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by Lissa Blake

The bombing of Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 was the moment when everything changed - for the United States, for the rest of the world, and for family and friends of two local veterans.
Waukon native Dr. Stephen Regan spoke to a crowded room at Robey Memorial Library in his hometown Tuesday, December 6 in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, commemorating that historical event and some local ties to it.

Dr. Regan, a military historian and author, was on hand to present the City of Waukon and area veterans with a small fragment of the USS Arizona (BB 39) in a framed memorial in honor of two Waukon veterans, Ens. Lawrence Anderson and Gunners Mate Stanley Teslow, who served on the ship at the time of its demise 75 years ago. The memorial also includes a photo of USS Arizona, along with an engraved inscription that reads, "Presented by the Daniel E. Regan family Cedar Rapids NLUS."

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is expanding its current Sector Board in Allamakee County to include regional partnerships with four northeast Iowa communities, in addition to members representing higher education, businesses, economic development and workforce agencies.

The expanded Business and Community Board, previously known as the Waukon Sector Board, brings together businesses, educators, Iowa Workforce Development, Allamakee County Economic Development and now community members from four local school districts - Allamakee, Eastern Allamakee, Postville and MFL/MarMac - to develop a regional action plan to find solutions to workforce challenges, identify skilled workforce needs, enhance career and technical education and boost local economies.

More than 45 members of the new Business and Community Board met November 30 to discuss objectives of the group, workforce concerns and potential solutions.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 12 to address a variety of topics. Among those were the County's membership with Eastern Iowa Tourism, plat approvals and discussion of Human Resource consultant options.

During the Public Comments portion of the meeting, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development addressed the Board regarding the need for a housing study. Reinke explained that such a study would provide an inventory of what the county has regarding housing and is a necessary piece of information to be used in applying for grants and in attracting new industry.

The Iowa State Patrol reports that a Wednesday evening, December 7 accident on Highway 9 west of Waukon claimed the life of a man from Le Claire and injured a Decorah woman. The initial report indicates that 43-year-old Christopher Sean Hoff of Le Claire was driving eastbound on Highway 9 in his 2011 Ford F150 pick-up truck when he crossed the center line about seven miles west of Waukon and struck a 2012 Buick Enclave head-on driven by 44-year-old Amy Robinson of Decorah just west of Highway 9's intersection with Pole Line Road. The report further indicates that Hoff was transported to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon by ambulance, but the injuries he sustained in the accident were severe enough to claim his life. The report indicates Hoff was not wearing a seat belt. Robinson was reported as wearing a seat belt, and she was also transported to Veterans Memorial Hospital but was treated for only minor injuries.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train made its first-ever stop in New Albin Sunday, December 4, where Canadian Pacific Railroad presented a $1,000 donation check to The Way Station. Monetary donations totaling another $545 and considerable food donations were also made to The Way Station by those in the fairly large crowd that attended the first-time event.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train also made its biannual stop in Lansing (pictured below right) Sunday, December 4, where Canadian Pacific presented a $4,000 donation check to the Allamakee County Food Shelf, and those in attendance donated $896 and 1,064 pounds of food to the Food Shelf as well. "We'd really like to thank all the people who came out and showed their love and support by donating in the spirit of the holiday season," expressed Wayne Burk and Ann Roed, Directors of the Allamakee County Food Shelf. "Their generosity makes it possible for us to continue to serve those most in need during the holiday season."

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors took a tour of the northern portion of the county Monday, November 28 with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour, stopping at various project areas impacted by the flooding that took place in Allamakee County during this past summer. Those project areas included some already completed, such as clean-up and streambank stabilization along the Upper Iowa River depicted by the lighter soil areas along the banks in the top photo at right. Other projects were in progress but have since been completed, such as the cleaning out of the culvert area pictured in the middle photo at right at the intersection of Iowa River Drive (County Road A26) and Wheatland Road by Brennan Construction of Lansing.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 5 at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon in the Supervisors' continued effort to hold a meeting at every library receiving County funding within the communities of Allamakee County. Among the topics on the meeting agenda were a request from Eastern Iowa Tourism, a temporary construction easement for Clear Creek Park and discussion of funding options for an Emergency Management vehicle replacement.

Residents and visitors of Allamakee County will get twice as many chances to see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train this year, as the holiday spectacle on rails will make its way up the western edge of the Mississippi River Sunday, December 4 to make a pair of stops within the Allamakee County borders. The Holiday Train will be stopping in Lansing this Sunday evening, at approximately 4:50 p.m., and again in New Albin a little over an hour later, at approximately 6:15 p.m.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is adorned with hundreds of thousands of lights and serves as a stage for live musical performances. Both stops are scheduled to include performances by country music singer Kelly Prescott and/or veteran blues singer Colin James. Santa Claus will also be making an appearance in conjunction with the train stops.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, along with Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Director Paul Trombino, recently announced the designation of three new Iowa Byways and the modification of three existing byways in the state, including the extension of the Driftless Area Scenic Byway (DASB) in northeast Iowa and a slight modification to that same route to replace a graveled portion between Lansing and Harpers Ferry with a paved roadway along the route.

Independently ranked as the “most scenic byway in Iowa” the 100-mile Driftless Area Scenic Byway currently weaves through Allamakee County. The slight modification in the far eastern portion of the county will change the route from an original graveled portion along the County Highway A52/Sweet Ridge Drive gravel road between Lansing Harpers Road and Great River Road a bit further to the north to, instead, utilize the paved Lafayette Ridge Drive connecting those two roadways.

The family of the late Daniel E. Regan has arranged for a small fragment of the USS ARIZONA (BB-39), destroyed at Pearl Harbor, to be presented to the City of Waukon and area Veterans' organizations at a ceremony Tuesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. at the Robey Memorial Library in Waukon, the eve of the 75th anniversary of the commencement of World War II. No part of the ship has been re-used or salvaged since it exploded that fateful day, December 7, 1941, killing 1,177 men, including Waukon native Ens. Lawrence Anderson. A few years ago Congress gave the Navy League of the United States 400 small pieces of the superstructure to be used for memorials.