The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, December 4 to address a full agenda of items including the Delta 3 Engineering Professional Service Agreement for a tennis court, a Park, Rec and Wellness Board vacancy and discussion of establishing minimum requirements for commercial tax rebates.
There was no Public Comment, which allowed the council to immediately move into Departmental Reports, with Street Superintendent Keith Burrett discussing a quote for street light replacements. Park and Rec Wellness Director Jeremy Strub discussed the 10-year anniversary of the Waukon Wellness Center and a variety of associated events that were well attended.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 4 to address a full agenda of items including the approval of a pay request for signage at the Public Safety Center, consideration of joining other counties in litigation against opioid manufacturers and approval of the Homestead Credit and Military Exemption for 2017 property taxes.
Chairperson Larry Schellhammer called the meeting to order and the current agenda and meeting minutes of November 27 were approved. There was no Public Comment.
The Supervisors reviewed the Manure Management Plan for Grove 5 from Adam Grove, which was accepted and placed on file.
The three young ladies pictured above from the Waukon High School Vocal Music Department were selected to participate in the Iowa All-State Music Festival, the highest individual honor attainable to Iowa high school musicians. Thousands of students from across the state of Iowa auditioned for All-State Chorus Saturday, October 21 for selection to the 600-member All-State Chorus. The 2017 All-State Music Festival was held Saturday, November 18 at Iowa State University's Hilton Coliseum in Ames. Pictured above are the three All-State selections from Waukon High School under the vocal direction of Sarah J. Bieber Palmer. Left to right: Leslie Halverson is the daughter of Brent and Jill Halverson of Waukon. Madalyn Ellingson is the daughter of John and Bethany Ellingson of Waukon. Jasmyn Enyart is the daughter of Dustin and Amanda Enyart of Waukon, and she was unable to attend the November 18 All-State Music Festival. Submitted photos.
Jasmyn Enyart, a senior from the Waukon High School Vocal Department and a member of the Waukon cheerleading squad, was selected to sing the National Anthem at Iowa's State Cheerleading Championships held November 4 in Des Moines. This is the highest individual honor attainable to students who prepare versions of "The Star-Spangled Banner".
Enyart is under the vocal instruction of Mrs. Sarah J. Bieber Palmer and coached in cheerleading by Mrs. Amy Bieber. Following her singing performance to open the event, Enyart then helped the Waukon cheerleading squad to a State Championship finish in the Class 2A Stunt Group competition and a State Runner-Up finish in the Class 2A Time Out competition at the Cheerleading Championships.
Mrs. Sarah J. Bieber Palmer and Waukon Middle School parent Gregg Jones took a group of students from Waukon Middle School and Waukon High School to the "Real Men Sing" festival hosted in October by Wartburg College in Waverly and directed by Dr. Lee Nelson. Real Men Sing is an event designed to jump start male students in a school's choral program early in the year. More than 500 male singers from around the Midwest joined in a day of singing and voice master classes. Two choirs make up the festival: one for changing voices focusing on students in grades seventh through freshmen/sophomores conducted by Luke Johnson, and one for changed voices focusing on grades freshmen/sophomores on up through adults conducted by Dr. Lee Nelson.
Iowa State University Extension’s 4-H volunteers from Allamakee County participated in a training titled “4-H Builds Resilience” where they explored how brain development and personal growth relate to their role as volunteers. Volunteers gained an understanding of resilience and the connection they provide in increasing resilience in youth. In addition, leaders learned skills that can be applied to promote and create opportunities to build resilience as well as utilized tools to promote growth in youth.
The Waukon Wellness Center hosted its fourth annual “Turkey Trot” 5K/8K Run and Walk Thanksgiving morning, November 23. Approximately 73 participants took part in the event, with first-place finishers in five of the seven age categories receiving a frozen turkey and second-place finishers taking home a frozen chicken to commemorate their effort. Gold, silver and bronze medals were also distributed to the respective placewinners in each division, and youth classes received a goodie bag and a medal. The top entries in each age division at the annual event are pictured above and listed as follows:
The Waukon girls basketball team got itself in the win column for the first time this season, and did so in sweeping fashion with victories in back-to-back weekend contests. The Indians opened their Northeast Iowa Conference season with a 48-32 win at home over New Hampton Friday, December 1 and followed that victory with a second one the very next day, a 48-24 handling of Hudson in the Upper Iowa University Showdown held in the Upper Iowa University gymnasium in Fayette Saturday, December 2.
Waukon is scheduled to play another back-to-back pair this week, hosting Caledonia, MN Thursday, December 7 before playing at Oelwein Friday, December 8. The Lady Indians will then face both of last season’s Northeast Iowa Conference co-champions next week, hosting Class 3A second-rated Crestwood Tuesday, December 12 before playing at Waverly-Shell Rock in a rare girl-boy doubleheader for the Indians Friday, December 15.
2017-2018 Waukon boys basketball returning letterwinners ... Left to right - Front row: Colin Waters, Abe Schwartz, Mitchell Snitker. Back row: Michael Sweeney, Ethan Krueger, Evan Armstead, Isaiah Welch.
2017-2018 Waukon boys basketball team ... Left to right - Front row: Michael Headington, Baldemar Villarreal, Colin Waters, Mitchell Snitker, Terrell Baumler, Pryce Hesse, Emilio Rathbun. Back row: Michael Sweeney, Abe Schwartz, Ethan Krueger, Evan Armstead, Garrett Garin, Brady Sullivan, Isaiah Welch. Not pictured: Brayden Mulholland.
The 2017-2018 Waukon boys basketball season will feature a team with half of its roster listed as returning letterwinners from a 6-15 season last winter. An even greater portion of this season’s early roster of 15 players also recently made school history by playing to Waukon High School’s first-ever state football championship, a gridiron team also under the offensive guidance of Waukon boys basketball coach Jed Hemann, who sees much more of the sweet side of whatever bittersweet aspects stem from a football season extending into the start of the basketball season.
