Award nominations due by February 20; Dairy Banquet scheduled for March 25
The Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board is asking for assistance from the general public in identifying worthy candidates to be recognized as this year’s top producers in Allamakee County at the2023 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet scheduled for Saturday, March 25. Every year, top producers and several other awards are nominated from members within the county. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension office are accepting nominations for the following awards:
Outstanding Young Dairyman/Family Award - Honors young dairy farmers who have achieved excellence in managing their dairy enterprises, have contributed leadership to the dairy industry, and are respected in their communities. Dairy producers must be 35 years of age or younger to be nominated for this award.
The Waukon Music Department will be hosting its 13th Annual Pops Concert Friday, February 24 at the Waukon Middle School gymnasium. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the concert performances to begin at 7 p.m.
The Pops Concert is an annual fundraising event sponsored by the Allamakee Music Boosters. The Pops Concert features high energy musical numbers from the 1950s through today. Groups performing will include the high school and middle school choirs, high school and middle school jazz bands, drumline, featured soloists, song and dance skits, and emcees. The Pops Concert continues to feature new musical talents each year and has become a must-see event for the Waukon community.
Waukon City Manager Gary Boden recently provided an update to The Standard relating to improvements made at the Waukon City Hall north entrance, which is now open again to the public. Evident in the photo above, Boden noted replacements and improvements including metal hand-railing, steps leading to parking at the east side of the building, the sidewalk and canopy in front of the north entrance and new interior and exterior doors are now in place following work performed by Sweeney Builders, Inc., the primary contractor on this project. Boden noted that these improvements were made possible through a commitment of $70,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding with an additional $2,000 from the General Fund, all of which he added will not impact local taxpayers.
Iowa Economic Development Authority tours AJ Steakhouse ... Downtown Economic Development Specialist Jim Thompson (far right in above photo) of Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) in Des Moines toured AJ Steakhouse at 12 West Main Street in Waukon Thursday, February 2 as the final step in the Community Catalyst (CAT) Building Remediation Grant Program that provided some of the funding for the renovation of that former JCPenney/Tierney’s building into the new dining facility. Thompson and Waukon City Clerk Sarah Snitker (at left) were provided a tour of the building by owner Arturo Barreda (second from right) and Alvina Velarde (third from right) of AJ Steakhouse. During the tour, Thompson noted that the AJ Steakhouse building renovation is one of 200 building restoration projects across the state of Iowa that received funding through the CAT Grant Program thus far over the program’s five-year history. Thompson noted that the AJ Steakhouse building is a “great project” while adding, “This is an example that we want every town to have. For this to be catalytic, other people and communities need to see this and say that we can do this too.” Standard photo by Assistant Editor Joe Moses.
by Joe Moses
The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 6 to address a full agenda of matters including the Public Hearing on Proposed Property Tax Dollars for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, review of a Waukon Facade Improvement Program application and the approval of plans and specifications relating to the storm sewer project along 1st Avenue and 1st Street NW.
by Nancy Dunkel
Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation board member
Chances are, you and your student will rely on multiple sources of funding for a college education. Common funding sources are your own savings and earnings, your student’s savings and earnings, scholarships and loans.
Make a resolution to reduce the amount of future student loans with these tips:
Beekeepers can make a beneficial impact on the environment, and a Beginning Beekeeping course at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) will teach newcomers how to get started. Students in the six-session course will meet every Thursday starting February 23 at the Wilder Business Center on the NICC Calmar campus. Participants will learn about the industry through demonstrations with basic equipment while practicing the methods used in beekeeping.
Honey bees pollinate approximately 30 percent of the nation’s crops that are relied on for food, explained Mary Rose Williams, Ph.D., an avid beekeeper, master gardener and environmental advocate. Bringing new beekeepers into this important industry makes an impact on the well-being of plants and animals.
All are invited to a Soup and Salad Supper red table cloth event this Thursday, February 9 at the Ferryville Village Hall from 5-7 p.m. Freewill donation proceeds will go 100% to the upgrades being planned and completed at the Ferryville Village Hall. Bathroom renovations have been the first priority for these upgrades, and the work is already progressing.
For additional information, see the advertisement on Page 4 in this week’s edition of The Standard.
The Allamakee County Veterans Museum in Waukon will be offering four encore video presentations to the public in the meeting room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building at 105 Allamakee Street, Waukon. The video presentations will take place on successive Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., according to the following schedule:
• February 11 - Lynn Morrow, U.S. Army infantry - WWII
• February 18 - Harriet Hanson, U.S. Navy nurse - WWII
• February 25 - Rupert Caballero, U.S. Marine Corps - Korea
• March 4 - Carl Johnson, U.S. Army - Vietnam.
here is no admission charge for the presentations, and the museum is wheelchair accessible. Museum winter hours include tours provided each Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon, and the museum can be available by appointment for groups of all kinds.
Property owners within the City of Waukon who have not yet scheduled a time for their water meter replacement are strongly encouraged to do so as soon as possible. The water meter replacement project is a community wide project to replace all current water meters and reading devices in the City of Waukon, and the new meter and replacement work are at no cost to property owners. Failure to have a water meter replaced through this coordinated project could result in being shut off from water services by the City of Waukon until replacement occurs.
Kurth is third-place finisher at first-ever IGHSAU Girls State Wrestling Tournament ... Waukon girls wrestling 100-pound junior Mia Kurth (third from right in photo above) stands with the other state of Iowa 100-pound wrestling elite on their placewinning podium at the first-ever Girls State Wrestling Tournament sanctioned by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union held February 2-3 at the Xtream Arena in Coralville. Pictured above, left to right, are this year’s 100-pound top-eight finishers: Mid Prairie junior Gabi Robertson - eighth place; Ames sophomore Greta Goodman - sixth place; North Central sophomore Mariah Michels - fourth place; Osage sophomore Gable Hemann - Runner-Up; Raccoon River Northwest freshman Katie Biscoglia - Champion; Waukon junior Mia Kurth - third place; Cedar Rapids Prairie senior Myah Rausch - fifth place; and Council Bluffs Lewis Central senior Ava McNeal - seventh place. Photo by Melissa Simon courtesy of Driftless Media.
Third-place finish among state of Iowa’s 100-pound elite ... Waukon girls wrestling 100-pound junior Mia Kurth has Anamosa freshman Emily Fritz all locked up in their second-round match at the State Wrestling Tournament at Coralville Thursday, February 2. Kurth went on to pin Fritz in 2:38 as part of her five victories in six matches at the season grand finale, with four of those wins coming by fall to help her claim a third-place finish in that 32-wrestler bracket. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this webpage.
Mia Kurth wins five of six matches to finish third among 100-pound elite
A trio of Waukon girls wrestling team members were part of the first-ever State Wrestling Tournament sanctioned by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) held at the Xtream Arena in Coralville Thursday and Friday, February 2-3. Those three Lady Indians gained valuable experience at this year’s season grand finale, winning seven of their 12 matches wrestled to help score 31 team points and finish in a two-way tie with West Lyon for 37th place out 137 teams scoring at the tournament and 157 overall teams having wrestlers competing in this year’s State Tournament.
