Cadillac Caring Services, LLC, a new business venture by Waukon native Peggy Sivesind providing private driver and companion travel services, recently received a First Dollar Visit from the Waukon Chamber of Commerce. Pictured above at the First Dollar presentation are, left to right, Waukon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors member Dan Headington, Waukon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Dugan, Cadillac Caring Services, LLC founder and owner Peggy Sivesind, and Waukon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors members Sherrie Hunstad and Tyler Halverson. Submitted photo.
An idea that Waukon native Peggy Sivesind first thought of about 20 years ago while venturing out into the working world was recently able to be put in drive, literally, following her return to her hometown. Now that idea, Cadillac Caring Services, LLC, has Sivesind driving around in style, and taking others along for the ride - almost anywhere they want to go.
"I first came up with this idea over 20 years ago, but as I moved back to my hometown with a smaller population, I saw such a strong need for this type of service," Sivesind explained of the personal driver and travel companion services she offers. "Also, I need to do something that feeds my soul."
The Northeast Iowa Drug Task Force, in its quest to make area communities a safer and drug free place, wanted to make the public aware of its latest endeavor. With the assistance of numerous volunteers, the Northeast Iowa Drug Task Force participated in the National Prescription Drop Off Day Event Saturday, April 29.
Participation in that Saturday, April 29 event yielded 830 pounds of prescription medications. The purpose of these events is to keep medications out of the hands of people who may misuse or abuse them, especially youth. Prescription drug abuse is a growing epidemic in America; it is one of the fastest growing threats to youth today.
The following agencies participated and are members of the Northeast Iowa Drug Task Force:
In February of this year, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon began switching over its electronic medical records and financial records to AthenaHealth. VMH Administrator Mike Myers noted that during the most recent board of trustees meeting, a financial report for the month of March was not available to share due to some initial "hiccups" in the process of switching over those records.
Myers noted that the hospital did have someone coming in to help sort out the issue and get things back on track to be able to generate reports. The hospital is also looking at putting in a time attendance system to merge with AthenaHealth to try and streamline payroll.
The Ferryville Tourism Council and the Mississippi Valley Conservancy are hosting the annual International Spring Migration Day Hike at Sugar Creek Bluff Natural Area Saturday, May 13. Hikers are invited to gather at the Ferryville Village Hall, along the Great River Road, Hwy. 35, at the south end of the Village of Ferryville between 7:30 and 8 a.m. Treats, handouts and a sign-in will be available at the village hall, and then the group will carpool to the trailhead for the 8 a.m. hike.
This hike is a celebration of the Bird City Wisconsin program. The International Spring Migration Day aspect of the hike recognizes that the warblers, orioles, tanagers and other neo tropical migrants have traveled for weeks from their winter homes in Central America. Some will stay in the local area along the Mississippi River Flyway during the summer months and nest here, and others will continue to travel further north to nest and rear their young.
“Rummage Along the River” is a 70-mile garage sale extravaganza that winds along Highway 35, Wisconsin’s Great River Road. The event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 19 and 20, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Stoddard, Genoa, the Bad Axe, De Soto, Ferryville and Lynxville are the river towns, and shoppers can also swing up County E to Highway 27 and Seneca and Mt. Sterling.
New for 2017 is the website for information on sales, which can be found at www.rummagealongtheriver.com. A map of the sales can also be found there to be printed off.
The Highway 82 "dike walkers" crew from De Soto, WI completed another difficult but successful cleaning of the rock embankments along the highway. This portion of the Wisconsin highway has been adopted by Friends of Pool 9 and is cleaned every year by the group. Submitted photo.
Jerry Boardman (a.k.a. the "buoy man") pulls four buoys at once to a Coast Guard Day Marker for pick-up during the annual Friends of Pool 9 2017 river clean-up held Saturday, April 29. on the Mississippi River. He and Don Lathrop pulled out a record 18 buoys during this year's clean-up effort. Submitted photo.
submitted by Friends of Pool 9
More than 100 volunteers gathered to clean the Mississippi River during the annual Friends of Pool 9 River Clean-Up Day Saturday, April 29. It proved to be a somewhat cooler and more uncomfortable day (especially compared to the previous weekend) with temperatures on the river around 40 degrees and a brisk east wind blowing.
Volunteers had begun work on the river the week before with the Heytman crew gathering their debris and vacated docks at the landing. Jerry Boardman and Don Lathrop pulled a record 18 red and green buoys from the backwater, and others had also dropped off river debris at the Lansing location on the Brennan riverfront property in preparation.
The Northeast Iowa Choral Directors Association Fifth and Sixth Grade Honor Choir was held Tuesday, April 25 at the Williams Performing Arts Center in Oelwein. The concert took place at 7 p.m. and was open to the public. Mr. Aaron Hansen and Mrs. Luanne Rogers were the guest directors for the two choirs. Thirty-six area schools and churches participated, involving a total of 251 students. Mrs. Sarah Schacherer, PreK-6 general music teacher for the Allamakee Community School District, was honored to take the following singers, pictured above, to the event: Left to right - Fifth graders Keira Miller, Olivia Bossom and Natalie Byrnes, sixth graders Paige Hansmeier and Grace Solberg, and fifth graders Justin Murphy, Caleb Perkins and Rowen Althof. Submitted photo.
Community came together once again at East Elementary Kids Club in Waukon, this time to put on a Bike Rodeo for students. Ashley Christensen of Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission, Andrew Blair of Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative, Karen Cooper, Traci Byrnes and Barb Shull from the local RAGBRAI® Ride Right Committee, and Tami Gebel, Stef Perkins and Nicki Smedsrud from the Parent Group PSST (Parents Supporting Students and Teachers) all participated in making it an enjoyable and educational event. Hardees in Waukon donated cookie coupons to participants, and students from Waukon Middle School also joined the Kids Club group for the day. Students learned the proper way to approach another bicyclist, pass and ride an obstacle course. They were also able to make smoothies with the Bicycle Blender.
Waukon High School Prom and Post Prom were held Saturday, April 29. This year's theme for the Prom dance held in the Waukon Middle School gym was "A Night Under the Stars" with Parker Lane providing the music. The Post Prom committee provided a photo booth and prizes every 15 minutes during the dance, with prizes including gift certificates to local restaurants, theaters and baseball organizations and a $100 cash drawing at 11 p.m. for students that were present through the entire dance, won by Waukon High School junior Landon Berns (pictured at right). Students also enjoyed an ice cream bar, a dance cam and board games in the cafeteria.
Waukon boys golf sophomore Michael Headington chips a shot toward the green in the Indians’ 185-224 home victory over Postville in non-conference play Tuesday, May 2. Headington turned in a round of 47 to help the Indians to the victory. Standard photo by Joe Moses. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
The Waukon boys golf team ended up with just one date of competition this past week, hosting Postville Tuesday, May 2. The Indians had a Monday, May 1 home date with Oelwein in Northeast Iowa Conference play postponed by cold, rainy weather to Tuesday, May 9.
The Indians posted a victory in last week’s lone competition, bettering the visiting Postville Pirates’ effort by a 185-224 final result. Freshman Logan Houg led the Indian effort with his medalist round of 43, with senior Logan Sullivan claiming runner-up medalist honors with his score of 45 strokes. Sophomore Michael Headington also ended up with a round under 50 with his 47, while junior Jess Kloke finished right at 50 strokes to complete the varsity team scoring for the golf Tribe in the victory.
