Community News

by Jason Meyer

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present "A Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols" service this Sunday, December 13 at 7 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon. Area clergy will read the lessons, and carols will be sung by the choirs and congregation while accompanied by organ and trumpets. Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Choir, Ecumenical Men’s Choir, Ecumenical Women's Choir and Ecumenical Children’s Choir. Musical selections will also be presented by the St. John’s Lutheran Church Youth and Senior Handbell Choirs. The program is prepared and directed by James Bieber. The public is invited to attend and share in this community celebration of Christmas. A reception will follow in St. John's Church basement.

Paul Heitman, a 2004 graduate of Waukon High School, was named 2015 Marshalltown Police Department Employee of the Year. He was presented with the award at a Marshalltown City Council meeting earlier this year.
Following his high school graduation, Heitman attended the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls and earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminology. Before joining the Marshalltown police force, he worked as a security guard in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.  Heitman became a reserve officer, volunteering 20 hours a month for the Oelwein Police Department, and continued his education at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo.

Voters in Waukon elected Ben Rausch to fill the At-Large vacancy on the Waukon City Council in the Tuesday, December 1 run-off election between Rausch and Christine Enyart. Official results now canvassed by the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors indicate that Rausch received 175 votes in comparison to 135 received by Enyart.
Both Enyart and Rausch were on the original November 3 City Election ballot, along with fellow candidate Jean Brink, in a race to fill a vacancy on the Waukon City Council created by the resignation of At-Large representative Darrold Brink in late August of this year. However, the City of Waukon has an ordinance provision requiring that candidates in such an election receive more than 50% of the vote total to be elected or a run-off election must be held between the two candidates receiving the most votes.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce has announced WW Homestead Dairy as the winner of its Third Annual Holiday Window Decorating Contest. Pictured above is Amanda Bloxham of WW Homestead Dairy with the winning "Moo-ry Christmas" window and the contest prize of a holiday wreath provided by Waukon Greenhouse Flowers and Gifts. A small group of community members voted on Creativity, Originality and Appearance to determine the contest winner. Receiving Honorable Mention for the contest were GFMutual Insurance Association and Cook Insurance Agency, and the window at Gordy’s Auto Body created by TASC, Inc.

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.