I write these words on Earth Day, 2017. If you have been following the seven years of our exposing the damage caused at our beloved Effigy Mounds National Monument by federal employees you may care to know that we have recently received our last long awaited redacted (FOIA) Freedom of Information Act Request.
People lived here in the Driftless Area for thousands of years before our European ancestors arrived. These cultures had a very nature based society and revered their home to the extent they built earthworks, earth art many in the shape of other creatures.
Historically there were white folks who came on the scene who appreciated these mounds uniqueness and importance to the human story. The likes of locals Ellison Orr and others formed a group and petitioned congress for protection beginning around 1905. Effigy Mounds National Monument would finally be created in 1949.
As I was sitting down with my family for Easter dinner, I felt blessed to have wonderful company and plentiful food at our table. As we sliced our ham dinners, scooped scalloped corn on our plates, and buttered our rolls, we were thankful for the hard work of Iowa farmers toiling in the fields and tending to their livestock that made our meal possible. We are thankful for the perseverance, sacrifices, knowledge, and work ethic demonstrated by Iowa’s family farmers.
The Veterans Memorial Hospital Family Wellness Fair will be held Wednesday, May 10 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the hospital. Free health tests, family activities, entertainment and complimentary refreshments will all be included in the evening plus many door prizes will be given away. Veterans Memorial Hospital will also be awarding prizes at the Wellness Fair to all those in Allamakee and northern Clayton counties that participated in the Live Healthy Iowa 10 week wellness challenge in 2017. “Greenie” the balloon artist (pictured above), “Klyde Thinger the Clown,” the Waukon Fire Department, as well face painting and child car seat checks will be available again this year. In addition, a photo booth and dunk tank will offered. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event. Submitted photo.
New events and activities available to help mark this year's milestone; former U of I quarterback Chuck Long attending
The 20th annual “Family Wellness Fair” will be held Wednesday, May 10 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Health testing, exhibits and activities will all be providing a complete evening of entertainment and education for families of all ages.
This is the 20th annual event sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital and will include some special added attractions to celebrate this milestone. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event which is offered in conjunction with the end of the annual Live Healthy Iowa Community Wellness Challenge.
Waukon High School seniors Tyler O'Neill and Mason Hermeier were selected as the 2017 Waukon High School Prom King and Queen at the annual event held Saturday, April 29. Hermeier was selected from a Queen court that also involved fellow seniors Heidi Dougherty, Deana Schlitter and Regan Wasson. O'Neill was chosen from a King court that also included fellow seniors Nathan Benzing, Kyle Jones and Blain Swenson. Photo by Krystal Johnson.
At the Monday, April 24 meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors, Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker reported that the large debris field within the Big Slough in the Mississippi River from last year’s flooding has been cleaned up following the coordination and efforts of several organizations. Following the record flooding of the Upper Iowa River last year in August, an unexpected result of that flooding was the large amount of man-made and woody debris collected by that river’s rising floodwaters which, in turn, flowed downriver and finally settled in and clogged the Big Slough of the Mississippi River south of New Albin (as evident in the photo above taken during the recent clean-up effort). Upon notification of the existence of this debris field by members of the Friends of Pool 9, efforts began with several agencies to determine a plan of action to clean up this large debris field.
Kent Sweeney, owner of Side Street Cycles in Waukon, displays the motorcycle he created for a local motorcycle enthusiast, along with the First Place award the bike recently received in the Sport Custom Class at the 30th Anniversary Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show in Minneapolis, MN. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
Assistance from local businesses helps latest creation take first place in Sport Custom class
Following an initial custom motorcycle creation in 2015 that earned high accolades, Kent Sweeney of Side Street Cycles in Waukon was hoping to build on that momentum, and seems to have been able to do just that. A second such creation has already earned a first-place award in the Sport Custom Class of the 30th Anniversary Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show held in Minneapolis, MN March 25-26.
Sweeney once again teamed up with the local motorcycle enthusiast he had joined forces with to modify a 2003 Harley-Davidson Super Glide Sport in 2015 into a winner of two other Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show awards and high honors from Hot Bike Power Tour. With their follow-up creation, the pair chose a 2007 Harley-Davidson FXDSE, which Sweeney describes in plain words as a Screaming Eagle CVO Dyna.
The Corner of Hope Foods Resource Bank local growing project held its annual Blessing of the Seed and Soil on a blustery Saturday morning, April 29 to kick off the growing season. The event was held at the Mt. Olivet food plot north of Waukon, and Father Mark Osterhaus of St. Patrick Catholic Church gave the blessing. Submitted photo.
The Waukon Fire Department responded to a blaze at 204 Fifth Street SW in Waukon just prior to midnight Saturday, April 29, finding an unattached garage owned by Vickie Larson of Waukon fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. Crews were at the scene of the fire for several hours. The garage and its contents were a total loss, but the two houses adjacent immediately to the north and to the south of the garage were both saved from any serious damage by the efforts of the responding fire crew. The cause of the fire has been determined to be electrical in nature. Submitted photo.
The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, May 1 to address a full agenda of items, including an update regarding the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®), issues concerning parking on Main Street and Allamakee Street and an expansion at Reelcore.
During Public Comments, Howard Van Ruler of Howards Home Furnishings complimented the City Council and specifically Councilman Dwight Jones for following up with Town & Country Sanitation and helping resolve his concerns. Van Ruler was previously informed that he would need to have recyclables and garbage containers moved to the street for collection, rather than being left in the alley behind his business. Van Ruler indicated that garbage and recycling collection has been accomplished in the alley without any problem.
Kee High School juniors Caleb Conway (left) and Jack Mooney (right) have been selected to attend Boys State June 11-16 this year in Johnston. They were selected by and are sponsored by the Lansing VFW Post 5981 and Lansing American Legion Post 50. Submitted photo.
Two Kee High School junior students, Jack Mooney and Caleb Conway, have been selected to attend the annual Boys State event being held at Fort Dodge in Johnston June 11-16 this year. Local selection of attendees is being sponsored by the Lansing Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 5981 and Lansing American Legion Post 50.
Jack Mooney is the son of Dan and Renee Mooney of rural New Albin. Caleb Conway is the son of Greg and Jenny Conway of rural Lansing.
Begun in 1938, Boys State is a six-day course in self government, consistently taught with a hands-on approach. The young men of 2017 Boys State, all of whom will have finished their junior year of high school, will be divided into 32 cities. Four cities constitute a county and eight counties make up Boys State. The cities are composed of members of the Nationalist and Federalist parties. The citizens within these cities hold party caucus meetings, conventions, campaigns and general elections.
