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Wed
16
Nov

An epic journey: Waukon graduate Owen Frieden logs more than 2,000 miles hiking the Appalachian Trail this past summer


Nearly 2,200 miles from start to finish ... Owen Frieden of Dorchester, a 2021 graduate of Waukon High School, is pictured both above and at right at the beginning and end of his journey this past summer hiking the Appalachian Trail across 13 states in 149 days. Although the Appalachian Trail is designated as beginning at Springer Mountain, GA, Frieden’s nearly 2,200-mile trek began at the Appalachian Trail Approach, where he is pictured above, at Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville, GA, which is one of the access points for Springer Mountain. Nearly 2,220 miles and half a year later, Frieden reached the Appalachian Trail’s ending destination of Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park in east-central Maine, where he is pictured below raising his trekking poles in jubilation 149 days later, having completed his journey. Submitted photos.

Sunrise on McAfee Knob ... Waukon High School 2021 graduate Owen Frieden raises one of his trekking poles above his head in celebration of the sunrise view he has from McAfee Knob while hiking the Appalachian Trail this past summer. McAfee Knob is located on Catawba Mountain near Catawba, VA and is described by hikers as one of the highlights of the Appalachian Trail for its panoramic rock ledge and the view it provides. Submitted photo.

Variety of pathways ... The trek along the Appalachian Trail that Owen Frieden of Dorchester completed this past summer encountered a variety of pathways through the nearly 2,200-mile journey he covered in 149 days. Among those pathways were the wooden planks known as “bog boards” (photo above) that make their way through the Alpine Mountain environment in Maine, or the rock-lined path across the top of Franconia Ridge (photo directly below) in New Hampshire, or the dirt path (lower photo) cut through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park beautifying both North Carolina and Tennessee. Submitted photos.

by Lissa Blake

Looking back at how he spent his summer, Waukon High School graduate Owen Frieden has a lot to reflect upon. He hiked 2,194.3 miles across 13 states in 149 days, all on the Appalachian Trail in the eastern United States. Not only was the long journey the greatest adventure of his life thus far, he says he also made “an unfathomable number of friendships that will last a lifetime.” Frieden shared photos and commentary from much of his epic adventure on his Facebook blog: https://www.facebook.com/WOATH22.

Wed
16
Nov

Allamakee County voters approve hospital ownership conversion from City to County, follow most trends in other November 8 General Election ballot items

Nearly 60% of registered voters in Allamakee County cast a ballot in the November 8 General Election, resulting in 5,849 votes being recorded by Allamakee County residents. Although that local turn-out was part of this year’s statewide trend of being one of the largest voter participations in recent history for a mid-term election (at slightly less than 55% statewide), area voters also had added incentive with the inclusion of the much more local decision of determining the ownership fate of their local hospital.

Wed
09
Nov

Honoring those who have served: Veterans Day 2022


Honorable samples ... The images above and below are small samples of newspaper items commemorating local veterans that have been recently brought in to The Standard newspaper office by local families. Above is one page of a scrapbook brought in by Marlene Habhab of Waukon started by herself and her mother in the early 1950s featuring Allamakee County individuals who were drafted or volunteered into the U.S. Armed Forces or otherwise recognized during the Korean War era. Below is a listing of Allamakee County individuals in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II printed in a 1943 edition of the Waukon Republican and Standard brought in by the family of the late James C. Plein. Larger versions of both items, along with other honorings of area veterans, can be found throughout the Wednesday, November 9, 2022 print edition and e-edition of The Standard.

Local newspaper page from 1943 lists Allamakee County Honor Roll in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II era ... This page from the September 22, 1943 edition of the Waukon Republican and Standard newspaper lists close to 1,000 names of Allamakee County area individuals who were serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during that World War II era as of that particular date of the publication. The newspaper page was recently submitted by the family of the late James C. Plein of Waukon, whose name is included on the list, which was appropriately headlined “Allamakee County Honor Roll”. Although alphabetized by letter, the lists under each letter are not necessarily alphabetized in order by last name.

Local families share newspaper keepsakes commemorating the service of many Allamakee County Veterans from WWII and Korean War eras

A pair of Waukon families had a similar idea of honoring veterans from the local area when they recently brought in separate items saved from past issues of the local newspaper. Those items, pictured as smaller samples in the images accompanying this article, are viewable in much larger versions elsewhere inside the November 9, 2022 newspaper, along with other honorings of area veterans as Veterans Day approaches this Friday, November 11.

Wed
09
Nov

A hobby to keep him busy after retirement has become a painting career now three decades long for Ray Sickles of Lansing


Inspired by the work he’s done ... Ray Sickles of Lansing proudly looks at a painting he created that was inspired by the work he did as a logger for many years of his life. Sickles took up painting at the age of 60 and continues to create his own personal masterpieces as he approaches his 90th birthday this Friday, Veterans Day, a day having dual meaning for him as he also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Cabin full of creations ... Ray Sickles, age 90, of Lansing stores many of his finished paintings in this cabin he owns in Lansing, most of them featuring landscape scenes as evident in the above photo. His children and grandchildren have many in their own homes; and his house is filled with his own creative work of three decades. Photo by Bob Raymond.

A veteran of the Korean War, Sickles turns 90 this Veterans Day, Nov. 11

by Julie Berg-Raymond

He was named Floyd at birth, but no one calls him that; everyone knows him as Ray. Ray Sickles - native-born to the creeks and woods of Allamakee County; logger; Korean War veteran; much-loved dad - took up painting at 60 years old, after a life of hard work had begun taking its toll on his back.

Three decades later, he’s still at it - having long ago refined his technique, and developing a distinctive style, in the process. “He is not one to sit on the couch,” says his daughter, Deb Grotegut, of Waukon. “He has to have something to do, all the time.”

Wed
09
Nov

Allamakee County Veterans Museum to present Veterans Day events this Thursday and Saturday featuring Vietnam War Veteran Cherie White

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will celebrate Veterans Day this year by offering a program to the public in the meeting room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building at 105 Allamakee Street n Waukon.

Thursday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m. a video interview with Vietnam War Veteran retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Cherie White of Waukon will be presented. Lt. Col. White was recently interviewed by Chuck Bloxham, and she will be present Thursday to answer questions after the video. Light refreshments will be available. There is no admission charge.

Also, Saturday, November 12 at 10 a.m. the video interview with Lt. Col. White will be presented again for those who are not available to attend Thursday evening. The museum will also be open for tours from 9 a.m. until noon November 12.

Mon
07
Nov

Allamakee County election website available for November 8 General Election information

The Allamakee County Auditor's Office wants to remind voters of the County's new election website that has up-to-date election information and will have election results posted as they become available following the Tuesday, November 8 General Election.
The site can be reached at the following link: https://allamakeecountyelections.iowa.gov/

Wed
02
Nov

November 8 General Election gives voters opportunity to select federal, state, local governmental leaders, make decision on proposed hospital conversion

Tuesday, November 8 is scheduled as the 2022 General Election to determine which candidates will be elected by voters to leadership positions at the national, state and local levels of government, as well as to allow residents an opportunity to express their choice on a couple non-candidate matters featured on this year’s election ballot. A Notice of Election with a listing of candidates, polling sites and other pertinent local election information was printed on Page 28 of the October 19 print edition and e-edition of The Standard. All 10 in-person polling sites throughout Allamakee County will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. the day of the election. All 10 polling sites are accessible to persons with disabilities. Sample ballots from each polling site for this year’s election may be viewed at the election website: https://allamakeecountyelections.iowa.gov/.

Wed
26
Oct

Welsh’s Farm & Home selected as 2022 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award winner...

Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism (ACED) has announced Welsh’s Farm & Home in Lansing as the 2022 Cloy Kuhse Positive Impact Award winner. The announcement was made at the ACED Annual Meeting held at Village Creek Bible Camp in rural Lansing Thursday, October 20. ACED Board President Christina Drahos shared the following nomination information with those in attendance:

Wed
26
Oct

Wolfpack Theater Company finds a more permanent home in the former Waterville School, now Waterville Community Center


Mural design for new Waterville home ... The image above is the mural design created by Kee High School sophomore Izzy Hammell for the Wolfpack Theater Company’s new permanent home in the Waterville Community Center, which has been created from the former Waterville School. Hammell’s design will be painted on the wall of the former school’s previous music room the Wolfpack uses for rehearsal and performance space. Submitted photo.

The designer, and the director ... Pictured at right above is Kee High School sophomore Izzy Hammell, who designed the mural that will be painted on the wall of the Wolfpack Theater Company’s new rehearsal and performance space at the Waterville Community Center. Pictured with Hammell, at left, is Wolfpack Theater Company founder and director Adam Hooten, who recognized Hammell’s creativity and tasked Hammell with creating the design for the new Wolfpack space. Submitted photo.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

The Wolfpack Theater Company has been growing in popularity since its recent beginnings in the Waukon area. The youth-focused outlet for creativity has now found a more permanent home for its rehearsal and performance space in the former music room of the former Waterville School - now the Waterville Community Center.

Wed
26
Oct

Motorcycle crash near Harpers Ferry claims Minnesota man

Friday, October 21 at approximately 4:15 p.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff’s 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a motorcycle accident on Great River Road north of its intersection with Wexford Hollow Drive, about six miles north of Harpers Ferry.

According to an initial report from the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, Paul Robert Werner, age 62, of Shakopee, MN was traveling southbound on Great River Road when he failed to negotiate a left curve in the roadway, lost control of the motorcycle he was driving and entered the ditch. Werner was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.

Assisting at the scene was the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, Harpers Ferry Fire and Rescue, and Veterans Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service. The accident remains under investigation by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office.
 

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