News Center newsletter

The annual Friends of Pool 9 (FOP9) River Clean-Up Day has been set and volunteers are needed. Saturday, April 21 marks the 14th year  this event has been scheduled. Last year alone, close to five tons of trash and debris were collected by 104 volunteers, making for a total of almost 140,000 pounds in the span of the previous 13 clean-up years. FOP9 River Clean-Up Day organizers are looking to try and better that volunteer number this year.

“Bring your outdoor friend or make it a family experience,” shared FOP9 Clean-Up Day organizers. “Help clean Pool 9 of the Mississippi River and take pride in the beauty of the great river valley.”

Thursday, April 19, the public is invited to celebrate Earth Day (a little early) by learning about the unique layers of rock that have formed over the past 500 years beneath the landscape of the local area. In a presentation entitled “Disappearing Streams: Karst Geology of the Driftless Area,” Dr. Kelvin Rudolfo will talk about the area’s karst geology, which is marked by sinkholes, springs and shallow soils, and also by a vulnerability to pollution. Dr. Rudolfo is Professor Emeritus of Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The free program is part of a monthly speaker series and will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, located at 515 Main Street in Lansing. The program will be preceded by a light supper at 5:30 p.m. with freewill offering.

The Allamakee County Conservation Board will be hosting author Dick Stahl Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. in the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center library in Lansing. The program is free of charge.

Stahl has compiled a book, entitled “Bluffing,” of poems and color photographs inspired by the mighty river.  His work has also appeared in three other books, including “After the Milk Route” and “Under the Green Tree Hotel,” published by Augustana College’s East Hall Press and “Mr. Farnam’s Guests” published by the Midwest Writing Center. For more information on this program or any other program that is offered by the Allamakee County Conservation Board and the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center contact the office by phone at 563-538-0403 or by email at accb.naturalist@gmail.com.
 

The members of the Waukon High School cheerleading squad pictured at right were chosen by the Iowa Cheer Coaches Association All-Star cheerleaders directors and choreographer to perform as part of the 2018 Iowa All-Star Team, being selected to cheer at the Iowa High School All-Star basketball games held at Dallas Center Grimes High School Saturday, March 24. In January of this year, Waukon High School cheerleading coaches Amy and Lexie Bieber recorded try-out videos for the All-Star selection process consisting of the girls doing a short cheer, a short dance routine (4, 8 counts) and a toe touch. The coaches also wrote recommendations and skills levels for each of their skills.

Waukon High School senior Mitchell Snitker was honored as the 2017-2018 Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association/National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Male Athlete Student Scholarship Award Winner for the state of Iowa at the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association annual convention and banquet held March 25 in Coralville. He is pictured in the center of the submitted photo at right with Waukon High School Assistant Principal and Activities Director Brian Hilsabeck (left) and Waukon Middle School Principal and Activities Director Jen Garin (right).

Two Waukon High School cheerleaders have been selected as part of the Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star Cheer Squad and will be cheering at the 2018 Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Classic to be played July 21 at the UNI-Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls. That Waukon High School pair is pictured above and includes, left to right, juniors Michaela Dehli and Brittney Troester.

In addition to football and cheerleading, the annual Shrine Bowl benefits the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children by raising sponsorship funding that is donated directly to the Shriner Hospital program. Each individual participant in the Shrine Bowl is asked to raise $800 in sponsorship and/or donation funding.

Leland “Gunny” Fremont Schulze, 90, of Brownsville, MN passed away, Saturday, March 31, 2018 at Springbrook Village of La Crescent, MN. Funeral services were held Thursday, April 5 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Caledonia, MN with Rev. Steven E. Meyer officiating. Entombment was in the mausoleum at Mormon Coulee Memorial Park Cemetery in La Crosse, WI with military honors by the Roy L. Vingers American Legion Post 52 of La Crosse and the United States Army Funeral Honor Guard.

He was born March 6, 1928 in Caledonia, MN to Fremont and Hannah (Schroeder) Schulze. Leland married Dorothy Nielsen February 3, 1951 and to this union five children were born.

Wylo Wagner, 89, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Waukon, passed away Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at his home. Celebration of Life will be held from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 21 at The Legacy Center at  Murdoch-Linwood, Cedar Rapids. Entombment will be at Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Wylo was born November 16, 1928 in Monona, the son of George and Ellen (Amundson) Wagner. He proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1954-1956 in Europe. Wylo married Maureen Decker September 16, 1957 in Waukon. He was a lifelong dairy farmer and loved carpentry work. Wylo enjoyed constructing buildings and in his later years, custom furniture. He was also a member of the VFW.

Elizabeth “Betty” Jane (Kubitz) Hogan, age 95, of Postville passed away at the Good Samaritan Center in Postville Wednesday, April 4, 2018. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, April 9 at St. Bridget Catholic Church, Postville with Rev. Nils de Jesus Hernandez as the Celebrant, assisted by Deacon Pat Malanaphy. Burial followed at Postville Cemetery, Postville.

Betty was born in Caledonia, MN June 30, 1922 to Edward and Jane (Reburn) Kubitz. She was baptized July 23, 1922 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin and confirmed at St. Mary Catholic Church in Caledonia, MN. Betty attended schools in Houston County, MN.

Being the third oldest, she watched over all of the kids to help her mother out, which carried through all of her years. Betty was her dad’s right-hand daughter and helped with everything on the farm. In her younger years, she enjoyed skiing and playing ball.

Marlys Tweten Schulte, age 91, of Decorah died Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at Wellington Place in Decorah. A Celebration of the Life and Memory of Marlys was held Saturday, April 7 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Elliott Malm officiating. Interment was at Mabel First Lutheran Cemetery, Mabel, MN.

Marlys Josephine (Lundtvedt) Tweten Schulte was born May 9, 1926 in Glenwood Township, rural Winneshiek County, the daughter of Gunder and Olga (Skaim) Lundtvedt. Marlys was baptized June 6, 1926 and confirmed August 25, 1940, both at Pontopiddan Lutheran Church.

She graduated from Decorah High School May 11, 1944. Marlys attended teachers training at Luther College and then taught rural school for three years. She married Selmer Odell Tweten April 2, 1947 at the Pontoppidan Lutheran Church. Together they had nine children.