Community News

Plans have been announced to hold the 2024 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Waukon the actual day of the celebrated holiday, Sunday, March 17, beginning at 1 p.m. All are invited to participate in this year’s parade with an Irish-themed entry at no cost. Any businesses, organizations, families or individuals wishing to have an entry are asked to be lined up by 12 noon that Sunday, with float entries lining up in the parking lot of WW Homestead Dairy and the former Northern Engraving plant, tractors unloading and lining up at the Sweeney Auction Service parking lot and horse units gathering at the Croell Redi-Mix plant on the southeast edge of Waukon.

The Waukon Easter Egg Hunt has been scheduled for Saturday, March 30 and will be held at a new location than in the past several years. This year’s event is being held at the Waukon City Park, with registration at 10 a.m. and the Easter Egg Hunt beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Those attending will register as they drive into the park and then be directed to their appropriate age locations. Those age groupings will include 5 and under, 6-8 years old, and 9-11 years old. There will be bicycles, cash and other prizes available to win through registering for the event. In case of inclement weather, a make-up date has been scheduled for the following Saturday, April 6.

In the spirit of the Scout promise to do a good turn daily and “to help other people at all times,” Waukon Pack 64 and Troop 64 of the Northeast Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will be holding their collection of donations for the annual “Scouting for Food” donation drive Tuesday, March 12.

In Waukon, Scouts will be collecting food donations Tuesday, March 12 from 5-6:30 p.m. door-to-door. Donations can also be dropped off at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau Office, 14 1st Ave. NE in Waukon, during business hours the week of March 11-15. The Allamakee County Food Shelf is requesting the following non-expired donations: canned fruit, canned soup, macaroni & cheese, baked beans, Hamburger Helper, and Spam.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 19 to address a full agenda of matters including a presentation relating to a potential campground at Green Valley Getaway, discussion of a housing proposal for the former Bresnahan property and discussion of a UTV purchase for the Park and Recreation Department. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan. There was no Public Comment with the meeting moving into Department Reports.

Park, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub advised that youth basketball is finishing up including young kids and travel teams with registrations being accepted for youth soccer, which he noted is a large program involving kids from neighboring communities including Lansing, Postville and Monona in addition to Waukon. Strub also noted that summer recreation positions including lifeguards and coaches, among others, are being advertised.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 12 to address a full agenda of matters including the Grady’s Superhero Run 5K scheduled for August 2 in Dorchester, a recommendation from the Allamakee County Compensation Board relating to Fiscal-Year 2025 (FY25) elected official salaries and the consideration of signing an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources relating to four properties within Allamakee County. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be launching its 2024 Event Series this weekend, Friday and Saturday, February 16 and 17. This event, aptly called the Cupid Shuffle as it happens near the Valentine’s Day holiday, will highlight Waukon’s local dining establishments and encourages folks to get out and patronize Waukon’s businesses and community amenities.  Cupid Shuffle cards with a list of participating businesses are available at the Chamber office and EpicWear in Waukon, or can be viewed on the Cupid Shuffle Facebook event page.

Those participating in the Cupid Shuffle should visit three different locations in Waukon to grab a drink, have a meal, and take part in an activity. Any participants who “shuffle” to three participating locations and fill out and turn in a Cupid Shuffle card can be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win $100 in Waukon Bucks.

A small river town is once again coming together to preserve its local history. The Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society is raising $800,000 to build a new, 9,000-square-foot museum highlighting the community’s rich past. The effort builds on the Heritage Society’s previous work, which resulted in the historic Oil Springs School restoration and relocation.

“Harpers Ferry is one of the oldest communities in Allamakee County,” says Jane Hasek, one of the project’s leaders. “Its heritage is really unique.”

The city was founded by David Harper, who opened a hotel and launched a ferry that carried livestock, grain and more to Prairie du Chien, WI. Residents today feel a powerful connection to the community and its history and are excited to showcase their town in a new way.

Ashley Wenke of Pleasant Grove Homestead near Montezuma was named Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s “Grow Your Future” Award first-place winner at the organization’s Young Farmer Conference held February 2-3 in Altoona. Wenke took home a $7,500 grand prize to expand her direct-to-consumer produce and meat business.

Also among the finalists in this year’s competition was Bobbi Jo (Wild) Berg, from Recipes from French Creek in rural Lansing of Allamakee County. Her business creates freezer meals with locally sourced ingredients, including eggs from her own farm, and she finished in third place as one of the finalists in the competition and received a prize of $2,500.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 5 to address a full agenda of matters including discussion of the City’s Dangerous and Vicious Animals Ordinance, the Assessment Schedule for 9 Allamakee Street, and the tentative approval of Capital Improvement Project and Revenue Budgets. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan.

There was no Public Comment with the meeting moving into Department Reports, with Park, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub providing an update. Strub noted that the Youth Recreation program’s basketball season is coming to an end with soccer being advertised to start in April, which he advised is one of the larger programs with participants from several communities. Strub noted that the Wellness Center is very busy this time of year and that advertising will begin for summer employment including coaches, park help, lifeguards, among others.

The community of Waukon now has two established locations for people to donate their can tabs (pull tabs) in efforts to help support Ronald McDonald House charities. Thanks to the organizational and supporting efforts of a local family, an organization and two businesses, anyone in the community can join in those efforts to help support a program that has helped and supported so many in times when that help and support is needed most.

The focus of the Ronald McDonald House programs is to offer a home away from home that provides comfort, support and resources to families who travel far from home for the medical care their child needs. With more than 380 Ronald McDonald House locations across the world, the support efforts locally are mainly focused on the Ronald McDonald House locations in Rochester, MN and in Iowa City.