Community News

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, November 1 to address a full agenda of items including considerations and requests for direction relating to the 2022 Street Improvement Project, the group health insurance renewal for 2022 and Community Development Block Grants.

There was no Public Comment and the council moved into Department Reports with Park, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub providing an update relating to the Waukon City Park. Strub noted that preparations are being made in the City Park for winter with restrooms being closed and water being turned off. The new shelter in the former Jaycees Shelter location was discussed by Strub as having been completed with suggestions being accepted for naming of the new shelter. Strub advised that fall sports have wrapped up with winter sports beginning soon. He also noted that October was a good month for the Waukon Wellness Center.

Thursday, October 21, area firefighters from Decorah, Calmar, Fort Atkinson, Ossian, Waukon and West Union, as well as Mabel, MN participated in a natural gas safety training put on by Black Hills Energy. Firefighters practiced at the Decorah fire training facility, with a total of 51 firefighters joining the training to use techniques for effectively containing and extinguishing natural gas fires with the latest materials for portable fire extinguishers and hose streams under controlled circumstances.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its “Ringing in the Holidays” promotional event November 1 through December 12 of this year in an effort to keep business local for the holiday season. A drawing for prizes will be held Monday, December 13 for three winners of prizes of $25, $50 and $100 in Waukon Dollars.

Those shopping in local participating businesses during that promotional timeframe are invited to fill up as many $100 Punch Cards as they can with purchases from one or more Waukon Chamber of Commerce merchants found on the back of the punch cards. Participating merchants will punch or initial above the punch image to confirm the punch card’s $5 incremental value of purchase total.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 25 to address a full agenda of items including a County Social Services update, setting a public hearing for the Allamakee County FY22 Budget Amendment and the consideration of a temporary road closure.

The meeting was called to order with an agenda item being removed relating to County health insurance contribution amounts and options for spouses both employed by Allamakee County. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer advised that a recommendation relating to this matter is not ready for consideration.

The Allamakee County Engineer’s Office has announced that it has completely closed off a segment of the graveled portion of Prairie Drive just west of Arbor Road, about four miles west of Waukon, as of Monday, October 25 for a culvert replacement and water detention project. The portion of the roadway involved in the project is expected to be completely closed for approximately four weeks, depending upon weather conditions. The will be no signed detour route.

Public invited to meet the candidates for Mayor and City Council October 25

A forum featuring the City of Waukon’s Mayor and City Council candidates who will be on the upcoming November 2 election ballot is being planned for Monday, October 25 at 7 p.m. The forum will be sponsored by Waukon Economic Development and will take place in the Community Room of the Robey Memorial Library, located at 401 1st Avenue NW in Waukon.

The following candidates are slated to be present for the forum: Mayor candidate Pat Stone; At-Large Council candidates Nicholas Engrav and Kevin Johnson; Ward 1 Council Candidates Stephen Wiedner and Jerry Schoenthal; Ward 3 Council Candidate Arvid Hatlan; and At-Large to Fill a Vacancy Council Candidate Andy Sires.

The City of Waukon has set its official Trick-or-Treat time for Halloween for Sunday, October 31 from 4-8 p.m. Area residents are asked to leave porch lights on to welcome trick-or-treaters,  and the youngsters are reminded to keep safety in mind while making their rounds from house to house.
 

Monday, October 11, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Chapters around the world participated in special service projects in their communities in recognition of the DAR National Day of Service, which honors the founding of the DAR October 11,1890. This year, Hannah Lee Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution chose to honor healthcare workers on the frontline and all staff for keeping the medical centers running during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Local DAR chapter members distributed 40 baskets of goodies between the hospitals in Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties.

Friends of Yellow River State Forest will be holding an educational program and workday at the mounds in the Paint Rock Unit of Yellow River State Forest at 9 a.m. Saturday, October 30. Sheila Oberreuter, museum technician at Effigy Mounds National Monument, will lead the mound program, which will include the linear and conical mounds near Paint Rock Lookout (pictured above) and the bear mounds at the north end of that unit. The program will discuss mound building in the Upper Mississippi River Valley, landscape characteristics present when mounds were being built and the changes that have occurred to the landscape since that time.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Feeling stressed and frustrated? Need a lift? Then take a drive, enjoy the changing fall leaves in the scenic countryside and drive through Lansing to see the brightly-colored, positive signs on Main Street.

Humans have a natural tendency to dwell on the negative, to worry about the “what ifs.” “What if” those worries and negative thoughts were replaced with positive ones?

The new public art project from Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing, dubbed “The Positive Sign Campaign,” aims to do just that. Using recycled pallet boards, these paintings with upbeat and funny messages are meant to be inspiring to all who read them.

The idea began with Pastor Laura Gentry, who is also an artist, laughter yoga teacher and motivational speaker. She’s long been interested in the power of positivity. Research shows that positive thinking can lower stress levels and boost overall health.