Community News

Japanese Knotweed is a plant taking over soil and water while growing to 10 foot tall. In northeast Iowa, a large growth is centered around Paint Creek in Allamakee County and Trout Unlimited North Bear Chapter and Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development have been partnering in an eradication effort of the plant.
Trout Unlimited budgeted monies for equipment, supplies and staff support as part of that eradication effort. The organization has also recruited onsite volunteers. Northeast RC&D provides technical and onsite leadership. Both organizations continue to welcome help from individuals and groups, and want to extend that invitation during the "off-season" winter months before the growing season resumes for the plant in the spring and early summer.

The Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) is now accepting 2016 grant applications. The application is completely online and will be available at the Foundation’s website, www.allamakeefoundation.org. Applications are due January 31, 2016 by midnight.
Nonprofit organizations can apply for grants from the ACCF for projects or programs that address significant community issues and benefit a broad spectrum of the community. Projects must be in Allamakee County.
The ACCF awards grants in the areas of Health and Human Services; Education; Neighborhoods and Community Development; Environment; Children, Youth, and Families; and Arts and Culture, including historic preservation.
Preference is given to projects that:
• address significant community issues
• present innovative, creative, and practical proposals that build on community strengths

Santa Claus will be sharing some stories and be available for photos at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon Tuesday, December 1 from 10:30-11 a.m. Robey Memorial Library offers a weekly story time Tuesdays from 10:30-11 a.m. Children under 10 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. This program is free of charge.
Research shows that reading aloud is the single most important thing a person can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning, according to www.readaloud.org. For more information, call Robey Memorial Library at 563-568-4424 or visit www.waukon.lib.ia.us.
 

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is promoting the Fourth Annual Holiday Cash Bash, formerly known as the Holiday Merchant Madness Punch Card Promotion. Everyone is invited to play, and the rules are simple.
Visit any of this year's participating merchants between November 13 and December 27 and purchase $25 worth of merchandise to be eligible to sign up for the Holiday Cash Bash drawing. There is no limit to how many times a person may enter, but they can only win one prize.
Prizewinners of Waukon Chamber bucks will be drawn at the Waukon Chamber of Commerce office Tuesday, December 29. Winners will be contacted by the Waukon Chamber. The more a customer shops locally, the more times they can be entered in the drawing. For additional information about the event, call Waukon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Dugan at 563-568-4110.
 

by Jason Meyer

The Waukon City Council met in a pair of sessions within the past week, including a special work session Monday, November 9 and its regular session Monday, November 16. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

Plans are being made for the ninth annual Lighted Holiday Parade in downtown Waukon, scheduled for Monday, November 23, beginning at 6 p.m. The event coincides with extended Monday night business hours of Waukon retailers.
The theme for this year’s parade, “Ringing in the Holidays,” complements the traditional Christmas Fantasy hosted by Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation just this past weekend in Waukon, and will be featured throughout the parade. All entries must be lighted and cannot involve a live version of Santa Claus.
The parade will begin at the East Elementary School playground and travel Fifth Street NW to West Main Street. Turning left onto West Main, the parade entries will venture to the stoplight intersection, where they will then turn south on to Spring Avenue for one block before turning right on to First Avenue SW and heading up to Sixth Street SW. The entries will then turn right and head north back to the East Elementary playground.

Side Street Cycles in Waukon has achieved the distinction of creating a motorcycle that was recently honored by Hot Bike Magazine with an Editor’s Choice award for the “Top Bagger” in the Hot Bike Power Tour. A “bagger” is a touring motorcycle designed for long-distance rides with luggage storage. Side Street Cycles owner Kent Sweeney said that he was approached by a local motorcycle enthusiast about building a motorcycle that he could ride all day but still be able to handle mountain-type curves with the ease of a sport bike, a request Sweeney called “a tall order.”

by Brianne Eilers

by Bob Beach

Waukon residents Al Buege and Duane "Dewey" DeWalle are squaring off in the election for Mayor of Waukon in the Tuesday, November 3 City Election, replacing outgoing mayor Loren Beneke, who is not seeking re-election. The responses from candidates Buege and DeWalle to questionnaires issued by The Standard in the interest of informing voters appear below:

Please provide some background information about yourself.