News Center newsletter

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, December 5 to address a full agenda of matters including discussion of water meter replacement charges, a presentation relating to electric vehicles and an update relating to the Allamakee County Hazard Mitigation Plan.

There was no Public Comment and the meeting moved into Department Reports with Water and Sewer Superintendent Jim Cooper providing an update. Cooper advised that the water meter replacement and installation process is moving forward. He also discussed a water treatment process taking place at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Council member Arvid Hatlan made note of positive feedback that he has received relating to the professionalism of the contractor performing the water meter installations in Waukon.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will be offering another program to the public in the meeting room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building at 105 Allamakee Street, Waukon Thursday, December 15 at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Dan Davis, a marine archaeologist and professor in the Department of History at Luther College, will give a public talk entitled “Finding American MIAs in Underwater Environments,” and will detail his efforts to locate, document and recover American service members from submerged aircraft from World War II. The talk will focus on past and current projects, as well as the technologies being used to locate and identify human remains. Dr. Davis is a former U.S.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will be offering another program to the public in the meeting room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building at 105 Allamakee Street, Waukon Saturday, December 17, beginning at 10 a.m.

The topic of the presentation will be “Why did the Japanese Navy attack Pearl Harbor?” A video documentary will be presented and local U.S. Navy veterans will discuss their visits to the Pearl Harbor monuments and share their insights.

There will be no admission charge and the new museum is wheel chair accessible. Museum winter hours include tours Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon, and by appointment for groups of all kinds. Special programs are planned to be held monthly as announced. Submitted image.
 

The Allamakee County 4-H Council is composed of energetic and positive high school students who serve as ambassadors for 4-H. These members are responsible for planning and supporting numerous activities for Allamakee County 4-H members. Sunday, November 6, the Council hosted the annual Junior Halloween Party for youth in fourth through sixth grades. The event was held at the Zion United Church of Christ (UCC) in Waukon. A total of 28 youth attended and participated in a STEM challenge which challenged them to build a tin foil boat to hold candy pumpkins, played Halloween BINGO, ended the afternoon with a costume contest, and enjoyed many more activities throughout the event.

Members of the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon have assumed the role of organizing this year’s Holiday Parade in Waukon. The event is scheduled for Thursday, December 8, beginning at 7 p.m., in an effort to coordinate with the local Holiday Hop event being planned by Waukon businesses earlier that same evening. More information on the Holiday Hop can be found on Pages 16-17 in the November 30 edition of The Standard or at https://waukonstandard.com/content/shop-local.

Anyone from the general public, business community, school or any community organization is invited to decorate any vehicle, float, side-by-side or other creative avenue with lights and participate in the parade as it travels through downtown Waukon. All registered entries will be entered in a drawing for prizes, and there will also be a Grand Prize awarded for the most festive float.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies, and local fire and ambulance departments in northeast Iowa are working together with Northeast Iowa Community College to address an ongoing workforce shortage of certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Paramedic professionals.

The need for more trained EMS personnel to meet increasing demand in northeast Iowa communities follows a similar trend throughout the state. Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC), for example, maintains a paramedic service in Decorah and draws upon EMS volunteers in the communities of Decorah, Burr Oak, Bluffton, Calmar, Castalia, Festina, Fort Atkinson, Frankville, Jackson Junction, Highlandville, Ossian, Ridgeway and Spillville to meet demand for pre-hospital care. WMC employs 28 staff members in its ambulance service, but one-third of these personnel are expected to retire in the next five to seven years, according to Steve Vanden Brink, a 31-year veteran leader at WMC and Director of Ambulance.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions Vice President Wendy Mihm-Herold, Ph.D. has stepped down from her position at NICC to become the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) new President and CEO. Mihm-Herold begins her new role January 23, 2023.

Mihm-Herold has served as vice president for Business and Community Solutions for NICC since July 2010. She is an executive officer with more than 32 years of experience in public and private nonprofit sectors with extensive experience in fundraising, grant writing and grant administration, legislative advocacy for policy and funding at the local, state and federal levels, building innovative partnerships and public relations.

Alliant Energy is seeking applications for its 2023 Innovation Scholarships. Up to 25 students will receive $1,000 scholarships to help reach their academic goals.

Applicants for the annual scholarships are asked to write an essay that identifies a problem in their community and present their own innovative solution using science, technology, engineering and/or math.

“As I move onto the next chapter of my life, this scholarship will allow me to worry less about finances and more about learning,” said Mason Maeder, 2022 Innovation Scholarship recipient and University of Wisconsin-Madison student. “I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their dreams, just as Alliant Energy is helping me achieve mine.”

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on essay content, participation in leadership roles, volunteer work and community service, activities and grade-point average.

The inaugural Faith & Blue event was held October 8 in Lansing, an event for local law enforcement officers to share their faith with the community in conjunction with the National Faith & Blue Weekend that took place across the United States October 7-10. Lansing Police Chief Conrad Rosendahl and Allamakee County Sheriff’s Deputy Ross Kolsrud shared their stories of coming to faith in Christ. The day included music from several musicians, comments by three local pastors, and a lunch served by the youth of the Lansing United Methodist Church. Free will donations received at the event were divided between LIFT (Lansing Iowa Food Trust) and The Way Station in New Albin, with each organization receiving $305.

Thursday, December 8, the Ferryville Vision and Promotion Board will be hosting a Soup and Salad Supper from 5-7 p.m. at the Community Center in Ferryville, WI. Those attending are asked to provide a freewill donation to the Ferryville Vision and Promotion Board for village improvements and beautification. Anyone with further questions should call Chris at 608-444-7986 or email chrisser51@gmail.com.