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Dorothy M. Winke, 61, of Waukon died Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at her home. Memorial services were held Saturday, May 3 at Zalmona Presbyterian Church in rural Waukon with Pastor Sue Klimstra officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Dorothy Marie Winke was born September 25, 1963, in Waukon, the daughter of Richard “Butch” Lyle and Mary Kay (Kerndt) Winke. She was baptized and confirmed at Zalmona Presbyterian Church, where she was a lifelong member. After graduating from Waukon High School, Dorothy went on to get her B.A. in graphic design from Iowa State University. As a graphic designer, Dorothy worked for various companies and lived in Minneapolis, MN, Boston, MA, and Colorado before returning to Waukon a few years ago.

As a talented artist, she enjoyed oil painting and watercolors. Dorothy also spent much of her time researching family ancestry. She loved animals, especially Samoyed dogs, and will be missed by her current companion, Allie.

Jean A. Gander, 94, of Waukon died Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette. Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 6 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Paulraj Sellam officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Send donations to St. Patrick School in Jean’s memory.

Jean Ann Gander was born April 17, 1931, in Waukon, the daughter of Thomas and Florence (Fahey) O’Malley. Jean was baptized into the Catholic faith. Her Catholic faith remained an important part of her life. She attended St Patrick School in Waukon, graduating in 1949. Jean was the last surviving member of her graduating class.

June 29, 1949, she married the love of her life, Earl Joseph Gander of Lansing. In 1951 they started farming near Lansing. In 1955 they moved to a farm in Hanover township of Allamakee County until purchasing and moving to a farm near Frankville. In 1987 they retired and moved to Waukon.

Kee High School seniors Ashlyn Henkes (left) and Brendan Jones (right) were selected as the 2025 Kee High School Prom Queen and King at the annual event held this past Saturday, April 26 in Lansing. Henkes was selected from a Queen court that also consisted of fellow seniors Lily Howe and Zoey Timmerman. Jones was chosen from a King court that also included fellow seniors Sawyer Gramlich and Gabe Mattson. Photo by Danielle Potter.
 

Waukon High School seniors Eva Whalen (left) and Seth Lloyd (right) were selected as the 2025 Waukon High School Prom Queen and King at the annual event held Saturday, April 26. Whalen was selected from a Queen court that also consisted of fellow seniors Keeran Barr, Halea Corwin and Ava Johnson. Lloyd was chosen from a King court that also included fellow seniors Graine Curtin, Dalton Frick and McKinley Rostvold. Photo by Brianne Grimstad.
 

Students at Waukon High School and Waukon Middle School were presented with a reminder of the impacts of choices they make through a mock traffic accident conducted Tuesday, April 22 by local emergency responders and a presentation by the Iowa State Patrol and the families of two teenage girls from Dubuque who lost their lives in a traffic accident in the very early morning hours of July 1, 2022. The mock accident event was purposely held during the week prior to the Waukon High School Prom scheduled for Saturday, April 26 in an effort to emphasize to the students the importance of making good choices.

For the second time in a span of five months, defense attorneys in the first degree murder case of Brandon Kasemeier, the now 41-year-old man from Waukon charged in the January 21, 2024 death of his estranged wife, Jami Kasemeier, have filed a motion for a change of venue for the upcoming trial in the case. Kasemeier’s defense team of Raya Dimitrova and Erin Carr of Carr Law Firm, P.L.C., Des Moines had originally filed a motion for a change of venue December 6, 2024 based on pre-trial publicity, a motion that was denied by Iowa First Judicial District Judge Alan Heavens.

First-year student Olivia Marti of Waukon is nearing completion of the 2024-2025 President’s Leadership Class at Iowa State University. Marti majors in agronomy/agricultural business and is a 2024 graduate of Waukon High School.

Each fall, Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen invites 30 first-year students to participate in the program. They are selected for the class based on high school leadership experience, academic achievement, and involvement in school and community service. The President’s Leadership Class builds on these abilities and experiences, serving as an important training ground for students who will go on to become campus leaders; and ultimately, leaders in their professions and in their communities.

Waukon High School senior Mari Delaney was one of two students recently awarded a Hauschild Memorial Scholarship from Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative (ACEC). Delaney was awarded $1,000 from the Co-op.

She is the daughter of Jesse and Heather Delaney of Waukon. Her plans are to attend Iowa State University to study civil and environmental engineering.

Jack Scherf, a senior from Central High School, was the other ACEC Hauschild Memorial Scholarship recipient for this year.

The Hauschild Scholarship Fund was established in 1995 in memory of Robert “Bill” Hauschild by his wife and family. This scholarship is provided in recognition of Hauschild’s service as a board member from his election in 1988, until his death March 17, 1993. Scholarships are open to graduating high school seniors in Allamakee-Clayton Electric’s service area and are available to students who are entering a course of study within the electric field.

Iowa educators wanting to do a deep dive into finance topics but needing flexibility have until May 29 to register for “Small Change: Building Financial Security for Educators.” This Iowa State University Extension and Outreach blended course starts Thursday, June 5, with an introductory session from 4:30-6:30 p.m., followed by a four-week, self-paced, facilitator-led online learning experience that ends July 3. The certification course provides both teacher license renewal credit and audit options so educators can participate at their own pace.

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council convened for a regular meeting Monday, April 21 to address a range of infrastructure updates, finalize the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and approve seasonal staff appointments. The session at the City Hall chambers included presentations from city staff, resident feedback, and votes on municipal actions.

CITIZEN CONCERNS
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Ken Hanson addressed ongoing issues concerning the private water line servicing 471 Platt Street. Questions were raised regarding the extent of municipal and private responsibilities for the newly installed infrastructure. It was explained that, according to city ordinance, costs associated with the water line from the main to the house are the homeowner’s responsibility.