Community News

The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB), in partnership with the Mississippi Valley Sportsman’s Club, will be offering two Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Hunters Education Online Field Day events Saturday, March 27 at the Mississippi Valley Sportsman’s Club. The first field day will be held from 8-11 a.m. and the second field day will take place from 1-4 p.m. The Mississippi Valley Sportsman’s Club is located at 1797 Columbus Road, Lansing.

Hunter Education is required for anyone 12 years of age or older in the state of Iowa to purchase a hunting license. In order to participate in the online field day students must complete the online course work at  https://www.hunter-ed.com/iowa/. Completion of the online portion is not needed to register for the class, but after completing the online portion the voucher must be printed and brought the day of the class.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in a delayed regular session Tuesday, March 2 following the postponement of its usual Monday, March 1 meeting due to a lack of a quorum of council members for the meeting.

The meeting began with Mayor Pat Stone discussing changes to the agenda including the removal of an item relating to a services contract and maintenance agreement with Wright Way Computer Services, which he indicated was not ready for approval. Stone added that Water and Sewer Superintendent Jim Cooper would be providing his Department Report later in the meeting instead of during the typical early-meeting timeframe for such reports.

Allamakee County Treasurer Lori Hesse would like to remind property owners the second installment of property taxes is due by Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Those payments may be made at the Allamakee County Treasurer’s office at 110 Allamakee Street in Waukon between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Taxpayers are reminded to bring their tax stubs with their payment to insure proper credit. To avoid penalty on the second installment, payment must be received in the Treasurer’s Office before Thursday, April 1, 2021. Due to social distancing requirements, only two customers will be allowed in the office at one time.

E-check and credit card payments are also accepted online at www.iowatreasurers.org. Anyone paying by E-check will need their receipt number. That receipt number can be found on their tax statement.

by Brianne Eilers

Progress on the clinic remodeling project for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) continues to move along. VMH Administrator Michael Coyle noted that the project is “on time and on budget.”

The anticipated completion date is April 16 of this year and Coyle noted that they are hoping to start seeing patients in the clinic around the first part of May. Susan McMillan, NP and Halie Ruff, NP will be the practitioners at the clinic.

Coyle is also anticipating that they can begin booking appointments sometime in April. He noted that the hospital will be getting more information to the public sometime in the beginning of April.

Tentative plans are still in place to hold the 2021 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Waukon Sunday, March 14 at 1 p.m., depending on what guidelines may be in effect regarding the COVID-19 pandemic at that time. Should the parade be held, it will follow its traditional route of years past. For additional information, contact the Sweeney family at Village Farm & Home in Waukon at 563-568-4577.

Following the Thursday, February 25 press conference held by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker shared COVID-19 vaccination information made available by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). The information was presented by Governor Reynolds and is represented in more visual format in the images above this article pertaining to a projected vaccination timeline in the state of Iowa and a new vaccination information website recently launched by IDPH.

Clover Kids turned roboticists after learning about robots and how they can do all kinds of jobs for people. They can go places people can’t, like Mars, or don’t want to, like a sewer. Robots don’t need to take lunch breaks or sleep so they can work 24 hours a day, unlike humans. Robots also do everyday things that humans don’t always have time for, like vacuum.

Clover Kids were challenged to be a roboticist and make an art-bot. The robot would be made out of a hexbug, markers, cup and rubber bands. The goal was to make it color without touching it. This challenge took a lot of trial and error. Clover Kids learned the robot needed to be balanced so it didn’t fall over and the size of the hexbug made a difference. They also had some fun letting the hexbug scurry around in paint and create its own masterpiece, such as pictured above.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 15 to address a full agenda of items including a police officer hire, discussion of waiving penalties for utility billing and the continuation of the COVID-19 closure of City Hall.

There was no Public Comment and the council moved into Department Reports with Park, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub noting that winter youth activities are finishing up for the season with information to be provided soon about soccer. Strub said that some preparations have begun for reopening the swimming pool this summer and that use of the Wellness Center has picked up.

Upper Iowa Resort, located along State Highway 76 between Waukon and Dorchester, recently received a First Dollar Visit from the Waukon Chamber of Commerce following its change in ownership after the new year. The 29-acre resort was recently purchased from long-time owners Bob and Kristi Hager by Colton and Tessa Willie of Cresco (pictured above) and will continue to includes cabins, campsites and rentals located along the banks of the Upper Iowa River along with its artesian spring-fed swimming pool surrounded by a beach. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa’s First Congressional District met with a group of approximately 25 Allamakee County constituents Thursday, February 18 at the Waukon Wellness Center as part of a 20-county tour of her northeast Iowa Congressional District.

Following the meeting, Hinson met with The Standard and provided an overview of the topics discussed during that earlier meeting. Hinson said that it was important to hear from a variety of stakeholders from Allamakee County including those involved in manufacturing, small business, healthcare, utilities and elected officials at the city and county levels. As part of this 20-county tour, Hinson said that key issues identified include challenges relating to housing, workforce and childcare which are being faced by many rural Iowans.