Community News

The Waukon Fire Department had an initial call for a possible natural gas smell at one location turn into an actual fire call at an adjacent location around midday Friday, December 6. An initial 9-1-1 call dispatched the department volunteers to the intersection of Ninth Street and West Main Street for what was thought to be a natural gas smell. After being unable to pinpoint the source of the smell that would come and go, fire officials on their way back to the station instead noticed smoke and flames coming from a grain bin dryer at the Waukon Feed Ranch mill location along Ninth Street SW. Waukon Feed Ranch General Manager Brad Herman said the 2,000-bushel dryer full of corn had somehow caught fire, with the cause of the fire yet undetermined and still under investigation. Herman said maintenance and cleaning had just been conducted on that same dryer four hours prior to the fire.

The Allamakee County Relief Office is hosting its “We Care” Christmas Tree, which is located at Hartig Drug on Main Street in Waukon this year. The “We Care” tree will have tags to be selected from the tree with general information about Christmas gift ideas for children living in Allamakee County who are less fortunate.

Based on the information on the tag, those gifts can be purchased and returned to the Allamakee County Relief Office in Waukon by December 10 for distribution to those children in time for Christmas. For more information about the “We Care” Christmas Tree, call the Allamakee County Relief Office at 563-568-3591.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, December 2 to address a short agenda of items with discussion of several police department considerations and requests for direction including staffing, past due parking fines and upgraded radios.

During Public Comment, Director Ardie Kuhse with Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) briefly discussed the Lighted Holiday Parade that took place earlier that same evening. Kuhse mentioned the participation of businesses and organizations and that the event was well attended downtown.

Under Departmental Reports, Police Chief Paul Wagner discussed ongoing work relating to establishing programs. Street Superintendent Keith Burrett discussed work completed relating to the replacement of ground fault circuit interrupter (GFI) outlets which was necessary for the lighted holiday decorations.

U.S. Senator from Minnesota Amy Klobuchar, one of the Democratic candidates for President of the United States, will be conducting a Meet & Greet event this Saturday in Waukon to discuss issues with area residents and visitors. The Meet & Greet event will be taking place from 8:45-10 a.m. at the Waukon Wellness Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW in Waukon.
 

The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a Holiday Gift Drive to help make the holiday season special for local children. The Sheriff’s Office is accepting donated gifts for children at the Allamakee County Public Safety Center location at 877 Highway 9, just north of Waukon.

Donated gifts will be provided to families that are struggling to make ends meet this holiday season. All gifts will be distributed through the Allamakee County Relief Office.

Gifts should be new items in their original packaging and should be designated for youth ages birth to 17 years of age. Donated gifts should be dropped off at the Sheriff’s Office by Thursday, December 12.

For more information, contact the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office at 563-568-4521.
 

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 25 to address a full agenda of items including the Re-Canvass of the EACSD District 2 race, the appointment of two County Sheriff’s Department transport officers and use of the County credit card for recurring billing of shift planning software for the Sheriff’s Department.

Monday, November 11, the Waukon Police Department investigated a burglary that had been reported at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon. Through the course of the ensuing  investigation, video camera footage showed 22-year-old Joshua P. Tischer of La Crosse, WI as the suspect in the burglary at the church.

Also, on the same day, the Waukon Police Department received a report of a theft from a residence that Tischer had gone to in search of a phone in order to contact a family member to pick him up. Tischer had been released from the Allamakee County Jail earlier that same day on a signature bond from an arrest that had taken place just the day before when the Waukon Police Department received a report of a vehicle burglary which occurred on Rossville Road in Waukon and Tischer was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary (aggravated misdemeanor) and possession of burglary tools (aggravated misdemeanor) as a result of that investigation.

TASC, Inc. was presented with a Governor’s Volunteer Award for outstanding commitment and service. The award was presented to TASC at a special recognition ceremony held Thursday, October 31 at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls. TASC was nominated by Tina Greenfield at the Iowa Department of Transportation for this award for participating in Iowa’s Adopt-A-Highway program for the past 10 years. Pictured above, left to right, at the award presentation are Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Sheila Schulte, Laura Miller and Vicky Phipps of TASC, Inc., and University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nook. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, November 18 to address a full agenda of items including a presentation relating to health care coverage for City employees, the first reading of a nuisance abatement ordinance relating to dead trees on private property and bids received for a Park and Recreation Department vehicle.

During Public Comment, Director Ardie Kuhse with Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) provided a recap of Veterans Memorial Hospital’s (VMH) Christmas Fantasy event that was held over the weekend, which she described as being well attended while drawing many from outside of the Waukon area. Kuhse also discussed the scheduled closure of the Mayo Clinic in Waukon December 14, advising that she has contacted Iowa Works and that meetings are scheduled this week to assist displaced Mayo Clinic employees with services including job search and training.

The Little Switzerland FFA chapter of Waukon High School has been recognized in the 2019 National Chapter Award Program from the National FFA Organization. The program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters from throughout the country that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.