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by Kelli Boylen

In October of 1916 the Waterville Fire Department was established. Fourteen members were approved by the Waterville City Council to serve as volunteer firemen.

Today, 24 Waterville firefighters are preparing for the department's 13th Annual Car Cruise this Saturday (see advertisement on Page 7A of this edition). The car cruise theme will celebrate the Department’s centennial, according to Waterville Fire Chief Loren Mitchell.

In November 1916, a committee was appointed to meet with the city council about building a fire station. According to records, the committee insisted on a building 16'x20'x8' not to exceed $500, with half the funds to be paid by the City and half paid by the “fire company.”

Allamakee County Economic Development is partnering with Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC), Winneshiek County United Way and the regional chambers and economic development organizations in Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette and Howard counties to raise money for victims impacted by the August flooding. Individuals and businesses interested in donating to the fund can send their cash/check to the locations listed below. All proceeds raised will be directly given back to flood victims.

NEICAC is serving as the fiscal agent for all five counties. Checks should be made to NEICAC Flood Relief with the designated county in the memo line. Contributions to NEICAC are tax deductible.

It was less than a 12-hour period of rain, but it left an impact lasting days, weeks and even months, and an end result of historical proportions that will be remembered for a lifetime by many.

The overnight period of late Tuesday evening, August 23 through early Wednesday morning, August 24 saw heavy rainfall move in quickly and hover over northeast Iowa, dumping rainfall totals of anywhere from 3.5” to 8.5” that raised river levels, washed out roadways, flooded properties and left an incredible amount of clean-up in its wake. In addition to the property damage impact felt throughout Allamakee County and four neighboring counties that initially received a disaster declaration by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad due to the storms, it was Chickasaw County in northeast Iowa where the ultimate loss was suffered, as a 77-year-old man from Sumner lost his life near Lawler when he was swept away by flood waters after fast-rising water stalled his vehicle.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties in response to the Tuesday and Wednesday, August 23 and 24 severe storms and flash flooding that continue to impact those counties. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of severe storms that significantly impacted those counties August 23-24. In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for residents of those counties.

Residents affected by the August 23 storms and resulting flooding may be eligible to apply for the Iowa Individual Assistance Program to cover losses experienced due to the resulting flooding. To qualify, households must be located within the disaster declaration area of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties and must meet income guidelines listed below. Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) administers the program in these affected counties.
The program provides up to a maximum of $5,000 per household to cover repairs, debris removal, furnace or water heater work, replacement of lost or spoiled food, and other household losses. Households must have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline as shown below:

Number in Max. gross
Household yearly income
1 $23,760
2 $32,040
3 $40,320
4 $48,600
5 $56,880

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties in response to the Tuesday and Wednesday, August 23 and 24 severe storms and flash flooding that continue to impact those counties. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of severe storms that significantly impacted those counties August 23-24. In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for residents of those counties.

The following is a notice to all residents of Allamakee County concerning the recent heavy rains and flooding from the evening of Tuesday, August 23 through Wednesday, August 24. The Allamakee County Emergency Management Department is asking members of the public who experienced damage to their business or home from this event to contact the Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator no later than Friday, September 16 to report their flood damage.
Residents are asked to understand that currently there is no funding available for damage repair or reimbursement as this preliminary damage assessment is being conducted within the county to report to the State of Iowa for potential further action. Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker can be reached by telephone at 563-568-4233 or by e-mail at csnitker@co.allamakee.ia.us.

The Allamakee County Sheriffs Office is advising anyone traveling in Allamakee County to please use caution when driving. Heavy rains overnight have resulted in mudslides, trees down and roads washed out. The Allamakee County Highway Department and Iowa Department of Transportation are out and working on and closing roads. There will may be numerous closures where water has gone over the roadways and has washed them out. Do not attempt to drive through standing water.

The eight young ladies pictured above were vying for three separate Miss Corn Days crowns in their respective age categories during the annual Waukon Corn Days event held Friday through Sunday, August 19-21 in Waukon. Pictured above, left to right, are Madelyn Marti, Grace Solberg, Gabrielle Marti, Junior Miss Corn Days 2016 Marin Marti, Miss Corn Days 2016 Mariah Hancock, Little Miss Corn Days 2016 Olivia Marti, Elizabeth McQuade and Taylor Wohlfeil. Despite rainy weather forcing cancellation of the parade and relocation of many of this year's Corn Days activities inside to the Allamakee County Fairground Pavilion Friday and Waukon Wellness Center Saturday from downtown Waukon and the Waukon City Park, a good crowd was still in attendance to take part in the wide variety of activities offered during the annual celebration. See more photos from this year's event on Page 13A of the print edition of The Standard, as well as in the Photo Gallery on this website.

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst talks with (left to right) Tom Weighner, Tom Walleser and Paul Weighner during her tour of WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon Wednesday, August 17. Ernst visited the locally owned and operated dairy as part of the annual 99-county tour she is conducting during her time in office to hear concerns and ideas from Iowans across the state and relay that feedback to her legislative colleagues in Washington, D.C. During the tour, Senator Ernst discussed industry regulations and economic development, commenting that this tour was very timely when thinking of the recent Field Hearing she was part of with Chairman Ron Johnson of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. This committee is involved in the oversight of several agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and others.