Community News

The Iowa Area Development Group (IADG), on behalf of Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities and independent telecommunication companies, honored eight distinguished Iowa companies with the Iowa Venture Award at a luncheon held in conjunction with the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives’ annual meeting in West Des Moines December 6-7. Among those honored companies is Trinity Fabricators, Inc., located near New Albin.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 10 to address a full agenda of items including the signing of a letter requesting breach planning and design assistance from the NRCS for the English Bench Watershed #9, consideration of quotes for replacing a tag trailer for the Secondary Roads Department and the consideration of the Allamakee County 2019 holiday schedule. There was no Public Comment.

LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Allamakee County, discussed a letter presented to the Supervisors requesting breach planning and design assistance from the NRCS for the English Bench Watershed Site #9. Rolling indicated that commissioners met last week and have signed the letter requesting assistance.

by Brianne Eilers

At its November 27 monthly meeting, the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Board of Trustees learned that the month of October ended on a positive financial note for the hospital, with a net income of $55,668, which translates to a 3.4% profit margin. Acute patient days volume for the month was up 10% while skilled patient days were up 41.7% in comparison to last year at this same time. Total surgeries were up 20.8% and most outpatient areas were up as well. Emergency room visits were down 11.4% and deliveries were down 16% in comparison to October 2017. Expenses were also down, 3.1%.

Allamakee County Economic Development Director Val Reinke (right in photo at right) was recently presented with a financial contribution from Northeast Iowa Realtors Association Representative Stacie Cooper (left) for the completion of the Allamakee Countywide Housing Assessment. This assessment was a $20,000-plus project. Allamakee County Economic Development is extremely grateful for all of the financial partners who assisted in making the assessment possible, including Northeast Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund, Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy, Allamakee Clayton Electric/Dairyland Power, the cities and Allamakee County, as well as the Northeast Iowa Realtors Association. The final assessment has been shared throughout the county with city councils, the board of supervisors, school boards, organizations and more.

Monday, November 12, a Veterans Day program at Waukon High School was hosted by the school’s National Honor Society chapter. Quilts of Valor were awarded as part of the program to area veterans.  Two Quilts of Valor were also presented at the St. Patrick School Veterans Day program and then also recognized at the Waukon High School program. A special Gold Star Quilt of Valor was presented to Jamie Riley in honor of his father, James F. Riley, who lost his life while serving in Vietnam. Lunch for the recipients, their families and guests was provided by the Allamakee Community School District lunch program following the Veterans Day presentation. Pictured above following the Quilts of Valor presentation are: Left to right - Front row: Tom Leiran, Ron Roese, Gary Ward, Jim Fossum, Tom Houdina, Donald Aldrich, Lloyd Schultz, Darrell Mitchell, Elliott Wolfson, Roger Martin, Lee McGovern. Back row: Dr.

by Joe Moses

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, December 3 to discuss a full agenda of items including the Walk-On Waukon sidewalk project, a Water/Sewer Department hiring and revisions to city code involving delinquent utility accounts. There was no Public Comment and the council moved into Departmental Reports.

Police Chief Phil Young indicated that it was a busy weekend and discussed the response to a fire in the trailer court. Street Superintendent Keith Burrett discussed a recent snow maintenance class that he attended in Dubuque and that Blake’s Excavating had completed creek dredging work.

The Allamakee County 4-H Council is composed of energetic and positive high school students who serve as ambassadors for 4-H. October 27, the Council hosted a Junior Halloween Party for youth in fourth through sixth grades (pictured above). The event was held at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon and 40 youth participated in Halloween games, activities, a haunted hike and ended the night with a costume contest. Admission into the party was a canned food item. In addition to the Halloween Party, the Allamakee County Clover Kids (pictured below) also collected canned food and other items at one of their recent sessions, and together both events donated a total of 79 pounds of food to the Allamakee County Food Shelf. For more information about the Allamakee County 4-H Program, contact County Youth Coordinator Morgan Bjerke at mlheim@iastate.edu or at 563-568.6345. Submitted photos.
 

The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a gift drive for children of families who may be experiencing financial difficulties in Allamakee County. The Sheriff’s Office will be accepting donated gifts such as toys, clothing, shoes, boots, etc. These items can be for children ages birth through 17.

Donated items are to be new items in the original packaging. Items may be in gift bags but are not to be wrapped.

Donated gifts may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. any day of the week in the lobby of the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office in the new Public Safety Center located north of Waukon on Highway 9 (former Makee Manor location). Gifts will be accepted through December 10 of this year.
 

Shopko Foundation donated $1,000 to the Allamakee Giving Tree hosted by the Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) Family Services Office again this holiday season. This is the sixth year Shopko has donated to NEICAC during the holiday season, adding to the funding and other gifts all donated locally to support the Giving Tree, which will assist 90 families this year. Pictured above in the center of the photo accepting the donation from Shopko Store Manager Valerie Kleinow are NEICAC Family Service Specialists Connie Looney and Becky Manning, with NEICAC volunteers Susan Troendle and Letha Folsom in the back of the center of the photo and Shopko staff members surrounding the donation presentation on each side. Standard photo by Robin Johnson.