Community News

Saturday, February 10, approximately 50 area youth, ages four to 18, received free dental care as Waukon Dental and Family Dentistry Associates of Monona hosted their 28th annual Have A Heart Day event, and Dental Associates of Prairie du Chien, P.C. celebrated hosting its 24th year of the event. While the event provides an opportunity for kids who have not recently seen a dentist for whatever reason to receive free dental care, this day also brings satisfaction to the doctors and staff.

Waukon Dental, Family Dentistry Associates of Monona and Dental Associates of Prairie du Chien, P.C. provided a variety of dental services including check-ups, x-rays, treatment for toothaches, extractions, fillings, sealants and dental hygiene cleanings at no cost. The extent of services provided to patients this year totaled a little more than $22,500. Pictured above in the submitted photo is Dental Hygienist Heather Moore with six-year-old Gabriel.

Guest speaker McKayla Stock, a nurse and former Allamakee County 4-H member, shared with the Clover Kids after school program that half of their plate at meal time should be made up of fruits and vegetables, and the more colorful the contents of their plate, the more yummy it looks and the more nutrients are involved. To demonstrate the variety of color, everyone was able to make their own fruit kabobs with a Peeps® treat (pictured in the top photo at left). The students learned that treats can be fun when eaten in moderation.

The Upper Iowa River Alliance (UIRA) has announced the development and recent publication of a new paddler’s guide for the Upper Iowa River. The pocket-sized guide provides a detailed map of the “floatable” portions of the Upper Iowa River from Chester to the Mississippi River and provides an in-depth look at five segments of the river on larger-scale maps.

This publication was the first major project completed by the Upper Iowa River Alliance, a non-profit formed to “promote, protect and enhance the Upper Iowa River.” The diverse group of stakeholders belonging to the Upper Iowa River Alliance gathered and provided input to ensure both experienced and novice river users would find the guide convenient and informative. In addition to the maps, it highlights the locations of all publicly owned river accesses, local amenities, safety information, canoe and kayak rental options, distance between accesses, native wildlife, and rules and regulations.

Waukon State Bank has made donations in support of school organizations through the bank’s Scoreboard Program. Waukon State Bank donates $10 for each football touchdown, $3 for each volleyball ace, $5 for each basketball three-point shot, $5 for each wrestling pin and $5 for each baseball and softball home run. From the Waukon Indians’ 2017 fall varsity sports season, donation checks were recently presented to the Waukon High School Drama Department, Waukon FFA, Waukon Wrestling Club and St. Patrick Catholic School. Presentations of those donated funds are pictured in the surrounding submitted photos.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its Annual Banquet this Friday, February 23 at the Waukon Banquet Center. The Chamber will be awarding nominees from the community for Business of the Year and Person of the Year honors. Awards will also be distributed to honor businesses and organizations for their Years of Service to the community for those celebrating a five-year increment anniversary.

The doors will open for the event at 5:30 p.m., with awards being distributed at 6:30 p.m. and the meal to follow. This year’s banquet will be catered by BE Catered and they will be serving grilled ribeye sandwiches and shrimp alfredo with all the sides.

Anyone with further questions about the event should contact Waukon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Dugan at 563-568-4110 or by email at waukoncc@mchsi.com.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 19 to address a full agenda of items, including the final application for the Catalyst Grant, a letter of support for the Walk On Waukon committee and the former Tierney building structural integrity inspection results.

Mayor Pat Stone called the meeting to order with approval of the current meeting agenda and meeting minutes of the February 5, 2018 regular session. During Public Comment, Coordinator Ardie Kuhse with Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) discussed the 2015 City of Waukon Comprehensive Plan as being a resource for the Council in terms of economic development and tourism and shared copies of the plan’s goals.

Overcoming problems and challenges that may be encountered in a business environment often starts with a conversation: a dialogue about possible solutions to develop a plan of action.

Whether challenges for companies include new employee recruitment, employee soft skills such as customer service, or retention of talent, a diverse group of leaders providing their input and expertise helps to work through a solution. The Allamakee County Business and Community Board, formed with the assistance of Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), provides a forum for this purpose, by inviting dialogue between education, economic development officials and local business leaders.

by Lissa Blake

At first glance, 11-year-old Addie Gralund may look like any other girl her age.

She’s competitive, driven, and enjoys being in charge.

But according to her mother, Kris (Zimmerman) Gralund, Addie is much older than her years.

That’s because Addie has been through a lot for a girl her age - or any age - including four open-heart surgeries.

CHD
Addison “Addie” Gralund, the granddaughter of Dave and Jeannine Zimmerman of Waukon, was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) called Truncus Arteriosis, which means she had three valves in her heart instead of the usual four. The Gralunds, who live in Cedar Rapids, did not know Addie had anything wrong with her until the day after she was born.

Information from the Allamakee County Housing Needs Assessment dealing specifically with the Waukon area will be presented at the Waukon City Council meeting taking place Monday, February 19 in the City Council Chambers located at Waukon City Hall. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m., with the housing study information to be presented as an agenda item during the regular council session.

Information such as population and its demographics, employment and income, and housing characteristics will be among the items presented upon. Historical trends and future projections are also part of the survey that could be discussed during the presentation.

For more information about the survey or the scheduled presentation, contact Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism Executive Director Val Reinke at 563-568-2624 or stop by the Allamakee County Economic Development Office at 101 West Main in Waukon.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 12 to discuss a variety of matters, including the Canvass for the Postville Community School District special election, consideration of Green Valley Bridge bids and discussion of the language for the E-Cigarette Ordinance. Supervisor Dennis Koenig was not in attendance. There was no Public Comment.

The Supervisors convened as the Board of Canvassers to address the Canvass of the Postville Community School District special election held February 6. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer provided the election results with 100 No votes and 33 Yes votes for the Public Education and Recreation Levy (PERL). Based on those results, the Supervisors declared the public measure would not be adopted. The Supervisors adjourned as the Board of Canvassers and reconvened as the Board of Supervisors.