The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 20. There were no comments during the Public Comments portion of the meeting.
Allamakee County E911 Director Chris Fee discussed the distribution of local option sales tax and changes that have been suggested by the E911 Board concerning the responsibility of 911 and street signage and the possible involvement of the Secondary Roads Department. Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour further discussed the history and funding of the project dating back to the late 1990s with an estimated 4,900 signs for intersections and house numbers installed and maintained throughout the County.
The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, March 20 to address several matters, including an update on the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), estimates for removal of structures on the former Herman property and a Water Department vacancy.
U.S. Senator Charles Grassley visited Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon Friday afternoon, March 17. Following a brief tour of the facility, Grassley took part in a question and answer session with hospital employees (as pictured above). More detailed coverage of Grassley's visit will appear in a future issue of The Standard.
A benefit is being planned for the Eric Palmer family for Saturday, April 8 starting at 5 p.m. at the Waukon Banquet Center and including a free will donation meal and silent and live auction. Supplemental funds will be provided by Thrivent Financial.
For anyone interested in making a donation, tax-deductible donations can be mailed to: The Thrive Project, Attn: Eric Palmer Benefit, 1639 Green Valley Rd NW, Waukon, IA 52172 or non-deductible donations can be mailed to: Waukon State Bank, Attn: Eric Palmer Benefit, P.O. Box 246, Waukon, IA 52172. Non-monetary donations can be dropped off at the Allamakee Extension Office located at 218 Seventh Avenue SE in Waukon.
For more information about the event or donations, contact Amanda Peterson at 563-568-8764 or Amy (Menne) Ihde at 563-380-9673.
The Eric and Stephanie Palmer family ... Left to right - Front row: Emma, Keagan and Sophia. Back row: Eric, Stephanie and Madalyn. Submitted photo.
by Kelli Boylen
freelance writer
Eric Palmer of Waukon has always been the type of person to just keep pushing through when he didn’t feel well. In the last 25 years, he says he has only been sick enough to go to the doctor a handful of times.
But when he started having headaches every day during a week in late of last fall he knew something wasn’t right. The headaches were severe enough that he would get nauseous and sick while doing farm chores.
Monday, November 21, he went to the clinic in Waukon to get checked out. His appointment was at 1:30 p.m., and by 2 p.m. he had a CAT scan that showed a possible tumor. By 3 p.m. an MRI was completed, which showed a mass in the right temporal area of his brain.
“We are so thankful Waukon has the medical facilities with good care like they do,” Eric said. “That is something we certainly don’t take for granted anymore.”
U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Aubree Peterman was recently awarded the 2016 NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) of the Year for the Eighth Air Force. She is the daughter of Bob and Kristi Hager of Waukon and is currently stationed at Anderson Air Force base in Guam, along with her husband, Staff Sergeant Christopher Peterman, and their two children, Kaden (age 9) and Kinley (nearly two years old).
The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, March 20. Prior to the meeting, board members were invited to attend a presentation from the Industrial Arts class at Waukon High School, where they viewed the CNC Plasma Cutter in action as instructor Brian Hilsabeck and student Trevor Brink showed how the machine is used. Hilsabeck noted that project-based learning is a major focus.
Instructor Jed Hemann also gave a brief presentation on the projects his classes have worked on due to the fact that there is no house building project this year. Projects have included the concession stand at the Waukon City Park, improvements to the press box and concessions stand at the high school and the shot put area at the high school.
The Kee High School Speech program had five students perform in multiple categories at the State Individual Speech Contest held at Waldorf College in Forest City Saturday, March 11, with one of those performances being selected for All-State recognition. Kee senior MaKayla Manning (pictured at above right) had her expository address, entitled “EMOJI,” selected to advance on and perform at the All-State Individual Speech Festival being held Monday, March 27 at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. There were 93 schools that performed at the March 11 Northeast State Contest and five expository address speakers were selected to perform at All-State with the other 17 top expository address speakers from across the entire state. The All-State Speech Festival is a showcase honoring the best speakers in their events from the entire state.
The Honors English 11 class at Waukon High School has been working on a 20% time project this semester. The project is designed after the concept used by the 3M company that had its employees take 20% of their work time to work on something other than their regular duties. Sticky Notes are a result of 3M’s 20% time. The Honors English students were given 20% of their class time to work on an individual project not assigned in their course work. Monday and Tuesday, March 13 and 14, the students presented their project ideas, goals and completion timeline to classmates, faculty and community members (some of which are pictured in the photos above and below). The projects will be finalized at the end of the semester with a finished product which will be presented in TED talks in the high school auditorium. Photos and information courtesy of the Allamakee Education Association.
Lansing VFW Post 5981 recently presented a check for $1,000 to the Lansing Lions Club in support of the Playground Enhancement Project at the Sports Complex in Lansing. Pictured above, left to right, is VFW Commander Glen Reed presenting the donation check to Lansing Lions Club Treasurer Kelly Welsh. To donate a tax free gift for the playground project, write a check to the City of Lansing Park and Recreation Board earmarked for the Playground Enhancement Project. Submitted photo.
