Community News

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation April 26 of this year encouraging all Iowans to join in the historical Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon to take place in front of all 100 courthouses within the state of Iowa, beginning Thursday, June 30 at 8 a.m. and ending Sunday, July 3 at approximately 4 p.m., the day prior to the July 4 celebration of this nation's 240th birthday.

On the local level, Kristi Hager and Mary Keatley are organizing the event for Allamakee County, inviting families, groups or individuals to volunteer to read in 15-minute increments at any time during the around-the-clock, four-day event that will be taking place at the northeast corner of the Allamakee County Courthouse property along Allamakee Street in Waukon. Volunteer readers do not need to bring or prepare anything, as a Bible, a podium and a canopy tent will be provided.

by Brianne Eilers

The month of April ended on a positive financial note for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon with a net income of $66,864. According to patient census numbers for the month, acute patient days were down 13.8% and skilled days were up 8.4%. Deliveries were also up over last year by 3.6%, and Administrator Mike Myers noted that VMH had a very strong year in the delivery department last year. Surgeries were strong in April, but not quite as good as they were year-to-date at this time last year. Outpatient services were all increased and strong, with outpatient revenue being up 6.9%, while inpatient revenue was down 3.9%.

“April was a pretty good month,” Myers noted, adding that May is not looking very strong financially. The number of days in accounts receivable is at 85.1, compared to 91.9 last year at this time. Cash reserves are down to $1.7 million, as the hospital used some of those funds to purchase new equipment.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach hosted 4-H Saturday Clover Kids May 14 at the Waukon Wellness Center, where 26 kindergarten through third graders finished working on a 4-H fair project. At their April meeting the youth decorated the outside of a five-gallon bucket. This month they learned how to properly plant and care for their flowers from the local Master Gardeners and volunteers. The youth took their planted buckets home to finish growing their flowers. These buckets of flowers can be brought to the Fair and after they are judged by a Clover Kids judge they will be placed around the fairgrounds for everyone to enjoy. Flowers were generously donated by the Allamakee County Master Gardeners and Little Switzerland FFA Chapter at Waukon High School.

Who can resist going to a Wild West show? Certainly not the Allamakee Community Players. Complete with Annie Oakley (played by Rachel Hagen), Frank Butler (Karsten Snitker), Chief Sitting Bull (Barry Mueller), and Buffalo Bill (Paul Wesling), the stage was set for bringing this sharp shooting rivalry to life at the Postville Fine Arts Center in July of 2005. The haunting ballads and competitive songs filled the audience with great memories. Allamakee Community Players, Inc. is planning a medley show entitled "A Night to Remember" for June 25 that will feature bits and pieces of past performances such as the one pictured above and other memories involving the local volunteer group that shares a love for theater and has entertained local residents for nearly half a century. Submitted photo.
 

The kick-off of the 2016 Great Cycle Challenge officially begins June 1 and local residents Tracey Tepesch and Linda Wilder are ready to take on this challenge once again. Over the next four weeks, they will bicycle over at least 700 combined miles while raising money for Children's Cancer Research. Their goal is to raise $10 for every mile they pedal in June, hoping to reach their goal of $7,000, but they are asking for the support of the whole community to make this a success. Anyone who may happen to see them out pedaling during the next four weeks is encouraged to give them a honk in support of their efforts.

The group of volunteers pictured above spent Saturday morning, May 21 doing their share to make their hometown look as good as it can by participating in the annual "Keep Waukon Beautiful Day". The annual event is hosted by the Dr. Steve and Stefanie Perkins family and allows local residents the opportunity to pitch in and clean up various areas throughout the community (as evident in the surrounding photos). Standard photos by Krystal Johnson.
 

In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Iowa State Fair in June of 2004, the cast of the Allamakee Community Players took the audience on a trip to the Iowa State Fair. The cast of "State Fair" that year consisted of people from Lansing, Postville, Waterville and Waukon. The story centered around the Frake family from Brunswick, Iowa and their adventures at the Iowa State Fair. A side note would be the fact that the song “It Might As Well Be Spring,” sung by the heroine Margy Frake, was the Academy Award winning song of the year in 1946. Allamakee Community Players is planning a medley show entitled "A Night to Remember" for June 25 that will feature bits and pieces of past performances and other memories involving the local volunteer group that shares a love for theater and has entertained local residents for nearly half a century. Submitted photo.
 

For many, buckling up in a vehicle is second nature.  However, in 2014, 9,385 people nationwide lost their lives as a result of not buckling their seat belt; and in Iowa in 2014, 118 of the 322 crash fatalities were not buckled up. In the predominantly rural state of Iowa, it is important to note that nationally 61 percent of pick-up truck fatalities were not buckled. Iowa’s seat belt compliance rate is at 93 percent, one of the best in the nation but, still, too many of the state’s traffic fatalities are unbelted.

For many, buckling up in a vehicle is second nature.  However, in 2014, 9,385 people nationwide lost their lives as a result of not buckling their seat belt; and in Iowa in 2014, 118 of the 322 crash fatalities were not buckled up. In the predominantly rural state of Iowa, it is important to note that nationally 61 percent of pick-up truck fatalities were not buckled. Iowa’s seat belt compliance rate is at 93 percent, one of the best in the nation but, still, too many of the state’s traffic fatalities are unbelted.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session at City Hall Monday, May 16 to discuss a full agenda of items including storm sewer improvements, property zoning changes and downtown trash receptacles.