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Monday, November 19, 26 students from the Waukon High School Music Department participated in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) Music Festival. The All-Conference musicians rehearsed throughout the day and performed a concert that evening to a packed audience in the Decorah High School Auditorium. The conductors for this year’s festival were Zachary Durlam - choir, Leyla Sanyer - orchestra, and Steven Stickney - band. The students are under the direction of choir director Sarah Palmer and band director Jo Ann Sherman. Those students participating are pictured in the surrounding photos and include the following:

Photo above at right: All-Conference Choir - Left to right - Front row: Maddie Ellingson, Emily Kolsrud, Ainsley Lydon. Middle row: Sean Liddiard, Ryan Vander Velden, Brigid Berns, Leslie Halverson. Back row: Denzel Decker, Rob Drew, Aiden Jones, James Rubendall.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, November 19. The meeting was called to order by Heather Schulte, Board President, with several staff members and student visitors in attendance.

After the adoption of the agenda, several FFA students from the high school chapter and their advisor, Ray Rankin, gave a presentation on their participation at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN. For the first time in school history, four FFA students also participated in the national level Milk Quality and Products competition and ended with a final ranking of 33rd in the national competition.

The Waukon Wellness Center hosted its fifth annual “Turkey Trot” 5K Run and Walk Thanksgiving morning, November 22. Approximately 110 participants (pictured below at the starting line the day of the event) took part in the event, with first-place finishers in five of the 12 age categories receiving a frozen turkey (indicated by an asterisk [*] in the list below) and the top three placewinners in each age category taking home medals to commemorate their effort. The event was held to advocate wellness in the local community and also as a fundraiser for the community tennis court project, raising $1,200 for that cause. The top entries in each age division at the annual event are pictured above and listed as follows:

The Kee boys basketball team got its 2018 season off to a winless start, falling to a pair of Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) opponents on the road. The Hawks first fell at South Winneshiek, 62-23, Tuesday, November 27 before falling, 40-29, at Postville Friday, November 30.

The Hawks were next scheduled to host Clayton Ridge Tuesday, December 4 before playing Lanesboro, MN at Luther College Saturday, December 8. The Kee boys will then host both Turkey Valley, Tuesday, December 11, and Central Elkader, Friday, December 14.

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The Kee girls basketball team got its Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) season underway with a sweeping week on the hardcourt, winning both of its match-ups this past week, both of them on the road. The Lady Hawks kicked off their UIC season with a 46-33 victory at South Winneshiek Tuesday, November 27 before dominating Postville on the road by a 63-13 final result Friday, November 30.

The Kee girls will return home Tuesday, December 4 to host Clayton Ridge before playing Houston, MN at Decorah High School Saturday, December 8. The Lady Hawks will then remain at home for all of next week, hosting Turkey Valley Tuesday, December 11 and then Central Elkader Friday, December 14.

For more complete coverage, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.

The Waukon bowling teams hosted their second consecutive opponent Friday, November 30 when Tripoli came to town for an early-season match-up. The Waukon squad split its pair of match-ups with the visiting Panthers, the Indian bowling boys picking up their first victory of the season, 2681-2513, while the Waukon girls surrendered a 1960-2199 final result to their guests.

The Lady Indians fell victim to a pair of 300 individual series’ bowled by Tripoli, including an event-high 365 rolled by Panther freshman Lauren Funk. The Indians were led by their lone 300-pin tally of 308 comprised of equal games of 154 from senior Megan O’Neill. Sophomore Taylor Peterson was next in line for Waukon with games of 110 and a team-high 159 for a 269 series, with senior Emma Roe not far behind with a 261 comprised of game tallies of 139 and 122.

The Waukon wrestling team opened its 2018-2019 season with a busy week of wrestling three dual meets and one tournament in its initial week of competition. The mat Tribe began that busy week with a home quadrangular in which it defeated Postville, 48-36, but lost to Nashua-Plainfield, 63-9, and Oelwein, 78-12. The Indian matmen then wrestled at the Wapsie Valley Tournament Saturday, December 1, finishing 11th in the 12-team field.

The wrestling Tribe will next compete in a road double dual at New Hampton Thursday, December 6 against the host Chickasaws and Oelwein before taking part in the South Winneshiek Tournament Saturday, December 8. The Indians will then host Crestwood Thursday, December 13 before wrestling in the Starmont Tournament Saturday, December 15.

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Cora “Mabel” Batteen, age 95, of St. Louis Park, MN died Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at Waconia Good Samaritan Center in Waconia, MN. Mass Of Christian Burial is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, December 6 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 5900 West Lake Street in St. Louis Park, MN with Fr. Joseph Johnson as Celebrant of the Mass. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the Mass.  Interment will be in the Resurrection Cemetery in Shorewood, MN.

Cora Mabel Batteen was born the youngest of four children on her mother’s birthday, January 3, 1923. Named after her mother, she was always called by her middle name. Of English, Irish and Scottish descent, Mabel was blessed with beautiful red hair and naturally youthful skin. Mabel loved growing up on the same family farm in Waukon that her father was also raised on.

Ronald Dean Gilson, Sr., 73, of Cedar Rapids passed away Friday, November 30 at home after a short, courageous battle with cancer. A memorial of life will be held at a later date.

Ron was born October 31, 1945 in Waukon to John and Evelyn Gilson. He graduated Waukon High School in 1964 and shortly after, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served four years as a Radarman. Ron was aboard the USS Liberty ship that was attacked in 1967 in Israeli waters, known as The Six Day War. He was injured and awarded the “Purple Heart”.

After serving his country, he settled in Cedar Rapids, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was hired by Cryovac, where he worked for 40-plus years until his retirement in 2007. It was in Cedar Rapids where Ron met Dixie, the love of his life. They had one son, Ron, Jr. The family spent many enjoyable years at their cabin in Harpers Ferry fishing, and spending time with family and the many friends they made there.

Cindy Barr, 66, of rural Waukon died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at her home. Funeral services were held Saturday, December 1 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon with Pastor Wayne Ellingson officiating. Burial was at Smithfield Cemetery, rural Monona.

Cynthia Joyce Barr was born November 26, 1952 in Madison, WI, the daughter of Virgil “Bill” and Clara (Jackson) Reed. She grew up in Viroqua, WI and graduated from Viroqua High School. January 13, 1973, Cindy married Conrad Barr at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Viroqua, WI. The couple lived in Waukon, where Cindy worked at various places, including Waukon Auto Supply, R.W. Pladsen and Village Farm and Home, and she owned and operated Cindy’s Auto Parts for a few years.