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Large crowds greeted the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train at both its stops in Lansing and New Albin Wednesday afternoon and evening, December 5, as depicted in the surrounding photos. Those attending were treated to musical entertainment by Canadian artists Willy Porter and The Trews, along with other holiday activities put on by community members, businesses and organizations.

Saturday, December 8 at approximately 3:09 p.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Emergency Dispatch Center received a report of a farm accident in a farm driveway along Dorchester Drive in rural northern Allamakee County. Upon the arrival of first responders, an adult male was located pinned under the tire of a tractor.

Ernest Gavle, age 83, of rural Dorchester had been run over by the tractor and had died as a result of the injuries sustained at the time of the incident. The accident remains under investigation by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office. Assisting at the scene was the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, Spring Grove, MN Fire Department, Spring Grove, MN Ambulance Service and Veterans Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service of Waukon.
 

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present its 42nd annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols service this Sunday, December 9 at 7 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon. Area clergy will read the lessons, and carols will be sung by the choirs and congregation while accompanied by organ, trumpets and handbells.

Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Choir, Ecumenical Men’s Choir and Ecumenical Children’s Choir. Musical selections will also be presented by the St. John’s Lutheran Church Youth and Senior Handbell Choirs and the Bixby String Quintet. The program is prepared and directed by James Bieber, Organist and Director of Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church, and he is assisted by his daughter, Sarah Palmer, Waukon Middle and High School Choral Director.

This Friday, December 7, the Waukon High School gymnasium will be dedicated in honor and in the name of a man who likely spent more time and touched more lives in that same gym and during his coaching and teaching career than anyone else. During this Friday’s home game series against Oelwein for the Waukon girls basketball team, a ceremony will be held between the junior varsity and varsity contests to unveil what will be the newly dedicated Dave Schoeberlein Gymnasium at Waukon High School.

The annual Lighted Holiday Parade held in Waukon Monday evening, December 3 brightened up the beginning of the holiday season in more ways than one as nearly two dozen entries made their way through the city streets. Temperatures in the upper 20s made for some chilly viewing conditions for parade-goers, with some weekend snow adding a further holiday feel to the event, but neither of those weather considerations prevented people from lining the parade route, as evident in the above photo. Standard photo by Joe Moses. View and find out how to purchase this photo and more from the holiday parade by clicking on the Photo Galleries link at www.waukonstandard.com.
 

Residents and visitors of Allamakee County will have two opportunities to see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Wednesday, December 5. The Holiday Train will be stopping in Lansing that afternoon, at approximately 4:50 p.m., and again in New Albin a little over an hour later, at approximately 6:15 p.m.

The lighted holiday train will be stopping across from the Sports Complex in Lansing located on South Front Street, between North Second Street and Dodge Street. The performances and presentations during the train’s stop in Lansing are scheduled to take place from 5-5:30 p.m. Following the Holiday

Train’s departure, Santa Claus will be at the Community Center on Main Street from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Residents and visitors of Allamakee County will have two opportunities to see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train this year, as the holiday spectacle on rails will make its way to northern Iowa Wednesday, December 5 to make a pair of stops within the Allamakee County borders. The Holiday Train will be stopping in Lansing that December 5 afternoon, at approximately 4:50 p.m., and again in New Albin a little over an hour later, at approximately 6:15 p.m.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is adorned with hundreds of thousands of lights and serves as a stage for live musical performances. Both stops are scheduled to include performances by The Trews, the innovative, prolific and electrifying rock music recording artists based out of Hamilton, Ontario, and contemporary rock singer and musician Willy Porter, who has shared world stages with music icons Jeff Beck, Tori Amos and Paul Simon.

There has been little to update from official sources regarding the November 13 single-vehicle accident involving Christopher Mirich, age 38, of Waukon, husband of Allamakee County Attorney Jill Kistler, and an ensuing investigation the following day involving search warrants being executed by Iowa State Patrol officers at the couple’s home and Mirich’s place of employment first reported in last week’s issue of The Standard.

Sergeant Jewel O’Rear, Assistant District Commander of Iowa State Patrol’s District 10 headquarters located in Oelwein, did confirm in a Monday, November 26 telephone interview that the investigation is still in progress and initially said there is no further information about the case or the continuing investigation that can be shared at this point.

Becky Rea, Allamakee County K-12 Program Coordinator, was recently recognized at the annual Iowa State University Extension Office staff in-service: Youth Fest by the Iowa 4-H Program. Rea was a recipient of an Achievement in Service Award, being selected for this award by being in her position for three years or less and making a difference in the Iowa 4-H program in that short time.

The Waukon High School Choir, under the direction of Sarah Palmer, will be sharing its music with the area church community during its 24th Annual Tour of Churches this Sunday morning, December 2, according to the following schedule:

St. John's Lutheran 8:30-8:45 a.m.
Old West Lutheran 9:05-9:20 a.m.
First Presbyterian 9:35-9:50 a.m.
St. Patrick Catholic 10:00-10:15 a.m.
First Baptist 10:25-10:40 a.m.
Zion United Church of Christ 10:50-11:05 a.m.
Zalmona Presbyterian 11:20-11:35 a.m.

The annual tour allows choir members to serve the community by singing several pieces of music at various church services. At each stop, the choir takes a freewill offering to be donated to the Allamakee County Relief Office, the Allamakee County Food Shelf, the Backpack Program in the Allamakee Community School District, the Allamakee Giving Tree and the Waukon Community Meal program.