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ALLAMAKEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CAUCUS LOCATIONS
Monday, January 15 at 7 p.m.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for registration
For more information contact Allamakee County Republican Chairperson Dan Emerson at 563-568-7361.

Mail-in ballots are replacing realignment and complicated math from previous caucuses

submitted by the Allamakee County Democrats

The Iowa Democratic Party has made a significant change to its caucus process this year. Democrats will vote for a presidential candidate using a mail-in ballot instead of the realignment and calculating processes of past caucuses.

Why is a mail-in ballot being utilized this year in place of the previous caucus process? Iowa Democratic Party Chairperson Rita Hart said in a news release the party is committed to making this the most inclusive caucus in history. “Iowans who work a third shift, families that may not have access to childcare, or seniors who are homebound can now make their voices heard in our presidential process,” she said.

The Tuesday, January 2 home game for the Waukon girls and boys basketball teams against Kee allowed the crowd to witness more than just basketball at the Waukon High School gymnasium, as youth ranging from three years old on up through eighth grade performed as a continuation of the Lil’ Indian Cheerleading Camp that took place earlier that day, a scheduled day off in the Allamakee Community School District.

Under the guidance of Waukon High School cheerleading coaches Amy Bieber and Lexi Brink, along with past and present members of the Waukon High School Cheerleading Squad, a combination of more than 140 young providers of the pep took what they learned from that camp and put it into action, with three-year-olds through second grade participants performing prior to the varsity girls game and third through eighth graders performing at halftime of that same varsity game.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met twice within a week’s time, Tuesday, January 2 and Monday, January 8, following the closure of the County Courthouse Monday, January 1 in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 2
The Board of Supervisors’ organizational meeting was called to order by Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer. The appointments of Dan Byrnes as Board of Supervisors Chairperson and Mark Reiser as Chairperson Pro-Tem were approved. Procedurally, Byrnes then assumed leadership of the meeting with the Supervisors approving their weekly 2024 meeting schedule for 9:30 a.m. Mondays with 10 minutes of public comment time from 9:30-9:40 a.m.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Prior to the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council Tuesday, January 2 - delayed a day due to the New Year’s holiday falling on the council’s regular Monday meeting day, Michael Verdon was sworn in as Lansing’s new mayor, and Corey Richards was sworn in as a new Lansing City Council member following their elections to those positions this past November.

WATER AND SEWER CONTRACT RENEWED
The council approved the City’s contract with PeopleService for Fiscal Year 2025 with a 4.1% increase.

by Brianne Grimstad

The new year will be bringing in a few changes to Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon. As of January 1, 2024, VMH is utilizing a hospital-based medicine program in its care of patients. The hospital-based providers will work closely with the patient’s primary care provider (PCP) to make sure that patients receive appropriate care and have the best hospital experience possible.

“For example, for a Gundersen patient who normally sees a Gundersen provider, if you are admitted to Veterans Memorial Hospital, our VMH provider will communicate routinely with your PCP to make sure you are getting the best care possible,” VMH Administrator Michael Coyle explained.

He further noted that VMH will continue to offer patient-centered care to all of its patients. Raquel Ristau, PA-C and Chelsey Sherburne, NP will be hospital-based medicine providers, along with Dr. Tom McMullan and Dr. Dave Schwartz.

Keep Iowa Beautiful and Diamond Vogel have announced the 2024 Paint Iowa Beautiful program is now accepting applications. The program provides free paint for a wide variety of community projects throughout Iowa. Diamond Vogel provides the paint, and Keep Iowa Beautiful administers the grants.

“The partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful allows Diamond Vogel to assist and work with many local volunteers and organizations that help strengthen communities, making Iowa one of the best states in the nation to live,” said Doug Vogel, Vice President of Marketing for the Iowa-based company.

“These projects definitely improve the beauty of Iowa and our communities.”

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors met in a pair of sessions during the month of December. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

DECEMBER 13 WORK SESSION
Wednesday, December 13, the Eastern Allamakee Community School District Board met at Kee High School in Lansing for a work session. Board members present included Bobbie Goetzinger, Tony Becker, Melanie Mauss, Joe Manning and Arla Wagner. Also present were EACSD Superintendent and Grades 7-12 Principal Dr. Sarah Murray, New Albin Elementary School Principal Donna Thomas and Board Secretary Michele Martin. Visitors included Allison Fitzwater, Ian Zahren, Andrew Boddicker and Betsy Whitlatch.

New scholarship honors farmer from Bremer County who dedicated his career to efforts in conservation

High school students in northeast Iowa who plan to pursue agriculture-related studies after graduation are encouraged to apply for Iowa Farm Bureau’s Robert H. Rewoldt Scholarship. This new scholarship awards two students $3,000, renewable for two years, up to $6,000.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a two or four-year agriculture-related program at an Iowa-based institution and reside in one of the following counties: Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard or Winneshiek.

Having completed its 19th year, Holiday Lights continues to be a community event that also serves as Helping Services for Youth & Families’ most important fundraiser. Helping Services for Youth & Families is a nonprofit organization with programs that promote healthier and safer families and youth in northeast Iowa.

This year, Holiday Lights brought 4,445 cars through Pulpit Rock Campground in Decorah, hosted 3,148 visitors for the opening night walk-through event, and enlisted the help of over 425 volunteers throughout the season. Holiday Lights raised over $150,000 in free-will donations and sponsorships to support Helping Services’ programs. Those who are interested in ways to support Holiday Lights and Helping Services for Youth & Families are encouraged to contact info@helpingservices.org or 563-387-1720.