Community News

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, June 2 to address a full agenda of matters including Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Facade Improvement Grant Application, the Ordinance Amending Provisions Related to Fireworks, and discussion of the West Street SW Project and associated landscaping. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with council members present including Steve Wiedner, Dave Blocker, Tim Smedsrud and John Lydon.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in special session Wednesday, May 21, in regular session Tuesday, May 27 following the closure of the County Courthouse in observance of the Memorial Day holiday Monday, May 26, and in regular session Monday, June 2. Coverage of all three of those meetings is provided below.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
Chairperson Dan Byrnes and Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark were present for a special meeting Wednesday, May 21 which included one agenda item relating to the discussion and consideration of steam trap proposals for the County Courthouse heating system. Clark made note of a conversation that took place earlier in the week with Service Manager Paul Kruckow from the La Crosse, WI location of Winona Heating and Ventilating, Inc. relating to a cost increase between the April 22 proposal and the May 14 proposal regarding the replacement of steam traps and control valves.

A brand new venue for hosting celebratory and other social or business events has opened its doors as of May 3 of this year, as White Haus Social has begun operation at its 76 16th Avenue NW location in Waukon, next to Green Valley Getaway on the north edge of Waukon. Partnership owners John and Jess Jennerjohn of Waukon and Michael and Erica Steinberg of Manchester have opened the doors to their new venture and want to offer people the opportunity to celebrate their life’s milestones and just about any other gathering that can be dreamed up in a versatile and welcoming atmosphere they’ve created.

“We are excited to begin hosting weddings, birthday celebrations, graduation parties, corporate events, concerts, and any other gatherings you can imagine,” the partnership team shared. “We believe this will be a wonderful addition to Waukon and the surrounding communities.”

Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) officials announced the decision Thursday, May 22 that the Black Hawk Bridge would remain closed through this past Memorial Day weekend due to ongoing safety concerns following the detection of movement in the third pier of the bridge heading from west to east. DOT officials closed the bridge late Saturday night, May 17 after movement was detected by a multi-faceted monitoring system within one of the bridge piers beyond what is deemed typical and safe, according to DOT standards.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon invites young readers to embark on an exciting literary adventure with “Reading Dragons and Friends” this summer. This innovative program, designed to foster a love for reading while leveling up skills, offers participants the chance to collect and play with dragon-themed cards.

Starting in June and running through August, children can pick up a reading log from the library or print one from the library website to begin their journey. Each participant will earn collectible dragon cards by logging their reading time in 30-minute increments. The cards feature eight majestic dragon families, including eggs, babies, teens, and adults, created by Carey Pietsch for the 2025 iREAD Summer Reading Edition.

A special exhibit on the War in the Pacific during World War II will open Memorial Day weekend at the Allamakee County Veterans Museum. Included in the special exhibit will be the major battles from Pearl Harbor in 1941 through the Japanese surrender in 1945. The exhibit includes uniforms, weapons and equipment used by both American and Japanese forces, as pictured above.

The museum will be open for tours Friday, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday May 26 from noon to 4:00 p.m. Videos including combat footage from battles will also be shown continuously during each of those open tour days.

Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) officials closed the Black Hawk Bridge over the Mississippi River at Lansing late Saturday night, May 17 after movement was detected within one of the bridge piers beyond what is deemed typical and safe, according to DOT standards. Officials say the bridge will likely be closed for at least a week, and perhaps longer, depending upon what an ongoing follow-up analysis currently being conducted might show.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Waukon area’s Women’s New Century Club. In December of 1899, seven members of the Nineteenth Century Club withdrew from that group to form the nucleus of a new women’s study club. January 9, 1900 officially opened the new club, thus the name The New Century Club. The founding members of that new club were Catherine Daugherty, Lucy May, Lena Helming, Ida Van Nice, Mable Coffeen, Kate Kidder and Anna Beeman.

The focus of the Club was to improve the mind, promote growth of sociability among its members, and the advancement of education, civic and philanthropic work. The Club survived two World Wars, other conflicts, the Depression, and more recently, COVID-19, and it continues to meet today. Membership has varied over the years from as few as six members on up to as many as 30 members.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, May 12 to address a full agenda of matters including an update relating to County Social Services, consideration of a Resolution to appoint a 2nd Deputy Auditor and the consideration of a Resolution to advance A11 and A16 asphalt projects to the FY2025 County Five Year Program. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark present.

Service Coordinator Jason Howes and Service Area Supervisor Sheri Vierkant, both with County Social Services (CSS), addressed the CSS Update item on the meeting agenda. Howes discussed changes taking place relating to the CSS region which is moving to a 16-county region known as District 3.

Celebrating two decades of impact in local communities, the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) awarded $129,499 in grant funding during its annual Awards Reception held in Harpers Ferry in late April. In addition to the awarding of that grant funding to area nonprofit organizations, the ACCF also celebrated its 20th year of existence during the annual event.