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Hi, and Happy Winter Weather Awareness Day for Thursday, November 9!

A couple of weeks ago would have seemed too early, but given the weather the last couple of weeks, that greeting seems to fit as we are fast becoming aware of the upcoming winter season that will soon be upon us.  So, in recognition of this day, I would like to discuss some things we can start looking at as we prepare for our upcoming Iowa weather.

One of the first things we should do is make sure we are aware of the hazards we face during the winter season and this, of course, includes snow, ice and cold. Each one brings unique features and dangers with it, along with their own impact on our safety during the winter months. However, with so much to cover with these alone, I will discuss these hazards in my upcoming December article and will use this article to focus on the following simple preparation activities we can take at this time.

Tickets for the Waukon Indian football State Play-Off Semifinals game against Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley this Saturday, November 11 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls are available for purchase at the Waukon High School office. Tickets will be available until supplies last or through Friday of this week.

Indians will face off against defending State Champion B-H/RV this Saturday in the UNI-Dome

Anyone anticipating another close, down-to-the-wire battle much like the Week 2 28-20 victory the Waukon football team pulled off in its early-season non-district match-up at New Hampton was likely disappointed in the postseason rematch between the two teams - unless, of course, they were Waukon football fans. Much like that early season match-up, the gridiron Indians racked up a massive total yards advantage against the host Chickasaws, 457-156, but this time that Indian upperhand also played out on the scoreboard with a 34-13 Tribe victory that advances the Indians to just their second play-off semifinals contest in program history.

The Kee volleyball team had its dramatic postseason tournament run come to an end Tuesday, October 31, but it took a perennial net power to finally derail that Hawk tournament train and prevent Kee history from being made one more time just one match shy of the State Tournament. Having steamrolled fellow Upper Iowa Conference opponent Turkey Valley to begin that tournament trek, the Hawks went the distance in dramatic fashion in their next two matches, including an upset at 10th-rated Dunkerton several days prior to end up in the Region 5 championship match against seventh-rated Tripoli at Crestwood High School.

Voting results from the Tuesday, November 7 City Election reveal a new councilman for Waukon's Third Ward, but no candidate in the five-person race for Waukon Mayor could be declared the winner of that office, as none of the five candidates received a majority vote of at least 50% of the vote total plus one more. In such a case, the top two vote-getters advance on to a run-off election, which, according to the Allamakee County Auditor's Office, will be scheduled for Tuesday, December 5.

In the unofficial results released shortly after polls closed Tuesday night, Dwight Jones received the most votes of the five mayoral candidates - 259 votes (35.24%), with Pat Stone next in line with 169 votes (22.99%). Those two top vote-getters, Jones and Stone, will now face off in that December 5 run-off election. Other candidate vote totals in that mayoral race are as follows: Darryl Brink - 120 votes (16.33%), Steve Wiedner - 111 votes (15.10%) and Rick Herman - 73 votes (9.93%).

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that a national columnist this morning noted that if President Trump does nothing else (and he hasn’t been able to do much!) he may have had some success in reestablishing the separate roles of the three branches of government. He has in some instances undone the executive orders of his predecessor and referred a matter to the legislative branch, where it should reside according to the constitution. And he named an apparent strict constructionist to the Supreme Court.

To the Editor:

November 7, Waukon residents will have the opportunity to vote on our local Hotel/Motel Tax. You might ask, “what is this?” The Hotel/Motel tax is a tax imposed on the gross receipts from the renting of sleeping rooms, apartments or sleeping quarters in any hotel, motel, inn, public lodging house, rooming house, tourist court, bed and breakfast or any place where sleeping accommodations are furnished to transient guests when staying for 31 consecutive days or less.

A City is the entity that can impose, by ordinance of the city council, a Hotel/Motel tax at a rate not to exceed 7%. This tax, when imposed by a City, shall apply only within the corporate boundaries of the city. Currently, the rate is 4% tax for these sleeping accommodations in our city, which, according to State of Iowa figures, is low. Out of 156 Iowa cities that have a Hotel/Motel tax, 135 have gone to that 7% level.

To the Editor:

Many towns in Iowa and elsewhere large and small are know for one thing, whether it be a flower (tulip) or a fruit (strawberry) or a prominent landmark, such as a waterfall, cave, overlook, etc. Waukon over the years could have been known for a number of things, such as in the 1960s-1980s as the birthplace for America’s meatcutters.

Many retail and wholesale meat markets and outlets across the country could be found staffed by personnel who originated from or who grew up in the Waukon area. In fact, The Postville Herald newspaper received a prestigious award for its series of investigative journalism articles on the meatcutters of Allamakee County, Iowa.

To the Editor:

I guess we will all agree that our country is in deep trouble; national debt out of control and our moral situation is deplorable. It’s time for concerned U.S. citizens to wake up!

The following test can be taken with the answer choices being either R = Republican or D = Democrat:

Which party is great to increase taxes? R or D
Which party is for English only? R or D
Which party supports our military and police? R or D
Which party will put the Bible and 10 Commandments back in schools? R or D
Which party would secure our borders? R or D
Which party would eliminate Planned Parenthood? R or D
Which party would push for term limits? R or D
Which party promotes a balanced budget? R or D

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Wednesday, November 8 at 2 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 meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.