A legislative forum open to the public has been scheduled for this Saturday, February 16 at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau building located at 14 First Avenue NE in Waukon, beginning at 11:15 a.m. Iowa House of Representatives District 56 Republican Anne Osmundson and Iowa Senate District 28 Republican Michael Breitbach have each been invited to field questions and discuss issues with the general public at Saturday’s forum.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 11. During Public Comment, Chairperson Gloria Payne of the Allamakee County Historical Preservation Commission provided an overview of the organization’s activities, indicating that it was a good year. Payne discussed the organization’s Annual Report, which is being added to the February 18 Board of Supervisors meeting agenda. She also indicated that there is a vacancy on the seven-person commission.
A pair of art students under the direction of Carlyn Lechtenberg in the Allamakee Community School District had their artwork nominated for participation in the Youth Art Month Show sponsored by the Art Educators of Iowa (AEI). The artwork was juried at the AEI Winter Council Meeting held February 2.
Pictured above is a marker drawing by Waukon Middle School sixth grader Ava Hooten entitled “Marvel Heroes: Green Lantern.” Pictured below is a monochromatic oil pastel drawing by Waukon High School freshman Kiara Ahlstrom entitled “Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic)”.
Robey Memorial Library announces 2018 Adult Reading Challenge winners ...
“Libraries Rock” was the theme of Robey Memorial Library’s 2018 Adult Reading Challenge. Readers were challenged to read books from 13 categories throughout the year, with each category read earning an entry in the Challenge’s prize drawing.
Prize winners for the 2018 Adult Reading Challenge included Cameron Berges - Waukon Bucks (pictured above); Colleen Gragg - MP3 player (pictured below); Ann Ewing - eReader (not pictured); and Anita Petersen - gift certificates to local businesses (not pictured).
The 2018 Robey Memorial Library Adult Reading Challenge prize sponsors included Bieber Insurance and Real Estate, Empty Nest Winery, Epic Wear, Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank, Gundersen Lutheran, Hacker, Nelson, & Co., P.C., James Garrett Law Office, Martin Funeral Home, Shafer & Shafer Law Office, Shopko, TASC, Inc., Torkelson-Waukon, Upper Iowa Insurance Services Corporation, Veterans Memorial Hospital and Waukon Greenhouse. The 2019 Adult Reading Challenge is already underway. Contact Robey Memorial Library to participate at 563-568-4424, www.waukon.lib.ia.us or robeymemorial@waukon.lib.ia.us. Submitted photos.
“A Universe of Stories” is the theme of Robey Memorial Library’s 2019 Adult Reading Challenge that began January 1 and ends December 31. Patrons are invited to explore the wonders of the universe and learn about the solar system, perhaps trying something new, such as learn new facts about space, read a new book, try a new craft, meet new people, and much more.
Those participating can receive a prize drawing entry for reading from one of each of 12 categories: biography; short stories or essays; cross-cultural theme; science fiction or space theme; history fiction or non-fiction; autobiography; poetry; mystery fiction or non-fiction; second book in a series; travel fiction or non-fiction; story of courage fiction or non-fiction; and story of friendship fiction or non-fiction.
Kerndt Brothers Bank has announced that Rich Werner has joined the bank as a Business Banker responsible for providing lending and deposit services to agricultural businesses and commercial customers throughout northeast Iowa. His responsibilities also include business development and enhancing relationships with existing customers.
Werner joins Kerndt Brothers Bank from AgXplore headquartered in Parma, MO, where he served as an Ag Agronomist. He brings significant experience in farming, agricultural sales and manufacturing with significant experience in sales management and customer experience. In total, his experience covers over 30 years in various business positions, with progressive responsibilities related to business management and building new customer relationships through a dedicated focus on customer needs.
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.
This Improvisational Acting group of Kee High School seniors was selected for the All-State Large Group Speech Festival taking place this Saturday, February 16 at the Iowa State University campus in Ames. These three members of the Kee High School Speech Department have been working together since their freshman year and for the first time received a perfect score at the February 2 State competition at Waterloo West and will now be performing at this Saturday’s All-State Festival among 23 other Improvisational Acting teams from across the state of Iowa judged to be the best in their category. Pictured above, left to right, are Anthony Martin, Jacob Berns and Logan West. They will each receive an All-State medal and will perform in front of the critic judge, Nicole Vespa of the iO Theatre located in Chicago, IL. Submitted photo.
The Waukon High School Speech trio of (left to right in above photo) Teddy Holthaus, Emily Kolsrud and Steven Shogren were nominated for All-State Speech for their radio broadcast titled “Delta”. They were one of three Radio division acts to be selected out of 25 competing at the State competition held February 2 at Waterloo West High School to now compete at the All-State Festival this Saturday, February 16 on the Iowa State University campus in Ames. All-State nomination requires a recommendation for advancement from at least two of the three judges at the State competition, with one judge writing “brave choice” as a comment to the Waukon High School Radio group. The “Delta” performance is set in wartime and has a very chilling ending.
Coaching congrats and fired-up father ... Waukon wrestling 145-pound senior Miles Hansmeier is congratulated after his 8-5 win by decision in the final seconds of his Class 2A District 5 Tournament first-round match Saturday, February 9 at Independence by members of the Waukon wrestling coaching staff, including (left to right in background of the above photo) assistant coach Caleb Ferring and head coach Mason Berns, as well as his father, volunteer assistant coach Dave Hansmeier, who is also seen at right jumping for joy after his son rallied in the final seconds of that first-round match with a five-point move that advanced him to the 145-pound championship match and all but solidified his first-ever qualification for this week’s Class 2A State Tournament in Des Moines. With his runner-up finish in the 145-pound District Tournament bracket, Miles Hansmeier now joins his older brother, Tristan, their father, and their cousin, head coach Mason Berns, in all qualifying for the State Wrestling Tournament for the Indians during their high school wrestling careers, with Tristan Hansmeier wrestling to a sixth-place finish at 170 pounds just last season, Berns claiming a seventh-place finish at 130 pounds in 2004 and eighth-place finish at 160 pounds in 2006, and Dave Hansmeier wrestling to a sixth-place finish at 140 pounds in 1990. Photos courtesy of Nate Troy, Cresco Times-Plain Dealer.
The final moments of the first round and the opening moments of the second round clinched a first-ever State Tournament berth for Waukon wrestling senior Miles Hansmeier at the Class 2A District 5 Tournament hosted by Independence High School Saturday, February 9. Hansmeier pulled off a five-point move in the final seconds of his opening match of the tournament against Independence junior Brady Webb to make his way to the 145-pound championship match, and even though he would lose in that title bout, a pin by Webb in his third-place match guaranteed that Hansmeier would not have to compete in a wrestleback to secure his second-place District Tournament finish and qualification for this week’s Class 2A State Tournament in Des Moines.
Honored for it ... Waukon boys basketball senior Michael Sweeney received a commemorative basketball from Waukon boys basketball coach Jed Hemann after he became the all-time leading scorer for the Waukon boys basketball program late in the third quarter of the Indians’ 70-68 home loss to Decorah Tuesday, February 5. Sweeney surpassed the previous record of 1,254 career points held for the past 37 years by 1982 Waukon High School graduate Scott Sawyer. View and find out how to purchase this photo and more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on The Standard’s website, www.waukonstandard.com.
The Waukon boys basketball team brought its regular season to a close this past week and was scheduled to get its postseason journey underway, but had that first-round Class 2A District 4 game postponed a day due to winter weather. That match-up at and against New Hampton scheduled for Monday, February 11 was postponed to Tuesday, February 12, to begin at 7 p.m.
Prior to that postseason postponement, the Indians closed out their regular season with three final losses in Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) play, falling at Waverly-Shell Rock, 67-48, Monday, February 4 in a game rescheduled from January 25 before also falling at home to Decorah, 70-68, Tuesday, February 5 and to New Hampton, 68-63, Friday, February 8.
