News Center newsletter

The Waukon High School Music Department has selected "State Fair" as this year's musical production under the direction of Sarah J. Palmer and assistant director Louise Wild. Three performances are being planned for Thursday, November 3 at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 5 at 7 p.m., and a matinee Sunday, November 6 at 1 p.m. The performances will be held at the Waukon High School auditorium.

Imagine that it is the late Summer of 1946 on an Iowa family farm - the Frake family farm in Brunswick, Iowa to be exact. The Frakes are preparing to leave for the Iowa State Fair. Father, Abel (played by Nathan Smith), is confident his prize boar, Blue Boy, will win a blue ribbon, but neighbor, Dave Miller (played by Michael Benson), isn't so sure. He makes a $5 bet that something is bound to go wrong for at least one member of the family. Abel accepts the bet.

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Monday evening, October 16 for its regular monthly meeting. Board member Patty Nordheim was absent.

During his report, ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold informed the board how things are progressing regarding an insurance claim for the roof over the auditorium and stage area. He noted that all the repairs have been made and they are just waiting on new curtains. He noted that they had received a letter from Shive Hattery on the matter, and they are acting as a go-between for the school and insurance company. He also noted that they have been discussing the matter with the district's attorney.

The Clover Kids program in Waukon has kicked off the new 4-H year, with 52 youth enrolled in either the Saturday Clover Kids or After School Clover Kids program. This year's program participants started their new year making their own stress reliever balls out of a balloon and water beads. The main activity was learning about how the Earth’s plates move by using frosting and graham crackers. The graham crackers represented the Earth’s plates and youth learned four different ways they can move. Depending on the movement, volcanoes, mountains or earthquakes occur.  Afterwards, youth worked in groups to build their own volcano out of play dough (such as pictured at right). Using vinegar and baking soda they were able to make their volcanoes erupt.

The Waukon football team took a pair of steps forward toward a State Play-Off berth within the same week, as the gridiron Tribe began and ended this past school week with victories against Class 2A District 4 opponents to all but solidify a berth in this year’s Class 2A State Play-Offs. The Indians’ first step this past week got its start Friday, October 6 in a game against previously district-undefeated Union at the Upper Iowa University football stadium before storms suspended that game to Monday, October 9, when the Indians finished what they started with a 50-35 defeat of the fellow Class 2A top-10 rated Knights to leapfrog over them into District 4’s runner-up spot.

Sophomore Katelyn Benzing runs to first-ever All-Conference honors in meet’s top-15

The Waukon girls cross country team managed its first All-Conference performer in six seasons in finishing fourth as a team at the annual Northeast Iowa Conference Meet hosted by the Indians Tuesday, October 10. Cool, rainy weather made for less than ideal race conditions, but Indian sophomore Katelyn Benzing ran through it all to place right on the very edge of that All-Conference top-15 to pace the Indians to 106 team points.

“In less than ideal conditions, the girls really stepped up to compete in a tough field of teams at our home conference meet,” Waukon girls cross country coach Brett Egan said. “Going into the meet, I knew we could have strong individual performances and still finish fifth as a team, so to come away with fourth place was a great achievement for the girls.”

The Waukon volleyball team brought its regular season to a complete close this past week, ending its Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) campaign without a win with both a final dual match loss and a winless final tournament effort. That final dual match loss came to Class 4A 11th-rated Charles City at home Tuesday, October 10 by scores of 14-25, 12-25 and 11-25 before the net Tribe was also swept in six matches at the Northeast Iowa Conference Tournament Saturday, October 14 at Crestwood High School in Cresco. That winless NEIC Tournament result featured losses to Class 4A fifth-rated Waverly-Shell Rock, 14-21 and 11-21; New Hampton, 17-21 and 10-21; Oelwein, 10-21 and 18-21; Class 4A 11th-rated Charles City, 11-21 and 9-21; Crestwood, 14-21 and 10-21; and to Decorah, 21-23 and 18-21.

The Kee volleyball team brought its regular season to a close this past week, wrapping up its final week of regular competition against Upper Iowa Conference foes in both dual match and tournament play. The Hawks won two of a total of five matches played in that final week, first falling to South Winneshiek at home Thursday, October 12 in their final dual match of the regular season, 24-26, 24-26 and 20-25. Kee then split its four matches played at the annual Upper Iowa Conference Tournament Saturday, October 14, falling to both Starmont, 10-21 and 20-22, and Central Elkader, 11-21, 21-19 and 8-15, but also picking up a pair of wins, over Turkey Valley by scores of 21-17, 16-21 and 15-9 and over MFL/MarMac by scores of 21-7, 16-21 and 15-13.

The Kee football team brought its home schedule for the 2017 season to a close with a non-district contest against Northwood-Kensett from Eight-Player District 2 Friday, October 13. A steady rain that had fallen throughout most of Friday made for some less than ideal field conditions that helped limit the Hawks to just 159 yards of total offense in falling to the visiting Vikings by a 14-6 final result.

“It was tough for either team to get much going,” Kee football coach Chad Winters said. “With all the rain, the field got torn up pretty quickly.”

Mary Lou Meyer, 89, of West Union died Thursday, October 12, 2017 at her home in West Union. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at Holy Name Catholic Church in West Union, with Rev. Don Komboh and Rev. Dale Rausch as the celebrants. Interment will be held in the West Union Cemetery following the burial mass.

Mary Lou, the daughter of Otto and Alice (Hayes) Kubitz, was born July 16, 1928 in Houston County, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin and graduated from New Albin High School in 1945.

Mary Lou was united in marriage with Ferris Meyer October 30, 1947. Ten children were born to this union. In addition to raising her kids, Mary Lou worked at the Humphrey Café and Traeger’s Jack and Jill in West Union. She worked at the registration desk for Palmer Lutheran Clinic and, after her retirement, in medical records at Palmer for 29 years.

James Carleton Sodey, 68, of Lansing, formerly of Fort Madison, passed away Thursday, October 12, 2017 at his home. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 21 at the Fort Madison United Methodist Church with Rev. Lane Van officiating.

Friends may call after 2 p.m. Friday, October 20, with the family to receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Friday evening at King-Lynk Funeral Home & Crematory in Fort Madison. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the City of Fort Madison’s Marina or P.A.W. Animal Shelter.

James was born March 25, 1949 in Ottumwa to Dr. Albert and Mrs. Charlotte Sodey. He married Angela McKenna September 5, 1970 in Ottumwa.