We understand that Alliant Energy (a public utility granted a monopoly, with the trust they will act in the public interest) has plans that will likely destroy many of the roads in eastern Allamakee County. This area actually has very few roadways to support its population.
Alliant has three plans that will likely decimate the major roadways in this area.
Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP
Farm Loan Presence in Allamakee County
The USDA/FSA Farm Loan team will have a Loan Officer in our office every Tuesday during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, feel free to call or stop in.
Elizabeth Fossum (center in photo), daughter of Kevin and Julie Fossum of Waterville, was crowned the 2023 Allamakee County Dairy Princess at the annual Allamakee County Dairy Banquet held Saturday, March 25 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Pictured above following their coronation, left to right, are Allamakee County Alternate Dairy Princess Claire Opperman, daughter of Amy Opperman of Waukon; Allamakee County Dairy Princess Elizabeth Fossum; and Allamakee County Alternate Dairy Princess Cassidy Gibbs, daughter of Shawn and Danette Gibbs of Waterville. Additional photos of award winners and other recognition from the 2023 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet will appear in a future edition of The Standard. Photo by Paula Enyart.
The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in regard to a pair of February incidents involving vandalism and attempted arson at a rural Allamakee County swine facility. Reward money in the amount of $15,000 is currently being offered in regard to the case.
Sunday, February 5 of this year the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a suspicious item at a swine unit located on Dry Ridge Drive in rural Lansing. Deputies did respond to the location and recovered an incendiary item, reportedly a molotov cocktail, that had been placed on the building.
Upon further investigation it was determined that the item was placed with the intent to start the building unit on fire. The building unit was occupied with numerous swine at the time of the incident. The item did not ignite the building and minimal damage was observed.
Allamakee County Treasurer Jennifer O’Neill would like to remind property owners that the second installment of property taxes is due by Friday, March 31.
Property tax payments can be made in the Allamakee County Treasurer’s office in the Allamakee County Courthouse at 110 Allamakee Street in Waukon between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tax payers are reminded to bring their tax stubs with their payment to insure proper credit. To avoid penalty on the second installment, payment must be received in the Treasurer’s Office by Friday, March 31. Penalty will apply April 1, 2023.
E-check and credit card payments are also accepted online at www.iowatreasurers.org. Tax payers will need their receipt number to pay by E-check. This can be found on their tax statement.
The Allamakee County Emergency Management Agency wants to take this opportunity to notify the public of the intent to conduct a county-wide Tornado Drill and test of all city emergency warning sirens next Wednesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. This will allow Allamakee County to participate in the State of Iowa Tornado Drill as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, which is scheduled for March 27-31 this year. At approximately 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 29, warning sirens in all six cities in the county will be activated and National Weather Service NOAA Weather Radios will be sent the drill as a Required Weekly Test (RWT) with normal alert tones followed by drill verbiage.
Tuesday, March 21, nearly three dozen school districts across the state of Iowa received what are being referred to as “swatting” telephone calls, which are described as messages of what turn out to be fake threats of school shootings or other harm. The calls are made in an effort to try and get a large police gathering at one location, and they have been occurring across the nation over the past several months.
Although many of the schools reacted accordingly throughout the state of Iowa on that March 21 date, no threats were ever realized or any harm reported. Two area school districts, Decorah and MFL/MarMac, each received such threatening messages at their respective high schools, prompting action by local authorities in each case, with no threats realized in either scenario.
Blast from the past looks to benefit VMH Health Care Foundation ... Forty-five years later, original members of three local bands, Rising Sun, Horizon and Jackson Junction, will be reuniting Mother’s Day Weekend, Friday evening, May 12, for one night in downtown Waukon, with proceeds from that event benefiting the Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation. Eleven of the 12 original members of those bands will be returning and forming the group, “Bandmates, Brothers and Friends,” or “BBF.” Some of the band members in the current day photo above include, left to right, Gary Hesla, Jim Withers, Bill Withers, Joel Anderson and Bob Bechtel. Members pictured in the image below in this original 1990s-era poster of the band Jackson Junction include, front to back, Jim Withers, Bill Withers, Keel Clemmens, the late Pat Dougherty, and Gary Hesla. Submitted photos.
Submitted photo.
Original members of three local bands will be reuniting Friday evening of Mother’s Day Weekend, May 12, for one night in downtown Waukon, with proceeds from the event benefiting the Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation. This benefit event features a reunion of 11 mostly local musicians, two of whom played together 45 years ago in a number of area bands including Rising Sun, Horizon and Jackson Junction.
Many of the returning musicians are from Waukon including brothers Bill Withers, Jim Withers and John Withers, along with Gary Hesla, Bob Bechtel, Dave Dougherty, Brad Prestemon, Todd Pickett and Joel Anderson. They will be joined by Keel Clemmens and Jamey Lideen, longtime band members over the years. Of the original 12 musicians, the late Pat Dougherty will also be remembered during the event, with his brother, Dave, joining the band at times throughout the evening.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 27 to address a full agenda of matters including the Public Hearing for the County Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Maximum Levy/Property Tax Dollars, consideration of a vehicle purchase for Environmental Health, and consideration of bids for an asphalt project on Yellow River Drive. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.
Allamakee Community Players, Inc. (ACPI) is once again teaming up with Empty Nest Winery to present a Dinner Theatre event this Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1 from 6-9 p.m. each evening. This year’s production will be “Crazytown”, a comedy presentation that will be presented throughout a three-course dinner being served at Empty Nest Winery. Additional information, including ticket availability, can be found on the Empty Nest Winery website, https://emptynestwinery.com/, under the Upcoming Events tab.
“Crazytown” will take those in attendance on a tour of the most messed up town in America, from the police interrogation room where the nicest guy in town is issued a strange ultimatum, to the elementary school for a heated political debate on critical issues like tater tots. Welcome to Crazytown, where the town’s motto is: “Welcome to Crazytown!”
