Community News

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session at City Hall Monday, August 1 to discuss a full agenda of items including the Northwest Detention Basin, vacancies on Boards and street repair projects.

During the Public Comments portion of the meeting, Janelle Clark addressed the City Council regarding the possibility of a dog park and prairie restoration. Cheri Turner discussed that a tree was lost on the boulevard near her home due to high winds during a storm a few weeks ago. Turner was asking for the City Council’s approval to replace the tree. Mayor Duane DeWalle and Councilman Dewey Jones both suggested working with Trees Forever to get the tree replaced.

Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank in Waukon is holding a community shred event Saturday, August 20 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the upper parking lot of the bank's Waukon location. This event is free and open to anyone that needs to destroy documents of a personal nature such as old bank statements, tax returns, farm records and credit card statements, basically anything that may hold personal information, such as social security numbers, dates of birth, home address and bank account numbers.

Staples, paperclips, black or metal clips do not need to be removed prior to being dropped off. Manila folders will go through the shredder, but other binders will not. Up to three boxes per person will be accepted for shredding. On-Site Information Destruction, Inc. will have its shred truck (pictured above) on site and items will be immediately shredded. For more information contact any Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank staff member. Submitted photos.
 

The children of Dolores Spiegler presented a wall clock in her memory Thursday, July 28 to the Waukon Senior Citizens Center located at the Waukon Wellness Center. The clock was donated in honor of the many years that Dolores attended the Senior Citizen Center playing cards and enjoying meals and memories made with her friends. The clock and a plaque that reads "In Memory Of Dolores Spiegler With Love From Her Family and Friends" will hang on a wall in the Senior Citizens Center. The late Dolores and Dale Spiegler were the parents of Bob, Kris, Dave and the late Dennis Spiegler. Pictured above at the clock presentation are, left to right, Dave Spiegler, Waukon Parks, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub, Kris Spiegler, and Waukon Senior Citizens Club officers Patsy Larkin and Jean Buntrock. All senior citizens are welcome to join the Waukon Senior Citizens Club, which meets the second and last Wednesday of each month to play cards. Submitted photo.
 

During the evening of Tuesday, July 19, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, the Monona Police Department, the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office and the Waukon Police Department (all members of the Northeast Iowa Drug Task Force) conducted a search warrant at the location of 10 West Street SW in Waukon. As a result of the search, 26-year-old Justine R. Fahey of Waukon was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver (a Class D felony) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. A passenger in Fahey’s vehicle that was parked at the address location, 26-year-old Kendra J. Mahr of Dorchester, was also arrested on a warrant through Minnesota.

Both Fahey and Mahr were booked into the Allamakee County Jail that evening. Fahey was released by the magistrate judge the next day on her own recognizance. A criminal charge is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
 

Presentation Sisters and Associates honored six jubilarians July13 at Mount Loretto, Sisters of the Presentation in Dubuque. The theme of “Joy, Love and Gratitude” set the tone for the day with Mass followed by brunch.

Sister Mary Raeleen Sweeney, originally of Waukon and the daughter of the late Ralph and Ileen (Birdsell) Sweeney, observed 60 years of religious life during the celebration. Also celebrating were Sisters Mary Emilie Bormann, Donna Determan, Sheila Ann Dougherty, Jeanine Kuhn and Herman Platt.

The jubilarians entered the Dubuque Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1956 and 1957 and professed first vows in 1959 and final vows in 1964.

by Brianne Eilers

The end of June brought a net income of $237,294 for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon. However, VMH Administrator Mike Myers noted that the hospital is still working on its audit and he expects the final year-to-date figure to be “break-even or slightly negative” on the net profit/loss aspect.

Looking at other year-to-date figures, acute patient days for the month of June were down 13%, while skilled days were up 1.6% and deliveries were nearly at the same number they were last year in the same timeframe. Surgeries were also down, 11.6%, but all outpatient areas were up. Total expenses were under budget by 0.6%. The number of days in Accounts Receivable is currently sitting at 99.6.

"Most important meal of the day" benefits sponsoring organizations

Various local non-profit groups will once again be sponsoring “Breakfast at the Fair” during the 163rd Allamakee County Fair this week at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. A full breakfast menu will be available Thursday, July 21, Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23. Breakfast will be served from 7-9:30 a.m. in the Appreciation Center Building, which is located behind the east end of the Fair Office Building or directly across from the swine show ring.

The general public is invited to attend breakfast on any of these days. Carry outs will be available. The cost of a meal is $6, with children under five years old eating for free. Rolls, fruit and beverages will be available for purchase ala carte if a full meal is not wanted.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session at City Hall Monday, July 18 to discuss a full agenda of items. There were no comments during the public comments portion of the meeting.
During the Departmental Reports, Water/Sewer Superintendent Bob Campbell reported that the detention basin is holding water and operating well with the recent heavy rainfall. Street Department Superintendent Keith Burrett discussed some mechanical problems with the street sweeper and that it is in Decorah having repairs made under warranty.

First Baptist Church of Waukon held its 40th annual AWANA Awards Program Wednesday, April 27. Clubbers were recognized for work completed throughout the past year, some of those pictured in the surrounding submitted photos.

Bibles were given to 15 first-time club members who completed 10 sections in their handbooks. Commander Larry Gelo welcomed the parents and guests. Truth and Training, Sparks and Cubbies members participated in the salute to the flags and the Bible. Clubbers recited favorite Bible verses they had memorized throughout the year, sang their theme songs and recited the books of the Bible. Clubbers received awards for completing a handbook and for participating.

Alaine Meier was recognized for 30 years of service to the AWANA program, most of those years as the AWANA Store Manager.

The Waukon Police Department is reporting the following results from its participation in the latest sTEP (Special Traffic Enforcement Program) wave, which took place around the Fourth of July holiday, July 1-5, throughout the state of Iowa:

Operating While Intoxicated - 1 arrest
Seat belts - 2 warnings
Speeding - 4 citations, 17 warnings
Driving without license - 1 citation
Registration violation - 2 citations, 9 warnings
Open container - 1 warning
Other traffic violations - 4 warnings
Equipment - 4 warnings
No proof of insurance - 3 warnings
Motorist assist - 4
Interdiction/Canine search - 1.

The next sTEP wave is scheduled for August 23-September 5 of this year.