Community News

Wed
20
Sep

Kee High alum Ray Burroughs creates “Awesome Rides” calendar to raise funds for his alma mater, feature classic vehicles within the school district area


“Awesome Rides” calendar created to benefit EACSD ... Ray Burroughs (right in above photo) of Waukon, a 1973 graduate of Kee High School, has created a fundraising calendar that encompasses both his fondness for classic vehicles and his high school alma mater. “Awesome Rides” (the cover of which is pictured below) is now available for purchase at several area locations, with all proceeds benefiting activities in the Eastern Allamakee Community School District. Burroughs is pictured above purchasing the first copy of the calendar from Eastern Allamakee Community School District Superintendent and Kee High School Principal Sarah Murray. Submitted images.

A Christmas gift received last year by 1973 Kee High School graduate Ray Burroughs of Waukon has inspired a similar project that he hopes will keep on giving.

After receiving a photo calendar created by his son, Jesse, as a Christmas gift this past December, Burroughs has taken that idea and is trying to make it into a gift of his own that will continue to give to the high school he graduated from 50 years ago. That idea has produced the first edition of “Awesome Rides,” a photo calendar now available for purchase that will not only benefit the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) but also features classic vehicles owned by residents within or individuals otherwise associated with the school district.

“There have been a lot of fundraisers that come and go over the year, but I was thinking this is something that you not only have for the calendar year, but the photos are something you can keep even longer,” Burroughs said.

Wed
20
Sep

Incumbent board members re-elected at the 85th annual meeting for ACEC


Michael Gibbs ...

Cindy Heffern ...

Greg Formanek ...

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative (ACEC) held its 85th annual meeting Monday, September 11 in a drive-through format with another great year of attendance. The board of directors and employees appreciate all members who voted for their board directors and attended the drive-through.

Each member had the opportunity to vote, receive a complimentary gift and take home a hot to-go meal. Cooperative members who voted by mail or during the annual meeting drive-through returned incumbents Michael Gibbs of Waterville and Cindy Heffern of Harpers Ferry to represent District A.

In District C, incumbent Greg Formanek of Farmersburg was also re-elected.

The board of directors will next elect board officers during its September 25 board meeting.
 

Wed
13
Sep

Waukon City Council holds special session to discuss nuisance abatement procedures, follow-through and public expectations

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in special session Monday, September 11 for discussion of nuisance abatement procedures, follow-through and public expectation. This two-hour meeting with approximately 15 residents participating in person or via Zoom web-conferencing covered a variety of nuisance abatement issues and related topics, serving as an information sharing session for the council and members of the general public.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with City Clerk Sarah Snitker noting feedback received from a resident not available to attend the meeting. Snitker further noted that the person commented that they do not like parked vehicles on front yards and how that looks and that ordinances in place should be enforced throughout the community fairly.

Wed
13
Sep

FreedomBank promotes pair of employees to Waukon leadership roles

Barb Shull ...
Barb Shull ...
Kate-Leigh Wilson ...
Kate-Leigh Wilson ...

FreedomBank recently announced the promotion of Barb Shull and Kate-Leigh Wilson to new positions within the organization. This move reflects the bank’s dedication to recognizing and nurturing the talents of its staff.

Barb Shull has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Executive Officer. She is the Waukon location’s “go-to” leader, representing both the markets team and customers within the Executive Officer group.

Kate-Leigh Wilson has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. As an ag lender in Waukon, she has a strong understanding of agriculture and is dedicated to helping FreedomBank’s loan clients achieve success.

Kathy Mueller, President and CEO of FreedomBank, expressed pride in the organization’s culture of success and development, promoting from within. Mueller stated, “We are grateful for Barb and Kate-Leigh’s contributions and look forward to their success in their new roles.”
 

Wed
13
Sep

Allamakee County Veterans Museum program to feature USAF Lt. Col. Beth Shafer

Saturday, September 16 at 10 a.m. the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present another program from its Veterans History Project at its museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. A video interview by Chuck Bloxham with U.S. Air Force veteran Lt. Col. Beth Shafer of Waukon will be played. Lt. Col. Shafer will also be present to share comments and answer questions.

Lt. Col. Beth Shafer served in the U.S. Air Force on both active and reserve duty for 22 years. She attended the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. following graduation. Lt. Col. Shafer then completed pilot training and was later assigned to flight crews on the C-130 Hercules transport plane (such as pictured with this article). After completing active duty, she was employed as a commercial airline pilot by United Air Lines.

The public is invited to attend the program. There is no admission or membership charge. The facility is handicapped accessible.
 

Wed
13
Sep

Midwest Veterans of America seeking nominations for local veterans to honor at November 11 event

Midwest Veterans of America will be hosting a Veterans Day event Saturday, November 11 at AJ’s Steakhouse in Waukon, beginning at 12 noon. A full menu will be available to order from, and Midwest Veterans of America will be honoring 25 local veterans during the event, with those awards being distributed at 1:30 p.m.

Event organizers are seeking nominations of local veterans who will be honored at the event. To nominate a local veteran to be honored, call 563-568-5275.
 

Wed
13
Sep

Burn ban to be issued in Allamakee County

Following a consensus reached by all community fire chiefs in Allamakee County just prior to the press deadline for this edition of The Standard, paperwork is being submitted to the State of Iowa Fire Marshal’s office to institute an open burning ban in Allamakee County, effective immediately and in place until further notice. Allamakee County will join 14 other northeast Iowa counties in instituting a burn ban during the current Extreme Drought conditions in the area. Specifics on burn ban limitations and allowances can be found on the Iowa Fire Marshal’s website at https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions/state-fire-marshal/burn-bans.

Wed
06
Sep

Allamakee County 4-H members exhibit at the Iowa State Fair


Allamakee County 4-H members have exhibits awarded at the Iowa State Fair ... The youth pictured above are just some of the nearly 20 Allamakee County 4-H members who had their Allamakee County Fair projects advance to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines this year. Pictured above, left to right, are: Front row - Braelyn Zurcher, Hailey Miller, Denver Mezera, Sophia Palmer, Tegan Dahlstrom, Breelyn Dahlstrom, Issac Johanningmeier; Middle row - Marlin Hager, Ali Melcher, Brielle Gavin, Madilyn Benda, Allia Ericson, Eli Schobert; Back row - Lauren White, Isabelle White, Thomas Wilkes. Submitted photo.

Allamakee County 4-H members exhibits were on display this past month in the Bruce L. Rastetter 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair, held August 10-20 in Des Moines. There were about 3,200 static exhibits and over 1,000 communication event performances. The exhibits displayed this year were showcasing excellence in project area learning by 4-H members across the state of Iowa.

Divisions young people may exhibit in include agriculture and natural resources, creative arts, family and consumer sciences, personal development, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The exhibits display at the Iowa State Fair is a celebration of the educational and personal accomplishments of Iowa 4-H members. It is a way for 4-H members to share what they’ve learned with the public.

Wed
06
Sep

Storm sewer project continues at 1st Avenue and 1st Street NW; Discoveries, challenges with replacing 100-year-old infrastructure extend project time frame


To there, from here ... Photos above show the ending and starting points of the current storm sewer replacement project taking place on 1st Avenue NW and 1st Street NW in Waukon. Each photo (from the project’s early stages) shows not only the more modern concrete box culverts that will be reconnected by the project, including the source flow area of the project on 1st Avenue SW and the receiving flow area of the project on 1st Street SW, but also shows the openings of the section of older storm sewer being bypassed, originally created in a laid-up rock arch format more than a century ago. Those century-old openings of the storm sewer line that has run under the two-story building and property that formerly housed the McMillan 66 gas station on the southwest corner of that intersection will be capped off as part of the project, with the new pre-cast concrete storm sewer instead being rerouted underneath the direction of each street involved, heading east underneath 1st Avenue SW to its intersection with 1st Street SW (as depicted in the lower photo of the excavated area), where the line will then head south to complete the replacement project connection in an effort to improve storm water flow from northwest Waukon. Skyline Construction, a division of Bruening Rock Products, is the contractor for the project, which has been taking place since the beginning of August and is expected to continue for at least another month into October. Standard photos by Joe Moses.

by Joe Moses

Waukon City Manager Gary Boden provided an update to The Standard relating to the storm sewer replacement project taking place on 1st Street NW and 1st Avenue NW. This ongoing work is visible to the public just a block north of Main Street in downtown Waukon near McMillan Muffler, The Standard Newspaper, The Copy Shoppe, Side Street Cycles and Kurth Plumbing and Heating, among other area businesses.

Boden shared with The Standard that the storm sewer project is progressing, with some slow-down resulting as necessary excavation and planning adjustments are taking place. Boden noted some challenges relating to this project including some difficulty in locating a water main among other variables as 100-plus-year-old infrastructure is being replaced.

Wed
06
Sep

Special meeting set for September 11 to discuss City of Waukon nuisance abatement ordinance

The Waukon City Council will be holding a special meeting Monday, September 11 at Waukon City Hall, beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will focus on the City’s Nuisance Abatement Ordinance and will involve discussion of such matters as lawn mowing, weeds, sidewalk snow removal, junk cars and other issues.

Public feedback is welcome and encouraged in a civil manner involving open conversation with members of the Waukon City Council. Discussion will center around what the City ordinances state, how the City plans to address them moving forward, what the public can expect and/or if there are any changes that need to be implemented and what those changes may be.

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