News Center newsletter

Roger and Rita (Duffy) Byrnes of Waukon will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple was married September 2, 1967 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester.

They are the parents of Lorne (Kari) of Moorhead, MN, Lyle of Waukon, Lewis (Janette) of Waukon, Ruth (John) of Spillville, Lee (Renee) of Cedar Rapids and Lonnie of Waukon. Their grandchildren include Payton, Ryder, Ethan and Keaton Byrnes, Cassidy, Gabriel and Garrison Byrnes, Mason and Payton Cox, and Grace and Oliver Byrnes.

A celebration hosted by their children is scheduled for Saturday, September 2 from 1-4 p.m. at the Waukon City Club Party Room.

In honor of the occasion, cards may be sent to 911 Fourth Street NW, Waukon, IA 52172.

Elaine Duvel Fox will be celebrating her 80th birthday August 31.

In honor of the occasion, cards can be sent to 2274 Prairie View Road, Decorah, IA 52101.
 

The annual reunion of the descendants of Edwin and Matilda (Pechia) Livingood, parents of Estella Moose, will be held at the Farm Bureau Building in Waukon September 10. The meal will start at 12 p.m. Those attending are asked to bring a dish to pass for the potluck and table service. Beverages will be furnished.

Feel free to bring family histories and photos to share. Questions may be directed to Marcia Rush.
 

The Waukon High School Class of 1948 will be having its class reunion Wednesday, September 6 at the Old Rossville Store at 12 p.m. All classmates are invited to attend and encouraged to share the news.
 

The 54th Friederich family reunion will be held Sunday, September 3 with a noon potluck at Central State Bank in Elkader. Family members are reminded to bring items for the auction.

Justin Vargason and Abigail Dietrich of Waukon announce the birth of their daughter, Harper Sky Vargason, born August 18, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 6 lbs. 7 ozs. and measured 18-1/2 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins a sister, Brooklyn (5).

Grandparents are Todd and Joan Dietrich of Waukon and Scott and Skyla Vargason of Postville. Great-grandparents are Sharon Brown of Waukon, Wanda Barker of Waukon, Aiden Dietrich of Frankville and Colleen Vargason of Elgin.

Benjamin and Amy Ghelf of Lansing announce the birth of their son, Johnathon Ghelf, born August 15, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 6 lbs. 6 ozs. and measured 20 inches in length at the time of his birth.
 

Fans in attendance at the Friday, August 25 season-opening game for the Waukon Indian 2017 football season perhaps either passed through or witnessed the dedication of the new entrance (pictured above) designating the Richard Hermeier Sports Complex located directly behind Waukon High School. Dr. Richard Hermeier (pictured below), a 1955 graduate of Waukon High School, was honored at halftime of the August 25 football game in front of his hometown's fans at the Waukon High School sports complex that he and his family helped created through generous donations valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout the past decade or so. In addition to Dr. Hermeier's name being forever commemorated in a metal arch above the pictured entrance, Dr.

by Lissa Blake

New technology recently saved precious time during a call to rescue six tubers lost on the Yellow River in Allamakee County.

According to Harpers Ferry Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Cota, the Decorah Fire Department’s new drone helped emergency personnel locate the stranded individuals in record time. The six women rescued were from the Quad Cities area.

“The stretch of Yellow River between Ion and Effigy Mounds is both rugged and desolate. They were out there in no-man’s land,” said Cota of the rescue that occurred Sunday evening, August 20.

Cota said it was the second time his department has been called to that stretch of the river. “People don’t realize there’s really no current along that stretch of the river,” he said.

The Monday, August 21 total solar eclipse that cast the moon's shadow diagonally across the United States from northwest to southeast provided many viewers along that estimated 100-mile wide shadow path with a phenomenon that has not been seen within the 48 contiguous United States since February of 1979 and is not scheduled to happen again within the contiguous United States until April of 2024. Only an estimated 87% eclipse was expected to be seen locally within the Allamakee County area, but overcast skies made local viewing of the eclipse somewhat fruitless.