Community News

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, October 21 to address a full agenda of items including Mayor appointments for Police Chief and Assistant Police Chief, a recommendation for computer and information technology services and discussion of soil and drainage issues at a proposed development.

During Public Comment, Director Ardie Kuhse of Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) advised that Tuesday, October 22 is Census 2020 Applicant Day at Robey Memorial Library with census representatives being available to discuss census-related employment opportunities. Kuhse discussed the importance of the census affecting funding for the county and representation in government.

The Old Stone House (pictured above) has been an integral part of Allamakee County history. Local historian Cindy Berns of Postville will talk about the iconic landmark at a meeting of the Allamakee County Historical Society Sunday, November 3 at 2 p.m. The meeting will be held in the community room at Robey Memorial Library, located at 401 First Avenue NW in Waukon. Refreshments will be served following the program.

Cool but pleasant weather allowed the eighth annual local Fields of Faith event in Waukon to take place within its traditional setting on the football field at Waukon High School Wednesday, October 9, drawing another large crowd, as evident in the photo above. Messages of how faith has impacted their lives and allowed them to assist others in faith and other aspects of their lives were shared by a series of six different speakers during the event. Those six are pictured in the individual photos immediately below and included (left to right) MFL/MarMac High School senior Rose Mary McGeough, Waukon High School senior Dawson Baures and Waukon High School sophomore Madelyn Helgerson; former students of Dordt University in Sioux Center Kade Krosschell and Taylan Seaman; and Iowa husband and father of five children Mike DeJong.

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center is hosting Domestic Violence Awareness Events during the month of October. In Iowa and around the world, October is a month to create awareness around domestic violence, using the color purple to symbolize the cause.

Throughout the month of October, one may notice local coffee shops placing stickers listing Helping Services’ 24/7 Resource Line (800-383-2988) on coffee sleeves and table tents with information displayed at area businesses to spread awareness around domestic violence.

Last year, the Helping Services’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center team of advocates and volunteers assisted 294 individual survivors of domestic abuse in the seven counties the team serves, including Allamakee, Bremer, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek. Staff and volunteers also answered 1,160 calls on the Center’s Resource Line and provided 131 transportation trips for clients.

The annual State survey of Northgate Care Center in Waukon has been completed, and after a week of inspection the survey team deemed the facility to have met the standards required by the State of Iowa. The Board of Directors at ABCM Corporation, owners and operators of Northgate Care Center in Waukon, notes that it is exceptionally difficult to receive a deficiency-free survey, especially with all the changing rules and regulations, and congratulates Northgate Care Center on its 14th deficiency-free inspection. During this survey, the environment of the care center, nursing, social work, activities, human resources, dietary and all other facets were inspected to ensure State requirements and standards are being met.

by Joe Moses

Friday, October 4, Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker and Director Deanna Hageman of Northeast Iowa RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) filled seven totes with administrative supplies to be placed in each community within Allamakee County including Lansing, New Albin, Harpers Ferry, Postville, Waterville and Waukon, with one tote also designated for the Allamakee County Emergency Management Department.

Snitker and Hageman said that the purchase of administrative supplies and totes was made possible through the Regional Readiness Summit Idea Grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. The $1,500 awarded for the project allowed for the purchase of supplies that will be placed within each community and will be used for administrative purposes including volunteer receptions centers, incident command and emergency command posts.

The Allamakee County Emergency Management Agency would like to remind motorists of the upcoming Driftless Half Marathon Relay and 5K running events which will be taking place along the Mississippi River (highlighted in green on the map above) and in Lansing this Saturday, October 12. The half marathon and relay race will start at 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of Collins Ridge Road and the Great River Road (County Road X52) just north of Harpers Ferry and head north toward Lansing for 13.3 miles. Shortly after starting, the runners will turn right and run the length of Red Oak Road back to its more northern intersection with the Great River Road, continuing north on the Great River Road route until completing the race at the Lansing Sports Complex in Lansing. All runners should be off the course around noon.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, October 7 to address a full agenda of items including a downtown trash can proposal and estimate, the city manager’s authority to approve expenditures without prior approval of the city council and concerns relating to a subdivision development.
Mayor Pat Stone discussed the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Buddy Poppies Proclamation and read the proclamation aloud. Stone encouraged residents to support this cause through donations in honor of the sacrifices of the men and women who have risked their lives in the defense of this nation’s freedoms. The council approved the VFW Buddy Poppies Proclamation.

The Waukon High School Marching Band is pictured above with its new uniforms recently purchased through the generosity of contributors to an Adopt a Uniform fundraising campaign. More than 80 individuals, businesses and organizations (listed in the advertisement below) contributed to the campaign at a variety of different funding levels to help replace the previous uniforms that had been in use for more than 20 years. Submitted photo.
 

Meet and Greet event set for October 7

The City of Waukon recently hired Gary Boden as the new city manager in preparation for the retirement of the City’s first-ever city manager, Dean Hilgerson. Boden and Hilgerson were able to work together for several days allowing for a smooth transition for Boden in his position with the City of Waukon.