Community News

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, June 26 to address a full agenda of items, including the need for a fireworks resolution or ordinance, the renewal of a Veterans Counselor's contract and bids for the County Line Bridge replacement on Ferris Mill Road. Chairperson Larry Schellhammer called the meeting to order.

During Public Comment, John Roe, head of maintenance at the Allamakee County Courthouse, discussed the retaining wall near the parking area by the Allamakee County Historical Society Museum. The Supervisors discussed the repair work needed and that Attorney Jim Garrett, President of the Allamakee County Historical Society, will be contacted and Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer will research the ownership of the retaining wall.

During the June 11 gathering of the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network, 13 farmers and individuals involved in food businesses visited WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon. Network members took a break from their farms and businesses to learn about the dairy’s story and network with other farmers and business owners.

The gathering started at the Tom and Angela Weighner dairy farm in rural Dorchester with a tour led by Tom Weighner and his daughter, Stephanie Iverson. The Weighners are milking about 100 cows and hauling milk to the WW Homestead Dairy processing plant in town on a daily basis. The mix of farmers was able to tour the farm's milking parlor, loafing barn and calf shed. Some attendees had extensive backgrounds in livestock and dairy, but others hadn’t spent much time on dairies and had many questions about infrastructure, herd management and production systems.

Allamakee County Farm Bureau (ACFB) recently held a food drive to help stock the Allamakee County Food Shelf. Collection bins were placed at Quillin’s and Fareway grocery stores in Waukon. At the end of the drive, 80 pounds of food was collected. ACFB also donated one dollar for every pound of food collected. Pictured above, ACFB Vice President Lars Palmer (left) delivered the food to the Allamakee County Food Shelf, where Food Shelf Co-Director Wayne Burk (right) was on hand to accept the donation. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, June 19 to address a variety of matters, including the Spring Avenue spring leak, Aveka noise and smell concerns and Hairball’s pyrotechnics display during the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®).

During Public Comments, Jesse Delaney of 403 Seventh Avenue SE in Waukon addressed the Council regarding the paving of his street. Delaney commented that his home is one of the few, if not only, homes on a gravel  road within city limits. Delaney expressed interest in improving and paving his driveway and connecting it to a paved street in front of his property. The Council agreed to research and consider the matter.

by Lissa Blake

Local radio station KNEI will celebrate 50 years of entertaining local residents next week with an open house Tuesday, June 27 at the current KNEI location on Main Street in downtown Waukon.

The station was started by the late Ralph Sweeney and Dave Hogendorn in 1967. “I remember it took Dad three to four years to get licensing, he had to put up bonding and have the financial backing,” said Ralph’s son, Jack Sweeney. “I remember it (the license) was really hard to get and you had to have a licensed engineer on staff."

When asked what he thinks motivated his dad to start the station, Sweeney said, “Dad was an entrepreneur. He just thought Waukon needed a radio station.”

Sweeney started working as a DJ at the station when he was just 16 years old. His girlfriend, Bonnie Blake, who later became is his wife, worked there as well.

Shawver Well Company was founded in 1937 by George Shawver, who, at the time, lived in Kirkville, located just northwest of Ottumwa in southeast Iowa. During his high school years, George earned money hauling water with teams of horses to help local prospectors drill test holes for coal in the newly discovered coal areas of southern Iowa.

After high school, jobs were hard to find, so George decided to do the only thing he knew, drill test holes for coal. When local prospectors came to town looking for coal, George hired out to do their drilling. He built his first rig from wood and powered it from a power take-off of a tractor.

When prospecting for coal diminished, George turned to drilling for water. His first company was called Midwest Drilling but changed to Shawver Well Company shortly after.

David Martin of Martin Funeral Home in Waukon was honored for 40 years of dedication to the funeral service industry during the 137th Annual Iowa Funeral Directors Association (IFDA) Convention held May 16-18 at the Prairie Meadows Hotel & Conference Center in Altoona. Martin was one of 10 funeral directors from around the state to receive recognition by peers and colleagues for 40 years of service to Iowa communities.

Martin was born and raised in Waukon, and is a fourth generation funeral service professional. He attended Oklahoma State University and the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in Dallas, TX. Martin has a great sense of humor and shared that he was inspired to become a funeral director during his junior year of college due to his poor putting skills on the golf course. He has been a funeral director at Martin Funeral Home since 1976.

Identity theft is a significant problem and if it has not happened to someone personally, then odds are they probably know someone who has been victimized. While identity theft can happen to anyone, there are some things individuals can do to reduce the risk of having it happen to them. Proper disposal, at the right time, of documents and items that contain personal, confidential information is key to protection.

Waukon Veterinary Service has a new veterinarian that recently joined its staff. Dr. Kaitlin Marg is new to the Waukon area but has lived in the Midwest her whole life, growing up on a farm near Winona, MN, which contributed to her interest in veterinary medicine.

Dr. Marg came to Waukon Veterinary Service as a career opportunity but also due to the rural community being similar to the area where she grew up. She commented that she likes Waukon Veterinary Service's team environment, welcoming attitude and the opportunity to work with a variety of animals and livestock.

Dr. Marg earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree, both at the University of Minnesota. As goals, Dr. Marg is looking forward to learning more while working with a variety of animals and also in helping people keep their pets and livestock healthy.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in special session Wednesday, June 7 to discuss several items, including the City Manager position, the Reel Core storm sewer project and the Aveka noise and odor. Mayor Duane DeWalle called the meeting to order.

The Council discussed the Reel Core storm sewer project. Senior Project Manager Lyle TeKippe with Fehr-Graham Engineering was contacted by phone and placed on speaker. TeKippe discussed the replacement of the metal pipe and the process involved in connecting a new metal pipe to the existing concrete storm sewer pipe. The Council approved to replace an 80-foot section of storm sewer pipe at the Reel Core location along the southwest edge of Waukon.