Community News

For Waukon native Brittany Horns, the opening of her own clothing boutique, Silver Laine Co., LLC, on Main Street of her hometown marks the realization of a dream she’s been working toward throughout her career in the retail clothing industry. That dream became reality for her when she opened the doors to her new boutique at 33 West Main Street in Waukon Friday, April 2.

Following her graduation from Waukon High School in 2003, the former Brittany Leiran embarked upon what has been an 18-year career thus far in retail management. That career took her to a number of places and through a vast array of experiences throughout the tri-state area, including three years in Minneapolis, MN working at the Mall of America.

“Through years in the retail world, I knew my dream would be someday opening my own doors,” Horns said. “Born and raised in Waukon and moving away after high school, living in larger cities, I knew my dream and goals would bring me back home.”

Barb White of Waukon was recently awarded “The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses” at a presentation held Thursday, April 8 at the Good Samaritan Society - Waukon. White, who has provided more than 32 years of service as a nurse at Good Samaritan Society - Waukon, was presented the award by Steve Bargar, the new Executive Director at the Waukon facility.

Also present at the award ceremony were Sarah Welsh and Connie Pronga, two of the four Directors of Nursing that White has worked under during her three-plus decade career at Good Samaritan Society - Waukon. White was also presented with a stone sculpture hand-carved for Good Samaritan Society by the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

The serpentine stone sculptures hold special meaning because of the profound respect the Shona people pay their traditional healers. Shona healers are affectionately regarded as treasures by those they care for, and the well-being and safety of the healer is of community-wide importance.

The Corner of Hope Growing Hope Globally local growing project held its annual Blessing of the Seed and Soil Saturday morning, April 10 to kick off the 2021 growing season. The blessing event was held at the field being contributed to this year’s growing project by Dave and Suzanne Hahn located southwest of Waukon. Father John Moser, Pastor at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Waukon, performed this year’s blessing. Submitted photo.

The Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter participated virtually in the 2021 State Leadership Conference in early April. Prior to the State Leadership Conference, students spent time preparing projects and taking tests to submit virtually to conference judges.

With the points accumulated through the students’ various project and testing finishes, the Waukon FBLA chapter earned the 2021 Iowa FBLA State Leadership Conference Lloyd V. Douglas Chapter of the Year Award in honor of the chapter’s first-place finish. In addition to the project, testing and overall team honors, Waukon High School junior Vivian Khan was voted in as the Region 1 Vice President for the 2021-2022 year, replacing Waukon High School senior Lilly Kossman, who has been serving as the 2020-2021 Region 1 Vice President.

The City of Waukon Water Department will begin its annual fire hydrant/water main flushing program Monday, April 19 and continue throughout that week until the process is completed. Residents are advised that the flushing activity can cause decreases in water pressure and may cause short-term discoloration in water, which may affect laundry and water used for drinking or cooking.

Residents are advised to let their water run for a couple minutes following the flushing activity in their neighborhood to make sure any discoloration has been eliminated. For additional information, call the City of Waukon Water Department at 563-568-2683.

For more than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, visitor restrictions have been in place throughout ABCM Corporation locations in Iowa, including 31 rehabilitation and long-term care centers and 24 independent and assisted livings. Among those locations are Northgate Care Center and Southcrest Manor II Assisted Living in Waukon.

March 11, 2020, entry points to those locations were locked per the direction of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). Since then, those facilities have followed guidance on easing visitor restrictions from both federal, state and county public health agencies as they pertain to long-term care facilities, with updates in May 2020, June 2020, September 2020, and most recently in March of 2021.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) along with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and University of Iowa announce their collaboration to host information sessions about the COVID-19 vaccine yet this month of April. The sessions will provide a virtual forum for Iowans to learn about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and have an opportunity to ask questions of medical experts.

“In a little over one year, we’ve gone from having our first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, to now having three vaccines, which are excellent tools to help stop the spread of the virus. We are grateful to our partners who are helping amplify the importance of vaccine education”, said Dr. Caitlin Pedati, IDPH Medical Director and State Epidemiologist.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, April 5 to address a full agenda of items including the Proclamation for National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, setting a date and time for the Comprehensive Plan Public Hearing and consideration of purchasing heavy equipment for the Secondary Roads Department.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke of Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) discussed the Introduction to the Allamakee County Budget Process to be held virtually via Zoom and at the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center Thursday, April 29. Reinke noted that those interested in attending will need to pre-register and that presenters will include Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer, Allamakee County Treasurer Lori Hesse and Allamakee County Assessor Ann Burckart.

In conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Family Education team is holding a diaper drive to benefit the families enrolled in home visiting services in Allamakee, Clayton, Howard and Winneshiek Counties. Roughly one in three families struggles to afford diapers at the estimated cost of $100 per month for each child.

Not being able to purchase basic necessities significantly impacts the physical, mental and economic well-being of both children and their parents. Particularly during this time of economic uncertainty, families are having to make the tough decision to hold off on purchasing a new pack of diapers to pay for essentials such as food and housing. By donating diapers, people can play a role in keeping their communities safe and healthy. Donations of the following are appreciated:

Those attending the Saturday Clover Kids program in Allamakee County in March read “The Very Hungry Iowa Caterpillar” through a program put together by Polk County Farm Bureau. While they read about the different foods grown in Iowa they added pictures of the foods to a paper chain to make a caterpillar (such as pictured at right).

After eating numerous foods grown right here, such as corn, wheat, chickens and watermelons, the caterpillar was full. He ate a milkweed leaf, made a cocoon and turned into a beautiful butterfly. All Clover Kids also went home with a book about an Iowan chicken farm, “My Family’s Egg Farm” (also pictured at right), donated by Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation.