During the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council Monday, September 5, Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) Executive Director Val Reinke spoke about the Allamakee County Housing Study being undertaken by ACED in partnership with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC). She encouraged all county residents to participate in the study by completing a housing needs survey.
Friday, September 15 at 1 p.m., the Lansing VFW Post and Auxiliary and the Lansing American Legion Post #50 will commemorate National POW/MIA Recognition Day with a Missing Man Ceremony and Dedication of the Ralph Bartels Patio located next to the shelter on Mt. Hosmer in Lansing.
Ralph Bartels was a member of the Lansing Gustave F. Kerndt VFW Post #5981 and served for 50 years as Post Adjutant in the Lansing American Legion #50.
Everyone is invited to attend this special ceremony. The Missing Man ceremony honors those still missing from this Nation’s past wars and conflicts, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice and whose remains have not yet been recovered and returned home to the country they served.
Chef Camp part of summer camp series ... These three young ladies were among those who took part in Chef Camp offered by Northeast Iowa Community College’s (NICC) Waukon Center during the summer of 2023. Chef Camp was part of a series of summer camps offered through NICC, with funding possible through the Allamakee County Community Foundation and the Jim and Margo Sweeney Family Endowment for Allamakee Forever. Submitted photo.
“My son came home with new knowledge, excitement and interest in how to build and engineer moving objects. It starts with bringing toys to life and can lead to endless possibilities!”
“STEAM camp was the best day of my summer!”
These are just a couple of the rave reviews that parents and students recently gave summer camps hosted by Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) in Waukon.
These positive experiences were made possible this year thanks to a partnership with the Allamakee County Community Foundation and the Jim and Margo Sweeney Family Endowment for Allamakee Forever. A grant provided $3,000 for the program in response to NICC’s application to the Community Foundation.
The Iowa Department of Education has released new spring 2023 assessment results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress for students in grades 3-11. The overall results show little improvement over last year with significant proficiency gaps between certain groups of students, according to Iowa Department of Education officials.
State-level results from the 2022-2023 Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) show relatively little to no growth across most grades in English language arts with some grade levels up a percentage point and other grades down a percentage point. Sixth grade results increased the most from last year, going up four percentage points.
Saturday, September 16 at 10 a.m. the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present another program from its Veterans History Project at its museum located at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. A video interview by Chuck Bloxham with U.S. Air Force veteran Lt. Col. Beth Shafer of Waukon will be played. Lt. Col. Shafer will also be present to share comments and answer questions.
Lt. Col. Beth Shafer served in the U.S. Air Force on both active and reserve duty for 22 years. She attended the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. following graduation. Lt. Col. Shafer then completed pilot training and was later assigned to flight crews on the C-130 Hercules transport plane (such as pictured with this article). After completing active duty, she was employed as a commercial airline pilot by United Air Lines.
The public is invited to attend the program. There is no admission or membership charge. The facility is handicapped accessible.
Midwest Veterans of America will be hosting a Veterans Day event Saturday, November 11 at AJ’s Steakhouse in Waukon, beginning at 12 noon. A full menu will be available to order from, and Midwest Veterans of America will be honoring 25 local veterans during the event, with those awards being distributed at 1:30 p.m.
Event organizers are seeking nominations of local veterans who will be honored at the event. To nominate a local veteran to be honored, call 563-568-5275.
Following a consensus reached by all community fire chiefs in Allamakee County just prior to the press deadline for this edition of The Standard, paperwork is being submitted to the State of Iowa Fire Marshal’s office to institute an open burning ban in Allamakee County, effective immediately and in place until further notice. Allamakee County will join 14 other northeast Iowa counties in instituting a burn ban during the current Extreme Drought conditions in the area. Specifics on burn ban limitations and allowances can be found on the Iowa Fire Marshal’s website at https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions/state-fire-marshal/burn-bans.
Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
November 1: Organic Certification Cost-Share and Transition/Education Certification Program
January 31: Livestock Forage Program (LFP)
Farm Loan Presence in Allamakee County
The USDA/FSA Farm Loan team will have a Loan Officer in our office every Tuesday during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, feel free to call or stop in.
If drought-stressed corn is green-chopped, producers should be aware of the potential for nitrate toxicity
Iowa is fortunate to have corn as a major cropping enterprise. That’s why it’s important to keep harvest management tips in mind, according to Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach.
“We grow a lot of corn, which offers producers the opportunity to harvest green-chopped corn as forage or to put it up as silage,” Doran said. “Regardless of what producers choose, there are other factors to consider, especially when harvesting drought-affected crops.”
Doran cautions producers to check with both their Farm Service Agency and crop insurance agency before chopping. If drought-stressed corn is green-chopped, producers should be aware of the potential for nitrate toxicity.
Women’s Health Day scheduled for September 26 ... The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital and Elliott Jewelers of Waukon are excited to announce they will be hosting the 18th Annual Women’s Health Day wellness event Tuesday, September 26 at the Waukon Banquet Center. The theme for this year’s event, “Embracing Life at All Stages,” will cover all areas of Hospice care, behavioral health care and learning to connect with kindness. Pictured above is a view from last year’s event. All vendors will return to this year’s event, including the three local Hospice providers, plus a new menu of sandwiches, salad bar buffet, dessert and beverage will be served. Everyone purchasing a ticket will be entered into a drawing for a ladies’ 14kt yellow gold diamond and genuine green garnet pendant on an 18” yellow gold rope chain (retail value $1,000) compliments of Elliott Jewelers of Waukon. Tickets are on sale now for the Women’s Health Day Event at Elliott Jewelers and Veterans Memorial Hospital. Submitted photo.
The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) and Elliott Jewelers of Waukon are excited to announce they will be hosting the 18th Annual Women’s Health Day wellness event Tuesday, September 26 at the Waukon Banquet Center. All ages are invited to attend any part of this educational event, beginning at 11 a.m. with a wellness fair offering a variety of free health tests and information, and a luncheon and program held from Noon to 1 p.m.
The theme for this year’s event is “Embracing Life at all Stages.” Featured speakers for the Women’s Health Day program will include Alex Berns, Family Nurse Practitioner at the Waukon Clinic, who will speak on his experience as a Hospice Care Nurse. His presentation, entitled “Clearing the Air About Hospice Care,” will help explain how Hospice Care works, how to qualify and the different levels of Hospice care available.
