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Local law enforcement officials were involved in the location and arrest of six male suspects at the Pines Motel in Postville Wednesday, September 16 in connection with an armed robbery in Waterloo. The previous day, Tuesday, September 15, the Waterloo Police Department responded to a 911 call of an armed robbery that occurred at the I-Wireless cellular store, located at 1523 San Marnan Drive in Waterloo.
Two male suspects had allegedly entered the business at gunpoint and ordered the employee to a backroom. The suspects then stole an undisclosed amount of cash and cellular telephones. Witnesses observed the suspects exiting the business with the stolen items and fleeing the area in a silver SUV. The employee was not injured during the robbery.

by Bob Beach

by Bob Beach

The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) recently completed the paving of an Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) handicapped accessible fishing access in the Harpers Slough area south of Harpers Ferry. The day-use area, which is located along Highway 364 between the Taylor and Lund camping areas, provides picnicking areas in addition to shoreline fishing access. Several years ago, the ACCB secured two Fish Habitat Grants to shape the walkway into the bank and place riprap to protect the bank from further erosion. It wasn’t until just recently that the ACCB, with the help of contractor Ron Heim, was able to complete paving of the project. The completed project includes a walkway measuring five feet wide and 1,250 feet long with a six-inch curb along its entire length.

The Northeast Iowa Drug Task Force, in cooperation with Helping Services of Northeast Iowa, is participating in National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day. This year's event is being held Saturday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. nationwide for the purpose of disposing of expired and/or unused medications and keeping them out of the hands of people who may misuse or abuse them, especially youth.
Three communities in Allamakee County will be hosting drop-off locations for local residents to dispose of prescription drugs during that event timeframe. The Waukon Police Department will host a drop-off location at the new Waukon Fire Station, which is now located at 565 11th Avenue SW (just east of Shopko, Fareway and Dollar General) in Waukon. The fire station in Lansing will also be a host site at 51 North Front Street. The Postville Police Department will host a drop-off site at its City Hall location at 147 North Lawler Street, but only from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Skyline Construction Company of Decorah, working with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), is about a quarter of the way finished with a project just north of Lansing on Highway 26. The goal of the project is to cut away the rock outcroppings and brush that are too close to the west edge of the highway. John Shimek, Highway Technician Senior of  the DOT District 2 office in New Hampton, said the workers use ammonium nitrate with blasting caps (not dynamite) to "loosen" the rock so it can be hauled away. Vibrations from the blasting are being monitored at the ice house and root cellar on North Front Street in Lansing (both are eligible to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places) to prevent undue underground disturbances. The mounds of sand pictured through the middle of the photo at right are used to cover the cement barricades along the edge of the road so that the heavy equipment can navigate from one place to another.

The Allamakee County Auditor's Office reported just over a three percent voter turn-out for the Tuesday, September 8 School Board Election. Both the Allamakee Community School District and the Eastern Allamakee Community School District each had three seats up for re-election on this year's ballot, with each of those three incumbent candidates in each district running without declared opposition.
In the Allamakee Community School District, the Director representing District 4, Tim Waters, received 88 votes. Directors for District 2, Tom Baxter, and District 3, Patty Nordheim, each received 87 votes.
Within the Eastern Allamakee Community School District, the Director representing District 1, Bobbie Goetzinger, received 47 votes. At-Large Director Kelli Mudderman received 46 votes and District 2 Director Bruce Palmborg received 42 votes.
 

Residents advised of what to be aware of in their homes

Adam Sandoval (right) visited Waukon Harley-Davidson Friday, September 4 as part of his tour of all 696 Harley-Davidson dealerships in the contiguous 48 United States during his “Scootin’ America” effort to raise money for a scholarship fund for children who have lost parents on active military duty. Sandoval said that he has raised approximately $110,000 so far, after visiting 438 dealerships within the last 10 months, with 100 percent of those donations going to the scholarship fund; his gas, food and other expenses are self-funded with the help of a couple of sponsors. The ride has already broken two world records: most miles in one country in a single trip and the longest charity ride. Pictured with Sandoval is his dog and riding companion, Scooter, and Waukon Harley-Davidson General Manager Randy Hover (left) presenting Sandoval with a donation from Waukon Harley-Davidson toward his cause.

The Nation of Patriots, a volunteer organization with a mission to provide financial support to families of wounded military veterans who have made sacrifices in service to their country, brought its 2015 Patriot Tour through Waukon last week on its way to completion of its annual three-month summer tour across the country. Tour participants display a United States flag, which is transferred between riders at each designated stop along the tour. The tour began over the Memorial Day weekend, May 23 from Madison, WI, making its way through every one of the contiguous 48 United States before finally ending up back in Madison, WI, where it arrived this past Saturday, September 5.