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A south central Iowa man allegedly responsible for a string of burglaries in the Lansing and New Albin area in September of last year was arrested in Polk County in Iowa Wednesday, January 16. Eric Todd Hall, age 43, of Saylor Township north of Des Moines in Polk County was taken into custody when an off-duty deputy identified him in the parking lot at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona and was aware he had several warrants outstanding for his arrest.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a delayed regular session Tuesday, January 22 following the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 21, and met again in regular session Monday, January 28. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22
During Public Comment to open the January 22 regular meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors, Mark Reiser of Lansing questioned the Supervisors about the $2,563.69 expense that was approved at the January 14 Supervisors meeting. The Supervisors clarified that the expense was related to signage and landscaping expenses at the Allamakee County Public Safety Center.

Shopko (“the Company”), a leading operator of general merchandise stores throughout the Central, Western and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States, has announced that it, along with its subsidiaries, has filed voluntary petitions for a court-supervised financial restructuring under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code and that its first-day motions to help facilitate continued operations while the Company operates under Chapter 11 protection were approved January 16 by Honorable Thomas L. Saladino of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska.

The annual Harvest Celebration/Appreciation Dinner was held in November of last year for the Corner of Hope local growing project, a program focused on combating world hunger through local growing efforts. This year’s celebration included presentations by leaders of the local growing project’s partnering organization Growing Hope Globally (formerly Foods Resource Bank), a Christian-based non-profit organization focused on improving agricultural food security programs in some of the world’s poorest nations.

It was reported at this year’s harvest celebration that $27,000 was contributed to the Growing Hope Globally efforts through the crops planted, harvested and sold from right here in Allamakee County through efforts and contributions of many.

Representative Anne Osmundson (R-Volga) of Iowa House District 56 is seen here taking the oath of office in the Iowa House of Representatives chamber as the 88th General Assembly kicked off Monday, January 14 at the Capitol in Des Moines. During the session, Rep. Osmundson can be reached at anne.osmundson@legis.iowa.gov or through the House switchboard at 515-281-3221. The swearing in ceremony of all 100 State of Iowa Representatives began a week full of ceremonies, including the Condition of the State address by the Governor, the Condition of the Judiciary address by the Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice, and the Condition of the Guard address by the Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard. Submitted photo.
 

Sunday, January 20 at 12:35 p.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Emergency Dispatch Center received a report of an accidental gunshot that had occurred in a farm field along Makee Drive near the intersection of Dug Road.

Brock Gode Berns, age 20, of Waukon was retrieving a firearm for hunting when it accidentally discharged, striking him in the leg. Berns was transported to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The accident is being investigated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Assisting at the scene was the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, Veterans Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
 

A Thursday, January 17 single-vehicle accident has claimed the life of a New Albin teenager and injured two others, according to a report from the Minnesota State Patrol. That report indicates the accident resulted in the death of 15-year-old Caleb Ryan Colsch of New Albin, who was a passenger in a 2002 Mazda Protege being driven north on Minnesota State Highway 26 by a 16-year-old male driver whose name has yet to be released by the Minnesota State Patrol due to the ongoing crash investigation involving a minor driver, according to Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol.

The initial report further indicates that the unnamed driver lost control and the car entered the ditch, striking a tree at approximately 4:10 p.m. that Thursday afternoon near mile marker number 8 in Crooked Creek Township, just north of Reno, MN. The report also indicates that road conditions were dry at the time of the accident.

by Lissa Blake

When someone is commuting to work, there are a number of considerations that affect where and how far they are willing to travel for a good job. Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) recently released the results of a laborshed study completed in a number of northeast Iowa communities, including Waukon.

A laborshed study is a “supply-side labor availability study that documents labor sources (workers) traveling to a particular employment center for work. It is based upon current commuting patterns with no restrictions by county or state lines,” explained a release from IWD.

HOW IT WORKS
Val Reinke, executive director for Allamakee County Economic Development, explained the study will assist local employers in understanding what it is that motivates individuals to take certain types of employment.

Award nominations due by February 8; Princess applications due by March 1

The 2019 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet will be held Saturday, March 16 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The meal will be served from 7-8:30 p.m., with the program starting at 8 p.m. The annual celebration recognizes the importance of the dairy industry in Allamakee County and the contributions dairy families make to the industry.

Every year, top producers from the county are recognized at the banquet. In addition, several other awards are presented that evening. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension Office are accepting nominations through February 8 for the following awards:

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, January 14 to address a full agenda of items including the National Mentoring Month proclamation, funding requests from Helping Services and Main Street Lansing, and the consideration of a personnel matter due to a resignation. There was no Public Comment.