News Center newsletter

Vernon E. Shogren, 82, of Waukon died Sunday, December 24, 2017 at his home. Funeral services were held Saturday, December 30 at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. Burial with military honors was at Center Baptist Cemetery, rural Lansing.

Vernon Earl Shogren was born July 2, 1935 at home on the family farm in Lansing, the son of Clarence and Lillian (Johnson) Shogren. He was baptized at Village Creek Baptist Church in rural Lansing. Vernon attended Center #3 grade school and in 1953 graduated from Waukon High School.

After graduating, he moved to North Dakota to farm with his uncle until enlisting in the Navy in 1955, serving two years. Following his honorable discharge, Vernon returned to the home farm in Lansing, raising Black Angus cattle and corn. He also sold seed corn for DeKalb and was on the Farm Service Board. In addition, he was president of Farm Bureau from 1968-1970.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that from Washington, D.C., through Des Moines, to our local boards of officials, it seems that more and more, everything is either black or white, my way or your way.

Sometimes, I think, that is not so much a difference of opinions, as it is a failure to define the terms of the argument. An ultra-conservative northwest Iowa congressman was soundly criticized recently for saying that he felt diversity was over emphasized, and that he favored assimilation.

As though the two things were direct opposites.

I, for one, favor both.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• January 1: Office closed for News Years Day

Report Livestock Losses
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. LIP compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, wildfires, extreme heat or extreme cold.

Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica) hosts GrowingOn® meetings each year as part of the Association’s commitment to be a dependable and reliable partner during all ag cycles. Seventeen meetings will be held in Iowa from January 3 through 23, with the two most local meeting locations taking place January at the Waucoma Event Center, located at 308 Riverview Drive in Waukon and at the Delaware County Fairgrounds Pavilion, located on East Acers Street in Manchester. These meetings will take a new look at factors affecting profitability for producers, as well as strategies and tools they can use to improve their operations.

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Tuesday, January 9 at 5 p.m.

This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss, whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support group now meets the second Tuesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital physicians and staff will be awaiting the arrival of the first baby born at the hospital in the New Year. This fortunate child and his or her family will receive a large number of beautiful gifts compliments of area merchants.

The first baby of the year will receive the following in cash and prizes:

Some of the Sunday School children at Old East Paint Creek Church recently assembled nine layette gift bags all to be given to new babies born at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. The mission this year for these students is, “How We Can Serve Others.”  The items in the layettes were purchased with a Thrivent Action Team card. Pictured in the top photo, left to right, are Abigail Moore, Vincent Gibbs, Ivy Streeper, Madi Frye and Ava Medberry. Pictured below, left to right, in the front row are Brant Gibbs, Drake Reisinger, Issac Johanningmeier, Hannah Jeglum, Mariesa Gibbs, Jack Papp, Cole Kelly, Ali Melcher and Kara Helgerson. In the middle row, left to right, are Ethan Gibbs, Isaac Reisinger, Ian Mettille, Lauren Kelly, Kaden Sullivan, Allison Dehli, Natalie Sullivan and Kendra Gibbs. Pictured in the back row, left to right, are Braylen Bowden, Amy Bowden, Isaiah Mettille, Haylee Jeglum, Caleb Helgerson, Isabella Rounds, Desiree Johnson and Natalie Kelly. Submitted photo.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, January 8. The classes will continue for two more consecutive Monday evenings, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more about. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions.  Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care. Tours of the OB Department are available with each session as well.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will again be holding its extended Weekend Clinic over the New Year holiday weekend. The Weekend Clinic will be available Saturday, December 30, Sunday, December 31 and Monday, January 1, from 1-5 p.m. each day for all non-emergencies.

Weekend Clinics are held every Saturday and Sunday at Veterans Memorial Hospital, all year round, from 1-5 p.m. each day for non-emergencies. Non-emergencies are considered ailments that could be seen by a physician in a clinic and do not require an emergency room visit, such as minor injuries, sore throats and/or ear aches that cannot wait until regular clinic business hours. These Weekend Clinics save families the cost of regular emergency room fees on the weekends when the other local clinics are closed.

Veterans Memorial Hospital, in cooperation with Northeast Iowa Community College Business and Community Solutions, will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon through video conferencing being broadcast from Calmar. This 138-hour course will begin Thursday, January 4, 2018 at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 Third Avenue NW.

Areas of study include an introduction to emergency medical services systems, roles and responsibilities of EMTs, anatomy and physiology, medical emergencies, trauma, special considerations for working in the pre-hospital setting, and providing patient transportation.