Community News

Waukon High School both welcomed the newest members from this year (pictured at right) into its local chapter of the National Honor Society and honored those not able to be formally recognized last year (pictured below) at an induction ceremony held Thursday, March 18 at Waukon High School. Pictured at right are this year’s new inductees, left to right - Front row: Abby Wiemerslage, Vivian Khan, Hailey Houg, Kiara Ahlstrom, Madelyn Helgerson, Justine Sullivan; Second row: Brenna Berns, Meridian Snitker, Hannah Teslow, Ashlyn Johnson, Brinley Jones, Ella O’Neill, Emily Bieber; Third row: Tanner Kiel, Vicente Quiroz, Lincoln Snitker, Logan Delaney; Back row: Elliot Kooiker, Aidan Jones, Andrew Osmonson, Braden Hemann, Drew Stock. Not pictured: Hayley Christensen, Janett Farning, Braxton Stewart.

A one-time topic of banter between young co-workers came to full-circle reality this past week, as a long-standing community business is now under new ownership in Waukon.

Once working together in their early careers as powersports enthusiasts, northeast Iowa natives John Jennerjohn and Brody Meier are now back together again as new owners of Iron Hill Harley-Davidson and Iron Hill Powersports after having purchased the long-standing Waukon Harley-Davidson and Waukon Powersports from community pillars Irv Fosaaen and Patty Nordheim.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon provides in-library browsing, reading and computer use during regular hours - Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. During National Library Week, April 4-10, Robey Memorial Library encourages all community members to visit their website to explore and access virtual services and programs as well. Robey Memorial Library offers a wide array of online resources that are available from the comfort of home, including:

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon will be hosting its first Main Street Story Walk of 2021 featuring the children’s story “The Great Eggscape!” by Jory John. In the month of April, families are encouraged to read this story as they stroll the downtown area, according to the map pictured above. When joining in the fun, participants are reminded to practice social distancing and to be attentive when crossing streets for the safety and health of all. Eight selected businesses have a portion of the story posted in the front window of their establishment for viewing from the sidewalk. Each stop along the story walk will direct participants to the next location. Selected locations for this first event of 2021 taking place during April are located on West Main Street, West Street and First Avenue SW in Waukon and include the following business locations (to be followed in the numerical order as labeled in the map above): 1. Freedom Bank; 2. Waukon Chamber of Commerce; 3.

The St. Pat’s RoboCats robotics team from St. Patrick School in Waukon has qualified for the virtual FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Challenge State Championship to be hosted by the College of Engineering at Iowa State University. Under the guidance of St. Patrick School fourth grade teacher Loretta Schafer, the RoboCats will be one of 31 teams from across the state of Iowa competing in this virtual event being held this Saturday, March 27, with the RoboCats team scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. competition time with Judge 4, according to Schafer. FIRST® Lego League officials say only about 25% of teams from across the state get the opportunity to compete in the State competition.

Members of the philanthropic educational organization P.E.O. honored one of their fellow members Saturday, March 20. The group celebrated Mona Campbell of Waukon (pictured in back row, third from left), who observed her 70th year of membership in P.E.O. Members surprised her with a card shower and a visit. Submitted photo.
 

As part of its Religion education “Loved Ones in Heaven” unit in early March, the first grade class of Ms. Thea Meyer at St. Patrick School in Waukon has been incorporating discussion about family members, friends or even their pets in Heaven following their passing. Students were asked to suggest ways that they feel would help them get to Heaven, and they also created a project that listed lost loved ones in a rainbow they colored as it arched over an image of Jesus (group photo at right), with students and staff in the class each sharing their own story of a loved one lost.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in a special session Thursday, March 11 for discussion with the Allamakee County Fair Board relating to a proposed property purchase and Monday, March 15 for a special closed session prior to its regular session that night. Coverage of both meeting dates is included below.

MARCH 11 SPECIAL SESSION
The council met Thursday, March 11 with members of the Allamakee County Fair Board including Treasurer Bobbi Baxter and Adam Bieber to discuss a potential transfer or sale of property to the Fair Board within the Allamakee County Fairgrounds. Bieber and Baxter said that the Fair Board is interested in constructing a new show barn at the Fairgrounds with property ownership being necessary for financing the project. Continued maintenance of other structures was also discussed.

The City of Waukon has filed a Municipal Infraction Civil Citation against Aveka Group, Inc., doing business as Aveka Nutra Processing in Waukon, for what is described in Allamakee County District Court documents as 58 violations of the municipal infraction of Noncompliance with Pretreatment Standard or Requirement by an Industrial User. The infraction citation stems from documented continual wastewater discharges from the Aveka facility in northern Waukon that have measured outside of the acceptable 5-10 pH range of acidity and alkalinity as established in the Wastewater Industrial User Agreement between the City of Waukon and Aveka Nutra Processing.

“Reading Colors Your World” is the theme of Robey Memorial Library’s 2021 Adult Reading Challenge, which continues through December 31 of this year. Robey Memorial Library challenges area individuals to read something new or different this year with the library offering an abundance of items.

Receive a prize drawing entry for reading from one of each of 12 categories: Based on a true story; Book set in one of 49 states (not Iowa); Book that teaches you something; Book with a blue cover; Graphic novel or Picture book; Hobby-themed; Humorous; Listen to an audiobook; Science; Short Story or Essay; Set in another country; and Suspense.