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The number of positive cases of COVID-19 for Allamakee County reached an all-time high during the week of January 12-18, according to the weekly update provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) last week. That statistical update indicates that 131 new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the IDPH for the seven-day reported timeframe of January 12-18.

That number far exceeded the previous single-week high for Allamakee County of 111 cases, a total that was recorded during the first week of December 2020. That previous highest-ever weekly total capped off a four-week stretch that remains as the highest “monthly” case count total for Allamakee County of 421 cases that included 108 from November 10-16, 95 from November 17-23, 107 from November 24-30, and the 111 from early December of the inaugural COVID-19 year of 2020.

Monday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
At the following locations in Allamakee County:

• Waukon/Dorchester: Waukon High School Auditorium
Point of Contact: Duane Smith 563-568-1631/Dan Emerson 563-568-7361

• Lansing/New Albin: Lansing Library
Point of Contact: Matthew Majewski 563-217-0135

• Postville/Frankville: Turner Hall (Postville)
Point of Contact: Dave Koopman 563-864-3854

• Harpers Ferry/Waterville: American Legion Hall (Harpers Ferry)
Point of Contact: Lowell Engle 563-586-2338
 

Monday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
Participants must be in line or signed in by 7 p.m. in order to participate. Masks are required to be worn.
Any registered Allamakee Democrat is eligible to participate in the Democratic Caucuses. Participants may register as an Allamakee Democrat at each caucus site.

The following precincts will caucus at the Waukon Middle School cafeteria located at 1059 Third Avenue NW, Waukon:
• Precinct 1 - Hanover, Waterloo Townships
• Precinct 2 - French Creek, Jefferson, Ludlow, Makee, Union Prairie Townships
• Precinct 3 - Franklin, Post Townships and Town of Postville
• Precinct 4 - Linton, Paint Creek Townships and Town of Waterville
• Precinct 8 - Waukon Ward 1
• Precinct 9 - Waukon Ward 2
• Precinct 10 - Waukon Ward 3

by Lissa Blake

There are fans. And then there are serious fanatics. To say Waukon native Cassandra Berger is a big fan of Kwik Trip and Kwik Star would be a serious understatement. That’s because over the past couple years, Berger’s enthusiasm for her favorite gas station has resulted in a huge following on youtube.com. Berger recently brought her role as a social influencer for Kwik Trip, Inc. to her hometown Kwik Star, resulting in a full-on photoshoot at the local store.

Waukon State Bank has made a $50,000 donation to the Building New Traditions Campaign at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds. The Building New Traditions Campaign is dedicated toward constructing a new, larger all-species youth livestock show barn centrally located at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds, a project that will also involve relocation, elimination and transformation of some of the other livestock buildings at the Fairgrounds.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

According to the Kids Theatre Network, “Education in the performing arts provides young people with lasting life skills and personal attributes, such as discipline, self-esteem, focus and a sense of teamwork, as well as superior communication and social skills.”

No one needed to tell any of the kids in the Wolfpack Theater Company in Waukon that, though. The core group of young people who make up what they affectionately call the “wolf pack” could be the poster kids for the benefits of youth theater.

Led by Milwaukee-born choreographer, actor, dancer, and director (also parent, and local businessman – he owns Teddy’s Bearly Used Autos in Waukon) Adam Hooten, the young people who constitute the professional theater company Hooten only recently formed, are already inspiring others with their maturity, self-possession, and commitment to community service.

The grandstand at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon will be rockin’ like it never has before Friday, July 22, as this year’s grandstand musical act for the Allamakee County Fair will feature one of the most popular arena rock and roll experiences around as its headline performer. The Allamakee County Fair Board has announced that Hairball, the widely sought-after national touring act that brings the glory of ‘80s rock and roll to life, will bring its multi-faceted act to that grandstand stage, returning to Waukon after filling the town’s downtown stoplight intersection with fans during an overnight RAGBRAI stop in 2017.

A trio of local men were among four honored by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for their actions during the February 2020 fire at Gus & Tony’s Pizza and Steakhouse in Waukon. Dan Mathis, Dan Liddiard and Barry Nobles, all of Waukon, were among those in attendance at the combined 2020 and 2021 Governor’s Lifesaving Awards ceremony held Thursday, December 16 in the State of Iowa Capitol Rotunda in Des Moines. Archie Jorgenson of Harmony, MN was also involved in the February 10, 2020 event but did not attend the ceremony. A total of 35 individuals from communities across the state of Iowa were recognized for their courageous responses during the December 16 event that combined awards from the years 2020 and 2021 due to the 2020 ceremony not being held during the COVID-19 pandemic.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

According to a report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the world, accounting for one in every 100 deaths. “The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the risk factors associated with suicidal behaviors and calls for prioritizing its prevention,” PAHO reports.

Allie Klein, born in Waukon and living now in Prairie du Chien, WI, founded the Driftless Foundation in 2020 to provide “outreach to our local Driftless Area communities in the area of mental health awareness and suicide prevention” (thedriftlessfoundation.org).

“I have struggled with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts, myself; and I have lost many friends to this illness,” Klein says. “Knowing how hard 2020 was on my mental health, I knew we needed to do something to help others who could be struggling in our rural communities.”

Physicians and staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon have announced that Alaina Lucille Larkin is the first baby of the year 2022 born at the hospital, earning the hospital’s annual honor of First Baby of the Year. The newborn is the daughter of Samantha and Sean Larkin of Harpers Ferry and she joins two siblings, Jonah and Charlotte, at home.

Alaina was born January 1, 2022 at 1:40 a.m., just one hour and 40 minutes into the new year. She weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 19 inches long at the time of her birth. Dr. Nicole Barbee assisted with the delivery.