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by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Feel like a good run to help a good cause? Then join Ryan Wade as he runs through Iowa from north to south on a journey of 250 miles to earn funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Wade's goal is to raise $175,000 on his seven-day run through Iowa, called “One Step at a Time.” These monies will help to fund blood cancer research.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors was greeted by a capacity crowd in its board room for its Monday, April 11 regular session, most of those awaiting the meeting's final agenda item dealing with the County's Five-Year Plan for Secondary Roads, most specifically the inclusion of funding for the paving of Columbus Road that would access the new Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center being constructed south of Lansing. Much like those in attendance, the Board ended up being divided on the decision to include funding for Columbus Road, ultimately voting on a two-to-one split decision not to fund that paving project in the County's Five-Year Road Plan and, instead, moving that nearly $159,000 in proposed funding to the one-mile paving project of Makee Drive just north of Waukon that was recently approved for inclusion in the Five-Year Plan via a public hearing at last week's Board meeting.

The general public is invited to a formal groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of the new Allamakee County Public Safety Center Tuesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. Local officials and those involved with the Public Safety Center project will formally break ground at the construction site, located at the former Makee Manor property at 877 State Highway 9, north of Waukon.

For the second consecutive year, the Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter reigned supreme over the annual State Leadership Conference (SLC) held March 31-April 2 in Coralville, defending its state of Iowa championship won at last year’s SLC in record-setting fashion to repeat as the Lloyd V. Douglas Chapter of the Year. Being the first chapter ever to eclipse the 300-point mark in the history of the State Leadership Conference while winning last year’s title, the Waukon chapter recorded 16 first-place event finishes in its total of 92 placewinnings enroute to scoring 331 points this year, nearly 140 points more than this year’s second-place team.

"I am very proud to be associated with this group of high school students,” Waukon High School FBLA Advisor Joan Schwartz said. “Many of these students began working on their projects months ago and all their hard work and studying paid off.”

by Kelli Boylen
freelance writer

Saturday, April 2, a Waukon police officer conducted a traffic stop on Highway 9 just north of Waukon. As a result of the traffic stop, 23-year-old Briante C. Banks of La Crosse, WI was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Interference with Official Acts, after he was found to be providing false identification information. Banks was also found to have an active felony warrant through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
The Waukon Police Department was assisted by the Allamakee County Sheriff's Office. A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

by Joe Moses

Area residents have received a text message claiming to be sent from Viking State Bank & Trust in Decorah Friday, April 1 that is reported to be a scam, according to the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
The text states it is an “important message from security department” and provides a link to click on that will ask for account numbers. An image of the message that has appeared on area phones is pictured at right.
Anyone who receives the text should not respond, the Sheriff’s Office reported. Viking State Bank advises any customers who might receive the text not to enter any personal information.
The message should be deleted immediately.

The European Gypsy Moth is a destructive defoliator of over 300 species of trees and shrubs, especially oaks. Repeated defoliation by gypsy moth weakens trees and can ultimately lead to tree death.
Public meetings will be held in the two counties where treatments are planned in 2016. The public is invited to learn more about gypsy moth, view maps of the proposed treatment areas and ask questions. Representatives from Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will be present.
Public meetings are set for the following locations:
Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. at the Bellevue Community Center, 1700 State Street in Bellevue, Jackson County.
Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. at Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank Community Center, 395 Main Street in Lansing.

by Brianne Eilers