September 26, 2023

Northeast Iowa still seeking volunteers for CASA

Vital mission to stand up for children

The mission of supporting children who have endured abuse, neglect or trafficking is the sole duty of volunteers who volunteer their time as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

They stand beside children who have seen trauma, and are an advocate for their care and help them see justice, as well as a hope for a better life.

Kerry Brennan, CASA Program Coordinator of rural northeast Iowa, is eager to assist interested volunteers in enrollment and training to be an advocate in the court system, making recommendations to judges, and showing support to children faced with impactful and often confusing court cases following their rescue from abuse and neglect.

Brennan explained, “I recently had the opportunity to watch the movie “Sound of Freedom”, and it left a lasting impact on me. The film tells the powerful story of Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security agent who left his job to start a non-profit organization that rescues children from human trafficking.

The movie sheds light on the horrific realities of human trafficking, and the heroic efforts of those who are fighting to end it.”

“Being stirred by the movie and wanting to know how I could help, I googled how to help with human trafficking. The first article I came across suggested, as the number one action step, to become a CASA volunteer helping to protect children. I was floored.”

“CASA volunteers work with children who are in the foster care system, advocating for their best interests and ensuring that they are not forgotten or neglected. I believe that we all have a responsibility to stand up against the injustices of the world, and the Sound of Freedom movie serves as a powerful reminder of this. It is important that we support organizations like Tim Ballard’s Operation Underground Railroad and CASA, who are doing critical work to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children.”

Learn more at iamforthechildiowa.com or by emailing kerry.brennan@dia.iowa.gov or calling 515-725-5350.

Ruford’s adventures continue in local children’s book series

By Kate Klimesh

September is National Suicide Prevention Month ‘Step Up, Reach

Every year in September, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness. This is also an opportunity to reduce the stigma that often surrounds the topic of suicide and mental health conditions, said Cindy Thompson, a human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Spread awareness and break the stigma by joining in the “Step Up, Reach Out” Suicide Awareness 9th Annual Walk.

The Saturday, Sept. 30, event begins at 9 a.m., with registration, followed by a short program at 10 a.m., and the walk immediately after the presentation held at Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health at 905 Montgomery Street in Decorah.

The guest speaker is Becky Bina of Cresco and events include a memory wall, kids’ ac-

After a longer-than-planned release, Sue Lienau of Ossian has completed her second in the Ruford series of children’s books, “Ruford Visits the Northwoods.”

Written and illustrated by Lienau, the book follows the fledg-

ling eagle hatched in Decorah, first featured in the 2018 release, “Ruford Visits the Farm,” in a brand-new set of adventures, lovingly illustrated in colored pencil with a high level of detail in fur and feathers and a tender, engaging story.

In this newest book, Ruford is five years old and has taken off on a grand adventure north, traveling hundreds of miles from his home in Decorah to Duluth, Minn. He’s excited to take in the sights, including Lake Superior and the Northwoods. But Ruford has a problem—his wing is sore from his long journey, and it hurts to fly. Luckily, he meets plenty of new friends in the Northwoods who help him get better, including someone quite lovely.

“I write about places and people

I know and love,” said Lienau. “I chose to set Ruford’s second adventure in and around Duluth because it is such a jaw-droppingly beautiful area. I also based several of the animal characters in this book on some of my dearest friends. In fact, you can read all about who’s who in the character list at the end of the book!”

Lienau noted that after the first book, she heard from a father who had made Ruford’s journey with his son, Elias, after reading the book and stopped at all the places described. She reported she selected the towns for the second book knowing it would make another great father-son journey for them, and many others.

“Knowing they were going to travel Ruford’s journey again I picked those towns because I knew they were kid-friendly, and they would have a good time visiting them all.”

“It was always the plan for Ruford when I released the first book – if it was successful – that Ruford could visit many places. This will be the second of three in the Ruford series,” Lienau shared. “The third book, I’m already planning to start on this winter, and it will be the final Ruford book. I’m excited and hoping to have the final Ruford book ready for release in 2025.”

Lienau intimated the final book will see Ruford back in the Winneshiek County area on his next set of adventures, and he won’t be alone. The third book will feature Ossian and all its landmarks, including Bambino’s.

Each page’s illustrations averaged between nine and ten hours of work,

Ruford

continued on page 5

Written and illustrated by Sue Lienau of Ossian, Ruford’s second visit, to the Northwoods, is a story about taking on adventure, making memories and finding some special new friends along the way. Love finds a way!

Out’ Suicide Awareness Walk Sept. 30

tivities, roll call, raffles and suicide awareness materials.

The walk is stroller and pet-friendly. Free will donations go towards suicide prevention education, provision of mental health services to un-or-underinsured individuals and support for families and friends who have lost someone to suicide.

Step up, save a life

The “Step Up, Reach Out” Walk has provided education throughout the northeast Iowa community and schools over the last nine years. The need to continue to provide support is evidenced by recent statistics released by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). After declining in 2019 and 2020, suicide deaths increased approximately five percent in the United States in June 2021. The provisional estimates indicated that suicide deaths increased in 2022, rising from 48,183 deaths

in 2021 to an estimated 49,449 deaths in 2022, an increase of about 2.6 percent.

Although males make up 50 percent of the population, they account for nearly 80 percent of all suicides. According to the CDC, people who are age 85 years or older have the highest suicide rates. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 10-34.

“Children and youth often struggle with how to cope with stress. Youth can be particularly overwhelmed when their stress is connected to a traumatic event — like a natural disaster, family loss, school shootings or community violence,” said Thompson, who specializes in family wellbeing.

Parents, caregivers and educators can take steps to provide stability and support that help young people feel better. Adults can try to maintain as much of a normal routine as possible.

“Listen to what your child is telling you about their stress and/or fears and watch and listen for changes in behavior. Reassure your child of their safety and know the resources in your community to reach out to,” Thompson said.

“Suicide is a preventable kind of death, and one person has the ability to step up and help save a life. Evidence shows that providing support services, reducing access to means of self-harm, talking with the individual about suicidal thoughts, feelings or plans, and following up with the individual we are concerned about can help save a life,” Thompson said.

Five steps

Pledge to learn more and do more to help support family members, friends or colleagues who may be thinking about suicide. The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention

and the 988 Suicide and Crisis

Lifeline suggest five steps to help safeguard people from the risk of suicide and support them when in crisis:

• Ask: Asking and talking about suicide may reduce rather than increase suicide ideation.

• Help keep them safe: Reducing a person’s access to lethal means is an important part of suicide prevention.

• Be there: Increasing someone’s connectedness to others and limiting their isolation has shown to be a protective factor against suicide.

• Help them connect: Individuals that called the 988 Lifeline were significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful by the end of calls.

• Follow up: After you have connected a person experiencing thoughts of suicide with the immediate support systems that

they need, following-up with them to see how they are doing can help increase their feelings of connectedness and support. There’s evidence that even a simple form of reaching out can potentially reduce that person’s risk of suicide.

Resources

Locally, contact an ISU Extension and Outreach county office to sign up for a Mental Health First Aid training or a Question, Persuade, Refer, (QPR) suicide prevention training. These trainings can inform of some of the suicide warning signs such as talking about wanting to die or having no reason to live, fear of being a burden to others, giving away possessions, withdrawing from others, increased use of alcohol

A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN AND LOTS OF RAINBOWS! An early morning storm didn’t rain on the 2023 Decorah Pride parade, held Saturday Sept. 16, as various groups from across the community danced and pranced, swirled and twirled, and clapped and clopped their way through the streets in celebration of diversity, unity, and yes, pride! The town was ablaze with kaleidoscopic colors in celebration of LGBTQ+ groups and advocates, including (L to R) dancers from The Puppet Project, representatives of the Decorah Shakespeare Festival, Decorah educators with the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, and even a rainbow unicorn (center)! (Driftless Multimedia photos by Denise Lana)

Health & Fitness

WinnMed Introduces New Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Patients needing pure, pressurized oxygen to promote the healing of chronic wounds can now get that care locally at WinnMed.

In September, the first hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) chamber in the region opened as part of WinnMed’s Wound Center in Decorah.

The chamber was purchased with funds donated to the WinnMed Foundation through their Annual Fund.

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. This therapy is indicated for certain non-healing wounds, such as a diabetic foot ulcer, radiation injury or osteomyelitis. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not appropriate for all patients - as with most medical treatments, it truly depends on the patient’s condition and needs.

Why is a hyperbaric oxygen chamber beneficial for wound care?

The body’s tissues need an adequate supply of oxygen to function normally, and to heal.

When tissue is injured it needs even more oxygen. A hyperbaric oxygen chamber has been proven to enhance tissue oxygenation, stimulate growth factors, reduce inflammation,

fight infection and ultimately promote healing.

Steve Mayer, HBO technician at WinnMed, joined the Wound Center team earlier this summer to help build the HBO program. He came to the area from a long career of providing HBO therapy in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Mayer says, “It has been my privilege to assist many patients heal problematic wounds, such as radiation injuries from their past cancer treatments, or diabetic ulcers. Some of these patients have literally endured painful, unhealed wounds for years. I have found it very rewarding to see people heal their wounds and regain an improved quality of life and health.”

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be recommended in coordination with other wound healing treatments,

or independently to address wounds due to radiation injury, sudden hearing loss, or other conditions, as directed by a health care provider.

The WinnMed Wound Center, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, is led by Caroline Schwickerath, D.O., Mayo Clinic Health System general surgeon and board certified wound specialist. In addition to Dr. Schwickerath, Wound Center providers include: Bethany Stevens, ARNP; Thomas Marquardt, D.P.M.; Caity Schultz, ARNP; and Jenny Schrandt, ARNP, who will join the team this fall.

To learn more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy, visit winnmed.org/service/ wound-center. To schedule a consult, call WinnMed at 563-382-2911 and ask for the Wound Center.

Group Therapy Now Available at WinnMed

Access to mental health care is a top health concern of our community, according to WinnMed’s Community Health Assessment (2022). To address this need, the WinnMed Behavioral Health team is offering additional access to mental health care for patients through group therapy.

DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) Essentials

– led by Kara Crain, LMHC

12-week session

Patients learn core DBT skills to be mindful in the present moment, improve their communication, increase emotional resilience and handle tough emotions in healthy ways.

Service Notices

MARY LUKES, 68, of Decorah, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, at Gundersen Health Systems in La Crosse, Wis. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Benedict Catholic Church located at 307 West Main Street in Decorah with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Visitation will be held Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Helms Funeral Home at 306 East Water St. in Decorah, and also after 9:30 a.m. at the church Wednesday morning.

DONALD STEFFANS, 68, of Decorah, died unexpectedly on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at his home. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 10 a.m., at St. Benedict’s Catholic Cemetery in Decorah with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding.

Chronic Pain Management – led by Claire Haedike, Psy.D.

8-week session

Patients suffering from chronic pain learn alternatives to medicated pain management.

Beneficial to those with a stress-related condition (fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.) who are struggling with daily pain management.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

– led by Claire Haedike, Psy.D.

5-week session

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep or cause you to wake up too

early and not be able to get back to sleep. People who experience an ongoing lack of sleep are at increased risk for health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and chronic pain. CBT-I group sessions include strategies to change thoughts and behaviors associated with sleep, lifestyle habits that improve sleep and relaxation techniques.

Group therapy is a covered benefit under most insurance plans. To schedule a group therapy consult, call 563382-2911 and ask to speak with Behavioral Health.

St. John’s Church garage and bake sale this week

The St. John’s Church at Locust WELCA is holding a Garage and Bake Sale to help raise funds for the repair of a leaky roof. Due to long-term water damage, it’s a bit more than just replacing the section of roof. David Fisher reported, “We need to replace the roof on top of the bell tower and on the entry way to the church due to ongoing leaking from rain. Several boards are rotten from the rain. The leaking in the entry

September is Suicide Awareness Month and WinnMed’s Dr. Ronald Hougen, Mayo Clinic Health System psychologist, offers the following information for talking to youth and adults about suicide.

Tips for discussing suicide:

• Be direct. Talk openly and matter-offactly about suicide. Ask: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”

Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Accept the feelings.

• Be non-judgmental. Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad.

Don’t lecture on the value of life.

• Get involved. Become available. Show interest and support. Follow up in the days and weeks following a crisis.

• Don’t dare them to do it.

• Don’t act shocked. This will put distance between you.

• Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek support. Seek help from a trusted adult if you are a young person. Inform parents, guard-

• National Suicide & Crisis Line: 988

ians, and spouses/partners if you know their loved one is talking about suicide or demonstrating warning signs.

• Offer hope. Let them know alternatives are available but do not offer superficial reassurance. Take action. Remove means, like weapons or pills. Get help. Seek out people or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

• Get trained in suicide prevention.

Who to contact for help:

• Call 911 in the case of an emergency (if danger is imminent or the person has already taken action to end their life)

• Call the police department or sheriff’s office and ask for a welfare check if you are concerned that someone may make a suicide attempt and you or others are not there to keep them safe.

• If the person is willing to let you help them get help, they can call the numbers below:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Tele-interpreter services available.

• Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889

• Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 or Text: 838255

• Trevor Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386

A crisis intervention and suicide prevention phone service for LGBTQ youth. Available 24/7.

• Trevor Text: Text “START” to 678678. Standard text messaging rates apply. Available 24/7.

• Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860

A national trans-led 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fighting the epidemic of Trans suicide.

• Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health Crisis Calls: 563-382-3649 (Decorah Office)

• Your Life Iowa/Mobile Crisis Response Team: 1-855-581-8111

• Iowa Concern: 1-800-447-1985

A live chat for agricultural and urban concerns, legal, financial, stress, or crisis/disaster. Available 24/7.

Excellence in Allergy Care

Now Available in Decorah

Michael D’Netto, M.D.

Chronic Wasting Disease learning session Sept. 28

way has traveled down through the tiles in the ceiling, on the inside of the church and need to be replaced. Also painting will need to be done due to rainwater running down the walls.”

To help with the project, the Garage Sale and Bake Sale will be held at St. John’s Church Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29 and 30. Friday sales are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday sales are 9 a.m. to noon.

Special Veteran enrollment deadline Sept. 30

Veterans who deployed to a combat zone, never enrolled in VA health care and left active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, are eligible to enroll directly in VA health care until 11:59 p.m. local time Saturday, Sept. 30

This special enrollment peri-

od gives Veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones an opportunity to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.

Contact the local County Veterans Affairs Office for assistance with the application.

The Winneshiek County Extension Office will host a free, onehour learning session Thursday, Sept. 28, for hunting enthusiasts, landowners, conservationists and the general public on Chronic Wasting Disease. The program will help attendees understand CWD, management, mitigation, ecology and testing for CWD.

CWD, is a neurological disease infecting wild white-tailed deer in Iowa and other members of the Cervidae family in North America, including mule deer, elk, moose and caribou. The program will be taught by CWD Extension Specialist Heather Vetter. The program will be held from 6 to 7 p.m., at the Winneshiek County Extension Office, at 2316 Sweet Parkway Road, Decorah. Pre-registration is requested. To RSVP, contact the Winneshiek County Extension Office at 563-382-2949 or email alliemc@iastae.edu

Suicide Awareness continued from front

or drugs, talking about themselves in past tense and extreme mood swings.

ISU Extension and Outreach also has resources for dealing with stress on the farm, Thompson said.

Nationally, there are many hotlines and messaging services if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 for 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress.

• Veterans Crisis Line. Veterans and their loved ones can text 838-255 or dial 988 then press 1 for to get 24/7 confidential crisis support. Many of the responders are veterans themselves.

• The Trevor Project. Text “Start” to 678-678, call 866488-7386 or chat at www. thetrevorproject.org/get-help/. Trained counselors are avail-

able 24/7 to support people under 25 who are in crisis, feeling suicidal or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk. The Trevor Project specializes in supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

• SAMHSA’s National Helpline. Call 800-662-4357 (HELP) or text your zip code to 435748 (HELP4U) for free, confidential treatment referral and information for individuals and families in need. The helpline is available 24/7, 365-daysa-year and has English and Spanish language options.

• Iowa Concern Hotline. Call 800-447-1985, to reach the ISU Extension and Outreach hotline. Resource services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week at no charge. Iowa Concern has access to an attorney for legal education, stress counselors, and information and referral services for a wide variety of topics.

WinnMed’s HBO technician, Steve Mayer, pictured with the hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber.

Elkader Opera House stages ‘Peter Pan’ and more

The historic Elkader Opera House will feature a remarkable lineup of shows and concerts this fall season.

Leading off will be an Opera House Players (OHP) production of “Peter Pan,” the classic tale of a boy who never grows up and goes off to Neverland.

Join the OHP as they take audiences on a journey through classic fantasy and folklore that sparks the imagination of all ages. Peter, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys have many adventures with fairies, mermaids, pirates and Captain Hook. The OHP cast is sure to deliver a memorable performance of this magical version of the play.

Show times for Peter Pan will be Oct. 6-7, 13-14 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 8, 12 and 15 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through operahouse@aplinecom.net, tickets@icsbbs.com, at Elkader Floral or at operahouse.booktix. com online.

‘Peter Pan’ production

It takes a lot to put on any theatrical production – most times with very little budget.

Cherie Moss, director of Peter Pan for OHP, has a vision for the performance after selecting her script. Then, she began to put the production team together: a stage manager, set designer, technical team, creative designer, prop masters, costume designer and so many more.

This means trust and a lot of collaboration.

After the characters are cast, the director works with the actors to “block the show” – a term in the industry that means the movement the actors make on stage.

The stage manager records all the blocks, maintains the rehearsal schedules and assures that all the actors are accounted for and feel safe in the space at

all times. Once the blocking is complete, the director and actors continue to rehearse each scene focusing on characteristics and interpretation of the playwright’s words.

Meanwhile, the creative team works behind the scenes to take the director’s concepts and transform the empty space into the life of the show. The set

designer builds and paints the scenery, meanwhile the prop master decorates the set, and assures there is no pantomiming. The costume manager fits and measures each actor and starts building and/or sourcing clothing and costumes as needed for each character.

The technical team oversees lighting and sound. They plot the stage for full visibility and special moments created by lighting and sound to enforce the intent of the playwrights and director. A good technical designer goes unnoticed by the audience unless something goes “wrong.”

All the elements come together for the final week of rehearsal commonly known as tech week or “Hell Week” because of the arduous and grueling week.

Holiday schedule

“Christmas at the Opera House” will be held Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. with classically-trained pianist and 2015 inductee to the Minnesota Hall of Fame Lorie Line.

Line has recorded over 65 CDs and published over 50 books of music. For Christmas with Lorie Line, she will play both the classics and some newer songs that make the season special. Line presents funny and heart-warming stories with her musical talents, all centered around the piano.

“A Classic Christmas Fantasy” Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m., offers the sounds of the season from the Opera House Players. For more information on any of these performances, visit elkaderoperahouse.com.

Ruford

and thankfully, a vacation to visit her son in Las Vegas gave her the time to focus and get Ruford’s story back on track for release this year.

Aptly, the characters in the latest release are more engaging and central to the story than in the first book. For instance, Ruford’s biggest help in mending his sore wing is Buddy the duck, a character modeled after Ossian’s late Veterinarian, Dr. Bud Vagts, who carved ducks as a hobby and was an integral part of the community.

“Even the grumpy gopher, he knows he’s in the book, but as I say, he has a soft heart,” Lienau said with a smile. “I wish I could do this all day – write and draw. But that will be something for my retirement.”

She did explain that the reason for the long break between Ruford books was the explosion of popularity of Bambino’s for her and her husband Ronald af-

continued

ter winning Iowa’s Best Burger title. “I just didn’t have any time to pick up a pencil or draw for about a year and a half.”

from front Fuel prices again on the rise

Lienau hints at Ruford’s love interest in the new book and called on her second grandson to name Ruford’s future love, since her first grandson named Ruford himself.

For more information, or for a copy of the local author’s latest release, visit Bambino’s in Ossian or follow “Ruford Series” on Facebook for details of upcoming book signings and release events all along Ruford’s path to Duluth.

A release in Decorah is planned Saturday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Market 52.

As for Lienau’s ideas on life after Ruford, “Oh, this is not the end of my book writing, I have another one I’m anxious to start on when I’m done with the Ruford series.”

From the Iowa Weekly fuel report, gas prices have soared since June. In June, the price of regular unleaded gasoline averaged $3.37 per gallon across Iowa according to AAA, with diesel at $3.70 per gallon. Crude oil sold at WTI for $68.82 per barrel, while Brent crude oil sold at $72.84. as of early June 2022, One year ago, WTI crude sold for $100.28 and Brent crude was at $125.53. For the week of Sept. 13, 2023, regular unleaded gasoline averaged $3.92 per gallon and diesel at $4.86. WTI crude sold at $88.98 per barrel, and Brent crude was priced at $92.25. In September 2022, Brent crude was $92.04.

from

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Courthouse

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of the

Previously rented to Gunderson Decorah Orthodontic Clinic. Trade Fixtures can stay. Both sides of the first level of 1000 square feet each side, multiple rooms for office or work space. Very clean & well maintained! Common hallway in the center, which separates the area available. Each side has a 1/2 bath. Tenant pays for electricity usage. Landlord pays for water/sewer. Prefer a two year lease, available now! Owner would split the space if tenant prefers less square footage.

Shown is a side-by-side comparison of the “old” versus “new” bridges over the Mississippi River at Lansing. The new bridge will be 15 feet taller, coming in at an impressive 180 feet (the highest point above water level). The new bridge deck width of 40 feet is 19 feet wider than the old bridge, making the driving lanes a safer 12-feet wide with 8-foot shoulders. The bridge also boasts a broader foundation at 150 feet versus the current bridge at 55 feet. (photo courtesy Iowa DOT)

Mississippi River bridge replacement underway at Lansing

Over the next few years when traveling around Lansing and rural Crawford County, Wisconsin, travelers will see exciting things happening with the construction of a new Mississippi River Bridge crossing. The Mississippi River bridge connecting Iowa Highway 9 in Lansing to Wisconsin Highway 82 stands as an icon for the region, and a new icon is in the works to replace this aging structure and improve safety and mobility.

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207 S. Jefferson St., Calmar

its structure. This limits commercial traffic and is impacting freight movement in the region.

• Geometry. The tight turn where Iowa 9 intersects in Lansing makes it difficult for truck traffic, also impacting freight movement in the region.

• Safety. The deck is narrow at only 21 feet and has no shoulders. This gives no room for motorists with mechanical trouble to pull over safely. Any crash or other incident will likely close the bridge completely.

• Ride. The old bridge has a steel grate deck that provides a very rough ride. The steel grates were difficult for our winter maintenance crews to remove snow and ice.

Discover this inviting 4-bedroom, 1 ½-bathroom home boasting 1600+ sq. ft. Situated on a generous corner lot, it features a composite deck, and ample space for indoor and outdoor living. Additionally there are original hard wood features, a delightful 3 seasons porch, and a detached garage. Convenient location near schools, parks, and amenities. Your new home awaits! 106 College Dr., Decorah, IA 563-382-3627

This impressive cantilever bridge is often referred to as the Black Hawk Bridge. The structure has served the area since 1931 with a closure from 194557 when the crossing was damaged by ice dams. Depreciation over time and changing vehicle size and traffic patterns now call for a new, wider and safer crossing.

Sarah Zbornik 563.379.1292

Working with area residents and interest groups through public meetings and other outreach efforts, the Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation are proud to get started on a new, safe, functional bridge that will serve the area for generations. Federal funding will cover approximately 80 percent of the $140 million cost of the bridge. The states of Iowa and Wisconsin will evenly split the remaining costs.

Why replacement?

Large amounts of data collected concluded the following:

• Structural condition. The current bridge rates as “low” for

• Navigation. The 650-foot width of the navigation channel is problematic for barges.

New bridge expectations

Several meetings were conducted to hear residents’ concerns about what is important to them about the old bridge and what they expect from the new one.

• Design. The existing bridge is a beloved structure in the region. The new bridge was thoughtfully designed to mimic the look of the existing bridge.

• Geometry. The Iowa 9 intersection in Lansing will be upgraded to allow for safer truck travel.

• Safety. The new bridge will

Bridge

continued on page 7

Bridge

have wider lanes and eightfoot-wide shoulders (40 feet total), greatly increasing safety.

• Ride. The new bridge will have a smooth, concrete deck that will protect the superstructure from winter maintenance treatments.

• Navigation. The navigation channel will be increased to 750 feet, making it easier for barges to get through the area.

Bridge construction

Some environmental work is underway now to catalog and relocate mussels in the Mississippi River near the old bridge. Other preliminary work may begin yet this year.

The bulk of the construction work for the new bridge will take place alongside the old

continued from page 6

bridge beginning in 2024 and running through 2026. The old bridge will remain in use during this time.

In 2026, the roads that connect to the new bridge will be constructed and there will be a few weeks when traffic will be detoured as those connections are made.

The new bridge is expected to be fully functional in 2027 and the old bridge will be removed.

To stay connected, visit iowadot.gov/lansingbridge/Home, follow “LansingBridge” on Facebook, or e-mail the project team at DOT-Iowa9bridge@iowadot.us.

HELPWANTED

OVCO opening concert Oct. 1

The Oneota Valley Community Orchestra (OVCO) announced its 10th concert season with an opening performance on Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. in the Decorah High School Auditorium. Award winning OVCO Music Director Matthew Cody will conduct the orchestra.

OVCO will celebrate the season-opener by performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Overture to “The Magic Flute” – the first piece the orchestra played at its inaugural concert 10 years ago – and Anton Bruckner’s epic Symphony No. 4, the “Romantic.”

The 2023-24 season will find the orchestra performing not only great classical masterpieces but also contemporary music by diverse composers. The

programs will include Antonio Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” as well as compositions by William Grant Stills, “Danzas de Panama” and Arturo Márquez, “Conga del Fuego.” In January, OVCO will play a Baroque program featuring violinist Rebecca Corruccini from the Minnesota Orchestra. Corruccini played the Beethoven Concerto with OVCO several years ago. Of special note for the season finale in April, Decorah native Carina Yee will come home to play the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Through the years, the orchestra has grown artistically and developed an excellent, seasoned sense of ensemble. The OVCO concerts are free of charge. For more information, visit www.ovcorchestra.org.

Postville Child Care receives $2,000 donation

100+ Women Who Care

Oneota Valley met at Rubaiyat Wednesday, Sept. 6. Members were briefed at start by Shannon Dallenbach Durbin from ArtHaus who discussed how last meetings’ proceeds were used to help with an interactive music park for kids and ongoing outdoor renovation.

After hearing presentations about charities including Howard County Hospice, Winnesh-

iek County Celebration of Life and Postville Child Care, Postville Child Care was selected to receive proceeds from the meeting. Funds will aid in providing continued childcare for infants to school age children in north-

Cherry Grove Cowboy Church Oct. 1

16th anniversary of services

Cherry Grove Cowboy Church will be held Sunday, Oct. 1, with musicians beginning at 5:45 p.m. and service at 6 p.m. Cowboy Church is nondenominational. The service includes a mix of country, Christian country, cowboy and southern gospel and bluegrass music. Musicians are welcome and should contact Cindy Seabright at seabright.cindy@ gmail.com or 507-272-1682 one week prior to the first-Sunday-of-the-month service.

east Iowa as the facility is facing closure in the coming year.

It is estimated that Postville Child Care will receive $2,000, pending final donations to be submitted from members not in attendance at the meeting.

The Cherry Grove United Methodist Church is located at 18183 160th Street, in the small community of Cherry Grove, rural Spring Valley, Minn. Cherry Grove Church is handicap accessible.

Challenge accepted; SW survives AGWSR

ABOVE LEFT: Cade Averhoff dashes by a Mason City defender for a portion of his 13 yards Friday night. ABOVE RIGHT: Brayden Wemark connected on five PATs and had seven kickoffs for 259 yards for the Vikes Friday night. (Photos courtesy of Amy Averhoff)

Happy Homecoming; Vikes earn 42-0 win

Fired up after a hard loss the week prior, the Decorah football team (4-1, 1-0) really wanted the homecoming win Friday night over Mason City (1-4, 0-1) and it showed with a 42-0 blanking of the Riverhawks.

“Our team played well against Mason City. Even though it rained throughout the game, our student section was awesome and stayed and cheered the team on. We managed the conditions well overall. We tried to keep the football dry so we could handle it and I think we did better than they did. We rushed the ball well but could not bring in all the passes. The players were able to accomplish a shutout which we had not done previously this season. Our offense played very well too with some long drives with good blocking,” said Coach Pat Trewin.

Scoring moments

Three first-quarter touchdowns and a safety pushed Decorah to the early lead and the Vikes didn’t let go. On their opening drive, Decorah drove 71 yards down the field in six plays with Tommy Sexton rumbling the final 16 yards for the score. It wasn’t long before the Vikes were driving again as a Riverhawk fumbled the ball on the kick-off with Gatlin Dahlberg recovering the pigskin at the Mason City 30. Three plays later Dakota Johnson darted through traffic for a 13-yard touchdown run. Pinned deep in their own

territory, the Riverhawks mishandled a snap for a punt which rolled out of the end zone for a safety. Viking quarterback Louis Bucksa capped off the opening period with a two-yard carry over the goal line. Decorah added a score in the second on a 17yard rush by Johnson to carry a 30-0 lead into halftime.

It was another safety in the third and Johnson’s third touchdown in the third. The final score was a Jimmy Valdez 26-yard field goal.

A few stars

The Vikings rushed for 254 yards and passed for another 70 for 324 yards of total offense while Mason City finished the night with -18.

Johnson rushed 16 times for 150 yards, a 9.4 yards per carry average. Tommy Sexton picked up 85 yards in 16 carries. Bucksa was 7-for-12 in passing with Noah Milburn pulling in a trio of receptions for 44 yards. Trevor Kuennen had two receptions, while Gavin Groux had one.

Leading the defense with three solo tackles and one assist was Carter Dlhy who also forced a fumble. Keaton Orris was there for a pair of solo and two assisted stops, while Brady Benzing and Gatlin Dahlberg had one solo and three assisted tackles apiece. Jeron Feuerhelm had an interception with 22 yards of return as well with Dahlberg and T. Kuennen each having a fumble recovery.

Preps

Abe Conway

of the Week

Abe Conway is a senior on the South Winn boys’ cross country team who also participates in track, National Honor Society, plays and musicals.

Off to a great start this season, Conway has already dropped his lifetime best by 45 seconds over the course of the Warriors’ first three meets and has been the first on the team to cross the finish line. After the first three meets, the seniors personal best time sits at 18:24.

“Abe has put in a lot of work over the past couple years and it is really starting to show up in his performances. He is much stronger and more confident in his training and racing,” said SW co-head coach Kevin Kearney. “Abe has made a commitment to get better and has check off one of his major goals already this season – he is the ‘most improved’ runner in the history of South Winn cross country. He began his career running 29:46 as a freshman and so far has an improvement of 11:22 over the course of his career.”

Abe is the son of Scott and Marie Conway.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson is a member of the Decorah football team. Besides football, the senior has been involved in track as a Viking.

Through the first four games of the season, Johnson has carried the pigskin 80 times and rushed for 625 yards, scoring eight touchdowns. Defensively he has 10.5 total tackles, including nine solo stops and one fumble recovery. Johnson has also returned to kick-offs for 42 yards.

“Dakota has had a tremendous start to the season. His explosiveness as a running back, along with his speed and determination as a defender are evident to everyone who watches the game. Dakota worked extremely hard in the off season and it is paying dividends now. He is a quiet leader and other students, as well as players, respect his effort and attitude,” said Decorah head football coach Pat Trewin.

Dakota is the son of Darin Johnson and Heather Hollar.

Up next

With district competition underway, Decorah will travel to Waverly-Shell Rock Friday, Sept. 29, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

“They are certainly a big rival. We have not fared well against them the past three years and our seniors have not beat them in high school. We won’t let their record deceive us. They have played the toughest schedule in the state so far. Still, when we watch film on them, we see how good they can be. They are big and they have a quarterback and receiver combination who really click. Finally, our guys know that this game is very important to our team goals and need a great week of preparation and to play our best on Friday,” said Coach

The heavy rains across northeast Iowa were definitely a factor for any football team on the gridiron Friday night and it was no exception for South Winn (23) as they hosted AGWSR (1-4) for homecoming. The Warriors came out on top in district action, 16-14. We had to adjust the gameplan a bit earlier in the day after seeing the change in the forecast,” said Coach Jason Ohrt. “I was pleased with how we protected the football most of the night. Other than one 3rd and long pass play, and losing control on the opening play of the game, our defense played extremely well versus a very talented running back and big offensive line. Our backs ran extremely hard and we were getting solid pushes up front from our offensive line. Tristen Bodensteiner played a great game at the center position and Kyle Kuboushek ran for over 100 yards. We are learning how to close out these tough contest-

ed ball games. This is something we struggled with early in the season. I feel really good about the growth and maturation of this football team.”

The run down

Following a scoreless first period, a pass strung between Braiden Todd and Carson Streeter put the Warriors on the scoreboard 7-0. Kyle Kuboushek’s 4-yard scamper in the third quarter put South Winn out front 140. However, the visiting Cougars returned the ensuing kick-off 70 yards and scored on a 28-yard pass in the third period to make it 14-12, thanks to the pair of two-point conversions stopped by the Warriors. Sacking the AGWSR quarterback in the end zone, Parker Timp scored South Winn’s final two points in the fourth quarter.

Good experience

Despite the rain, Braiden Todd connected for four passes for 34 yards with Carson Streeter and

Brody Tieskoetter each hauling a pair down. In the ground game, Kuboushek did the bulk of the damage with 106 yards on 28 carries. Timp gathered another 35 yards with 10 touches while Brady Ohrt carried the pigskin 10 times for 44 yards.

Defensively it was Ohrt there for six solo stops while Todd had five solo drag downs. With four solo tackles apiece were B. Tieskoetter and Timp.

Next on the list

Friday, Sept. 29, the Warriors will be at district leader Nashua-Plainfield at 7 p.m.

pass

Offensive lineman Ray Lienau (71) sets up a block as Brady Ohrt hands the ball off to Kyle Kuboushek during the downpour to start the second half Friday night. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

yards:

Andrew Rhodes (2.0); Landon Kuennen (2.0); Kelley Gates (2.0); Groux (1.0); Waskow (1.0); Bradan Darling (1.0); William Hahn (1.0); Caleb Krieg (1.0)

Interceptions (no/return yds):

Feuerhelm (1-22)

Fumble recoveries: Dahlberg 1; T.

Kuennen 1

Punts (att/yds): Milburn (2-78)

Punt returns (att/yds): Groux (1-54)

Kick-offs (att/yds): Brayden Wemark (7-359, 1 TB) Kick-off returns (att/yds): Groux (228); Sexton (1-6)

Streeter (3-122)

Kick-off returns (att/yds): Streeter (3-43)

Vikes win home tourney; Warriors third

The Decorah volleyball team (12-6, 1-2 NEIC) hosted its own tournament Saturday and took the title by going 6-0 for the day. South Winn (13-12, 3-1 UIC) also competed in the tournament and finished third.

Decorah

Decorah started the day by defeating MFL MarMac 2-0 (2113, 21-5). Then the Vikes flew by Kingsland 2-0 (21-9, 21-16) and finished pool play with 2-0 win over South Winn by identical 21-19 sets.

In bracket play, Decorah won over Riceville 2-0 (21-19, 2119). It was another close battle with the SW Warriors that the Vikes won 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 17-15). In the championship match Decorah earned the title 2-0 by sets of 21-19 and 23-21 over Jesup.

“I felt that we played fairly consistently throughout the day. We worked ourselves out

of a couple of sets where we allowed a hole to be dug. I was proud of our girls for coming together, believing in themselves and working through the challenge,” said Viking head coach Gina Holthaus.

Warriors

The Warriors nearly captured the title after six solid matches of volleyball on Saturday. SW advanced out of pool play to the championship bracket going 2-1. The Warriors defeated Kingsland 2-0 (21-10, 21-9) and MFL MarMac (21-17, 21-11) before dropping two sets to the hosts in two 19-21 sets.

In the championship bracket, the Warriors came out on fire in the first set against Jesup, putting together one of their best sets of the year taking down Jesup 21-9. Jesup quickly responded and captured the second 2117 and then the deciding set to post the victory 15-10. The War-

riors then faced Decorah in the second match and came up just short as they took the Vikings to a deciding set and couldn’t win on a couple of opportunities on match point, falling 17-15 after splitting 15-21 and 21-19. The Warriors would secure third place in the final match of the day with the sweep over Riceville 21-14 and 21-17.

“We really looked forward to this tournament knowing we would find ourselves in a number of close matches. At times, we were really clicking and showing ourselves what we were capable of, but unfortunately we lacked a bit of consistency in some phases of the game to push forward in a couple of matches. I give a lot of credit to our girls as we implemented some new rotations today and shuffled players into different spots and they handled themselves really well with that,” said SW head coach Alex Smith.

Trojans run over by bigger, faster Clarksville squad

While it would be easier to blame the rain showers for the struggles Friday night, the Turkey Valley football team (3-2, 2-1) simply were up against a bigger, stronger faster Clarksville squad according to head coach Mark Scott.

“This was not a team we needed to play on a rainy, wet night,” he added.

The undefeated Clarksville Indians (6-0) ran away with the win 62-22.

Tale of the game

From the kick-off Clarksville showcased its dominance returning the pigskin 78 yards to the house. The visitors would go on to score four more times on explosive 53-yard, 61-yard, 44yard and 53-yard runs in the first quarter. In the midst of the Indian scoring Burke Busta found his way through traffic to put the ball in the end zone once on a 14-yard carry, making it 38-8.

The second period scoring began with 24-yard and 25-yard Indian touchdown runs before Trojan Oliver Schmitt turned on the jets for a 51-yard carry over the goal line. By halftime Clarksville held a 54-16 lead.

Each team scored just once in the second half with TV’s Logan

Busta connecting with Caleb Kurtenbach for a 23-yard pass.

Statistics

In spite of the rain, the Trojans tallied 244 total yards of offense with 155 coming on the ground. Clarksville’s entire 494 yards were rushing.

L. Busta was 10-for-20 in passing for 89 yards with Kurtenbach pulling down three passes for 26 yards. B. Busta and Oliver Schmitt also had three receptions apiece. Schmitt led the ground game with 88 yards on 20 carries while B. Busta provided 48 yards on six touches. On defense, Schmitt had 5.5 total tackles including a trio of solo stops. Hunter Kruse was there for three solo tackles and three assists.

Home again

Turkey Valley will get back into district action when the Trojans host Waterloo Christian, who is new to 8-man football, Friday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m.

Game stats Total yards: Turkey Valley 244; Clarksville 494 Passing (comp/att/yds): Logan Busta (10-20, 89 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT) Rushing (att/yds): Oliver Schmitt (2088, 1 TD); Burke Busta (6-48, 1 TD); L. Busta (5-11); Russell Nieman (1-8)

Receiving (att/yds/TD): Caleb Kurtenbach (3-46, 1 TD); B. Busta (3-21); Schmitt (3-16); JD Kruse (1-6)

Tackles (total): Schmitt (5.5); Hunter Kruse (4.5); Kurtenbach (3.0); JD Kruse (2.5); L. Busta (2.0); B. Busta (2.0); Nieman (2.0); Mitchell Kriener (2.0); Treyton Franzen (1.5); Jordan Kriener (1.5); Parker Reicks (1.5); Kaden Schmidt (1.0) Fumble recoveries: L. Busta 1; Schmitt 1

Punts (att/yds): Schmitt (3-109)

Kick-offs (att/yds): Schmitt (4-115)

Kick-off returns (att/yds): Schmitt (568); L. Busta (1-12); Kurtenbach (2-4); JD Kruse (1-0)

Turkey Valley running back Oliver Schmitt (22)

the corner as teammates block the Clarksville defense

day in the rain. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

Week 5 cross country rankings

Boys’ team rankings

Class 4A – 1. Cedar Falls; 2. West Des Moines Dowling; 3. Waukee Northwest; 4. Pleasant Valley; 5. Ankeny; 6. Cedar Rapids Kennedy; 7. Dallas Center-Grimes;

Turkey Valley Athletic Booster President Aaron Schmidt (center) cut the ribbon to celebrate the new concession stand Friday night. The new building stands between the football and baseball fields, complete with restrooms, a large covered patio and storage. Holding the ribbon were Don Manderfield (left) and Deacon Jim Zajicek. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

Trio inducted into Trojan Hall of Fame Friday

In spite of the rain, three individuals were inducted in the Turkey Valley Hall of Fame Friday night at halftime. Those pictured are (front, l-r) Bridget Meyer, Bill Burke (honoree); (back) Dave Ungerer, Diane Ungerer, Janice Meyer Plastic, Carole Burke, Dan Meyer, Chris Meyer, Danny Schmitt and Jerry Winter (honoree). The family of Keith O’Connell were unable to attend. (Photo courtesy of Leah Kruse)

Three new members were inducted into the Turkey Valley Hall of Fame at halftime of Friday’s football game as they were recognized, biographies on their impact to the school were read. Below are excerpts from the biographies. The full biographies are available online at www.driftlessjournal.com.

Keith O’Connell

Keith O’Connell was born Oct. 15, 1927, on the family farm east of Frederika. He attended rural country school and was a 1945 graduate of the Fredericksburg High School.

He initially began college at Upper Iowa University in Fayette before he enlisted in the armed forces in February of 1946. Keith served in the U.S. Navy for two years and was honorably discharged in 1948.

Keith completed his bachelor’s degree in 1950, and his master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1955.

The Turkey Valley School District was officially formed on July 1st, 1960, and it desperately needed a superintendent. Despite being discouraged by his colleagues of even applying for the job because of the monumental task it would be, Keith O’Connell applied for and accepted the job anyway. Mr. O’Connell always liked a challenge.

Prior to the formation of the new public school district nestled along the serene banks of the Turkey River, there were three public high schools located in Ft. Atkinson, Waucoma and Lawler. There were also two Catholic high schools in St. Lucas and Protivin. In addition, each town had their own Catholic Grade School.

Keith eventually retired in 1989 after 29 years as Turkey Valley Superintendent. He later said what he missed the most was the people he worked with, especially the countless students over the course of his long and successful tenure as Turkey Valley’s first superintendent.

Keith O’Connell was truly the right person at the right time to spearhead the organization of Turkey Valley School District. It is now our challenge to live our lives by his example and continue the proud Turkey Valley legacy he left behind.

Bill Burke

An excerpt from longtime Turkey Valley bus driver Bill Burke’s Letter of Resignation to the Turkey Valley School Board dated May 5, 2010, states: “There is a time for staying and

8. Norwalk; 9. West Des Moines Valley; 10. Johnston; 11. Iowa City Liberty; 12. Dubuque Hempstead;

13. Urbandale; 14. Waukee; 15. Iowa City City High; 16. Bettendorf;

17. Linn-Mar; 18. Dubuque Senior;

19. Indianola; 20. Des Moines Roosevelt

Class 3A – 1. Gilbert; 2. Pella;

3. Lewis Central; 4. Mount VernonLisbon; 5. Carlisle; 6. Washington;

7. Glenwood; 8. Winterset; 9. Solon;

10. ADM; 11. Clear Creek-Amana;

12. Central DeWitt; 13. Center Point-Urbana; 14. MOC-Floyd Valley; 15. Sioux Center; 16. South Tama; 17. Nevada; 18. North Polk;

19. Fort Madison; 20. Marion Class 2A – 1. Des Moines Christian; 2. Mid-Prairie; 3. Waukon;

4. Chariton; 5. Spirit Lake; 6. VintonShellsburg; 7. East Sac. Co.; 8. Mediapolis; 9. Okoboji; 10. Denver;

11. Forest City; 12. Williamsburg;

13. Clarinda; 14. Oelwein; 15. Pella Christian; 16. Unity Christian;

17. Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 18. Jesup; 19. Tipton; 20. Sheldon Class 1A – 1. ACGC; 2. Woodbine; 3. Lake Mills; 4. Earlham; 5. Bellevue; 6. Pekin; 7. Martensdale-St. Mary’s; 8. Grundy Center; 9. Fort Dodge St. Edmond;

10. Ogden; 11. Madrid; 12. Iowa City Regina; 13. Council Bluffs St. Albert; 14. Springville; 15. SibleyOcheyedan; 16. IKM-Manning;

17. Tri-Center; 18. Danville; 20. Grandview Christian

Girls’ team rankings Class 4A – 1. Johnston; 2. Pleasant Valley; 3. Dubuque Senior; 4. Dallas Center-Grimes;

5. Dubuque Hempstead; 6. Ankeny Centennial; 7. Ankeny; 8. Waukee;

a time for going” It is time for me to be going as a full-time bus driver for Turkey Valley. It seems like just yesterday, way back in 1957, when I began driving the school bus for the Waucoma Public School.”

When Turkey Valley consolidated in 1960, Bill had a shiny new bus to drive, but the job remained the same. The job was picking up the children in the morning and bringing them home in the afternoon.

For over 50 years, Bill Burke picked up countless children in his big yellow school bus and for over 50 years, he brought the children safely home. The journey for Bill, a decorated Korean War veteran, began when he was just 26 years old and having just been honorably discharged from the United States Military.

Jerry Winter

Jerry Winter was a threesport star athlete for the Trojans and graduated in 1972. The son of Melvin and Mary Lou Winter of Lawler, Jerry competed in football, basketball and baseball. He earned all-conference and all-state honors in all three sports. He holds many all-time school records. These records include 3,143 career rushing yards in 11-man football, 4,078 career total yards, 44 touchdowns, and 317 rushing yards in a single game.

Recruited by several colleges, Jerry elected to go to Iowa State and play baseball. He was a four-year baseball letter winner for the Cyclones. Jerry played many different positions including the infield, outfield, and of course pitching. In his first college start, he set a record for throwing the least number of pitches in a nine inning game.

Jerry threw a total of 91 pitches in a complete game shutout against the University of Houston. He earned The Big 8 Pitcher of the Week honor for a nine inning, one-hit complete game shutout over Kansas State. He also wielded a solid bat in the formidable Cyclone line-up.

After college, Jerry had a 43year career at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids. During that time, he officiated Iowa High School football and basketball contests, along with Division III college football games for 38 years. He officiated numerous Iowa state playoff games including the state finals on several occasions. Jerry was inducted into the Iowa High School Officiating Hall of Fame in 2004.

Abby Wagner went 14-for-14 at the service line with two aces Thursday against Kee in addition to providing five kills and three digs. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

SW dominates nets at Kee

The South Winn volleyball team (10-9, 3-1 UIC) came out clicking in all phases and maintained momentum throughout the night at home against Kee (2-9, 1-2 UIC), winning 3-0. Set scores were 25-9, 25-11 and 25-11.

As a squad, the Warriors had 29 kills on 106 attack attempts with 28 assists, 36 digs, five total blocks, 14 aces and was 73for-76 at the service line.

Katrina Hageman was at the forefront of the attack line with nine kills to go with five digs, an 8-for-9 serving performance with four aces. Ivey Franzen produced six kills and three total blocks, while Abby Wagner had five kills, three digs and served 14-for-14.

“It is always nice to return to our home court and play in front of a big crowd after a tough road loss earlier in the week to NFV. Our girls came in with the right mindset and accomplished a lot of things within the match tonight that we set out to do in terms of offensive attacking,

and we got to look at a number of players in different spots this evening,” said Coach Alex Smith.

The Warriors will be on the road Tuesday, Sept. 26, against West Central then are at home against Postville Thursday, Sept. 28, with both varsity contests set to start at 7:30 p.m.

9. West Des Moines Valley; 10. Iowa City City High; 11. Cedar Falls; 12. Waukee Northwest; 13. Ames; 14. Indianola; 15. West Des Moines Dowling; 16. Cedar Rapids Prairie;

17. Southeast Polk; 18. Iowa City West; 19. Iowa City Liberty; 20. Linn-Mar Class 3A – 1. Pella; 2. Gilbert;

3. Ballard; 4. Mount Vernon-Lisbon;

5. Clear Creek-Amana; 6. ADM; 7. Solon; 8. Glenwood; 9. Clear Lake;

10. MOC-Floyd Valley; 11. Marion;

12. Washington; 13. Sioux Center;

14. Bishop Heelan; 15. WaverlyShell Rock; 16. Harlan; 17. Center Point-Urbana; 18. Lewis Central;

19. Atlantic; 20. Fort Madison Class 2A – 1. Monticello; 2. Mid-Prairie; 3. Albia; 4. Tipton; 5. Van Meter; 6. Denver; 7. Unity Christian; 8. Hudson; 9. Des Moines Christian; 10. Forest City; 11. Sumner-Fredericksburg; 12. Prairie City; 13. Union; 14. Okoboji; 15. Williamsburg; 16. Cherokee; 17. Sioux Central; 18. Clarinda; 19. Pella Christian; 20. Jesup Class 1A – 1. Madrid; 2. Beckman Catholic; 3. Fort Dodge St. Edmond; 4. Iowa City Regina;

5. South Winneshiek; 6. North Linn; 7. Hinton; 8. Alta-Aurelia; 9. ACGC; 10. Grandview Christian;

11. Central Decatur; 12. AHSTW;

13. Panorama; 14. Treynot; 15. Earlham; 16. Pekin; 17. CollinsMaxwell; 18. Martensdale-St. Mary’s; 19. English Valley; 20. Grundy Center

Coming up in varsity sports

Sept. 26 – Dec vb at Waukon,

7:15 p.m.; SW vb at West Central, 7:30 p.m.; TV vb at MFL MarMac,

7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 – Dec xc at Epworth-

WD, 4:45 p.m.; SW vb vs. Postville, 7:30 p.m.; TV vb vs. Clayton Ridge, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 29 – SW fb at NashuaPlainfield, 7 p.m.; TV fb vs. Waterloo Christian, 7 p.m.; Dec fb at Waverly-Shell Rock, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 – Dec vb at EpworthWD tnmt., 8:30 a.m.; Dec g swim at Cedar Falls invite, 9 a.m.; SW vb at Sumner-Fred tnmt., 9 a.m.; SW/TV xc at Crestwood, 9:30 a.m.

(8-9);

Warriors race well at Central Springs

Girls’ varsity team results

1. Forest City 49; 2. South Winn 61; 3. Newman Catholic 110; 4. Central Springs 118; 5. HamptonDumont-CAL 123; 6. North Iowa 132; 7. West Fork 156; 8. NashuaPlainfield 174; 9. Lake Mills 236; 10. West Hancock 244

Boys’ varsity team results

1. Lake Mills 30; 2. Forest City 52;

The South Winn cross country teams were poised to make another statement Thursday as they competed at Central Springs with the girls finishing as the runners-up with 61 points behind Forest City who tallied 49. In the 10-team battle for the boys, the Warriors finished with 203 points in eighth place.

Runners-up

Posting an average time of 21:49, the Lady Warriors had three harriers in the top 15. Josie Tieskoetter, Ava Franzen and Annie Hageman finished in succession, taking 11th, 12th and 13th. Tieskoetter clocked in just ahead of Franzen with a time of 21:09.06, while Franzen, a freshman, stopped

the clock at 21:09.45. Hageman posted a time of 21:23.89. Next for South Winn was Maddy Jansen in 22nd overall in 22:30.16 with Karissa Wenthold completing the scoring in 23rd in 22:41.76.

South Winn had a host of other competitors on the course including Izzy Kuboushek (29th, 23:12.21), Lauren Ondrashek (30th, 23:27.77), Josie Tollefsrud (63rd, 25:16.12), Aubrey Willey (64th, 25:19.88), Katie Shimek (66th, 25:35.64) and Cloey Zweibohmer (100th 30:43.42).

Boys

The Warrior boys were led by Abe Conway. The senior earned 12th place in 18:06.40. In 19:31.11, Brad Dahl crossed the finish line. That was good for 33rd. Bo Wangsness stopped the clock in 20:37.42, placing 60th Racing to 76th place in 21:14.19 was Lukas Weiss. Brennan Franzen concluded the team score with 83rd in 21:41.29.

Also running varsity were Diego Flores (100th, 22:26.58), Henry Willey (110th, 23:24.16), Eli Higgins (112th, 23:31.26) and Brady Lensing (127th, 25:25.71).

Final weeks

The Warriors have two more regular season meets before the postseason begins. South Winn will be at Cresco Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9:30 a.m., then will host the final meet Tuesday, Oct. 3, at South Winn Golf and Country Club at 5 p.m.

In 10:31.11, South Winn’s Brad Dahl earned 33rd Thursday at Central Springs.

Another great step for Viking swimmers

The Decorah girls’ swim and dive team place ninth at the Cougar Invite Saturday in Cedar Rapids, tallying 33 points.

“This is the time of the season where a high effort level does not always equate to fast times. I feel really good about our performance as we are doing the right things in practice and at meets. On top of preaching ‘progress, not perfection’, I am preaching ‘trust the process,” said Coach Loran Storts.

Sydney Thompson completed Saturday’s 100-yard backstroke in 1:13.09, good for 18th against the bigger schools. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

The 200-yard medley relay had the best finish of the day with a time of 2:03.34, while Liz Bucksa finished 10th in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:48.68.

The Vikes are off a week until they compete at the Marcussen Invite in Cedar Falls Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m., at Holmes Junior High.

Area high school and college football standings

3. North Butler 101; 4. Newman Catholic 136; 5. West Fork 146; 6. Nashua-Plainfield 158; 7. Central Springs 179; 8. South Winn 203; 9. Hampton-Dumont-CAL 221; 10. West Hancock 247

(Photo courtesy of Marie Conway)

Camp Ewalu Trail Run and Walk on Oct. 7

Camp Ewalu will host its first Trail Run and Walk on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the camp’s main site, three miles west of Strawberry Point just off Iowa Highway 3.

The family event will feature a 5K “Fall Frolic” route for runners and walkers, and a more challenging five-mile “Grotto Gallop” route for runners. Race time for both races near the camp’s Creation Center is 9 a.m.

Same-day registration is available. All proceeds benefit Ewalu camperships for kids who need financial assistance attending camp.

To register, visit www.ewalu.org/trail-run or call 563-933-4700.

Veterans Picnic Oct. 1

Thunder Rode Therapeutic Riding Program, with help from the Cresco Legion Riders Post 135, will be hosting a picnic for Veterans and their families Sunday, Oct. 1, at Whalen Cabin within Phelps Park in Decorah from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Veterans and their families are welcome to come eat lunch, relax and visit with other Veterans.

TIE

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

Homecoming 2023

WAUKON HIGH SCHOOL’S Cameron Johnson was crowned the Homecoming queen, and Jack O’Neill was crowned Homecoming King during the coronation ceremony at the Sept. 21 pep rally. The King and Queen led the Homecoming Parade Friday through town before their big game against Crestwood Friday night. (submitted)

CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT crowned Jaydin Dettman and Kale Doeppke Homecoming Queen and King last week in Elkader. The Warriors played Waterloo Christian Friday night. (submitted)

SOUTH WINN crowned Parker Timp and Avery Humpal Homecoming King and Queen following the pep rally held Friday afternoon. The Warriors played AGWSR Friday night. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)

MFL MARMAC community schools also celebrated homecoming last week.

Photos were unavailable as of press time Monday.

Homecoming Queen is Brynn Storhoff. Homecoming King is Fisher Tweten. The duo were crowned Friday afternoon. The Decorah Vikings went on to play Mason City Friday night. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Roz Weis)

‘Libby’ app class Sept. 28

Library patrons have anytime, anywhere access to a dynamic collection of digital audiobooks, eBooks and magazines through the library service of BRIDGES, Iowa’s eLibrary through the Libby app. Waukon’s Robey Memorial Library September Live & Learn program “Getting to Know Libby” will be held Thursday, Sept. 28, at 5:30 p.m., in the lower level Community Room. Learn to download free audiobooks, eBooks, and magazines, as well as navigate the website the Libby app. Those who have used the BRIDGES library service are welcome to see what is new.

Registration for this class is encouraged. Contact Robey Memorial Library for more information at 563-568-4424, robeymemorial@ waukon.lib.ia.us or visit www.waukon.lib.ia.us.

National 4-H Week Kickoff Carnival is Oct. 1

For over 100 years, 4-H has inspired families, shaped careers and impacted communities. All are welcome to celebrate during National 4-H Week (Oct. 1-7) at the Winneshiek County National 4-H Week Kickoff Carnival at Lake Meyer County Park Sunday, Oct. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Whether a lifelong member of 4-H or just interested in learning more, all are welcome to join. The free open-house style event will include crafts, games, prizes and snacks.

Find more information on the Winneshiek County 4-H Facebook page: https://fb.me/e/3oAFVMyRH.