News Center newsletter

Koal and Ann Deering of Waukon announce the birth of their daughter, Klaire Evelyn Deering, born August 28, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, WI. She weighed 8 lbs. 11 ozs. and measured 21 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins siblings, Kade (8), Kohen (6) and Khloe (2).

Grandparents are Steve and Jane Johanningmeier of Waterville and Drew and Annette Deering of Postville. Great-grandparents are Robert and Sandra Deering of Postville.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 6: Market Facilitation Program; Dairy Margin Coverage Program for 2020

Market Facilitation Program (MFP)
Signup for the 2019 Market Facilitation Program began July 29 and continues through December 6, 2019.  For non-specialty crops such as corn, soybeans and alfalfa, payments are based on a single-county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. The Allamakee County payment rate is $40 per planted acre.

by Meaghan Anderson, Field Agronomist, Dr. Bob Hartzler, Professor of Agronomy, Prashant Jha, Associate Professor, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

The plentiful rain in September has provided ideal conditions for establishment of winter annual weeds, thus many no-till fields will have dense stands of these weeds going into winter (Fig. 1). The wetter springs we have encountered recently complicate getting spring burndown applications made in a timely matter.

Fall burndown applications are an option that may be beneficial in fields with a history of problems with winter annuals (e.g. horseweed/marestail, field pennycress, henbit). The advantages of fall applications include more consistent control since winter annuals are smaller, and there will be less weed biomass next spring that may interfere with planter operations. Consider the following before choosing this management option:

by Dr. Bob Hartzler, Professor of Agronomy, Meaghan Anderson, Field Agronomist, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Fall is one of the best times for managing perennial and biennial weeds found in pastures or other areas maintained in perennial grass. As perennials prepare for the upcoming winter they move energy reserves from shoots to their perennial vegetative reproductive structures (e.g. rhizomes, perennial rootstocks). Systemic herbicides applied at this time are translocated along with the energy reserves to the reproductive structures, therefore providing more consistent control than applications made at most other times of the year. 

Kathleen M. Schulte, 96, of Waukon died Sunday, October 6, 2019 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 10 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, October 9 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon and from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church Thursday.

Kathleen Marie Schulte was born March 12, 1923 in Platteville, WI, the daughter of Joe and Laura (Linden) Wunderlin. She grew up in Platteville and graduated from Platteville High School and then from Platteville Normal School with her teaching certificate. Kathleen taught in rural schools in Wisconsin until WWII began and then moved to Chicago, IL to work in the office of an aircraft plant; she returned home to Platteville once the war ended.

Susan K. Sommermeyer, 66, of New Albin died Monday, September 30, 2019 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, October 9 at the New Albin Town House. Burial will be at the New Albin City Cemetery. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Susan Kay Sommermeyer was born June 29, 1953 in Redfield, SD, the daughter of Claude and Genevieve “Jenny” (Sires) Grahlman. She graduated from Waukon High School in 1971. August, 17, 1974, she married Donald Sommermeyer at Grace United Methodist Church in New Albin.

For over 30 years, she worked as a secretary/administrative assistant for the Lansing Button Factory in Lansing and then for Dairyland Power Cooperative in Genoa and La Crosse, WI. Susan was also a cook for Eastern Allamakee Community School District in Lansing.

It is with great sadness that the family of Frances H. Wittenberger of Erlanger, KY, formerly of Waukon, announces her peaceful passing after a brief illness Friday, September 20, 2019 at the age of 103 years. Celebration of life services will be held privately and at the convenience of the family.

Frances was born in Canada July 30, 1916 and was the daughter of the late Charles and Lily Houck. Frances worked as a bookkeeper and was active in the Iowa Farm Bureau and 4-H. She was a long-time member of Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon. Frances enjoyed gardening, quilting, reading, raising chickens and playing cards. When Frances played cards with you, she played to win, no matter what.

Joan Marie Dietrich of Waukon, age 50, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family October 3, 2019 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon after a difficult 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Funeral services were held Saturday, October 12 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.

Joan was born July 31, 1969 in Milwaukee, WI, the daughter of Thomas and Sharon (Sullivan) Brown. She attended Waukon High School. Joan married Todd Dietrich of Waukon December 19, 1986. In 2003, she obtained her associates degree in Nursing from NICC in Calmar. Joan worked as a registered nurse caring for others from then until March 2018 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon.

Lee Daniel White, 92, was transported into the glorious presence of his Savior from Good Samaritan Home in Waukon Monday, October 7, 2019. Funeral services were held Saturday, October 12 at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Martin Funeral Home in Waukon assisted the family with arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Waukon First Baptist Church Missions fund.

Lee Daniel White was born to John, Sr. and Clara Olevia (Bulman) White January 4, 1927. Lee attended the Forest Mills school in Allamakee County and graduated from Postville High School in 1945. He then went to Midwest Bible and Missionary Institute in St. Louis, MO, where he met Ruth Marie Brown.

They were married following her graduation from Midwest Bible and Missionary Institute July 17, 1953. They remained at Midwest for Lee’s final year of schooling.

by Lissa Blake

Politics should be about doing good work, as often as possible.

That’s just one of the ideas that is motivating Decorah native and recently elected State of Iowa Auditor Rob Sand to travel to all of Iowa’s 99 counties to meet with taxpayers.

“It’s good for me to be able to hear what people are talking about, and it’s good for people to be able to poke their elected officials with a stick,” quipped Sand during a Monday, September 30 stop in Waukon.

Sand is the son of Dr. Kevin and Leslie Sand and a 2001 graduate of Decorah High School. He graduated from Brown University in 2005 and the University of Iowa School of Law in 2010. He was then hired in the office of the Iowa Attorney General, where he worked as an assistant attorney general until his election as State of Iowa Auditor last November.