City and school elections will be conducted simultaneously this year, scheduled for Tuesday, November 5. A law passed by the Iowa Legislature in 2017 ended the longstanding tradition of holding school board elections in September, and Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate hopes the combined elections will increase voter participation.
“Turnout for city and school elections is usually not very high and I hope that changes this year,” Secretary Pate said. “A lot of voters might not realize that these local elections tend to have a much greater impact on their daily lives than the races for president and the U.S. Senate.”
Area citizens interested in the history and archaeology connected to the Black Hawk Bridge project are invited to attend another meeting with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Lansing History Working Group Thursday, August 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library in Lansing. This discussion will focus on the archaeology uncovered last fall as part of the planning for the bridge project.
Iowa DOT staffer Brennan Dolan will share information about the materials that were found and the analyses that were completed on the artifact assemblages. A select assemblage of materials will be available for viewing.
Anyone who is interested is encouraged to come and bring questions to ask. Goals are to share information, ask questions and understand how these issues affect project planning.
Waukon Police Officer Ed Schoenthal recently completed the 16-week Police Academy in Johnston, graduating from the Academy August 16 to achieve the designation of certified law enforcement officer. The Academy training involves a daily weekday schedule of a wide array of training including physical fitness, procedural, psychological, technical and many other aspects of law enforcement, both in classroom settings as well as in hands-on situations. Waukon Police Chief Phil Young said that Academy training needs to be completed within the first year of employment in order for an officer to achieve the designation of certified law enforcement officer. Schoenthal is a 2008 graduate of Waukon High School. Photo courtesy of the Waukon Police Department.
TASC, Inc. recently received notification from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) that it has been awarded accreditation for a three-year period for its Community Employment Services: Employment Supports, Community Employment Services: Job Development, Community Housing, Community Integration and Supported Living programs. TASC, Inc. is a nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities in Allamakee, Winneshiek, Howard, Fayette and Clayton counties.
Corn maze to benefit local FFA chapters ... The corn maze created at the Waukon Feed Ranch Agronomy Center west of Waukon will be open to the general public Saturday and Sunday, September 7-8 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. The public can tour the maze for a freewill donation, the proceeds of which will benefit both the Waukon and Kee High School FFA programs. Photo courtesy of Waukon Feed Ranch.
The Waukon Feed Ranch has created a corn maze at its Agronomy Center location along Old Highway 9 west of Waukon once again this year, and the first full weekend in September will feature events involving that maze that will benefit two local high school FFA chapters. Saturday and Sunday, September 7-8, the public can navigate the corn maze for a freewill donation that will then be disbursed between the two FFA programs at Waukon and Kee High Schools.
The 10th Hour Middle School August summer program in the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) finished up with two weeks of fun-filled and educational activities. Students took a trip to the Rising Star Theatre in Dubuque to see “Beauty and the Beast” performed by young actors and actresses. In admiration of that performance, students spent the next week preparing for their own play called “Back to the Summer.” They worked on developing their costumes and props, and rehearsing their lines, before production on the last day of class.
Students took a break from their drama preparation and practice to be visited by Kelly Loberger, a medical student from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Loberger is spending the summer working with physicians at Gundersen Clinic in Decorah and gave a lesson to the class about the effects of smoking on health.
What do bats, mushrooms, wilderness, the Mississippi River, art, citizen science and mounds all have in common? The answer is Effigy Mounds National Monument Summer Evening Programs. Join Effigy Mounds National Monument every Sunday and Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. in the Effigy Mounds National Monument Visitor Center for fun explorations and intriguing discussions about these topics.
All programs begin at 7 p.m. and are offered through the summer season ending October 20. Attendance is free and reservations are not required. Below are the topics and remaining schedule:
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers ServSafe® food safety certification classes. ServSafe® meets the criteria for an individual to become a “Certified Food Protection Manager” (CFPM).
The ServSafe® program blends the latest FDA Food Code, food safety research and years of food sanitation training experience. Managers learn to implement essential food safety practices and create a culture of food safety.
The class will be taught by Jill Weber, Human Sciences Specialist, Nutrition and Wellness and Registered ServSafe® Proctor & Certified ServSafe® Instructor. Training will be offered at the Allamakee County Extension Office in Waukon Monday, September 16 from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Main Street Lansing held a ribbon cutting and first dollar visit for the Driftless Gypsy Boutique, located at 231 Main Street in Lansing and owned by Elissa Strobel. The Driftless Gypsy is Lansing’s newest boutique with custom apparel, fashion, jewelry and accessories. Strobel also operates Shoreline Print Co., a screen printing company, out of the same building. Pictured above, left to right, at the ribbon cutting ceremony are Maryann Baldwin of Main Street Lansing, Driftless Gypsy owner Elissa Strobel, and Jana Schoh of Main Street Lansing. Submitted photo.
The Kee High School Post Prom Committee will host Bingo Sunday, September 15 in the Kee High School cafeteria in Lansing. Games will start at 4 p.m., with doors opening at 3:30 p.m.
Participants can bring a non-perishable food item or $1 donation and play an extra Bingo card free. All donations will be given to LIFT (Lansing Iowa Food Trust). All players will be eligible for a door prize drawing at intermission. Proceeds will be used to fund 2020 Post Prom prizes and entertainment.
