Community News

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, March 16 to address a full agenda of matters including the Public Hearing relating to changing the zoning district classification from “M-1” Manufacturing to “B-2” General Business District for Certain Real Estate, the Final Reading and adoption of the Ordinance amending the code by changing the city elections procedure, and discussion of the proposed development of a sidewalk inspection and replacement program. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with council members present including Cassie Handke, Nicholas Engrav, Tim Smedsrud, Steve Wiedner and John Lydon.

AWANA International is celebrating 75 years of ministry to children this year. It was begun by Art Rohrheim as he taught children in his neighborhood of Chicago. In the 1980s AWANA grew to international venues and today reaches 9.3 million children each week.

AWANA is an international youth organization that provides a weekday program open to youth from churches of all denominations. The name AWANA is taken from II Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

AWANA does not promote the doctrine of any specific church or denomination but rather gives priority to the Bible as the Word of God. The vital Scripture verses on salvation and Christian growth are the heart of all AWANA achievements.

The 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Waukon will be held Sunday, March 22 (postponed from the originally scheduled date of Sunday, March 15 date due to anticipated weather conditions), 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 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.

Waukon High School welcomed the newest members into its local chapter of National Honor Society at an annual induction ceremony held Tuesday, March 3 at Waukon High School. Starting in January of their junior year, eligible students are invited to complete the application process to gain membership into National Honor Society. Membership is based on the four pillars that National Honor Society represents: Scholarship, Character, Leadership and Service. Pictured above are this year’s new inductees.

The Allamakee County Fair Board will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Pancake Breakfast this Sunday, March 15 from 8 a.m.-12 noon at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon, prior to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Waukon.

The local group Driftless Dark Sky will meet Tuesday, March 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Yellow River State Forest foresters’ office, located at 729 State Forest Road, Harpers Ferry. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend.

An organizational meeting will be held and then program topics for the remainder of the meeting will include the impact of light pollution on wildlife, how it affects human health, wasted energy cost and things people can do to mitigate these impacts. In addition, there will be a demonstration of newly installed Dark Sky compliant outdoor lighting (pictured above) recently installed in the forest.

Discussion will also take place about the impact of Artificial Light At Night (or ALAN) becoming more prominent in society and many cities and communities implementing dark sky friendly policies to protect the night sky. For more information about the meeting or the Dark Sky initiative, call 563-535-7100. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 9 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of changing ownership of the Medical Examiner vehicle from Veterans Memorial Hospital to Allamakee County, consideration of the detour route for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Waukon, and consideration of the contract and bond for the bridge replacement project on Big Foot Road. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark with Supervisor Dan Byrnes present. Supervisor Dennis Keatley was not in attendance due to a scheduled absence.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 2 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of the Weight Embargo Resolution on County Roads, discussion of the Alliant Energy Battery Energy Storage System Project at the former Lansing Power Plant site, and the discussion and consideration of a request relating to speed feedback signs on the Great River Road within Harpers Ferry city limits.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Dan Byrnes present. There was no comment during the Public Comment portion of the meeting.

The Allamakee County Historical Society recently had a pair of new signs installed near the entrance of the Allamakee County Veterans Museum to help direct visitors or passers-by to the Veterans Museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon, as well as to the Genealogy Research Center that is housed in the lower level of that same museum building. The signs, pictured at right, were created and installed by Brennan Welsh of Lucky 7 Design Company in New Albin. Welsh said the creation and installation of the signs offered an opportunity for him to honor his many relatives who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including Staff Sergeant Lavern Fink, who was killed in 1944 while serving in World War II. On behalf of the Allamakee County Historical Society, President George Beardmore expresses his appreciation to Welsh for the creation and installation of the signs. Submitted photo.
 

Saturday, March 7, at 10 a.m., the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present another program from its Veterans History Project honoring Vietnam veterans at its museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. The public is invited to attend.

A video interview by Chuck Bloxham with U.S. Army veteran Ralph Mohwinkle will be played. Mohwinkle will also be present to share comments and answer questions. He served in Vietnam as a military policeman and also served at home in the U.S. with the military police.

There is no admission or membership charge to attend or tour the museum. The facility is handicapped accessible.