Community News

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is beginning a Reader of the Month program during this month of September. Anyone can sign themselves or their child up for consideration to be featured as a Robey Memorial Library Reader of the Month.

Any Robey Memorial Library reader, whether reading or listening to books, can participate. Library staff will select a new Reader of the Month to post on the library’s website and social media platforms monthly. Readers may share a little about themselves and books they love to read. The Reader of the Month feature will also have a link to the library’s catalog of the featured reader’s booklist.

Stop in to the library or complete the consideration form online at www.waukon.lib.ia.us/services/programs/RoM. Contact Robey Memorial Library at 563-568-4424 or visit www.waukon.lib.ia.us with any further questions.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 31 at the New Albin Public Library as part of the board’s annual tour of county libraries. The board addressed a variety of agenda items including a resolution requesting reimbursement from the Iowa COVID-19 Government Relief Fund, the Second Reading of an amendment to the Allamakee County Zoning Ordinance and an update relating to the New Albin Public Library.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke of Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) discussed the Eitzen, MN Lions Club’s Fall ATV/UTV Ride that took place Saturday, August 29 as a scholarship fundraiser for students at Caledonia, Kee and Waukon High Schools in Minnesota and Iowa.

The Waukon Inn, owned and operated by Roberta Palmer, has recently opened for business once again at its new location. Following the sale of its long-time building location on Rossville Road in the southern part of Waukon, Palmer relocated the Waukon Inn within the kitchen and dining facility at the Northeast Iowa Equity Sales Commission located at 1645 State Highway 76 North approximately two miles north of Waukon.

Palmer has been self-employed in the dining business since 1997. She and her husband live in Luana but have been involved in the business for the past 23 years. “We’ve really been looking forward to seeing everyone again,” Palmer shared in regard to opening at her new location.

Six new metal hitching rails have been installed in the Creekside Equestrian Campground at Yellow River State Forest near Harpers Ferry. The rails were purchased in a cooperative effort between Friends of Yellow River State Forest, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)/Yellow River State Forest,  the Iowa Horse Council and Palmer Repair of Waukon. Five additional hitching rails have been ordered, with plans for more cooperative financing to replace all the hitching rails in both equestrian campgrounds over the next several years in Yellow River State Forest. For more information about Friends of Yellow River State Forest check out the group’s social media presence. Submitted photo.

A slower start to this past week in number of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 for Allamakee County picked up a bit of steam as the week wore on, ultimately resulting in five new cases for Allamakee County this past week. Those five new cases leave Allamakee County at 168 total cases, according to the State of Iowa, which also lists that 141 of those cases have since recovered as of Monday, August 24.

From Monday, August 17 through Thursday, August 20, the State of Iowa listed no new cases being reported for Allamakee County, but that trend began to change through the weekend. Both Friday and Saturday, August 21-22 each had one new case listed, with Sunday, August 23 seeing two new cases and Monday, August 24 returning to one new case.

A new dining establishment in Waukon opened for business August 4, as Lid’s Bar and Grill in southwest Waukon looks to fill a niche in the local community following the loss of a pair of prominent dining venues in Waukon within the last couple years due to devastating fires. Dan Liddiard, owner of West Side Auto Sales, recognized that need and opportunity, and has renovated a portion of his auto sales building located at 1350 Ninth Street SW into what he hopes will be a destination that helps fill the void created by the unfortunate losses of Mulligan’s Grill Pub in January 2018 and Dave’s Gus & Tony’s Pizza and Steakhouse in February of this year.

“Our town was in need, and we love the public and our little community,” Liddiard said. “It’s home.”

“Imagine Your Story” Summer Reading Program (SRP) 2020 at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon has come to an end. A simplified version of both the teen and kids Summer Reading Program was held due to COVID-19 allowing families to make as few as one trip into the library to participate.

The 4-Week Reading Challenge ran from July 6-August 1 with participants marking their reading and/or activities and play on an Activity Card. Kids, ages infant to sixth grade, had the choice of completing 1-10 spaces, 11-20 spaces or blacking out the Activity Card to receive weekly prizes in addition to adding their name to three different prize drawings for a Book-Movie-Plushy Combo, Magna Tiles Ice set, or Ice Cream with the Librarian. A total of 58 children registered, and 29 participated with a total of 792 activities completed.

Allamakee County experienced its highest weekly confirmed case total of COVID-19 reported by the State of Iowa since early July this past week, as eight new cases were reported within the past week to raise the county total to 163 cases as of Monday, August 17. For the typical Tuesday-Monday timeframe reported each week in The Standard, those eight cases are second only to 10 cases reported for Allamakee County by the State of Iowa in the first full week in July in looking back over the past three months.

This past week’s eight cases include the first three-day stretch of reported multiple daily cases since the end of April, as three consecutive days this past week, Thursday-Saturday, August 13-15, each had two cases reported. A fourth consecutive day with a positive case, Sunday, August 16, saw one case reported, with the past week starting with another single case reported Tuesday, August 11.

The State Library of Iowa has announced that Robey Memorial Library in Waukon has met the conditions for state accreditation as outlined in “In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards Sixth Edition.”

Achieving accreditation requires a significant, ongoing local commitment to high quality library services. Robey Memorial Library has been recognized for its efforts in all areas of library operations including governance and funding, staffing, library collection, services, public relations, access and facilities. The accreditation is valid through June 30, 2023.

“The director and board of trustees of Robey Memorial Library and the City of Waukon are to be commended for this achievement and their commitment to excellence in public library services for their community,” said State Librarian Michael Scott.

The St. Paul’s United Methodist Women’s Group has installed a new Free Little Library and Food Pantry at the church. The church building is located at 27 Second Avenue NW with the library/pantry located outside the back of the church along First Street NW by the lounge door entry to the church, as pictured above in the photo at right. Stocked with non-perishable food items and a variety of books, as pictured above in the photo at left, those who are in need of food are invited to help themselves, and there are also many book options to read and share. Those who have questions about the recently added amenity are asked to contact the church office at 563-568-3678. Submitted photos.