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To the Editor:

Affordability: A big word for a very important concept: Can I afford these items?

In April 2025, President Trump announced his tariffs and I thought, “Whoa. Tariffs will increase the prices to the consumers!” When I went to the grocery store in Waukon, I kept my receipt.  When cleaning my billfold, I found the receipt dated 4/8/2025.

I compared some of the prices in April 2025 to prices for the same items last week - in Waukon at the same grocery store.

Hamburger was 2.99/pound. Now $5.49. Increase of $2.50 or 84% higher.
Decaf coffee was $8.98. Now $12.99. Increase of $4.00 or 45% higher.
Regular coffee was $9.98. Now $14.98. Increase of $5.00 or 50% higher.
Chocolate chips were $3.99. Now $6.39. Increase of $2.40 or 60% higher.
And gas in Waukon was $2.89/gallon. Now $3.89. Increase of $1.00 or 35% higher.

Jodie A. Manning, 52, of Waukon passed unexpectedly Monday, August 10, 2026, at University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison, WI, with her loved ones by her side. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, August 22 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Zion United Church of Christ fellowship hall in Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family.

Jodie Ann Manning was born January 28, 1974, in Waukon to James and Julie Halverson. Jodie grew up on the farm, where she was always by her dad’s side, helping out and soaking up everything he taught her. She carried those lessons with her into adulthood, always finding a house project to take on with the skills she learned from him.

Jodie dedicated her entire career to nursing, working hard throughout her life to care for others while at Good Sam and Northgate in Waukon, treating every resident and coworker as if they were her own family.

A Wausau, WI man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Madison, WI in early June to wire fraud and money laundering, according to Chadwick M. Elgersma,  United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Stanley Pophal, age 64, of Wausau, WI, pleaded guilty to defrauding investors out of $14.25 million and using investor funds to fund his lifestyle, and it was an initial investment meeting staged in February 2025 in Allamakee County by State of Iowa officials that started the wheels in motion toward Pophal’s eventual arrest and his entering of a guilty plea on those federal charges.

Two young ladies are pictured trying their luck in the Youth Fishing Tournament held along the riverfront Saturday morning as part of the 2026 Lansing Fish Days celebration that took place this past weekend, Friday-Sunday, August 7-9. Despite stormy weather challenges that arose several times throughout the weekend, the annual event featured a variety of great opportunities to catch some fun and good times. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond, with more of her photos of this year’s celebration printed on Pages 12-13 inside this week’s edition of the Standard and available at the Photos link on this webpage.

Pick up the Wednesday, August 12, 2026 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.

The Lansing man facing seven different charges in connection with a May 17 incident that ultimately involved a high speed chase and exchanging gun fire with an Allamakee County Sheriff’s Deputy has been declared competent to stand trial and will do so October 7 of this year, according to documents filed in Allamakee County District Court. Andrew Wayne Weber of Lansing faces charges of Attempted Murder of a Peace Officer, Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Domestic Abuse Assault, Assault Causing Bodily Injury, Eluding, Use of a Dangerous Weapon in the Commission of a Crime, and Carrying Dangerous Weapons.

The evening of Sunday, May 17, the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from the residence at 330 Dodge Street in Lansing. It was reported that a male subject, alleged to be Weber, was assaulting a female in the residence.

Waukon Corn Days is a celebration of agricultural heritage and community, and has a long-standing history in Waukon extending back to what some may remember as “Threshing Days”. The Waukon Chamber of Commerce looks forward to hosting the annual celebration again in 2026 with events starting Friday, August 14 and continuing into Saturday, August 15. This event also encourages local shopping with Waukon “Crazy Days” specials, discounts and deals available at local retailers (see Page 28 in this week’s edition of The Standard). West Street SW, between Main Street and First Avenue SW, will be closing at 12 Noon Friday, August 14 for preparation and hosting of the event.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will participate in Waukon Corn Days 2026, an event scheduled for this Friday, August 14 and this Saturday August 15.

The movie filmed in downtown Waukon in the 1940s by the Cote family for the Town Theatre (pictured at right) will be played. See what life in Waukon was like in the 1940s. Unfortunately, no video is available of past Corn Day events or parades.

The video will play continually from noon to 3 p.m. Friday, August 14 and also again from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon Saturday, August 15 in the meeting room of the Veterans Museum, located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. The Veterans Museum will also be open for public tours during those timeframes.

The museum is air conditioned. There is no admission charge, and the museum is also accessible for wheelchairs and other assistance devices.
 

Sisters Coral and Pearl Brustkern of Waterloo display some of the prizes they were awarded as winners of this year’s Find Finney Contest, the annual contest that helps heighten anticipation of the annual Lansing Fish Days community celebration by having youth search for the tagged wooden fish (also being held by the young ladies in the photo above) hidden somewhere in the Lansing community, with help from a series of clues. The young Brustkern pair found Finney in his hiding place within the park atop Mt. Hosmer in Lansing, bringing an early end to the contest this year during one of their frequent visits to the Lansing area.

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday, August 3, addressing a full agenda involving a variety of matters. A report on the city’s debt, approval of several resolutions, consideration of meeting date conflicts, and addressing concerns with grease accumulation in accordance with the city’s public sewer ordinance were some of the matters taken care of by the council at that August 3 meeting.

RESTROOM ACCESSIBILITY
During citizen concerns, Sarah Murray, Main Street Board of Directors member, requested that the council address the ongoing closure of the public restroom near Front and Main streets. She highlighted that this restroom is the only public facility on Main Street and noted that its closure poses challenges during busy downtown weekends, impacting efforts to present Lansing as accessible to residents and visitors.

Seventeen members of the Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter traveled to San Antonio, TX, to compete at the 2026 FBLA National Leadership Conference (NLC) from June 28 through July 3.

Accompanied by FBLA Advisor Joanne Ericson and chaperones Micah Miller, Kristin Berns, Anne Wuebker, and Jessa Burns, the students joined more than 18,000 FBLA members and chaperones from across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada for a week of competition, leadership development, and networking.

One of Waukon FBLA’s largest groups of National qualifiers in recent years represented the chapter after advancing from the Iowa FBLA State Leadership Conference. To qualify, students had to place in the top four at the State Conference to automatically qualify, or top 10 to qualify through the bump-up process.