Community News

U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst met in mid-June with Iowa students visiting Washington, D.C. to participate in the Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. The tour encourages leadership development and provides learning opportunities in advocacy and history. During the tour, students engage in electric cooperative advocacy activities, meet with federal agencies and hear from their U.S. senators and representatives. Additionally, the program allows them to learn more about American history and partake in civic engagement.

submitted by Cristina Smith

First Baptist Church’s Mission Team members returned to the United States after a two-week mission trip, June 5-18, to Vitoria da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil. Fourteen team members participated in this life-changing mission trip: Pastor Duane Smith, Cristina Smith, Michael Smith, Mike Roth Sr., Diane Roth, Michael Roth Jr., Larry Barthel, Lin Barthel, Brent Beyer, Denise Beyer, Steve Kiley, Deb Kiley, Valeria White, and Larry Straate.

Despite the weariness after a 40-hour trip home, the team returned elated with excitement over all that was accomplished in the two weeks of the mission trip. The team’s hosts, and brother to Cristina Smith, missionaries David and Debbie Thompson, were kind and gracious and made sure the team’s needs were met - planning all the details that included lodging, transportation, meals, and outings.

The Allamakee County Fair has a variety of contests and activities planned for this year’s Allamakee County Fair that will have registration open as of Tuesday, July 1. All of these contests and activities can be found on the Allamakee County Fair website at www.allamakeecountyfair.org by clicking on the “Contests & Events” tab near the top of the home page for a drop-down menu that will then offer links to click on for registration and additional information.

New this year will be a Hot Dog Eating Contest, sponsored by City Meat Market in New Albin, Saturday, July 19 at 5 p.m. at the Beer Tent. Just like all the contests and events in this article, pre-registration will open July 1 on the Allamakee County Fair website, and this eating contest is open to 15 adult competitors ages 13 and over, and to 10 youth competitors ages 12 and under.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, June 23 to address a full agenda of matters including discussion and consideration of the Fiscal-Year 2026 Solutions contract, discussion and consideration of steam trap replacement or repair for the County Courthouse heating system, and the consideration of bids for culvert and guardrail work. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark present.

During Public Comment, Zoning Administrator Stephanie Runkle and the Supervisors discussed some matters relating to watersheds. There was no comment from the public at that time.

Monday, July 7 from 1-4 p.m., the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC) at the University of Northern Iowa will bring its Rural Compost Operations and Compost Use Training Project to Robey Memorial Public Library in Waukon. This free, in-person training is part of a USDA-funded initiative through the Rural Utilities Service to help rural communities across the Midwest reduce organic waste and protect water quality.

Local residents, farmers, municipal employees, parks and recreation staff, conservation organizations, community leaders, construction personnel, and other regional entities are invited to take part in a unique, hands-on training event that turns organic waste into a powerful tool, compost, to help remediate and protect rivers, lakes, and streams from pollutants.

For anyone who has ever wanted to turn back time and lose themselves in a book from the good ol’ days, Karen Gregory’s new book Journeys from the Driftless: Growing Up on an Iowa Farm can help them revisit their own childhood memories. Gregory’s memoir enables readers to embark on a nostalgic journey through the Heartland of the U.S. in the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s.

“Most everyone will find a memory that will sweep him or her back in time to a treasured day, a moment they will never forget. Escape for a while with Journeys from the Driftless,” said the author.

Friends of Yellow River State Forest will be holding an open house celebrating the group’s many completed projects, along with a free concert, this Saturday, June 21. Everyone is welcome to attend.

The open house will be held from 3-5 p.m. Attendees should start their tour at 729 State Forest Road, Harpers Ferry (Yellow River State Forest headquarters/forestry office) for an introduction and map. Stations with hosts will include a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) fishing area (pictured in adjacent photo), streambank restoration, the firetower, prairie plantings, solar observation, flint knapping, bird research and a new solar array.

Local band Big Blue Sky will perform a free outdoor concert at 737 State Forest Road - the Sawmill Complex/Ranger’s Office starting at 5:30 p.m., with the Friends annual meeting (to elect board members) being held at the music intermission (approximately 6:30 p.m.). The second set of the concert will follow this short meeting.

Duffy Hudson will be presenting two programs at Robey Memorial Library Wednesday, June 25. The Magic of Dr. Seuss will be the Summer Explorers program for that day, and Houdini - The Life & Legacy will be the Live & Learn Program.

The Summer Explorers series featuring The Magic of Dr. Seuss will take place Wednesday, June 25 at 10:30 a.m. Join Broadway and film actor Duffy Hudson for an enchanting journey through the timeless tales of Dr. Seuss, accompanied by thrilling magic tricks. Experience favorite classics like never before in this dynamic show featuring:
• And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street
• The Sneetches
• The Zax
• The Big Brag
• What Was I Scared Of?

The program is designed to warm the heart and spark imaginations of all ages.

This May, in celebration of Bike Month, residents, schools, and local partners across Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek counties came together to support Upper Explorerland’s Safe Routes to School’s “Recycle Your Bicycle” initiative. The project collected over 200 donated bicycles throughout northeast Iowa - a testament to the region’s interest in sustainability, community, and active living.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals and organizations throughout the area, many of the collected bikes found new homes right here in local communities. Others, not taken or exchanged locally, were donated to two nonprofit organizations: the Iowa City Bike Library and the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective.

The Allamakee County Veterans Affairs Office and the Allamakee County Veterans Museum are sponsoring a Mental Health Awareness Walk Saturday, June 28 beginning at 9 a.m. from the Freedom Rock in the Waukon City Park to the Allamakee County Courthouse front lawn. Following the walk there will be tables set up on the Courthouse lawn with representatives from helping agencies as well as video presentations at the Allamakee Veterans Museum at 105 Allamakee Street, across from the courthouse.

The event is not limited to Veterans, but is designed to inform the public at large of resources available and to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining mental health. Those unable to participate in the walk are also invited to attend events at the courthouse and the Veterans Museum. If there is rain, this event will be postponed. Contact the Allamakee Veterans Affairs Office at 563-568-6135 for additional information.