LIVING HERE
The Red Cross and the National Football League.
For the fourth year, they are partnering in January for National Blood Donor Month to invite football fans and blood donors to join our lifesaving team and score big for patients in need. As a special thank-you to donors for helping address the need for blood during the critical post-holiday time, those who come to give Jan. 1-26, 2025, will be automatically entered for a chance to win an exciting Super Bowl LIX giveaway. The start of the new year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood products as the threat of severe winter weather builds and can often lead to widespread blood drive cancellations.
Additionally, an active cold and flu season may prevent people from keeping donation appointments as they rest and recover from illness. During National Blood Donor Month, the Red Cross celebrates those who generously roll up a sleeve to help save lives and urges those who are feeling well to make and keep donation appointments to help the blood supply stay on track throughout the winter. To book a time to give, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
Ag conservation designation aims to protect the Delavan Lake watershed.
More than 9,000 acres in Walworth County have been designated as the new Delavan Lake Watershed Agricultural Enterprise Area, or AEA, as of the first of the year. Located in the towns of Delavan, Geneva, and Walworth, as well as the village of Fontana, the Delavan Lake Watershed AEA reflects the commitment of 11 local landowners, local government, and community partners who petitioned for this designation. Through the AEA designation, landowners can enter into voluntary farmland preservation agreements. These agreements commit all or a portion of their land to agricultural use while maintaining soil and water conservation standards.
In return, landowners may be eligible for an annual farmland preservation tax credit of $10 to $12.50 per acre, depending on zoning. The assurance of long-term land preservation also provides farmers with peace of mind for future investments. The petitioners want to promote agricultural conservation practices that enhance water quality, protect local surface water resources, and foster collaboration between agricultural producers and watershed stakeholders.
