Top Stories

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Interstate Power and Light Company, Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company, held a virtual public meeting January 11 of this year regarding the coal ash ponds at its Lansing Generating Station located just south of Lansing along the Great River Road and the Mississippi River.

A written statement provided by Alliant Energy following the virtual meeting - which local attendees reported was frequently interrupted by audio disruptions - indicated that an Assessment of Corrective Measures study was discussed during the January 11 public meeting, as well as Alliant Energy’s work to meet requirements of the federal Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule.

Monday, February 28 will be a day devoted to raising awareness for suicide prevention in Waukon and the surrounding community, as the Alive and Running Iowa organization will conduct a pair of events aimed at helping save lives and reducing suicidal behaviors.

Alive & Running Iowa began as a running event held annually in the small Iowa town of Dunkerton but has grown into a non-profit organization to help raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention. Co-founders Troy Belmer and Ryan Nesbit organized Alive & Running Iowa in 2009 in honor of their friend, Roger, who they lost to suicide when they were sophomores at Dunkerton High School in 1991.

Since then, in addition to conducting the annual running event in their hometown, the two also make presentations and work with numerous other agencies toward that same goal of suicide awareness and prevention.

by Joe Moses

Iowa House of Representatives members Anne Osmundson of District 56 and Michael Bergan of District 55 and Iowa Senator from District 28 Mike Klimesh held a legislative town hall meeting in Waukon Saturday, February 19. The three legislators answered questions from the crowd of approximately 30 individuals in attendance at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau building.

Several hot-button issues were raised by those in attendance at the town hall meeting. Jerry Halverson of Waukon talked about challenges within the county relating to can redemption during the COVID-19 pandemic with fewer grocery and convenience stores accepting cans. Klimesh discussed two recent bills relating to can redemption and potential options to support existing redemption centers and retailers.

by Joe Moses

Waukon City Manager Gary Boden provided an update to The Standard relating to Waukon’s water system challenges in conjunction with the Sunday, February 13 evening fire on Allamakee Street. Two buildings were destroyed and several other adjacent buildings affected by the fire originating from the building at 9 Allamakee Street housing Tin, Rust & Harmony, a new business opened in December 2021 - the previous location of Lucky Finds Consignment.

The fire investigation and clean-up of adjacent impacted businesses continues. Although calls to the State of Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office in charge of the investigation had not been returned as of press time for this edition of The Standard, local authorities say the areas in front of and in back of the buildings destroyed in the blaze have been fenced off for safety and ongoing investigative measures.

The initial block of the east side of Allamakee Street in Waukon had multiple buildings destroyed and several others impacted by a fire that broke out Sunday evening, February 13 in the middle of the block. Around 6:30 p.m. the Waukon Fire Department was called to 9 Allamakee Street for smoke and flames emitting from the lower portion of the building that currently housed Tin, Rust & Harmony - a new business opened in December 2021 by owner Mindy Jones - and had previously housed Lucky Finds Consignment.

A legislative town hall meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, February 19 at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau building located at 14 1st Avenue NE in Waukon. The meeting is scheduled to take place from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Iowa House of Representatives member Anne Osmundson of District 56 and Iowa Senator from District 28 Mike Klimesh are among those invited to attend. Area residents are invited to attend the meeting and ask questions of the attending legislators.

The Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board continues to make plans for the 2022 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet - the date, time and location of which will be announced at a later date. The board is still seeking nominations to honor and recognize deserving producers and contributors to the dairy industry in Allamakee County. Every year, top producers from the county are recognized by the Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board, along with honoring contributors to the local dairy industry. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension Office are accepting nominations through Monday, February 21 for the following awards:

Alive & Running Iowa will make presentations to Waukon High School students and general public

Monday, February 28 will be a day devoted to raising awareness for suicide prevention in Waukon and the surrounding community, as the Alive and Running Iowa organization will conduct a pair of events aimed at helping save lives and reducing suicidal behaviors.

Alive & Running Iowa began as a running event held annually in the small Iowa town of Dunkerton but has grown into a non-profit organization to help raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention. Co-founders Troy Belmer and Ryan Nesbit organized Alive & Running Iowa in 2009 in honor of their friend, Roger, who they lost to suicide when they were sophomores at Dunkerton High School in 1991.

FreedomBank has made a $50,000 donation to the Building New Traditions Campaign at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. 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 also involves relocation, elimination and transformation of some of the other livestock buildings at the Fairgrounds. Pictured above at the donation presentation at the site of the new show barn construction at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds are, left to right, Gayge Samuelson and Patty Kammeyer of FreedomBank, Tyler Plein of the Allamakee County Fair Board, Barb Shull of FreedomBank, and Bobbi Baxter, Adam Bieber and McKayla Rethamel of the Allamakee County Fair Board.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 7 to address a short agenda of matters including discussion of Medical Examiner topics, consideration of appointing Compensation Commission members and the Quarterly Report for the County Auditor. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.

The meeting moved into discussion of Medical Examiner topics with Dr. Dave Schwartz addressing the matter. Schwartz discussed the current medical examiner program and relationship between Allamakee County and Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) recommending that this relationship may need to be better defined from a budgetary standpoint to aid in sustainability.