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Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recently visited the St. Patrick School kindergarten class to offer Fizz, Bubble and Goo, a science-based program which requires students to get messy and sparks their natural curiosity for learning. A few of the activities included making homemade bubbles and bubble blowers and cola with ingredients right out of the cupboard. The kindergarten students learned what makes Alka Seltzer fizz and what gas blew up their balloon when they mixed baking soda and vinegar. The grand finale was making elephant toothpaste (pictured above) and watching the reaction between hydrogen peroxide, yeast and soap. Included in the finale was the Mentos and soda pop experiment, dropping 10 candies into the Coca-Cola (pictured below and a must-try at home!) For more information about joining 4-H, contact Becky Rea, Allamakee County K-12 Program Coordinator, at the Iowa State Extension and Outreach Allamakee County Office at 563-568-6345. Submitted photos.

Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association is offering ten $1,000 scholarships for the 2018-2019 academic year to college students pursuing careers, as well as two $750 scholarships specifically for students earning degrees from technical colleges.

“Equity Livestock is proud to help students further their educational endeavors by offering scholarships,” says Chuck Adami, president/chief executive officer (CEO). “The rise in tuition isn’t making it easy for today’s youth to earn their degree, so if our scholarship program can slightly reduce their financial worries, then by all means, we should support their efforts.”

Life is not about money - but how people manage their money impacts their quality of life, their family’s life, and the life of their community. A new course from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach provides the tools Iowans need to work toward financial goals.

“Your Money, Your Future begins in three communities this November,” said Jeannette Mukayisire, Human Sciences Family Finance Specialist. “In this two-part course you’ll learn how to make your money work for you.” The course covers how to understand spending, use financial management resources, and build personal financial management skills. It is sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation.

The class will meet at the following Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Offices:

Anyone who likes college basketball should think about signing up for Waukon Park and Recreation second annual Iowa Hawkeyes basketball trip to Iowa City. Waukon Park and Recreation will be taking a charter bus to Iowa City to the University of Iowa men’s basketball game against Southern University Sunday, December 10. Game time is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start.

Anyone in sixth-12th grades is welcome to go, and they do not have to have a parent along with them. There are 50 seats available on a first-come, first-serve basis to pay the sign-up fee. Interested participants must sign up online at https://waukon.recdesk.com/Community/Member/Login. The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, December 6 or until the 50 spots are filled.

Work continues with the storm sewer replacement project on First Avenue NW in Waukon following notice of a slight collapse in a section of the existing storm sewer in that area earlier this year. Waukon City Manager Dean Hilgerson has indicated that some delays in the project were caused by a gas line laying across the project area, which will be raised one foot, and other cables also creating difficulties. Hilgerson said 31 of the five-foot by nine-foot concrete sections of storm sewer (pictured above) will be placed from First Avenue NW northwest through the parking lot toward Second Street NW, likely taking over two more weeks to complete the project. Pictures below show the previous storm sewer of laid-up rock that is being replaced with the concrete sections, with the below left photo looking toward the south side of First Avenue NW and the below right photo looking to the north toward the parking lot area.

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%).