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Elections for school board members in Allamakee County and across the state of Iowa will be held Tuesday, September 8. Polls in Allamakee County will be open that day from 12 noon to 8 p.m. and in-person absentee voting is available now in the Auditor’s Office at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon through 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 8.
Both the Allamakee Community School District and the Eastern Allamakee Community School District have three incumbent candidates each on their respective September 8 ballot who are running unopposed for re-election this year.
Allamakee Community School District -

by Bob Beach

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Tuesday, August 18, Main Street Lansing hosted a meeting featuring the Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. (RC&D) Executive Director Lora Friest and Scenic Byways Project Coordinator Jared Nielsen. Friest and Nielsen met with approximately 20 people from Harpers Ferry, Lansing and Waukon businesses and tourism development offices to discuss enhancing tourism and economic growth utilizing the resources of the Scenic Byways.
The RC&D is a nonprofit that serves the seven-county area of northeast Iowa to develop ideas, build partnerships and find funding for projects which will enhance community life. During their Powerpoint presentation, Friest  and Nielsen elicited comments and ideas from the audience on recommendations of how the Scenic Byways could be enhanced as a potential tourist attraction.

Patriot Tour -
The 2015 Patriot Tour motorcycle ride will make its way through Waukon once again this year, as this year's summer-long tour carrying the American flag through the 48 contiguous United States nears completion. The flag will arrive at Waukon Harley-Davidson this Thursday afternoon, September 3 shortly after 1:30 p.m. after being escorted through downtown Waukon by the Waukon Fire Department.
Those wishing to help escort the riders through Waukon are welcome to meet with them at the Waukon Wellness Center parking lot between 1-1:30 p.m. The riders will then proceed down Main Street of Waukon to the stop light intersection, where they will then turn south and head toward Waukon-Harley Davidson to participate in a ceremony that will involve passing the flag on to the next group of riders and a small reception with refreshments.

by Bob Beach

by Bob Beach

Leslie Sivesind, 17-year-old daughter of Dan and Jane Sivesind of Waukon, was named Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess at the 62nd Iowa Dairy Princess coronation event held Wednesday, August 12 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines during this year's Iowa State Fair. Sivesind represents the Iowa Guernsey Breeders Association and recently began her senior year at Waukon High School. Beginning September 1, she will assist 18-year-old Kate Stewart of Oelwein, who was crowned the 62nd Iowa Dairy Princess, in serving as goodwill ambassadors for Iowa's dairy farmers and promoting the dairy industry at public appearances. Each princess received a $1,000 scholarship from Midwest Dairy Association, which sponsors the Iowa Dairy Princess program on behalf of Iowa’s dairy farmers. Photo courtesy of Midwest Dairy Association.
 

A year-long construction effort of an air quality improvement project at Alliant Energy's Lansing Generating Station has now come to completion and is expected to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at the facility by approximately 90 percent. Alliant Energy held a ribbon-cutting event at the Lansing plant Tuesday, August 18 to mark the end of construction and official start-up of a scrubber system that was added to Lansing Unit 4, with current and former Alliant energy employees, project contractors, labor leaders and community officials in attendance.
The scrubber system involves a post-combustion process that injects lime or lime slurry into the stream of gases leaving the generating facility boiler to remove sulfur dioxide and capture it in a solid or liquid waste by-product. A scrubber typically removes more than 90% of the sulfur dioxide emissions, according to company and project officials.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Allamakee County Sheriff's Department received a report of a single-vehicle accident on State Highway 76 at around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, August 16. The Sheriff's Department reported that Mark Werden of Decorah, age 63, was traveling west on Highway 76 when his vehicle left the roadway, entered the ditch and then crossed the roadway to the opposite ditch before rolling over and coming to rest on its wheels. Werden, the only occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.