George Bernard
Shaw once said,
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”
Decorah resident Boyd Wasson must have modeled his life after this mantra. At 87, Wasson is as much a child as he ever was, with his enviable collection of antique tractors and a self-designed and hand-built electric train in his family room.
Wasson was one of three brothers who grew up working the family’s traditional cornand-beans, hogs-andcattle farm. As a young boy, he was intrigued by all things mechanical, dismantling old lawn mowers, clocks, anything within his grasp. “I was five or six when I started taking things apart – I even
took apart my mother’s watch that was a graduation gift, but I never put it back together,” Wasson reminisced. “I was completely unaware of its significance.”
As he grew older and began driving the tractors on the farm, he would perform all the mechanical work on them. Merely a means of transportation, the tractors were simply a means to an end in Wasson’s eyes.
After going away to college and majoring in industrial arts, his loves expanded to wood and metal working, machine
shop, drafting, electricity and electronics. In his words, he majored in “being a Jack-of-alltrades and a master of none.” He soon met and married Trudy Sondrol, a “Jill-of-alltrades” in her own right. She ran a thriving dressmaking business while he taught high school electronics classes. He moved on to become a shop teacher and technical writer at Collins Radio, while Trudy began winning various blue ribbons with her rosemaling prowess and quilting talents. She also collected Porsgrund Norwegian
porcelain plates and pewter plates and dining ware. Together, husband and wife then dove into the real estate business for nearly two decades, but Trudy never stopped painting and quilting. Trudy passed in 2009, and in 2012 Boyd moved to Decorah and started collecting tractors.
“It takes me back to the farm,” explained Wasson. “I like tinkering with them, there is always something that needs attention.”
With a quiver in his voice, Wasson’s eyes fill with tears
as he continued, “Sometimes I will find a hill in town, drive my tractor up there and listen to the tractor bellow. It’s loud, but it’s a thrill. I love the sound.”
Walking through his house, one can’t help but be overwhelmed by the multitude of lavishly painted wooden pieces that decorate each wall, Trudy’s swirling signature painted at the bottom of each one. Wasson’s kitchen is framed by the Collection
continued on page 6
Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School on Water Street in Decorah will celebrate the opening of the new Commons Building with numerous activities Sept. 23-Oct. 1, both on-site and online. There will be free museum admission this entire week.
A public dedication of the Commons will be held Saturday, Sept. 30, at 1:30 p.m., on Water Street in front of the Commons Building. There will be a ribbon cutting and welcome presentations from the Norwegian architect firm Snøhetta and Vesterheim staff and trustees. Activities will follow throughout the campus from 2 to 4 p.m., with refreshments, tours and entertainment including Decorah’s Nordic Dancers, Eden Ehm on Hardanger fiddle and Luren Singers.
Other events
On Saturday, Sept. 23, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt will visit Decorah in celebration of Vesterheim Commons and the rich legacy of Norwegian emigrants who came to America. She will give a public presentation and Q&A about Norway’s foreign policy objectives at 11:30 a.m., in the Noble Recital Hall in the Jensen-Noble Hall of Music on the Luther College Campus. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is responsible for Norwegian foreign policy, the promotion of Norway’s interests internationally and the foreign service, which includes 78 embassies, nine permanent missions and delegations and eight consulates general.
Also on Sept. 23, the exhibit “A New York Minute: City
Scenes
by
Bernhard Berntsen”
opens in the new gallery space on the second floor of Vesterheim Commons. Berntsen was a construction worker, sculptor and fine art painter who was born in Oslo in 1900 and immigrated to the United States in 1919. There are more than 150 oil paintings, crayon drawings and sculptures by Berntsen in the Vesterheim collection. For this first solo show of his work at Vesterheim, the focus will be on his sketches on newspaper and unique views of the growing metropolis of New York City.
On Sept. 24 at 2 p.m., photographer Randall Hyman will give a Gallery Talk online for the exhibit “Sámi Dreams: Portraits of Resilience in the
By Kate Klimesh
The “Ready Winneshiek County” app launched in early September and provides residents of Winneshiek County with critical information to help them prepare for, respond to and recover from local emergencies and disasters. Users can access upto-the-minute news, maps, videos, digital guides and more, and use a “Make Your Plan” module to build an emergency disaster plan tailored
to their family’s specific needs.
Every second counts Winneshiek County Emergency Management Coordinator Sean Snyder posted the availability of the app on the Emergency Management Facebook page, reiterating that communication with county residents during an emergency is paramount to any disaster situation. The biggest problem when every second counts is being able to com-
LOTS OF ITEMS IN
municate quickly with a large group of people in diverse areas of the county. Introducing the “Ready Winneshiek County” app. The app is available for free on both Apple and Android-based smartphones. Simply search for “Ready Winneshiek County” in Google Play or the App Store, download the app and follow the few initial instructions as prompted. That’s it...you’re all set for instant emergency communications.
For instance, did you know Winneshiek, Allamakee, Howard, Chickasaw and Fayette Counties are currently under an open burn ban due to the lack of rain this season? If you had the Ready Winneshiek County, you’d know!
The Ready Winneshiek County app is a countywide resource tool. Inside
Alerts
continued on page 9
Diana is pictured with her refreshing beverage at Bluffton Resort & Bar and above enjoying ice cream with her grandson at B&B’s Fremont Store. Diana happened to be the only player to solve every clue and visit every location for a total of 1,300 points. All players who earned 200 points were entered into the grand prize drawing.
Congratulations to these winners of the 21 prize packages from the Driftless Bites & Sites contest sponsors!
Jorgan Lee-Juve
Anne-Kristi Lee
Orvalene Ruen-Rolfe
Paula Ruen
Gregg Pattison
Melissa Bakken
Cheryl Murray
Michelle Volkmann
Celine Houdek
Crystal Busch
Colleen Busch
Kyle Halverson
Liz Pfile
Carrie Niehaus
Judy Spalla
Carmen Walter
Jim Morrow
Donna Faldet
Matt Cahalan
Erica Eiken
Tim Cronin
Disney’s Haunted Mansion (PG13)
James P. “Jim” McCormick Estate
Acreage selling 12:30PMat
Real estate will be offered at 12:30 pm. 10% down day of sale, balance due upon closing. William Shafer
5’ & 6’ folding tables, Few misc. household
smalls. FARM MACHINERY: Ford Golden Jubilee, Ford 600 SN:631-438597, Ford
8N - very good rubber, Bush hog 2510 10’ rotary mower, King Cutter M5 rotary mower
5’, Landoll 7’ 9 shank chisel plow, 6 bale trailer w/stabber, 4 sect. drag on cart, Oliver
4x16 plow, N.I. elevator, Noble 4 row rear mount cultivator, Feed mill frame cart, 3 pt
Ford sickle mower Model 14-93, 3 pt bale fork, White 4 row corn planter - rough, 230
Bu H&S manure spreader, Fiberglass feed cart. LAWN: Farris IS 700Z zero turn lawn
mower 339 hr - very nice, Simplicity 42” riding mower - clean, Land Pride FDR 1672 6’
finish mower, RT 65 HH rear tine rotor tiller cub cadet, Stihl light weight garden tiller,
Brave 22 ton hydraulic horz/vert wood splitter, on cart w/Honda GX 160 motor, 15 gal
UTV lawn sprayer, 2 - Snapper riding mowers 9&10 hp - not running. VEHICLES &
UTV: ‘05 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 pickup, 141,463 mi, w/like new Western snow plow, 16’
car hauler trailer, ‘78 Ford 1/2 ton w/snow plow - not running, rough, JD 825 I DOHC
Gator, p.s., electric hoist, windshield, hard top, side curtains, headache, rack, 800 hr,
Arctic Cat 250, 4 wheeler - not running. SHOP & MISC: 1000 gal LP tank, 500 gal LP
tank, 250 gal fuel barrel on stand, 32’ aluminum extension ladder, 7’8” I beam, 2”x42”
6” belt sander, Craftsman table saw, 12” band saw, Bench vise, Misc. hand tools & wrenches, Craftsman 12” power miter saw, Craftsman top & bottom tool box, Old steel wheel corn planter, Steel wheels, Deer sheds, 2 lightning rods, Hand pump and more!
By Capn. Ted Peck
Clients often ask, “Which fish is your favorite?” A standard response of “The one on the end of my line!” often brings a smile to their face.
While this statement is absolutely true, they may hear about my personal Manitou “Big Sammy” as the day passes, and conversation becomes both more personal and often cathartic.
Big Sammy is a flathead cat I tussled with on two occasions several years ago. Both times she broke my line – and my heart. The second time we danced, she slurped up a one-pound carp. A half hour later she rolled in the line at boatside and swam away. In frequent recollections of that day, I swear she winked at me first. She hasn’t been bested yet, or folks up and down the river would be talking about it.
Big flatties are the ultimate alpha predator in the immortal river. Other fish swimming in their sphere of influence have just two options: flee or be eaten. Species-specific pursuit of the ugly river king requires considerable patience, skill and serious fishing tackle.
Flathead fishing greatly resembles chasing trophy whitetail bucks with a bow. Folks with a considerable river rat skill set have a distinct edge in this pursuit, which is as much hunting as it is fishing. Modern electronics can be helpful in the hunt, but if you can’t put that magic box in close proximity to a deep-water riffle, or read a boil which electronics can confirm as a boulder or gnarly deadfall on the bottom you haven’t even entered the ballpark yet.
The trolling spot-lock feature on modern trolling motors is far superior to the old school method of flathead fishing; anchoring up at the leading edge of a lair hole or feeding shelf and waiting for Ol’ Ugly to show up for the dance.
My gear of choice is an eight-foot medium heavy rod with a fast tip and heavy butt holding a large baitcast reel spooled with 80 lb. superbraid line and a bait clicker feature.
Several years ago, I made the switch to circle hooks, tying a 6/0 stainless steel Octopus hook to a 10–12-inch dropper line of a large stainless steel three-way swivel. The other dropper is twice as long and a mere 20-30 lb. test – enough to hold a 2-3 oz. pyramid sinker on bottom, directly beneath the boat.
This vertical presentation enables the angler to minimize the number of hang-ups while allowing the bait to struggle seductively where a spade-headed river monster can ghost up and slurp it in.
The reel is left in free spool with the clicker engaged while drifting slowly through the lair hole or along a feeding shelf. When the line meets resistance, the boat is held in place.
If the rig finds a snag – which will happen when fishing where the fish are – the line can usually be jiggled free or quickly broken off and retied. The other possibility is vividly illustrated in the film classic “Jaws” when that malevolent Great White shark picks up the bait and the bait clicker on that big reel accelerates from slow cricket to high-speed buzz.
Fish on! There is no hook set when using a circle hook. When a flattie picks up the bait, combat is joined by standing up with feet shoulder width apart and letting the big cat pull the rod tip to the water before engaging the reel and leaning smoothly back on the rod.
You know you’re into a big one when the fish responds by pulling that rod tip right back down to the water! From this point forward the fight is a basic tug of war. You want to pull the fish into the boat. The flatcat wants to pull you into the river. Don’t expect searing runs or spectacular leaps. An alpha flathead is a finned Abrams main battle tank. She has felt the sting of your hook and is intent on heading back to the lair from which she came.
The period from mid-September to mid-October holds the shortest odds for hooking up with this fish of troubled dreams. Water temperatures are beginning to tumble. Fish sense a need to feed in preparation for winter. Flathead cats are feeding more aggressively now, for longer periods in the 24-hour day. When the fall bite gets going, you can leave the Coleman lantern and bug repellant at home.
Dominant flatheads spend the summer in an optimum niche of River microstructures, often relating to large rocks or substantial deadfalls just off the main channel and deeper holes of the Upper Mississippi’s running sloughs. If you come across a spot which has all the trappings of Catfish Heaven and spend several hours fishing without getting bit, there’s a good chance you’ve stumbled across the lair hole of an alpha flattie. She will move to the upstream edge of the hole and feed when she’s good and ready, but can sometimes be tempted by any fish dumb enough to swim too close.
Jim Van Gorden knows flathead cats weighing 3-5 lbs. are extraordinary table fare.
With falling water temperatures heralding seasonal change, many flatheads begin to migrate toward deep holes along the main River channel and scour holes directly below the lock and dam systems where they will spend the winter.
A fascinating, comprehensive, multi-year study by Iowa DNR fisheries biologists Greg Gelwicks and Mike Steuck published in 2011 reveals an abundance of information regarding flathead behavior in the Mississippi and several tributaries.
In the study, flatheads were collected by multiple methods throughout the year. Some were fitted with alpha-numeric tags, others with radio transmitters. Biologists were surprised by the individual nature of these fish. Some catfish migrated many miles out of tributaries, past suitable over-winter habitat to spend the winter in the Big River, returning to the tribs when with warming water in the spring to reclaim their lair holes.
Other individuals migrate less than a football field length in a calendar year. In this study biologists found that growth rate and weight are not directly related to size. Some flatties get big, fat and lazy fast. Other individuals grow more slowly.
The average age of the thousands of flatheads sampled revealed over 60 percent were less than five years old, with the oldest specimens living to the ripe old age of almost 30. The size of fish ranged from about five pounds (known by River Rats as swimming roast beef) to over 50 pounds (just a little smaller than Big Sammy).
Among the many fascinating aspects of “Pylodictis olivaris” revealed in the IDNR’s flathead research is the low exploitation of this species by sport anglers. This is understandable as alpha flatheads are often more persnickety and obstinate than the muskie, often called the “fish of 10,000 casts.”
Both of these alpha predators have their own agenda and are not overly impressed with fancy boats and nattily attired anglers. For some reason known but to God, muskies are relatively rare in the Mississippi River mainstem, although they are common in many of the Immortal River’s tributaries. This lack of muskie presence further solidifies the flatcat’s role as Old Man River’s alpha predator.
Another reason flathead catfish have not been exploited by sport anglers is the fact that you have to fish twice for them. Unlike their omnivorous cousin, the channel catfish, flatheads are meat eaters. The hands-down best flattie bait is a bullhead. Improvement in water quality in the Upper Mississippi over the past few years has led to the return of ‘yellow bellies’ as a catchable sport fish species.
Bluegills are also excellent flathead bait, as are leopard frogs. Cut bait from a “greasy” baitfish like the mooneye is also an acceptable meal for a “mudcat” – but the bait must be extremely fresh. Live mooneyes would be great bait, but they tend to die almost immediately after being caught.
With a need to catch bait before going after flatheads, many anglers just don’t have time to hunt the ugly one. Laws in all states bordering the Mississippi prohibit bringing in bullheads or bluegills from other waters or leaving the River with bait sloshing in the livewell to return after lunch in pursuit of cats.
Even though flatheads feed both more aggressively and frequently during early autumn, they still have a fair amount of discretion—even when you read the river correctly and put food right in front of their faces. It is common to get only a couple of serious flathead bites in an entire day on the water. Sometimes you don’t get bit at all.
Fall flathead fishing is a great tune-up for spending countless hours in a tree with a bow waiting for a trophy buck to come down the trail.
If you possess a bowhunter’s patience, iron man stamina and a deep desire for brutal pescadore/ piscator combat flathead fishing can easily become a passion bordering on obsession. With a cornucopia of outdoor options whispering the potential for grand adventure along the big river this time of year, I may not have the time to challenge Big Sammy this fall.
But there may come a day when everything falls together just right, and I’ll have time to sling the bullhead gauntlet down at the front door of her lair. Time means nothing to the Immortal River, but there are finite days for both catfish and man. Hopefully, this autumn will bring a convergence of circumstances for one more dance with Big Sammy.
A museum showcase from the State Historical Society of Iowa “Iowa History 101: People and Places” is bringing their mobile museum to Fort Atkinson Friday-Sunday, Sept. 22-24. The mobile museum will be parked by the Fort Atkinson Community Center located at 303 3rd Street NW in Fort Atkinson, just in time for the busy Rendezvous weekend. Showcasing nearly 50 artifacts from the State Historical Society of Iowa, the exhibit will feature Iowa history from Native Americans to an astronaut who flew into space.
The museum will be open Friday from 12 to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will be the museum’s only stop in this area in 2023.
Friends of Yellow River State Forest are hosting Fall Volunteer Day on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will be painting. Brushes and other supplies will be provided. Volunteers should dress for the weather and wear appropriate painting clothes. That day, volunteers should report to the Park Technician’s office at 737 State Forest Rd., Harpers Ferry. Volunteers that would like to
help paint but can’t attend on Sept. 23 can call Joe at 563-586-2254 to set up a day/time that works. Kids and teens are welcome if they are old enough to participate and have adult supervision. The event will be canceled in case of rain, no rain date is planned. In the case of inclement weather watch the FoYRSF Facebook page.
For more information, visit www. friendsofyellowriverstateforest.org.
The South Winneshiek Football Cheerleaders and Advisors are hosting the Junior Warrior CHEER program this fall for students in Pre-K through eighth grade. The program works to build self-esteem, healthy habits and a positive attitude while practicing South Winneshiek School spirit cheers.
Following Cheer Day Camp, the young cheerleaders will perform on the South Winneshiek Football Field prior to the Homecoming Game Friday, Sept. 22, and on Friday, Oct. 13, prior to the home football game.
For more information, visit the Junior Warriors CHEER Facebook page.
1. Simply write in the team you think will win in each of the 14 games, listed in the ads on this page, next to the corresponding advertiser’s name on the entry form or online at www. driftlessjournal. com.
2. Every game must be marked or your ballot will be disqualified.
3. In order to eliminate ties in the contest, all entries must include answers to the two tiebreakers.
4. In the event of a three-way tie for first place, first and second prize money will be divided equally between each of the tying contestants.
5. When there is a tie for second place in the contest, second place money and third place money will be divided equally among the persons tying for second place.
6. The contest is open to everyone living in the Driftless Area, except employees of the Driftless Multimedia and their families.
7. Each person is allowed only one ballot.
8. Winner will be announced in a news story after the preceding weekly contest.
9. Each entry page must be in the Driftless Multimedia Office by 4:30 p.m. Friday or submitted online by 2 p.m. Friday.
10. Children age 12 and under not eligible.
11. Winners must claim prize money within 30 days at the Driftless Multimedia Office
On Sept. 17, 1787, members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. For almost 250 years, the Constitution has been the most important document in American history and government. This sacred document established our national government, fundamental laws, and has protected and guaranteed certain basic rights to citizens of the United States.
Each year, Americans observe Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. The commemoration of Constitution Week runs annually from Sept.17-23. In Decorah, that means the annual Constitution Day Parade, held this year on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Line up starts at 10 a.m. on Claiborne Street in front of Decorah High School with the parade starting at 11 a.m. The parade route will travel down Water Street. Parade entries will be judged and a prize awarded for the best float at a Constitution Week celebration at Club 45 in Decorah following the parade.
The last Lanesboro Barn Dance of the 2023 season will be held Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Sons of Norway Hall in Lanesboro, Minn., starting at 8 p.m. There is a fee at the door.
The Lanesboro Barn Dance will feature traditional square dances, big circles and couples dances like waltzes and polkas. Square and circle dances will be taught and called once more by Rina Rossi, a musician from Minneapolis.
Old time string band music will be furnished by fiddler AJ Srubas, also from Minneapolis, and local favorite Bob Bovee on guitar and harmonica. Srubas recently won the prestigious and hotly-contested fiddle contest at the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, W.V.
The Driftless Region is fortunate to have a unique and vibrant program that matches experienced adults – aged 55+ and willing to volunteer (no need to be retired) – with a wide berth of volunteer opportunities with local non-profits, schools and many other community needs.
Northeast Iowa Retired Se-
nior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is also the only RSVP program sponsored by a library in the state of Iowa. Funded through federal AmeriCorps Senior grants, state and local support, the small crew of RSVP makes a big impact collectively.
According to RSVP Director Deana Hageman, “Last year our
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Kitchen hours: SunMon 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Wed-Sat 11 a.m10 p.m.; Closed Tues. Bar may stay open later if there’s a game or crowd.
Daily lunch specials. Large variety of tap and local beers!
Great Bloody Marys! Best wings around! Great place to bring the family! Lots of TVs! View menus at www.tbocks.com.
volunteers logged over 36,200 hours. The Independent Sector values a volunteer hour at $28.09 in Iowa. This computes to over $1,017,279 of service to our communities.”
RSVP produces a positive impact not only for the organizations receiving volunteer assistance, but also for volunteers as they find renewed purpose, excitement and a sense of accomplishment. Local communities depend on volunteers for support, and communities are strengthened through the army of RSVP volunteers.
Hageman added, “Many volunteers report they get back more than they give. Volunteering with RSVP is a great way to get connected with your community, meet new people, learn new skills, and/or stay sharp on current skills or knowledge.”
Volunteers are able to set the number of hours they are willing to serve, and are thoughtfully matched with volunteer opportunities at 78 local stations in Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek counties that best match the individual’s interests, skills and
abilities.
A brief sampling of opportunities available include volunteering with youth in schools, childcare settings, animals, care centers and hospitals, with local museums and history, meal delivery, taxes, disaster services, gardening and outdoors, along with many other community needs.
High demand for volunteers
“The stations that have the need for the most hours are food pantries. We have nearly 90 volunteers at the Decorah Community Food Pantry, and between 15-25 at the Greater Area Pantry in Calmar, the Allamakee County Food Shelf in Waukon, Lansing Iowa Food Trust and the Postville Food Pantry. We have just added the Mobile Food Pantry in Cresco and have been referring volunteers to them as well,” Hageman reported. “Feeding our neighbors is important to our volunteers and they make a difference every day doing so!”
“Our program that involves the most volunteers is Pen Pals.
This year we will be writing to seven schools and around 360 third-grade students,” Hageman explained. “Three or four letters will be exchanged depending on the school, and celebrations to close out the program for the year will be held in December or May when Pen Pals get to meet each other in person. This program has been a lot of fun for the students and RSVP volunteers!”
Hageman added it’s not too late to get involved with the Pen Pals program. Contact Hageman at 563-277-5181 or email RSVP@decorahlibrary.org by Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Hageman confirmed, “If you have a special skill or area of expertise that you are willing to share, there may a station looking for that and we can help match you to that station. RSVP relies on you to let us know how, where, how often and what you do while volunteering. You choose!”
To learn more about Northeast Iowa RSVP Senior Corps, visit www.decorahlibrary.org/rsvp or visit their Facebook page.
continued from front
porcelain plates his bride collected across decades, and his dining room walls are laden with an abundance of rosemaling and a long row of pewter plates. Even in her absence, Wasson keeps her art alive.
“I have more rosemaling than anybody!” he laughed. “I also
Boyd Wasson, of Decorah, showcases part of his collections in the nooks and crannies all around his home. On the wall of his home are several examples of early tools and aides that made early life easier, whether pieces of tack, equipment or household items, Wasson sees the beauty and history of each piece. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Denise Lana)
have a lot of quilts, but the best ones, the ones Trudy won blue ribbons with, are at church.”
Venturing downstairs into his family room, Wasson chuckled as he explained, “My family room is different than most!”
Scattered and suspended across the ceiling and walls is a
vast array of metal trinkets and tools. Holding up a patinaed curved item, he said, “This is one of my latest acquisitions – an antique nostril clamp for bulls so you could lead them!”
Removing a thin dark pan from the wall, Wasson recalled, “These were my mother’s. It’s junk nowadays, but she used to make corn meal mush in it. Now I make corn meal mush once a month.”
Wasson unhooked a small, bladed tool, dark and aged.
“My dad cut my hair with this one time, talk about pulling my hair!”
Passing through the antiques room, Wasson pulls back a cover and reveals an intricately designed electric train, complete with a panel of switches and labels. “These switches operate all the track switches, and there are lights in the buildings,” he explained. “It’s the Chicago Northwestern Train, the one that went through my childhood farm every day!”
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On the far side of the large room, past a long workbench and a wall cramped with hand tools, is every piece of woodworking equipment imaginable: chop saw, table saw, lathe, band saw, drill press. Wasson expressed, “Aged and worn, this shop is reminiscent of my shop experience when I was younger.” Wasson, who is on the Nordic Fest board and a member of the Lions Club, has also served with the Winneshiek County Historic Society and is a familiar face at area events. But as time marches on, he laments about growing older and having to let go of his treasures that make him feel young and connected to various stages of his life. “For ten years running, I drove my tractors in four parades each year, but now at my age I should be getting
Striving to keep on playing, Boyd Wasson built this full model railroad track and habitat. Both he and his wife, Trudy, collected not only things they enjoyed, but hobbies. They engaged often and with much vigor any new interest, challenge, or hobby they explored, and have a house full of many wonderful, beautiful things as a result.
Following Trudy’s death in 2009, Wasson moved to Decorah, but faithfully mounted and hung all of Trudy’s gorgeous Rosemaling she left behind. Boyd struggles with keeping everything and enjoying each hobby, collection and creative outlet the pair had saved and cherished throughout their lives together, and paring down his worldly possessions. It’s difficult to tell if the excitement he feels driving and repairing his tractors, or learning and sharing each antique and unique piece in his collection will ever be outweighed by something as boring as what he’s told he should do. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Denise Lana)
Collection
rid of the tractors. I don’t know what I am going to do with all these things! For most everyone, this is just old stuff, but for me, all these things mean something more. I’ve got to make a decision.”
After Trudy died, Wasson had a display of her rosemaling in the Dragonfly Bookstore window, which was included in that year’s Nordic Fest paper. He also donated her rosemaling and quilting tools and materials to the Vesterheim Museum, but he doesn’t want to just give away all his treasures and his wife’s rosemaling and would love for people to want to buy them. “I fear the interest of all things Norsk is faltering. The reason I have so many plates, we couldn’t sell them. The smaller plates were big sellers, but the big plates are too expensive.”
Now, with his tractors, antiques, electric train and woodworking tools, along with his wife’s innumerable rosemaling pieces, quilts and dish collections, Wasson questions whether he is going to stop collecting. His eyes light up with childlike excitement every time he
continued from page 6 speaks of his tractors, and he beams with pride when asked to share stories of his past.
“On a tractor, I get a feeling of nostalgia. Trudy’s talent is alive in her art,” Wasson summarized. “I’ve debated building another building for more tractors. I should be getting rid of
them, not adding more! At 87, I keep trying to get my doctors to give me a ten-year guarantee!” If playing keeps someone young, Wasson surely has years ahead to continue riding tractors and sharing his many collections and youthful joy with all who know him.
Norwegian Arctic,” on view now at Vesterheim. Also online, Dan York, a lifetime paddler and traveler, will present “Kayaking the Lofoten Islands: Norway’s Craggy Crown Jewels” on Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. Both events are free. Register at vesterheim.org to receive Zoom links. Those in Decorah through the weekend can meet silver experts from the Sylvsmidja company in Voss, Norway, on Sunday, Oct. 1, at Vesterheim.
Co-owner of Sylvsmidja AnneKari Salbu, Chairman of the Board Heidi Hjellestad and designer Svanhild Strom will be available in the Commons from
2:30-3:30 p.m. to give a presentation about their new Sagastad collection and discuss Sylvsmidja jewelry. They have been crafting exquisite jewelry and accessories since 1940.
About the Commons
With 7,600 sq. ft. spread across three levels and almost an acre of surrounding landscaped patio, the new Vesterheim Commons Building physically links the past and the future, connects the museum collection to the Folk Art School and enriches the Vesterheim visitor experience for those coming to Decorah or participating digitally through
a new video and photography production studio. This project is part of a comprehensive, long-range planning process with renowned international architecture and landscape architecture firm Snøhetta, and is supported with work of the architect of record, consultants and construction management including BNIM; Meyer, Borgman, Johnson (MBJ); Morrissey; and McGough Construction.
Find more about the Commons building and the Strong Roots Bold Future, Campaign to Grow Vesterheim at strongrootsboldfuture.org.
By Roz Weis
Those nearing age 65 are bombarded with large, official-looking mailings and telephone calls about signing up for Medicare. The choices can be daunting, but there are counselors available to help seniors, their families and caregivers.
The goal of WinnMed’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIIP) is just that: helping seniors weave their way through the often-confusing part of signing up for Medicare. The service helps people understand and manage their Medicare coverage. The free, objective, confidential, unbiased counseling is available in-person, via Zoom virtually or by telephone.
Last year, local SHIIP counselors estimated they assisted more than 500 people… and that is a conservative estimate.
One local senior stated, “We couldn’t have made the decisions without the help they gave explaining the plans.”
Busy open enrollment season
Counselors are entering their busiest time of year now, with the Medicare’s “open enrollment period” from October to December.
Individuals 65 years of age and older can change their plans between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Every year, people who qualify for Medicare health coverage have a chance to change their health plan if they find a different one with a better price or more coverage. It is an important opportunity because, while an individual’s present Medicare plan may seem the best choice now, health insurance companies can change what they will cover and how much seniors have to
Looking
pay every year. Starting Jan. 1, the medical procedures, doctors and/or prescription medicines they will pay for, and the premiums and deductibles may be different.
During the busy enrollment period, people can join, switch or drop a Medicare plan for coverage that starts in January 2024.
The next in-person SHIIP education session to assist local seniors is slated for Tuesday, Oct. 3, in Decorah. Pre-registration is encouraged by contacting SHIIP Site Coordinator Karla Bakken at her WinnMed office.
SHIIP volunteers at WinnMed in Decorah
Four local counselors have completed the extensive training required to become SHIIP counselors in the Decorah area: Jim Sims, a 10-year veteran counselor; Roger Huinker, who is new to the program; Julie Ohde, a two-year counselor; and Karen McLean, now in her
fourth year with SHIIP.
The counselors agree that it’s easy to get confused or overwhelmed with so many choices, and it’s often troublesome getting a clear answer. But they encourage seniors to never give up and to reach out for help.
Program history
The SHIIP program through the State of Iowa provides free informational materials as well as one-to-one assistance with the following:
• Medicare coverage (The counselors can check a client’s current Part D or Medicare Advantage plan to make sure drugs are covered at the lowest cost and with the least amount of restrictions)
• Medicare supplement insurance
• Medicare Part D assistance and enrollment (prescription insurance)
• Long-term care insurance
• Medicare and insurance claims
• Other related issues
and everything in between – write it down and publish it, leaving as many pages as you wish to continue to story after it’s been printed.
Why? One simply never knows when and if Alzheimer’s or other dementia will hit during the aging process. Having the autobiography of your life – with photos from your collection – can help fill in any gaps that you may later forget, showcase the amazing life you’ve led and adventures you’ve had.
It’s also a priceless heirloom to pass on to your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so on, allowing them to know so much more about their ancestors and their heritage.
Don’t let your life story be lost to time.
Counselors remind clients that SHIIP does not endorse insurance companies, plans or agents; they only answer questions and provide impartial information to help seniors make well-informed decisions.
Scheduling a SHIIP appointment
SHIIP volunteers are available by appointment only at WinnMed in Decorah by calling 563-387-3036. Appointments are conducted via phone call, Zoom or in person. Bring current insurance card(s) and a list of current medications to the appointment.
Finding the SHIIP office WinnMed provides office space for the SHIIP program. For simple access to the SHIIP office, on the day of the appointment park in Parking Lot E on the east side of the WinnMed campus. When approaching door E-1, ring the doorbell. E-1 door is locked 24/7 and a member of the staff will assist.
Dave Amdahl is celebrating his 80th birthday Sunday, Sept. 24, with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m., at Vesterheim’s Amdal-Odland Center in Decorah. All are welcome to attend. No gifts please. Cards are welcome.
The Decorah Lions Club annual pancake supper will be held in the Decorah High School cafeteria Friday, Sept. 22, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. A traditional menu of pancakes and sausages will be served with a gluten-free pancake option will be available this year. This important free-will donation Decorah Lions event raises funds for the Decorah High School scholarship program.
the app you will find links to Winneshiek County departmental websites, social media pages and folders for each municipality in Winneshiek County.
Snyder posted, “Did I mention there is also a really nice mapping tool to help you find locations within the county? This app also has a “news” section that, when enabled will allow for push notifications for countywide events, information and more.”
Ready Winneshiek County can also be a tool for personal emergency preparedness by the app user. It allows the user to develop their own individual preparedness plan for their particular location, specific threats and resources that pertain to
GRACE NESHEIM, 91, of Decorah, died Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon. Funeral services will held Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m., at the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church located at 1725 Washington Prairie Rd., rural Decorah with Rev. Jennifer Edinger presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday at the church.
VIOLET SCHLEE, 94, of Decorah, passed away Sept. 13, 2023, at UW Health University Hospital in Madison, Wis. Mass of Christian burial will be held Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 11 a.m., at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah with Deacon Mike Ward presiding. Burial will be in the Phelps Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of service on Wednesday at the church.
JEAN A. STUCKMAN, 76, of Waukon, died Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Thursday, Sept. 21,at 11 a.m., at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon.
The annual Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days wouldn’t be complete with out these gigantic century-old steam engines. Here their boilers were being fired up prior to the steam engine parade. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Charlie Warner)
The gospel group Highway 30 from the Rushford/Lanesboro, Minn., area led a large group of worshipers during the Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days ecumenical worship service on Sunday, Sept. 10, at the steam engine grounds. Members from left are, Barb Morrison, Joanne and Keith Agrimson and Beth Vitse. Willa Holger accompanied the singers on the keyboard.
themselves or their family.
The app offers short preparedness videos for some common disaster occurrences, such as lightning, severe weather and so on to learn how to respond with best practices.
The app has just recently launched but Snyder stated, “I will continue to grow this app with more and more informa-
tion. Please reach out with your communication suggestions by Facebook message, e-mail or give us a call. I am more than happy to try and incorporate all that I can as the app allows.”
* Daily rates also available *
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 - 9 a.m. Farm machinery and household. Gary & Diana Gunderson. Postville, IA. Monroe
Auction Service, 563-8647346. www.smedrealty.com/ monroe-auctions. Like us on Facebook.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 - 8:30 a.m. Machinery Consignment. Sale Held At Sweeney Auction Center, Waukon, IA. Sweeney Auction Service. www.sweeneyauctionservice. com Waukon. 563-568-2464.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25 - Guns & Sporting Goods. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, IA. Sweeney Auction Service. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com Waukon. 563-568-2464.
The Canoe German Methodist Church on rural Decorah’s Canoe Ridge Road will celebrate its 130-year anniversary Sunday, Sept. 24, during the annual Hymn Sing at the church.
German church services and Sunday school were conducted as early as 1875 in an old farmhouse just south of the present church building as well as in homes and a small log building on the Conrad Gremm farm.
The present church was built in 1893 as membership had grown and there was a need for a larger place to worship.
Early German settlers donated their time and money to build the church on land donated by
Henry Gremm which included a small lot for a cemetery. Later, additional land for a larger cemetery was donated by Henry Weber.
The first minister to preach at the present church was Rev. Henry J. Schmidt. Church services were conducted every other Sunday, as the pastors served several other churches. Church services and Sunday School were in the German language.
Following Rev. Schmidt were numerous ministers who traveled to the church by horse and buggy in the summertime and by sleigh in the winter. Rev. Hertel was the last German
minister, as the church changed to the English Conference in the early 1940s. By this time, many of the older members had passed away and the younger ones married and moved away. Other members transferred their membership to Decorah.
In 1942 the doors of the little church were closed to regular services. An annual “Homecoming” event was started in
1948 by Mrs. Henry Voegeding and led by the members, followed by a lunch brought in by members and friends. Hymn Sings have been held in the fall every year since.
Members purchased the church from the English Conference and formed a Cemetery Association with officers elected to conduct their yearly business meetings. Ice cream socials were held to raise funds to pay the bills. In 1985, Mildred Landmeyer passed away and left her estate to the church which in turn sold the property and used proceeds for repairs and upkeep.
An annual business meeting is held the first Saturday in May and the Hymn Sing is always the last Sunday in September.
Twenty exhibitors entered 67 dairy cows into the FFA Dairy Show on Aug. 10 at the 2023 Iowa State Fair. Locally, Decorah FFA tied for second place honors, and Turkey Valley FFA earned fifthplace honors.
Top 10 Chapter Awards
1) Maquoketa Valley FFA, Delhi
2) TIE Maquoketa FFA, Maquoketa
2) TIE Decorah FFA, Decorah
4) East Marshall FFA, Le Grande
5) Turkey Valley FFA, Jackson Junction
6) Sumner-Fredericksburg FFA, Sumner
7) Starmont FFA, Arlington
8) Crestwood FFA, Crestwood
9) Bellevue FFA, Bellevue
10) West Monona FFA, Sloan State Fair Weed ID contest winners
Iowans tested their knowledge of garden plants in the Weed Identification contest judged Friday, Aug.
11, at the Iowa State Fair. Locally, Alaina Gebel of Lansing placed fifth in the youth category.
For a complete list of results, visit tinyurl.com/y9re5uc9.
Men from across the Midwest entered their prized whiskers in the Beard Growing contest Tuesday, Aug. 15, at the 2023 Iowa State Fair. Locally, Mark Kerndt of Waukon placed third in the “Best Groomed” category. The contest was part of “Rural Americana Olde Tyme Competitions” in Farm Bureau Pioneer Hall. A first prize of $5 and ribbons were awarded to each class.
For a complete list of results, visit https://tinyurl.com/pmdeyw7n.
Dairies competed for special awards among the 2023 Iowa State Fair Dairy Cattle shows. Supreme Champion Cow was awarded to Knapp Genetics of Epworth, and Supreme Champion Heifer was awarded to Maxx Boarding of Homestead. Locally, Eberling Dairy of Postville awarded fifth place in Additional Premium-Groups-Brown Swiss category; K-Valley Farms of Waucoma awarded second place in Additional Premium-Groups-Guernsey; and Courtlane Holsteins of Ridgeway second place in Additional Premium-Groups-Holstein. For a complete list of results, visit tinyurl.com/mryrnu5r.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS
AGO: The price of gasoline is still 16.6 cents here in Decorah. …Two bootleggers were captured out at the brickyards at the south end of Decorah the other day. Officers Tavenir and Rima are credited with the arrests. The duo has been fined $350 each, and they will serve up to 8 months in the jail of Winneshiek County at hard labor. This strong sentence should alert all bootleggers to steer clear of Decorah. The bootlegger’s car also was confiscated and sold, with all proceeds going to the school fund.
…Elling Fretheim has sold his house on East Water Street, formerly the B.O. Marsh residence, to J.J. Grose for $2,000.
…Five Decorah boys explored the Glenwood Cave and report it is considerably more than 1925 feet down.
Vern Cooley, Alex Berg, Albert Smedsrud, Leonard and Arthur Noecker traveled down into the cave to its end. They carried string with them to measure the distance.
…Mr. and Mrs. Gunder Lundvedt of Glenwood Township are proud parents of a boy boy, Gilman Julian Lundtvedt, born Aug. 19, 1923.
…Connor-Knight has all the school supplies for the kids’ needs. Children’s garters, 10 cents; hair bow fasteners, 10 cents; good black ink, 10 cents per bottle; large ink tablets, 10 cents; large box of Crayolas, 5
Deadline for Driftless Journal Classified advertising: Thursday at 12 p.m.
Contact 563-382-4221
cents; jersey bloomers for 50 cents; and union suits, all kinds for 49 cents. Don’t forget a trusty handkerchief for the boys and girls – 5 cents each.
…FRONT PAGE NEWS:
The grandest scenic drive in this part of the country will soon be one of the priceless possessions of Decorah. The right-of-way on the crest of Pleasant Hill is being arranged for. Building of the scenic drive started about two years ago. The drive will be 75 feet wide from property line to property line. The enchanting view includes Luther College, the city landscape, the bluffs and the valley below.
…FOR SALE: A 120-acre farm about a mile from Decorah city limits. Excellent public highway. Only drawback is the lack of good road from the highway to the land. $7,500.
…L.J. Vogel of Calmar has shipped the balance of his stock of general merchandise to Strawberry Point and will now conduct business there.
…Fred Womeldorf, who carries a rural route, isn’t worried about his potato crop. He investigated the spuds the other day and found one that weighed a strong 1 ¾ pounds.
…The Equity will stage a picnic on Labor Day at the Nesset place in Glenwood Township.
…Luther Football starts practice Sept. 6.
…I. Dorrum, one of the new members of the Luther College faculty, has purchased the Rossing home for $7,000.
…A fine baby boy was born Aug. 14 to Mr. and Mrs. Will Jirak at Spillville.
…Joe Becvar sold a cow to
John Hosting of near Calmar one day last week.
…Vernon Springs Dance Pavilion will host The Famous Players Novelty Six featuring the latest singing and comedy acts next Friday night.
…The chickens were a big draw at the Winneshiek County Fair earlier this month. Fair-goers were treated to a show of about 275 head of poultry –some of the finest ever shown here.
…Public School in the area opens Sept. 3 with a number of changes and improvements made in the courses both in high school and in the grades locally. Miss Torrison will have the first grade and kindergarten classes. Miss Cora Lee will have 2nd and 3rd grades and Miss Gellerman (the principal) will have 4th and 5th grades.
…Big Canoe’s well-known congregation will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the parish Aug. 25 and 26.
…Decorah City Park Commissioners have purchased 10 acres from the Henry Lubke place just west and adjoining the present city park to add to the park system here. The park now owns practically all of the land the entire length of the Dugway. The latest purchase was made possible through the will of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Phelps, who gave $5,000 each for the purpose of buying more park land.
…Rev. Fred Fisher and his Decorah congregation are holding services in celebration of the big remodeling of the Methodist Church here. A new pipe organ will be dedicated.
This vintage photograph was shared by John W. Sexton of Cedar Rapids and formerly of South Bluffton, Iowa. He identified the Drew siblings, sons and daughters of James and Catherine (O’Malley) Drew from Limerick, Ireland, pictured as follows: (front row from left): Mary Murphy, Ellen O’Neill, Bridget Mailey Curran, Ann Lynch and Margaret Carolan; and (back row, from left): Pat, John, Mike, Jim, Francis and Will. Sexton said that one of the daughters (Catherine) passed away at age 12 and is not pictured. The lady in front center wearing the bow is John Sexton’s great-grandmother, Bridget Agnes Drew Mailey Curran, born at Batavia, New York, June 1, 1855, on the Drew’s journey to Iowa where the “Tall Corn Grows.” Sexton shared that his great-grandmother, Bridget, married James Curran 6 years after her 1st husband, Michael Mailey, was killed when a team pulling a load of lumber tipped near the present-day Beard farm on the West side of Decorah. (Submitted photo)
The Turkey Valley football team (3-1, 2-1) cruised to a homecoming victory Friday night 76-25 over Central (0-4, 0-1) Elkader, scoring 62 firsthalf points.
“This was a good win for homecoming. We were able to get every player who dressed some playing time in a homecoming game,” noted Coach Mark Scott. “Oliver Schmitt’s returns (both kickoffs and punts) gave us great field position on every possession of the first half.”
Throwing the punches
The Trojans took the early lead and didn’t let go. On their opening drive the Trojans drove down the field with Burke Busta rumbling the final seven yards for the score. Getting a short field on its next possession, TV needed two plays to get into the endzone with Logan Busta connecting with Caleb Kurtenbach for the score and a 16-0 lead.
Central then broke free for a 51yard pass play that went to the house. Oliver Schmitt’s 34-yard kick-off return set up the Trojans with another short field and four plays later the senior wove his way through traffic from the 10-yard line to score again for the home team. Following a 56yard Central touchdown pass, the Trojans went back to work with B. Busta racing 43 yards to
the end zone. TV capped off the big first quarter with a 30-yard pass from L. Busta to JD Kruse for a 38-12 lead.
TV would go on to score five more unanswered touchdowns in the second and third quarters on a Schmitt 24-yard run, L. Busta 16-yard scamper, a pair of Treyton Franzen 1-yard plunges and a Kaden Schmidt 5-yard carry. With the younger Trojan athletes on the field in the third and fourth quarters, Central mustered some strength to score twice.
By the numbers
The Trojans rushed for 351 yards and passed another 50 for 401 yards of total offense.
B. Busta rushed 10 times for 105 yards while Schmitt had 73 yards on seven carries. Franzen, a freshman, picked up 70 yards on 14 carries. L. Busta threw twice for 50 yards, connecting once with JD Kruse for a 30yard touchdown and once with Kurtenbach for a 20-yard score.
On defense it was Schmitt and B. Busta getting the job done as well. Both finished the night with six solo tackles.
Home again
Rolling on in district action, the Trojans will host undefeated Clarksville in a non-district battle Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m.
run)
Turkey Valley – Treyton Franzen
1-yd. run (L. Busta 2-pt. run)
3rd Quarter
Turkey Valley – Franzen 1-yd. run
(Kaden Schmidt 2-pt. run)
(2-pt. run failed) 4th Quarter
Turkey Valley – Schmidt 5-yd. run
Central – Hammersland 30-yd. run (2-pt. pass failed)
Central – Hammersland 8-yd. run
(Hammersland PAT)
Game stats
Total yards: TV 401; Central 183
Passing (comp/att/yds): Logan Busta (2-2, 50 yds., 2 TD)
Rushing (att/yds): Burke Busta (10-105, 1 TD); Oliver Schmitt (7-73, 3 TD); Treyton Franzen (14-70, 2 TD); Kaden Schmidt (11-53, 1 TD); Parker Reicks (4-25); L. Busta (2-22, 1TD); Cale Langreck (1-5)
Receiving (att/yds/TD): JD Kruse (1-30, 1 TD); Caleb Kurtenbach (1-20, 1 TD)
Tackles (total): Schmitt (8.0); B. Busta (7.5); Kurtenbach (4.5); Russell Nieman (4.5); Schmidt (3.5); Jordan
Kriener (3.5); Franzen (3.0); Hunter
Kruse (2.0); Mitchell Kriener (1.5); JD
Kruse (1.0); Langreck (1.0); Jayden
Rausch (1.0); Caden Tiedt (1.0); L. Busta (0.5); Tucker Reicks (0.5); P. Reicks (0.5)
Fumble recoveries: Schmitt (1-0)
Kick-offs (att/yds): Schmitt (9-417, 3TB); J. Kriener (2-42)
Kick-off returns (att/yds): Schmitt (3-83); Schmidt (1-10); Kurtenbach (19); Franzen (1-2)
Following a close five-set match Tuesday, the South Winn volleyball team (8-8, 2-0 UIC) concluded the week with its second conference win and the Nashua-Plainfield tournament title.
UIC control
Friday’s game was a backand-forth affair that looked to be headed into overtime with a 20-20 tie with five seconds remaining. However, a oneyard dive over the goal line by Parker Timp gave South Winn (1-3, 0-2), just what the Warriors needed to record their first win of the season over Newman Catholic (1-3), 27-20.
“Our kids put in a great week of practice, came out and earned a hard fought victory over a
talented Mason City Newman squad. Braiden Todd came out poised and helped boost our offense by throwing the ball with accuracy and Brady Ohrt made excellent reads in our option ground game. I was very pleased how the two of them really put us in great positions offensively all night. Carson Streeter continues to be a force in our kicking game and had a breakout game receiving the ball,” noted Coach Jason Ohrt. “We tackled well most of the night but got into a little bit of trouble in the second half with Newman’s very talented receiver in space. ”
The rundown South Winn broke through to score the lone touchdown in the first on a 6-yard pass strung between Braiden Todd and Brady Ohrt. Newman countered in the second with a score of its own to tie the game 6-6 before Ohrt scored for a second time. In the second quarter, the senior pushed his way through the lines into the end zone from one yard out. Combining the touchdown with Carson Streeter’s PAT gave the Warriors a 13-6 halftime advantage.
After the break Kyle Kuboushek punched in another one-yard score putting South
Winn out front 20-7. Newman wasn’t about to quit and a 25yard pass put the Knights back in it, 20-14. A fourth-quarter 54-yard pass play knotted the game after the Warriors blocked the PAT. Marching down the field, Parker Timp got his name called as the ball carrier to finish the job for a 1-yard plunge with five seconds left to play for the 27-20 win.
The Warriors had a pretty balanced attack within its 356 yards of offense with 184 through the air and 172 on the ground. Newman tallied 395 yards of total offense.
Todd was 15-for-28 in completed passes for 184 yards while Kuboushek led the ground attack for 84 yards on 23 carries. Nolan Sabelka had five carries for 59 yards. Through the air, Streeter had eight receptions for 100 yards, while Brody Tieskoetter caught four passes for 50 yards.
Ohrt led the defense with 11 solo tackles and three assists. Kuboushek had another seven solo stops for the Warriors while Timp was there for six solo takedowns.
Welcome to SW
South Winn will celebrate
homecoming with another district matchup Friday, Sept. 22, against AGWSR at 7 p.m. 1Q
1st Quarter
2
South Winn had its home conference opener on Thursday evening taking on MFL MarMac (1-6, 0-2 UIC). The Warriors established themselves early with strong serving and attacking up front dominating the first two sets 25-7 and 256. The Bulldogs kept it close in set three, but a late Warrior run helped secure the sweep on the evening moving South Winn to 2-0 in conference play.
South Winn – Braiden Todd 6-yd. pass to Brady Ohrt (PAT failed)
3rd Quarter
South Winn – Kyle Kuboushek 1-yd. run (Streeter PAT) Newman – 25-yd. pass (2-pt. run)
4th Quarter
Newman – 54-yd. pass (PAT blocked)
South Winn – Parker Timp 1-yd. run (Streeter PAT) Game stats
Total yards: South Winn 356; Newman 395
Passing (comp/att/yds): Braiden
Todd (15-28, 184 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing (att/yds): Kyle Kuboushek (23-84, 1 TD); Nolan Sabelka (5-59); Brady Ohrt (4-18, 1 TD); Todd (1-10); Parker Timp (2-8, 1 TD)
Receiving (att/yds/TD): Carson
Streeter (8-100); Brody Tieskoetter (450); Sabelka (2-28); Ohrt (1-6, 1 TD)
Tackles (total): Ohrt (12.5); Kuboushek (9.5); Timp (7.0); B. Tieskoetter (6.0); Streeter (3.5); Cody Meyer (3.0); Sabelka (2.5); Aiden
Feickert (2.0); Todd (1.0); Logan
Tieskoetter (1.0); Eric Kriener (0.5); Shayde Wermers (0.5)
Interceptions (no/return yds): B. Tieskoetter (1-20); Sabelka (1-0)
Punts (att/yds): Streeter (5-163)
Kick-offs (att/yds): Streeter (5279, 1 TB, 3 PAT)
Kick-off returns (att/yds): Kuboushek (1-18); Sabelka (1-16); Todd (1-16); Streeter (1-15)
Two fumbles and an interception turned out to be the undoing of the Decorah football team (31) Friday night as the Vikes fell 21-7 at Independence (3-1).
What happened
The Vikes took the opening drive of the game 86 yards on 15 plays to score the first touchdown of the game. It was Dakota Johnson who punched the ball into the end zone from the 2-yard line and Brayden Wemark’s PAT that pushed Decorah out front 7-0. Not to be outdone, the Mustangs countered with a 10-play 65-yard drive of their own to tie it up.
Then the defensive battle began with the two teams trading fumbles and punts through the middle two periods. Independence took the lead two plays into the fourth quarter 14-7. The Vikings were looking to swing the momentum in their favor when Tommy Sexton fumbled the ball at Decorah’s own seven-yard line and a Mustang defender picked it up for the scoop and score, leaving Independence with a 21-7 advantage.
That would be all the scoring in the contest the Mustangs needed to secure the non-district win.
The nitty gritty
Offensively, Louis Bucksa completed 11 passes for 114 yards with three Vikes combining for another 117 yards of rushing. On the ground, Dakota Johnson picked up 130 yards on 27 carries to lead Decorah.
Gavin Groux hauled in seven receptions for 74 yards.
On defense, Brady Benzing had five solo and five assisted tackles to lead the way. Groux also had five solo stops, while Brady Bohner was there for four solo and one assisted tackles. Homecoming
celebrate homecoming with a district opener
“After coming off our big five set victory over Turkey Valley on Tuesday evening, we talked about coming out consistent and under control when we took our home floor. Our girls did a great job of not forcing the issue with our swings, and our passing and setting was outstanding. We were able to get the ball to a number of hitting options and look at several roster configurations. It was nice to see us establish ourselves on the home floor with great support behind us,” said Coach Alex Smith.
Katrina Hageman led the attack with eight kills to go with six digs, three aces and a 13for-14 serving performance. Avery Humpal came away with 10 digs and was 10-for-10 at the service line while Abby Wagner provided three kills, three digs, four aces and was 14-for-15 in serving.
Tourney title
The Warriors traveled to Nashua-Plainfield on Saturday for a six team tournament and brought home the title. The Warriors got off to a solid start on the day with a first set win over Rockford (3-2) by a score of 21-16 but dropped the opening match losing the next two sets 13-21 and 9-15. A one match break allowed the Warriors some time to regroup and prepare for a rematch with North Linn who they had faced at the Jesup tournament just one week ago. South Winn put together two of their better sets of volleyball on the year, taking down the Lynx by scores of 21-19 and 21-13 to advance to the championship match.
The title match wouldn’t come easy as the Warriors would drop the first set to Starmont 16-21. After jumping out to a commanding lead in set two, South Winn had to fight off a big comeback from the Stars to capture the 22-20 win and would win the final set 15-8 to capture the title on the day.
“This was an exciting day for the girls and program, being able to capture a Saturday tournament title. Our big moment on the day was coming out with some great energy, intent and focus against North Linn. We advanced to the championship on criteria by allowing three less points than North Linn and took advantage of that opportunity,” said Coach Smith.
This week
It could be quite a battle for the UIC leaders Tuesday, Sept. 19, as the Warriors are at North Fayette Valley.
Oh so close…again.
For the second time last week, the Turkey Valley volleyball team (3-10, 0-2 UIC) pushed a conference match to five sets and fell just short of closing the deal against North Fayette Valley (5-4, 2-0 UIC). The Trojans took game one from the visiting TigerHawks 25-22, before falling in the next two, 19-25 and 22-25. The Red and White came back to win set four 25-22 before falling in the final set, 15-13.
Saturday, the Trojans competed at the Waukon tournament, going 1-2 for the day.
Turkey Valley opened the day with a 2-0 win over Riceville with set scores of 21-15 and 2119. Next the Trojans faced host Waukon taking set one 21-17, only to see the match slip away with 13-21 set two and 9-15 set three losses. The Red and White finished the day of pool play against Spring Grove (Minn.), dropping the match with sets of 13-21 and 16-21.
It’s a busy start to the week for the Trojans having played Don Bosco Monday night and traveling to Kee Tuesday, Sept. 18, for another UIC match.
Girls’ varsity team results
1. South Winn 28; 2. MFL MarMac
50; 3. Charles City 80; 4. Central Elkader 86; 5. Clayton Ridge 136; 6. Postville 156
Boys’ varsity team results
1. Charles City 25; 2. Postville 66; 3. Central Elkader 83; 4. South Winn 102; 5. Kee 107; 6. Clayton Ridge 139
The South Winn cross country teams showcased their strength Thursday at Central Elkader, coming home with a crown and fourth place.
The Class 1A No. 8 Lady Warriors posted a team score of 28 points, an immense gap to second place MFL MarMac who had 50 points. Charles City posted 25 points in the boys’ team race to be crowned the champions, followed by Postville with 66 points. South
Winn finished the day with 102 points, good for fourth.
Varsity girls In the victory, the SW girls had a spread of 1:29.3 with an average time of 22:06.3.
Josie Tieskoetter was the third runner overall (2nd in team standings) to cross the finish line, posting a time of 21:38.8.
On her heels were freshmen Annie Hageman and Ava Franzen.
The two posted identical times of 21:38.9 to claim fourth and fifth (3rd, 4th team) respectively.
Karissa Wenthold also completed the course in the top 10, racing to ninth place (8th team) in 22:26.5, with Izzy Kuboushek completing the team score in 12th place (11th team) in 23:08.1.
Also racing for the Lady Warriors were Lauren Ondrashek (14th, 23:42.1), Aubrey Willey (23rd, 25:47.3), Josie Tollefsrud (32nd, 27:21.8) and Katie Shimek (33rd, 27:24.2).
Conway leads boys
On their way to their fifthplace finish, the Warrior boys had an average time of 20:44.4 with a spread of 6:05.0.
The JV girls finished sixth with 146 points. The team had a spread of 1:08.8 and an average time of 24:28.9.
Creating the team score were
Vivan Searcy (21st, 24:00.2),
Nora Lesmeister (22nd, 24:00.4),
Elayna Hook (28th, 24:21.1),
Lulu Bellrichard (33rd, 24:53.9) and Ellie Adams (42nd, 25:08.9).
Job well done
In 18:24.8, Abe Conway was the first Warrior to cross the finish line at Central Thursday. (Photo courtesy of Marie Conway)
As has been the case in meets thus far this season, Abe Conway led the Warrior boys to the finish line, garnering an eighth place finish (7th in team standings). The senior stopped the clock at 18:24.8. Brad Dahl was next to complete the 5K race in 19:23.4, good for 14th place overall (12th team). In 20:27.1, Bo Wangsness came home in 22nd place (19th team).
John Donovan’s time of 21:55.7 put the junior in 39th place (31st team) with Eli Higgins rounding out the team score in 41st overall (33rd team) in 22:09.6. Others competing in the boys’ race for the Warriors were Brennan Franzen (43rd, 22:16.6), Diego Flores (44th, 22:16.7) and Brady Lensing (51st, 23:35.9).
Coming up South Winn will be in Central Springs at the Pioneer Town and Country Club for a meet Thursday, Sept. 21, with a 4:30 p.m. start time.
Northeast Iowa Community College Cougar Sports Shooting started off the fall 2023 season strong with back-to-back victories on Saturday, Sept. 9. NICC defeated Kirkwood Community College 481-427 in the day’s first competition, followed by a victory over rival Indian Hills Community College, 481-473.
NICC student athletes competing against Kirkwood, and female individual scores, included Ashley Fischer of Fort Atkinson, 97; Hailey Elsbernd, Fort Atkinson, 87; and MaKenzie Wiest of Cassville, Wis., 42.
Male athletes’ scores were Tristan Lewison of LeRoy, Minn., 98; Austin Snell, Decorah, 96; Colton Hruska, Cresco, 95; Kyle Larson, Cresco, 95; Tracer Tollefsrud, Canton, Minn., 94; Zachary Gronwoldt, Riceville, 94; Nicholas Saeugling, La Motte, 87; Ben Schildgen, Dubuque; 87; and Ty Kenan, Garnavillo, 81.
Female scores in the second competition versus Indian Hills were Fischer, 97; Elsbernd, 87;
and Wiest, 42. Male scores were Lewison, 98; Snell, 96; Hruska and Larson, both 95; Tollefsrud and Gronwoldt, both 94; Saeugling and Schildgen, 87; and Kenan, 81.
The competitions were hosted at Otter Creek Sportsmans Club in Cedar Rapids. NICC Head Coach Anthony Sisneros sees great promise in his team as they begin the fall season.
“We had an excellent outcome with our season opener versus Kirkwood Community College and Indians Hills Community College. With this triangular format to our competition, we were able to come away
with two wins, giving our sports shooting team a 2-0 start to our season. Now we need to take this momentum and start preparing for our next competition against the Hawkeye Community College RedTails.”
“Weather was perfect for shooting! Couldn’t be prouder of the team as we will keep growing as shooters,” stated athlete Hailey Elsbernd.
The team’s next meet is on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Turkey Valley Trap Range in Jackson Junction. For more information about the Sports Shooting team at NICC, visit www.nicc.edu/ sportsshooting
Nevada Class 2A – 1. Des Moines Christian; 2. Mid-Prairie; 3. Waukon; 4. Chariton; 5. Okoboji; 6. Denver; 7. Mediapolis; 8. Oelwein; 9. Clarinda; 10. Williamsburg; 11. Pella Christian; 12. Spirit Lake; 13. East Sac Co.; 14. Unity Christian; 15. Vinton-Shellsburg; 16. Forest City; 17. Jesup; 18. Monticello; 19. Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 20. Tipton Class 1A – 1. ACGC; 2. Woodbine; 3. Lake Mills; 4. Earlham; 5. Bellevue; 6. Pekin; 7. Madrid; 8. Martensdale-St. Mary’s; 9. Fort Dodge St. Edmond; 10. Grundy Center; 11. Ogden; 12. Iowa City Regina; 13. Council Bluffs St. Albert; 14. Springville; 15. Danville; 16. Beckman Catholic; 17. Tri-Center Neola;
18. Sibley-Ocheyedan; 19. IKMManning; 20. Nodaway Valley Girls’ team rankings Class 4A – 1. Johnston; 2. Pleasant Valley; 3. Dubuque Senior; 4. Dallas Center-Grimes;
5. Ankeny; 6. Ankeny Centennial; 7. Dubuque Hempstead; 8. Waukee; 9. Iowa City City High;
Girls’ varsity team results
1. Dubuque Senior 48; 2. Dubuque Hempstead 50; 3. Cedar
Falls 111; 4. Ames 113; 5. Iowa City
West 170; 6. Iowa City Liberty 181;
7. Mason City 182; 8. Bettendorf 245; 9. Decorah 261; 10. Western Dubuque 266; 11. Hudson 283;
12. Cedar Rapids Washington 314;
13. Cedar Rapids Kenney 333; 14. Dike-New Hartford 387; 15. Grundy Center 387; 16. Cedar Rapids
Jefferson
Boys’ varsity team results
1. Cedar Falls 64; 2. Cedar Rapids Kenney 69; 3. Iowa City Liberty 101; 4. Urbandale 126; 5. Bettendorf 155; 6. Linn-Mar 159; 7.
Dubuque Senior 173; 8. Iowa City West 222; 9. Grundy Center 228;
10. Ankeny 243; 11. Waterloo West 251; 12. Decorah 314; 3. Western Dubuque 331; 14. Cedar Rapids
Jefferson 411; 15. Cedar Rapids
The Viking boys finished 12th in the team standings with 314 points and had a spread of 1:01.2 to go with an average time of 18:15.8. Class 4A No. 1 ranked Cedar Falls was the team champion with 64 points. Class 4A No. 3 Jaden Merrick of Cedar Falls broke the tape in 15:46.8, the only runner under 16 minutes. Leading the Vikes was Grant Zilka. The junior clocked in at 17:44.5, good for 40th. In 54th was senior Henry Weis. His time was 18:02.5. Nine seconds back was Landyn Hook with a time of 18:11.0, taking home 63rd. With a solid time of 18:35.2, Garrett See crossed the finish line in 77th place. Oliver Bollinger concluded the team score in 80th. The sophomore had a time of 18:45.7. Also competing in the varsity race were Liam Hung (86th, 19:08.0) and Thomas Hammell (88th 19:32.9).
The JV boys finished fifth in team scoring with 117 points. The Vikes had a spread of 52.6 seconds and average time of 19:20.6.
Top scorers from the Sports Shooting meet on Sept. 9 are, left to right: Tristan Lewison, Kyle Larson, Colton Hruska, Austin Snell, Ashley Fischer, Hailey Elsbernd and Kirkwood athlete Lexi Mikulas. (submitted photo)
Avery Humpal
Avery Humpal is a senior member of the South Winn volleyball team. In addition, she has been involved in softball, FFA, student government and SODA.
Through 30 sets, Humpal, an outside hitter, has 31 kills on 152 attack attempts to go with 70 digs. She has served 90-for-102 for an 88.2 percent efficiency with five aces.
“Avery is a very consistent player for us on the court. She is solid in all facets of the game and is a tremendous leader in the program with her positive attitude and work ethic,” said SW head coach Alex Smith. “After suffering and injury her junior year and missing most of the season, it is great to have her back on the floor during her senior season.”
Avery is the daughter of Darryl and Michelle Humpal.
10. West Des Moines Valley; 11. Ames; 12. Waukee Northwest; 13. West Des Moines Dowling; 14. Indianola; 15. Southeast Polk; 16. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 17. Cedar Falls; 18. Linn-Mar; 19. Iowa City Liberty; 20. Iowa City West Class 3A – 1. Pella; 2. Gilbert; 3. Ballard; 4. Mount VernonLisbon; 5. Clear Creek-Amana; 6. ADM; 7. Glenwood; 8. Solon; 9. Clear Lake; 10. Marion; 11. Harlan; 12. MOC-Floyd Valley; 13. Sioux Center; 14. Washington; 15. Bishop-Heelan; 16. Lewis Central; 17. Center Point-Urbana; 18. Waverly-Shell Rock; 19. Decorah; 20. Atlantic Class 2A – 1. Monticello; 2. Mid-Prairie; 3. Albia; 4. Tipton; 5. Van Meter; 6. Denver; 7. Hudson; 8. Unity Christian; 9. SumnerFredericksburg; 10. Des Moines Christian; 11. Union; 12. North Fayette Valley; 13. Jesup; 14. Prairie City-Monroe; 15. Pella Christian; 16. Williamsburg; 17. Clarinda; 18. Sioux Central; 19. Cherokee; 20. Okoboji Class 1A – 1. Madrid; 2. Fort Dodge St. Edmond; 3. Beckman Catholic; 4. Earlham; 5. Iowa City Regina; 6. North Linn; 7. ACGC; 8. South Winn; 9. Hinton; 10. Alta-Aurelia; 11. Martensdale-St. Mary’s; 12. Grandview Christian; 13. Pekin; 14. Central Decatur; 15. Collins Maxwell; 16. Treynor; 17. AHSTW; 18. Logan-Magnolia; 19. Boyer Valley; 20. Manson-NW Webster
Sept. 19 – Dec/TV xc at Waukon, 4:30 p.m.; Dec vb at New Hampton, 7:15 p.m.; SW vb at North Fayette Valley, 7:30 p.m.; TV vb at Kee High, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 – SW xc at Central Springs, 4:30 p.m.; SW vb vs. Kee High, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 22 – SW fb vs. AGWSR, 7 p.m.; TV fb vs. Clarksville, 7 p.m.; Dec fb vs. Mason City, 7:30
Jefferson 426; 16. Hudson 502; 17. Dike-New Hartford 554; 18. Valley Lutheran 588
The Decorah cross country teams traveled to Cedar Falls to compete in the Rich Engel Classic Thursday, coming home with good showings from both the varsity and JV squads at the large meet.
Solid day for the girls
In the varsity girls meet, Decorah, ranked No. 19 in Class 3A, finished ninth with 261 points. Class 4A No. 3 Dubuque Senior won the race with 48 points. The Vikes had a spread of 2:42, with an average time of 21:51.5.
The race winner was Class 4A No. 6 Keelee Leitzen of Dubuque Hempstead. Her time of 18:38.7.
Decorah was led by Amelia Roe who clocked in at 19:52.1, good for ninth place. Brinlee Courtney came in 59th with 22:13.9. In 22:17.1, it was senior Brynn Storhoff crossing the finish line to take 60th place. Just three seconds behind her was Olivia Volkman. She toured the course in 22:20.1, good for 62nd. Concluding the team score was Grace Brynsaas. Her time of 22:34.0 was good for 71st Also competing for the Vikes were Ana Simon (75th, 22:37.5) and Amelia Wadsworth (79th , 23:00.2).
Finishing in the top five for Decorah were D’Mitry Lesser (7th, 18:48.4), Reid Berns (22nd , 19:19.3), Riley Berns (23rd , 19:23.4), Max Grimstad (29th , 19:32.1) and Jack Delarosa (36th, 19:41.0).
At Waukon
The Vikes don’t have a long break between races as they are at Waukon today (Tuesday, Sept. 19), at 4:30 p.m.
TURKEY VALLEY CROWNED THEIR ROYALTY last week for homecoming. At halftime of Friday’s football game, Ryann Schmitt was named queen after Oliver Schmitt had been named king at Thursday’s volleyball match. The Trojans wrapped up homecoming week Friday with a 76-25 win over Central Elkader Friday night. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)
THE DRIFTLESS’ NEWEST KWIK STAR, the third in Decorah, opened on College Drive, and boasts a car wash, cold-brew coffee machine and much more. Greeting customers on opening day, Friday, Sept. 8, were, from left: Patti Vine, Jeni Svestka and Bev Hageman. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Roz Weis)
The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) at Northeast Iowa Community College’s Peosta campus are sponsoring webinars in observance of National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 17-23. The 2023 theme for National Farm Safety and Health Week is “No One Can Take Your Place.” Educational webinars are scheduled for each day of the week and are available at necasag.org, as well as more
information and public service announcements related to this year’s theme.
Webinar topics
• Tuesday, Sept. 19: Health and Wellness
• Wednesday, Sept. 20: Priority Populations
• Thursday, Sept. 21: Con-
fined Spaces
• Friday, Sept. 22: Brain Health
Each year since 1944, the third week of September has
been recognized as National Farm Safety & Health Week. This recognition has been an annual promotion initiated by the National Safety Council and has been proclaimed as such by each sitting U.S. President since Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first document. Over the years, the development and dissemination of National Farm Safety & Health Week materials shifted from the National Safety Council to NECAS. NECAS is the agricultural partner
Decorah School’s Family, Educator, and Community Organization (FEC) is offering a special early apparel order this year for all the Viking Super Fans. The new designs are available in youth and adult sizes and are customizable with the option to add a name on the back. The online store is open until Sunday, Sept. 24. Order at: superfan23.itemorder.com.
Proceeds allow the FEC to
support various school programs throughout the year at all three elementary buildings as well as family events including the annual pool party and winter dance party. The FEC’s mission is to unite parents, teachers and the community, support school programs and bring enrichment to students when the budget falls short.
Join us for the public dedication ceremony on September 30, at 1:30 p.m. Entertainment, demonstrators, and refreshments will follow, including the Nordic Dancers, Eden Ehm on Hardanger fiddle, and Luren Singers. Learn more at vesterheim.org
for the National Safety Council and has been serving the agricultural family and business community since 1997.
As National Farm Safety & Health Week is recognized this September, join in promoting safe and healthy practices on farms and ranches across the U.S. and in neighboring countries as producers enter the harvest season.
To register for webinars and for more information, visit www.necasag.org/nationalfarmsafetyandhealthweek.
JR Brink Band
Thursday, Sept. 21, 4-7 p.m.
Postville Farmer’s Market
Steven Schroeder
Friday, July 30, 6-9 p.m.
Toppling Goliath, Decorah
Friday, Sept. 29, 7:30
Luther College, Decorah
Low Rats, Black Widows & Light 45
Friday, July 30, 6 p.m.
Fins & Films, Spring Valley, MN
Avey Grouws Band
Friday, Aug. 6, 6-9 p.m.
To get your jam on the list call 563-382-4221 or email megan.warner@ driftlessjournal.com
Toppling Goliath, Decorah Jake Manders
Friday, Aug. 13, 6-9 p.m.
Toppling Goliath, Decorah
