Community News

Empty Nest Winery and Allamakee Community Players, Inc. will be presenting a dinner theater production of “Murder in the Knife Room” Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, at 6 p.m. each evening, at the Empty Nest Winery. This comedy has one murder, with 10 suspects. Who did it? Was it a wealthy dowager, a respected general... maybe it was Santa Claus? The mystery unfolds on the most thrilling and baffling murder case in the history of thrilling and baffling murder cases.

Cast members for the production are pictured in the submitted photo above during a recent dress rehearsal. Left to right - Front row: Barb Hagen, Cheri Turner, Kim Gates, Gwen Schroedel, Karla Lubahn; Back row: Vickie Larsen, Karen DeBuhr, Barry Mueller, Cameron Berges, Jonathan Buhl, Russ Hagen, Zach Troendle, Rick Gramlich. Not pictured: Joeann Tesar and director Sarah Hagen.

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP) gathered statewide partners to host the iLEAD Leadership Symposium February 8-9. Sessions taking place at Eagle Point Park Lodge in Clinton focused on the growth of leadership skills for Iowa’s tourism organizations. Among those attending the symposium was Val Reinke (pictured second from left in seated front row), executive director of Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism.

The group learned that leadership is about taking risks and challenging the status quo, and that leaders motivate others to achieve something new and better. The last few years have proven that tourism leaders need to innovate and collaborate in order to grow their organizations. The goal of the iLEAD Leadership Symposium is to allow anyone in Iowa’s tourism industry to advance growth of leadership skills. Attendees ranged from someone only a few months into their position to individuals who have been leading their organizations for years.

Plans have been announced to hold the 2024 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Waukon the actual day of the celebrated holiday, Sunday, March 17, beginning at 1 p.m. All are invited to participate in this year’s parade with an Irish-themed entry at no cost. Any businesses, organizations, families or individuals wishing to have an entry are asked to be lined up by 12 noon that Sunday, with float entries lining up in the parking lot of WW Homestead Dairy and the former Northern Engraving plant, tractors unloading and lining up at the Sweeney Auction Service parking lot and horse units gathering at the Croell Redi-Mix plant on the southeast edge of Waukon.

The Waukon Easter Egg Hunt has been scheduled for Saturday, March 30 and will be held at a new location than in the past several years. This year’s event is being held at the Waukon City Park, with registration at 10 a.m. and the Easter Egg Hunt beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Those attending will register as they drive into the park and then be directed to their appropriate age locations. Those age groupings will include 5 and under, 6-8 years old, and 9-11 years old. There will be bicycles, cash and other prizes available to win through registering for the event. In case of inclement weather, a make-up date has been scheduled for the following Saturday, April 6.

In the spirit of the Scout promise to do a good turn daily and “to help other people at all times,” Waukon Pack 64 and Troop 64 of the Northeast Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will be holding their collection of donations for the annual “Scouting for Food” donation drive Tuesday, March 12.

In Waukon, Scouts will be collecting food donations Tuesday, March 12 from 5-6:30 p.m. door-to-door. Donations can also be dropped off at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau Office, 14 1st Ave. NE in Waukon, during business hours the week of March 11-15. The Allamakee County Food Shelf is requesting the following non-expired donations: canned fruit, canned soup, macaroni & cheese, baked beans, Hamburger Helper, and Spam.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 19 to address a full agenda of matters including a presentation relating to a potential campground at Green Valley Getaway, discussion of a housing proposal for the former Bresnahan property and discussion of a UTV purchase for the Park and Recreation Department. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan. There was no Public Comment with the meeting moving into Department Reports.

Park, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub advised that youth basketball is finishing up including young kids and travel teams with registrations being accepted for youth soccer, which he noted is a large program involving kids from neighboring communities including Lansing, Postville and Monona in addition to Waukon. Strub also noted that summer recreation positions including lifeguards and coaches, among others, are being advertised.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 12 to address a full agenda of matters including the Grady’s Superhero Run 5K scheduled for August 2 in Dorchester, a recommendation from the Allamakee County Compensation Board relating to Fiscal-Year 2025 (FY25) elected official salaries and the consideration of signing an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources relating to four properties within Allamakee County. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be launching its 2024 Event Series this weekend, Friday and Saturday, February 16 and 17. This event, aptly called the Cupid Shuffle as it happens near the Valentine’s Day holiday, will highlight Waukon’s local dining establishments and encourages folks to get out and patronize Waukon’s businesses and community amenities.  Cupid Shuffle cards with a list of participating businesses are available at the Chamber office and EpicWear in Waukon, or can be viewed on the Cupid Shuffle Facebook event page.

Those participating in the Cupid Shuffle should visit three different locations in Waukon to grab a drink, have a meal, and take part in an activity. Any participants who “shuffle” to three participating locations and fill out and turn in a Cupid Shuffle card can be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win $100 in Waukon Bucks.

A small river town is once again coming together to preserve its local history. The Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society is raising $800,000 to build a new, 9,000-square-foot museum highlighting the community’s rich past. The effort builds on the Heritage Society’s previous work, which resulted in the historic Oil Springs School restoration and relocation.

“Harpers Ferry is one of the oldest communities in Allamakee County,” says Jane Hasek, one of the project’s leaders. “Its heritage is really unique.”

The city was founded by David Harper, who opened a hotel and launched a ferry that carried livestock, grain and more to Prairie du Chien, WI. Residents today feel a powerful connection to the community and its history and are excited to showcase their town in a new way.

Ashley Wenke of Pleasant Grove Homestead near Montezuma was named Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s “Grow Your Future” Award first-place winner at the organization’s Young Farmer Conference held February 2-3 in Altoona. Wenke took home a $7,500 grand prize to expand her direct-to-consumer produce and meat business.

Also among the finalists in this year’s competition was Bobbi Jo (Wild) Berg, from Recipes from French Creek in rural Lansing of Allamakee County. Her business creates freezer meals with locally sourced ingredients, including eggs from her own farm, and she finished in third place as one of the finalists in the competition and received a prize of $2,500.