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Monday, June 13 at approximately 2:19 p.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff's Dispatch Center received a report of a suspicious vehicle parked at the Army Road boat ramp east of New Albin along the Mississippi River. An initial investigation by law enforcement indicated an individual had been fishing from the dock at that location. A search of the immediate area by law enforcement for the individual was unsuccessful, and the New Albin Fire and Rescue and Lansing Fire and Rescue units were called in to conduct a search of the river.
At approximately 4:47 p.m., the body of 46-year-old Peter C. Englund was located underwater, near the dock. A preliminary investigation indicates Englund had been fishing from the dock and had fallen into the river. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 17th Annual WMT Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade, sponsored by News Radio 600 WMT AM, will be traversing the Allamakee County area early next week, with Waukon as its central point of departure and arrival and the Allamakee County Fairgrounds being the staging area Sunday through Wednesday, June 12-15. Organizers of this year's event expect 480 pre-registered participating tractors on the ride this year, with hundreds of other individuals supporting those drivers.

For those not familiar with the Tractorcade, many people compare it to RAGBRAI, only with tractors. The event provides an opportunity for tractor collectors and enthusiasts to celebrate their hobby and farm heritage together.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a pair of regular sessions this past week due to the Memorial Day holiday falling on the Board's usual Monday meeting day, May 3. Coverage of both the Board's May 31 and June 6 regular sessions appears below.

TUESDAY, MAY 31
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a delayed regular session Tuesday, May 31 due to the Memorial Day holiday falling on the Board's usual Monday meeting day. The Board discussed such items as the use of the Allamakee County Courthouse grounds for a Bible reading marathon, the Wennes Communications tower lease agreement and applying dust control on gravel roads that have added traffic due to road closures on pavements.

Unofficial final results for the June 7 Primary Election in Allamakee County show incumbent Supervisor Dennis Koenig of Postville edging out challenger Mark Reiser of Lansing by just 57 votes in their battle for the Republican nomination for the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors seat up for election this year. Koenig's unofficial total was 709 votes, with Reiser tallying 652 votes. In the race for Iowa House District 56, which also includes a portion of Clayton County, Kristi Hager of Dorchester compiled 942 votes to easily win the Republican favor over Lowell Engle, who managed 390 votes among Allamakee County voters. That trend continued overall among District 56 voters for an overall margin of 1,223-497 in favor of Hager.

Thursday, June 2, just after midnight, the Waukon Police Department received a report of a disturbance at 5 Clinton Street in Waukon. As a result of the investigation, 35-year-old Ramon Sepulveda of Postville was arrested and charged with a violation of a no-contact order (as a result of a previous domestic assault), possession of a controlled substance (Methamphetamine), and possession of drug paraphernalia. Sepulveda was arrested and booked into the Allamakee County Jail in Waukon. The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene of the incident. A criminal charge is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Tuesday, June 7 will be the Primary Election to determine which candidates will be representing their respective political parties in the 2016 General Election in November of this year. A sample ballot of the respective races in each of the Republican and Democratic parties was published in the May 25 issue of this newspaper, listing races at the federal, state and county levels for voters to make their selections in.

A listing of polling sites for all 11 of the county's precincts was also published in that May 25 issue. Election polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.

INFORMED CHOICES
In an effort to help inform voters prior to their venture to the polls June 7, The Standard issued a questionnaire to each of the candidates in the local races being contested on this year’s Primary ballot. The series of questions asked and each candidate’s responses are published in the June 1 edition of The Standard.

The Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board would like to invite the public to its Annual Dairy Days Parade, which will be held in Lansing Monday, June 6, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The parade will start at Kee High School, travel through downtown on Main Street, south on Second Street and back west on John and Center Streets to end up at the school.

Those wishing to have an entry in this year’s parade should line up at Kee High School in Lansing between 7-7:15 p.m. Monday. For more information about the parade, call Jeremy Peake at 563-568-4120.
 

Monday, May 23, the Postville Police Department investigated an incident at the Postville Community School involving two sixth grade juveniles with plastic spring-loaded airsoft guns on school grounds. The incident happened around lunch time, in which approximately five students were shot with plastic BBs. No serious injuries were reported. The two students involved were removed and school operated as scheduled for the remainder of the school year.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the official observance of Memorial Day nationwide. On the more local level, this year's Memorial Day observance will also mark the addition of a new name engraved on the central monument of the Allamakee County Veterans Memorial located in front of the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon.

The name to be added is that of U.S. Marine Corporal Curtis Dean Snitker, and his will be the fifth name listed under the Vietnam section on the Memorial's central monument. A native-born son of Waukon, Snitker was killed in action in Vietnam in 1968, but this fact only recently became known to members of the local Veterans Memorial Committee. His story is shared below:

by Maury Gallagher