Community News

FreedomBank of Elkader, Monona, Postville, and Waukon has promoted James Moritz to President.  Moritz, who has 35 years of banking experience with FreedomBank, has been involved in credit, ALCO, trust, and executive leadership. He has been Market President of the Monona location for the past six years and a member of the board of directors since 2019.

Moritz succeeds Kathy Mueller, a 45-year banker who served as President from 2020-2026. Mueller will retain her role as CEO of FreedomBank and President of the bank’s holding company, FreedomBank Shares, Inc.

Pladsen Chevrolet automotive technicians Drew Adam and Brian Wullner (left to right in the submitted photo at right) were recently honored with Mark of Excellence Awards for ranking among the Top 20 Performing General Motors (GM) Service Technicians in the Midwest Region. The General Motors Mark of Excellence Service Technician Award recognizes the top 20 performing service technicians within each General Motors zone. It honors the industry’s highest achievers in fixed-right-first-time (FIRTFT) metrics, product knowledge, and continued General Motors certification. Technicians are evaluated on their annual diagnostic skills, productivity, Gold/Master Level training certifications, and customer satisfaction (CSI) scores.

Saturday, July 4, the Allamakee County Veterans Museum at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no admission charge. The public is welcome to visit for tours, and the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Auxiliary will be providing cookies and beverages for the Fourth of July event.

The Veterans Museum honors the service and sacrifice of Allamakee County veterans who have served the United States in uniform throughout the years.

Guided tours will be given of exhibits from the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and all post 9-11 conflicts. Patriotic music from all eras will be played.

All local veteran videos in the museum library will be available for presentation on request. Donations of additional pictures to the Veteran Honor Walls will be welcome.
 

Midwest Veterans of America will be hosting an America 250 event Saturday, July 4 at the Waukon City Park to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. All area Veterans and their family and friends are invited to a cookout at the Sweeney Shelter near the Freedom Rock in the Waukon City Park, beginning at 11 a.m.

Those attending are asked to bring a salad or a dessert to pass, all other items for the cookout event will be provided. There will also be a live auction with proceeds from that auction being donated to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. The musical anthem for each branch of the U.S. military will be played as all Veterans will be honored for their service.

At 1 p.m., group photos of all Veterans in attendance will be taken, including photos grouped by branch of military service. These photos will then be hung in the Allamakee County Veterans Museum on Allamakee Street in Waukon.

Ric Zarwell of Lansing, chair of the Friends of Pool 9 “Turtle Conservation Project” committee, reports that compassion abounds in the community of New Albin for mother turtles and their offspring. He notes that a number of residents of New Albin have been busy placing screens over an abundance of recent turtle nests where eggs have been laid. The screens prevent raccoons, opossums, skunks, dogs and cats, etc. from destroying the eggs. This also allows new turtle hatchlings to be collected and returned to their preferred habitats.

In another recent demonstration of caring for turtles in the New Albin community, Wednesday, June 10, children at Grotegut’s Daycare in New Albin made sure that compassion and care for local turtles took a major leap forward.

Upon finding a severely injured Painted Turtle, the children took it upon themselves to rescue the turtle and provide it as much comfort as possible in a box.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session at the Postville Public Library as part of the board’s annual schedule of offsite meeting locations to include libraries within the county. The Supervisors addressed a full agenda of matters including the discussion and consideration of purchasing a patrol vehicle to include electronic equipment, the consideration of a Temporary Road Closure Resolution for the Bridge Replacement on Bigfoot Road, and the discussion and consideration of a County Courthouse flagpole purchase and installation.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark with Supervisors Dan Byrnes and Dennis Keatley present. During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) provided an update relating to recent and upcoming events within the county.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, June 15 to address a full agenda of matters including an informational update relating to the Waukon Forward group and potential project funding, discussion with Republic Services relating to Residential Waste Collection Services, and the review and consideration of the Year 1 Sidewalk Condition Assessment Program. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with council members present including Cassie Handke, John Lydon, Steve Wiedner, Nic Engrav and Tim Smedsrud.

During Public Comment, resident Clint Rethamel addressed the council and requested clarification and greater transparency relating to his variance request which has been remanded back to the Board of Adjustment.

The annual Awana Grand Prix car race was held at First Baptist Church in Waukon Wednesday, April 1. Twelve cars raced down the track in a double elimination race, vying for first-, second- and third-place trophies for speed and displaying their creativity in design.

The festivities began with pledges to the American flag, the Awana flag, and the Bible. This was followed by a challenge by Brent Beyer to the racers competing in the race to participate not necessarily to just win. Starter chairman Jeff Goettel then began the race.

Larry Gelo interviewed racers as they came to each heat. Finish line monitors were Melanie Harrington and Trevor Round, who attended the cars at the bottom of the track. Spectators that included family and friends watched as the winners were determined and awards given. All racers received a ribbon for participating.

The first-ever Lansing Liberty Motorcycle Rally is scheduled to be held in Lansing and travel throughout the surrounding tri-state area this Thursday-Sunday, June 11–14. In addition to well over 100 motorcycles registered to attend the event, area residents are invited to also take part in events scheduled to take place late this week in conjunction with the rally.

This riverfront rally is designed to bring riders, community, and Main Street together for a four-day celebration. Set against the bluffs and the Mississippi River, this inaugural event will fill downtown with motorcycles, live music, food, drinks, vendors, and small-town American pride, with the opportunity for rally participants from all over to discover what Lansing and the surrounding area have to offer.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon invites the community to an educational presentation featuring veteran Iditarod dog musher Karen Land Saturday, June 13 at 2 p.m. in the library’s lower level Community Room.

This special event is part of Robey Memorial Library’s Live & Learn: Enriching Lives Through Monthly Learning Series and is designed for “kids” of all ages - from preschoolers to retirees. Karen Land brings 25 years of mushing experience to the stage, offering a firsthand look at the world of long-distance sled dog racing, including the legendary Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Audiences will meet Sophia, Land’s eight-year-old Alaskan husky and the star of the show. The presentation will also offer the unique opportunity to interact with a real sled dog.