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The annual Lighted Holiday Parade held in Waukon Monday evening, December 4 brightened up the beginning of the holiday season in more ways than one as nearly two dozen entries made their way through the city streets. Unseasonable temperatures hovering in the lower 50s made for comfortable viewing conditions for parade-goers, and a rare December rainstorm had made its way out of the area just in time to not be a bother for the event. Among the many displays and messages featured by this year's parade entries was the one displayed by First Presbyterian Church in its parade entry pictured above reminding all parade viewers of the foundational message of "Peace on Earth" that will likely be heard throughout many holiday services and events this season but should be a year-round consideration. Standard photo by Joe Moses. View and find out how to purchase this photo and more from the holiday parade and additional area events by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.

by Brianne Eilers

Voters in the city of Waukon elected a new mayor in the Tuesday, December 5 run-off election. That run-off election was necessary after the November 7 City Election did not yield a true winner based on none of the five candidates in that initial mayor's race receiving the necessary 50%+1 vote majority, pushing the top two vote-getters, Dwight Jones and Pat Stone, into the run-off election.
According to initial unofficial results released by the Allamakee County Auditor's Office December 5, those voters elected city government newcomer Pat Stone to the Waukon Mayor's office by a 395-236 final vote count. Stone's margin included an absentee vote margin of 83-49 and an election night tally of 312-187.
Stone will now assume the office of mayor, replacing outgoing mayor Duane DeWalle, who did not seek re-election to the mayor's seat this year. Stone will assume the office in January 2018.

Constituents of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) have continued to ask questions of the district's board of directors in regard to the board's consideration of the future of Waterville Elementary School. The ACSD Board of Directors is scheduled to ultimately make a decision on the future of the school at its Monday, December 18 regular board meeting.

The board has also scheduled a pair of work sessions prior to that December 18 regular meeting, each of those work sessions being scheduled for other purposes needing to be addressed by the board but also offering the opportunity for board members to further discuss any Waterville Elementary considerations. Those work sessions have been scheduled for this Thursday, November 30 and again Tuesday, December 12, both starting at 7 a.m. and both being held in the board room in the school district's administrative office area accessible through the Waukon Middle School front entrance.

NICC Waukon Center will be lone polling site

Voters in the city of Waukon should be going to the polls Tuesday, December 5 to help determine the town's mayor for the next two years in a special run-off election scheduled following none of the five candidates for Mayor of Waukon in the November 7 City Election receiving the required 50% + 1 vote majority to win the office. Polls for the run-off election will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. December 5, with just one polling location serving all Waukon voters in this particular election, that polling site being located in Room 109 of the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center.

Allamakee County residents and visitors will have a pair of opportunities December 7 to visit the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train within the county's borders, as the lighted holiday spectacle will be stopping in both Lansing and New Albin again this year. Both locations will feature 25-minute performances by scheduled country music performers Terri Clark, Dallas Smith and Kelly Prescott, along with an appearance by Santa Claus. Those visiting the train at its stops are asked to contribute a non-perishable healthy food item or monetary donation, with those food and funding proceeds from the Lansing visit being donated to the Allamakee County Food Shelf and the same from the New Albin stop being donated to The Way Station. Canadian Pacific urges those bringing food items to consult their “healthy donations” link on their website at www.cpr.ca/holiday-train/healthy-donations for donation suggestions.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 27 to address agenda items including the agreement between the City of Waukon and Allamakee County for construction of the Green Valley Road Bridge replacement project, plat requests and discussion regarding employer of record and insurance. There was no Public Comment.

The Waukon High School Choir will be sharing its music with the area church community during its 23rd Annual Tour of Churches this Sunday morning, December 3, singing at seven different churches according to the schedule printed on the front page of this week's edition. At each stop, the choir takes a freewill offering to be donated to the Allamakee County Relief Office, the Allamakee County Food Shelf, the Backpack Program in the Allamakee Community School District, the Allamakee Giving Tree and the Waukon Community Meal program. If inclement weather prevents safe travel, a cancellation announcement will be made through the usual school-closing channels, and the tour will not be rescheduled for a later date. Submitted photo.
 

Members of the Waukon football team celebrate the program's first-ever State Championship after their 29-0 shut-out victory over Williamsburg in the Class 2A State Championship game played in the UNI-Dome at Cedar Falls Friday, November 17. The Indians and Raiders battled through a scoreless first quarter to just an 8-0 Indian lead at halftime before the grid Tribe rolled to an additional 21 unanswered points in the second half on the way to the title, proving true the theme of "LIMITLESS" the team chose for this season. A special pull-out section with additional photos and complete coverage of the Indians' Class 2A State Championship triumph can be found on Pages 7A-10A inside the print edition and e-edition. To be part of a commemorative "Season of Gridiron Greatness" special publication, see Page 9A.

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Allamakee County residents and visitors will have a pair of opportunities December 7 to visit the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train within the county's borders, as the lighted holiday spectacle will be stopping in both Lansing and New Albin again this year. Both locations will feature 25-minute performances by scheduled country music performers Terri Clark, Dallas Smith and Kelly Prescott, along with an appearance by Santa Claus. Those visiting the train at its stops are asked to contribute a non-perishable healthy food item or monetary donation, with those food and funding proceeds from the Lansing visit being donated to the Allamakee County Food Shelf and the same from the New Albin stop being donated to The Way Station. Canadian Pacific urges those bringing food items to consult their “healthy donations” link on their website at www.cpr.ca/holiday-train/healthy-donations for donation suggestions.