Community News

Jeremy and Jodi Peake of Waukon will host the May gathering of the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network this Sunday, May 20 at 7 p.m. To see milking in progress, arrive at 6:15 p.m. The Network event will begin with a potluck at 7 p.m., then feature a farm tour with highlights including Peake’s dairy grazing system and the apple orchard, before networking over desert.

Jodi and Jeremy Peake milk about 40 Jersey and Jersey-cross cows on their certified organic, grass-based dairy. They market their milk into Organic Valley’s Grassmilk program. In addition to their rotational grazing dairy enterprise, the Peake farm hosts a 1,000 tree orchard operated by Jeremy’s father, Al Peake, with support from Jodi and Jeremy. The apples are sold locally at the Winneshiek Farmers Market, the Oneota Coop and at the farm.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, May 14 to discuss a variety of agenda items, including a personnel matter in the Allamakee County Treasurer’s office, consideration of an agreement between the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and Allamakee County involving designated Iowa Byways and setting letting dates for Secondary Roads construction projects. There was no public comment.

Allamakee County Treasurer Lori Hesse discussed a personnel matter involving her recommendation to promote Rita Troendle from Motor Vehicle Clerk status to Second Deputy Clerk status. Hesse indicated that Troendle works 20-25 hours per week with part-time status and that her recommendation would take effect July 1 of this year with a raise to $16.13 per hour, which is 53% of the Treasurer’s salary. The Supervisors approved the promotion of Troendle to Second Deputy Clerk at the discussed pay rate.

A combination of reasons brought Elkader native and current Waukon resident Curtis Dundee to the decision to start his own business recently. Helping other people, being more available to his own family and wanting to work for himself on a full-time basis resulted in the start of Curtis Handyman Service in January of this year.

Having lived and worked in the Waukon community for the past 13 years, Dundee said he noticed that a lot of the bigger contractors in the area were so busy that they seemed to have difficulty finding time to get to smaller projects that people needed done around their homes or businesses. “I am able to take care of the smaller jobs that people need done around their house,” he said.

The Corner of Hope Foods Resource Bank local growing project held its annual Blessing of the Seed and Soil the sunny but blustery morning of Saturday, April 28 to kick off the growing season. The event was held at the field being contributed to the project by Gordon and Louise Ellingson of Waukon. Pastor Kim Gates of St. Paul’s and Forest Mills United Methodist churches performed the blessing. Submitted photo.
 

Cunningham Hardware, now under the ownership of Mike and Tara McMullen of Waukon, received a First Dollar Visit from the Waukon Chamber of Commerce recently. Pictured above at that First Dollar presentation are, left to right, Waukon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors member Sherrie Hunstad, Cunningham Hardware new owners Mike and Tara McMullen, and Waukon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors member Dan Headington. Photo courtesy of Waukon Chamber of Commerce.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, May 7 to discuss a variety of matters including a potential Street Department dump truck lease or purchase, yard waste and debris on City streets and the Spring Avenue spring leak. Mayor Pat Stone called the meeting to order, indicating that an agenda item involving a presentation from Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker would be removed.

During Public Comment, Coordinator Ardie Kuhse with Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) discussed a request made at the April 16 City Council meeting for WEDC to conduct a presentation about its history and ongoing economic development activities. Kuhse and the council discussed setting a time before or after an upcoming council meeting or the possibility of a special session.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, May 7 to address a full agenda of items including a Public Hearing for a Fiscal-Year 2018 budget amendment, the hiring of a temporary part-time roadside mower operator for the Secondary Roads Department and an update and discussion of the Public Safety Center. There was no public comment.

The Public Hearing for the Fiscal-Year 2018 budget amendment was opened and closed without any written or verbal comment. Allamakee County First Deputy Auditor Chris Gavin discussed budget items that were changed indicating that the Board of Health and Substance Abuse departments each had additional revenue due to grants.

The budget amendment and the appropriations resolution were both adopted.

Allamakee County Master Gardeners will hold their annual plant sale Saturday, May 19 in the 4-H building at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Since February of this year, several of the Allamakee County Master Gardeners have planted seeds, watered and transplanted many items in preparation for the plant sale.

At one time, Luster Heights Correctional Facility partnered with the Master Gardeners in the growing process for the plants prior to the facility’s closure. The gardeners supplied the seeds and growing medium and the plants were tended to in the growing process at the Luster Heights greenhouse.

The past two years, the Master Gardeners have been fortunate to form a partnership with the Waukon High School FFA Chapter under the direction of Jessica O’Connor. The FFA chapter has provided space and growing tables in its greenhouse at Waukon High School.

by Lissa Blake

An American Idol contestant with ties to Waukon and Waterville has made it into the television show’s top seven finalists line-up as of Sunday evening, April 29.

Twenty-year-old Iowa native Maddie Poppe is the granddaughter of Waukon native Daryl Larson and his wife, Ellen, who now live in Waverly. Other local relatives include Anna Marie Ewing of Waterville, Darlene “Dar” Klein of Waukon and Harry Larson of McGregor. Her mother, Tanya Larson Poppe, went to elementary school in Waterville as a young child.

Poppe is a singer/songwriter from Clarksville who plays guitar, ukulele and keyboard. She has been playing locally for about three years and in June 2016 she released an album of original songs, entitled “Songs from the Basement,” which she wrote, recorded and produced.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, April 30 to address a full agenda of items including a temporary access during the Green Valley Bridge project, designation of office space for a Magistrate/Judge chambers and the consideration of hiring a part-time employee for the Secondary Roads Department.

Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer indicated that there was a change to the agenda with the removal of the County Farm cropland rental agenda item. Beyer explained that the check for the County Farm rental has arrived and that there was no need to discuss the matter.