The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday night, February 18. Board member Erik Helgerson was absent.
Items on the consent agenda were approved including the following personnel: staff for After School Programming; Emily Stone as a para professional; Amy Wasson, Mike Shupe, Greg Criswell, Daneshia Snitker and Bridget Dolan as girls track volunteer coaches; Morgan McMillan as girls golf volunteer coach; and the resignation of Katrina McCabe was accepted. Two students were approved for open enrollment.
Two Sunday requests for gym usage were approved. The 2019-2020 software budget was also approved, as was the cooperative swimming agreement between the ACSD and Decorah, Howard-Winneshiek, MFL/Mar-Mac, North Fayette Valley, Postville, South Winneshiek and Turkey Valley school districts.
The Waukon Middle School will be performing its annual spring play Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium, with doors opening at 6 p.m. This year’s play is “30 Horrible Catastrophes of Middle School” by Kamron Klitgaard/Brooklyn Publishers. Admission can be paid at the door the night of the performance.
Thirty-plus Waukon Middle School students from sixth, seventh and eighth grades have been working through all the winter weather obstacles to keep this year’s play scheduled. All are invited for a night of comedy, silliness and down right fun.
Dodgeball, flirting, selfies, the cool bench and body spray for men could all be included among the horrors of middle school. Also included are the usual victims, as the nerds, the jocks, the preps, the punkers and many others team up to demonstrate the “worst” catastrophes of their generation in this one-act comedy about fitting in and finding acceptance.
Youth Mentoring at Helping Services for Youth & Families is hosting its annual bowl-a-thon Saturday, March 16 at Arrowhead Lanes in Waukon. This event aims to raise $7,000 to connect youth in Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek Counties with a mentor. Currently, 103 people are involved in Youth Mentoring at Helping Services.
Now is the time to strike up a conversation with friends, neighbors, club members and co-workers to form a team to bowl. Proceeds support those youth and adults being friends in mentoring. Those interested can be involved in two important ways: register to bowl and/or donate to the cause.
The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 18 to address a full agenda of items. The Public Hearing on a proposal to enter into a Sewer Revenue Loan and Disbursement Agreement was opened and closed. City Clerk Lana Snitker indicated that no verbal or written comments were received regarding the matter.
The Public Hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation Sewer Improvement Loan and Disbursement was also opened and closed without any verbal or written comments.
During Public Comment, Brooke Troendle of the Walk-On Waukon group discussed the status of a grant for sidewalks and matching funds committed by the City. Mayor Pat Stone advised Troendle to follow-up on the matter at a future meeting with budget work having recently concluded. Council member John Ellingson provided feedback on capital project budget planning to include approximately 20% for engineering and 10-15% for contingency.
The Waukon High School Music Department will be hosting its ninth annual Pops Concert Saturday, February 23 at the Waukon Middle School gymnasium. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with concert time at 7:30 p.m. Musical groups include the Waukon Middle School and High School Jazz Bands, Middle School Choir, JV Choir, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, a select group of sixth grade singers, as well as the Barbershop and Sweet Adeline Quartets. The Pops Concert is an annual fundraising event sponsored by the Allamakee Music Boosters. It replaced the Spaghetti Supper nine years ago and has proven to be a very popular change by all involved and all who attend the event.
All-time leading scorer ends career ... Waukon boys basketball senior Michael Sweeney soars to the hoop on his way to 18 points in the Indians’ 78-73 loss at New Hampton in the opening round of Class 2A District 4 Tournament play Wednesday, February 13. In the final game of his high school career for the Indians, Sweeney also dished out a team-high five assists and posted one each of rebounds and blocked shots, leaving the Waukon boys basketball career scoring lead at 1,299 points. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
After back-to-back nights of postponement, the Waukon boys basketball team had its 2018-2019 campaign brought to a close in the opening round of Class 2A District 4 Tournament play Wednesday, February 13. Originally scheduled for a Monday, February 11 date, winter weather moved the game to Tuesday, February 12 and then again to its final Wednesday date, but the game proved to be well worth the wait as the Indians battled their hosts, the New Hampton Chickasaws, neck-and-neck the entire game before ending up on the short end of a 78-73 final result to have their 2018-2019 season brought to completion.
Five Kee boys basketball seniors brought their high school basketball careers to a close with the Hawks’ 56-50 loss to Starmont Wednesday, February 13 in the opening round of Class 1A District 5 Tournament play at MFL/MarMac High School. In their final game, Jacob Berns (photo above) posted five each of points and rebounds, and (left to right in photo below) Ryan Whalen grabbed two rebounds and swiped one steal, Shawn Wild (partially hidden) posted three each of rebounds and steals, Dylan Walleser scored five points, grabbed three rebounds and posted one each of assists and blocked shots, and Josh Walleser tallied team-high totals of 18 points and seven rebounds while also dishing out two assists and swiping one steal. Photos courtesy of the Kee High School Yearbook. View and find out how to purchase these photos and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
Having to wait a couple days to finally get its postseason underway due to winter weather delays, the Kee boys basketball team had its tournament trail cut short “under the Stars” Wednesday, February 13, as the Hawks fell to the Starmont Stars by a 56-50 final result in their Class 1A District 5 Tournament game played at MFL/MarMac High School in Monona. The game had been postponed from its originally scheduled Monday, February 11 date not just once, but twice, and that delay may have been what fueled Starmont junior guard Chris Baumgartner, as he erupted for a career-high 28 points to account for half the production of his 2-19 Stars’ team in the ballgame.
Players and coaches of the ninth-rated Waukon girls basketball team display their banners telling the tale of their qualification for the Class 3A State Tournament after a 55-44 Region 4 Championship victory over 13th-rated Davenport Assumption Saturday, February 16 at Marion High School. The Indians qualified for the season grand finale for the first time since the 2009-2010 season, when the basketball Tribe finished as the Class 3A State Tournament Runner-Up. They will open that State Tournament trek Monday, February 25 at 6:45 p.m. against fellow Northeast Iowa Conference squad Crestwood, rated seventh in Class 3A, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
Senior from the side ... Kee girls basketball senior Heather Mooney puts up a shot in the Hawks’ 31-30 Class 1A Region 2 quarterfinals win over Turkey Valley Wednesday, February 13 at Waukon. Mooney scored six points and grabbed three rebounds in the win. Photo courtesy of the Kee High School Yearbook. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
The Kee girls basketball team had its 2018-2019 season brought to a close one game shy of a familiar destination each of the past four seasons. After sitting idle for nearly two weeks with their final regular season games being canceled and their first-round Class 1A regional tournament game being postponed, the Lady Hawks got their postseason tournament trail started with a thrilling, 31-30 victory over fellow Upper Iowa Conference squad Turkey Valley Wednesday, February 13 at Waukon before having that postseason journey brought to a halt by a 49-37 loss to North Butler Friday, February 15 at North Fayette Valley High School in West Union.
Cardiac Rehabilitation at VMH ... February is National Heart Month. Veterans Memorial Hospital began its own Cardiac Rehabilitation program over two decades ago to help fulfill a need in the community - a need that has been and continues to be well utilized. Pictured above, left to right, are Cardiac Rehab Nurses Amy Rolfs, RN and Dianne Weymiller, RN with Cardiac Rehab patient Joan Gisleson of Luana seated on the NuStep machine. A Cardiac Rehabilitation program is essential for the fullest recovery of a victim of a heart disorder and is available locally at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Submitted photo.
Veterans Memorial Hospital began its own Cardiac Rehabilitation unit nearly two decades ago to help fulfill a need in the community - a need that has been and continues to be well utilized.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Half a million people die each year due to this disease. Many people develop symptoms of heart disease when they are in their 40s or 50s, interrupting a most productive time of life. Cardiac Rehabilitation is an important tool in the fight against heart disease. Rehabilitation involves monitored exercise, nutritional counseling, emotional support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce risks of heart problems.
