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Meetings in Harpers Ferry and Elkader; Permits for January 20-28 special collection effort will be available

In its continuing efforts to monitor chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northeast Iowa, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a special scientific deer collection effort January 20-28 in targeted areas of Allamakee and Clayton counties near where chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in wild Iowa deer (see map accompanying this story on Page 12A). The collection effort will be discussed during two public meetings scheduled for this Thursday, January 18 - one at 2 p.m. at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center in Harpers Ferry and the other at 6:30 p.m. at the Keystone AEA building in Elkader.

Physicians and the entire staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon announce that the hospital's First Baby of the Year honors were won by Dexter Douglas Dietrich, newborn son of Nicole and Dillon Dietrich of Waukon.

Dexter was born Friday, January 12, 2018 at 12:50 p.m., weighing seven pounds, seven ounces and measuring 21 inches long. Dr. David Schwartz and Dr. Benjamin Nesseim assisted with the delivery. Dexter joins his big brother, Dayton, age three, at home.

As the First Baby of the Year, this fortunate child and family received the following generous gifts compliments of these area merchants:

Award nominations due by February 23
Princess applications due by March 1

The 2018 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet will be held Saturday, March 24 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The meal will be served from 7-8:30 p.m., with the program starting at 8 p.m. The annual celebration recognizes the importance of the dairy industry in Allamakee County and the contributions dairy families make to the industry.

Every year, top producers from the county are recognized at the banquet. In addition, several other awards are presented that evening. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension Office are accepting nominations through February 23 for the following awards:

Iowa Senator Michael Breitbach and Representative Kristi Hager will be hosting a legislative forum this Saturday, January 20 at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau building located at 14 First Avenue NE in Waukon. The forum is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and will offer the public an opportunity for discussion with their area legislators.

Tuesday, January 9, the Waukon Police Department and the Allamakee County Sheriff's Department conducted a search warrant at 61 Jean Road in Waukon. As a result of the search, multiple arrests were made on multiple drug-related charges.

Blake Pohlman, age 29, of Waukon was arrested and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver (class C felony) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Christine Bark, age 30, of Waukon was arrested and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine (second offense) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a pair of regular sessions within this past week's time due to the New Year's Day holiday falling on the board's regular scheduled meeting day of Monday. The board met in that holiday-delayed session Tuesday, January 2 before returning to its regular Monday meeting day for its next regular session Monday, January 8. Coverage of both meetings follows:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 2
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Tuesday, January 2 due to the New Year's Day holiday falling on its regular Monday meeting day. The board addressed a full agenda of items including the Northeast Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund (NEIRHTF) program review and Fiscal-Year 2019 funding request, the recommendation from the Compensation Board for Fiscal-Year 2019 and the consideration of a resolution regarding personnel in the County Auditor's office.

by Lissa Blake

If someone had told Mississippi River fishing guide Ted Peck of New Albin an Alabama company would ever name a fishing lure after a Yankee from Illinois, he would have said they were telling fish stories.

But that's exactly what happened in October of this past year.

Bill Lewis Lures renamed its signature Rat-L-Trap red/white floating model RT-97 “Red Head Uncle Ted” in honor of Peck. Rat-L Trap has been making lures since 1964. The Red Head Uncle Ted is the only model out of Rat-L Trap's 143 lures to be named for an individual.

“It's quite humbling,” said Peck of the lure that bears his name.

HIS BACKGROUND
Peck and his wife, Candy, moved to New Albin l1 years ago after living in Wisconsin for much of their lives. He grew up in Carroll County, IL fishing with his dad, who gave him some of his favorite lures.

The Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) is now accepting 2018 grant applications. The application for the grant funding is available online at www.dbqfoundation.org/accf. Applications are due February 1, 2018 by midnight.

Nonprofit organizations can apply for grants from the ACCF for projects or programs that address significant community issues and benefit a broad spectrum of the community. Projects must be in Allamakee County.

The ACCF awards grants in the areas of Health and Human Services, Education, Neighborhoods and Community Development, Environment; Children, Youth, and Families; and Arts and Culture, including historic preservation. Preference is given to projects that:

The Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) and EARL Public Transit will have a draft of the region’s 2018 Passenger Transporation Plan (PTP) available for public review and comment beginning Thursday, January 11 on the UERPC website: http://uerpc.org/tip-comments.html. The Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) is a document that is developed to serve as a mobility management tool to help meet the specific passenger transportation needs of the region and further the development of the local and regional public transportation system.

by Lissa Blake

After half a century of service to the community, Carol Krumme is retiring from Waukon State Bank.

It's been quite a career, according to Krumme, considering the job was something she says she just sort of “fell into” back in high school. Krumme has served as head teller at the bank for more than 25 years, and she has served in various other positions for the bank since she was a senior at Waukon High School in 1968.

“Our teacher, Miss Ernestine Holzer, started a pilot program for the office education students. She had 10 students she wanted to send out to businesses to work,” recalled Krumme about the beginning of what would turn out to be an enjoyable career for her.

Krumme and classmate Susan Smedsrud were sent to Waukon State Bank to work in the afternoons.