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Greg and Amy Lage of Allamakee County were inducted into the 2023 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair Sunday, August 20. Ninety-one Iowa counties participated this year and selected 127 inductees for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H. Inductees or their surviving family members were presented a certificate by Iowa 4-H Foundation President David Bolte and Interim State 4-H Program Leader Mitchell Hoyer as they were introduced on stage.

The contribution to 4-H by Greg and Amy Lage of Postville is widely felt, said ISU Extension and Outreach Allamakee County Youth Coordinator Marissa Foels. This year’s inductees started as youth members of 4-H when they were nine years old and remained active through their early adult years.

They continued to instill the value of 4-H in their two daughters and can still be found behind the scenes supporting and encouraging the youth in Allamakee County.

The Iowa Governor’s Office has received notification that the State of Iowa’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration has been granted for seven counties that were severely impacted by spring flooding earlier this year along the Mississippi River. Counties included in the declaration include Allamakee and Clayton in northeast Iowa, along with Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee and Scott Counties.

Under the declaration, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program funding is available to eligible public entities and nonprofit organizations in the designated counties that were impacted by the April 24-May 13, 2023 Mississippi River flooding. Public Assistance funding may be used for emergency work, such as debris removal and emergency protective measures, or for the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Andrew Karvel, of Lansing, was convicted Monday, August 21 in Allamakee County District Court of Second Degree Murder in the May 2022 death of Daniel Lundy, formerly also of Lansing. The jury in the case of the State of Iowa vs. Andrew Raymond Karvel opted not to convict on the most serious of the charges Karvel originally faced - First Degree Murder.

Karvel, age 66, was arrested August 17, 2022 on the charge of First Degree Murder in the May 9, 2022 death of his roommate, Daniel William Lundy, age 83, at the home they shared at 650 South 2nd Street in Lansing. According to court documents, Karvel pleaded not guilty to that charge in September of that year and was originally scheduled for a jury trial November 2, 2022. At the request, and agreement, of all legal counsel involved in the case, Karvel’s trial was rescheduled for August 16, 2023. In the meantime, Karvel was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Allamakee County Sheriff K9 Tyr and handler Deputy Ross Kolsrud recently competed in their annual Patrol Dog Certification. K9 Tyr certifies under the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA), Region 21, and the Association’s PD-1 K9 Officer Trials were held in LeMars the first week of August.

As part of their partnership in working together, K9 Tyr and Deputy Kolsrud must be proficient in a number of areas to gain their certification. These competencies include obedience, article search, suspect search, apprehension without gunfire, and apprehension with gunfire. This year, K9 Tyr showed excellence while competing, being awarded second place in the suspect search portion of the competition.

Those who travel on the Black Hawk (Iowa 9/Wisconsin 82) Bridge over the Mississippi River near Lansing need to be aware of lane closures on the bridge scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, August 22, 23 and 24, weather permitting, to allow crews to install bridge monitoring equipment.

While work is being done, motorists will be assisted through the work zone with flaggers. A lane-width restriction of 10 feet will be in place while work is taking place. The work is related to the upcoming bridge construction project, but not the start of construction.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

Elizabeth Fossum, 18-year-old daughter of Kevin and Julie Fossum of Waterville, was crowned the Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess for 2023-2024 during an evening ceremony held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines Wednesday, August 9. Fossum represented Allamakee County in this year’s competition and graduated from Waukon High School this spring. She will be a freshman this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville studying agriculture business.

by Lissa Blake

Although a golf score of 100 is nothing to brag about, a golf course being open for 100 years certainly is. Saturday, August 19, the Waukon Golf & Country Club (WGCC) will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a special celebration. The public is invited to a program featuring interviews by Chuck Bloxham at 6:30 p.m., followed by a dance from 7-10 p.m. featuring John and Jim Withers, sons of longtime Waukon physician Dr. Bill Withers and the late Libby Withers, who were longtime social members of the Club, along with Keel Clemmens, who joined the Withers brothers and others in being part of the Bandmates, Brothers and Friends band that played a reunion event in Waukon in May of this year. A cash bar will be available.

by Dwight Jones

Webster’s Dictionary describes the word “unbelievable” as meaning “too improbable for belief”. While working on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related stories that recently ran in this newspaper, I came to have a conversation with a gentleman by the name of Glenn McCune of Harpers Ferry. My wife and I have a summer cabin in Harpers Ferry and Glenn is our next door neighbor. A tall wooden fence separates our properties and though I’ve seen Glenn and spoken with him a few times, we had never really “talked”. That all changed when he stopped by recently and told me a story, an unbelievable but absolutely true story of Navy heroism from nearly 60 years ago that he has shared with very few people, not even family, until now.

Nearly 1,400 meals served in 18 days to local youth

During the month of July, local children ages 18 and under flocked to Zion United Church of Christ (UCC) in Waukon for the inaugural “Feed the Kids” program. In its first year, this program served 1,399 meals in 18 days, an average of just under 78 local youth each day who received a free hot meal due to the generosity of so many in the community.

The “Feed the Kids” idea was developed by several members of Zion UCC who wanted to make a difference in the community. The need for a summer feeding program during the month of July was identified.

Internationally-known mural artist Erik Burke selected to cap off plaza project

As part of Main Street Lansing’s revitalization of the plaza space at the intersection of Main Street and 3rd Street in Lansing, internationally-known muralist Erik Burke has been painting a new mural on the west wall of the Winke Law building, overlooking the plaza. The project started Monday, July 31 and continued throughout this past week.