Top Stories

Wed
20
Nov

Allamakee County jury finds Mindy Jones guilty of First Degree Arson

An Allamakee County jury returned a guilty verdict Tuesday, November 19 on charges of First Degree Arson and Animal Abuse filed against Mindy Jones. The charges stem from a February 13, 2022 fire that began at 9 Allamakee Street in Waukon in a building owned by Jones and housing her Tin, Rust & Harmony business, destroying both her building and another adjacent to it, in addition to damaging other neighboring buildings.
Wed
13
Nov

Community effort in bringing new residential complex to groundbreaking reality ...

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday, November 7 signifying the beginning of work at the site of a new 36-unit apartment complex being constructed by Dexter Quandahl of Quandahl Custom Homes/q4 Rentals along the new 8th Avenue SW in Waukon, just north of the Waukon City Park and west of the Waukon Mobile Home Community in part of the area deemed as the Pladsen Addition. The apartment complex will initially include two buildings housing 18 apartments each that have been described as “workforce housing” and not intended to be low-income housing, benefiting not only the Waukon area but the northeast Iowa and tri-state region in helping address a housing need expressed by area employers in such areas as school districts, healthcare and other industry and professional staffing necessities.

Wed
13
Nov

Main Street Lansing awarded Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant of more than $76,000


Funding of historical significance ... Laurie and Dave Janzen, owners of Lansing Hardware Hank on Main Street in Lansing, stand with Main Street Lansing Executive Director Jackie Cooper holding a check representing the $76,808 awarded to Main Street Lansing through the Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant program coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The grant funding will be used to support a restoration project for five buildings occupied by Lansing Hardware Hank on Main Street, updating and unifying the buildings’ facades while incorporating some of their historic features. Submitted photo.

Restoring history, engaging the community ... Lansing Hardware Hank owners Laurie and Dave Janzen (center in above photo) hold their sign that states “2024 Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant Funded Project” signifying the more than $76,000 that will be used to help support the renovation of their current store facade (pictured in the background above) to something more historically significant and unified as the proposed design pictured below. Pictured with the Janzens are members of Main Street Lansing’s Board of Directors (left to right surrounding the Janzens) Chris Troendle, Executive Director Jackie Cooper, Andrew Boddicker and Maryann Baldwin. Submitted photo.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) recently awarded $930,808 in Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants to 10 communities across Iowa. These grants aim to revitalize underused buildings and stimulate economic growth in historic main streets.

Main Street Lansing was awarded over $76,000 of that funding, which will support the restoration of Lansing Hardware, a long-standing cornerstone in the heart of Lansing’s historic downtown. Announcement of the grant was made at a Thursday, November 7 open house event.

Lansing Hardware occupies five connected buildings, built between 1868 and 1908, each with a unique history. This restoration project, led by owners Dave and Laurie Janzen, will focus on  unifying the facade, restoring historic details, and refreshing the storefronts for an enhanced visual impact.

Wed
06
Nov

Honoring those who have served: Veterans Day 2024

World War I has been referred to as “The Great World War” and “The War to End All Wars”. The end of the fighting in that war of more than four years in length came November 11, 1918 when an armistice was signed to end the combat hostilities in the war, with that November 11 date still being observed to this day as Veterans Day each year.

As a means to honor the many Veterans who have served the United States - whether in war time or in times of peace - as this year’s Veterans Day observance approaches this coming Monday, November 11, The Standard is reprinting below a listing submitted by rural New Albin resident Max Marzen of Allamakee County residents or natives who served in that “Great World War,” the war that ultimately led to the modern day observance of the day that the people of this nation officially honor those who have served it - Veterans Day.

Mon
04
Nov

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT VOTER ADDRESS CHANGES

Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer reminds voters that October 21 was the deadline to update addresses in the Voter Registry.
After October 21 any address changes made by a voter by any method will not be reflected in the Voter Registry at the polling places. Any voter who has updated their address after October 21 may need to show proof of residence at the polls. If the voter’s ID shows their updated address, that is adequate proof of residence at the polls. If the voter’s ID does not show their updated address, they must show a separate proof of residence.
Proof of residence must be recently issued and can be in electronic or paper form. Options include:
• Utility or cell phone bill
• Residential lease
• Bank statement
• Paycheck
• Government check or other government document
• Property tax statement (current within 45 days of final payment date)

Wed
30
Oct

Community officials, developer share details as progress continues for housing development in northwest Waukon


Location of new housing development project ... The grassy location pictured in the foreground of the photo above shows the area where the housing development project between the City of Waukon and Tailwind Capital Partners, LLC will begin to take shape next year. Tailwind Capital Partners, LLC, a housing development company based out of Des Moines and involving Waukon native Ben Garrett and his business partner Jeff Spence, plans to initially construct eight twin home/duplex structures that will provide 16 residential units in the area pictured above, just to the east of 9th Street NW/State Highway 76 pictured in the immediate foreground of the photo. Standard photo by Joe Moses.

Exterior and interior examples of the twin home/duplex development ... Images above and below provide examples of what the twin home/duplex residential units could consist of through the development project the City of Waukon has partnered with Tailwind Capital Partners, LLC on to bring to Waukon, beginning next year. The development project will take place at the former “Bresnahan Property” just to the east of 9th Street NW/State Highway 76 in the northwest quadrant of Waukon and will construct eight such duplex structures similar to what is pictured above and with a two-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-car garage floor plan similar to what is pictured below, initially providing 16 residential units in that area. Submitted images.

by Joe Moses

Waukon native Ben Garrett with Tailwind Capital Partners, LLC, Waukon City Manager Gary Boden and Executive Director Val Reinke of Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) recently provided an update to The Standard relating to the planned twin home/duplex project at what is locally known as the former “Bresnahan Property” in northwest Waukon.

Wed
30
Oct

Variety of items for Allamakee County voters to decide on in November 5 General Election

The Tuesday, November 5 General Election is less than a week away, and voters in Allamakee County will have a full ballot of decisions to make, from the highest public office in the nation to local volunteers seeking to guide their respective entities and offices at the county level of governance. All 10 Allamakee County polling locations for the November 5 General Election Day will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. that Tuesday, with in-person absentee voting for this year’s General Election continuing each weekday  from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. through Monday, November 4 in the Auditor’s Office at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon. The Auditor’s Office will also be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. this Saturday, November 2 for in-person absentee voting.

Wed
30
Oct

Election Essentials: Important Election reminders

Election Essentials is a weekly series of articles offering a variety of information regarding elections in Iowa and Allamakee County prior to this year’s November 5 General Election. The information is being provided courtesy of Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer.

Wed
23
Oct

City of New Albin holds grand opening for new Algaewheel® wastewater treatment facility that is first of its kind for a municipality in state of Iowa


New Albin wastewater treatment facility first of its kind in Iowa ... The floating wheels in both tanks at the new wastewater treatment plant - celebrated with a grand opening in New Albin Thursday, October 17 - rotate due to the bubbles created by the submerged blowers that drive the paddles on the wheels. As the sun shines through the greenhouse and strikes the algae that forms on each wheel, photosynthesis occurs. In a symbiotic chemical reaction with bacteria present in the wastewater, the algae convert ammonia to nitrates that can then be safely released into the Mississippi River. Each wheel is three feet in diameter by one and a half feet wide. With five wheels side-by-side on a shaft and 15 shafts per tank, each large tank holds 75 wheels. Both tanks together at the facility total 150 wheels that are enclosed in a greenhouse. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Full control ... State-of-the-art computer controls integrate the whole operating system of the new wastewater treatment facility in New Albin. City worker Price Barnes is pictured above with the panel that controls the blowers in the greenhouse. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Instrumental in making it happen ... Pictured above during the grand opening tour of the new wastewater treatment facility in New Albin are, left to right, Lucas Elsbernd, senior project engineer with Fehr Graham Engineering; George Blair, New Albin City Council member who many give credit to for being the “guiding force” behind the new treatment facility; and Dan Johnson, chief technology officer at OneWater. Elsbernd described New Albin as a “perfect fit, as a city, for this technology.” Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

The planning and development meetings for New Albin’s new wastewater treatment facility (the exterior of which is pictured above during the facility’s October 17 grand opening tour) began over eight years ago. What began as a $4.5 million project became - through loan forgiveness ($1 million by the Iowa State Revolving Fund) and two grants administered by Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) - the city ended up with a 30-year, low-interest loan of $3,506,660 after administration costs. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Pointing out the many positives ... Pictured above at the grand opening of the new wastewater treatment facility in New Albin are, left to right, New Albin Mayor Tom Feurhelm; OneWater Director Paul Kesterton, who flew in from London, England for the grand opening; and Eric Lawrence, sales engineer with Vessco, Inc. In addition to the Algaewheel® system implemented in the new treatment facility, some of New Albin’s original wastewater structures were also retained, retrofitted and integrated with a Vessco, Inc. screening system and aerobic digesters. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

It has been more than eight years in the making; and it involved a team effort by city officials, designers, engineers, construction groups, and the developers of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment technology which is being implemented for the first time in a municipality in the state of Iowa.

Paul Kesterton is a director at OneWater Group, Ltd., the Hong Kong-based company that developed the wastewater treatment technology called Algaewheel®; he flew in from London for the grand opening of that new innovative New Albin wastewater treatment facility celebrated Thursday, October 17.

With this new facility, Kesterton said, “(New Albin) is on the vanguard.”

According to people who saw this project come to fruition, it would not have been possible without the efforts - and sheer perseverance - of New Albin City Council member George Blair, widely considered the “guiding force” behind the project.

Wed
23
Oct

Election Essentials Election Security - Part 2

Election Essentials is a weekly series of articles offering a variety of information regarding elections in Iowa and Allamakee County prior to this year’s November 5 General Election. The information is being provided courtesy of Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer.

Last week’s article explained steps taken by all counties in the state of Iowa during both pre-election preparation and testing and the Election Day process to ensure an accurate, safe and secure election. This week’s article will explain the process after the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Night, how results are verified when the Auditor reports to the Iowa Secretary of State and the required Post-Election Audit.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE AT 8:00 P.M.?
If there is a line at 8:00 p.m. at any polling place, any voter in line is allowed to check in and vote. Anyone arriving after 8:00 p.m. cannot be allowed to vote.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Top Stories