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After making history last season with the first-ever State Championship in female athletics for Kee High School, the Lady Hawk softball team would have been hard-pressed to improve on such a feat. But the 39-6 record that resulted from that first-ever state title was improved a bit to a mark of 38 wins with just two losses this season - the Hawks opting out of playing in their scheduled North Fayette Valley Tournament that may very well have pushed their win total into the 40s. Even further, the 23-9 outscoring that came with last season’s crown was bettered to a 33-5 scoring margin during this year’s return to Class 1A State Championship reign. But even though the end result for the Hawks was a repeat performance, the celebration and feeling of accomplishment are still as thrilling as the first time.

The Waukon High School athletic campaign for the 2017-2018 season will get kicked off Thursday night, August 17 at the newly established annual Meet the Team/Sports Drink Scrimmage Night being held at Waukon High School, beginning at 4 p.m. with a variety of scheduled activities. The Allamakee Athletic Booster Club will kick off the event at 4 p.m. with its annual membership drive that includes an appreciation meal being served to Booster members and athletes at the Waukon High School cafeteria.

At 5 p.m., a featured speaker will address the crowd in the Waukon High School gym. Former National Football League (NFL) player Cedric James will be this year’s featured speaker. James played his college football at Texas Christian University (TCU) before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings for a two-year stint and then spending a year with the Dallas Cowboys before being part of the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl XXXIX championship team during the 2005 NFL season.

The 2017 Waukon baseball team returned a total of 10 letterwinners this season from a 7-22 campaign last summer, but even with that collection of returning experience the Indians couldn’t advance their win total any, finishing this year with a 7-23 overall record. That overall mark included a 1-17 record in Northeast Iowa Conference play, placing the baseball Tribe seventh in the final league standings.

Despite the regular season difficulties, the Indians put together some of their best work as the postseason got underway, once again winning their first postseason game before having their season brought to a close in the district semifinals by a top 10-rated Dyersville Beckman team that eventually played to the Class 2A State Tournament championship.

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Teletha M. Springsteen, 63, of Waukon died Sunday, August 13, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. A visitation will be held Wednesday, August 16 from 5-7 p.m. at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Teletha Mae Springsteen was born June 21, 1954 in Waukon, the daughter of Norman Henry and Alpha Jane (Sires) Rosendahl. Teletha graduated from Waukon High School. After graduating, Teletha moved to Michigan to stay with family. Shortly thereafter, she met James Harvey Springsteen and they married December 21, 1972 at Bethel United Church in Cassopolis, MI. In 1983, they moved back to Iowa. Teletha worked in retirement homes in both Michigan and Iowa during the course of her career.

She loved reading books and watching movies. She also enjoyed crocheting, doing jigsaw puzzles, word searches and traveling. Teletha loved doting on her grandchildren. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

A. Jay Martin, 73, of Mason City died Thursday, August 10, 2017 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit after a long battle with esophageal cancer. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, August 20 at Major Erickson Funeral Home in Mason City, with Pastor Art Zewert, Chaplain - Hospice of North Iowa officiating. Gathering of family and friends will be one hour prior.

A. Jay was born January 20, 1944 to Wayne and Eva Martin. He attended Clear Lake Schools. May 25, 1968, he married Sharon Beardmore. Less than a month after their first date they were married and almost made 50 years. They had three children, Tracy, Kellie and Corey.

Anaruth H. Bechtel, 88, of Waukon died Friday, August 11, 2017 at her home. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 16 at 11 a.m. at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, with Pastor Samantha Houser officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, August 15 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Anaruth Heloise Christianson Bechtel was born May 19, 1929 in Rochester, MN to Andrew Cornelius and Hilma Cornelia (Larson) Christianson. She grew up in Allamakee County, attending the rural Fan School and Waukon High School. Although she was unable to finish high school as a young girl, she received her GED later after most of her children had graduated themselves.

The family of Charlie and Jill Bieber of rural Waukon entered one of their pigs in the annual Big Boar Contest at the Iowa State Fair Thursday, August 10 and nearly came home with the top prize out of 10 hogs entered in this year's contest. Their entry in the contest, "Big Chief," weighed in at 1,162 pounds, but that weight came up about 30 pounds shy of this year's title, as "Big Buck," a boar owned by McDonald Acres of Ryan, tipped the scales at 1,192 pounds to earn this year's Iowa State Fair Big Boar crown. Big Chief is co-owned by the Bieber family with Ken Kehrli of Winthrop. Pictured at right with "Big Chief" prior to their departure for the Iowa State Fair is the Bieber family, left to right, Peyton, Charlie, Jill, Zach and Emily. Standard photo by Joe Moses.

submitted by Cristina Smith

The 2017 Mission Trip taken by First Baptist Church of Waukon June 2-18 to Brazil proved to be a wonderful and positive experience for the 13 members of the mission team. Those team members included Steve Kiley, Deb Kiley, Kari Roney, Claire Beyer, Sidney McQuade, Nathan Smith, Morgan Van Ruler, Michael Smith, Brenna Smith, Aislinn Goettel, Jacob Smith, Pastor Duane Smith and Cristina Smith.

The mission team began fundraising one year in advance and prepared a 45-minute presentation of drama, music, puppets and translated testimonies in the Portuguese language under the direction of Pastor Duane and Cristina Smith. Cristina Smith, carrying dual citizenship with the countries of Brazil and the United States due to being born to missionary parents in southern Brazil, taught the mission team Portuguese phrases, lyrics to Christian songs, and aided each member in preparing their salvation testimonies.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering free blood sugar testing with immediate results at the Waukon Corn Days celebration Friday, August 18. The tests will be performed by Teresa Myers, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, in the Veterans Memorial Hospital first aid tent located in the Waukon State Bank parking lot, from 4:30-8 p.m.

Community and Home Care staff members Annette Davis, RN and Joan Fish, CNA will also be providing free blood pressure checks during the same time. Veterans Memorial Hospital staff will also have educational materials on sun safety and handing out skin safe samples of sunscreen in the first aid tent.

First aid supplies will also be available for anyone in need.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be sponsoring its 24th annual 5K Cardiac Classic Run/Walk Saturday, August 19, in conjunction with the Waukon Corn Days celebration. This year, the event welcomes a shorter 1.5-mile walking route with an optional 5K (3.1-mile route) to offer distances that will please everyone of any age or ability that wishes to participate. The event will begin and end at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon at 8 a.m. with registration beginning at 7 a.m.

This is a free wellness event for all ages. Anyone in the area communities is welcome to attend and enjoy a walk or run around the scenic city of Waukon. The first distance offered on the route is a 1.5-mile loop around the hospital campus and golf course. Participants may choose to return to the hospital at that point, or go the entire distance of the 5K or 3.1 miles that will continue around the city streets of Waukon before returning to the hospital campus.