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Wed
10
Aug

Senator Grassley holds town hall meeting in Lansing as part of his annual 99-county tour


Senator Charles Grassley addressed a crowd of approximately 70 individuals at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center in Lansing Thursday, August 4 during the Allamakee County stop of his annual 99-county tour. Issues discussed during Grassley's visit included immigration reform, Medicare reimbursement, Social Security, the Zika virus, the closing of the Blumenthal plant in Lansing, sustainable energy and the minimum wage. Photo by B.J. Tomlinson.

by B.J. Tomlinson

As a scheduled stop on his annual 99-county town hall tour, Republican Senator Charles Grassley met with a crowd of approximately 70 area residents for about an hour in Lansing Thursday, August 4 for his Allamakee County visit. Grassley answered questions and encouraged everyone to contact him whenever they have any concerns or questions.

Topics discussed included immigration reform, Medicare reimbursement, Social Security, the Zika virus, the closing of the Lansing Blumenthal plant, sustainable energy  and the minimum wage.  Grassley's briefest answer of the day concerned the question, "Do you support Donald Trump?" His answer was, "Yes", but he did not offer any other comments.

Wed
10
Aug

Waukon to be featured on KCRG TV's "Our Town" series August 19

Waukon will be featured in an “Our Town” segment hosted by the KCRG television news station (Channel 9 locally) Friday, August 19. "Our Town" is a featured series each summer by the KCRG station which typically airs during the early evening news broadcasts with live television spots.

According to information received by the Waukon Chamber of Commerce, the "Our Town" broadcast in Waukon will be featuring segments on WW Homestead Dairy and Steel Cow. KCRG is also working on featuring a story about Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the former Tierney's building on the corner of Main Street and Spring Avenue in downtown Waukon. KCRG television news anchor Beth Malicki will also be doing a segment on this year’s Toilet Bowl Races being held Friday, August 19 during the annual Waukon Corn Days event.

Wed
10
Aug

Representative Patti Ruff hosts listening post to gather input on Iowa's Medicaid privatization


Patti Ruff of Iowa House of Representatives District 56 and State Senator Joe Bolkcom, Vice Chair of the Senate Human Resources Committee, co-hosted a listening post session in the Community Room at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon Wednesday, August 10 for the purpose of gathering information from the public in regard to the privatization of Medicaid that took place in the state of Iowa earlier this year. The meeting involved area health care and service providers, as well as individuals and families directly impacted by the Medicaid privatization, with many weighing in with their own personal experiences and frustrations with how the process has transpired since its inception in April this year. Photo by Joe Moses.

by Joe Moses

State Representative Patti Ruff of McGregor hosted a listening post sessions with northeast Iowa residents and health care providers at Waukon's Robey Memorial Library Community Room Wednesday, August 3 to discuss their concerns with Iowa's move to Medicaid privatization. Iowa moved to a privatized system April 1 of this year following a delay in receiving federal approval. The program change was originally planned with a January 1 start date.

“I’ve heard from several Iowa families and health care providers who have issues with Medicaid privatization,” said Ruff. “Our goal is to gather more information from local citizens and provide more information and answers to those who are affected.”

Wed
10
Aug

Community Pride kicking off campaign to fund paved parking area, terraced wall at Memory Gardens in Waukon City Park


A donation of $2,000 from the Waukon Lions Club kicks off a fundraising drive for a paved parking area and terraced wall and walkway leading to Memory Gardens in the Waukon City Park. Pictured above at the donation presentation (left to right) are Bud Strike and Wayne Burk of the Community Pride Committee and Rosean and Tom Phipps of the Waukon Lions Club. Pictured below is a sketch of the proposed parking area to be located along Eleventh Avenue SW where the current gravel parking area is located. Also visible in the sketch (labeled A, B and C) toward the bottom of the image below are the series of wall terraces that will support the hillside from the Memory Gardens area to the parking area, with a series of steps (pictured at far left in the image below) providing access up and down the hill. Submitted photos.

Lions Club donates initial $2,000 to the project, Waukon couple pledges to match up to $15,000 in raised funds
 

Memory Gardens lies in the southwest corner of the Waukon City Park, adjacent to both Indian Springs Pond and Eleventh Avenue SW. The area has been developed over the past 10 years by a volunteer group called Community Pride utilizing all voluntarily donated contributions; no taxpayer money has been involved in its development.

Wed
10
Aug

Supervisors discuss fall ATV ride, reject all bids for Breezy Corners Road paving

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 8 to discuss a variety of items including a scheduled ATV ride this fall, consideration of the Mississippi Gaming Commission grant submission, and the paving of a portion of Breezy Corners Road. During the Public Comment portion of the meeting, Bruce Palmborg was present on behalf of Main Street Lansing, and he encouraged the Supervisors to consider paving Columbus Road. Palmborg said that this project is worthwhile and should be looked at using the same criteria as the Breezy Corners pavement project.

Wed
03
Aug

Supervisors open bids for paving of portion of Breezy Corners Road, approve holding meetings at county libraries on occasion

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 1 with a full agenda including the consideration of bids for paving a portion of Breezy Corners Road, the solid waste contract extension and the discussion of changing the Board of Supervisors meeting location on occasion. There were no comments made during the Public Comments portion of the meeting with no members of the public present.

Coordinator of Disability Services Kim Waters provided an update regarding the County Social Services meeting that was held July 27 at Titonka Savings Bank in Forest City. Waters provided some mental health statistics that were discussed at the meeting. On average nationally, Waters relayed that 61% of prison inmates have mental health problems and 40% of those have chronic mental prescriptions. The next County Social Services meeting will be held August 11.

Wed
03
Aug

Beneficial insect being released in Allamakee County to help manage the invasive Emerald Ash Borer

Mount Hosmer in Lansing is second location in Iowa to receive pests' natural enemy; harmless to humans
 

Beneficial insects are scheduled to be introduced at some point during this next week or so at Mount Hosmer City Park in Lansing for a biocontrol measure of the emerald ash borer (EAB). These very small stingless wasps target and kill EAB, a devastating exotic pest of ash trees. This control approach known as biological control reunites natural enemies with an invasive pest, in this case to help suppress EAB populations.

Following rigorous testing and research, one or more parasitic wasp species, native to Asia, have been released in 24 of the 27 states where EAB has been detected. Nearly two months ago this biocontrol effort in Iowa began in Fairfield in Jefferson County in southeast Iowa. Additional sites will be utilized pending resources and approval.

Wed
03
Aug

Senator Grassley to hold town meeting in Lansing Thursday

Senator Chuck Grassley will hold a town meeting in Allamakee County Thursday, August 4 as part of his annual 99 county meetings. That Thursday meeting is open to the general public and is scheduled to take place from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center located at 370 Main Street in Lansing.

With these meetings, Grassley will continue his long-standing practice of holding meetings with Iowans in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties every year. Grassley has held a meeting in every county, every year since he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. His question-and-answer sessions are open topic and cover whatever subjects those attending choose to raise.

Wed
03
Aug

Allamakee County 4-H members advance to Iowa State Fair ...


Allamakee County 4-H members advance to Iowa State Fair ...

These Allamakee County 4-H members pictured above are among those who advanced to the Iowa State Fair with their projects or exhibits presented at the Allamakee County Fair. Left to right - Front row: Miranda Reinhardt, Madelyn Helgerson, Taya Duehr, Katelyn Leiran, Rachel Rosendahl, Andrew Mellick. Second row: Gus Pladsen, Carley Sweeney, Travis Fish, Brandon Bieber, Austin Schutte, Katie Lydon. Third row: Katelyn Monroe, Ashley Liddiard, Allie Bieber, Maddie Moser, Madalyn Palmer, Diana Davison. Fourth row: Denzel Decker, Jeremy Bieber, Katelyn Benzing, Christa Heffern, Shelby Wyninger, Devin Bieber. Not pictured: Jenna Schutte, Daniel Gruman, Teddy Holthaus, Violet Holthaus, Bethany Stock. Submitted photo.

Wed
03
Aug

Nominations sought by ACED for 2016 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Business Award

Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) is seeking nominations for the 2016 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award. To be eligible, the recipient must be a business located in Allamakee County.

ACED will accept nominations until Thursday, September 15 of this year. Award winner announcement and ceremony will be at the ACED Annual Banquet in October. The award recipient will receive a plaque and will be added to the Award Plaque that is displayed at the ACED office.

Mike Ferring Construction of Waukon was the 2015 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award winner. ACED looks forward to announcing another business that is making a positive impact at its annual meeting this October.

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