Community News

by Joe Moses

U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa’s Second Congressional District toured Ziegler CAT’s Postville location Friday afternoon, January 10 as part of her annual 22-County Tour. Hinson toured the current Ziegler CAT facility and learned more about Ziegler CAT’s expansion and ongoing facility construction north of Postville in addition to answering questions from Ziegler CAT employees during her visit to Allamakee County.

January is National Mentoring Month, and Youth Mentoring at Helping Services For Youth & Families is celebrating National Mentoring Month by honoring mentoring friendships and inviting others to get involved in their community by becoming involved in mentoring. January is the perfect time to expand quality mentoring friendships and opportunities connecting more of the local community’s youth with caring adults.

Research shows that mentors play a powerful role in providing youth with the tools to make positive choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or avoid negative behaviors. In turn, these youth are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college; 81% more likely to report participating in sports or extracurricular activities; 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities; and more than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team. Pictured above are some of the area mentors and the youth they mentor.

January is National Mentoring Month, and Youth Mentoring at Helping Services For Youth & Families is celebrating National Mentoring Month by honoring mentoring friendships and inviting others to get involved in their community by becoming involved in mentoring. January is the perfect time to expand quality mentoring friendships and opportunities connecting more of the local community’s youth with caring adults.

Research shows that mentors play a powerful role in providing youth with the tools to make positive choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or avoid negative behaviors. In turn, these youth are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college; 81% more likely to report participating in sports or extracurricular activities; 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities; and more than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team. Pictured above are some of the area mentors and the youth they mentor.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 30 and Monday, January 6 in addition to its 2025 organizational meeting held Thursday, January 2. Coverage of these three meetings held within a week’s time appears below.

DECEMBER 30
The Monday, December 30 regular meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Byrnes. Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present, with this being Reiser’s final meeting of his board tenure.

The jury trial in the first degree murder case of Brandon Kasemeier, the 40-year-old man from Waukon charged in the January 21, 2024 death of his estranged wife, Jami Kasemeier, will remain in Allamakee County for now, but it will also be delayed four more months following a hearing held by video conference in Allamakee County District Court Monday, December 30 and ensuing rulings handed down this past week from that hearing.

First Communion Sunday was held December 29 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing. Pictured in back row: Pastor Laura Gentry and left to right, front row: Landry Lapel, Laine Lapel and Kenleigh Sizemore. Submitted photo.

Saturday, January 4 at 10 a.m. the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present a video including highlights of Bob Hope’s 1967 Christmas Show Tour of Vietnam entertaining troops stationed in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

Other videos from the museum’s Veterans History Project are also available to watch on request whenever the museum is open for tours or anytime by appointment. School, community and veterans organizations are encouraged to make appointments for tours and may also use the facility for special meetings.

The museum will also be open for tours January 4 from 9 a.m. until noon. There is no admission charge. The museum is handicapped accessible.
 

by Brianne Grimstad

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Board of Trustees met Tuesday, December 17 for its monthly meeting, and its final meeting for the year 2024. Outgoing board members Greg Lage, Kevin Hanson and Dave Weymiller were thanked for serving on the board and the work they’ve done for the hospital. Those three board members did not seek re-election in this past November’s election.

Six of the seven board members who were newly-elected in the November General Election, Ron Osterholm, John Ellingson, Dawn Clark, Dennis Lyons, Larry Schellhammer and Patty Nordheim, were sworn in at the meeting by Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer. Those newly-elected Board of Trustees members also include Dennis Koenig, but he was not able to be present for this swearing-in ceremony and will have that official action taken at a later date.

Friends of Yellow River State Forest has recently had solar panels installed at the State Forest headquarters near Harpers Ferry. The panels were installed in September and started operation in October. Friends of Yellow River State Forest purchased the panels and donated them to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The panels were installed in an effort to significantly reduce the utility bills at Yellow River State Forest.

Friends of Yellow River State Forest President Kelli Boylen says, “Installation of the solar panels is the largest project the Friends group has done to date, and we hope to inspire others to move toward more sustainable energy options.” Friends of Yellow River State Forest hired Eagle Point Solar to install a 42-panel array (pictured in the submitted photo above) outside the forester’s office at the State Park.

Members of the American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) elected five candidates to its board of directors at the annual membership meeting held December 6 during the AGA National Convention in Kansas City, MO. Among the three newly-elected board members for this year is Mark Stock of Waukon, and he was joined in being newly elected to the board by Stuart Jarvis and John Shearer, both of Kansas. Re-elected to serve a second term on the board were Zach Butler of Tennessee and Gregg Hartman of Colorado.

The AGA board of directors also elected individuals to serve in leadership positions on the executive committee for 2025. Dan Warner of Nebraska was elected president, Stuart Jarvis of Kansas was elected vice president, Brent Overmiller of Kansas was re-elected secretary, and Tom Vehige of Missouri was elected treasurer. Retiring members of the 2024 AGA Board of Directors included Lori Maude of South Dakota, Gary Felger of Missouri, and Todd Bickett of Georgia.