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Wed
24
Jan

County Democrat and Republican leaders report favorable turn-out for December 15 caucus events

Even with temperatures dipping below zero and wind chills hitting double-digit marks below zero, in addition to a difference in business conducted, both the Allamakee County Democrat and Republican parties reported favorable turn-out for their respective Monday, January 15 caucus events held in designated locations throughout Allamakee County. The Republican caucus featured declaration of preference for President of the United States among six listed candidates, while this year’s Democrat caucus focused more on business matters for the political party, with the traditional candidate selection for Democrats this year instead being offered through a Presidential Preference Card mail-in process ongoing through February 19 of this year.

Wed
17
Jan

Allamakee County Attorney Anthony Gericke offers update following his first term in office

Reflects on past year of court cases and other matters, offers insight into increase in extortion incidents, fence line disputes

by Anthony J. Gericke
Allamakee County Attorney

Having completed my first term as Allamakee County Attorney and gotten through all the difficulties that the Covid era brought to us all, I felt an update to the county on the current state of this office was warranted. It has been a busy time cleaning up the court docket, specifically, the trial calendar this past year.

In February, Felty Yoder was sentenced after jury trial to 45 years in prison. He was convicted of four counts of sexual abuse, five counts of violating the sex offender registry and one count of domestic abuse assault.

In April, Greg Winter was found guilty of driving while license barred-habitual offender. After jury trial he was given a 90-day suspended sentence.

Wed
17
Jan

Third session of “Let’s Talk Bridges!” features a hands-on activity with a “mini cofferdam”


A presentation attendees can really dig into ... The excavator pictured above was used to show how material is dug out of cofferdams at the Thursday, January 11 “Let’s Talk Bridges” program at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library. Dale Kehoe, superintendent in charge of the new Lansing bridge construction project job site for contractor Kraemer North America, picked up the excavator at a local store and decorated it with Kraemer’s red K emblem. Kehoe also built the mini cofferdam for the presentation from materials he bought at a local store. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Simulating the actual work being done ... Travis Konda, a structural engineer and Lansing bridge project manager for HNTB Corporation, pushes a demonstration cofferdam into the water and sand inside a donated fish tank at the Thursday, January 11 “Let’s Talk Bridges” program at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library. The demonstration offered an idea about work currently taking place at the new bridge construction site. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Definitely a hands-on (or in) presentation ... Travis Konda, structural engineer and Lansing bridge project manager for HNTB Corporation, gets some young help digging sand out of a demonstration cofferdam at the Thursday, January 11 “Let’s Talk Bridges” program at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library. The presentation simulated the work actually being done at the new bridge project construction site. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Even with the town blanketed in the first heavy snowfall of the season, the third monthly session of “Let’s Talk Bridges!” drew about 30 attendees to the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Thursday evening, January 11.

ABOUT THE TALKS: WHO, WHAT, WHEN
The library’s executive director Derva Burke, along with the new Lansing bridge project’s overseeing engineer Clayton Burke and members of his team, are presenting the family-friendly monthly series - which is focused on learning about and celebrating the new bridge project at Lansing. Three of the regular four “bridge talks” team members conducted the talk last Thursday: Clayton Burke was joined by Paul Lindsey, senior field inspector on the project and Travis Konda, a structural engineer and project manager with the U.S.-based design firm, HNTB Corporation. Absent that evening was “everything engineer,” Anden Lovig.

Wed
17
Jan

First Baby of the Year born at Veterans Memorial Hospital


First Baby of the New Year ... Pictured at left are Allison and Seth Christen of rural Decorah, holding their newborn son, Ivan Henry, the First Baby of the Year born at Veterans Memorial Hospital for 2024. Ivan and his family will all enjoy many gifts, thanks to the local merchants who helped celebrate the First Baby of the Year born at Veterans Memorial Hospital in 2024. Submitted photo.

Veterans Memorial Hospital physicians and staff announce that the First Baby of the Year born at the hospital for 2024 is Ivan Henry Christen, son of Seth and Allison Christen of rural Decorah. Ivan was born Tuesday, January 9 at 4:08 a.m. He weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was 20.75 inches long.

Grandparents are Bill and Linda Dotseth and Laurie and Bernie Christen, all of Decorah.

Wed
10
Jan

Local school administrators release statements following school shooting in Perry

Thursday, January 4, the Perry School District in south central Iowa experienced a shooting incident at its Perry High School/Middle School in which one sixth grade student lost his life and four other students and one school district administrator were injured. In response to that incident, the Superintendents of both the Allamakee Community School District and Eastern Allamakee Community School District released statements to their respective school district communities. Those statements are being reprinted here with permission from each Superintendent.

Dear Allamakee Community School District Families,

Wed
10
Jan

ALLAMAKEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CAUCUS LOCATIONS

ALLAMAKEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CAUCUS LOCATIONS
Monday, January 15 at 7 p.m.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for registration
For more information contact Allamakee County Republican Chairperson Dan Emerson at 563-568-7361.

Wed
10
Jan

Changes to the Democratic Party’s Caucuses

Mail-in ballots are replacing realignment and complicated math from previous caucuses

submitted by the Allamakee County Democrats

The Iowa Democratic Party has made a significant change to its caucus process this year. Democrats will vote for a presidential candidate using a mail-in ballot instead of the realignment and calculating processes of past caucuses.

Why is a mail-in ballot being utilized this year in place of the previous caucus process? Iowa Democratic Party Chairperson Rita Hart said in a news release the party is committed to making this the most inclusive caucus in history. “Iowans who work a third shift, families that may not have access to childcare, or seniors who are homebound can now make their voices heard in our presidential process,” she said.

Wed
03
Jan

Year in Review - Part 2: Top local news stories printed from July-December 2023


New Black Hawk Bridge design ... At first glance, the drawing above of the bridge that will be replacing the iconic Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing is very similar in its design, something that the Departments of Transportation (DOT) in Iowa and Wisconsin took note of in drawing feedback from area residents in regard to the new bridge design. While keeping a similar design, the most notable differences with the new bridge will be in safety and improved navigation, both on the bridge and below it. The new bridge will be nearly twice as wide as the current Black Hawk Bridge (40’ in comparison to 21’), not only allowing for driving lanes that will each be two feet wider, but also for safety shoulders for use in the event of emergency situations. The foundation of the bridge will also be anchored nearly three times as deep as the current bridge, allowing for a foundational base anchored in the rock layer beneath the surface. The new bridge will also be taller at its highest structural point. Image courtesy of the Iowa Department of Transportation.

To read the the full article, Year in Review - Part 2: Top local news stories from July-December 2023, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.

The items below summarize the top news stories that appeared in The Standard during the last six months of 2023, July-December.

JULY
Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Housekeeping Department has earned the hospital the #1 ranking in the country for cleanliness, according to the Iowa Hospital Association.

Wed
27
Dec

News Publishing Company, Inc. changing hands as the new year gets underway

You probably know your local newspaper by the name on the front of it. Behind that name is News Publishing Company, Inc., the ownership company which has existed since January 3, 1978 when Curtis Witte bought a group of publications in western Dane County and Green County from Bill and Dolores Griffith.

The company has been a family-owned corporation from its inception and has been managed by publishers Dan and Mark Witte over the past 45 years. During that time, News Publishing has purchased and sold a number of publications and is now comprised of 14 weekly community newspapers and multiple shoppers that still serve the original communities in addition to the counties of Jackson, Trempealeau, Clark, Sauk, Marquette, Outagamie, Calumet and Brown in Wisconsin, and in Allamakee County in Iowa (The Standard Newspaper and Northeast Iowa Extra shopper).

Wed
27
Dec

Year in Review - Part I: Top local news stories printed from January-June 2023


Waukon High School classes help create and install The Goodwill Box ... An anonymous donation helped fund the creation and support of The Goodwill Box, a public pantry that will offer non-perishable food items and occasionally some toiletry items for those in need. Pictured above at the installation of The Goodwill Box in the lower parking lot of the Allamakee County Courthouse are, left to right, Allamakee County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes, Waukon High School NextGen Welding students Cole Kruse and Justin Murphy, Waukon High School Industrial Arts instructor Caleb Ferring, and NextGen Welding student Blake Bresnahan. Standard photo by Assistant Editor Joe Moses.

To read the the full article, Year in Review - Part 1: Top local news stories from January-June 2023, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.

The items below summarize the top news stories that appeared in The Standard during the first six months of 2023, January-June.

JANUARY
The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) for 2022 ended its annual seven-day bicycle ride across the state in Lansing in late July this past summer. RAGBRAI is the oldest, largest and longest multi-day recreational bicycle touring event in the world.

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