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Aerial treatment to control the invasive gypsy moth is scheduled for this Friday, June 25 in specific areas of Allamakee and Clayton Counties. Map images and more specific descriptions of the treatment areas can be found in the images accompanying this article.

Low-flying airplanes will be applying a mating disruption product called SPLAT GM-O. The product does not kill the moth but it disrupts the mating process by using a pheromone to inhibit male gypsy moths from finding female mates. SPLAT GM-O is an organic product and is not harmful to bees, birds, plants, pets or humans.

In Allamakee County, the treatment includes two rural areas around Black Hawk Point and Lansing Wildlife Management Areas totaling 5,018 acres. In Clayton County, the treatment will focus on a 590-acre site including Marquette and the surrounding rural area. Survey data has identified these three areas where gypsy moth populations are starting to grow.

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District Board of Directors held a pair of meetings thus far in the month of June, a special meeting Friday, June 4 and the board’s regular monthly meeting Monday, June 21. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

FRIDAY, JUNE 4
The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Friday morning, June 4 for a special meeting. The following personnel were approved for hire: Jessica Keenan as Food Service Director; Kirby Jones as School Nurse; Sarah Hagen as Assistant Musical Director; Caitlyn Owens as Elementary Vocal Music Teacher; Jason LaPage as Middle School Play Director; and Heath Kelley as Technology Director.

Senior Annika Headington breaks career homerun record with solo shot at MFL

Recording a win and a loss in each of its four days of competition this past week, the Kee softball team’s even week of results included the Hawks’ first Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) losses of the season but also involved one of their UIC wins resulting in Class 1A 13th-rated Turkey Valley’s first UIC loss of the season as well. The Lady Hawks first split a doubleheader at Central Elkader Monday, June 14, winning game one by a 15-4 count before falling by a 15-5 result in the nightcap, and also split another UIC double-dip at home against that ranked Turkey Valley squad Wednesday, June 16, winning game one by an 8-5 tally before falling in game two by a 4-1 final result.

A second consecutive undefeated week on the diamond this past week of six consecutive games has the Kee baseball team in the midst of a 14-game winning streak and still sitting atop the Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) standings with a yet perfect record of 10-0. That unblemished week began with four more additions to the Hawks’ perfect UIC campaign thus far in 2021, sweeping a pair of games at Turkey Valley by scores of 5-0 and 17-2 Monday, June 14 before defeating Postville at home Tuesday, June 15 by a 35-1 final result in three innings and then winning at MFL/MarMac Thursday, June 17 by a mercy-rule final of 10-0 in six innings. The Kee boys continued their winning ways by sweeping two games at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Saturday, June 19, first downing the host school by a 13-0 final result in five innings before handing Class 1A top-10 rated Janesville its first loss of the season, 11-3.

The Waukon baseball team alternated wins and losses in an even week of four games this past week, ending what had amounted to a five-game Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) losing streak while also extending a non-conference win to a fourth consecutive game. The Indians began the week with a 14-8 win at Osage Tuesday, June 15 before splitting a NEIC doubleheader at Crestwood Wednesday, June 16 with a 7-4 loss followed by a 4-3 triumph. The Tribe ended the week with an 8-4 loss at Charles City Friday, June 18.

The Harpers Ferry Fireflies took second place at the Iowa State Granny Basketball Games held June 11-12 in West Des Moines. The Fireflies were in Pool B and played the Oklahoma Rockers, winning by a score of 69-47 before also winning their second game vs. the Dubuque Cuties, 79-38. Their final game of the day was against the Wild Things and resulted in another win by a score of 59-37 to finish 3-0 for the pool play portion of the event. In Sunday’s championship round, the Fireflies first defeated the Center Point Model T’s, 55-42, advancing them to the championship game, where they ended up falling to the Cedar Rapids Sizzlers by a score of 56-43 to end up as the tournament runner-up.

Kerndt Brothers Bank will recognize volunteer First Responders who serve in law enforcement, emergency services and as firefighters at county fairs in Allamakee, Fayette and Winneshiek again in 2021. Kerndt Brothers Bank and each county’s 4-H organization will partner this summer to provide a meal for First Responders at 4-H food stands. Tickets will be donated in advance to all First Responders through their organization leaders.

In making this announcement, James M. Kerndt, the bank’s CEO and a former first responder, said, “We are excited to be able to participate in what was such a success in 2018 and 2019. We would like to show our gratitude again. We are also happy to be teaming up with 4-H members and volunteers for a third year and leverage this opportunity to support the many 4-H programs and development of youth in northeast Iowa.

Duane Clifford Soride, age 69, of Knoxville, TN passed away Thursday, June 10, 2021. A celebration of life will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 10 at the Waukon City Club.

Duane was a lifelong mechanic and a NASCAR fan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Verna Soride; and a niece, Tina Soride.

He is survived by his partner, Rhonda McCollough of Knoxville, TN; his son, Matthew (Cara) Soride of Fort White, FL; his daughter, Masie (Chris) McGraw of Faribault, MN; his grandchildren, Emma and Gunnar Soride of Fort White, FL; his brother, Dennis (Chris) Soride of Postville; a niece, Ann (Ken) Howe of Monona; and a nephew, Eric (Laura) Soride of Iowa City.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital hosted its biennial Safety Day Camp Thursday, June 10 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. This day camp drew a record crowd of 151 children ages seven to 14 from area communities for a day-long session on how to take responsibility for their own safety, respect parents’ safety rules and share safety tips with their family and friends.

The children were divided into 10 different groups and spent 20 minutes at each of the 10 safety stations. These 10 stations and their instructor(s) included: