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Members of the Kee girls basketball team celebrate with their student body fans what the scoreboard on the wall confirms, as the 15th-rated Lady Hawks (with their 16-7 record) established themselves early over fourth-rated Springville (with a 23-1 record) to win their Class 1A Region 4 Championship game, 55-43, Wednesday, February 25 at West Delaware High School in Manchester. Bolting to a 17-5 lead after one quarter of play and maintaining that same scoreboard margin, 26-14, at the halftime break, Kee’s bucket brigade widened its lead to as much as 20 points in the third frame before having it trimmed to as few as nine points late in the fourth quarter but ultimately holding on for the double-digit victory to earn just the third State Tournament qualification in the history of the Kee girls basketball program, following earlier qualifications for the season grand finale in 2016 and 2018.

(Editor’s Note: With the passing of legendary Kee High School baseball coach Gene Schultz Monday, February 23, the following article is being reprinted in his honor and memory. The article was first printed in the August 27, 2014 edition of The Standard following the retirement of Coach Schultz from his 45-year tenure at the helm of the Kee baseball program.

TIME named Dr. Michael Osterholm, Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, to the 2026 TIME100 Health List of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health.

The 2026 TIME100 Health spotlights the 100 most influential leaders in health this year. As the global order has shifted, these titans, innovators, leaders, pioneers and catalysts have pushed new ideas - from gene therapies to regulatory agencies - ahead to build healthier populations around the world.

First University of Iowa student to earn the honor

Andrew Kelleher has been named a Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship recipient. A distinguished panel selected him out of nearly 1,000 outstanding candidates through a highly competitive nationwide process.

Kelleher is a 2014 graduate of Kee High School and served as Executive Director of Main Street Lansing from 2018 through 2023. He is currently in graduate school at American University in Washington, DC.

The Rangel Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State. The Rangel Fellowship will support Kelleher through a two-year master’s degree in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service. It will also provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors, and skills training.

Award nominations due by March 6, Dairy Princess applications due Monday; Dairy Banquet scheduled for March 28

The Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board is asking for assistance from the general public in identifying worthy candidates to be recognized as this year’s top dairy producers in Allamakee County at the 2026 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet scheduled to take place March 28 this year at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Every year, top producers and several other awards are nominated from members within the county. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension office are accepting nominations for the following awards:

Those who travel on the Great River Road in Lansing will need to be aware of an upcoming nighttime road closure that may slow down their trip, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) District 2 Office.

Construction crews will temporarily close Iowa 9/Iowa 26 between Henry and Hale Streets in Lansing, starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, February 19, until 6 a.m. Friday, February 20, weather permitting. This closure will allow the contractor to move a crane (similar to the one pictured in the photo above accompanying this article) into position to help with the removal of the steel structure that remains from the former Black Hawk Bridge. The back-up date and time, if needed, is Friday, February 20 at 10 p.m. until Saturday, February 21 at 6 a.m.

Award nominations due by March 6, Dairy Princess applications due March 2; Dairy Banquet scheduled for March 28

The Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board is asking for assistance from the general public in identifying worthy candidates to be recognized as this year’s top dairy producers in Allamakee County at the 2026 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet scheduled to take place March 28 this year at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Every year, top producers and several other awards are nominated from members within the county. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension office are accepting nominations for the following awards:

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) provided a recent update on the progress of the bridge replacement project over the Mississippi River at Lansing, making note of visible changes in both the new bridge construction as well as continued dismantling and demolition of remnants of the former Black Hawk Bridge.

Wartburg College Associate Professor of Science Education Michael Bechtel was once again among an elite group of educators selected to partner with a research astronomer to conduct a yearlong research project as part of the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)/IPAC (Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA) Teacher Archive Research Program. Bechtel is a 1989 graduate of Waukon High School and the son of Sherry and the late Dean Bechtel of rural Monona.

Bechtel, who was first selected for this honor in 2019, will work with program director and researcher Luisa Rebull and educators from New Hampshire, Texas, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Wartburg students Ashlyn Scharr, Abra Freeman and Angela Bettess will join him on the project.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has announced that Troy Peterson of Waukon Feed Ranch has been honored as a 2025 Master Pork Partner Awardee. The award winners embody the diversity of Iowa’s pig farms and the dedicated individuals who support pork producers. Nominated by peers and neighbors, these honorees reflect the strength and collaboration within the pork industry.

Throughout his career, Peterson has been a steady and trusted resource for pork producers across Iowa. In his role with Waukon Feed Ranch, he leads agronomy sales and manure management planning for hundreds of farms. His work helps producers maximize the value of manure while protecting water quality, maintaining compliance, and strengthening the long-term sustainability of swine and crop production.