The 2026 Iowa FFA Milk Quality & Products Career Development Event was held at Ames Tuesday, May 19. A total of 34 teams participated in this year’s Career Development Event designed to provide students an opportunity to display their knowledge and skills in the area of milk quality and dairy foods.
The Lansing FFA Chapter was named the Iowa Champion FFA Milk Quality & Products Team, with participating team members including (left to right in photo at right) Ronny Escobar-Lopez, Brielle Gavin, Alexus Rowan and Maddie Mauss, all under the direction of Ray Rankin, Agriculture Education instructor and FFA advisor at Kee High School. The champion team will next compete in the National FFA Milk Quality & Products Career Development Event during the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, IN this October.
Robey Memorial Library, in collaboration with the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation (OVLS), is inviting families to take part in the Main Street Story Walk throughout downtown Waukon this June. This year’s featured book is “I’m Trying to Love Spiders” by Bethany Barton. Families can enjoy the humorous and fact-filled story as it unfolds page by page in the windows of six participating local businesses along West Main Street. The Story Walk encourages families to spend time outdoors, read together, and explore downtown Waukon in a fun and interactive way.
Participants will visit six stops along West Main Street in downtown Waukon, with each location displaying a portion of the story. As families move from one business to the next, they’ll continue following the adventure of “I’m Trying to Love Spiders”.
Senior Brandon Leppert runs to 800 meter All-State honors, joins forces with fellow seniors Kelby Cahalan and Sam Stock, sophomore Parker Knox for same in 4x800
The Waukon boys track and field team had nine young men competing in a total of five events where all high school track and field athletes long to be this past week. The performances turned in by that collection of three seniors, two juniors and four sophomores at this year’s Class 2A State Track and Field Meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines Thursday-Saturday, May 21-23 resulted in a trio of top-10 finishes that include a pair of All-State finishes within the top eight of this season’s Class 2A State Meet field and a pair of new school records along the way.
Lady Indians’ 4x800 and 4x200 relays set new school records; Shuttle hurdle relay claims All-State finish
The Waukon girls track and field team took one of its largest contingencies ever to every high school track and field team’s ultimate destination during the latter half of this past week, having 14 young ladies compete in nine different events Thursday-Saturday, May 21-23 at the Class 2A State Track and Field Meet held at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. That sizable representation brought home a trio of top-10 performances in a field of Class 2A competitors who turned in some of the best results in the history of the Class 2A season grand finale, with two of the Lady Indian efforts resulting in the best performances in the history of the Waukon girls track and field performances with new school records.
Jean Mathis, 97, of Waukon died Monday, May 25, 2026, at her daughter’s home in Waukon. Funeral services were held Thursday, May 28 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Philip Agyei officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Memorials can be made to the family and will be designated by the family at a later date. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled the arrangements.
Loretta Jean (Kelly) Mathis was born March 11, 1929, in Waterville, the first of two children born to Ted R. Kelly and Gertrude (Wachter) Kelly. Jean was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Catholic Church, Cherry Mound. She attended all 12 years at Waterville Consolidated School and graduated in 1947. She attended Luther College and received her teaching certificate. Jean taught for a year in Lafayette Township.
There’s an old adage: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Adelbert Dale “Butch” Whittle proved during his 99+ years on this earth that you can be both a jack of all trades AND a master of all. Whether it was one of the many jobs he took on, working with wood, building his four houses, or playing a game of checkers with his great-grandchildren, his determination to succeed was rivaled only by his commitment for perfection.
Butch was born to Bernard L. and Odelia (Fassbinder) Whittle September 17, 1926. He graduated from Monona High School in 1944, served three years in the U.S. Navy, and attended the University of Dubuque for two years. He married the love of his life, Darlene Mae Havlicek, October 15, 1946 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Monona, where they raised their three children. In 2021, Butch and Darlene moved to Clive to be near their son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Dianne Whittle.
Deadlines/Dates
May 14 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season
June 1: The final day to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for Corn or Soybeans
June 19: Office closed in observance of Juneteenth
July 3: Office closed in observance of Independence Day
July 13-19: Allamakee County Fair
July 15: Deadline to Report Acres
August 12: Deadline to submit an SDRP application
The Iowa Sheep Industry Association, in collaboration with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension, Clayton County Natural Resources Conservation Service and NoFence Virtual Fencing, will host a pasture walk and membership meeting on Saturday, June 6, beginning at 1 p.m. The event will take place in Robert’s Creek, located at 18869 Dalmatian Avenue, Saint Olaf.
The educational pasture walk will highlight such topics as:
• Pasture rotation using virtual fencing technology
• NRCS EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) opportunities
• Timely updates from ISU Extension and Outreach
“This pasture walk is an opportunity for producers to see conservation, technology, and grazing management come together in a real-world setting,” said Carolyn Ihde, small ruminant outreach specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
The members of the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will be holding their fourth annual garage sale in the FreedomBank Community Room in Waukon in conjunction with Waukon City-Wide Garage Sales. The Auxiliary garage sale will be open Wednesday, June 3, from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m, continuing Thursday, June 4, from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and will conclude Friday, June 5 with hours of 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Senior Life Solutions to host Wellness Chat and Bingo ... The new Senior Life Solutions (SLS) Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will be hosting another Wellness Chat and Bingo Tuesday, June 2. This event will be held in Waukon at Robey Memorial Library from 4-5:30 p.m. Pictured above is a scene from the recent Lansing Library Bingo Event. Any seniors, age 65 and over, are invited to attend, bring a friend and play bingo while enjoying social time and prizes. For more information on Senior Wellness Chat and Bingo, call Senior Life Solutions at 563-568-5560. Submitted photo.
The new Senior Life Solutions (SLS) Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will be hosting a Wellness Chat and Bingo Tuesday, June 2, in Waukon at Robey Memorial Library from 4-5:30 p.m. Any seniors, age 65 and over, are invited to attend and enjoy playing bingo while sharing some social time together. Prizes will also be awarded.
This bingo opportunity is made possible by Senior Life Solutions which is a new department of Veterans Memorial Hospital.
Senior Life Solutions provides outpatient services designed to meet the unique needs of individuals age 65 and over who may be experiencing low mood, sadness, grief, excessive worry or anxiety related to life changes often associated with aging. They provide group and individual therapy, medication management and after-care planning when needed.
