Valedictorians or top graduating seniors were honored by KWWL Television and the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in a ceremony held Saturday, April 29. The students took part in KWWL’s 33rd annual “Best of the Class” celebration on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls. Regan Wasson from Waukon High School, daughter of Bob and Amy Wasson of Waukon, was honored as a member of the 2017 Best of the Class. Best of the Class students were videotaped on the UNI campus for a series of public service announcements, which are scheduled to air on KWWL's Channel 7 and can be found at www.kwwl.com.
Board members of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) met for a special board meeting Thursday, May 4. The board approved a pay increase of $1.50 per hour for cooks for the summer feeding program. The board also approved the following hirings: Brice Wood as the seventh and eighth grade wrestling coach; Jani Lippert as fifth grade teacher and assistant varsity volleyball coach; and Jeremy Strub as the ninth grade volleyball coach. The recommendation to hire a fourth grade teacher was deleted from the agenda. Also under personnel matters, the board approved an equal distribution of TSS carry-over money to all staff that are eligible, depending on full-time equivalence.
The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center’s third annual Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM)-themed summer camp, “Makerspace Camp,” will be held June 5-7 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Students entering fifth through seventh grades this fall are welcome to attend this free and fun-filled camp where they will be learning to collaborate, create, invent, tinker, explore and discover. Participants in this STEAM camp will experiment with 3D printing, video creation, interactive virtual reality, Oculus Rift, coding, robots and engineering. Together, they will innovate and share ideas, equipment and knowledge while applying discoveries to make their community better. The experience ends with the presentation of a video portfolio that summarizes the students’ makerspace journey.
Volunteers at the Allamakee County Food Shelf ... Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers prepare for distribution of food at the Allamakee County Food Shelf in Waukon. Pictured, left to right, are Joe Schorr, Ann Roed, Sharon Costello, Jane Kallevang, Marilyn Schorr, John Grampovnik, Linda Groe and Wayne Burk. Submitted photo.
Tax training ... Local volunteers Ron Snitker and Janet Steiner recently joined a group of 17 volunteers preparing to take certification tests for tax preparation. The local volunteers assist in the RSVP tax preparation program. Submitted photo.
Allamakee County volunteers are a busy bunch
Senior Corps Week is being observed May 15-19, with local efforts being celebrated. The Senior Corps program is under the Corporation of National and Community Service with over 245,000 volunteers age 55-plus serving nationwide. Senior Corps programs are federally funded with local match and include Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents and the RSVP Volunteer Program.
Locally, the Northeast Iowa RSVP Program is under the sponsorship of the Decorah Public Library and covers the counties of Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek. Volunteers with the RSVP program are age 55-plus and serve at local non-profit agencies. They can be found everywhere with over 340 volunteers serving at 60 non-profit agencies.
Katelyn Leiran, daughter of Nancy and Steve Leiran of Waterville, has been selected as the 2017 Girls State Citizen by American Legion Auxiliary Unit #722 of Harpers Ferry. She is the granddaughter of the late Willard Leiran and Marlys Leiran of Waterville and of Walter and Francis Gronert of Grimes.
Leiran is currently a junior at Waukon High School. She will attend Girls State 2017 at Drake University in Des Moines June 18-23.
Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was all started by a dream of four women over 70 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process. Girls State is a "learning by doing" program, which takes the girls through the entire political process.
Monday, May 15 the regular Lansing City Council meeting was held. During the discussion many things were talked about, including: hazard mitigation plans, consideration of fixing a rain gutter problem for Our Savior Lutheran Church, discussing owners at 459 Wall Street purchasing chickens, a Parks Board position being available, information about the local swimming pool, and using the swimming pool shower facilities during RAGBRAI®.
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (UMRNWFR) is conducting a Compatibility Determination for the renewal of an existing utility right-of-way for Dairyland Power Cooperative, Q-7 and Q-9 transmission lines from Houston County, MN. Public comment is being sought in regard to impact on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates • July 15: Report All Spring-Seeded Crops • August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up
Sonny Perdue Sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture
Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by fellow Georgian and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a brief ceremony on April 25 at the Supreme Court building.
Perdue grew up on a dairy and diversified row crop farm in Bonaire, Georgia. Being uniquely qualified as a former farmer, agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator and governor of Georgia, he has experienced the agriculture industry from every possible perspective throughout his life.
Cost-share assistance available for cover crops, no till/strip till or nitrification inhibitor
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has announced the 2017 sign-up period is open for statewide cost share funds to help farmers install nutrient reduction practices. This program has been popular with farmers interested in adding additional practices to their operation. Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.
