Benjamin and Amy Ghelf of Lansing announce the birth of their son, Johnathon Ghelf, born August 15, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 6 lbs. 6 ozs. and measured 20 inches in length at the time of his birth.
Fans in attendance at the Friday, August 25 season-opening game for the Waukon Indian 2017 football season perhaps either passed through or witnessed the dedication of the new entrance (pictured above) designating the Richard Hermeier Sports Complex located directly behind Waukon High School. Dr. Richard Hermeier (pictured below), a 1955 graduate of Waukon High School, was honored at halftime of the August 25 football game in front of his hometown's fans at the Waukon High School sports complex that he and his family helped created through generous donations valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout the past decade or so. In addition to Dr. Hermeier's name being forever commemorated in a metal arch above the pictured entrance, Dr.
Decorah Fire Department volunteers Marcus Hageman and Zach Kerndt (left to right in above photo) fly the drone recently purchased by the Decorah Fire Department and even more recently used to help area entities in search and rescue efforts. The drone was used August 20 in a search and rescue in Allamakee County that involved six ladies from the Quad Cities area who were lost along a stretch of the Yellow River between Ion and Effigy Mounds. Photo by Lissa Blake, Decorah Newspapers.
Although there doesn't appear to be much to it, the drone pictured above owned by the Decorah Fire Department has performed some significant tasks since its recent purchase. The drone was used August 20 in a search and rescue in Allamakee County that involved six ladies from the Quad Cities area who were lost along a stretch of the Yellow River between Ion and Effigy Mounds. Photo by Lissa Blake, Decorah Newspapers.
by Lissa Blake
New technology recently saved precious time during a call to rescue six tubers lost on the Yellow River in Allamakee County.
According to Harpers Ferry Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Cota, the Decorah Fire Department’s new drone helped emergency personnel locate the stranded individuals in record time. The six women rescued were from the Quad Cities area.
“The stretch of Yellow River between Ion and Effigy Mounds is both rugged and desolate. They were out there in no-man’s land,” said Cota of the rescue that occurred Sunday evening, August 20.
Cota said it was the second time his department has been called to that stretch of the river. “People don’t realize there’s really no current along that stretch of the river,” he said.
The Monday, August 21 total solar eclipse that cast the moon's shadow diagonally across the United States from northwest to southeast provided many viewers along that estimated 100-mile wide shadow path with a phenomenon that has not been seen within the 48 contiguous United States since February of 1979 and is not scheduled to happen again within the contiguous United States until April of 2024. Only an estimated 87% eclipse was expected to be seen locally within the Allamakee County area, but overcast skies made local viewing of the eclipse somewhat fruitless.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds received word Sunday, August 27 that President Donald Trump approved her request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for seven Iowa counties impacted by flooding and severe weather July 19-23 of this year. Governor Reynolds requested the declaration August 10.
The counties included in the declaration are Allamakee, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette and Mitchell. The declaration will provide federal funding to the included counties under the Public Assistance Program. A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are partially matched by state programs to help public entities and select non-profits.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, August 28 to address a full agenda of items, including the submission of the Iowa Partnership for Success Grant renewal application, a contract with the University of Iowa for a Hydrology Study in the Upper Iowa River Drainage District and the consideration of bids for the replacement of the French Creek Bridge on Mays Prairie Road. There were no members of the public present and no public comments spoken or read.
A trio of U.S. First District Congressional candidates spoke at the ice cream social hosted by the Allamakee County Democrats Sunday, August 20. Pictured above, left to right, are candidates Courtney Rowe, Thomas Heckroth and Abby Finkenauer, along with Lori Egan, who is a candidate for Iowa House District 56. Submitted photo.
Although the June 2018 primary is months away, three of the Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress met with local Democrats in Waukon at the ice cream social hosted by the Allamakee County Democrats Sunday, August 20. Candidates Abby Finkenauer, Thomas Heckroth and Courtney Rowe were introduced by Lori Egan of Waukon, who is a candidate for State House District 56 representing Allamakee and Clayton counties.
Abby Finkenauer is a State Representative elected in 2014 to represent Dubuque in the State Legislature. She has worked at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque with Jackson County, Jones County, Delaware County, Clayton County and Allamakee County affiliate foundations and currently serves on the board of Greater Dubuque Development Corporation. Finkenauer believes that hard work should be rewarded and everyone should be given the chance to succeed.
Fifteen 4-H youth participated in a Youth Leadership Retreat August 27 at the Driftless Area Education Center in Lansing facilitated by Morgan Bjerke, Allamakee County Youth Coordinator. The Experiential Learning Model emphasizes the use of life skills to learn content objectives. Through 4-H, this model emphasizes the importance of student involvement in the experiences or activities in each situation of the learning cycle. Students bring their own experiences and knowledge to the learning cycle. The 2017 Allamakee County 4-H Council Retreat was strategic in bringing the Experiential Learning Model to action with a focus on self-discovery through a self-personality assessment along with creating an understanding and application of working in a team. County 4-H Council members participated in team building activities, completed a self-personality assessment, worked on goals and plans for the 2017-18 4-H year and had time to explore the Driftless Area Education Center.
Scarecrow entries: Six entries, some of which are pictured in the top photo, took part in the Scarecrow Contest hosted by the Midwest Veterans of America during Waukon Corn Days Saturday, August 19. All participants received a Scarecrow medal created by Epic Wear of Waukon and presented by Ozzie Quandahl of Midwest Veterans of America. Entries were submitted by Hailey and Dakota Bechtel, DJ. Halverson, and Harper, Havanna, Hadalyn and Huxley Halverson. Submitted photo.
As part of continued Sesquicentennial Programming at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, there will be a pair of programs held at the library within the next two weeks. Doors will open for each program at 5:30 p.m. with a light lunch, with a donation jar being in place. Actual programs will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 7, Barbara Kailean Welsh, Author of "Blazing A Trail: The Unconventional Life of Harriet Hosmer," will give a presentation. Welsh is bringing to life the character of a 20-year-old woman who, in 1851, raced up Mt. Hosmer in Lansing, thus resulting in the name of the Lansing landmark.
Many of the people of the area have only known her name, but such questions remain as to how that name happened to stay with Mt. Hosmer and what kind of a girl was she to be traveling on the river alone at the age of 20 in 1851. It is also known that she became a sculptor, but to what extent is her work known?
