Luis Gudiel Ajin Gomez and Maria Elena Junech Azurdia of Postville announce the birth of their son, Jonathan Benjamin Ajin Junech, born August 7, 2024 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 7 lbs. 6 ozs. and measured 20-1/4 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins a brother, Yorhan Eduardo Ajin Junech (4).
The Waukon Swim Club swam to a perfect dual meet record of 8-0 during its 2024 season, including a home meet victory over Decorah in an intense, narrow battle. That undefeated dual meet mark placed the Waukon swimmers at the top of the final Northeast Iowa Swim Conference season standings, with Decorah later edging Waukon in the final team scoring of the Northeast Iowa Swim Conference Meet to bring this 2024 season to a close.
Recently, I needed to have some foot surgery. Living in Lansing, I had many choices for my surgeon and the surgical hospital team. I chose Craig P. Sullivan, DPM at the Gundersen Clinic in Decorah. Dr. Sullivan gave me the choice of which hospital I wanted for my surgery, to which I replied, “Why not Waukon VMH!”.
The surgery was scheduled for eight o’clock and right on time after the surgery prep, I was wheeled into the surgery suite. I had to return to VMH to remove a pin that was placed into my toe. A special effort was made to fit this second visit to the surgeon into my schedule. A special expression of appreciation goes out to Dr. Sullivan, the surgical team at VMH and staff for their friendly, professional care.
Like most Iowans, I believe in fairness. I believe that my tax dollars should be spent for public goods - public education, public roads, public court systems, public fire and law enforcement, etc.
With over 30,000 approved vouchers for 2024-2025, the cost is over $234 million going to private schools and an additional $1.1 million of fees going to an out-of-state business. According to the Iowa Department of Revenue, there are 1.71 million individual taxpayers. This computes to $137/taxpayer that will go to private schools and an out-of-state business.
An average of 61% of rural counties do not have private schools. Most private schools are in large cities. That means that rural tax dollars (my $137 and your $137) are being given to large cities, not to rural communities.
Is this fair? Why should my tax dollars go to private schools and an out-of-state business?
Evelyn A. Gray, 83, of Waukon died Monday, August 12, 2024, at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 17 at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon with Rev. Cathy Jurgens officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled the arrangements.
Evelyn Ann Gray was born September 4, 1940, in Waukon, the daughter of Martin and Emma (Timmerman) Bechtel. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon and graduated from Waukon High School in 1958. June 3, 1967, she married Donald Gray at the Methodist Church in Decorah. Evelyn worked at the Good Samaritan Society in Waukon as a dietary aide.
Path of August 5 tornado in Allamakee County ... The map image above created by the National Weather Service shows the path the EF1 tornado traveled when it blew through western Allamakee County Monday, August 5 around 10:30 p.m. Starting just to the east of Patterson Creek Drive’s intersection with Liddiard Bottoms Road south of the Hanover area and about five miles north of Waukon, the tornado’s path was determined to have initially followed Patterson Creek and Patterson Creek Drive before continuing due east across State Highway 76 about a half-mile south of its intersection with Mulberry Drive and also crossing Silver Creek Road before finally coming to an end nearly four miles from its point of origin. With a maximum wind speed determined at 105 mph, the tornado caused some minor to moderate damage to several building structures, but no injuries were reported from the late Monday evening storm.
Some of the structural damage ... The two photos pictured above and below taken the morning of Tuesday, August 6 show some of the most significant damage to structures the August 5 EF1 tornado inflicted in the Patterson Creek area just south of Hanover and about five miles north of Waukon in Allamakee County. The farm building pictured in the photo at left taken by Lissa Blake is located on Sandpiper Road just south of the Hanover area, and the home pictured in the photo at right provided by the National Weather Service shows remnants of a garage that had been torn away from the house by the storm, along with other roof and siding damage to the home that is located along Patterson Creek Drive near the point of origin of the tornadic activity defined by the National Weather Service, close to Patterson Creek Drive’s intersection with Liddiard Bottoms Road.
Minor to moderate structure damage but no injuries reported from county’s first-ever August tornado
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado did indeed blow through Allamakee County later in the evening of Monday, August 5. Reports from the National Weather Service indicate that an EF1 tornado (characterized by wind speeds between 86-110 mph on the Enhanced Fujita [EF] Scale) made its way through the Patterson Creek area in west central Allamakee County and across State Highway 76 just south of St. Mary’s Church at Hanover, about five miles north of Waukon.
Family, friends and co-workers of fallen Allamakee County Sheriff’s Deputy John Grampovnik (inset photo at right below) surround his photo displayed on the End of Watch: Ride to Remember mobile memorial that made a stop at the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office north of Waukon Friday, August 9 as part of the memorial’s 73-day tour across the United States this summer. The memorial display was created by Beyond the Call of Duty, an organization out of Spokane, WA whose purpose is to “ensure that no officer is forgotten; that their families know their loved one has not been forgotten; and that there is recognition, support and understanding to help them heal.” The group also supports department safety and training to help lower the number of fallen officers experienced each year. Deputy Grampovnik experienced his End of Watch January 27, 2022 when he passed away due to complications of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Educator and former city councilman Ian Zahren has filed his petition with the Iowa Secretary of State to appear on the November ballot as an Independent for Iowa House District 64. This district Zahren is seeking to represent includes Allamakee and Clayton counties, along with a single precinct in Dubuque County.
If elected, the Lansing resident would be the first person without party affiliation to be elected to an Iowa state office in more than 100 years. Zahren, 36, will face Republican Jason Gearhart from Strawberry Point in the November election. No Democratic Party candidate is running for the District 64 seat.
FreedomBank receives Best-of-the-Best Award ... FreedomBank was selected to receive the Community Bankers of Iowa 2024 Best-of-the-Best Community Bank Award. Pictured above at the July presentation of the award at the Community Bankers of Iowa 53rd Annual Convention held in Arnolds Park are (left to right) Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, Kathy Mueller and Sara Hertrampf of FreedomBank, and Michael Gathman of Community Bankers of Iowa. Submitted photo.
Each year, Community Bankers of Iowa (CBI), the only statewide association advocating exclusively for Iowa’s independent community banks, presents its Community Banking Month Best-of-the-Best Award. This award honors the Iowa community bank that showed excellence in giving back to its local community during Community Banking Month - observed in April - and throughout the year.
FreedomBank was named the 2024 recipient of the award and was presented with the award at a ceremony during CBI’s 53rd Annual Convention held in Arnolds Park this July. The work FreedomBank has done sends the clear message that community banks make a difference on Main Street.
Those who drive on the Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing will need to be aware that intermittent closures on the bridge will continued throughout this week, weather permitting. The temporary closures were delayed by high river levels in June.
Construction crews will continue work on constructing a new pier and driving the pier foundation for the new bridge that will replace the current bridge. Intermittent closures of up to two hours will happen on the existing bridge between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to reduce vibration from construction activity and traffic, limiting the chance of damage occurring. Weather permitting, these closures will be done by this Friday, August 16. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will be updating the Lansing Bridge Facebook page with the approximate closure time a day in advance.
