Top Stories

by Joe Moses

Allamakee County Zoning Administrator Stephanie Runkle recently met with The Standard relating to the Allamakee County Planning and Zoning Commission’s Public Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, February 18 regarding an amendment to the County’s Zoning Ordinance L. The proposed amendment will add specifics to the County’s zoning regulations relating to Utility-Scale Solar Energy Systems, Community Solar Energy Systems and an update to requirements for Personal Solar Energy Systems, among other updates.

Bleeding injuries can happen anytime, anywhere. If let uncontrolled, severe bleeding injuries could claim a person’s life in as little as five minutes.

With that in mind, Emplify Health by Gundersen will be offering a STOP THE BLEED® training event Tuesday, March 25 at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, located at 515 Main Street in Lansing, from 5-6 p.m. Anyone may participate in this training, which is being offered free of charge to the first 10 participants to register by the March 24 at 12 noon registration deadline.

Award nominations due by February 17, Dairy Princess applications due February 28; Dairy Banquet scheduled for March 22

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 2025 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet scheduled to take place March 22 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 sentencing and ruling denying a new trial handed down Monday, February 3 in Allamakee County District Court to Mindy Jones, the woman found guilty of purposely setting fire to her 9 Allamakee Street business building in Waukon, is now being appealed to a higher court.

Notice of Appeal documents filed immediately the day after Jones was sentenced to 25 years in prison on a charge of first degree arson and another two years on a charge of animal abuse for the death of a dog ruled to be caused by the February 13, 2022 fire indicate that the Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court of Iowa was filed by Jones’ attorney, Aaron Hawbaker of the State of Iowa Public Defender’s office in Waterloo, in regard to those February 3 orders delivered by Iowa First Judicial District Judge Laura Parrish.

As the three-year anniversary approaches of the February 13, 2022 fire that destroyed two business buildings in the initial eastside block of Allamakee Street in Waukon and forced upstairs apartment residents to flee for their safety, the woman ruled to be responsible for the blaze has now been ordered to serve a 25-year prison sentence on a charge of first degree arson and two years on a charge of animal abuse associated with the incident.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has announced that Dan Weber as been named a 2024 Master Pork Partner. The award winners embody the diversity of Iowa’s pig farms and the dedicated individuals who support pork producers. Nominated by their peers and neighbors, these honorees reflect the strength and collaboration within the pork industry, and they were honored at the Iowa Pork Congress banquet held January 22 in Des Moines.

Dan Weber currently serves as the Assistant General Manager at Waukon Feed Ranch (WFR) in Waukon. As part of his role Weber oversees and collaborates with the swine department, guiding and mentoring both direct reports and other team members. His daily responsibilities range from handling day-to-day production issues to big-picture planning and financial forecasting for each sow unit. He is dedicated to the growth of WFR and the promotion of their pork products.

Award nominations due by February 17, Dairy Princess applications due February 28; Dairy Banquet scheduled for March 22

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 2025 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet scheduled to take place March 22 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:

Wartburg College’s Dr. Michael Bechtel was one of seven educators selected to serve in the first cohort of the National Center for Science Education’s (NCSE) Sound Science Fellowship program. Bechtel is a 1989 graduate of Waukon High School and the son of Sherry and the late Dean Bechtel of rural Monona.

During his two-year term in the Fellowship program, Bechtel will help the NCSE develop new approaches to resolving misconceptions about topics that are seen as controversial to the public and conduct research to develop best practices for teaching and learning.

“Over my time as an educator, I have become keenly aware of the scientific understanding desert that has been filled with social media memes and anti-science rhetoric,” said Bechtel, an associate science education professor at Wartburg College in Waverly. “I believe the only way these difficult topics can be addressed is through facts, open dialogue, questions and understanding the learner.”

This past week saw the premise of the new bridge over the Mississippi River at Lansing begin to take shape even more as crews from project contractor Kraemer North America set 15 decking support beams in place on the Wisconsin side of the project, with five such beams spanning from the east bridge abutment to Pier 5, five more from Pier 5 to Pier 4, and five more from Pier 4 to Pier 3. As pictured in the surrounding photos, the laying of the beams was performed by two large cranes, with the long beams being delivered by semi tractor and trailer combinations that had steerable rear wheels on the trailers in order to accommodate sharper turns, such as what they experienced turning off Wisconsin Hwy. 35 onto Hwy. 82 (the dike road) just east of the bridge location. Photos courtesy of the Iowa Department of Transportation.
 

WHS 1978 graduate to be honored at MSU induction ceremony this weekend

by David M. Johnson

A decorated high school and college athlete, a successful Division I college softball coach, an author and a mentor, Waukon native Holly Hesse has blazed a trail of achievement since her days of living within the hills and valleys of Waukon and Allamakee County, with that trail leading to a storied career of more than three decades as head coach of the Missouri State University softball program. With a laser-like focus on goals and career targets that lofted her to new heights both playing and coaching, Hesse has now retired this past year knowing she will leave at the top of her game - a game that she’s loved for so long and shared with so many others.