April 9, 2024

‘Because

In 2017, Nick Wallin’s daily attire consisted of fine suits and dress shoes. He and his partner, Gary Barness, lived in a new house in Aurora, Colo., and they had what many would consider a good life, but for Nick, something just wasn’t quite right. Their life together wasn’t pretty enough, and so in 2018 the couple set out to remedy that deficit when they purchased their new home at 107 W. North Street in Calmar, which includes nearly two acres of yard, which Nick was determined to make pretty.

“It’s a big deal,” said Nick, who has earned Best of Show in the Winneshiek County Fair’s Flower Show for the last three years in a row. “I’d never planted anything before we moved here from Colorado, and when we first moved in, the yard mostly had peonies and Phlox and anything else that would grow in a ditch. So, I thought that if we’re going to live here and have these giant gardens, then I should start ripping stuff out and put more stuff in that’s a little more special.”

Nick said he and Gary, who’ve been

By Roz Weis

James and Nancy Ulring of Decorah have created a unique getaway right in the heart of Decorah.

The Ulring clan considers Decorah “home” and they often come in large numbers (50+ for some gatherings on weekends), and a larger gathering space was important. Their vision for a new space has come full-circle, and they’ve opened a guest carriage house adjacent to their residence.

“The second reason (for the development),” James Ulring said, “was that our old garage and shed were deteriorating and the location originally consisted of other farm buildings, but we were still using it regularly for family gatherings.” Stewardship of this 150-year-old farm, with its many original buildings was at the forefront of the design.

“Once we started,” he continued, “We wanted the look of a Norwegian long house with modern amenities.” The Ulrings put their passion for

By Zach Jensen

POSITIVITY FOR THE EARTH AND ITS INHABITANTS SATURDAY APRIL 20 1-3:30P

Barefoot in the Park

Dunnings

2 p.m. Make a joyful noise Drums, Singing Bowls, gongs, bells, staves or BYO Instrument – including your voice! Led by Nick Zielinski, of Indicative of Drumming, Improvisor’s Orchestra.

2:45 p.m. Creating an artistic Tribute to the Earth from Natural “found items” nature art created and embellished as a group. Led by Resonant Heart, Nina Smock

100% FREE DRIFTLESS COMMUNITY EVENT

NO CHARGE TO ANYONE FOR ANYTHING – COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE, JUST BRING YOURSELF AND YOUR ENERGY TO SHARE! RAIN OR SHINE!

Vendor/ connection space available!

Ask questions, network learn about the resources available and explore!

Questions? Call 563-382-4221

ALL ARE WELCOME, EXPERIENCE FROM AFAR, OR HEAL WITH EACH OTHER!

Mindy Jones dubbed ‘habitual violator’ by sentencing judge, now behind bars in Minnesota prison

By Denise Lana

Mindy Jones was served with sentencing Friday, March 29, on the eight counts of Felony Theft, et al, of which she was found guilty in the Fillmore County Court in Preston, Minn.

At the sentencing, Jones’ lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Graham Henry, shared a lengthy plea with the court, “I think it’s important for the court to know a little bit about Miss Jones as (the court is) here now to sentence her for something terrible … something that has had an impact on many people’s lives, is still having an impact, and likely will have an impact in the long term.”

Henry reminded the court that the offenses Jones was being sentenced for were all from 2020 and 2021, and since the offense he reported, Jones closed her businesses and started working full time, had a grandchild, quit drinking and has addressed her mental health issues.

Jones committed theft by swindle, as Henry explained her motives, “not wanting to fail as a business owner.” He continued, saying Jones dealt with her business issues in one of the worst ways possible, but was “nonetheless trying to deal with the desperation that goes with trying to keep the doors of her business open.”

Henry stated Jones’ business was reportedly doing well preCOVID, and that when COVID hit, it impacted her business so heavily, resulting in Jones trying to solve her financial problem in a way that resulted in her participating in theft by swindle. He told the court her behavior “didn’t originate from a place of maliciousness. She wasn’t trying to render people penniless or poor.”

Henry explained that Jones now started working full-time, 40 hours a week at a regular job and also maintaining a second job with a home delivery service.

According to Henry, Jones was working hard to try and keep up with restitution payments she is currently making on behalf of a separate conviction stemming in Iowa.

“She still owes on that, she still pays on that.” Henry stated to the court.

As he continued, Henry declared that Jones shared she had a “fairly extensive problem with alcohol abuse, used as an escape from the numerous mental health issues that were untreated at the time … she has reported to me that she has been sober since addressing her mental health.”

He explained that Jones shared with him that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, manic depressive bi-polar and bipolar disorder, emphasizing that she was diagnosed and unmedicated prior to very early 2023.

Henry expounded Jones’ mental health issues contributed to legal issues encountered throughout her life, and culminated in 2022 when she tried to commit suicide after her business closed and she was “swinging between depression and mania.”

Henry concluded that Jones “is living in a whole new world,” and is not ashamed.

“She’s proud,” Henry summarized, “The Mindy Jones that committed these offenses back in 2021 probably deserved to go to prison,” proclaimed Henry, continuing, “And I think that Mindy Jones from 2024 would agree that Mindy Jones from 2021 who committed these offenses probably would have deserved a prison sentence.”

Henry then summarized why the court should grant Jones a departure and consider not sending her to prison.

“She is not the same person that committed these offenses,” he stressed. “Continuing her mental health treatment is sig-

nificant … if she were to be sent to prison, there’s no guarantee what type of situation we might find in a year or year and a half from now, when she is thrown back in society and forced to try and adapt. Mental health is a fickle thing and if not actively treated … could make you do things that you don’t realize, or change your personality, and prison will only exacerbate and aggravate those underlying issues.”

Henry summarized his argument by stating that Jones’ earnings in prison would be estimated at $2 per day, with 10 percent garnished for restitution.

“That’s 20 cents per day,” said Henry. “I’m confident that it would be significantly more likely that she would be able to keep up with restitution payments out of prison. The people she harmed need to be made whole as much as possible. If she goes to prison, she’s not going to have money to pay restitution, she’s not going to be earning enough money to be earning to make any dent … that doesn’t give anyone money … that’s not going to happen if she gets sent to prison.”

It is a probation violation if she does not make restitution payments, However Jones still owes hundreds of thousands in restitution from her 2016 embezzlement in Iowa.

At that time, Jones was given the opportunity to address the court. Jones stated for the record, “I just want to say that I never meant for this to happen, I did fight hard to keep my business open … I don’t want her to think I would ever hurt her, because I would never hurt anybody, physically. I am so very sorry it went like this, I do have every intention of paying back everything I owe.”

Clinefelter then spoke to the court, directing his words at Jones, “We are here only for what you’re charged with and the conduct of this case. The court’s only agenda is to apply the law … objectively … fairly.”

Clinefelter explained to the court that sentencing guidelines in Minnesota are very rigid. Also, Clinefelter said that he does not have the ability in

Jones’ case to have sentences served consecutively.

The judge did not grant Jones’ departure, which would have allowed her to serve probation instead of going to prison. He stated, “The idea that you would be on probation to pay additional restitution simply is not a valid factor. I cannot imagine having to look in Miss Angell’s eye as a judge, placing you on probation and subjecting her to additional years of being on probation attempting to pay restitution. That would make a mockery of the justice system.” Marsha Angell had been the victim of Jones in this case.

Clinefelter cited Jones’ extensive criminal history, specifically Jones’ first acquisitive recorded crime involving dishonesty and false statement, which took place in 1997 when Jones was 17 years old.

Still addressing Jones, Clinefelter elaborated, “When I look at your criminal history, in 1997, forgery and theft — acquisitive crimes — meaning you are acquiring things that don’t belong to you. You are using deception and false statement to accomplish the offense. And then theft in 2002, theft in 2005, theft in 2006, financial transaction card fraud 2007 with multiple counts, your first series of felony offenses. You go two or three years, and then you have five counts occurring in 2012, sentenced in 2016, I believe you went to prison for some time, was it the entire five years?” At which time, Jones answered the judge, saying she was in prison for 10 months.

Clinefelter declared Jones a ‘habitual violator’ with nothing in her records to show any positive reasons for probation over prison. He said that he could not seriously entertain anything other than the presumptive sentence of prison.

With more than 50 people watching the sentencing via video conference or in person,

Clarification

Clinefelter observed, “The reason there is so much interest in this case is because you have just left this trail of victims — because of how you have dealt with people over the years.”

Jones was sentenced to prison for a total of 102 months across four charges, two charges for 24 months each and two charges for 27 months each. Consecutive sentences are not allowed in Minnesota, so the maximum sentence of 27 months would be applied to the group, with Jones serving two-thirds in prison with the remaining one-third in supervised release.

She was fined $50 in court fines, $90 in cost and surcharges, and $75 for public defender charges, and was given credit for 45 days already served prior to sentencing. Clinefelter closed the sentencing by addressing Jones one last time.

“It’s always sad to see a person get sent to prison … it means that you just aren’t behaving and making the right choices. There may be mental health components here, and if there are, you should definitely follow through with that. Based on everything I’ve seen … I just do not trust what you say. You need to start doing the right thing by your actions. Change, do what you need to do. Otherwise, with your criminal history, you’re simply going to be in and out of the court system.”

Jones was transferred to Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee, Minn., to complete her prison sentence.

A pretrial hearing for a separate trial regarding Jones’ 33 charges of theft and forgery is scheduled for Monday, April 29, at 10 a.m., via video conference.

Jones’ third pending trial for Felony Arson and Animal Cruelty will begin with a pretrial meeting May 6, at 10 a.m., via teleconference.

A list of past Peace Corps volunteers from the Driftless Journal’s coverage area, published in the April 2 edition of the Driftless Journal, was not comprehensive. The Driftless Journal apologizes for inadvertently omitting any names from the list.

ID.me to be required for unemployment claims

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) has announced that ID.me is now the requirement for all unemployment claimants — improving the process for securely verifying the identity of Iowans who file for unemployment benefits.

Since Jan. 2, over 21,000 claimants have successfully used ID.me when filing a claim with IWD. Over 96 percent of participating claimants were able to complete verification on their first attempt and in less than five minutes on average.

Since January, the use of ID.me has also already helped IWD identify and halt over 1,200 fraudulent attempts to obtain benefits.

ID.me is the next-generation digital identity network that simplifies how individuals securely prove and share their identity online. ID.me’s identity verification solution is certified against federal digital identity standards and is being used by Iowans to prove their identity when filing an initial or weekly unemployment claim.

“Our goal at Iowa Workforce Development is to help ease the path to reemployment for Iowans who have lost their job, and central to that goal is having a responsive and modernized system. ID.me has already enhanced our ability to verify claims safely and securely for the Iowans who need them, while also helping us remain a good steward of the UI trust fund,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “We look forward to expanding the use of ID.me to improve claims processing times and strengthen our ability to stop fraud attempts earlier in the process.”

While filing for unemployment, claimants are prompted to use ID.me to verify their identity. The addition of ID.me streamlines the overall claims process and cuts down on additional verification steps that previously occurred after a claim was filed.

For information, call 563382-0457 or visit https://workforce.iowa.gov/.

Mindy Jones

The couple’s dedication to the businesses and craftsmen of the Driftless Region is evident in the finished carriage house. “We wanted to use all the local and upcycled materials possible,” they agreed. “And it was very important to us to use as many local vendors as possible.”

The maple shiplap walls, trusses, ceiling and walnut throughout the carriage house are all locally sustainably sourced and milled. The design includes state of the art insulation, passive solar aspects combined with an 18 KW active solar system, creating the ultimate in green design and efficiency.

Construction

They started rebuilding the site in midJune 2021. The pandemic slowed the supply chain to an absolute standstill at times.

Introduced to the public last year, The Carriage House at Walnut Hill Farm was finally finished in the spring 2023.

Among the unique aspects of the rental include what Jim refers to as “the largest window Marvin Windows and Doors makes”, custom walnut floors and handrails. The furniture includes many local antiques, including an Iowa general store counter, vintage wooden doors and wall panels saved from an original Scandinavian cabin.

The Scandinavian inspiration in the design is illuminated in the large, open-concept living space, the kitchen area and throughout the four bedrooms.

The couple decided to have an Airbnb option for the space, and the soft launch of their rental space in the fall of 2023 was a hit. Within walking distance of local attractions, the space is secluded enough to feel like guests are in a remote hideaway.

The maple shiplap walls, trusses, beams, ceilings and walnut featured throughout the Carriage House are all locally sustainably-sourced and milled.

INSET ABOVE- A welcome sign directs guests to Carriage House at Walnut Hill Farm.

The Carriage House at Walnut Hill Farm is described as “the Quintessential Decorah Airbnb.” The Airbnb website description says it all … “The open-concept living area boasts vaulted ceilings with locally and sustainably sourced pine arches. Custom windows maximize the views of Walnut Hill Farm. There are amenities throughout including a proprietary coffee blend. There are four private bedrooms, a Carriage House continued on page 6

BELOW-

The Ulrings curated a perfect space using an eclectic mix of old and new. Vintage cabinets add to the charming details throughout the Carriage House, like the one pictured in the kitchen above, and closet below, that contains collectible Corningware dishes from Nancy’s family legacy. Nancy’s father was an executive with Corning Glass Works in Corning, NY, where he worked in research and development for 30 years. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Roz Weis)

ABOVE- The four-bedroom Carriage House sleeps eight comfortably. The bedrooms are decorated with vintage pieces the Ulrings collected in the Driftless region. RIGHT- The Scandinavian art of rosemaling is featured in several areas at the Carriage House.

Among the reviews on the Ulring’s carriage house Airbnb website:

…“This home was the perfect fit for old friends to gather and enjoy a quiet, relaxing weekend…”

…“The carriage house is a real gem…beautifully designed and decorated. This has everything you need for a coy getaway to Decorah…feels remote, yet about 5 minutes from Water Street…”

The Ulrings are pleased with the positive response to their distinctive space. “Many of the people who have stayed comment on the unique features and amenities,” they said. “Many say it’s the most beautiful place they’ve ever stayed.”

H ME&Garden

continued from front

together for 17 years and who’ve raised two children together, would come to northeast Iowa every year during the holidays, because Gary is originally from Ossian.

“We would always come here for the holidays, and I loved it, because Denver is a nightmare,” he said. “It’s so expensive and crazy. My commute was (90 minutes) to go 27 miles to work, and we lived on a toll road. We’d had enough. It was time to get out of the city. It’s so quiet here, and I wanted a yard, because our yard in Colorado was like a postage stamp. Like, you could stick your hand out the door and hit the house next to you. “It’s just pretty here,” Nick continued. “Colorado isn’t pretty. People think the mountains are beautiful, but that’s if you go to the mountains. If you’re not in the mountains, the rest of Colorado is mostly flat. We lived right outside of Parker, which looks like Kansas, and Denver’s just a big dirty city. It’s just not pretty, and I like Calmar. It’s little and weird.”

“I never thought I would live in Calmar,” added Gary, “but we knew we wanted a large, old, historical home and the opportunity presented itself in Calmar. We can honestly say that it was the best decision we have ever made.”

Nick recalled when he and Gary were considering moving to northeast Iowa, they worked with realtor Jamie Folkedahl of Kelly Real Estate to find the perfect home.

“I told him that I wanted old, weird and haunted, and I think he thought we were crazy,” said Nick with a chuckle. “I liked this house the best because of the yard. And, I knew I would be working at Seed Savers, so I had to learn how to garden.”

In Denver, Nick worked as the community relations director for the Developmental Disabilities Resource Center in Lakewood, and Gary worked as a project manager for a custom kitchen

Wallin flowers

The vast variety of flowers that grace the front yard of Nick Wallin’s Home in Calmar include ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas, ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas, Black-eyed Susan, Goldenrod, ditch phlox, ‘Starry Starry Night’ hibiscus and various lilies. Shown in full bloom last year, Wallin transformed an overgrown yard when they purchased the house into a oasis of blue-ribbon flowers.

Nick Wallin’s 2023 Best in Show arrangement from the Winneshiek County Fair. Working at Seed Savers, he was determined to learn to garden, and has taken this unknown skill into a blue-ribbon passion. He has won blue ribbons for his flowers the past three years. (submitted photos)

Wallin flowers

Historic peonies remain from the overgrowth, the magenta-colored ones in front are ‘Karl Rosenfield’ peonies. The lush pink ones behind are ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peonies. These varieties were the only specimens integrated into

lily (pink), ‘Courier’ lily (white), ‘Blacklist’ lily (dark black/red in the back), ‘Yellow Power’ lily, and ‘Limelight’ hydrangea. (submitted photos)

the new pathway gardens.

Northeast Iowa Fox and Coon Club Association award winners, front row, left to right- Anya Volkmann, 2nd place/6 yards; Kaden Linderbaum, 4th place/6 yards; Allie Bahr, 6th place/6 yards; Remington Jo Schutte, 8th place/6 yards; Cason Amundson, 5th place/6 yards; Maxwell Roney, 1st place/6 yards; Mason Huinker, 2nd place/10 yards; and Colton Lindenbaum, 3rd place/6 yards; middle row- Olivia Volkmann, 1st place/10 yards; Kyser Falck, 9th place/15 yards; Brody Darling, 6th place/15 yards; Jackson Huinker, 4th place/15 yards; Carson Farley, 3rd place/15 yards; Rachel Weis, 8th place/15 yards; Karlee Bullerman, 1st place/15 yards; and Savannah Phillips, 7th place/15 yards; back row- Dominick Duffield, 5th place/15 yards; Landon Ellickson, 4th place/20 yards; Landyn Quandahl, 1st place/20 yards; Haidyn Farley, 9th place/20 yards; Hannah Nielsen, 3rd place/20 yards; Ava Bahr, 5th place/20 yards; Logan Frye, 6th place/20 yards; and Jeremiah Rediski,

Celebrate ISU Extension and Outreach Week in Winneshiek County

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week is April 15-20 — during which Iowa’s 100 county extension offices will host “I Spy Cy” activities and educational events throughout the week to thank Iowans for their support of ISU Extension and Outreach throughout the state.

“This celebration is one way we show our appreciation for the people who participate in our educational programs, as well as the many volunteers, community leaders, organizations, agencies and other partners who support our work

in Winneshiek County,” said McIntyre, Office Manager.

ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the federal Cooperative Extension Service — a network of more than 100 land-grant institutions, including Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving communities and counties across the United States. Every county in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level.

The Winneshiek County Extension Council members are Judy Mowry, Sara Neuzil, Blake Courtney, Norbert Lovstuen, Lexi Schmitt, Dave Wise, Shana Hilgerson, Caleb Schnitzler and Stacy Bushman. “ISU Extension and Outreach delivers education, facilitates collaboration and sparks action, conducting research and turning discoveries into practical applications. We engage all Iowans, including the people of Winneshiek County, on farms and Main Street, at home and in school, from urban neighborhoods to rural communities,” Delaney Clark said.

For more information about ISU Extension and Outreach, visit www.extension.iastate. edu/winneshiek or contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Winneshiek County office at 563-382-2949.

A day later than scheduled, girls’ track teams from northeast Iowa got to compete in Decorah Friday. With 151 points, the Vikings won their own meet. Finishing behind Decorah were Crestwood (107), New Hampton (83), Waukon (77), South Winn (72), Kee (42), North Fayette Valley (31) and Turkey Valley (19). Taking home gold from Decorah was Audrey Essa in the 100-meter dash, Brinlee Courtney in the 800-meter run, Amelia Roe in the 1500-meter run, Renae Wilson in the 100-meter hurdles, along with the 4x200, 4x400 and 4x800 relays. Kloe Hemmersbach won the discus for Waukon. Waukon won the shuttle hurdle relay. South Winn junior Abby Wagner tied the high jump school record at 5 feet, 4 inches to win gold. Kee’s Mallory Mohn broke the tape in the 400-meter dash.

Friday night the Decorah boys’ track and field team competed in the Dave Sage Relays hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock. The Vikings came home with a third-place finish with 155 points, behind the host GoHawks and Waterloo West. Four events won gold for Decorah including the opening sprint medley race. The quartet of Dakota Johnson, Joshua Adam, Kelley Gates and Brayden Hartl crossed the finish line first in 1:36.72. Then it was the shuttle hurdle relay’s turn to win a title in 1:02.32. Members of the gold medal team were Adam, Tommy Sexton, Gavin Grous and Johnson. The only individual win was by Johnson in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.62 seconds. Later in the night Johnson teamed up with Kelley Gates, Peyton Webb and Joshua Adam in the 4x100 relay to break the tape in 43.36 seconds.

The Decorah girls’ soccer team hosted North Fayette Valley Thursday, giving up the win 5-0 to the TigerHawks. In the contest the Vikings had just three shots on goal while their own goalie Clara Hjelle came away with 10 saves.

Thursday, the Decorah boys’ soccer team (1-2) traveled to Dubuque Senior (2-1) and took a 1-0 lead in the first half before giving up three goals to the Rams in the second half to drop the contest 3-1. Saturday the Vikings competed at the Hudson tournament picking up a pair of wins. Decorah defeated Hudson

4-0 and Waterloo West 1-0.

Competing on the Silvercrest Golf Course, the Decorah girls’ golf team topped the three-team field with Waukon and North Fayette Valley. The Vikings tallied 212 over The TigerHawks’ 235 and Indians’ 247. Medalist of the meet was Decorah’s Maria Riveros with a 37.

The Decorah boys golf meet at Waukon against the Indians and North Fayette Valley was postponed until Friday, April 12, due to snow on the course in Waukon.

The Decorah boys’ tennis team kicked off their 2024 season at Independence Friday following a few cancellations earlier in the week. The Vikings came away with a 9-0 victory with play coming from a variety of seasoned veterans and newcomers. Saturday, Decorah traveled to Mason City and played a double dual against Spencer and Mason City. In the morning the Vikes defeated Spencer 9-0 and later fell 8-1 to ranked Mason City.

The unpredictable spring weather forced a postponed of the season opener for the Decorah girls’ tennis team to Friday at Osage with the Vikes picking up their first win of the year 5-4. Highlights of the night for singles were No. 4 Kaitlyn Bjork and No. 5 Jaidyn Duvel securing their first varsity wins as singles players as well as No. 6 Leah Holland emerging as a winner. At the Columbus Catholic tournament Saturday, Decorah finished third as a team as Bjork won the title in the No. 4 spot. No team scores were kept at the Beckman Catholic Invite Friday in which the boys’ teams from South Winn and Waukon competed. The Indian sprint medley team of Jeremiah Howe, Judah Johnson, Graine Curtin and Wyatt Gulla won in 1:38.65. Gulla, a senior, won an individual gold as well as he crossed the finish line in 51.36 seconds in the 400-meter dash. Junior Kaden Barton-Franzen finished second in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5 feet, 10 inches to be the Warriors’ top finisher.

The MFL MarMac girls’ golf team finished fourth at the EdCo tournament with a team total of 475. East Buchanan claimed the team title with a 422.

The Spring Grove baseball

Decorah Fox & Coon Club celebrated the end of its winter indoor archery program for kids with a banquet and awards ceremony, Sunday, March 24, at the Winneshiek County Fair-

2nd place/20 yards. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Denise Lana)

consisting of three bows donated by Xpedition Archery and three sets of arrows from Anthem Archery, both of Decorah, and were awarded to six youths by random drawing. Four youths, pictured here, Landyn Quandahl, Rachel Weis, Carson Farley and Allie Bahr,

team defeated GMLOK 12-0.

Making the first exchange in the varsity sprint medley relay Friday were (l-r) Rylee Mudderman, Alicia Colsch, Josie Tollefsruf, Katie Shimek, Mari Delaney and Kaitlyn Krambeer. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

Echoes of the Past

By Roz Weis

Youth Center on the horizon for city

Presenters will share tips on recognizing the different ways people are scammed, how to report fraud and share stories of people who have lost their life savings to fraud or scams.

1944

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: The proposed youth center for the City of Decorah is moving closer to becoming a reality. Fraternal and church organizations met with several interested citizens the other night at city hall to continue the discussion.

…A residential survey will begin soon in Decorah as part of the post-war planning survey for the benefit of returning veterans. Visits begin soon and householders are asked to be prepared to answer a few simple questions. The survey sheets ask that items be checked which the householder expects to purchase or have repaired before the war, and to give the approximate amount they expected to spend on those purchases.

…An increase in postal service fees began March 30. Firstclass mail will now be 3 cents per ounce. Postcards will still cost 1 cent for mailing.

… “The Coming Surrender of Germany” was the title of a lecture by Dr. Eric Mann at the CK Preus Auditorium on the Luther Campus recently.

Highway ribbon-cutting

This vintage photograph taken at the grand opening of Highway 52 (circa 1933) was shared with Driftless Multimedia from the collection of Margaret Miller of Mabel, Minn. The State Line School is in the background. The highway opening was among the major events of that era, with hot air balloons and folks traveling from a far distance. It was the first major highway in the area.

Schoolmaster” is being put on by the senior class at Ridgeway this spring.

thologist. Dr. H.J. Van Peenen will join the medical staff this spring.

claimed music educator and choral conductor and recipient of innumerable music and music education awards.

1964

SIXTY YEARS AGO: About 25 Decorah teens left the city Saturday at 9 a.m. for a walk to Cresco. Some carried signs with the words: “Youth Walk for Those Who Can’t.” Their goal was to call attention to the current Easter Seal drive. YHO is a group headed by Decorah High School student Jim Burns, who said they plan even more walks later in the month.

…The musical “Finnian’s Rainbow” opens at the local high school this weekend.

1954

SEVENTY YEARS AGO:

Mrs. Clifford Anderson, a waitress at the Gross Café in Decorah, said that former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis stopped at 1:45 on March 22 and ordered a piece of pie. He and a party of four stopped for a hamburger steak meal on their way from Dubuque to Minneapolis as part of a current wrestling refereeing tour by the famous “Brown Bomber”.

…Clinton Yarwood, the 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Yarwood of Decorah, is completing basic training at Lackland Air Base near San Antonio, Tex.

…The play “The Hoosier

…A request is made for a pool table or game tables for the new men’s sitting room at the Winneshiek County Home over at Freeport. The home now has television sets, a piano and plants in the windows. The dedicated staff is willing to accept any and all donations.

1974

FIFTY YEARS AGO: Todd Helgeson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Helgeson of Decorah, is the new local chess champion. The tournament was held at St. Benedict’s Elementary School.

…The Decorah Viking basketball team lost their sub-state game to East Waterloo by a score of 53-44.

…Teachers at North Winneshiek School have earned a $50 increase over their current $7,550 base salary for the 197475 school year.

…Decorah has a new pa-

1984

FORTY YEARS AGO: The Decorah City Council has approved the establishment of a Farmer’s Market in the downtown area, subject to review by property committee members and the city attorney. The site will be a parking lot across from city hall. Hours will be 7 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays.

…Temperatures in Winneshiek County have been above the freezing mark for the last month.

…Now showing at the Viking 3 Theatre: “Scooby Do 2” and “Secret Window.” Coming soon – “Starsky & Hutch” and “Hidalgo”.

…Returning letterwinners on the 2004 Decorah-North Winn boys’ tennis team are Brad Crawford, Mitch Emerson, Quinn Thopson, Nick Holtan, Jared Satrom, Sean Gilbertson, Isaac White and Adam Hatlan.

2014

1994

THIRTY YEARS AGO: James Ronan is the new curator at the Bily Clocks Museum at Spillville.

…Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Decorah will soon host a community potluck super for national food editors. The event is April 11 and is part of a food symposium titled What America Really Eats” …Gretchen Uhlenhake and Michele Wilkes are candidates for Winneshiek County Beef Queen this spring.

TEN YEARS AGO: Hundreds turned out to celebrate the opening of Iowa Dairy Center’s new robotics parlor in Calmar.

…Spectrum Network is finishing renovations on the former Wonder Hostess Bakery outlet store at 107 West Broadway in Decorah. A grand opening is set for early May.

…Bryce Pierce, a senior at Decorah High School, was award the 2014 Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association Male Student Athlete Scholarship at a convention recently in Iowa City.

2004

TWENTY YEARS AGO: A remarkable era of music performance and education at Luther College comes to an end next year when Weston Noble retires after a 57-year career at Luther. He is an internationally-ac-

in the cutting-edge system to ensure an inclusive educational atmosphere where every student feels empowered to actively engage in classroom discussions and presentations.

With the system in place, teachers, students or guest speakers can amplify their voices effortlessly, reaching every corner of the classroom without straining their vocal cords.

has been met with enthusiasm and excitement from students; they look forward to opportunities to use the microphone and enthusiastically share their ideas with classmates.

Additionally, the introduction of a microphone for student use during presentations

Students express appreciation of the clarity and ease of communication offered by the technology. Teachers Mrs. Vsetecka and Mrs. Rausch are in agreement, as they can now speak at a more natural level and their voices are not strained at the end of the day.

Upcoming garlic mustard programs

Learn how to recognize, report and eradicate garlic mustard, a weed that threatens native plants, during upcoming gatherings hosted by Friends of Decorah Parks.

The first presentation will be held Saturday, April 13, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Dunning’s Spring parking lot in Decorah. The second will be held Saturday, April 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Van Peenan parking lot on Quarry Hill Road. Participants are advised to bring gloves and hoes if they have them. For more information, contact Mary Lewis at 563-202-4064 or lewismar02@ gmail.com.

Iowa Senior Games to be held in June

The Iowa Sports Foundation recently announced that the Iowa Senior Games will be held from June 5-9, in the Des Moines area, and registration for events is currently open on the Iowa Senior Games website.

For the games, athletes will come together from Iowa and neighboring states to compete. This Olympic-style event is specifically for men and women who are at least 50 years old. Events range from pickleball to track and field to horseshoes to golf, and participants compete against peers in their age bracket. The top three competitors in every event for every age bracket are awarded medals.

On even-numbered years, the top three Iowans in each event for every age bracket, qualify for the National Senior Games, held every two years.

St. Olav, Nidaros Cathedral highlighted at upcoming meeting

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., Amdahl will discuss the life of St. Olav and the Nidaros Cathedral located in Trondheim, Norway, including the rise, fall and reconstruction of the largest church in Northern Europe. He will also look at the 2014, $6 million reconstruction of the Steinmeyer organ originally installed in 1930 and will address cathedral life today. Amdahl’s father, Olaf, came from the Stavanger area to North

Central Iowa in 1927. He and his wife Jill are also the parents of an emigrant as their daughter, Staci, moved to Trondheim, Norway, in 2008 and lives there with her Norwegian husband and family. Amdahl spent most of his working life in the farm equipment industry, the last 15 at Northeast Iowa Community College teaching Agricultural Equipment Technology. Since retirement in 2005 he has spent time volunteering as a guide at Vesterheim as well as visiting family and grandchildren in Norway. His last visit to Norway was his 17th visit.

The meeting will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church located at 701 Iowa Avenue in Decorah. This event is preceded by a lodge meeting at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend; no need to be of Norwegian ancestry. Refreshments will follow the presentation.

David Amdahl

Secretary Naig encourages participation in statewide horticulture food crops survey

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

“Rhymes with Lansing” podcast mini-series coming soon

Hosted Benji Nichols, of Inspire(d) Media, has been producing the “Rhymes with Decorah” podcast since 2022.

Mike Naig encourages Iowa horticulture food crop producers to participate in a statewide industry survey aimed at capturing fresh data on the diversity, growth and economic impact of horticultural food crop production in the state. This is the first Iowa survey of its kind in nearly a decade.

The survey, 2024 Iowa Commercial Horticulture Survey for Food Crops, was mailed to approximately 3,500 known Iowa horticulture crop producers at the end of January. The goal is to capture feedback from producers of commercial horticultural food crops in Iowa that include fruits, nuts, vegetables, berries, herbs, honey, maple syrup and mushrooms.

to reach a broader audience of consumers. Up-to-date and reliable data is necessary to capture these trends and allow policymakers and researchers to better assist with addressing the needs of growers and other stakeholders.

The deadline for participating in the survey is Tuesday, April 30. Participation is voluntary, but cooperation is critical toward developing an accurate assessment of specialty food crop production and marketing in Iowa. The information provided by producers will be considered confidential and will only be reported as aggregate totals or averages.

The disruptions and inflation of the last few years have led both producers and consumers to reassess key elements of their marketing and purchasing behaviors. Today’s producers and farmers are increasingly seeking out creative methods

If there are Iowans who did not receive a survey in the mail but whose horticulture and specialty crop production information should be captured, they can acquire a survey by calling 515-242-6239 or by requesting one online through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website.

Lansing will be featured in a mini-series of half-hour podcast shows called “Rhymes with Lansing.” The series will feature stories about Lansing with guests including Andrew Boddicker of Main Street, Lansing, Rick Welsh of Farm and Home, Melissa and Nick Hammell of Safe House and Simply Salon, and Erin Cubbon from the Driftless Center.

The shows featuring Lansing will be recored in Lansing and will be available to listen to at iloveinspired.com/podcast.