Community News

by Julie Berg-Raymond

What once was a nondescript, white cement-block building facing the Mississippi River on Lansing’s Front Street - a building which, interestingly, even a number of local residents had not realized houses a public restroom - recently was transformed into a colorful, vibrant piece of public art thanks to the efforts of artist (and pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, in Lansing) Laura Gentry and a team of 98 community members.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, July 24 to address a full agenda of matters. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan and moved quickly into the presentation of a Life Saving Award.

Hatlan, Waukon Police Chief Paul Wagner, in addition to other representatives of local medical and law enforcement personnel, participated in the award presentation honoring the life saving actions of Sarah Hennessy of Waukon (see photo on this week’s Front Page). Hatlan thanked Hennessy for her actions and read aloud the inscription on the award, which stated, “This award is presented to Sarah Hennessy for her actions that saved a child’s life on June 17, 2023. On this day, Sarah performed life saving CPR on a victim who was having a medical emergency and was drowning. Sarah’s quick thinking and outstanding efforts gave someone another chance at life. City of Waukon & the Waukon Police Department July 24, 2023.”

The Monday, July 17 single-vehicle accident pictured at right that took place at the intersection of 3rd Avenue SW and 8th Street SW in Waukon did not result in any reported injuries but played out into some considerable water issues beyond just the running water pictured in the photo at right, according to City of Waukon officials. Initial reports from the accident indicate that 85-year-old Merrill Jacobs of Waukon was looking out a side window and lost control of the 2011 Chrysler Town and Country van he was driving west on 3rd Avenue SW as he was approaching his driveway located diagonally across from the accident scene around 3:20 p.m. that July 17 afternoon.

The Iowa History 101 mobile museum coordinated by the State Historical Society of Iowa will be visiting Postville this Thursday, July 27. The Winnebago recreational vehicle (RV), pictured above, filled with remnants of Iowa’s history will be at the Postville Farmers Market, which is held weekly at 101 East Greene Street in Postville, from 4-7 p.m. that Thursday for its only scheduled visit to Allamakee County as part of an effort to visit all 99 Iowa counties again from 2021-2023. The mobile museum will be parked in front of the Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) office in Postville and will be open for all visitors to tour during the open hours of the Postville Farmers Market.

Book-signing event scheduled for July 24 at Wille’s home in Waukon

Some would call it destiny or fate. Others would perhaps refer to it as “happenstance”.

For Kelly Wille of Waukon, she calls her chance encounter with the northeast Iowa author of a “memoir of spousal abuse” just over a week ago “God at work.”

Whatever the description, Wille’s Friday, July 7 meeting of Joyce Gibbs (also known by her author pseudonym Kate Klaver and on social media as Jenny Lue) has now developed into a newfound support system for both ladies, perhaps a resource for many others, distribution of more than 150 free books in less than a week’s time, and ultimately a book-signing event that all are invited to attend Monday, July 24 in Waukon.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, July 17 at the Harpers Ferry Community Center/Dolores Tillinghast Memorial Library as part of the Supervisors’ annual schedule of library visits within the county. The Supervisors addressed a full agenda of matters including Quarterly Reports for the County Sheriff’s office and County Relief office, consideration of an engineering and survey quote for the Allamakee County Public Safety Center Water System Project and the consideration of County Courthouse sidewalk bids.

The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley also present.

The volunteers at the Allamakee County Food Shelf in Waukon received a Governor’s Volunteer Award from Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg during a special recognition ceremony held June 6 in Cedar Falls. Pictured in the photo at right at the award presentation are, left to right, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds; Allamakee County Food Shelf Coordinator Julie Rotach, who nominated the Food Shelf’s group of volunteers; and volunteers Cathy Jurgens and Monica Roderick, who represent the collection of volunteers that Rotach says make all that takes place at the Allamakee County Food Shelf possible, noting that there are about 15 most consistent volunteers who help out during the weekly food distribution efforts every Thursday for those most in need of those services.

More than 600 Governor’s Volunteer Awards were presented this year during five ceremonies across Iowa. It is estimated that more than 150 communities in Iowa were served by this year’s honorees.

The Iowa History 101 mobile museum coordinated by the State Historical Society of Iowa will be visiting Postville Thursday, July 27. The Winnebago recreational vehicle (RV), pictured above, filled with Iowa’s history will be at the Postville Farmers Market, which is held weekly at 101 East Greene Street, from 4-7 p.m. that Thursday for its only scheduled visit to Allamakee County in an effort to visit all 99 Iowa counties again from 2021-2023. The mobile museum will be parked in front of the Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) office in Postville.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, July 10 to address a full agenda of matters. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Mandy Halverson of the Waukon Chamber of Commerce updated the council about the upcoming visit by Prosper Waukon, a descendant of Waukon’s founder, John Waukon, and his wife scheduled for July 24-27. Halverson noted that Prosper Waukon will be part of several events during his visit which are yet to be scheduled, with an appearance at Robey Memorial Library July 25 confirmed thus far.

Halverson also noted that KCRG will be back in Waukon to film an “Our Town” segment during the week of the Allamakee County Fair. She said that segment is scheduled to air the last week of July or in early August.

by David M. Johnson

TASC, Inc., or Training Advancement Skills in the Community, has touched someone in the community in one way or another. It is a non-profit organization, one of the largest employers in Waukon, that concentrates on fulfilling the lives of the area’s lesser advantaged citizens.
After a presence of multiple decades in the local community, this organization has shown it provides assistance, service, support and supervision to adult clients who have been diagnosed with mental, physical or emotionally disabling conditions as stated by a licensed physician or psychiatrist. It is also a home and community based service that provides home services to assist individuals in their own homes.