Community News

Waukon residents will be completing a low-to-moderate income (LMI) survey in the coming weeks, and the City of Waukon is looking for volunteers to help collect the surveys. Waukon City Clerk Sarah Snitker plans to have the surveys mailed out to residents by the end of September, and she is seeking volunteers to help collect the surveys that Waukon residents will be asked to tape to their exterior household doors one night in October for convenience and in order to avoid household interruption, with that specific night yet to be determined.

The Waukon City Clerk’s office reports that it has confirmed with the Waukon Police Department that the official trick-or-treat times within the Waukon community will be from 4-8 p.m. Halloween evening, Thursday, October 31. Area residents are asked to leave porch lights on to welcome trick-or-treaters. Youngsters taking part in the evening’s events are reminded to keep safety in mind while making their rounds.
 

Allamakee County had eight 4-H’ers represented at the State 4-H Dairy Judging contest held at the Iowa State Fair Wednesday, August 7 in Des Moines. They made up two teams, one in the Junior Division and one in the Senior Division.

In dairy judging, youth evaluate classes of dairy cows and heifers and are then asked to defend their placings through oral reasoning. Youth learn the dairy cow unified scorecard and major breakdowns, anatomy of the dairy cow, along with dairy judging terminology.

The following youth participated in the 2024 Dairy Judging contest: Zach Danhof, Brielle Gavin, Naomi Palmer, Sophia Palmer and Kendyl Wedo in the Junior Division, and Landon Guese, Ethan Palmer and Norah Palmer in the Senior Division. The 2024 Allamakee County Dairy Judging teams were coached by Jason Danhof and Lars Sivesind.

Two of the global causes that Lions Clubs International focuses on are local youth and reducing hunger. Lions Clubs strive to help local youth to have healthy, productive lives and have access to nutritious foods. With this in mind, the Waukon Lions Club donated $600 to the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Milk Program Thursday, September 19. Donations such as this are made possible by the generous support the Waukon Lions Club receives from the community.

Pictured above at the check presentation to the Allamakee Community School District Milk Program are, left to right, Waukon Lions Club member Neal Daley, ACSD Food Service staff members Kay Gavin and Jessica Keenan, and Waukon Lions Club members Tom and Rosie Phipps. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, September 23 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of a storage building for the Solid Waste Department, the signing of an agreement relating to the sale of the County’s K9 and consideration of approving the County Courthouse fire alarm system replacement.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, September 16 at the Waterville Community Center’s City Council Chambers as part of the Supervisors’ annual schedule of alternate meeting locations and county library visits. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke of Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) provided an overview of recent and upcoming events. Reinke and Byrnes discussed the Iowa Trail Run Series that took place Sunday, September 15 at Yellow River State Forest. Reinke noted the guided hike at Effigy Mounds National Monument and the Worship in the Valley/Acoustic Storytime concert at Village Creek Bible Camp all taking place Sunday, September 15 as well.

Amanda Dolley, DO, MHA, has joined the medical team at the Gundersen Waukon Clinic. As a Family Medicine doctor, Dr. Dolley provides a full range of care for patients of all ages from wellness exams and obstetrics to management of chronic conditions and osteopathic manipulation medicine.

A native of Iowa, Dr. Dolley received her Associate of Arts degree from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids and her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids. She then attended Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine where she earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Health Administration degree.

The general public is invited to stop by Waukon City Hall between 4-6 p.m. Monday, September 16 - prior to the Waukon City Council meeting - to see designs for possible community and regional trails, new signage, pedestrian connectivity and additional community amenities such as tree plantings, a dog park and more for the Waukon community. Waukon’s Steering Committee is participating in the 2024 Community Visioning Program and the public can discuss proposed projects with committee members, designers and Trees Forever staff.
 

Iowa writer Ruth Suckow is Iowa’s Willa Cather but, sadly, not as well known.

This all is changing, however, with the Ruth Suckow Traveling Exhibit which is traveling around the state and will be hosted by Robey Memorial Library in Waukon from Monday, September 16 through Saturday, October 12.

“Ruth Suckow’s first novel, ‘Country People’, is set in northeast Iowa,” says Dr. Barbara Lounsberry, President of the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association.  “In nine novels and 43 short stories - most set in Iowa - Suckow captured the lives, passions and struggles of ordinary people in their small towns and farms. She offers tales of Iowa love and loss, of farm couples retiring and moving to town, of women and men striving to be independent, of going away and coming home.”

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Tuesday, September 3 following the closure of City Hall in observance of the Monday, September 2 Labor Day holiday, with Mondays typically set as the council’s regularly scheduled meeting date. The council addressed a full agenda of matters including the consideration of changing Waukon’s nomination process for elections, discussion of the Northeast Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund Local Match and discussion of Highway 76 and 9th Street.