Top Stories

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 8 to discuss a variety of items including a scheduled ATV ride this fall, consideration of the Mississippi Gaming Commission grant submission, and the paving of a portion of Breezy Corners Road. During the Public Comment portion of the meeting, Bruce Palmborg was present on behalf of Main Street Lansing, and he encouraged the Supervisors to consider paving Columbus Road. Palmborg said that this project is worthwhile and should be looked at using the same criteria as the Breezy Corners pavement project.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 1 with a full agenda including the consideration of bids for paving a portion of Breezy Corners Road, the solid waste contract extension and the discussion of changing the Board of Supervisors meeting location on occasion. There were no comments made during the Public Comments portion of the meeting with no members of the public present.

Coordinator of Disability Services Kim Waters provided an update regarding the County Social Services meeting that was held July 27 at Titonka Savings Bank in Forest City. Waters provided some mental health statistics that were discussed at the meeting. On average nationally, Waters relayed that 61% of prison inmates have mental health problems and 40% of those have chronic mental prescriptions. The next County Social Services meeting will be held August 11.

Mount Hosmer in Lansing is second location in Iowa to receive pests' natural enemy; harmless to humans
 

Beneficial insects are scheduled to be introduced at some point during this next week or so at Mount Hosmer City Park in Lansing for a biocontrol measure of the emerald ash borer (EAB). These very small stingless wasps target and kill EAB, a devastating exotic pest of ash trees. This control approach known as biological control reunites natural enemies with an invasive pest, in this case to help suppress EAB populations.

Following rigorous testing and research, one or more parasitic wasp species, native to Asia, have been released in 24 of the 27 states where EAB has been detected. Nearly two months ago this biocontrol effort in Iowa began in Fairfield in Jefferson County in southeast Iowa. Additional sites will be utilized pending resources and approval.

Senator Chuck Grassley will hold a town meeting in Allamakee County Thursday, August 4 as part of his annual 99 county meetings. That Thursday meeting is open to the general public and is scheduled to take place from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center located at 370 Main Street in Lansing.

With these meetings, Grassley will continue his long-standing practice of holding meetings with Iowans in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties every year. Grassley has held a meeting in every county, every year since he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. His question-and-answer sessions are open topic and cover whatever subjects those attending choose to raise.

These Allamakee County 4-H members pictured above are among those who advanced to the Iowa State Fair with their projects or exhibits presented at the Allamakee County Fair. Left to right - Front row: Miranda Reinhardt, Madelyn Helgerson, Taya Duehr, Katelyn Leiran, Rachel Rosendahl, Andrew Mellick. Second row: Gus Pladsen, Carley Sweeney, Travis Fish, Brandon Bieber, Austin Schutte, Katie Lydon. Third row: Katelyn Monroe, Ashley Liddiard, Allie Bieber, Maddie Moser, Madalyn Palmer, Diana Davison. Fourth row: Denzel Decker, Jeremy Bieber, Katelyn Benzing, Christa Heffern, Shelby Wyninger, Devin Bieber. Not pictured: Jenna Schutte, Daniel Gruman, Teddy Holthaus, Violet Holthaus, Bethany Stock. Submitted photo.

Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) is seeking nominations for the 2016 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award. To be eligible, the recipient must be a business located in Allamakee County.

ACED will accept nominations until Thursday, September 15 of this year. Award winner announcement and ceremony will be at the ACED Annual Banquet in October. The award recipient will receive a plaque and will be added to the Award Plaque that is displayed at the ACED office.

Mike Ferring Construction of Waukon was the 2015 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award winner. ACED looks forward to announcing another business that is making a positive impact at its annual meeting this October.

The annual Allamakee County Fair Queen Pageant was held Tuesday, July 19 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon, kicking off the 163rd Allamakee County Fair last week. The seven area young ladies pictured at right were all vying for this year's Fair Queen crown, which was bestowed upon Leah Riese (center in photo), daughter of Richard and Sandy Riese of Waukon. Bethany Stock (third from left), daughter of Kent and Rhonda Stock of Waukon, was named the Allamakee County Fair Princess, and Erika Johnson (third from right) was named Miss Congeniality. All seven young ladies served as the Allamakee County Fair Royalty Team throughout this year's fair. Pictured, left to right, are Miranda Reinhardt, Kaylonna McKee, Bethany Stock, Leah Riese, Erika Johnson, MaKayla Manning and Lizzie Blake. Riese will now advance on to represent Allamakee County in the 2016 Iowa State Fair Queen competition to be held in August in Des Moines.

Crews worked this past week to put the pre-cast panels in place for both the interior and exterior walls of the Allamakee County Public Safety Center under construction at the former Makee Manor location just north of Waukon along State Highway 9. Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick has reported that the pre-cast wall installation was expected to be completed early in this current week and will next be followed by placement of a course of block on all inside walls, as well as work beginning on the roof of the structure. The steel girders to be installed for the roof will complete the tie-in with the walls of the structure. Pouring of the concrete floors is expected to follow the initial course of block placement, which will then be finalized after the concrete floors have been poured and set.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, July 25 with a full agenda including the consideration of creating a policy for appointing members of boards and commissions, payments and updates regarding the Allamakee County Public Safety Center, and a presentation about Nationwide's retirement savings plan for County employees. There were no comments either heard or read during the scheduled Public Comments portion of the meeting.

The first agenda item involved the plat approval for property owned by Clinton A. Miller. Allamakee County Zoning Administrator Tom Blake presented information on Miller's request of dividing property into separate lots, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors. The quarterly report for the Allamakee County Veterans Affairs Department was also accepted and placed on file.