The Allamakee County Fair Board has announced this year’s grandstand musical entertainment for the 2025 Allamakee County Fair scheduled for July 16-20. A pair of up-and-coming young country music artists will be taking to the stage Friday, July 18, as Tennessee “blue collar” story-teller Shane Profitt will headline the night’s musical entertainment following the opening act of three-time Arkansas Country Music Association (CMA) Female Vocalist of the Year Mae Estes.
Human trafficking in Iowa ... Stacy Besch, a member of the Team Iowa initiative combating human trafficking, shared resources and other information that can be found on the Team Iowa website at stophtiowa.org as part of a March 6 educational presentation held at the NICC Waukon Center. Standard photo by Joshua Sharpe.
A beacon of hope and resources ... Co-founders of the Lighthouse Foundation (left to right) Brittany Sowder and Heather Van Hemert-Glenn display some of the resources the organization has available in its efforts to combat human trafficking. Sowder is holding the book she published regarding her own experience with human trafficking, something she spoke of during a March 6 educational presentation held at NICC Waukon Center. The Lighthouse Foundation focuses on educating students, schools, and communities about human trafficking, empowering individuals to recognize red flags and understand online safety. Standard photo by Joshua Sharpe.
by Joshua Sharpe
Human trafficking awareness has become an urgent concern in states such as Iowa, which ranks third nationally for trafficking cases per capita. An educational event led by anti-trafficking advocate Stacy Besch, a key member of Team Iowa, a priority initiative on combating human trafficking, was held Thursday, March 6 at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center and featured expert presentations, survivor testimonies, and legislative updates aimed at dispelling misconceptions about human trafficking and providing tangible strategies for community intervention and prevention.
The 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Waukon will be held this Sunday, March 16, beginning at 1 p.m. All are invited to participate in this year’s parade with an Irish-themed entry at no cost.
Any businesses, organizations, families or individuals wishing to have an entry are asked to be lined up by 12 noon Sunday, with float entries lining up in the parking lot of WW Homestead Dairy and the former Northern Engraving plant, tractors unloading and lining up at the Sweeney Auction Service parking lot and horse units gathering at the Croell Redi-Mix plant on the southeast edge of Waukon.
Interstate Power and Light Company, Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company, is proposing to construct a battery energy storage system at the site of the company’s decommissioned Lansing Generating Station in Lansing. The project will be built on land that continues to be owned by Alliant Energy; therefore, no eminent domain will be used for this project.
A public informational meeting regarding the project will be held with the Iowa Utilities Commission Wednesday, March 19 at 12:30 p.m. at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center, located at 1944 Columbus Road, Lansing. At the meeting, Interstate Power and Light Company will provide project details, and time will be allotted for answering questions from those attending.
Leon Pleasant served in the United States Air Force (USAF) as a photographer beginning at the end of World War II. During his long career, he took many photographs of historical and experimental aircraft, including those flown by famed USAF pilot Chuck Yeager, who was the first human to break the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 in 1947. Yeager also had a cameo appearance in the movie “The Right Stuff” which recounted his service as a mentor to the NASA astronaut program.
A portion of Pleasant’s personal collection has been donated to the Allamakee County Veterans Museum. The collection of 150 photos has been converted to digital images which can be better displayed and viewed on a large video screen. His collection will be presented for viewing Friday, March 14 at 1:30 p.m.
The Veterans Museum is located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. The public is invited to attend. There is no admission or membership charge. The facility is handicapped accessible.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 10 to address a full agenda of matters including the Resolution for Allamakee County to be the applicant/passthrough for Veterans Memorial Hospital’s application for the Fiscal-Year 2026 (FY26) Hinson Community Project Fund Grant, the Public Hearing for Amendment #15 to Zoning Ordinance L relating to Solar Utility, and the consideration of the Embargo Resolution for some asphalt Secondary Roads. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark present.
State Representative Jason Gearhart of Iowa House District 64 will hold a legislative forum this Friday, March 14 at 10 a.m. in Harpers Ferry at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center. Area residents are invited to attend to hear Representative Gearhart discuss local and broader issues, as well as field questions from those in attendance at the forum.
Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) and the Friends of Yellow River State Forest for a Moonlight Hike Friday, March 14 at 7 p.m. This is a rescheduled hike for the previously scheduled and postponed February hike.
Meet at the Yellow River State Forest Headquarters and hike or snowshoe to the only fire tower in the state of Iowa. If snowshoes are needed, the ACCB will provide them and trekking poles free of charge. For more information call the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center at 563-538-0403.
At the Monday, March 3 meeting of the Lansing City Council, council members addressed infrastructure projects, safety policies, and administrative concerns, tabling some items for further review. Council members approved the routine consent agenda items, with the exception of a liquor license renewal request due to incomplete paperwork.
RESOLUTION 1042 APPROVED
The council unanimously approved Resolution 1042, which formalizes the contract and performance bonds for infrastructure improvements along North, Platt and 4th Streets. Lansing Mayor Mike Verdon provided a succinct summary of the resolution, stating, “simply the contract and performance bond for the contractor for the North, 4th and Platt Street project.” Following a brief clarification to update the effective date of the resolution to coincide with the meeting date, council member Steve Murray moved for its approval.
The Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center will host Conservation Café Wednesday, March 19, starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a new series started at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center to enjoy some social time with a hot beverage and a conservation-focused program to follow. The program will be free of charge, but advanced registration is encouraged.
Join Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) Director Ross Geerdes as he gives a program on one of Iowa’s native venomous snakes, the Timber Rattlesnake. To register or receive more information on this event call the ACCB at 563-538-0401.
