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Waukon High School senior Zach Perkins signed a letter of commitment to play football for Cornell College in Mount Vernon at a Thursday morning, February 26 signing event in the Waukon High School gym. Pictured at right at that signing event with Zach are his parents, Stefanie and Steve Perkins.

“I felt like it was a great spot where I could live the next four years of my life,” Perkins said of making his decision to attend Cornell College and play football for the Rams. “The culture there was really great, and the education program was something that I really admired. I feel as if the coaching staff are not only great coaches but really good people.”

Lady Hawks soar higher than touted Orioles to earn program’s third State Tournament qualification

The Kee girls basketball team had its focus solely on the number “one” when they took to the court in the Class 1A Region 4 championship game against Springville Wednesday, February 25 at West Delaware High School in Manchester.

A long-awaited honor will be bestowed upon a long-time teacher and coach from the Allamakee Community School District this Saturday, March 7, but that honoring will be for the work she did on the basketball court long before Waukon became her home.

Deb (Kaune) Tweedy, a teacher of 41 years at Waukon High School and more recently East and West Elementary Schools before her passing May 12, 2018, will be inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Basketball Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2026 in a ceremony scheduled for halftime of the Class 2A State Tournament Championship game, which is scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. this Saturday and will be televised as part of Iowa PBS coverage of this year’s State Tournament, as well as livestreamed on iowapbs.org and the Iowa PBS YouTube channel.

Allamakee County Treasurer Nicki Smedsrud would like to remind property owners the second installment of property taxes is due by March 31, 2026. Those tax payments can be made in person at the Allamakee County Treasurer’s office in the Allamakee County Courthouse at 110 Allamakee Street in Waukon between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Property owners are reminded to bring their tax stubs with their payment to ensure proper credit. To avoid penalty on the second installment, payment must be received in the Treasurer’s Office by Tuesday, March 31. Penalty will begin to apply April 1.

E-check and credit card payments are also accepted online at www.iowatreasurers.org. Property owners will need their receipt number to pay by e-check, and this can be found on their tax statement.

Gene E. Schultz passed away at home peacefully February 23, 2026, in the comfort and care of his wife of 44 years, Julie (Heiderscheit) Schultz. Whether you knew him as Gene, Mr. Schultz, Geno, or Coach, he will be remembered as a loving husband, proud dad and papa, and a devout Catholic.

Although his family would have loved to celebrate his life and legacy with everyone he touched, his family is honoring Gene’s final wish for a private service. Coulee Region Cremation Group, Onalaska, WI, is assisting his family.

Alan West, 46, of Waukon, formerly of San Francisco, CA, died Thursday, February 26, 2026, at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 3 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Mark Oehlert officiating.

Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Lewis Friday, March 6 at 12 p.m. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Kenneth Alan West was born June 20, 1979, in Iowa City, the son of Kenneth and Charlene (Jahnke) West. He lived in West Liberty for a short time before his parents took teaching jobs in Waukon. Alan graduated from Waukon High School and then received his bachelors degree in electrical engineering from the University of Iowa. He stayed in Iowa City for a few years, then moved to San Francisco, CA, to work for Workday.

Dale L. Osterhaus, 80, of Waterville died Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at his home surrounded by family. Memorial services will be held Monday, March 2 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Pius Cherry Mound Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry with Fr. Martin Coolidge and Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Jane Angela (Cronin) Butler, age 88, of Carver, MN, formerly of Waukon, died peacefully Friday, February 20, 2026, at Carver Ridge Senior Living, Carver, MN. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial and Celebration of Life will be held at a later date yet to be determined at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Waukon.

Jane Angela Cronin was born January 6, 1938, to Joseph and Florence Cronin in Chicago, IL. At the age of 12, Jane and her family moved to Waukon. Jane attended Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church and High School, graduating in 1956. Following graduation, she attended Mount Mercy School of Nursing in Dubuque where she received her registered nurse degree in 1959.

MaryEllen McCabe Plein of Cedar Rapids passed away peacefully February 25, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering faith, quiet strength, and deep devotion to her family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held later in the Cedar Rapids area, and a Burial Ceremony will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Waukon. In honor of her love for daisies and her vibrant spirit, flowers are welcome, or donations may be made to Antioch Church of Marion.

A woman firmly rooted in her Christian beliefs, MaryEllen lived her life guided by love, service, and compassion. Her faith shaped who she was - steady, gracious, and always willing to lend a hand. She didn’t just speak of kindness; she practiced it daily.

TIME named Dr. Michael Osterholm, Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, to the 2026 TIME100 Health List of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health.

The 2026 TIME100 Health spotlights the 100 most influential leaders in health this year. As the global order has shifted, these titans, innovators, leaders, pioneers and catalysts have pushed new ideas - from gene therapies to regulatory agencies - ahead to build healthier populations around the world.