New year brings new ownership for McMillan Muffler... Mike McMillan and Jim Hennessy stand in front of McMillan Muffler on First Street NW in Waukon. Hennessy, who has worked for McMillan for more than two decades, purchased the business at the start of the new year.
by Lissa Blake
Although the ownership of McMillan Muffler in Waukon has changed, the faces one will see and the services they provide remain the same at the business’ First Street NW location. That’s because Jim Hennessy, a long-time employee of the auto repair and muffler shop, purchased the business from long-standing owner Mike McMillan at the beginning of this year.
“Read Beyond the Beaten Path” was the theme of the 2022 Summer Reading Program (SRP) with activities spanning from June through August this summer. The Kids and Teens 4-Week Reading Challenge ran from Friday, July 1-Saturday, July 30 and is the highlight of the program with participants tracking their reading and reading-related activities for prizes.
• Kids 4-Week Reading Challenge: Infants to sixth graders tracked their progress on reading logs to receive weekly prizes in addition to adding their name to prize drawings for a Skippy Jon Jones book and stuffed animal toy or Ice Cream With the Librarian. A total of 83 children registered and 41 participated with a total of 991 activities completed. The top readers in each category received a new book of their choice purchased by the Library Foundation, including the following:
Those who are feeling down or blue should know they are not alone, and that can be especially true now that there is a local group program to help lift their mood. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing recently received a grant from Gundersen Health System of La Crosse, WI to offer a new resource to help adults with low mood called Raising Our Spirits Together.
Raising Our Spirits Together is a technology-assisted, engaging, small group program that provides people who are feeling down with new tools and skills to feel better. The small groups meet in local churches and are led by pastors.
The Iowa Knights of Columbus recently recognized Chad Egeland (right in above photo) from the Waukon Knights of Columbus, Council 1570, as Knight of the Month. He is pictured above receiving from the Iowa Knights of Columbus a personalized shirt and a certificate presented to him by Council 1570 Grand Knight Tyler Plein when his brother Knights recognized him in May as Knight of the Month.
“Chad does not drive, and yet he makes it to most of our monthly meetings and he contributes to our meetings,” Council 1570 leadership praised. “When we have events, such as Tootsie Roll drives or serving meals for various benefits, Chad is the first to volunteer. We are proud to have Chad in our Council.” Submitted photo.
Public and private forests will be part of this year’s fall forestry field days, offered by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach. “The fall forestry field days are a great way to see some science-based practices and also connect with additional people from the forestry industry,” said Billy Beck, forestry specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
“Visitors will get to see public and private forest projects and hear about the struggles and successes of each forest.”
In addition to Beck, speakers include Ed Zaworski, plant pathologist with the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State; and Miranda Curzon, assistant professor in the Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management at Iowa State.
Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is inviting everyone to celebrate the start of the school year at Fall Fest Thursday, September 8 from 5-8 p.m. The event is open to all and there is no cost to attend.
Community members are welcome to attend and enjoy music, inflatables, rides and carnival games for kids of all ages. Highlights include the U.S. National Guard rock climbing wall and jousting challenge, the NICC train, cotton candy and the Moo Mobile. The Bruce Bearinger Band will perform from 5-7:30 p.m.
The Fall Fest dinner will be pulled pork sandwiches and hot dogs, chips, cookies, root beer and water. Cost for Fall Fest is by free-will donation. Tickets for rides and games are available for purchase for 25 cents each, and most activities require only one or two tickets. The event will be located in the center of campus with parking available near campus.
The NICC Calmar campus is located at 1625 Hwy 150 South.
Water Rocks!, the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach youth water education program, has opened its Water Rocks! classroom visit request platform for fall semester 2022 for in-person learning sessions. The Water Rocks! program brings science- and research-based lessons about conservation, natural resources and water quality to Iowa schools free of charge. All sessions are correlated with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), adopted to guide curriculum in most Iowa schools.
Saturday, September 10, family and friends of lifelong resident and local “River Rat” Pat Sandry will be honoring his memory with the Fifth Annual Pat Sandry Memorial Fishing Derby and Friends of Pool 9 Fundraiser held on the Mississippi River. Sandry passed away in November of 2017 after a short, courageous battle with cancer. He thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors, had a great passion for fishing and hunting, and he truly treasured the beauty of Lansing and the surrounding area.
Entry fee is $50 per boat with 50% payback in prize money and 50% being donated to Friends of Pool 9. There is a limit of two adults and two children per boat.
Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 31: Dairy Margin Coverage Premiums Due
October 31: Organic Certification Cost-Share and Transition/Education Certification Program
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. - 4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, please call or stop in.
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a new seminar series highlighting outcomes and impacts from a decade of research. The series starts this fall and continues through spring 2023.
Two presenters each month will discuss INRC-supported projects. The presentations will take place the second Wednesday of each month, from 3:10-4 p.m. The fall seminars begin Sept. 14. The hybrid seminar series will be presented online and in-person at 1306 Elings Hall, 605 Bissell Road, on the Iowa State University campus.
“The INRC began its work in 2013, and since that time, we’ve supported more than 115 research projects,” said INRC Director Matt Helmers. “This seminar series aims to provide a sense of the breadth and depth of this work. Although the focus is on the past, the value of these efforts is to help Iowa and the water quality research community prepare for the important work ahead.”
