Top Stories

Area individuals, organizations and businesses help make the purchase through Allamakee County Community Foundation challenge grant

Amid rising numbers of positive COVID-19 cases, Allamakee County medical providers have a new avenue for stopping the spread. Harnessing the power of local generosity, the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) has purchased 12 quick-sanitizing ultraviolet (UV) lights for the six ambulances services of Allamakee County, along with special eye protection glasses, replacement bulbs and two larger lights for Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

“We are grateful to the people, organizations and businesses of Allamakee County who donated to this cause,” says Betty Steege, ACCF coordinator. “EMS touches us all, and the medical community needs our support more than ever as the virus continues to present challenges in our area.”

Allamakee County Public Health recognizes there is a lot of information regarding the new COVID-19 vaccine. To help explain the local process, Allamakee County Public Health officials offer the following clarifications:

• COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed in phases and County Public Health will adhere to guidelines and plans as provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health.
• The first allotment - called Phase 1A - will be prioritized for long-term care facilities and healthcare workers. Long-term care facility vaccinations are contracted through pharmacies, and most local healthcare workers will be vaccinated by Allamakee County Public Health.
• The vaccine is not yet available to the general public and local healthcare providers are not able to give it to their patients at this time.

by Kelli Boylen

It’s hard to say CO-VID-19 is positive in any way, but sometimes something positively beautiful can come from uncommon, not-so-positive things. Such could be said about the new look of the blue metal shed located on the former Lloyd and Ethel Meehan farm west of Harpers Ferry.

Mary Willie of rural Harpers Ferry wanted to find a different way to connect with others when recommended COVID social restrictions started last spring. She was feeling anxious and isolated from her friends, so she turned to her art.

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present its 44th annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols service this Sunday, December 13 at 7 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon. Area clergy will read the lessons, and carols will be sung by the assembly present along with organ accompaniment.

Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Men’s Choir, also known as the Heartland Barbershop and Gospel Singers. Musical selections will also be presented by the St. John’s Lutheran Church Youth and Senior Handbell Choirs and the Bixby String Trio. The program is prepared and directed by James Bieber, Organist and Director of Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church, and he is assisted by his daughter, Waukon Middle and High School Choral Director Sarah Bieber.

These thoughtful and grateful individuals stood outside the entrance areas of Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room, Good Samaritan Society and Gundersen Health System Clinic in Waukon Tuesday, December 1, expressing their appreciation and support for the efforts of healthcare and other frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “What a great little ray of sunshine during this hard time!” one local healthcare worker shared. “Thanks for the support!” Submitted photo.
 

Group will host ‘Light Up Lansing’ Saturday, December 12 to collect food for LIFT

by Julie Berg-Raymond

On a recent evening in downtown Lansing, a forecasted snowfall had instead delivered a cold, late-autumn rain. Where Main Street meets the river, a light fog was obscuring the Black Hawk Bridge from view; and lights sparkled in the windows of a former grain elevator - home now to a coffee shop and wine bar, Coffee on the River - where, inside, several masked women were busy wrapping colorful, holiday-themed paper around large boxes that would be distributed in shops around town in the coming days.

A full week of double-digit cases of COVID-19 reported each day for Allamakee County this past week has produced the second highest weekly total of new confirmed cases for the county since the pandemic began. The 107 new cases reported during this past week’s timeframe of Tuesday, November 24 through Monday, November 30 is second - by just one case - to the highest weekly total of 108 cases reported just two weeks ago, November 10-16.

Although representing just one of the now nine months the COVID-19 pandemic has grabbed hold within the local population, the month of November, by itself, accounts for just shy of one half of the entire Allamakee County case total since those cases were first reported in March of this year. Since November 1, the State of Iowa has reported a total of 385 of the county’s now 818 total cases as of Monday, November 30.

Members of the Waukon football team celebrate the Class 2A State Championship they won with their 28-14 triumph over undefeated Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (CL/G-LR) in the Class 2A State Championship game played in the UNI-Dome at Cedar Falls Friday, November 20. The Indians and Lions battled to just a 16-14 Waukon lead at halftime before the Tribe defense shut CL/G-LR down in the second half and the Indian offense struck one time each in the third and fourth quarters to secure their second State Championship in the past four years and the second such title in program history. A special pull-out section with additional photos and complete coverage of the Indians’ State Championship win can be found on Pages 13-16 inside the November 25, 2020 print edition and its e-edition. To be part of an upcoming commemorative “Overcoming All Odds” special publication, details are available on Page 15.

by Joe Moses

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand met with a small group of individuals via Zoom web-conferencing during a virtual meeting relating to Allamakee County Wednesday, November 18 as part of a 99-County Town Hall Virtual Tour. Sand participated in other virtual meetings relating to Scott, Clinton, Jackson, Dubuque and Clayton Counties earlier that same day.

Sand began the meeting by discussing the decision to use virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic with outdoor meetings allowing for social distancing being a possibility next year during warmer months. Sand explained that an hour has been allotted for the virtual meeting with questions being welcome and that he would be providing an update relating to work taking place in his office.

The 7 Rivers Alliance and the River Valley Media Group announced the winners of their annual Rising Stars Under 40 honor during a Wednesday, October 28 virtual ceremony. Among the 28 individuals awarded the honor is 2014 Kee High School graduate Andrew Kelleher, who grew up in Allamakee County and now serves as Executive Director of Main Street Lansing.

The 7 Rivers Alliance - a regional economic development group - sought nominations for the award from throughout the tri-state region of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin for young men and women who are making a difference. This year 28 recipients were selected from the three states.

“The stories of these exceptional people are inspiring and show how fortunate we are to have them living and working in our communities,” said Chris Hardie, CEO of the 7 Rivers Alliance. “They are true leaders in their workplaces and communities.”