll is May 2019, the farthest out the wait has ever been since the current building was erected in 2008.

In response to past needs, the Orange City Area Daycare and Preschool built an addition four years ago. But Konz is not aware of plans to expand that center’s services.

Sioux County is not alone. In fact, almost all of Iowa, minus the Des Moines area, is considered a child-care desert, according to Melissa Juhl, regional director for CCR&R.

“Every 90 days our office checks with providers to see if they have any spaces,” Juhl explained. “Because of the few openings, it has become harder to provide referrals to parents.”

Carla Hydeen has provided child care in her Orange City home for almost 34 years. In the last couple years, she has received an increased number of calls from parents looking for openings. One parent said in

desperation, “If I can’t find child care, I need to quit my job!”

But Hydeen has had to turn them down: she is already full for the 2018-2019 school year with six full-time and two part-time slots, the maximum she is allowed by the state.

“I feel sorry for these parents,” Hydeen said. “They need these jobs to support themselves.”

A Northwestern professor moving to Sioux County this summer is also looking for child care. If day-care centers and in-home centers all have waiting lists, what is a parent to do?

The State Child Care Advisory Committee calls attention to the shortage of slots for infants and toddlers. This problem is true locally, as well: Currently Orange City’s center has 18 infants on the waiting list. Infant care is costly to provide because of the ratio of one adult for every four infants.

Also, some parents need care for children outside of the typical work day (before 6:30 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m.), sometimes for second- and third-shift work.

Why the crisis?Child care experts give many reasons for the shortage

of child care slots. “One reason for the shortage of child-care providers is the low unemployment rate,” said Juhl. Low unemployment often correlates with more job openings, and many of these available jobs come with better pay and better benefits than a child-care provider normally receives.

Even full-time workers at a daycare center do not always receive full benefits. At Orange City Area Daycare, full-time workers (those working 32 hours or more per week) receive some paid time off and a discount on their own children’s day care, but no health or retirement benefits. These minimal benefits, along with average pay, make it hard to attract and keep enough staff, according to Konz.

The need for child care is also intense because of the large number of working parents. Across Iowa, 75 percent of families with children younger than six have

Mostly sunny skies are seen for weekend

AREA — After a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday, May 14, the weekend should be mostly sunny, with partly-cloudy evenings, according to the Tuesday, June 12, forecast by the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, office of the National Weather Service.

On Thursday, there is a 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m. Mostly sunny skies are then expected, with a high temperature near 88 degrees with a south-southeast wind from 10 mph to 15 mph, with gusts as strong as 25 mph.

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms (20 percent) after 2 a.m. is forecast for Thursday evening, otherwise partly cloudy, with a low temperature of approximately 71 degrees.

From Friday, June 15, through Sunday, June 17, the forecast calls for mostly sunny skies during the day and partly-cloudy skies in the evenings.

The high temperature on Friday is expected to be near 92 degrees, the temperature falling to a low of approximately 71 degrees that evening. High temperatures on Saturday and Sunday are expected to be near 94 degrees with a low of approximately 72 degrees on Saturday evening and 69 degrees during Sunday night.

On Monday, June 18, a 30-percent chance of showers surfaces, otherwise with sunny skies and a high temperature near 90 degrees.

Onion and radish and greens, oh my!LaVonne Blok and other local gardeners, farmers, bakers and crafters bustling at this year’s Orange City Farmers’ Market. The market opened last week and will continue through the summer at the Windmill Park pavilion. Hours are Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. To become a vendor, call Miranda Fahrenbruch at 712-441-1640. (Photo by Janine Calsbeek)

Regional lookMelissa Juhl, regional director for Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral, headquartered at Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Inc., in Remsen, says its getting harder to provide referrals to parents looking for child day

care. Demand is growing faster than places providing care for children of working parents. (Photo by Kim Van Es)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

ORANGE CITY — Dan Kraai, owner of Kraai Furniture, is retiring, and the store will be closing at the end of June.

A going out-of-business-sale will begin mid-July at the downtown location.

Kraai Furniture has been serving Orange City and the surrounding area for more than 80 years, locally owned and operated by three generations of the Kraai family.

Merlyn “Mert” Kraai (1917-2008) founded the store. Born and raised in Orange City, Mert dropped out of school during the Depression of the 1930s and worked with his father in the town’s meat market. He decided to start a furniture business out of his garage in 1939.

Dan Kraai has been in the furniture and floor covering business for most of his life. He delivered furniture during his high-school years and helped install carpet during his college years. He went into the business full time with his father Mert in 1972.

Dan took charge of the business full time in 1982.His children Matt, Ryan and Marcus work alongside

him in the family business.

In September, TC Home Furnishings, owned by the Ten Clay family, will occupy the current store location in downtown Orange City. It will be the second location for the Ten Clay family. Their first store, Northwest Decor and Furniture, located in Sheldon, offers sales, service and knowledge in retail furniture and flooring.

“We are excited about the opportunity to offer furniture, flooring, mattresses and accessories to the Orange City area.” says Daniel Ten Clay. “We’re looking forward to being part of the community, and to making a positive impact for many years to come; we see Orange City as a vibrant community with a customer base that shares our values and beliefs.”

Mike Hofman, executive director of the Orange City Chamber of Commerce, says that Orange City has a flourishing downtown retail environment, and this addition will help to keep the downtown vibrant. “Our community is home to many niche shops and nationally recognized retailers,” he says. “We believe that TC Home Furnishings will be a perfect fit and help complement all of our retailers.”

Furniture store will change hands

Changing handsAfter nearly 80 years of his family selling furniture, and nearly 50 years himself, Dan Kraai is retiring. Kraai Furniture will be closing its doors as TC Home Furnishings occupies the building and continues to provide the service to Orange City and the area. (Photo by Doug Calsbeek)

JUNE 17

Sioux County Capital-Democrat • Thursday, June 14, 2018 Page 3

Second Front

Stay Healthy!

What’s all the buzz about e-cigarettes?By CHERYL BUNTSMACompass Pointe Behavioral Health ServicesCertified Prevention SpecialistSioux and Lyon Counties712-439-1170cherylb@compass-pointe.org

At Compass-Pointe Behavioral Health Services we have been kept busy on a wide range of prevention topics and issues, vaping being one of them.

An e-cigarette is primarily made up of heating coils and a chamber for pre-filled cartridges. Of course, packaging them into sleek looking “got-to-have” electronic gadgets becomes an art in itself.

The cartridges that one can purchase come in many different flavors and with or without nicotine.

E-cigarettes are either battery operated or charged by

plugging into a computer’s USB port, as in the product JUUL. The nicotine cartridges contain enough liquid nicotine to equal that of smoking a pack of cigarettes.

Vaping, which is the act of using an e-cigarette, has become very popular. In Iowa, e-cigarettes are legal to purchase if a person is 18 years of age or older. They are desired and used by those under the legal age.

Being able to blow smoke rings and exhale vapors has suddenly come back into style.

It’s hard to keep up with all the technology, styles, flavors and disguises of vape pens. The Juul, a trendy vape that resembles a flash drive can be charged in a laptop’s USB port. It is being found in the hands of youths.

According to the 2016 Iowa Youth Survey, two percent of the students reported they smoked a cigarette within the last 30 days, and four percent reported they had used an e-cigarette.

Marketing the e-cigarettes plays a big part in decreasing the risk perception of these products, which, in turn, increases their use.

What is actually inside those pre-filled cartridges, and should we be concerned?

White Cloud, an e-cigarette company lists their basic ingredients as propylene glycol, vegetable glycol, nicotine and various flavorings. The two types of glycol chemicals can be found in various products, such as toothpastes, food additives and cosmetics.

The solvent or liquids in the vials are said to be food-grade solvents, meaning they are safe to eat. But, that’s the point, they are inhaled as a vapor after passing through very hot coils (212 degrees and much higher).

Once inhaled a percent of the toxins are absorbed by the body. The vapor is then exhaled leaving little or no trace of what it contains.

A team of chemists from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California has analyzed the vapors of three different products, as cited in the article by Janet Raloff, “Science News for Students,” July 28,

all parents working, according to the CCR&R. In Sioux County, that number is lower but still significant at 68 percent. The large number of parents in the workforce results in a high need for child care.

Another reason for the crisis in Sioux County is that some long-time in-home providers recently retired, and they are not being replaced. In 2012, Sioux County had 95 child care programs listed with CCR&R. This number includes centers and in-home care. In 2017, the number was 58, dropping by 39 percent over five years.

Fortunately, the number of child care spaces did not drop by the same percentage, since 81 percent of spaces in Sioux County are in center-based programs. But bottom line, the need for child care exceeds the total number of spaces.Pursuing solutions

After the 2015 health needs assessment, a committee was formed to address the child care shortage in Sioux County. The Daycare Health Improvement Task Force included representatives from Community Health Partners, hospitals, day cares, organizations that work with parents, the county attorney’s office, ISU Extension and CCR&R.

This task force issued a press release encouraging people to consider opening a child care business and pointing them to resources that would help them.

This group is also calling for each community within the county to gather city leaders and planners to assess the need (needs of both families for child care and of providers) and consider the resources available to meet

those needs.Iowa’s State Child Care Advisory Committee suggests

additional solutions. Their suggestions include helping child-care businesses through small business grants or tax incentives.

Another recommendation from this advisory committee, also mentioned by Juhl, is that the state needs to increase the provider reimbursement rate for Department of Human Services child-care assistance. Currently that rate is far below market value, Juhl said.

Whereas many in-home providers see their work as a mission, they also need to see themselves as businesses, Juhl said. If they aren’t going to make a decent profit, they probably won’t continue. That may mean developing policies that may not always be popular to parents (such as charging for a minimal number of hours), but that help the business thrive.

Communities may think creatively about how to support child care centers. Child care centers often receive assistance from government entities or businesses to help keep expenses down. For example, Orange City’s center is a nonprofit organization. It is the recipient of area fundraisers, and it also receive services (such as meals and maintenance) from other entities in Orange City.

According to Juhl, there is a lot of community support for child care in Sioux County, but that support needs to grow. More businesses need to be part of the solution.

Employers may need to look at how they can provide for their own employees. Across Iowa, some businesses pay an extra dollar per hour to providers, provide necessities such as light bulbs, do the bookkeeping, supply lawn care or even establish workplace-based child care centers.

Communities benefit when child care needs are met, Juhl said. “For economic development to happen, employees need choices for where to bring their children when they are at work.” A sufficient number of day-care centers and in-home providers, as well as options for irregular hours, is what experts say is needed to relieve the child-care desert.

Task Force made child care recommendationsCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Big demandSheri Konz, director of Orange City Area Daycare and Preschool, says the center is operating with full enrollment. Even with the recent expansion, waiting lists have been necessary, given the demand for the center’s services. (Photo b Kim Van Es)

Loving careSavannah Van Essendelft, child care assistant at Orange City Area Daycare and Preschool holds Brylie Bortscheller in the Infant Room at the Orange City care center. Van Essendelft is among caregivers in the center which is full to capacity, even after a recent addition. (Photo by Kim Van Es)

Gospel music festival is set

SIOUX CENTER — The annual Hope Haven Gospel Music Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 15 and 16, at Central Park in Sioux Center.

The festival will begin at 1 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Each day there will be continuous gospel music until 9:30 p.m. Jim Driesen, volunteer coordinator for the event, arranged for approximately 20 gospel groups from six states to sing.

Local performers include Russ Vande Vegte of Sioux Center, Kempers Quartet of Sioux Center, Katie Howe and Mom of Sioux Center, Men of Praise of Rock Valley and Angie, Allie and Dan of Rock Rapids.

Offerings for Hope Haven will be received both days during the benefit.

Those attending should bring lawn chairs for seating. A lunch stand, sponsored by the Trinity Christian Reformed Church of Rock Valley, will be provided during both days.

In case of rain, the festival will be held at the Recreation Center on the campus of Dordt College in Sioux Center.

Funds from the festival help providing opportunities for children and adults with disabilities locally and internationally.

2016. The team discovered a host of toxins in the vapors and most surprising was the fact that as the user continues to vape, the coils become hotter, increasing the amount of toxins in the vapor.

It is easy to see from this information why it would be important to discourage the use of e-cigarettes for all ages, but here is another one. It’s the use of marijuana.

Without getting into too much detail here, one can simply make a tincture of marijuana. (YouTube is the source for many creative but lethal ideas.)

Marijuana contains the mind-altering chemical THC, can be combined with other substances such as vodka or other liquors. This new tincture of liquor and now concentrated THC can then be injected into the vial that is placed into the vape pen.

Once the pen is lit, it delivers a concentrated form of marijuana, and the chemicals from the already existing formula (which may or may not be in the product). It is inhaled and absorbed by the respiratory system and sent throughout the entire body.

The vapor is exhaled into a cloud of smoke that has virtually no trace of the acerbic odor of nicotine, much less marijuana.

I hope you talk with those around you about the risks of e-cigarettes or anything that could harm them. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and, believe me, in my world of prevention, we only hold a drop of water in comparison to the tidal waves of money spent to lobby legislation and/or to promote these types of products as a “safe alternative.”

Be safe, make wise choices and protect the things you value!

Blood donors are needed to beat summer shortage

SIOUX COUNTY — Five blood drives in Sioux County have been scheduled to help LifeServe Blood Center keep its stocks available.

From vacations to outdoor fun and summer weddings, there are activities keeping blood donors away from their regularly-scheduled donation appointments. Hospital patients aren’t able to take a vacation from their need for lifesaving blood products, according to the announcement.

The Hull Public Library will host a drive on Tuesday, June 19, from noon to 6 p.m.

The Centre Mall in Sioux Center will host a drive on Tuesday, June 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Granville Community Fire Hall will host a drive on Tuesday, June 26, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Faith Reformed Church in Rock Valley will host a drive on Tuesday, June 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

American Reformed Church in Orange City will host a drive on Thursday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

LifeServe Blood Center is a non-profit, community-based blood center that serves the needs of local hospitals and patients in our region, including the Orange City Area Health System. The center is the sole provider of blood and blood products to more than 120 hospitals in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. For more information about blood donation or to schedule an appointment to donate blood, call toll free to 1-800-287-4903 or access www.lifeservebloodcenter.org.

Be on the lookout for cabbage pestBy MARGARET MURPHYHorticulture Educator andRegional Food CoordinatorIowa State University Extension and Outreach712-472-2576 or mmurphy@iastate.edu

You are probably familiar with the adult form of the imported cabbageworm. They are the small, white butterflies that flutter around your garden. Their front wings have small, black spots.

As the name suggests, females prefer cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, kale and broccoli to host their tiny, light-colored eggs.

The eggs are often found on the underside of leaves and usually hatch within a week of being laid.

The larvae are velvety green caterpillars that develop a faint yellow stripe down the back as they mature.

Larvae will reach about an inch in length and have a voracious appetite as they slowly chew their way through a leaf or bore their way into a head of cabbage.

Management of this pest begins with good surveillance. Keep an eye out for the butterfly flittering around the yard. I have already noticed it in the garden, so now is the time to start checking cole crops for eggs or larvae.

Such crops can tolerate some insect damage but, if treatment is needed, there are a few approaches you can try.

• Physical control: Remove caterpillars by hand. I have tried this, and while it works, the task can get a bit daunting if you have a large crop.

I have switched to using floating row covers, which are made of light-weight, gauze-like material. They allow light and water through while creating a barrier to insect pests preventing the female from laying her eggs.

For floating row covers to be effective, however, it is important that the cover be placed over the crop as soon as (or before) you observe the butterfly in your yard. Also, be sure to anchor the bottom of the floating row cover to prevent the wind from flipping up the edges exposing the plants.

• Insecticidal control: An organic option for insecticidal control includes Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly referred to as Bt. Other control options include spinosad, insecticidal soap and carbaryl.

Whenever applying any type of insecticide, remember to read the label and follow all the instructions carefully.

(To learn more about reducing insecticide impact to bees in the garden, take a look at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication, “Protecting Bees from Pesticides.” It is available to view or download at the Extension store, https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Protecting-Bees-from-Pesticides.)

• Lastly, an additional step toward controlling this garden pest is to practice good garden clean up. Remove infested plant material after harvest to reduce the risk of the imported cabbage worm overwintering as a pupa on plant debris.

For more information, contact me by phone at 712-472-2576 or by e-mail at mmurphy@iastate.edu.

To view upcoming garden or local food programs, access https://www.extension.iastate.edu/lyon/ or www.flavorsofnorthwestiowa.org. We have garden programs scheduled for every month into September, including a Master Gardener core training starting in August.