Community News

Downloadable pdf version of the Waukon RAGBRAI Map and road closure article is available below:

Midwest Veterans of America is sponsoring three different contests for the 2017 Waukon Corn Days celebration being planned for mid-August this year. The contests include competitions for the Tallest Corn Stalk, the Longest Ear of Corn, and the Most Innovative Scarecrow.

Judging for all three contests will take place Saturday, August 19 at 1 p.m. at the Waukon Wellness Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW in Waukon. Entries must be registered by 12 noon that day.

The top three entries in the Tallest Corn Stalk Contest will receive both plaques and cash prizes, with the top three Longest Ear of Corn entries receiving plaques. Top entries in the Most Innovative Scarecrow Contest will be awarded medals, with judging taking place in both an adult category and a youth category. For additional information about any of the contests call 563-568-5275.
 

Allamakee County is completing an update to its 2012 Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan is being developed with the cities of Harpers Ferry, Lansing, New Albin, Postville, Waterville and Waukon, as well as with Allamakee County (representing unincorporated areas), to assess hazard risk and prioritize mitigation actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property.

Flooding, severe storms and man-made risks, such as hazardous materials or transportation incidents, are examples of the types of hazards that have been addressed for the area. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department, has supported this planning process by offering grant funds to Allamakee County Emergency Management.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, July 3 to discuss a full agenda of items, including the Reel Core storm sewer, The Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®) and the City Manager position. There were no Public Comments and the Council moved into Departmental Reports.

Water and Sewer Superintendent Bob Campbell discussed a request from a RAGBRAI team consisting of 17 people to use a grass area near the sewer plant for camping during the event, which the Council agreed would be fine. Campbell discussed the need for a flow study to assist in the planning for the new sewer plant and recommended budgeting for this study to take place in March through June to take into consideration snow melt, the rainy season and the dry time in early summer.

Waukon State Bank recently made two donations in support of the new 4-H Food Stand located at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. A donation of $2,500 was presented to the Allamakee County Fair Board in support of the new food stand construction and $500 was donated to the ISU Allamakee County Extension Office for the purchase of appliances and kitchen fixtures. The new 4-H Food Stand will open with the 2017 Allamakee County Fair, which runs July 19 through July 23 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds. Pictured above in the photo, left to right, are Gail Prestemon of Waukon State Bank, Miranda Reinhardt of the Allamakee County 4-H County Council, Teresa Myers of the Allamakee County Fair Board, Erika Johnson of the Allamakee County 4-H County Council and Justin Sweeney of Waukon State Bank.
 

Family of the late Karilyn Lenth recently commemorated her cherished time spent at the Waukon City Park, as well as her affection for cats, by donating a bench in her memory. The memorial bench, attractively engraved with feline images, is precisely located in one of Karilyn’s favorite spots, between the dam and ball diamond at the Waukon City Park, where she was able to look across the pond to the “Memory Garden.”

The Waukon RAGBRAI Youth Art Contest was held for local kindergarten through sixth grade students in conjunction with RAGBRAI's July 28 overnight visit to Waukon. The contest offered area youth the opportunity to use their creativity to make original artwork that reflects their impressions of RAGBRAI®. Winners in each of three different grade categories, along with an overall winner, were announced at the June 28 town meeting held at Iron Ridge Church in Waukon. Photos of those winning entries are pictured surrounding this article. One entry was chosen as the overall local winner and will now compete for a $350 prize in the Statewide RAGBRAI Art Contest. Willa Troendle, age nine, was selected as that overall local winner and will now compete against overall winners from each of the other overnight stop communities along this year's RAGBRAI route.

Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation’s (NEICAC) Board of Directors, at its regularly scheduled board meeting June 26, regretfully accepted the letter of pending retirement from the agency’s Executive Director, Mary Ann Humpal. Humpal has been with NEICAC since August of 1972 and has been the Executive Director since June of 1989. She has set December 21, 2017 as her last working day.

By that time she will have served the residents of northeast Iowa for 45 years and four months. NEICAC Board Chairman Les Askelson credits Humpal's dedication and leadership for establishing NEICAC as one of the top Community Action Agencies not only in Iowa but also nationally recognized. Askelson, says that the board of directors will be working with the Iowa Community Action Association (ICAA) in the search for a new Executive Director.

Allamakee County will be taking part in the 2017 Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon once again this year, inviting people to read 30-minute or more segments of the Bible Thursday, July 6 throughout an 8 a.m.-8 p.m. timeframe. This is the second year Allamakee County has participated in the event, with some changes in location and longevity of the event taking place this year.

This year’s event for Allamakee County will take place at the Waukon City Park at the small shelter between the wooden playground and the ball diamond, a different setting than the Allamakee County Courthouse lawn used last year. The timeframe of this year’s event has been pared down from a three-day event to just a 12-hour format on a single day.

Those wanting to participate are asked to bring a Bible and a lawn chair to that Waukon City Park shelter house and local volunteers will meet them with a portion of the Bible to read aloud on their own in the park.

by Brianne Eilers

Last fall, TNT Gymnastics opened up its first Iowa facility in Waukon. Owner Tracy Troxel explained that the gymnastics company has been in business for 17 years, and also has facilities in several Wisconsin locations: Richland Center, Mauston, Spring Green and Prairie du Chien.

"We had people commuting from all over to our classes in Prairie du Chien," Troxel said. One of the parents of a student suggested that Troxel look at opening up a facility in Waukon.

Troxel explained that TNT Gymnastics offers classes for all skill levels in fully-equipped gyms. She noted that there aren't a lot of additional things that parents need to purchase in order for their kids to participate in gymnastics.

"The only requirements are that long hair is pulled back, the kids are wearing comfortable clothes and they can bring a water bottle," Troxel noted.