Community News

The Allamakee County Community Foundation has welcomed a new advisory board member, Marshall Lyons of Waukon. Lyons succeeds Brent Beyer, who has served on the board for nine years and reaches his term limit this spring.

“Marshall brings a unique skillset and background to the Foundation,” says Nick Erickson, chair of the advisory board. “His desire to improve quality of life in our county, paired with strong analytical and decision-making skills, will help further our mission.”

Lyons is a Waukon native and 2015 graduate of Waukon High School. He earned a master’s degree in accounting from Iowa State University, then worked in the tax industry for RSM in Cedar Rapids. He returns to Waukon as a licensed CPA for Hacker, Nelson & Co.

“I take great pride in being from the Waukon area and am excited about the opportunity to contribute to an organization dedicated to making it an even better place for future generations of friends and family,” says Lyons.

The Waukon Police Department is hosting its annual open house Thursday, April 17 from 12 Noon to 5 p.m. at the Waukon Police Station, located at 104 1st Street NW in Waukon. The open house will allow attendees to tour the police station building, check out one of the department’s patrol vehicles, ask questions, and meet the Waukon Police Department staff.

During the open house, the Waukon Police Department is also hosting an American Red Cross community blood drive at its building. The theme of the blood drive is, “Battle of the Badges.” Donors can vote for one of the local emergency services - Waukon Fire Department, Waukon Emergency Medical Services (EMS), or Waukon Police Department. The winning agency will claim the honor of bragging rights.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, April 7 to address a full agenda of matters including the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation, appointment of the at-large council vacancy seat and discussion of the outdoor warning siren system. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with council members Steve Wiedner, Nicholas Engrav, Dave Blocker and John Lydon present.

The meeting moved into Public Comment with West Street SW property owner Ann Fossum recognizing the Street Department for installing speed limit signage on her street. Fossum made note of follow-up from Engineer Sam Ertl of Fehr Graham Engineering relating to a variety of matters. She expressed her appreciation for his work.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, April 7 to address a variety of matters including the Proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the consideration of contracts and bonds for gravel road rock, and the consideration of a proposed underground natural gas main southwest  of Waukon. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Tom Clark present.

The Friends of Pool 9 Annual River Clean-Up is scheduled for this Saturday, April 12 and volunteers of all ages are needed from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Many families use this opportunity to pass on to their kids a love of taking care of the river so that they can enjoy its bounty for years to come.

Since this project began several years ago, Friends of Pool 9 volunteers have collected and removed more than 185,800 pounds (92.9 tons) of debris from the river and recorded over 10,560 hours of volunteer time to keep Pool 9 clean.

Primary registration will be held at the VFW river landing  in Lansing (across from the ball diamond and below the VFW building), beginning at 8 a.m. Other sites are listed below. Assigned tasks range from walking the State boat landing and river banks to riding in a boat to clean islands and sandbars.

The Waukon Police Department is hosting its annual open house Thursday, April 17 from 12-5 p.m. at the Waukon Police Station. During the open house, the Waukon Police Department is also hosting an American Red Cross community blood drive at its building. Allamakee County Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Director Jean Bossom will also be there with a display of various products that are being used by companies to hook today’s youth on vaping and other harmful products.
 

by Joshua Sharpe

The historic river town of Lansing is experiencing significant enhancements as local enterprises invest in restoring Main Street. Notably, Lansing Hardware Hank, owned by Dave and Laurie Janzen, is undertaking substantial upgrades to help preserve the town’s character while further enhancing its overall appeal.

The Janzens are leading these renovation efforts, focusing on maintaining the integrity of their five-building business while modernizing its structure. Their initiatives are part of a broader movement to revitalize downtown Lansing and promote sustained growth in the region.

THE FIRST STEPS
Lansing Hardware Hank has been in operation for 12 years under the ownership of the Janzens, with a much longer history through the Bartels family. The origin of the business dates back to 1908, when the middle building of the current five-building business structure originated as a hardware store.

Kristi Hager of Waukon will be the featured speaker at the Women’s Lenten Breakfast scheduled to be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon Friday, April 4. She will be sharing “The Weight of the Cross” and focus primarily on the last two weeks of the life of her late husband, Bob, and the spiritual message that she received during that time.

Bob and Kristi were married for 38 years before Bob’s passing February 5 of this year. They are the parents of three daughters, Aubree, Alyssa and Alaina, and two grandchildren, Kaden and Kinley.

Coffee, rolls and fruit will be served starting at 6:30 a.m. with the program starting at 7 a.m., hopefully allowing women to attend before starting their schedule for the day. All area women are invited to attend.
 

The Waukon Police Department is hosting its annual open house Thursday, April 17 from 12 Noon to 5 p.m. at the Waukon Police Station, located at 104 1st Street NW in Waukon. The open house will allow attendees to tour the police station building, check out one of the department’s patrol vehicles, ask questions, and meet the Waukon Police Department staff.

During the open house, the Waukon Police Department is also hosting an American Red Cross community blood drive at its building. The theme of the blood drive is, “Battle of the Badges.” Donors can vote for one of the local emergency services - Waukon Fire Department, Waukon Emergency Medical Services (EMS), or Waukon Police Department. The winning agency will claim the honor of bragging rights.

Representatives of Vanguard Appraisals Inc., in conjunction with the Allamakee County Assessor’s Office, is conducting an exterior review of all residential properties in Allamakee County. The process is currently underway and will take place throughout the remainder of the year.  Appraisers will be reviewing and photographing properties, and on occasion may deem it necessary to contact specific property owners for further information.

All law enforcement agencies, as well as the Allamakee County Assessor’s Office, will be apprised of the areas representatives will be working in. They will also have a list of names and license plate numbers of anyone involved in the project. Appraisers’ vehicles will be marked with blue and white magnetic signs typically displayed on the driver’s side door.