Community News

Eric D. Haler, a 1995 graduate of Waukon High School, was recently promoted to Colonel (O-6) in the United States Air Force. Participating in the August 2 promotion ceremony, where they were able to pin on his new rank, were (pictured left to right with Colonel Haler in the photo below) his parents, Don and DiAnne Haler of Waukon, his nephew, Elijah, his son, Hobbs, and his wife, Becky.

Colonel Haler is the Director of Customer Operations for the Defense Logistics Agency Energy headquartered at Fort Belvoir, VA. In this role, he is responsible for providing customer relations management for the worldwide supply and distribution of fuels for the Department of Defense and federal agencies.
Haler’s grandparents are the late Lloyd and Elaine Weber, and the late George and Phyllis Haler. Colonel Haler and his family reside in Springfield, VA. Submitted photos.
 

In honor of the 95th birthday and 70 years since being ordained into the priesthood for Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg of Lansing, the Lansing Iowa Food Trust (LIFT) received a gift of $2,500 from Msgr. Lechtenberg’s nephew and his wife, Paul and Lauren Fischer. Pictured above at the donation presentation are, left to right, LIFT Board President Karen Galema and Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Tuesday, September 7 following the Monday, September 6 closure of Waukon City Hall in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The council addressed a full agenda of items including an update relating to the former JCPenney/Tierney building and the Resolution Ordering Detailed Plans and Specifications, Notice of Hearing, Notice to Bidders and Form of Contract for the NW Utility Improvements Project.

There was no Public Comment made and the meeting moved into Department Reports with City Clerk Sarah Snitker providing Park, Rec and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub’s report in his absence. Strub’s report indicated that the State of Iowa is offering a Fitness Center Relief Grant to benefit centers experiencing a 15 percent or more decrease in revenue from 2019 to 2020. Strub’s report noted that an application for this grant has been made.

Jessica Wagner has always wanted to own her own business. Her September 7 opening of Aztec Parlor at 15 West Main Street in downtown Waukon has helped her fulfill that desire, while also meeting a need she saw for the community in which she lives. Wagner’s desire to be a business owner has been ingrained in her since growing up in La Crosse, WI. She credits her family for her entrepreneurial spirit.

Allamakee County 4-H members’ exhibits were on display in the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair held August 12-22 in Des Moines. The exhibits were displayed this year, showcasing excellence in project area learning by 4-H members across the state of Iowa.

Divisions young people may exhibit in include agriculture and natural resources, creative arts, family and consumer sciences, personal development, and science, mechanics and engineering.

“Each exhibit is an outgrowth of year-long project area work done by the 4-H member,” explains Mitchell Hoyer, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 4-H youth development program specialist. “The exhibits display at the Iowa State Fair is a celebration of the educational and personal accomplishments of our Iowa 4-H members. It is a way for our members to share what they’ve learned with the public.”

John Elliott, Shelly Elliott, Maranda Elliott and Mara Dickens of Elliott Jewelers in Waukon recently attended the exclusive 2021 Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO) Summer Buying Show in Cincinnati, OH. Pictured in the submitted photo above are, left to right, Serge Fischler of Fischler Diamonds holding a 3.94 carat diamond that had recently been cut, Shelly Elliott, Maranda Elliott, Mara Dickens and John Elliott. To kick off its comeback, RJO chose “Come Together” as the theme to celebrate a return to in-person buying. Jewelers from across the nation attended the three-day event to purchase up-and-coming items at prearranged prices, collaborate with peers, contribute new business ideas and check out the latest industry trends.

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® will be held in Decorah Saturday, September 18, and participants have the option to walk from home or join locally at Decorah City Hall. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk kicks off at 9 a.m.

On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with Promise Garden flowers which signify solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers - purple, yellow, blue and orange - represent the different reasons why people walk to end this disease.

This year, the Alzheimer’s Association has a goal of raising $25,000 at the Decorah Walk. The money raised will help the Association provide care and support to families in Iowa, while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and a cure.

Just days after 13 U.S. military service members lost their lives in Afghanistan, Waukon Boy Scout Troop 64 performed a flag retirement ceremony Sunday, August 29 with even greater meaning than originally planned for, properly disposing of 383 U.S. flags, 19 Iowa flags, five POW flags and two others while honoring all service members, past and present. Flags were properly folded, cut and presented for incineration one at a time in a detail-oriented ceremony that properly retires such flags after they have become worn, torn, faded or badly soiled, according to The United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k. Scouts Pryson Rasmussen, Cayden Rasmussen, Philip Clocksin, Steve Russell, Will Sellers, Gabe Sellers and Drake Hankes each took part in the ceremony, photos of which surround this article.

“Reading Colors Your World” was the theme of the Summer Reading Program (SRP) at Robey Memorial Library with activities spanning from June through August. The Kids and Teens 4-Week Reading Challenge ran from Monday, July 5-Saturday, July 31 and is the highlight of the program with participants tracking their reading and reading-related activities for prizes.

In the 4-Week Reading Challenge: Kids, Infant to 6th Grade, participants had the choice of completing 1-10 spaces, 11-20 spaces or blacking out the Activity Card to receive weekly prizes in addition to adding their name to three different prize drawings for an Eric Carle Magnet Set and board books, Chronicles of Narnia book set and DVD, or Ice Cream with the Librarian. A total of 76 children registered and 47 participated with a total of 1,267 activities completed. The top three readers in each category received a new book of their choice purchased by the Library Foundation. Those top readers are as follow:

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 30 to address a full agenda of items including the Public Hearing for the Private Burial Ordinance, consideration of the Bible Reading Marathon to take place on the Allamakee County Courthouse lawn and discussion and consideration of a resolution declaring Allamakee County as a Second Amendment Sanctuary County.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) discussed attending the Iowa Rural Summit at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids with representatives of Postville relating to community development and grant opportunities. Reinke also discussed attending the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, manning the ACED booth there Saturday and Sunday, August 21-22 with follow-up taking place relating to specific information requests.