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COVID-19 pandemic forces reduction of polling sites to just three, other considerations

Tuesday, June 2 will be the Primary Election to determine which candidates will be representing their respective political parties in the 2020 General Election in November. A sample ballot of the respective races in each of the Republican and Democratic parties was published in the May 20 issue of this newspaper, listing races at the Federal, State and County levels of government for voters to make their selections in, along with additional ballot and election information, including the polling location time opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 9 p.m. that day and additional information pertaining to the changes needing to be made for this election due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large gatherings and required social distancing, the Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board has made a couple of decisions on its annual Dairy Days Parade and Dairy Banquet. The board has chosen to postpone the parade until a later date and has decided to cancel the banquet for this year.

Jeremy Peake of the Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board says that the rescheduling date for the parade has yet to be determined and will be dependent upon further guidance from state and local leaders in regard to public gatherings. The parade was originally scheduled to be held this coming Monday, June 1 in Waukon.

Wednesday, May 20 at approximately 4:50 p.m., Lansing first responders were dispatched to a collision between two personal watercraft (PWC) in the main channel on the Mississippi River, just north of Lansing.

A report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stated that Tyler Wild, age 17, of New Albin, and Clayton Little, age 17, of Lansing, were operating separate PWCs when Wild was coming out of a turn and Little was heading towards Wild down the channel. At that time, both PWCs collided head on. When Little’s PWC hit Wild’s it went up over the top of Wild’s, hitting Wild in the head and knocking him unconscious.

by Heather Homewood,
Director of Allamakee
County Veterans Services

ALLAMAKEE COUNTY, Iowa – On May 20, 2020 at approximately 4:50pm, Lansing first responders were dispatched to collision between two personal watercrafts (PWC) in the main channel on the Mississippi River, just north of Lansing.

Tyler Wild, 17, of New Albin, and Clayton Little, 17, of Lansing, were operating separate PWCs when Wild was coming out of a turn and Little was heading towards Wild down the channel. At that time, both PWCs collided head on. When Little’s PWC hit Wild’s it went up over the top of Wild’s, hitting Wild in the head and knocking him unconscious.

Wild was lying face down in the water until Little was able to assist him into a nearby boat. Wild was taken to shore where he was provided immediate medical attention. He was transported to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI where he is recovering from his injuries. Little was treated on the scene and released.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impact, including the ability to host public events. Unfortunately, the annual Memorial Day Observance Programs which would have been held throughout Allamakee County this Monday, May 25 are not immune to those limitations, as each of the following local communities have either modified their traditional programs or been forced to cancel them altogether:

HARPERS FERRY
American Legion Scenic Post #722 has decided to cancel all of its Memorial Day programs and activities this year. Individual honoring at area cemeteries or memorial sites is welcome with safe social distancing measures in mind.

LANSING
All traditional Memorial Day programs and events are canceled. Flags will still be placed at area cemeteries.

by Heather Homewood, Director of Allamakee County Veterans Services

With Memorial Day deep in our hearts, we would like to solemnly take the time to honor the men and women that died while serving our country in the U.S. military, as the holiday was intended. This Memorial Day we may not see events and programs taking place because of public safety, but do not let that stop you from taking time personally to remember those who died while serving our nation.

If you pass by the monument on the courthouse lawn, you will see the names of those from Allamakee County who where killed in action or those who died while serving. These may have been family members, old classmates, or neighbors. These people were a part of our community and gave something to their community and their country that can never be repaid.

by Lissa Blake

When the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic saw the government shutting down “non-essential” businesses in March, local chiropractor Dustin Rounds started brainstorming ways he could help them in the Waukon community. Although chiropractic is considered an “essential” service and his doors remained opened, Rounds said the closure of local businesses really got to him.

“I started thinking about how it would be if my own business was shut down. I don’t sleep well anyway, because I worry. And when I worry, I brainstorm,” said Rounds.

Rounds said he came up with the idea to donate a certain amount of $5 coupons to different restaurants.

“I thought maybe it would be a challenge to other businesses that were open to help support those who weren’t. I thought it might incentivize people to help these establishments,” said Rounds.

Rounds said he and receptionist Casey Moen started posting things on his clinic’s Facebook page.

Low COVID-19 case numbers in some communities not a reason to ease personal mitigation measures

Allamakee County Public Health’s highest priority is the health and well-being of the community. That local health department strongly encourages everyone to follow all Iowa Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to help prevent contracting or spreading the Coronavirus.

For the first time since the final week in March, Allamakee County’s case count for confirmed positive tests for the COVID-19 infection came in at its lowest weekly total. The past week resulted in just two positive confirmed cases for the county, its lowest case count for a week’s time since just one case was reported during the third week of reported cases within the state of Iowa, March 24-April 1.