Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Dave Schoeberlein by Fred and Geralyn Smith and George Pickett, in memory of Ann Renae Peake by Jerry and Linda Siegrist, in memory of Joe A’Hearn by JoAnn Welch, in memory of Wayne Darrington by Waukon State Bank, and in memory of Dianne Straate Blankenship by Jerry and Linda Siegrist and Larry and Nancy Straate.
Memorials were also received in memory of Brian Zimmerman by Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Ernie and Donnalee Osland, Theresa Lyons, Yvonne Brandt, Nancy Schoh and Robert and Kristi Campbell.
Darrel Koozer of rural Harpers Ferry will be celebrating his 80th birthday Tuesday, January 30. In celebration of the occasion, cards and well wishes can be sent to him at the following address: 521 Buckskin Road, Harpers Ferry, IA 52146.
Pat and Hannah Kelly of Fort Atkinson announce the birth of their twin sons, Collin Patrick and Clayton William, born September 17, 2017 at the Mayo Clinic, Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN. Collin weighed 2 lbs. 14 ozs. and measured 15 inches in length and Clayton weighed 5 lbs. 5 ozs. and measured 19 inches in length at the time of their births.
Grandparents are Wayne and Barb Kelly and the late Elaine Kelly of Waterville, and Becky and the late Merlin Gesing of Waukon. Great-grandparents are John and Sheryl Prestemon and Leona Gesing of Waukon. Marcie Opfer of Waukon is a great-great-grandparent.
... that I have not watched any of the award shows on television for years, and this week’s Golden Globes was not an exception.
But listening to or reading reports next morning mentioned some things worth comment.
As with so many things these days, the media are guilty of yet another case of overkill. It appeared that most of the nominated performances dealt with strong women overcoming someone or something. I am not familiar with any of them and don’t plan to become so. The sole exception might be Gary Oldham’s portrayal of Winston Churchill, a strong man!
Photos show most women wore black, no doubt in mourning for the millions of extra dollars they earned or will earn as a result of the current mania to draw attention to predatory males in Hollywood, politics and business. Not that that isn’t a story and a problem. But it isn’t the only topic worth discussion.
The future of IPERS continues to be in the news and as Chair of the joint House-Senate Public Retirement Systems Committee. I’d like to put to rest any concerns or fears about rumored changes during this year’s legislative session.
IPERS members and other public pension beneficiaries have nothing to worry about. There will be no changes to IPERS or any of the other Iowa pension systems in the upcoming session.
Over the last several decades, thousands of Iowans have counted on the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) for their retirement security once they’ve left public service. They spent years contributing to the system and have earned their pensions.
Mid-December, our rural electric company installed a smart meter. We were never directly informed of this. We the customer should have received a written notice in the mail that the company was going to do this type of change. That did not happen. We were never personally informed or given the written opportunity to decline this. It may have been in the newsletter or another public form of media, but not everyone has the time to read the newsletter or other forms of media. Plus, my check is not written out to the other media or to the media department of the electric company.
Ultimately, it was done without us knowing it, which is what the utility companies are doing. They want to get this accomplished as quickly and discreetly as possible. That is the norm for the wireless industry.
by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• February 19: Office closed in observance of George Washington’s Birthday
USDA and SCORE Launch Innovative Mentorship Effort to Support New Farmers and Ranchers
USDA is collaborating with SCORE – www.score.org - the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors in an effort to provide free business mentoring to farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural and rural business owners.
Area for upcoming special hunting season outlined in red ... In its continuing efforts to monitor and combat Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding a special hunt to harvest more samples from wild deer during this next week in both Allamakee County and Clayton County in the areas outlined in red in the above map. The red-outlined areas surround locations where wild deer have been harvested and tested positive for CWD over the past several years, as indicated by the colored triangles on the map above. There is no fee to hunt in this special collection effort scheduled to take place January 20-28, but a permit is required and can be obtained at the locations and during the dates and times indicated in the surrounding article. Submitted image.
Meetings in Harpers Ferry and Elkader; Permits for January 20-28 special collection effort will be available
In its continuing efforts to monitor chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northeast Iowa, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a special scientific deer collection effort January 20-28 in targeted areas of Allamakee and Clayton counties near where chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in wild Iowa deer (see map accompanying this story on Page 12A). The collection effort will be discussed during two public meetings scheduled for this Thursday, January 18 - one at 2 p.m. at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center in Harpers Ferry and the other at 6:30 p.m. at the Keystone AEA building in Elkader.
Dexter Dietrich is First Baby of the Year born at VMH … Dillon and Nicole Dietrich of Waukon are pictured above with their newborn son, Dexter Douglas Dietrich, the First Baby of the Year born at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Born January 12, he joins his brother, Dayton, at home. The family will all enjoy many gifts thanks to the local merchants who helped celebrate the First Baby of the Year born at Veterans Memorial Hospital in 2018. Submitted photo.
Physicians and the entire staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon announce that the hospital's First Baby of the Year honors were won by Dexter Douglas Dietrich, newborn son of Nicole and Dillon Dietrich of Waukon.
Dexter was born Friday, January 12, 2018 at 12:50 p.m., weighing seven pounds, seven ounces and measuring 21 inches long. Dr. David Schwartz and Dr. Benjamin Nesseim assisted with the delivery. Dexter joins his big brother, Dayton, age three, at home.
As the First Baby of the Year, this fortunate child and family received the following generous gifts compliments of these area merchants:
