Top Stories

by Joe Moses

Due to the Fourth of July holiday falling on the usual Monday meeting day of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors, Monday, July 4, the Board held a delayed regular session last week, resulting in two Board meetings within the past week's timeframe. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

TUESDAY, JULY 5
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a holiday-delayed regular session Tuesday, July 5 due to the Fourth of July holiday falling on its usual Monday meeting day. A brief meeting agenda consisted of signing the engagement letter for the continuation of services with Hacker, Nelson & Co., P.C. and approving the fiscal year 2017 appropriation resolution.

A case spanning several decades and including a more recent investigation renewed several years ago was finally brought to more of a legal close Friday, July 8 with the sentencing of a former Effigy Mounds National Monument Superintendent. Thomas Munson, age 76, of Prairie du Chien, WI served as the national monument's superintendent for more than two decades before retiring in 1994. He was sentenced July 8 in Federal District Court in Cedar Rapids for removing ancient burial remains from the national monument in 1990 and hiding them in his own garage for more than 20 years.

Saturday, July 2 at approximately 7 p.m., a burglary and theft occurred at the Bodensteiner Implement (Waukon Implement/John Deere) dealership south of Waukon on Highway 9.

Numerous Stihl power tools, Stihl accessories and pressure washers were taken. During the investigation, video surveillance was obtained in reference to the burglary and theft showing two vehicles in the area at the time (see accompanying photographs) A pick-up owned by Bodensteiner Implement was also stolen and abandoned at the Innovative Ag Services parking lot approximately a mile away on Ninth Street SW, Waukon.

The following day, Sunday, July 3, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office also investigated the theft of Stihl power tools and accessories from the Bodensteiner Implement dealership west of Decorah on Highway 9. It is believed these two incidents are related.

Thomas Munson, the former Effigy Mounds National Monument Superintendent who pled guilty to removing ancient human remains from the national monument, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids for sentencing this Friday, July 8. Munson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor embezzlement and theft of prehistoric human skeletal remains in a plea deal reached in early January of this year.

According to documents from Iowa's Northern District U.S. Attorney's Office, in mid-July of 1990 during his tenure as Effigy Mounds Superintendent, Munson carried a box of human remains from the monument's curatorial facility to his car, and directed a subordinate to do the same. He then drove the stolen remains to his home in Prairie du Chien, WI and hid them for more than two decades. When the boxes were finally recovered in May of 2012, investigators found that several of the human bones were broken or fragmented beyond recognition.

The first-ever Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon took place throughout the state of Iowa this past week following a proclamation signed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad in late April. Organized in Allamakee County by Mary Keatley and Kristi Hager, more than 200 local residents took part in the Bible Reading Marathon on the lawn of the Allamakee County Courthouse (as pictured in surrounding photos) over the course of its four days Thursday, June 30 through Sunday, July 3. Both Keatley and Hager shared that the local effort came together because Allamakee County was part of a larger network where Ginny Caligiuri, Iowa Prayer Caucus State Director, had weekly tele-conferences, emails, suggestions and a basic format. “We followed the vision which she and others shared,” they said. “People came together. It gave people an opportunity to read God's Word in public, probably for the first time, something they may have never done before, and won't forget.

by Joe Moses

A familiar face has returned to the Waukon area to carry on a career steeped in serving and protecting.

Corey Snitker, a 1985 graduate of Waukon High School, began his new position as Emergency Management Coordinator with Allamakee County in late April of this year. Snitker is also a graduate of Iowa State University, where he attended with a Marine option ROTC scholarship.

Leslie Sivesind, daughter of Dan and Jane Sivesind of Waukon and Iowa's Alternate Dairy Princess, was invited to introduce Iowa Governor Terry Branstad at the 30th anniversary celebration of Ajinomoto Heartland, Inc. in Eddyville in late May. Ajinomoto Heartland, Inc. is an affiliate company of Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition Group, a global manufacturer of feed-grade amino acids and a pioneer in the animal nutrition business. As part of the celebration, Sivesind joined the Iowa Poultry Queen and Iowa Pork Queen in taking a tour of the Ajinomoto facility, visiting with guests and speaking at the event banquet, where they also introduced various key note speakers. Sivesind spoke on the impact the dairy industry has on Iowa and the world, citing many facts and figures to support her message. She is pictured above with Governor Branstad during the anniversary celebration. Submitted photo.
 

Members of the general public now invited to make their own contribution to the project

The Allamakee County Conservation Foundation (ACCF) has announced the kick-off of the public phase of the "Beyond The Plateau" capital campaign to help fund construction of the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center south of Lansing. In an event held Wednesday, June 22 at the Center, ACCF campaign organizers celebrated securing $3.3 million in funding with a program and tours of the property, which is located at 1944 Columbus Road, Lansing.

The 10,000-square-foot, three-level Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center is expected to house interpretive and dimensional displays covering topics such as geology, limnology (rivers/streams), archeology, conservation and wildlife studies, river town industries and economies, American Indian cultures, local history and more.

Courthouse lawn will be one of 99 county courthouse locations for the event following Governor's proclamation

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation April 26 of this year encouraging all Iowans to join in the Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon proposed to take place in front of all county courthouses within the state of Iowa beginning Thursday, June 30 at 8 a.m. and ending Sunday, July 3 at approximately 4 p.m.

On the local level, Kristi Hager and Mary Keatley are organizing the event for Allamakee County, inviting families, groups or individuals to volunteer to read in 15-minute increments at any time during the around-the-clock, four-day event that will be taking place at the northeast corner of the Allamakee County Courthouse property along Allamakee Street in Waukon. Volunteer readers do not need to bring or prepare anything, as a Bible, a podium and a canopy tent will be provided.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, June 27 to discuss several items, including the construction permit application for Regancrest Holsteins LLC, quotes for a compact track loader for the Secondary Roads Department and the termination of the 28E collections agreement with Winneshiek and Clayton Counties. There were no comments heard or read during the public comments portion of the meeting.

The public hearing for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) construction permit application for Regancrest Holsteins LLC was opened and closed without any comments from the public. This application involves updating the animal units on the farm, and it was approved.