News Center newsletter

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host Boots in the Barn, a program for women dairy and beef producers, in February and March in Edgewood and Decorah. Boots in the Barn is a four-part series for women involved in the dairy and beef industry.

The course will be held February 13, 20, 27, and March 12 in Edgewood and February 15, 22, 29, and March 14 in Decorah. At each location, the dairy session will run from 1-3 p.m. and the beef session will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

To the Editor:

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is expected to be a happy time of the year. The holidays are among us, celebrations with family and friends are in full swing, the decorations are beautiful, and Christmas music is on in nearly every public place. It’s a great time of year. Except for when it isn’t.

The truth is, Christmas isn’t a happy time for everyone. Not only does grief not take a holiday, but it seems to come roaring back even stronger at times. It can come in many forms: death of a loved one, loss of a job, loss of a dream, changes you weren’t ready for.

And seasonal depression is real, as well. It’s been dark at 5 p.m. since the middle of November, and prolonged darkness can make any troubles feel twice as heavy. It’s hard enough to feel these feelings, but to feel them when it feels like everyone around us is full of happiness and good cheer, is a lot to bear at times.

To the Editor:

It is unusual for members of a political party to criticize members of their own party. And yet, that is what highly respected members of the Republican party are doing, warning of the danger Donald Trump represents. Included in this group are Mitt Romney, John Kelly, John Bolton, Stuart Stevens, and J. Michael Luttig.

Liz Cheney, daughter of Dick Cheney, warns in her new book, “Oath and Honor”, that Trump poses a threat to our very democracy if he becomes president again. As she says, “We will be voting on whether to preserve our republic. . . . As a nation, we can endure damaging policies for a four-year term.

But we cannot survive a president willing to terminate our Constitution.”

Trump has railed against his perceived enemies calling them “vermin” and claiming that undocumented immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country.” Such language harkens back to white nationalism and fascism. He promises to root out his enemies.

To the Editor:

In the last three years, $773,383,868 has been invested in the 22 Iowa counties that make up Iowa’s Congressional District 2.  This includes 797 projects in childcare, broadband, education, healthcare, transportation, environment, and others, all huge job creators and economic drivers for local economies and governments, non-profits, etc. that provide a myriad of local services.

These are the kinds of investments that make a huge difference in the everyday lives of Iowans. Anyone can see for themselves by going to www.iowaatwork.com. The website is interactive by clicking on the individual projects in the various counties and finding project-specific information.

To the Editor:

In Allamakee County, we care about our neighbors and come together to help when we can. It’s a good place to live. Unfortunately, some of our neighbors don’t always have enough to eat. Food insecurity is an issue facing one in 14 seniors right here in Allamakee County.

Our older Iowans deserve to live their lives with dignity. Programs like Meals on Wheels try to meet the needs by delivering hot daily meals, but the waiting list for meals is increasing and the funding is decreasing. Seniors struggle with securing SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) due to the legislation Gov. Reynolds, Anne Osmundson, Michael Klimesh, and Republican legislators passed. These politicians have created red tape barriers. Online applications and recertification requirements make it difficult for seniors to get the food assistance they need.

Bernadette A. (Bernie) Halvorson of East Dubuque, IL passed away at home surrounded by her family December 9, 2023, at the age of 82. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Friday, December 15 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with the Rev. Richard Halvorson presiding. Burial followed at East Dubuque Cemetery. The Miller Funeral Home of East Dubuque assisted the family.

Bernadette was born June 5, 1941 in Lansing. She was the daughter of Stanley and Velma (Knickerbocker) Walleser, who preceded her in death. She grew up on a farm in a family of five brothers and nine sisters. She attended St. George Catholic High School in Lansing, graduating in 1959.

Weston Dean Jones, aka “Wessy Boy”, 21 months old, of Waterloo peacefully passed away Thursday, December 7, 2023 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City. Private memorial services will be held at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church, with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating, followed by inurnment in the church cemetery, both in rural Waukon.

A celebration of life will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday, December 15 at Pinter’s Event Center in rural Decorah. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred in memory of Weston. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family with arrangements.

Weston Dean Jones was born March 4, 2022, the son of Anna (Sweeney) and Kyler Jones of Waterloo. Wessy Boy was the light of many people’s lives, making a big impact on everyone he met. With a smile or a high five, Weston was always ready to make a new friend. He was known for his cool style, a mischievous personality, and his love for his puppies.

Ileta M. Oakland, 86, of Waukon died Thursday, December 7, 2023 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Friday, December 15 at 11 a.m. at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, with Pastor Cathy Jurgens officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until time of services at the church Friday. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Ileta May Oakland was born May 14, 1937, in Waukon, the daughter of Carl and Esther (Hermier) Kugel. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon. Ileta attended Ludlow #1 country school in rural Waukon through eighth grade and graduated from Waukon High School in 1955.

Mikayla M. (Holly) Archuleta, 29, of Waterloo, formerly of Farmington, NM and Waukon, passed away unexpectedly at her home Saturday, December 2, 2023. Funeral services were held Saturday, December 9 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon with Pastor Steve Oden officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in Frankville Cemetery.

Mikayla Marie (Holly) Archuleta was born to Crystal (Fowler) Hughes of Waterloo and Kevin Holly of Cresco July 26, 1994 in Waukon. Mikayla married her husband, Adam Archuleta, May 16, 2019 in Farmington, NM. Together they had two children, Aria Lynn Marie and Robert John. Mikayla and Adam moved to Waterloo in 2021 to be closer to her family and friends.

As part of National Rural Health Day, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) announced it has been recognized with a 2023 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in patient perspective of quality care. Compiled by the Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards honor top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes and/or Patient Perspective.

The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. INDEX data is relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations and state offices of rural health around the country to measure and monitor performance across several areas impacting hospital operations and finance.