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Despite seeing its fourth head coach in the past five seasons, the Waukon girls basketball program took a strong step forward during its 2017-2018 campaign, that step taking the Lady Indians to their best overall season record, 14-7, during that same five-year timeframe under the direction of first-year head Tribal leader Greg Criswell. Further evidence of the positive steps made this season could be found in the Tribe’s Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) mark of 9-3 that placed the Indians in a tie for second place in the final NEIC standings and proved to tie their best NEIC record since the Indians’ last State Qualifying season of nearly perfect 2009-2010.

Charles Thomas Hall, 64, of Waukon stepped into heaven Good Friday morning, March 30, 2018 from his home near Waukon. Charlie’s courage matched the intensity of his foe, pancreatic cancer, even to the end. A visitation will be held Thursday, April 5 from 4-7 p.m., with a prayer service and sharing time at 6:30 p.m., at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. The funeral Mass will be held Friday, April 6 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Waukon at 11:30 a.m. Inurnment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, rural Waukon.

Lois A. Wiedenmann, 95, of Waukon died Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at her daughter’s home in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, March 31 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Pastor Grant Vander Velden and Pastor Paul Burgess officiating. Burial was at Mt. Hope Cemetery in rural Dorchester.

Lois Arlene (Bulman) Wiedenmann was born December 24, 1922 at Rose and Edward Sadler’s (her maternal grandparents) home that was  located “on the tail of the elephant” in the English Bench area of Union City Township. She was the daughter of Alton John and Helga Mae (Sadler) Bulman. Lois was baptized and confirmed at Mt Hope Presbyterian Church in Dorchester and attended school in English Bench. In 1940, Lois graduated as Valedictorian of Waukon High School, then took secretarial courses at Waukon Junior College and Western Wisconsin Technical School in La Crosse, WI.

Dr. William Robert Dunn, Sr., age 92, of Cumming, GA passed away March 26, 2018. A Celebration of Life service was held April 2 at Cumming First United Methodist Church with Rev. Kathie Stasko and Dr. Bob Bowling officiating. Graveside services were held April 2 at Sawnee View Memorial Gardens.

Dr. William Robert Dunn, Sr. was born in Atlanta, GA and graduated from North Fulton High School and Davidson College, and then earned his medical degree in 1947 from Emory University. He wed Norma Kehr Dunn in June 1947. They enjoyed 60 years of marriage and raising a family together.

Cassandra Berger, left, and Ashley Fuhrman, right, took the opportunity for this photo (at right) after their respective teams matched up on the lacrosse field Wednesday, March 21 in Dubuque. Berger’s University of Dubuque Spartans defeated Fuhrman’s Clarke University Pride, 16-12, in the non-conference match-up. “Pretty cool to have two people from Waukon playing against each other in a sport that we didn’t play in high school,” Berger said when she submitted the photo. “Especially considering that we played basketball together in high school five years ago.”

The Waukon boys golf team will look to the return of four varsity letterwinners from last season to lead one of its largest overall squads in recent history, as 21 young men have reported for early-season workouts so far this spring. While 21 is a promising number for a program that has been working to see growth in recent seasons, the fact that a majority of those 21 are fi rst-time participants and either sophomores or freshmen has third-year head coach Tharin Benson looking for complements to his quartet of veteran returnees.

“The amount of golfers out this year is a pleasant surprise, it’s great to see all the younger grades go out,” Coach Benson said. “Depth will be a concern. We’re still looking for a couple golfers to fill the rest of the varsity squad. As of now, it’s still up in the air.”

The Waukon girls golf team will be looking to begin building another solid foundation, as just two varsity letterwinners return from a squad that played to a fourthplace finish at the Northeast Iowa Conference Tournament and also advanced to the Regional Finals round of postseason play last spring before having its season brought to a close. On a team of 14 players this season, those two returning veterans will make up half of a group of just four who have ever competed in high school golf before.

“We have a young team with 10 players out for the first time,” Waukon girls golf head coach Kathy McMillan said. “It’s a year of rebuilding with only two returning letterwinners.”

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that National Geographic recently devoted a large part of an issue to the habits and routes of migratory birds. I was disappointed in the amount of attention it paid to the Mississippi River flyway. Some of the birds brilliantly photographed for the article are very familiar to eastern Iowans, and presentation of the map of flyway routes was very detailed. But somehow, this area seemed to be underplayed in the magazine.

I was reminded of that when I was treated to a recent afternoon’s tour of the highway from Lansing to New Albin, and then down what we always called the Army Post road through the wildlife refuge to the Minnesota (I think) slough boat landing.

To the Editor:

We want to send a quick note to acknowledge and show appreciation for EARL transit and the Irish Express (Wayne Kelly) and their drivers for providing a safe, cheap transportation alternative for citizens and visitors alike during the Waukon St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Your commitment to keeping everyone safe did not go unnoticed and it’s greatly appreciated!

Chief Phil Young and the entire Waukon Police Department

To the Editor:

What should matter? Each and every one of us matter.

It should not matter if you are a homeowner or a large money company, we should all be treated equally, fairly and with respect.

It should have mattered that the property line was the same for 112 years.

It should have mattered that in 1989 the City of Waukon, with an annexation, accepted the property line as it was since the late 1800s. Then, 22 years later, they say it is wrong. The other two changes in 30 years did not change the property line.

It should have mattered that the property owner took care of and paid property tax on that same property.

It should have mattered that the property owner was still paying property tax on that property after it was sold and the earth was being moved. Calling about this, I was told, legally, they can not change it for a year. Then how could it have been sold, legally, within that year?