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Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from “President’s View”, a column in the December 2020 issue of Friends of Pool 9 newsletter, The Otter’s Tale.

Twenty-twenty has been a year like none other. In my 79 years of living I’ve never seen anything like it. The despair seems endless, from unrest in our American political system to chaos in our streets. From hurricanes along the Gulf coast to widespread fires in the west. And close to home, 100-mph winds across Iowa and high river levels depositing sediments at a record pace in our Mississippi River backwaters.

Also, of course, there’s an uncontrolled virus spreading across the United States linked to deaths of Americans in the hundreds of thousands. How will it end? And just as important, when will it end?

Lansing’s VFW Auxiliary #5981 announces its scholarship contest for local art students  in ninth through 12th grades. Students in ninth through 12th grades are encouraged to enter the 2020-2021 VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest.

To request entry forms or for additional information email vfwauxiliarylansing@gmail.com. Entries must then be submitted to vfwauxiliarylansing@gmail.com no later than midnight March 31, 2021.
 

The Lansing City Council met for a 20-minute regular session Monday, December 7. The council unanimously approved the appointment of Aaron Gentes to the Lansing Parks Board.

Through virtual means, residents Tom Burke and Michelle Gauer discussed their concerns with the council regarding water run-off from a neighboring property that creates pooling water in their backyard, questioning the functionality and appropriateness of the gutter system used on the newest building on the property adjacent to theirs.

They advised that the matter is currently being dealt with civilly between property owners, which the council agreed was the correct course of action.
 

The Kee boys basketball team played one of its busiest weeks of the season, beginning the week by continuing its undefeated start in Upper Iowa Conference play but ending the week with the first loss of its 2020-2021 campaign. The Hawks started off the week with a 42-33 win at home over Postville Tuesday, December 8 and remained unbeaten in conference play with a 58-53 victory at Turkey Valley Friday, December 11. The Kee boys played their first game of the season outside the Upper Iowa Conference at New Hampton Saturday, December 12 and also ended up with their first loss of the year, 57-32.

Following postponement of its first three games due to a football State Championship and a quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure, the Waukon girls basketball team finally got its 2020-2021 competition schedule underway this past week, splitting its first contests against the spectrum of competition in the Northeast Iowa Conference. The Lady Indians got their season underway with a 60-27 victory at home over a yet winless Crestwood team Tuesday, December 8 prior to giving Class 4A fourth-rated Waverly-Shell Rock a strong battle before surrendering a 49-40 final result at home Friday, December 11.

The Kee girls basketball team was one game shy of turning in an undefeated busy week of competition, but the games that did end up in the win column were certainly memorable. The Lady Hawks opened the past week with a 41-38 victory in overtime at West Central Monday, December 7 in a game postponed from November 24 before falling at Class 1A 13th-rated Turkey Valley Friday, December 11. The Kee girls bounced back from that lone loss of the week with a 55-37 win at Class 3A New Hampton Saturday, December 12, with that game featuring a new school record 43 points scored by Hawk junior Reagan Mudderman.

The Lady Hawks were also scheduled to host Postville Tuesday, December 8 but the Lady Pirates are under COVID-19 quarantine and did not make the trip, forcing postponement of that contest to a date yet to be decided.

The Waukon boys basketball team book-ended this past week with results on each end of the win-loss spectrum and by differing degrees, playing both games on the road. The bucket Tribe opened the week pulling out a 52-50 triumph in the final seconds at Sumner-Fredericksburg Monday, December 7 before traveling to Class 3A top-10 rated Waverly-Shell Rock Friday, December 11 and surrendering a 65-49 final result in Northeast Iowa Conference play.

The Indians were supposed to also play this past week at Crestwood Tuesday, December 8 but had that game postponed when the Cadets suspended program competition for a couple weeks due to COVID-19 exposure. That game was scheduled to be made up Monday, December 14.

The Waukon wrestling team had a full slate of competition in the latter half of this past week, competing in a dual meet Thursday, December 10 before a weekend tournament two days later. The mat Tribe first competed at Class 3A second-rated Waverly-Shell Rock in that Thursday dual, falling by a 69-10 final result. The Indians then had seven matmen take part in the South Winneshiek Invitational Saturday, December 12, with three of those wrestling Indians earning placewinnings at their respective weights to help the Indians finish ninth as a team.

Shirley Beardmore Lynn, 96, of Woodstock, VA passed away Sunday, December 6, 2020 at Greenfield in Woodstock. A private graveside service was held in Fairview Cemetery in Buchanan, VA. Pastor Kate Rascoe officiated.

Shirley was born September 12, 1924 in Allamakee County, daughter of the late Arthur A. and Hazel Johnson Beardmore. She graduated from Waukon High School and attended Waukon Junior College. Before her marriage, she worked in Washington, D.C., and later for the USDA in Elkins, WV, the Northern Virginia Daily in Strasburg, VA and Farm Credit in Woodstock, VA.

She was a member of Woodstock Presbyterian Church and active in the Women of the Church. She volunteered at the Clothes Closet, Food Pantry and the Woodstock Museum. She was a member of Randolph Chapter #74, Order of Eastern Star in Elkins, WV.

Matthew Schellsmidt

Matthew Peter Schellsmidt, age 59, of Caledonia, MN entered his eternal rest November 29, 2020. A private family viewing was held Monday, December 7 at McCormick’s Funeral Home, followed by a military burial at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, MN.

As Matt was a distinguished member and veteran of the USMC, in lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Veteran’s Administration, The Wounded Warrior Project or other veterans charities in his memory.

Matt was born in rural Caledonia January 30, 1961. He was a wrestler and football player while attending high school and graduated from Caledonia High School in 1979. Matt joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC) June 28, 1979. He retired from the military with the rank of Sergeant June 30, 1999, having traveled the world and receiving several distinguished medals.