News Center newsletter

The Tuesday, November 5 election will be the first time the state of Iowa will hold both city government and school board elections simultaneously, following a law passed by the Iowa Legislature in 2017. Candidates had until September 19 of this year to file declaration papers to be placed on this year’s combined ballot.

Declared candidates involved in contested races in this year’s local school board or city government elections will each receive a candidate questionnaire from The Standard within the next couple weeks to be returned and published in the October 30 issue of The Standard, prior to this year’s election. All local candidates who filed declaration papers by that September 19 deadline to serve area communities are listed below:

The Waukon High School Marching Band is pictured above with its new uniforms recently purchased through the generosity of contributors to an Adopt a Uniform fundraising campaign. More than 80 individuals, businesses and organizations (listed in the advertisement below) contributed to the campaign at a variety of different funding levels to help replace the previous uniforms that had been in use for more than 20 years. Submitted photo.
 

Meet and Greet event set for October 7

The City of Waukon recently hired Gary Boden as the new city manager in preparation for the retirement of the City’s first-ever city manager, Dean Hilgerson. Boden and Hilgerson were able to work together for several days allowing for a smooth transition for Boden in his position with the City of Waukon.

Instead of gifts for her birthday, Adelynn Connelly of rural Harpers Ferry asked for donations to Robey Memorial Library in Waukon. With the money she raised, she was able to work with Robey Memorial Library Director Cate St. Clair to pick out the books she would like added to the library’s collection.

Pictured above, left to right, are Adelynn Connelly and Cate St. Clair with just some of her book donations. Submitted photo.
 

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is celebrating TEENtober October 1-31 with special events and programs spotlighting all the resources and activities available at the library and to encourage teenagers from around the area to read for their enjoyment.

TEENtober is a time to celebrate reading for fun while encouraging teens to take advantage of reading in all its forms - books, magazines, e-books, audiobooks and more. It is also an opportunity to encourage teens to become regular library users.

Robey Memorial Library invites teens, parents and other community members to participate in special programs and events during TEENtober. Teens earn a prize and an entry in to the $25 Amazon gift card drawing for program participation. TEENtober events include:

Friends of Pool 9, Upper Miss Refuge, Inc. and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge are literally “making history.” Ric Zarwell, long-time Iowa conservationist and founding board member emeritus of the Friends of Pool 9, is coordinating development of a book, “Century of the Refuge,” which will record key changes, insights and happenings over the past 100 years on the 261 mile-long Upper Mississippi Refuge.

Public advised of possible low-flying helicopters near area electrical lines

ITC will be conducting semi-annual aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout its service territory through October 14, weather permitting. Helicopter patrols provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by ITC’s Iowa-based operating entity, ITC Midwest LLC.

Notice is hereby given that the Arlin Falck Foundation will accept applications for grants for community development, community promotions, community education and similar matters. The grants shall be for the benefit of persons residing in Fillmore County and Houston County in Minnesota and Allamakee County and Winneshiek County in Iowa.

Entities that have a 501 (c) 3 designation by the Internal Revenue Service or municipalities are eligible to apply for these grants. To obtain an application for grants or other information, contact Kathleen V. Nelson at 12743 Buckley Road, Caledonia, MN 55921, phone 507-724-3348 during regular business hours or email arlinfalckfoundation@yahoo.com. Grant applications must be received by this Saturday, October 5 to be considered for funding.
 

The resignation of New Albin Elementary School Principal Chad Steckel was approved by the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors in a late afternoon special session Friday, September 20. Steckel has served as principal of New Albin Elementary School for the past several years, and EACSD Board members voted unanimously in that special session to accept his resignation from that position, as well as all of his other coaching and teaching positions he held within the EACSD.

EACSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier stated that Steckel’s letter of resignation that was presented to the board stated he was resigning “for personal reasons.” Steckel reaffirmed that reasoning in follow-up correspondence with The Standard, stating, “I will simply say the same.”

Forests and woodlands may not be among the first things that come to mind when people think about what grows in Iowa. But according to Billy Beck, newly-named assistant professor and extension forestry specialist at Iowa State University, forests hold more value and potential than Iowans often realize.

“Forests are important for many reasons, including water quality improvement, wildlife, timber and aesthetics, and we need to be promoting them more,” Beck said.

Beck began his new role in August, after completing his Ph.D. at Iowa State in 2018. He previously held forestry-related jobs in Michigan, Illinois and Kansas, and is excited about the opportunity to grow and promote the value of Iowa’s forestry.

“I really want Iowans to realize that these woodlands are valuable to their property, and they’re a value to their farming enterprise,” he said.