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Friday, August 8, Jocelyn Berges of Waukon was one of four Sprout division acts (ages 2-12) to advance to the semi-final round in Bill Riley’s 65th annual Iowa State Fair Talent Search in Des Moines. Berges is the 10-year-old daughter of Cameron and Sara Berges of Waukon, and she advanced to that next round of competition with her vocal solo.

Each act will perform again either this Thursday, Friday or Saturday, August 14, 15 or 16 in that semifinal round. The Sprouts do not compete beyond the semifinal round of competition, but, if chosen from that semifinal round, they do perform as Sprout Champions in the Championship Show, which is set for this Sunday, August 17 at 1:30 p.m. on the Riley Stage.

by Lissa Blake

It’s an idea that has been on his mind for 22 years. 

And recently, Stanley “Slim” Maroushek has started carving that idea into a reality, as he whittles away at a piece of the nationally famous Cucumber Magnolia tree, removed from the property next to Waukon’s Good Samaritan Society in 2003, after standing there for more than a century.

Maroushek recently started creating a likeness of Chief John Waukon, for whom Waukon is named, out of the largest piece of undamaged wood that was salvaged from the tree.

Maroushek, 82, is the curator of the Turkey River Cultural Center and Woodcarving Museum housed in the former elementary school in Ridgeway. His collection at the museum contains well over 6,000 wood carvings from all over the world, many he carved himself, others he purchased and many that were donated.

He said it was an amazing stroke of luck that the once-famous Cucumber Magnolia tree was rescued from incineration.

The City of Waukon Park & Recreation Department is sponsoring the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus performances scheduled for this Thursday and Friday, August 7-8 at the Waukon Softball Complex, located at 835 Allamakee Street. Show times are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. both days.

Providing family entertainment for 40 years, this one-ring, big top circus has been featured on the A&E Special: Under the Big Top, Nick News: On the Road with Circus Kids, and most recently the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority’s Big Top Town. This year’s performances will feature Big Cats presented by Trey Key, aerialist extraordinaire Simone on the trapeze, the Perez Daredevil Duo on the Tight Rope and Wheel of Destiny, the high energy Macias family hand and foot juggling, and everyone’s favorite Circus Clown Leo Acton.

by Joe Moses

U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa’s Second Congressional District met with business and community leaders at Lansing City Hall Wednesday, July 30 during her current 22-county tour, to discuss the anticipated Fall 2025 closure and demolition of the Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing and to discuss options available to minimize the impact on the area economy relating to transportation, commerce and tourism, among other factors.

(Editor’s Note: The following submission is from Lansing native Martha Dunlevy Peters, whose father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all newspaper editors in Lansing throughout the lifetime of the Black Hawk Bridge. She notes that she also felt compelled to write about the iconic bridge after the recent announcement of its upcoming closure and demolition, as follows from her accompanying message:
“It seemed as though it was a familial calling to write this story. Three generations of Dunlevy editors contributed to writing about the  Black Hawk Bridge. She was the biggest and most important story in the history of the Allamakee Journal. Almost a century ago, my great-grandfather penned articles regarding the opening of the bridge. Now, although I am not a writer by trade, I picked up the pen to write about the Black Hawk Bridge’s life and impending fate. It just seemed fitting.”)

by Martha Dunlevy Peters

The denial of motions made by the defense for a new trial and in arrest of judgment ordered July 7 of this year in Allamakee County District Court in the first degree murder conviction of Brandon Kasemeier of Waukon has been appealed to a higher court, according to court documents filed in the case July 10 by Kasemeier’s attorneys, Erin Carr and Raya Dimitrova of Carr Law Firm, P.L.C. in Des Moines.

by Jennifer Bissell

Students and teachers in all three Allamakee County school districts will have new resources to help with mental health habits this coming school year.

Rachelle Howe with the Matt Howe Tribute/Mental Health Today Endowment, along with PaperPie book consultant Monica Enyart, donated over $900 in books and supplies to the Postville, Allamakee and Eastern Allamakee School Districts, as well as St. Patrick Catholic School in Waukon, at the end of this past school year, in time for the books to be incorporated into curriculum planning during this summer break and ready for use when the new school year begins this fall.

Members of the Kee baseball team swarm the infield in celebration of qualifying for the Class 1A State Tournament with their Class 1A Substate 3 win over Mason City Newman, 8-5, Tuesday, July 15 in Decorah. The eighth-rated Hawks overcame a 2-0 early deficit and held off a later charge from the ninth-rated Knights to secure the win and claim their 21st berth in the summer season grand finale and their first State Tournament qualification since the 2021 season when the Hawks finished as the Class 1A State Tournament Runner-Up. Details and photos from Kee’s Substate 3 victory can be found on Pages 14-15 in this week’s edition of The Standard. Seeded fifth in this year’s Class 1A State Tournament field of eight teams, the Hawks were scheduled to begin their season grand finale quest at Merchants Park in Carroll with a Monday, July 21 opening-round game against fourth-seeded Martensdale-St.

Coronation of the 2025 Allamakee County Fair Royalty took place Wednesday, July 16 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon, kicking off the 172nd Allamakee County Fair that was held July 16-20. Three area young ladies were vying for this year’s Allamakee County Fair Queen crown, which was bestowed upon Breelyn Dahlstrom (pictured in the middle of the back row). Isabelle Mettille (far right in back row) was crowned the 2025 Allamakee County Fair Princess, and Alyssa Connelly (far left in back row) served as a member of the 2025 Allamakee County Fair Royalty Team. Dahlstrom will now advance on to represent Allamakee County in the 2025 Iowa State Fair Queen competition, with that coronation event being held Saturday, August 9 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation (DOT) announced Monday, July 14 that the Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing will be permanently closed and demolished at some point in the fall of 2025 “to ensure that the new bridge can be safely constructed and opened as planned in 2027,” according to a news release made public that July 14 afternoon. In that release, the Iowa DOT noted that “project engineers reached this decision after extensive discussions between both state DOTs, the contractor, and additional analyses,” and also noted that “the exact closure date will be determined later in the year.”