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by Lissa Blake

New technology recently saved precious time during a call to rescue six tubers lost on the Yellow River in Allamakee County.

According to Harpers Ferry Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Cota, the Decorah Fire Department’s new drone helped emergency personnel locate the stranded individuals in record time. The six women rescued were from the Quad Cities area.

“The stretch of Yellow River between Ion and Effigy Mounds is both rugged and desolate. They were out there in no-man’s land,” said Cota of the rescue that occurred Sunday evening, August 20.

Cota said it was the second time his department has been called to that stretch of the river. “People don’t realize there’s really no current along that stretch of the river,” he said.

The Monday, August 21 total solar eclipse that cast the moon's shadow diagonally across the United States from northwest to southeast provided many viewers along that estimated 100-mile wide shadow path with a phenomenon that has not been seen within the 48 contiguous United States since February of 1979 and is not scheduled to happen again within the contiguous United States until April of 2024. Only an estimated 87% eclipse was expected to be seen locally within the Allamakee County area, but overcast skies made local viewing of the eclipse somewhat fruitless.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds received word Sunday, August 27 that President Donald Trump approved her request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for seven Iowa counties impacted by flooding and severe weather July 19-23 of this year. Governor Reynolds requested the declaration August 10.

The counties included in the declaration are Allamakee, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette and Mitchell. The declaration will provide federal funding to the included counties under the Public Assistance Program. A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are partially matched by state programs to help public entities and select non-profits.

This Friday, August 25 not only marks the start of the Waukon High School football season, but will also mark the generous contributions of a Waukon High School alumnus to his alma mater and its athletic programs. Dr. Richard Hermeier, a 1955 graduate of Waukon High School, will have the sports complex behind Waukon High School that he and his family made possible through generous donations throughout the past decade or so dedicated in his name. At halftime of the season-opening Waukon varsity football game against MFL/MarMac this Friday, a dedication ceremony will take place to honor Dr. Hermeier and name the sports complex that now is graced by a new ticket booth entrance (pictured at right) that is nearing completion and that will bear Dr. Hermeier's name in a metal arch above the pictured entrance, along with relocation of the school's victory bell (seen in the photo background near the center of the photo). "Because of Dr.

The five young ladies pictured were vying for three separate Miss Corn Days crowns in their respective age categories during the annual Waukon Corn Days event held Friday through Sunday, August 18-20 in Waukon. Pictured above, left to right, are Little Miss Corn Days 2017 Bella Moudy, Natalie Byrnes, Junior Miss Corn Days 2017 Kiana Krueger, Diana Davison and Miss Corn Days 2017 Gabrielle Marti. Although rain drizzled down on and off throughout the day Friday, the weather cleared up by late afternoon for a nearly ideal weekend for events held Friday evening through Sunday morning. See more photos from this year's event on Page 14A of this issue, as well as in the Photo Gallery at www.waukonstandard.com. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
 

Jeff Hawes of Waukon (far right in photo) was presented with a Meritorious Service Award during the Governor's Lifesaving Awards and Outstanding Service Awards Ceremony held at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater on the Iowa State Fairgrounds during the opening day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines Thursday, August 10. The Meritorious Award is presented to those individuals who have rendered expeditious service in a time of emergency, and Hawes received the award for the role he played in rescuing a West Union man, Les Keune, after he fell through the ice while ice fishing on the Mississippi River near New Albin in February of 2016. It was Keune, himself, who nominated Hawes for the honor.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 21 to address a full agenda of items, including the consideration of a letter of support for the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center's nomination to be included on the Great River Road website and marketing materials, the Temporary Road Closure for Four Mile Drive, and the Contract and Bond for a Bridge Replacement on North Fork Hollow Road.

Allamakee County Fair Queen Danielle Stock of Waukon participated in the 2017 Iowa State Fair Queen Coronation Ceremony held Saturday, August 12 in Des Moines. She is the daughter of Mark and Stacy Stock of Waukon. Photo courtesy of the Iowa State Fair/Steve Pope Photography.
 

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Spectacular, wonderful, magnificent, awesome, amazing… are some of the adjectives used to describe the new Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center, located south of Lansing on the former Columbus property on Great River Road and now officially open to the public.

Nestled onto a plot of land where the first Allamakee County Courthouse was established, the new 10,000 square foot Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center beckons to all who pass to stop a while and learn about how this unique area of the country was formed. The new Center officially opened to the public Saturday, August 12 with several hundred people journeying to an open house at the Center to view the educational interpretive exhibits during Lansing's annual Fish Days celebration. Thursday, August 10 a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for over 200 donors to the project.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 14 to address a full agenda of items, including the Third Reading of an Ordinance to establish a Pioneer Cemetery Commission, Consideration of Green Valley Bridge funding and the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®) follow-up reports for Allamakee County, Waukon, Waterville, Postville and Lansing.

Chairperson Larry Schellhammer called the meeting to order. The Supervisors moved into Public Comments, with Executive Director Val Reinke of Allamakee County Economic Development discussing the attendance at the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center over the weekend with Fish Days in Lansing.