News Center newsletter

Helping Services for Youth & Families is proud to share about the community’s support of the 2023 Youth Mentoring Bowl-A-Thon held March 26 at King Pin Entertainment Center in Decorah. Local sponsors and 52 bowlers raised $8,400 to help provide adult role models for youth in Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek Counties. Appreciation goes out to all the bowlers and their donors. There were many cheers as bowlers experienced strikes, spares, and even gutter balls. Pictured in the submitted photo above is the team of Hattie, Martha, Kaden and Tim preparing to take part in the 2023 Youth Mentoring Bowl-A-Thon

The celebration of the 30th year of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter at Waukon High School this year got even more special after the chapter won its third consecutive Lloyd V. Douglas Chapter of the Year Award at the 2023 Iowa FBLA State Leadership Conference held March 30-April 1 in Coralville.

For the second consecutive year, the Waukon High School chapter defended that same title earned during each of the last two State Leadership Conferences in 2021 and 2022. With a Chapter of the Year “three-peat” being unprecedented in program history, the Waukon chapter has achieved one other previous championship repeat, at the 2015 and 2016 State Leadership Conferences. The Waukon chapter has finished as either the State Chapter of the Year or Runner-Up Chapter of the Year each season for nearly the past decade, with the 2020 State Leadership Conference canceled by COVID-19 just before it was slated to take place.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering an Adult Eco-Printing Party class Tuesday, May 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 3rd Avenue NW.

Eco-printing is a popular craft that draws upon the beauty of items in the natural world, then captures their textures and patterns on fabric. Using a simple process, participants will learn to take natural objects like leaves and flowers and make an imprint. Participants in the class will use canvas tote bags, a natural bouquet and guidance from the instructor to create a custom keepsake of their very own. All skill levels are welcome. Attendees should feel free to bring their own leaves and flowers to try.

The deadline for paid registration is April 25. To register online visit www.nicc.edu/waukon or call NICC Waukon center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.
 

Kee High School will host its Fine Arts Awards Night Monday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kee High School gymnasium to celebrate the students’ successes and present awards. Families of students are welcome to attend. Cake and punch will be served following the celebration.

Pictured above are some of those Kee High School Fine Arts students who made up the cast of Kee’s spring production of “Be My Ghost” that took the stage at Kee High School April 1-2. Pictured above are: Left to right - standing, sitting or kneeling on the stage: Director Tammy Manning, Zoey Timmerman, Riley Troendle, Isaiah Wagner, Summer Walleser, Brayden Waters, Brooklyn Bakewell, Andrew Kolsrud, Brendan Jones, Ashlyn Henkes, Sean Lopez Vega, Cadan Evanson, Austin St. Mary, Jack Schweitzer, Sawyer Gramlich, Holden Welsh; and from top of stairs on down: Alyssa Hilleshiem, Brendan Croft and Lily Howe, Neva Peterson, and Phoenix Crass and Rhianna Jones. Submitted photo.
 

The winner of the 2022 entrepreneurial scholarship offered by the Lansing Area Women in Business organization for the first time last year, Kee High School graduated senior Abby Wood, is pictured in the center of the above photo with Lansing Area Women in Business members (left to right) Wendi Eiden, Maryann Baldwin, Amy Stracener, Diana Wilson-Thompson and Sammi Scholtes. The Lansing Area Women in Business organization is again offering its entrepreneurial scholarship this year, with applications due by April 14. Submitted photo.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

During its regular meeting Monday, April 3, the Lansing City Council approved several hiring recommendations from the Lansing Department of Parks and Recreation for the 2023 summer recreation season, pending background checks and drug testing. Those hirings included Harvey Ekern as head softball coach at $14.75/hour; an assistant tee ball coach, when hired, at $11.75/hour; Claire Chandler as assistant softball coach at $11/hour; a head tee ball coach, when hired, at $14/hour; and Randy Zipse as head baseball coach at $14.50/hour.

TABLED ITEMS
Several other items were tabled until more information could be gathered for the council’s consideration. The first was a request by Teresa Severson that the City run water to two properties at the end of Wall Street. The water department will get a bid on the project and report to the council on the cost.

The Friends of the Refuge Headwaters (FORH) group is encouraging all amateur photographers to get outside and capture the beauty of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Refuge) for a Centennial photo contest.

The Refuge, which was established in 1924 through the efforts of Will Dilg, founder of the Izaak Walton League of America, includes much of the lands and waters of the Mississippi River from Wabasha, MN to Rock Island, IL. Photos taken on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge will be accepted for entry into the contest until October 27 of this year. Winning entries will become part of a traveling display at events being held up and down the Mississippi River during the year 2024.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary has announced the annual “Boating Safely” class. The newly updated course, now titled “Boat America,” will be held Saturday April 29 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Prairie du Chien City Hall, located at 214 Blackhawk Avenue (Wacouta Street entrance) in Prairie du Chien, WI.

This eight-hour course provides basic training in the safe operation of watercraft including vessel familiarization, rules of the road, federal and state boating laws and safety on the water and is designed for all ages. This course qualifies for the Wisconsin or Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Boating Safety Certificate. Statistics show that many boat operators involved in fatal boating accidents have not completed a boating safety class.

The Waukon boys track team was able to get both of its scheduled meets in this past week, recording a pair of finishes that coincided with the size of the schools they were competing against. The Indians placed fourth out of seven teams of mostly larger schools at the Decorah Early Bird Invitational Monday, April 3 before topping the nine-team field of smaller schools at Postville’s Foster-Kiesau Relays Thursday, April 6.

The Indians were next scheduled to return to Decorah for another meet there Monday, April 10 before competing at New Hampton Thursday, April 13. The Indians will then make their way back to Decorah once again Monday, April 17 before they host their own Indian Relays Friday, April 21, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

For more complete coverage, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.

The Kee boys track and field team ended up with just one meet this past week, competing in the Foster Kiesau Relays hosted by Postville High School Thursday, April 6. The Hawks recorded five top-five finishes, including one team-best third-place finish and three fourth-place results, to help compile 22 team points and finish eighth in the meet’s nine-team scoring field.

That third-place finish was actually half of a consecutive Kee finish in the 400 meter hurdles, where junior Jackson Schulte finished third in 1:11.02 and freshman Justin Wagner placed fourth in 1:13.12. Wagner was also a fourth-place finisher in the 3200 meter run with his clocking of 10:59.08.

For more complete coverage, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.