A south central Iowa man allegedly responsible for a string of burglaries in the Lansing and New Albin area in September of last year was arrested in Polk County in Iowa Wednesday, January 16. Eric Todd Hall, age 43, of Saylor Township north of Des Moines in Polk County was taken into custody when an off-duty deputy identified him in the parking lot at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona and was aware he had several warrants outstanding for his arrest.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a delayed regular session Tuesday, January 22 following the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 21, and met again in regular session Monday, January 28. Coverage of both meetings appears below.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22
During Public Comment to open the January 22 regular meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors, Mark Reiser of Lansing questioned the Supervisors about the $2,563.69 expense that was approved at the January 14 Supervisors meeting. The Supervisors clarified that the expense was related to signage and landscaping expenses at the Allamakee County Public Safety Center.
Shopko (“the Company”), a leading operator of general merchandise stores throughout the Central, Western and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States, has announced that it, along with its subsidiaries, has filed voluntary petitions for a court-supervised financial restructuring under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code and that its first-day motions to help facilitate continued operations while the Company operates under Chapter 11 protection were approved January 16 by Honorable Thomas L. Saladino of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska.
The month of December ended with a loss of $61,307 for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon, but year-to-date the hospital is showing a profit of $101,805, according to information shared at the hospital’s Board of Trustees meeting held January 22. VMH Administrator Mike Myers noted that one of the main reasons for the loss in December was the fact that acute patient days were down. “When acute days are down, we don’t usually have a very good month,” he noted.
Waukon Dental and Family Dentistry Associates of Monona are hosting their 29th Annual and Dental Associates of Prairie du Chien, P.C. is hosting its 25th Annual Have A Heart Day.
For close to 30 years, free dental care has been provided in the local area through this event. Have a Heart Day focuses on serving area youth, ages four to 18 who have not recently seen a dentist, to receive free dental work.
This year, Have A Heart Day will be held Saturday, February 9 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Through this annual event, many doctors and staff have felt impacted by the effect this day can have on a child’s health and on the community as a whole. While this event is during Valentine’s season, it also is celebrated during one of the most important dental months, National Children’s Dental Health Month.
The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations from community residents for awards to be distributed at the Chamber's annual meeting scheduled for Friday, February 22. Those awards include Years of Service, 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:
Lansing Middle School eighth grade student Alyssa Darling was selected by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 9th Iowa District as the winner of the VFW Patriot’s Pen essay contest. She is the daughter of Mark and Kris Darling of Lansing and was sponsored by Lansing VFW Post 5981. Pictured above, left to right, in the submitted photo is VFW 9th District Chairman of Patriot’s Pen Bernie Meiers, Don Peters of Lansing VFW Post 5981, Alyssa Darling and VFW 9th District Commander Virgil Thorstenson. Darling’s award-winning essay advanced on to the State level of competition. Her essay topic was “Why I Honor the American Flag,” and it is published below in its entirety:
Why I Honor the American Flag by Alyssa Darling, 8th grade student at Lansing Middle School
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently seeking public comment for the proposed rule making to implement Senate File 2389, passed by the Iowa Legislature in April 2018, allowing the DNR to establish rental fees at state parks and recreation areas. This change eliminates the need for the DNR to go through rule making under the authority of the Natural Resource Commission to establish, change and manage fees for camping, the use of rental facilities and other special privileges in state parks and recreation areas.
As part of the legislation, the DNR is required to establish and adopt rules for the purpose of setting forth the methodology to be used in establishing fees. To obtain a copy of the rule making documents, visit the Iowa DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov/parks.
Due to the extremely cold temperatures forecasted for this weekend, the Allamakee County Conservation Board and the Harpers Ferry Booster Club have postponed the annual Harpers Ferry Youth Ice Fisheree originally scheduled for Sunday, January 27 at Nobles Island Boat Landing. It will now be held Sunday, February 10 at Nobles Island Boat Landing from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nobles Island Boat Landing is approximately five miles south of Harpers Ferry on County Road 364. Anyone 15 years of age and under is encouraged to attend with an adult. Ice fishing equipment, bait, food and hot chocolate will be provided. Entry to the fisheree is free of charge and prizes will be awarded to many of the participants.
This is the 14th year for the Alumni Scholarship instituted by the Allamakee Scholarship Fund (ASF), Inc. Board of Directors. The award is made to a Waukon High School graduate who participated in ASF, Inc. (or Allamakee Dollars for Scholars) while in high school and received an award as a graduating senior. The scholarship is available for college sophomores or higher level students who have been out of high school two years.
The ASF, Inc. Board feels it is important to continue the encouragement to Allamkaee Community School District graduates as they continue their education, not just as they start their post-high school program. The group wishes to encourage participation in community service and college activities that are part of their educational growth and preparation for career and community life.
