News Center newsletter

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is asking voters to decide whether to continue the College’s existing bond levy in a special election scheduled for Tuesday, September 11. The NICC Board of Trustees approved the continuation at its meeting in April of this year and is now bringing the matter in front of voters, to be labeled “Public Measure B” on the special election ballot.

The bond levy up for renewal is a continuation of an already existing levy - not a new tax, and if approved by voters would allow NICC to secure $39 million in taxpayer support. The College’s current property tax levy rate for the bond and interest fund is set at $0.288 per $1,000 assessed valuation, and the new bond issuance, if approved by district voters, is structured to be paid off at that same $0.288 levy rate.

Allamakee County 4-H members exhibits were on display in the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair held in Des Moines August 9-19. More than 3,800 exhibits were displayed this year, showcasing excellence in project area learning by 4-H members across the state of Iowa.

Divisions young people may exhibit in include agriculture and natural resources, creative arts, family and consumer sciences, personal development, and science, mechanics and engineering.

“Each exhibit is an outgrowth of year-long project area work done by the 4-H member,” explains Mitchell Hoyer, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 4-H youth development program specialist. “The exhibits display at the Iowa State Fair is a celebration of the educational and personal accomplishments of our Iowa 4-H members. It is a way for our members to share what they’ve learned with the public.”

The Allamakee County 4-H Youth Development Committee is proud to recognize JoAnne Bodley of Postville as the 2018 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame inductee. She has been a long-time supporter of the Allamakee County 4-H Program. Her 4-H involvement began in 1985 after her husband became a leader of the Big 4 4-H Club.

She quickly took over his role and continued to lead the club that later became Big 4 Poststar 4-H Club. Through her 28 years as club leader, her love and passion for agriculture was shown through her children’s and the club member’s participation in the beef project.

Tuesday, August 7, the Waukon Police Department received a report of a theft from Village Farm & Home in Waukon that had taken place August 4. With assistance from a neighboring law enforcement agency, the suspect was identified as 49-year-old Scott Richard Coxworth of Houston, MN.

Upon further investigation by use of a surveillance camera system, it was discovered that Coxworth returned to Village Farm & Home August 6 and had taken more merchandise. Following those investigative measures, Coxworth was charged with two counts of fifth-degree theft and an arrest warrant was granted.

Wednesday, August 22, the Waukon Police Department received a call from Village Farm & Home reporting that Coxworth had returned once again and was still present at the store. Officers responded to Village Farm & Home and placed Coxworth into custody for the arrest warrant.

Tuesday, August 28, the Waukon Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence located at 502 First Street SE in Waukon. As a result of the search warrant, 34-year-old Emily Johnston of Waukon was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while license revoked.

Another 34-year-old female, Daphne Bendall of Prairie du Chien, WI, was also arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of a prescription drug. It was further discovered that Bendall also has a detainer for an arrest warrant in the state of Wisconsin.

The Waukon Police Department was assisted by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office. A criminal charge is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
 

Carmen Wille (second from the right in the front row of the above photo), a 2017 graduate of Waukon High School now majoring in Agricultural and Life Sciences Education at Iowa State University in Ames, recently participated in the annual Ag Media Summit and Association of Communications Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. This national event, held in August, allowed students to attend workshops tailored to communications, meet alumni and network with communication professionals from agriculture-related industries. At the summit, the Iowa State Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) Club received six awards from 26 submissions. There were a total of nearly 800 entries from 14 ACT chapters around the country. As a chapter, the group was recognized for a substantial increase in contest submissions.

Northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota high school students and their parents will have an opportunity to talk with representatives from nearly 60 higher education institutions Monday, September 10 at Luther College in Decorah. The event is open to the public with no charge for admission.

College Night will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. in Luther’s Sports and Recreation Center at the college’s Regents Center, located on the lower campus. The college invites all students and families interested in information about post-high school education options to attend.

Representatives of private colleges, public and private universities, community colleges, vocational schools and branches of the military will have booths at the College Night event. Students and parents will be able to talk about academic programs and educational opportunities with representatives from each institution.

Financial aid information sessions will be held at 6:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The Allamakee County Conservation Board will be hosting a Hunter Education course September 20, from 6-9 p.m., and September 22, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the The Allamakee County Sportsmen’s Club in rural Waukon. Attendance on both days of the class is required for successful completion.

Hunter Education is required for anyone 12 years of age or older and born after January 1, 1972 to obtain a hunting license in the state of Iowa. Participants who are 11 years of age at the time of the class may participate in the class, however, they will not will not receive a certificate of certificate until their 12th birthday.

The Kee football team made one of its longer road trips Friday, August 31 when the Hawks traveled to Rockford for their final non-district game of the 2018 season. The senior-led host Warriors had racked up a 74-18 victory in their first game of this season on the strength of a high-powered running game, and that trend proved to continue as the Hawks were dealt a 70-14 defeat.

That Rockford ground game chewed up 415 yards against the Hawk defense, with all but two of the Warriors’ nine touchdowns coming on the ground. The Rockford senior tandem of Kaden Lyman and Jacob Staudt accounted for 141 and 273 yards, respectively, ending up with averages of 17.6 and 30.3 yards per carry in the contest, with Staudt racking up five touchdowns along the way.

After looking far and wide for its first competition of the season following weather cancellations, the Waukon boys cross country team ended up competing just a short distance away from home to open its 2018 season at the MFL/MarMac Invitational with a third-place team finish. The Indians first had their originally scheduled Tuesday, August 28 Oelwein Invitational canceled due to rainy weather, and then also had a schedule-added Charles City meet Thursday, August 30 canceled due to remnants of that rainy weather, before ultimately ending up competing at the Tri-City Golf Club near Luana Thursday, August 30.

The Indians got a pair of top-five individual efforts and ultimately had all their five scored runners finish in the top 25 individuals of the 55-runner varsity field. That effort was good enough for third place in the nine-team varsity field, just two points behind Class 1A fourth-rated South Winneshiek.