News Center newsletter

by Christine Hensley
Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation Board member

As a new school year begins, you and your middle or high school student might be thinking about what happens after high school. Before embarking on one of the most expensive journeys of a lifetime, your student should understand the complete cost to obtain the education needed for a specific career.

Read Across Iowa launched March 1 and began a month-long celebration to bring the joys of reading to kids of all ages. Agriculturally-themed Read Across Iowa events were held in Allamakee County and across the state and featured books and materials about agriculture that appealed to readers of all age levels.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Allamakee County hosted readings at New Albin Elementary School of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District. Students either read “How Did That Get into My Lunchbox?” or “My Family’s Corn Farm”, participated in a MyPlate (such as pictured above) or corn-themed activity and tried a local snack.

“When you read with children, you are making an investment,” said Becky Rea, K-12 Program Coordinator. “Early reading and talking with children gives them a strong start and a life-long return.”

The Waukon girls track and field team got its first taste of team competition for this 2023 season when the Lady Indians took part in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) Indoor Meet hosted at Luther College in Decorah Tuesday, March 21. No team scores were kept, but the Lady Indians recorded some high-level finishes among their NEIC peers, including a trio of runner-up finishes and four third-place results.

All three of the field events featured one of those high-end track Tribe finishes earned by junior competitors, including Kaitlyn Krambeer with a 16’1.5” long jump for second place, Cameron Johnson clearing 5’0” to tie for second in the high jump, and Kloe Hemmersbach launching the shot put 33’8.5” for third place. The Lady Indians’ 4x800 relay claimed their only other runner-up finish, with the crew of junior Mia Kurth, freshman Elle Wilkins, and seniors Katerina Kovarik and Paige Hansmeier teaming up for a second-place clocking of 10:52.06.

The Waukon boys track and field squad began its 2023 schedule of team competition at the Northeast Iowa Conference Indoor Meet hosted at Luther College in Decorah Tuesday, March 21. No team scores were kept at the meet, but the Indians did win four events, with nearly all of those wins coming from the Tribe’s distance competitors, providing ample evidence of head coach Ted Snitker’s pre-season forecast of the strength of this year’s distance-running crew.

Those four event triumphs were evenly split between individual and relay events. The individual victories included senior Nathan O’Neill winning the 1600 meter run in a time of 4:44.40 and fellow senior Josh Keenan topping the 800 meter run field with a clocking of 2:15.90.

Following a season that graduated seven seniors and the departure of at least its top six producers in every statistical category from a 12-12 overall campaign last winter, the Kee boys basketball team knew there was going to be plenty of work to do heading into its 2022-2023 season. With just one senior and two juniors returning with their upperclassman leadership this season and mixing with a sophomore group that provided the largest class size that doubled its two elder grade levels, the Hawks meshed all of those efforts together to produce a 7-15 season record during this recently completed season, including a 6-10 mark in Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) play that placed the Kee boys sixth in the final nine-team UIC standings.

Charles W. Matlock Sr., 80, of Lansing, formerly of Eastman, WI, died Monday, March 20, 2023 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. A celebration of life will be held from 12-3 p.m. Sunday, April 2 at Thornburg - Grau Funeral Home in Lansing. Burial will take place at a later date at Edgewood Cemetery in Edgewood, IL.

Charles Wesley Matlock, Sr. was born March 23, 1942 in Effingham, IL, the son of Roy and Ruth (Allen) Matlock. After graduating from Effingham High School, Charlie worked at J and L Plastic, making model cars for one year.

Charlie then spent four years in the U.S. Navy and was sent to France, Cuba, Spain, Italy and Ireland during his service. In 1962, he served on the USS Stribling when it rescued Col. John Glenn after his Apollo mission.

Isabelle Dorothy (Walleser) Hawes, 89, of Lansing died peacefully Monday, March 20, 2023 at Thornton Manor in Lansing, surrounded by her family. Visitation will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Lansing Friday, March 31 from 4-7 p.m. Funeral services will be Saturday, April 1 at 11 a.m. with visitation from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Burial inurnment will follow the mass at Gethsemane Cemetery, Lansing.

Isabelle Dorothy Walleser was born June 2, 1933 in Guttenberg. She was the eleventh child born to Joe and Etta (Berns) Walleser. She married Leo (Bud) Hawes September 6, 1954. They purchased the family farm in rural Wexford, where they lived for over 40 years and raised their eight children. They milked cows for a few years but she spent many of those years raising chickens, farrowing pigs and working the land, alongside Bud and her children.

Linda Langland, 71, of Decorah passed away Friday, March 17, 2023. The Langland family is planning a graveside service at a later date in Iowa River Cemetery. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Linda Adaline Langland was born February 16, 1952 to Charles Edgar Hille Langland and Adaline Lois Nesheim in Spring Grove, MN. Linda graduated from high school in Waukon in 1970, where she was active in many clubs. She received her bachelor’s degree from Bethel College and her master’s in social work from the University of Iowa.

Joseph F. Johnson, 58, of Waukon died Monday, March 20, 2023 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family.

Joseph Font Johnson was born July 27, 1964 in Chicago, IL, the son of John Thomas, Sr. and Virginia Jo (Hall) Johnson. In 1983, he graduated from Roberto Clemente High School in Chicago. Joseph worked for Continental Can Company in Chicago before starting his own trucking business “Born Free”.

He moved to southern Illinois, where he met Katherine Carvella Trageser; they later married December 28, 2004. His parents and siblings had moved to Ferryville, WI, and in 1997, Joseph moved to nearby Waukon. He continued driving semi, primarily for Downing Construction in Decorah.

Beverly M. Dresselhaus, 84, of New Albin died Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI surrounded by her family. Graveside services will be held at a later date in St. Peter’s Cemetery in New Albin. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.