News Center newsletter

David and Amanda Reinhardt of Waukon announce the birth of their son, Nolan Dean Reinhardt, born February 24, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 8 lbs. 5 ozs. and measured 22 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins a sister, Charlie (1-1/2).

Grandparents are Rick and Cindy Reinhardt of Waukon and Randy and Lori Hover of Dorchester.
 

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

This past month has been filled with solid manure applicator trainings. We’ve had the opportunity to have Drs. Antonio Mallarino and Mazhar Haq, ISU agronomy department, present their work on phosphorus management. This presentation was extremely informative with discussions relevant to balancing fertility management and water quality challenges, why transport factors need to be considered along with soil test concentrations, and it had specific information relevant to manure application decisions and phosphorus management. A couple of which we wanted to specifically point out.

Why would farm landowners be interested in the topic of soil health?  Managing soil health helps to increase water infiltration, water holding capacity, and nutrient availability and reduces runoff, erosion, and nutrient leaching.  Because the economic value of cropland is largely based on its ability to produce a crop, improving soil health helps to protect the long-term value of this investment.  As a landowner, do you understand soil health and what your renters do to impact (improve or decrease) soil health? What practices can you encourage to improve soil health?

NRCS recommends farmland owners ask (potential) renters these five soil health questions.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that I have not taken a photograph since I retired after 44 years of using a camera, but there have been times when I wished I could.

An example came one recent morning, after that overnight thundersneet (snow and sleet) event. What I heard against my bedroom window made me expect to see ice covered utility wires at dawn, but they were clear. However, a day later, as I looked toward the rising sun, I noticed the bare limbs (bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang, as Shakespeare wrote) of two trees between me and the sun were glistening with a thin ice coat, first rose-tinged and then silver as the sun rose higher.

Very pretty.

That storm did deposit a layer about an inch thick of white frozen ice and snow on my driveway, however, which was not so pretty.

To the Editor:

During the last twelve years, there has been a local organization, “Corner of Hope”, operating in this community. During those twelve years, over $300,000 has been raised. These funds are sent to the Food Resource Bank (FRB), a faith-based organization whose sole purpose is to help alleviate world hunger in the poorer regions of the world.

The funds we send are equally divided between Catholic Relief Services, Lutheran Relief and Church World Relief Services. These organizations then use these funds, not by giving food, but by showing them how to raise their own food. This can be done in a variety of ways; different and better seed, tillage practices, pest control and water management. In one instance, land was purchased by the FRB and parceled off and sold to the peasant farmers. This was done because the good agriculture land was owned by big corporations.

To the Editor:

Here we go again. At 90 years of age it gets harder all the time. I appreciate all editorials, even though I highly disagree with some. It takes time and effort to put your thoughts together.

I like what Trump has done so far and hate the Republicans who throw logs in his way. These Rinos have to go, make sure of that the next chance we get - election day.

Trump won big, and the big help came from Christians and Evangelics - 82% for and 18% against. I really wonder what kind of Christians the 18% are. Are they for killing babies, throwing the Bible and Ten Commandments out, no mention of Christ in schools, ministers forbidden to be involved in politics? All of the above, and there could be more, are inspired by the devil. The 82% of supporters of Trump flock to his meetings, nearly 30,000 in Florida, where he spoke for 117 minutes. By the way, Hillary called them deplorable.

Calvin James Shindoll, 92, of Waukon passed away peacefully March 4, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon to be with his “best girl”, his wife Margaret who preceded him death in 2011. Remembrance services will be held Friday, March 10 at 11 a.m. at Zion United Church of Christ, Waukon with Pastor Samantha Houser officiating. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Visitation with family in celebration of his life will be at Martin Funeral Home Thursday, March 9 from 4-8 p.m.

Larry “Oz” L. Johnson, 68, of Decorah died Friday, March 3, 2017 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 9 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden and Pastor Steve Oden officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Larry “Oz” Lynn Johnson was born January 7, 1949 in Waukon, the son of Roger Charles and Norma June (Berg) Johnson. In 1968, he graduated from Waukon High School, where he was an All-Conference baseball player. Larry married Sharon Marti December 7, 1968 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon.

Margaret Holmes Eaton, 97, of Urbandale passed away February 26, 2017. Services will be held Friday, March 10 at Plymouth United Church of Christ, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines at 1:30 p.m. Family will greet friends following the service.  A gravesite service will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m.

Margaret was a strong, determined, energetic and positive individual. Born in Waterloo to Richard and Florence (Hotchkiss) Holmes September 9, 1919, she graduated from West High School in 1937 and from Grinnell College in 1942. She then moved to Knoxville, TN to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Her college sweetheart, Mayhew “Make” Eaton, had moved to Detroit, MI for his career. After a brief long distance relationship, the couple married May 3, 1943 and made their home in Detroit, Waterloo and finally back to Waukon, Make’s hometown.  Margaret’s career then became homemaker and volunteer extraordinaire.