Community News

Wed
31
Jan

After nearly 70 years in the local workforce, Jane Tepesch reflects on her start as a telephone operator, other rewarding careers as she retires

Jane Tepesch ...
Jane Tepesch ...

Telephone transition ... Pictured above is Jane Buntrock (now Jane Tepesch) working through the transition from switchboard telephone operation to dial telephones during her days working for Northwestern Bell early in her nearly 70-year working career. This photo appeared with a newspaper story about residents testing their new dial telephone with a photo caption reading, “Jane Buntrock, above, is one of the operators who will call you and ask you to dial a special number. If you make an error, it will be shown on the tape so she can explain it to you and help you dial correctly”.

by Brianne Grimstad

From the time that she was a young girl, Jane (Buntrock) Tepesch says she knew she wanted to be a telephone operator. “When you saw the pictures in the magazines, they looked so kind and helpful,” she says of what inspired her to follow her dreams.

When Jane was a teenager, Marian (Moyer) Smedsrud worked as an operator and one Saturday she brought Jane with her to work. Jane said she sat in a chair with a headset on and observed how the operators worked the switchboards. “Back then, the head sets covered the ears entirely,” Jane explained.

When asked if she could hear what was being said in her headsets, Jane couldn’t. “I had the holes turned to the outside,” Jane laughed. She had been wearing the headset wrong.

In June of 1954, Jane went to work for Northwestern Bell at the age of 18 years old. The office was located above the Chevrolet Garage at the time, on the second story.

Wed
31
Jan

ACED&T Executive Director joins Partners group in sharing with elected officials the impact of tourism


Participates in Tourism Legislative Night ... Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism Executive Director Val Reinke (pictured at far left in front row of photo) participated in Tourism Legislative Night with Iowa’s elected officials Wednesday, January 17 in Des Moines. In conjunction with the Iowa Travel Industry Partners, the event was focused on emphasizing the importance of the tourism industry to Iowa’s economy. Submitted photo.

Val Reinke of Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism (ACED&T) was pleased to join the Iowa Travel Industry Partners in gathering with statewide partners for Tourism Legislative Night with Iowa’s elected officials Wednesday, January 17. Conversations taking place at Curate, a reception event space located in downtown Des Moines, focused on the importance of tourism to Iowa’s economy. Bipartisan members of the Iowa Senate and Iowa House of Representatives attended the event.

Wed
31
Jan

Man convicted of multiple theft charges from incidents in Waukon and Waterville last year sentenced to 15 years in prison

Dillon Heiller ...
Dillon Heiller ...

Dillon Michael Heiller, age 37 and listed as homeless in court documents, was sentenced in Allamakee County District Court Monday, January 22 for a series of crimes committed in the Allamakee County area within the past year. Heiller was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison in conjunction with three different theft charges stemming from two separate incidents within the county in 2023.

Heiller was arrested in October 2023 in Waukon after officers responded to a call of a suspicious individual and vehicle in the 700 block of 1st Avenue SW in Waukon. He was pursued on foot to a garage behind a residence on West Main Street, where he was tasered and arrested on several charges that included Theft in the 2nd Degree, for which he received a sentence of five years in prison January 22.

Wed
31
Jan

A Span of Many Memories ...

The Black Hawk Bridge memory printed below was submitted by Marsha Garrett Kurth of La Crosse, WI. The story is about her grandmother, Rita Garrett, who was a lifelong resident of Lansing. She and her husband, Roy Garrett, owned the Lansing Hotel and Garrett’s Corner Cafe. Their three sons still live in Lansing.

Grandma Rita, a practical woman with a heart as big as her laughter, lived in the river town of Lansing. Most afternoons, she would take Uncle Tom’s black lab, Pepper, for a walk beside the hotel along the Mississippi River. Little did she know that one particular stroll would become a tale told and retold at family gatherings for years to come.

Wed
24
Jan

Allamakee County Veterans Museum program to feature interview with Army combat helicopter pilot Joe Emerson

Joe and Oliver Emerson ...
Joe and Oliver Emerson ...

Saturday, January 27 at 10 a.m., the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present another program from its Veterans History Project at its museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon.

A video interview by Chuck Bloxham with U.S. Army Veteran Lt. Col. Joe Emerson will be played. Emerson will also be present to share comments and answer questions.

Lt. Col. Joe Emerson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967, serving two tours in Vietnam and remaining in the Army until his retirement. In Vietnam he was a combat helicopter pilot, first flying a Huey and then a Chinook.

Wed
24
Jan

Allamakee County Board of Supervisors hears variety of funding requests and insurance review, meets with Courthouse Building Committee for discussion

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met twice within a week’s time following the closure of the Allamakee County Courthouse Monday, January 15 for the observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday with regular session meetings taking place both Tuesday, January 16 and Monday, January 22 this past week. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16
The Tuesday, January 16 meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.

Wed
24
Jan

January is Stalking Awareness Month

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center (DARC) is recognizing National Stalking Awareness Month in January to recognize and respond to this criminal, traumatic, and dangerous victimization.

Stalking impacts nearly one in three women and one in six men in the United States but too often goes unrecognized and unaddressed. It takes everyone - advocacy and support services, legal systems, and victims/survivors and their friends and family - to better recognize and respond to stalking.

This month, Helping Services invites everyone to join the organization’s efforts to spread awareness about stalking through the theme “KNOW IT, NAME IT, STOP IT.”

Wed
24
Jan

“Decoding the Driftless” film to be presented by the Decorah Genealogy Association ...

The Decorah Genealogy Association will present a showing of the film “Decoding the Driftless: A Film of Science Exploration and Adventure” at 2 p.m. this Saturday, January 27, at the Decorah Senior Center, located at 806 River Street in Decorah. Enjoy popcorn and hot apple cider during the film.
Emmy-winning filmmakers have woven footage of the Driftless Region into a compelling story of the region’s ancient bluffs and rivers and underground secrets. The hour-long film helps audiences understand the importance of the landscape in which generations of families have built their lives. The program is free of charge, and donations are welcome. Submitted image.
 

Wed
17
Jan

Thursday Night Book Club at Robey Memorial Library begins this Thursday

The Thursday Night Book Club at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon, a monthly gathering for book enthusiasts, announces its line-up of literary explorations for 2024. Meeting every third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m., the club invites members and newcomers alike to delve into a range of captivating themes and authors, offering both in-person and virtual participation options to accommodate everyone’s preferences.

The 2024 schedule promises an eclectic array of reading experiences, each carefully curated to inspire, challenge, and engage participants, library staff noted. That 2024 schedule includes the following:

Wed
17
Jan

Allamakee County Veterans Museum program to feature interview with Joe Emerson

Saturday, January 27 at 10 a.m., the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present another program from its Veterans History Project at its museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon.

A video interview by Chuck Bloxham with U.S. Army Veteran Lt. Col. Joe Emerson will be played. Emerson will also be present to share comments and answer questions.

Lt. Col. Joe Emerson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967, serving two tours in Vietnam and remaining in the Army until his retirement. In Vietnam he was a combat helicopter pilot, first flying a Huey and then a Chinook.

The public is invited to attend. There is no admission or membership charge. The facility is handicapped accessible.
 

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