Tuesday, December 11 at 11:37 a.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a liquid manure tanker that had overturned on Highway 9 approximately three miles north of Waukon. A report from the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office indicates that Jason Michael Sweeney, age 22, of rural Waukon was traveling southbound on the shoulder of State Highway 9 driving a tractor/tanker combination when the tanker began to slide on the icy shoulder and entered the ditch. The tanker overturned in the ditch spilling approximately 1,500 gallons of liquid manure in the ditch (as seen in the left foreground of the photo). The Iowa Department of Natural Resources was notified of the spill and efforts were made to recover spillage. No injuries were reported. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, December 17 to discuss a full agenda of items including police compensation, sidewalk snow removal and bids received for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant. The meeting began with a pair of public hearings.
The Public Hearing to review an application for a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan and to make available contents of an Environmental Information Document (EID) and the City’s project plan was opened and closed without written or verbal comment. The Public Hearing for the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project was also opened and closed without written or verbal comment.
There was no Public Comment on any other matters either, and the council moved into Departmental Reports. Street Superintendent Keith Burrett indicated that tree trimming and vehicle maintenance have been ongoing.
The Lansing City Council meeting was held Monday, December 17. Discussion centered around the adoption of the consent agenda, a Black Hawk Bridge update, acknowledging receipt of a letter from Attorney Karl Knudson, discussing the shoveling ordinance, a marina dock project update, rebuilding a pump for the jetter and purchasing body cameras for the City police officers.
The consent agenda consisted of the City Council Minutes from the meeting held December 3 and the Treasurer’s Report for November 2018. The consent agenda was approved with no major concerns.
The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) will host a Winter Solstice and Full Moon Hike this Friday, December 21, beginning at 6 p.m. The full moon will make the shortest day of the year a little bit brighter.
The hike will take place along County Road 527, along the Mississippi River, starting at 6 p.m. County Road 527 is approximately a two-mile, one-way level B County road that begins at the end of Power Plant Drive south of Lansing. Participants can park at the Rural Recycling drop-off site past the Alliant Energy Plant south of Lansing.
If snowshoes are needed, the ACCB has snowshoes and trekking poles for use free of charge. Those needing snowshoes are urged to register in advance.
Open Door To The Soul, Co., located in the former Waterville Lutheran Church, just outside of Waterville, will host Connecting Community Conversations, a series of monthly roundtable discussions intended to find commonality through shared experiences, bolster support and identify ways to make a difference for others. All discussions will begin at 7 p.m. on the dates listed below in the basement area of the former Waterville Lutheran Church.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Upcoming Connecting Community Conversations currently include the following schedule and topics:
January 17 - The Shadows of Suicide
February 21 - Illness, Hospice and Dying
March 21 - Do We Dare Talk Politics?
April 18 - Poverty, The Truth About Money
May 16 - Foregiveness and Healing Wounds
June 20 - Land Stewardship in the Driftless Region.
The Allamakee Community School District’s (ACSD) board of directors met Monday evening, December 17 for its regular monthly meeting. Under the consent agenda in personnel matters, staff for after school programming was approved, as was Gary Egan for a substitute/activity bus driver. The board also approved the Mediacom Contract Renewal and the annual eighth grade trip to Des Moines, where students will be able to visit the State Capitol, John Deere Des Moines Works and either the Iowa Hall of Pride or Terrace Hill.
The monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, December 17. The meeting was called to order by Heather Schulte, Board President. The following members were present: Bobbie Goetzinger, Kelli Mudderman, Bruce Palmborg, Melanie Mauss and Heather Schulte. Also present were Dr. Dale Crozier, Superintendent; Mary Hogan, Kee High and Middle School Principal; Chad Steckel, New Albin Elementary School Principal and Janet Heiderscheit, Board Secretary.
After the agenda was adopted, the board asked for audience comments but there were none. The board next approved the authorizations for the December consent items, the minutes of the November meeting, the bills for December, the secretary’s financial statement and the activity and food service report.
New uniforms ... Waukon High School senior Micah Treptau models a sample of the new uniforms for the Waukon High School Marching Band. Submitted photo.
The Waukon High School Music Department is seeking donations for new high school marching band and concert band uniforms through an “Adopt a Uniform” campaign. The current marching band uniforms were purchased in 1997 and are in need of replacement following years of usage and alterations.
The Allamakee Community School District and the Allamakee Music Boosters will each be providing one-third of the funding for the uniform replacement project, leaving a final third of the total cost to be raised through the “Adopt-a-Uniform” donation drive. Donation levels for specific pieces of the uniforms being sought are listed below in the accompanying donation form below, but any donation amount would be welcome.
Wraps up the scoring ... Waukon wrestling junior Michael Hagen gets his hand raised in victory in the final match in the Indians’ 66-10 home loss to the Cadets in Northeast Iowa Conference competition Thursday, December 13. Hagen received a forfeit at 182 pounds to finalize the team scoring in the dual. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
Battles to the end ... Waukon wrestling 138-pound junior Tyler Block fights off this attack in the Indians’ 66-10 home loss to the Cadets Thursday, December 13. Block waged war through all three periods of the match before finally surrendering a 7-4 loss by decision. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this website.
The Waukon wrestling team wrapped up another busy latter portion of the week this past week, wrestling a home dual late in the week before competing in a weekend tournament just two days later. The mat Indians fell in that home dual in Northeast Iowa Conference action to Crestwood, 66-10, Thursday, December 13 before finishing in a tie for fifth-place out of 11 teams competing at the Starmont Tournament Saturday, December 15.
The wrestling Tribe was next scheduled to host both South Winneshiek and Fillmore Central out of Minnesota Tuesday, December 18 to wrap up the pre-holiday portion of this season’s schedule before the end of the year. The Indians will return to action following the holiday break Saturday, January 5 by competing in the Crestwood Tournament.
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The Kee girls basketball team kept its Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) season rolling perfectly, using some final-second dramatics to help pull off another sweep of a pair of conference games this past week to improve to 6-1 on the season, 5-0 in UIC play. The Lady Hawks dropped in four points in the final one second to pull off a 38-37 home win over Turkey Valley Tuesday, December 11 before having little problem with Central Elkader at home in a 56-30 triumph Friday, December 14.
The Kee girls will finish off the 2018 portion of their schedule with a very busy final week on the road before the holiday break, playing at North Fayette Valley Tuesday, December 18, at De Soto, WI Thursday, December 20 and at MFL/MarMac Friday, December 21. The Lady Hawks will then return to action after the holidays with a weekend double-dip, playing at West Central Friday, January 4 and then at Mabel-Canton in Minnesota Saturday, January 5.
