Community News

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon will be hosting a film about country schools and the “days gone by” in educating youth in Iowa and the Midwest Tuesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. The film “Country School: One room, one nation” is being presented by the Allamakee County Historical Preservation Commission. Light refreshments will be provided after the showing. Submitted image.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 26 to address a full agenda of items, including the consideration of temporary easements for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Sidewalk Improvement Project, consideration of bids for a County Sheriff’s Department 2013 Dodge Charger and the purchase of a search and rescue drone for training purposes.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association chose the Waukon High School trio of junior Leslie Halverson, sophomore Madalyn Ellingson and senior Jasmyn Enyart to perform the National Anthem at the 2018 Boys State Basketball Tournament in early March. That trio performed Tuesday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m. prior to the start of the Class 4A first-round contest between Iowa City West and Muscatine at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines (as evident in the submitted photo above right). The three-part women’s arrangement of the National Anthem performed by Enyart, Ellingson and Halverson was arranged by former Waukon High School choir director Al Leathers. All three singers are currently under the direction of Sarah J. Bieber Palmer. Pictured in the submitted photo above, left to right, are Waukon High School Vocal Music Director Sarah J. Bieber Palmer and her selected Waukon High School vocal music students Leslie Halverson, Jasmyn Enyart and Madalyn Ellingson.

R.W. Pladsen, Inc. in Waukon culminated its "March Mania-Fill the Cruze" promotion with the donation of non-perishable food items pictured above to the Allamakee County Relief Office. From March 1-10, R.W. Pladsen invited the general public to donate a non-perishable food item in return for a chance to enter a random drawing to win a 50" television. The food donations were placed inside a Chevrolet Cruze in an effort to "Fill the Cruze," resulting in the above pictured donation. Following completion of the promotion, the random drawing from all the entries who donated food items revealed Jody Peterson of Waukon as the winner of the 50" television. Pictured above at the donation to the Allamakee County Relief Office are, left to right, television drawing winner Jody Peterson, Allamakee County Relief Office Director Rebecca Hawes and R.W. Pladsen, Inc. Finance Manager Carli Quandahl. Standard photo by Sara Aleckson-Melcher.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 19 to address a full agenda of items, including a presentation and discussion on the Upper Iowa Drainage District Alternative Levee System Modifications, a presentation and discussion of the Sidewalk Improvement Project and consideration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Sheriff's Department and County Road Crew.

Chairperson Larry Schellhammer called the meeting to order with approval of the current agenda and meeting minutes of March 12. The current agenda was amended with the removal of two items involving subdivision plats, which will be added to next week's agenda for review.

by Joe Moses

Senator Mike Breitbach of Iowa's 28th District, Representative Michael Bergan of Iowa House District 55 and Representative Kristi Hager of Iowa House District 56 hosted a legislative forum Saturday, March 17 at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau office in Waukon. The event was an opportunity for the public to have discussion with State of Iowa legislators representing their area.

A scene not so familiar to Main Street in Waukon played out as pictured above Thursday morning, March 8 just before 8 a.m. near East Main Street's intersection with First Street SE in Waukon. According to an accident report filed by the Waukon Police Department, the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse seen on its top in the above photo was being driven westbound down East Main by Donald Denk, age 72, of Waukon when he experienced a medical situation that caused him to lose control of his vehicle and veer to the right into the rear of an unoccupied 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck (center of the photo in background) parked along the north side of East Main Street and owned by Marc Otting of Waukon. The impact forced Denk's vehicle to overturn and also further forced Otting's vehicle into the back end of an unoccupied 2009 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck (pictured at left in the above photo) also parked along East Main Street and owned by Marilyn Clark of Waukon.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 12 to address a full agenda of items, including a Public Hearing for the Fiscal-Year 2019 Allamakee County Budget, the third reading of the E-Cigarette Ordinance LIX and a discussion and presentation regarding medical and mental health services for the Allamakee County Jail.

Chairperson Pro-Tem Dennis Koenig called the meeting to order with Chairperson Larry Schellhammer to join the meeting later. There was no public comment.

The Public Hearing for the proposed Fiscal-Year 2019 Allamakee County Budget was opened with Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer indicating that no written or verbal comments have been received. The Public Hearing was closed.

Youth Mentoring at Helping Services for Youth & Families is hosting its annual bowl-a-thon fundraiser Saturday, March 24 at Arrowhead  Lanes in Waukon. This event aims to raise $5,000 to connect youth in Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek counties with a mentor.

Currently, 111 people are involved in Youth Mentoring at Helping Services. Proceeds support those already in mentoring relationships and will also help connect even more youth with a positive role model. Interested parties can be involved in two important ways: register to bowl and/or donate to the cause.

“This fundraiser is a great opportunity for community members to gather with their co-workers, friends and neighbors by raising money for a worthy cause and have fun bowling together,” states Kathy Schwartzhoff, Mentoring Coordinator.

by Joe Moses

As part of their Unleashing Opportunity Tour, an opportunity to hear directly from Iowans on how to build a better Iowa and how to increase opportunities throughout the state, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg hosted a capacity crowd at the S&D Café in Waukon Friday morning, March 2. The visit had not been well publicized, a question posed to Governor Reynolds' media relations office but not yet having an answer provided as of press time Tuesday morning, March 6.