friday takeout

Faculty and staff: Candidate interviews for president will wrap up today in Peosta. If you've attended interviews, you may have already started filling out the feedback form for each candidate. If you would like to review the recorded sessions, we will be posting the recordings on the Presidential Search page on the NICC website beginning at noon today, Jan. 28.

Recordings and feedback forms will be available to NICC employees until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31, 2022. The tight turnaround allows for the results to be organized and returned to the Board of Trustees to review and take action.

We appreciate you taking time to contribute your thoughts about the candidates for the Board to take into consideration.

Ice Ice Baby. Have you ever wondered what happens to all the salt and deicers after the snow melts away? As anyone who has ever oversalted food knows, a little salt goes a long way, nor does it just disappear once it melts. Unfortunately, most of it stays in our watershed, in our rivers, creeks, lakes and streams, and seeps into our groundwater - harming plants, animals and the environment in general. If you like to fish, think about how this overly salted water must taste to them! If you have a pet, the salt and chemical deicers can burn their paws when they walk on it. The salt and deicers also cause damage to property, like rusting out cars and pitting concrete in sidewalks and driveways, requiring more time and money on maintenance and upkeep. If you'd like to minimize your usage and maximize the efficacy, and not let hard-earned dollars literally wash away, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has a bunch of great tips. One possible way to avoid using salt or deicers is to shovel early and often (groans heard 'round households in all cold-weather climates), before snow gets compacted and hard and extremely difficult to remove. And if you cannot avoid the use of salt, don't waste your money by using too much. More salt does not mean more melting. Generally you just need a pound of salt, which is equivalent to a heaping coffee cup full of salt, for approximately 1000 square feet. If you use too much, sweep up the extra and keep it in a pail for later use. And given the frigid temperatures we've had as of late, keep in mind that salt does not work properly when the temperature is below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, so try spreading a little sand for traction instead. And speaking of traction, if you're afraid of slipping on a patch of ice, try using a product like Yaktrax or Stabilicers on your shoes. Or embrace your inner child and go with the flow and hose down your yard or driveway to turn it into an at-home ice skating rink!

Kara Holmstrom

Carlee Hayek

Helpdesk Network Technician | Calmar


What lie were you told as a kid?
Drinking coffee will stunt your growth. It made a lot of sense to me at the time because both of my grandmothers are avid coffee drinkers and they both are very short.

What is the best parenting tip?

I believe that it takes a village to raise a child.

A person who doesn’t know they have greatly impacted my life is _______________________. Please explain.

My Grandpa Lee has always been my best friend. He has taught me how to ride horses, play euchre, roller skate, sing hymns and so many more life skills. His philosophy in life is to be humble and kind to everyone because you never know what others are going through.

What fashion trend do you regret?

Back in the day I would always “scrunch” my hair. I grew up on a farm, and in high school, before I could hang out with my friends on the weekend, I would have to milk cows. That never left me a lot of time to get ready, so I would always leave the house with “scrunched hair.” Not my best look, but it was the best I could do.

Tell us you’re an American without telling us you’re an American.

Having a show cow named “Sweetheart.”