Community News

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, September 15 at the Postville Public Library as part of the board’s annual schedule of offsite meeting locations to include public libraries within the county. The Supervisors addressed a short agenda of matters including updates from the City of Postville, the Postville Public Library and the Postville Community School District in addition to the notification of an electronic manure management plan and the discussion and consideration of hiring a 911 dispatcher/corrections officer.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisor Dennis Keatley present. Supervisor Tom Clark was not present at the meeting due to a scheduled absence.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital & Clinics, Elliott Jewelers and Waukon Chamber of Commerce hosted their new “Women’s Wellness Night Out,” Thursday, September 11 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. This event replaced the Women’s Health Day Luncheon, making this the 20th annual women’s event planned by the Auxiliary.

Carol’s Closet (CC) is celebrating a milestone this fall - 10 years of providing support to veterans, families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities across northeast Iowa. What started as a small community effort a decade ago has now grown into a multi-county nonprofit serving more than 550 people in the past year alone.

The organization is named in honor of Carol Dvorak of Spillville, who lived with Parkinson’s disease and dementia. Jane and Chuck Sparrgrove were her caregivers for five years in their home.

Jane Sparrgrove did many activities with Carol, both in the community and at home, and one of those home projects became the seed for the nonprofit. Together, the two began sorting donations and giving away baby clothes and diapers to families in need - an effort that grew into the Carol’s Closet mission named in Carol’s honor and still thriving today.

Entrepreneurship Week 2025 is happening September 15-19 at The Works Coworking & Coaching in Lansing. Every workshop event during the week is free to the public and is designed to educate, connect, and empower local entrepreneurs and current and future small business owners at every stage of their business journey.

Hosted by The Works, in partnership with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED), this fifth annual week-long event will feature dynamic speakers, practical workshops, and 1:1 coaching to help area entrepreneurs grow their businesses with purpose, strategy, and support. Workshops and coaching also include light meals and snacks from area restaurants and food entrepreneurs.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met twice within a week’s, Tuesday, September 2 and Monday, September 8, following the closure of the Allamakee County Courthouse Monday, September 1 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Coverage of both meetings follows below.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
The Tuesday, September 2 meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark present. The meeting was delayed a day due to the Labor Day holiday Monday, September 1.

Red Barn Campground and Restaurant in Lansing will be hosting another Sunset Sessions this year, scheduled for Saturday, September 13. This will be the second year for this unique musical event, and tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite.com. The gates open at 2 p.m. and youth songwriters will take the stage at 3 p.m. From 4-4:30 p.m. there will be games, food, drinks and more. At 4:30 p.m., the featured artists will take the stage for singing, storytelling and some laughs. At 7 p.m., the lighting of the bonfire will take place, with campfire songs led by local musician JayR Brink beginning at 7:15 p.m.

This year’s featured artists include International Blues Challenge winner Hector Anchondo; Iowa’s Renaissance Man Chad Elliot; songwriter, storyteller and co-lead singer of The Nadas, Jason Walsmith; and American roots songwriter and co-founder of the Avey Grouws Band, Jeni Grouws.

Midwest Veterans of America will be honoring area Veterans at an event this Saturday, September 13 at AJ Bar & Grill in Waukon celebrating the signing of the U.S. Constitution, which took place September 17, 1787. The free event will include an awards presentation that will begin at 1 p.m. honoring 40 area Veterans.

The second annual Rural Ideas Summit is set for Thursday, September 18, bringing together rural entrepreneurs, community changemakers, and local leaders for a day of learning, inspiration, and action. This one-day, virtual-first event is dedicated to equipping participants with proven strategies, real-world stories, and practical tools to help rural businesses grow and communities thrive.

The Works is proud to once again serve as one of a handful of in-person host sites across the country. While the summit’s content will be delivered virtually, attendees who choose the The Works location will enjoy a lunch discussion session, local networking opportunities, and a post-summit social hour from 4–5 p.m. featuring snacks and beverages from local providers.

Entrepreneurship Week 2025 is happening September 15-19 at The Works Coworking & Coaching in Lansing. Every workshop event during the week is free and designed to educate, connect, and empower local entrepreneurs and current and future small business owners at every stage of the journey.

Hosted by The Works, in partnership with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED), this fifth annual week-long event will feature dynamic speakers, practical workshops, and 1:1 coaching to help area entrepreneurs grow their businesses with purpose, strategy, and support. Workshops and coaching also include light meals and snacks from area restaurants and food entrepreneurs.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 25 to address a full agenda of matters including the Public Hearing relating to the construction permit application for Gav-N-View Farms LLC, an opioid/emergency box presentation, and the consideration of a bid for asphalt resurfacing on County Roads A11 and A16. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark present.

The meeting moved into Public Comment with Doug Mullen discussing matters relating to the impact of the Alliant Energy Lansing Generating Station closure upon tax revenue. Mullen noted that he was aware of funding that was provided to the Lansing and Harpers Ferry Fire Departments from the Lansing Generating Station tax revenue and inquired as to whether that funding is being replaced elsewhere.