News Center newsletter

by Lissa Blake

When Waukon’s Helen Stegen reflects upon the gifts she received in life, she treasures the fact she had her very own war hero in her uncle, Harris Quanrud.

“He was my hero … and still is,” said Stegen, now 81 years old.

Stegen was born Helen Forde in 1937. Her mother, Harriet Quanrud, was a sister to Harris Quanrud, who was born August 4, 1915.

“I was just three years old when Harris went into the Army, in April of 1941,” remembered Helen.

Although she was young, she said she can vividly remember her mother and aunt Barbara sitting on top of a heater, crying. “And I cried too, because they were crying. I had never seen my mom cry before,” said Helen.

Helen remembered the Quanrud family having a schedule for corresponding with Harris when he was overseas. “Each of his three sisters and his mom had a specific day of the week they would write to him. My brother, Jim, and I wrote to him as well,” she said.

The Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently announced that 58 Iowa communities have received a total of more than $171 million in low-interest loans through the State Revolving Fund to assist in advancing water quality projects. State Revolving Fund Construction Loans are a low-cost construction financing option available for Iowa cities and municipalities for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Planning & Design Loans are zero percent loans that assist with the first-phase of project expenses.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2018 will be held this Friday through Monday, November 9-12 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “Never Stop Believing.”

The “Tingle ‘N Mingle” Happy Hour is an opportunity to meet socially with friends and co-workers. Over a dozen tables of hearty hors d’oeuvres, desserts, candies, breads and spirits will be served among the trees from 5-8 p.m. this Friday, November 9. The event is sponsored by Four County Ag Services and Four County Crop Services of Postville. Tickets are available at Veterans Memorial Hospital and local banks, as well as at the door of the event.

Charles Waters, son of Jaime and Jessica Waters of Waukon, has achieved Boy Scouts’ highest rank of Eagle Scout, being recently designated with the honor October 15. He is a member of Waukon Boy Scout Troop 64 under the leadership of Scoutmaster Troy Lubahn.

Waters began his scouting career as a Bear Cub with Waukon Cub Scout Pack 64 in September of 2012. He achieved the highest rank in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light, in April of 2015. At that time, he became a member of Boy Scout Troop 64.

As a Boy Scout member, Waters has held such leadership positions as Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and he currently holds the position of OA Troop Representative. While working through his six ranks in Scouting, from Scout to Eagle, Waters has earned 23 merit badges, some of which include First Aid, Communication, Environmental Science, Lifesaving and Personal Management.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, November 5 to discuss a full agenda of items including discussion of a tenant and landlord’s responsibility regarding an overdue water bill, discussion of drafting a letter of support to Menards and several matters relating to the new Wastewater Treatment Facility.

There was no Public Comment and the council moved into Departmental Reports. Street Superintendent Keith Burrett provided an update on street maintenance projects including core-outs that have been blacktopped. He also said preparation for winter has begun for the Street Department.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Andy Kelleher, the new Main Street Lansing Executive Director, is no stranger to northeast Iowa. Kelleher grew up in the Lansing/New Albin area and attended school in the Eastern Allamakee Community School District. He graduated with top marks from Kee High School in Lansing and was ready to meet the world.
Kelleher had spent several summers at Village Creek Bible Camp, working with young people and organizing activities for their camps. He ventured away from the area to check out Cincinnati, OH and was ready to move there but eventually came back, ready to find his niche back in his hometown area. He continues to work with an area church’s youth group.

A special program will celebrate the nearly 200 World War I servicemen and women with ties to Lansing and other areas of Allamakee County. The program will start at 1 p.m., Monday, November 12 at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, located at 515 Main Street in Lansing.

The Byways of Iowa Coalition held its annual meeting Thursday, October 18 at the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in Lansing. At the meeting, attendees representing Iowa’s 14 byways spent time learning  the history of the Iowa Byways™ program and listened to updates and successes from byway coordinators across the state.

Building a successful future for Waukon and Allamakee County requires a collaborative dialogue and shared commitment between business partners, workforce agencies and educators.

The Allamakee County Business and Community Board is generating and providing a forum for these important conversations. Board members identify workforce needs, discuss employment trends and insights, and assist in the development of career pathways for high school students, according to member Denny Ford, president of Norplex-Micarta in Postville.

Those who may be interested in discussing the books they read with other readers, in meeting new people, in looking for a new author or genre to read but who may not be quite ready to jump all in just yet, or who are simply at a loss for what to read next are invited to join the Thursday Night Book Club held at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon the third Thursday of every month. Upcoming discussions by the Book Club in 2018 include the following:

November 15: Animal/Pet-themed
December 20: With more pictures than words.

All are welcome to attend. For more information on the Thursday Night Book Club that meets at 6 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the library, contact Robey Memorial Library by telephone at 563-568-4424, by email at robeymemorial@waukon.lib.ia.us or through the library website at www.waukon.lib.ia.us.