News Center newsletter

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Tuesday, September 8 due to the Labor Day holiday falling on the council’s usual meeting date of Monday, September 7. Meeting discussion centered around the consent agenda, People Service update, clerk’s report, marina report, and splash pad report.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from August 17, payment of claims, Marina Board minutes from August 31, Parks minutes from August 2 and a liquor license for the Lansing Fire Department. A motion was made and seconded to approve the consent agenda.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the removal of four dead trees located near the City swimming pool. Approval was also given to schedule a public hearing for the October 5 city council meeting at 7 p.m. to discuss an amendment to the fiscal year 2021 city budget.

The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) is postponing the Fall Hunters Education Course that is held annually at the Allamakee County Sportsman Club for 2020. Safety is the ACCB’s top priority - for hunters and for instructors. The board wants everyone to be safe and healthy while attending a hunters education course. The ACCB will reschedule a traditional hunters education course for the Spring of 2021, if possible.

Those who were hoping to take a hunters education course this fall and now will not be able to do that are urged to remember that:

The 2020-2021 Bing-Davis Memorial Gallery schedule opened at Upper Iowa University’s (UIU) Fayette Campus August 31 with the featured works of UIU alumnus Andrew J. Wroble, currently a resident of Harpers Ferry. Wroble’s work will be on display through October 4 and the public is invited to view the exhibit.

A native of Casper, WY, Wroble studied art at Southern Illinois University, University of Minnesota, Ellsworth Community College and the University of Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree at UIU. Forest forms often highlight the imagery of the now Harpers Ferry artist, who uses ink drawing to express a universal reference for dispersal and connectivity.

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center will be taking appointments to help students and parents with their 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application starting October 1.

To make an appointment call the NICC Waukon Center at 563-568-3060, or email Ellen Brown at brownel@nicc.edu or DeKote’ Blake at blakede@nicc.edu. One-hour appointment slots via in person or Zoom will start at 8 a.m. and be offered through 4 p.m. Contact center staff for FAFSA assistance outside of the scheduled hours.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this service will replace the center’s usual FAFSA Workshop Night.
 

The Waukon volleyball team’s first venture into Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) play also resulted in its first loss of the season, as the Indian netters fell to Decorah at home Tuesday, September 8 in straight sets by scores of 17-25, 13-25 and 18-25. The Indians managed 17 kills in the match but gave away nearly a full match worth of points with their 21 hitting errors while the visiting Vikings pounded away for more than a match worth of points at the net with 28 kills.

In a match-up of two undefeated teams that had both racked up some pretty good point totals in their first two games of the season, only one of those was able to continue that trend when the Kee football team hosted Easton Valley Friday, September 11. The host Hawks were able to pretty much stand toe-to-toe with the State Play-Off qualifying River Hawks from last season, but allowed Easton Valley 34 unanswered points in the game’s second quarter that fueled the 54-14 Kee defeat.

The Waukon football team got its Class 2A District 4 season underway in successful fashion Friday, September 11 when it traveled to New Hampton for a battle between squads each holding a 1-1 season record. Although rainy, windy weather conditions limited each team to a slow start to each half, the Indians were able to overcome both the weather conditions and the host Chickasaws’ defensive effort to find scoreboard success through the air on the way to a 34-14 victory.

“Coach (Jed) Hemann always has the passing figured into our attack, and our kids are getting a bit more in sync each week,” Waukon football coach Chad Beermann said. “It never rained too hard, and the wind did not really impact the conditions much. New Hampton has a good defensive line, and they gave us some problems initially. You usually come in with a philosophy of how you want to attack a team, but that often has to be changed up a bit after you see the way they play in person.”

Myrtle “Mae” Gustin passed away peacefully September 5, 2020 and was preceded in death by her husband, Willard L. Gustin. Services are currently pending with Campbell Aman Funeral Home, Blair, NE.

Mae was born June 3, 1927 in Waukon to Earl and Myrtle Beardmore. She was baptized and confirmed at Mount Hope Presbyterian church in rural New Albin.

Mae attended her first two years of college at Hamlin University where she met her roommate and future sister-in-law, Rae Holthusen Beardmore. She then attended Iowa State University, was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, and in 1949, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Textiles and Clothing.

Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour reports early Monday morning that Allamakee County road crews will be repairing a small bridge on Balsam Road over Pine Creek in the northwest part of the county, southwest of Dorchester, as shown on the accompanying map.
County officials are planning to fully close this road at Noon Monday, September 14 and then reopen, hopefully, this Thursday evening, September 17.
There will not be any signed detour, according to Ridenour.

Leo Bernard Hammel passed peacefully from this life September 9, 2020 in Iowa Park, TX at the age of 91. A celebration of Leo’s life was held Tuesday, September 15 at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home Chapel in Wichita Falls, TX. Interment followed at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls, TX with full military honors.

Leo was born March 12, 1929 in New Albin to Louis Hammel and Mary Matilda Thimmesch Hammel. He was one of seven children born to this union. He responded to the needs of his country during war time, and joined the United States Army at age 16. He dedicated his life to military service. He retired in 1968, and then worked his second career as a machinist and retired in 1994.

Leo married the love of his life, Patricia, August 4, 1953, and they raised  four children, Roger, Paul, Georgiana and Micheal. The family moved from Joplin, MO in 1974, and lived in the Iowa Park, TX area since that time.