News Center newsletter

A survey of Iowa landowners conducted by Iowa State University suggests that adoption of conservation practices has increased slightly since 2012, and that ongoing trends in land ownership and management are likely barriers to a number of conservation practices.

However, some of these same barriers may contribute to increased use of no-till management on cropland, researchers found.

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will host a five-session webinar entitled “Eye on Employees,” beginning Wednesday, February 5 from Noon to 1 p.m.

The webinars will address the main concerns that farm and, more specifically, dairy employers face.

“Extension dairy specialists often get two types of questions concerning labor,” said Fred Hall, Northwest Iowa Dairy Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Number one, what is wrong with my hiring process? I can’t get people hired; and number 2, how do I close the ‘revolving door’ of employees coming and going?”

Hall said that this five-part webinar series will take an in-depth look at the questions focused around the topic of how to hire and maintain farm employees.

Each presenter will address a certain topic from Noon to 1 p.m. on the dates listed below:

Monday, February 3 at 7 p.m.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and participants must be registered or in line by 7 p.m. in order to participate

For more information call Allamakee County Democratic Co-Chairs Karen Pratte (563-535-7254) or Lori Egan (563-568-1290)

Monday, February 3 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

Precinct #1 - Hanover, Waterloo Townships AND Precinct #2 - French Creek, Jefferson, Ludlow, Makee, Union Prairie Townships
Waukon High School Auditorium, 1059 Third Ave. NW, Waukon
 
Precinct #3 - Franklin, Post Townships AND Precinct #4 - City of Postville
Postville Elementary School Auditorium, 314 West Post Street, Postville
 
Precinct #5 - City of Waterville and Linton, Paint Creek Townships AND Precinct #6 - City of Harpers Ferry and Fairview, Taylor Townships
American Legion Hall, 118 North Fourth Street, Harpers Ferry

Voter registration available at caucus sites that evening

Registered Republican and Democrat voters across the state have the opportunity to participate in Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses Monday, February 3, providing local residents a critical voice in the nomination process for this country's next president by casting their vote for their preferred candidate.

Those who choose to participate in the caucuses will not only choose presidential candidates for this year's election, but will make their voices heard as both political parties formulate their campaign platforms. Nomination petitions for other state and national elected offices will also be considered by caucus goers.

To attend a caucus, voters must be registered as either Democrat or Republican, but registration will be allowed at each of the caucus sites. Caucus locations for both political parties for the February 3 event are featured below in the bordered boxes.

Award nominations due by February 14; Princess applications due by March 1

The 2020 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet will be held Saturday, March 21 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The meal will be served from 7-8:30 p.m. with the program starting at 8 p.m. The annual celebration recognizes the importance of the dairy industry in Allamakee County and the contributions dairy families make to the industry.

Every year, top producers from the county are recognized at the banquet. In addition, several other awards are presented that evening. The Allamakee Dairy Promotion Board and the Allamakee County Extension Office are accepting nominations through February 14 for the following awards:

The Regional Welding Academy newly renovated at the Waukon High School/Middle School complex has been featured in the newest issue of Trade & Industry Development magazine, a global publication of Due North Media designed to help industrial executives define corporate strategies for growth, specifically focusing on the many aspects of site selection and facility planning.

The new educational welding facility was featured in the Industrial & Advanced Manufacturing 2020 edition of the magazine as part of an article entitled “Workforce Training Programs are Transforming Businesses” that appears on pages 22-28 of that edition. The Regional Welding Academy was one of seven such facilities featured in that article, getting its specific mention on page 26 for its impact of “listening and responding to employers’ needs.”

The Oneota Film Festival board announces the 10th Annual Oneota Film Festival, “Beyond the Crater,” scheduled for February 13-16 at Luther College, downtown Decorah, and for the first time in festival history, at the Town Theater in Waukon.

The weekend will provide many opportunities to watch films, make connections with filmmakers and friends, and meet other members of the broader northeast Iowa community and beyond at the many special events, filmmaker Q&A discussions, and film screenings. The first Oneota Film Festival (OFF) was held in 2010 on the Luther College campus. The theme was Sustainability. Four-hundred people from the Midwest and around the United States attended.

Three years later, newspapers and television news reported: “An asteroid as big as a city block smashed into what is now northern Iowa about 470 million years ago...

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, January 20 to address a full agenda of items.

During Public Comment, Kim Sylvester discussed concerns related to snow removal in downtown Waukon with snow being pushed next to the curb causing a safety issue for business customers walking from parked vehicles. Sylvester indicated that is a safety concern affecting the elderly especially but said there has been improvement with snow removal during the last two snowfalls.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations from community residents for awards to be distributed at the Chamber's annual meeting scheduled for Saturday, March 7. Those awards include Business of the Year and Person of the Year honors within the Waukon community. The Chamber will bestow those honors upon the best nominated candidate fitting the following award criteria:

Business of the Year
The Business of the Year Award, presented by the Waukon Chamber of Commerce, is given each year to a business that offers high-quality products or services, demonstrates strong ethical standards, exhibits leadership with its employees and clients and within its industry, and is active in the community. The award winner must be in business for at least five years, locally owned or a locally-owned franchise, and an active member of the community.