Community News

Youth attended a day-long 4-H summit at Upper Iowa University in Fayette led by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach county and state youth outreach staff September 28. During the event, 55 youth from nine area schools learned about using their voice for leadership, making an action plan for change in their community and heard from ISU Extension and Outreach specialists on a variety of workshop topics. Schools attended from the following counties: Allamakee, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek.

The bridge over Yellow River on State Highway 51 (pictured above and at right), located four miles north of Postville in Allamakee County, was dedicated in honor and memory of fallen Iowa State Trooper and Waukon native Ted Benda Monday, October 16 in a ceremony at the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) maintenance garage location in Waukon. This past week, staff from the Iowa DOT location in Waukon worked to put signs in place at the north and south approaches to the bridge officially declaring its new name, as pictured in the photos taken from each direction.

Loren Mitchell of Waterville was recently honored among his Emergency Medical Service (EMS) peers when he was one of 28 EMS personnel recognized as a Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin (PAAW) Star of Life for 2023 at an October 10 dinner banquet held in Madison, WI.

Modeled after the American Ambulance Association’s National Stars of Life program, and now in its 12th year, Wisconsin Stars of Life are nominated by their local ambulance service to honor the dedication and commitment of those who show up for their communities. Mitchell has been working for the La Crosse, WI area Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance Service for nearly a dozen years, where he currently serves in the role of Corporal.

Nominated for the award by his supervisors and co-workers, Tri-State Ambulance submitted the following information regarding Mitchell for the October 10 banquet:

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 23 to address a full agenda of matters including the appointments of two Medical Examiner Investigators, the Public Hearing relating to the Gav-N-View Farms LLC Construction Permit Application and the consideration of setting dates for the first and second canvass of the November 7 City/School election.

The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present. A change to the agenda was approved to include a second name for the appointment of Medical Examiner Investigator I. During Public Comment, Jack Knight noted that he will be present at next week’s Supervisors meeting to provide feedback relating to an item on that meeting agenda.

Trick-or-treat times for this year’s Halloween holiday have been established. The Waukon Police Department has confirmed that the official trick-or-treat times within the Waukon community will be from 4-8 p.m. Halloween evening, Tuesday, October 31.

Area residents are asked to leave porch lights on to welcome trick-or-treaters. Youngsters taking part in the evening’s events are reminded to keep safety in mind while making their rounds.

by Ellen Modersohn

Mike Smith of Vero Beach, FL set a personal record at the Driftless Half Marathon held Saturday, October 14 in the Lansing area.

He ran a slower time than usual, thanks to a bout of bronchitis and a sore hip, but he met his goal of completing a half marathon in all 50 of the United States. He crossed the finish line to a chorus of cheers as his wife Dadra handed him a bouquet of balloons that included the big inflated numbers 5-0.

“I talk to a lot of people who are doing the 50-state thing and they’re surprised I’m finishing in Iowa. A lot of them will finish in Alaska or Hawaii, where there’s a big celebration. So here I am with you guys in Iowa, and it’s kind of a big celebration. I like it!” he said after the race.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 16 to address a short agenda of matters including an update from the City of Postville, a Quarterly Report from the County Relief Office and discussion and consideration of updated language relating to ground/soil maintenance for the County Farm contract. This week’s Board of Supervisors meeting took place at the Postville Public Library as part of the Supervisors’ annual schedule of public library visits within the county.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisor Dennis Keatley present. Supervisor Mark Reiser joined the meeting a short time later during the Public Comment portion of the meeting.

The City of Waukon will be participating in the Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program in 2024 and is looking for steering committee members to guide the community through the process. Interested individuals may contact Waukon City Clerk Sarah Snitker at Waukon City Hall for details or to sign up.

Community Visioning is an award-winning program that integrates landscape planning and design techniques with sustainable community action to assist community leaders and volunteers in making sound and meaningful decisions about the local landscape. More information can be found at the website https://www.communityvisioning.org/.

Saturday, October 21 at 10 a.m., the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will honor World War II veterans by presenting a video program in the Veterans Museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon.

A video interview filmed in 2006 by staff from the Five Sullivans Museum in Waterloo with U.S. Army veterans Ben Quillin and Kenneth Brandt will be played. Ben Quillin served in the Army Medical Corps and Ken Brandt was a tank commander in the European Theatre.

The public is invited to attend. There is no admission or membership charge. The Vets Museum facility is handicapped accessible.

The Veterans Museum will repeat any of its veteran interview videos for those who are unable to attend the original presentation, either by appointment or any Saturday morning when no new programing is scheduled.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 9 to address a full agenda of matters including Quarterly Reports from the County Treasurer and Planning and Zoning, the discussion and consideration of maintenance of Hickory Nut Drive, and discussion of an email from Winneshiek County relating to the possible agreement for a shared permanent County Engineer.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present. A Work Session was held at 8:30 a.m. prior to the regular 9:30 a.m. Board of Supervisors Meeting with several matters discussed including the addition of the Clerk of Court’s office phones and lines to the County Courthouse phone system, the County phone/internet contract and Courthouse fax options, among other related topics.