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Results from the Tuesday, November 8 General Election yielded differing results in the most localized races, Allamakee County voters retaining an incumbent in one contested race while helping oust another. Allamakee County Board of Supervisors incumbent Republican Dennis Koenig of Postville was able to fend off another challenge from Mark Reiser of Lansing, while Republican Kristi Hager of Waukon ended up defeating two-term incumbent Democrat Patti Ruff of McGregor in District 56 of the Iowa House of Representatives.

According to the Allamakee County Auditor's office, this year's General Election saw 7,034 ballots cast representing 69.62% of the 10,104 registered voters in Allamakee County. That ballot total, according to the Auditor's office, exceeded those same counts for each of the previous three Presidential elections, with the 2012 election featuring 6,633 ballots cast, 6,580 being cast in 2008 and 6,356 being tallied in the 2004 election.

The Waukon Park and Recreation Wellness Department is seeking information on vandalism and thefts that have taken place at the Waukon City Park in recent weeks. Among those incidents was the October 30 destruction of this drop box (pictured at right) located near the Waukon City Park entrance for the collection of American flags to be properly and respectfully retired. As evident in the photo, the vandals pried open the locked bottom door of the drop box, bending it out of usable shape, and then proceeded to take the flags inside the box and leave them laying throughout the park. The drop box was one of two created by Waukon High School senior and Boy Scout Tyler O'Neill as his Eagle Scout project, and will now require replacement or extensive repair.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 14 to address a variety of topics including the Public Safety Center pay request, English Bench and Little Paint Watershed repairs and acknowledging the retirement of a valued Secondary Roads Department employee.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2016 will be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 11, 12, 13 and 14 at the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “25 Years of Caring and Sharing” in honor of the 25th anniversary of this annual community event.  In addition to the numerous decorated Christmas trees, this year's event will again offer many, many shopping opportunities on the silent auction.

by Lissa Blake

When Waukon’s Keith Bresnahan reflects upon the time he spent serving his country from 2001-2005, there is nothing he regrets.
“If I were young, I’d do it again,” said Bresnahan in reflection of his military duty.

Bresnahan, a 2001 Waukon High School graduate, is the son of Lee and Jacky Bresnahan of Waukon.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army immediately after high school. He said at the time it seemed like a better option than going to college.

Bresnahan headed to basic training in Fort Benning, GA in June of 2001. He was just short of graduating from basic training when the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center occurred.

Bresnahan was training in infantry as part of the 1st Battalion 36 Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. After 9/11 happened, he said the training and drills took on more significance for all of them.

Waukon native Jim Fossum, who now lives in Sun City West, AZ, has been fortunate enough to remain in contact with some of the men he served in the U.S. Air Force with during the Vietnam War, getting together on a somewhat consistent basis with a couple of them since their days in uniform. Several years ago, that reunion took a more native twist when Fossum hosted those two fellow veterans for several days in his own hometown, and this year's reunion proved to be even more special, as that reunion group expanded to six former fly mates.

October 28 a group of individuals from the Good Samaritan Society-Waukon were able to reach out to nine senior citizens living in the local community, as staff members raked yards for seniors citizens. Prior to this day, staff and volunteers also helped change light bulbs, put in hand rails and build a ramp for three other senior families.

Unofficial results from Allamakee County in the November 8 General Election show that incumbent Board of Supervisors candidate Dennis Koenig held off another challenge from this time unaffiliated challenger Mark Reiser by a final vote total of 3,511-2,778. Unofficial districtwide election results for the Iowa House of Representatives District 56 race shows Republican challenger Kristi Hager of Waukon ousting incumbent Democrat Patti Ruff by an unofficial total of 7,881-6,587, with that margin coming from Allamakee County, where Hager held a 4,127-2,710 advantage. Full coverage of the Allamakee County vote totals will appear in the November 16 issue of The Standard.

Voters are scheduled to go to the polls Tuesday, November 8 to cast their selections for the 2016 General Election. A sample ballot of the respective races within each level of government in this year's election was published on Page 4B in the October 26 issue of this newspaper.

A listing of polling sites for all 11 of the county's precincts was also printed on Page 4B in that October 26 issue. Election polls will be open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

INFORMED CHOICES
In an effort to help inform voters prior to their venture to the polls November 8, The Standard issued a questionnaire to each of the candidates in the area races being contested on this year’s General Election ballot. The series of questions asked and each candidate’s responses to those questions begins below and continues to additional pages, as noted, inside this week’s issue.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds joined Principal Katie Fahey and many other St. Patrick School supporters at the Parents’ Group chili supper fundraiser held Wednesday, October 19 at St. Patrick Church Hall in Waukon. Branstad’s surprise attendance at the event was the result of an invitation from Bob and Kristi Hager of Waukon. When asked to share a few words with those in attendance, Branstad expressed his support for a Catholic education, sharing that both his children and grandchildren attended Catholic schools. In visiting with Principal Fahey, the Governor was very happy to hear that St. Patrick School has benefited from the special STEM Scale-Up Grants available to Iowa schools through the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. Principal Fahey was able to share that the STEM Scale-Up Grant money received by St.