Jason (JR) Brink and Jerrica Milton of Waterville announce the birth of their daughter, Lorelei Ruth Brink, born December 23, 2018 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 8 lbs. and measured 20-1/2 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins siblings, Gibson (7), Veda (3) and Elsie (2).
I remember when I was a child how exciting Christmas time was. How we waited and waited for Christmas to get here. It seemed like it took forever. As a child there seemed to be a special spirit or feeling in the air at Christmas time. It was a feeling of excitement and happiness that only children experience.
But when I got older, about 12 years old or so, I remember feeling disappointed because that feeling of Christmas was no longer there, like it used to be. I tried to get it back but it would never be the same again.
But then a new Christmas spirit replaced the old one. Christmas took on a much deeper meaning. Now I was old enough to understand what Christmas was really all about. Those Christmas Carols: Away In A Manger, Silent Night, Joy To The World, and O Holy Night, began to take on a new meaning.
by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• January 15: Last day to apply for the Market Facilitation Program
• January 21: Office closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day
USDA Market Facilitation Program
Last day to sign up for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) is January 15! This is the last day to sign the application to ensure payment for the program. You have until May 1 to prove production. So, make sure you have a signed application on file in your recording county by January 15!
The MFP program will provide payments to corn (fresh and processed), cotton, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean (fresh and processed), wheat, shelled almond, and fresh sweet cherry producers.
The Allamakee County Conservation Board and the Harpers Ferry Booster Club will host the annual Kids Ice Fisheree January 27, 2019 from 11-2 p.m. at Nobles Island Boat Landing. Nobles Island Boat Landing is approximately 5 miles south of Harpers Ferry on County Road 364. Anyone 15 years of age and under is encouraged to attend with an adult. Ice fishing equipment, bait, food, and hot chocolate will be provided. Entry to the fisheree is free of charge and prizes will be awarded to many of the participants.
In case of inclement weather or poor ice conditions a makeup date will be February 10, 2019 at the same time and location. Announcements will be made as soon as possible via the Allamakee County Conservation Facebook page.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 26 to address a full agenda of items including a workers compensation dividend presentation, discussion of city and school combined election expenses and the consideration of quotes to remove and salvage a two-way communication tower on the County Farm.
During Public Comment, Leon Mohn presented a petition signed by approximately 150 individuals that are against the potential paving of Heytman Drive and are requesting that the project be removed from the county’s five year plan. Mohn asked the Supervisors to consider this petition when making their final decision.
The Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) is now accepting 2019 grant applications. The application is now available online at www.dbqfoundation.org/accf. Applications are due February 1, 2019 by midnight.
Nonprofit organizations can apply for grants from the ACCF for projects or programs that address significant community issues and benefit a broad spectrum of the community. Projects must be taking place within Allamakee County.
The ACCF awards grants in the areas of Health and Human Services, Education, Neighborhoods and Community Development, Environment; Children, Youth and Families; and Arts and Culture, including historic preservation.
The month of November ended on a fairly positive note for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon. VMH Administrator Mike Myers noted that the hospital will show a $52 loss for the month of November. He also noted that the revenue areas for the hospital have been changing.
“Seventy percent of our revenue is not outpatient,” Myers said. “I think when I came here twenty years ago, outpatient was forty percent at the most, maybe mid-thirties.”
Inpatient revenue was down 15% percent, while outpatient was up seven percent. Gross patient revenue was up 1.1% and total expenses were down 2.6%. Myers also noted that all outpatient areas, other than Emergency Room (ER) visits, were up, and MRIs were down slightly. Deliveries are down. Myers noted that budgeting for the upcoming year will be a challenge due to the fact that there are changes in the physicians and providers.
Main Street Madness, the annual punch card event sponsored by Main Street Lansing, recorded a record-setting $220,100 in holiday sales between November 12 and December 15. The promotion featured punch cards that were available from participating businesses, and for every $5 spent, a customer received a card punch. Once a card was full with $100 worth of punches, a customer was eligible to enter a drawing for a variety of prizes, from business gift certificates to $150 in Downtown Dollars. The 2018 prize winners are:
An Allamakee County woman has won a $100,000 lottery prize. Susan Dolan (pictured above) of Harpers Ferry claimed the sixth of eight top prizes available in the Iowa Lottery’s “Star” scratch game. She purchased her winning ticket at Barry’s Mini Mart, 403 West Chestnut Street in Harpers Ferry, and claimed her prize Monday, December 24 at the lottery’s regional office in Cedar Rapids. Star is a $10 scratch game. For more information about this game, and the number of prizes still available, visit www.ialottery.com. Submitted photo.
Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is temporarily suspending its Resumé Rescue and Chess Club programs for the near future. Contact Robey Memorial Library at 563-568-4424 or www.waukon.lib.ia.us for further information about those programs that had been held regularly at the library.
Resumé Rescue is not meeting during the month of December. This program is scheduled to resume Tuesdays, from 1-2 p.m., beginning January 8.
Chess Club is not meeting December through March. This program is scheduled to resume Mondays, from 4-6 p.m., beginning April 1.
