Leslie “Les” Allen Winters, 72, of Waukon passed away Sunday, November 16, 2025, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Private funeral services will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon for family.
A celebration of life will be held from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, November 23 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. All friends and family are welcome to come honor Les with a story, a dad joke, or a song recommendation. He wouldn’t want anyone to fuss over him, but we would love it if you did.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH), VMH Ambulance Service or VMH Community & Home Care. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. A full obituary will follow in next week’s edition of The Standard.
Richard H. Howes, 76, of Waukon died Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, November 20 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon from 3-6 p.m.
A full obituary will appear in the November 19 edition of The Standard. You can subscribe to The Standard's print edition or e-edition by clicking here.
Marlene J. Dahlstrom, 67, of Waukon died Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 18 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Mark Oehlert officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. Monday, November 17 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon.
A full obituary will appear in the November 19 edition of The Standard. You can subscribe to The Standard's print edition or e-edition by clicking here.
Construction crews have been working on removing the steel grate deck from the Black Hawk Bridge since its permanent closure October 20. As evident in the photo above, sparks fly as a cutting torch and steel-cutting saw are used to cut out pieces of the grated deck that are supported by the long arm of the telehandler machine also pictured in that photo and then lifted up off the deck once cut free and taken away for disposal. Left behind are the gaping holes pictured in the bridge deck in the photo below between the supporting beams and remaining steel structure of the Black Hawk Bridge. Also evident is the removal of the steel railing that ran along each side of the bridge but has been removed in areas where the bridge deck has already been cut away.
Northeast Iowa ladies honored as Rising Stars Under 40 ... The four ladies pictured above from northeast Iowa were all recognized as Rising Stars Under 40 at a reception hosted by 7 Rivers Alliance October 20 in La Crescent, MN. Pictured, left to right, are Kristy Turner of Postville Child Care Center, Jenny Cole of The Learning Tree Child Center in Lansing, Jackie Cooper of Main Street Lansing, and Ashley Christensen of Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission. All four were honored as being emerging young leaders across the 7 Rivers Alliance tri-state region who are making a difference in their communities. Photo courtesy of Val Reinke, Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism.
The 7 Rivers Alliance, an economic development organization for the tri-state area of the Upper Mississippi Region, held its 10th Annual Rising Stars Under 40 Reception October 20 at the La Crescent Event Center in La Crescent, MN. The Rising Stars Under 40 recognition honors emerging young leaders across the region who are making a difference in their communities - and beyond.
Among this year’s nearly two dozen honorees were four ladies from northeast Iowa who have each had their own impact within their local community and perhaps further beyond by themselves, but may also have collaborated within some of their work for even greater and farther reaching impact.
Those four ladies include Jenny Cole of Learning Tree Child Center in Lansing, Jackie Cooper of Main Street Lansing, Kristy Turner of Postville Childcare Center, and Ashley Christensen of Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC).
With very few contested races and no public measures to decide upon, the Tuesday, November 4 City/School Election to determine which candidates would be elected by voters to leadership positions at the most local levels of government and guidance yielded just over a 10% voter turnout in Allamakee County. Out of the six locally-governed communities and three school districts within Allamakee County, there were just five contested races on this year’s ballots, and the four of those five races that had incumbent candidates seeking re-election ended up returning all of those incumbents to their seats, according to unofficial results released by the Allamakee County Commissioner of Elections office shortly after polls closed the night of the election.
This November and December bundle up and take a stroll through downtown Waukon while enjoying a heartwarming story. Robey Memorial Library, in collaboration with The Oneota Valley Literary Foundation (OVLS), is hosting the Main Street Story Walk during the months of November and December.
This year’s featured story is the beloved classic The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, a timeless tale of winter wonder and childhood adventures. Families are invited to follow the story as it unfolds in the windows of four local businesses. The Story Walk offers a perfect opportunity for families to enjoy some fresh air, read together, and explore downtown Waukon.
Prioritize Safety, Mental Health this Harvest Season
With the busy harvest season commencing across the state, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is urging Iowans to keep safety top of mind in the field, around the farm and on the road. Farming can be physically exhausting and mentally demanding, and agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industries in America. In recognition of National Farm Safety and Health Week, Secretary Naig has provided some safety tips for both farmers and drivers as well as resources for Iowans needing mental health support.
Iowa Learning Farms will host a no-till and soil health field day on Tuesday, November 25, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Badger Community Center. The event is open to farmers and landowners at no cost and includes a complimentary meal.
Field day host Mark Thompson’s farm is located in the heart of the Des Moines Lobe, known for its rich, dark soil. Thompson has used no-till on all soybean acres since 2002 and has transitioned to no-till corn in recent years. During the field day, Thompson will share his experiences with adjusting machinery settings to handle the additional residue in a no-till system and the timing of operations that work best for his system.
Filling a Gap to Gap ... A look inside the Gap to Gap facility south of Waukon shows areas where baseball and softball training can take place with batting cages, and pitching tunnels and machines, all on turf, with a golf simulator also available for use within the building located at 219 State Highway 9. The facility is now open for membership or day use for both individuals and teams, with clinic and individual training also available. Submitted photo.
by Jennifer Bissell
Baseball has always been in John Papp’s blood. A native of the Milwaukee, WI area, Papp played collegiate baseball before earning his MBA. Since moving to the Waukon area with his wife, the former Elizabeth Dehli of the Harpers Ferry area, Papp has been involved in youth athletics with his boys.
That gave him the idea of the unique way he could give back to the community and still be involved in the sport he loves.
Papp recently opened Gap To Gap, an indoor training facility for baseball, softball and golf athletes to improve their game. Located at 219 Highway 9, just south of Waukon, the facility offers a large space for local athletes to get their practice swings in, as well as for teams to hold practices at any time of the year.
