August 29, 2024

SP EC IA L ED IT IO N IN CLUD ED TH

Thursday, August 29, 2024

IS WE EK

Vol. 159, Issue 35

Decorah, Iowa 52101

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email: editor@decorahleader.com

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Decorah Schools puts spotlight on aging elementary ahead of $38M bond measure

BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR Staff at Decorah’s John Cline Elementary School pulled double duty last week as they prepared to welcome not only this year’s incoming students to the classroom but also local voters who will decide whether to approve a proposed bond measure to replace the aging building.

The Decorah Community School District hosted a pair of open houses for the public to view John Cline as well as West Side Elementary on Aug. 21 and 28. The district said the

events were a chance for the public to see many of the challenges teachers and staff face while educating their students.

School officials also plan to host a pair of community forums on the subject next month in the Decorah High School auditorium. The first is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept.

5, with the second set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9.

Space is limited in 60-year-old elementary Decorah Schools Superintendent Tim Cronin said John Cline Elementary was initially designed like many school

buildings of the early 1960s.

However, Cronin said, even with additions built during the 1990s, the building does not meet many current standards — and like many buildings of the 1960s, it contains asbestos.

“In general, I think that makes a lot of people anxious, but that was part of the construction code when we built it,” Cronin said.

Cronin said the ‘90s additions to the elementary essentially cocooned some older portions

Aging Elementary continued on page A-6

BACK TO CLASS

Decorah Elementary Principal Rick Varney gave out energetic high fives as students filed into John Cline Elementary for their first day of school on Friday, Aug. 23. (Photo

by Seth Boyes)

City council discusses future of Decorah’s municipal building

BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER

Decorah Superintendent Tim Cronin answered questions from the public during an Aug. 21 tour of John Cline Elementary. The school district is proposing a bond of up to $38 million to construct a new building for students in pre-K through second grade. The proposed building would replace John Cline, which opened in 1964, and West Side Elementary, which was built in 1939. (Photos by Seth Boyes)

The city’s aging municipal building needs attention, according to city officials, but what to do is still undecided after lengthy discussions by the Decorah City Council during a special meeting Monday afternoon.

The historical building, designed and constructed in 1959 by renowned local architect Charles Altfillisch, houses the city’s fire and police departments, the Decorah Parks and

The Decorah Municipal Building houses the city’s fire and police departments, the Decorah Parks and Recreation office, city staff, Winneshiek Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management officials. (Photo by Denise Lana) Recreation office, city staff, Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management

Municipal building

continued on page A-7

Wieseler optimistic about her District 4 Supervisor candidacy

BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER

people of Winneshiek County,” said Wieseler, who is also a second-degree black-belt in Taekwondo. “It seems that many people today are in the habit of voting more for a party than for the individual candidate, so it’s hard to know what the reception will be for a no-party candidate such as myself. However, I have been overwhelmed by the incredible amount of support that I have received from not only Independents, but from Democrats and Republicans as well. I am incredibly optimistic.”

Wieseler, registered as no party, is running against Republican incumbent District

4 Supervisor Chair Dan Langreck. Weisler said she has been watching Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors meetings over the last year, and she has grown concerned about several aspects of Langreck’s behavior.

“I have been increasingly dismayed by Langreck’s lack of transparency and his unreceptive responses to public comment or criticism,” Wieseler said. “I have personally witnessed him raise his voice or interrupt constituents or other supervisors when his views or opinions have been challenged, and he has displayed an unwillingness to consider the view-

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As a heatwave scorched the Midwest over the weekend, Cheryl Wieseler also turned up the heat in the race for District 4 Winneshiek County Supervisor.

The former educator of more than 25 years and co-owner of Cluck Ewe Farm and Bakery of Decorah hosted a public presentation Sunday afternoon — giving potential constituents an opportunity to meet her and get to know her politics.

“As a no-party candidate, I really didn’t know what kind of support I would have from the

District 4 Supervisor candidate Cheryl Wieseler spoke to a group of potential constituents during a public presentation Sunday afternoon at Freeport Park. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

points of both county residents and heads of various county departments. Langreck has also displayed a reluctance to compromise with county employees on budget and salary issues, and his communication style when speaking with them sometimes comes across as overly harsh.”

The mother of three went on to say she has been considering running for public office for several years — during which she has observed the divides between people at the national,

Wieseler continued on page A-5

Mill Street stabbing victim charged with possession of child porn Accused attacker pleads not guilty to willful injury charge

BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR A Decorah man has pleaded not guilty to willful injury after allegedly stabbing another man earlier this month — the victim has since been charged with possessing a depiction of a minor in a sex act as part of a separate case.

The Decorah Police Department was dispatched at 7:26 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 to a home in the 600 block of South Mill Street, following a report of a man who had been stabbed.

Police charged 37-year-old Alfredo Morales Hernandez with willful injury causing serious injury, a class C felony to which he pleaded not guilty in an Aug. 20 court filing.

The victim, whom prosecutors confirmed to be 56-yearold Jose Maria Cortez Vertiz of Decorah, sustained broken ribs and a lacerated liver, according to court documents, and he was taken to WinnMed by ambulance.

Cortez Vertiz’s phone was placed in police custody the night of the stabbing, according

Jose Maria Cortez Vertiz

Stabbing

Alfredo Morales Hernandez

continued on page A-5

The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Decorah Police Department in responding to the July 31 stabbing in the 600 block of Mill Street in Decorah. The victim in that case was charged this month with possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act after authorities executed a search warrant his phone. (File photo)

NEWS/PHOTOS

A-2 | DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221 BEAT THE

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At least one lucky puppy found a forever home Saturday, Aug. 24, during the Heart Animal Rescue event held at LuLu & BB’s Pet Market in downtown Decorah. Katie Houlihan, a director with the local nonprofit organization, said the event also yielded a couple more applications to adopt animals, which she found fulfilling.

“Anyone in rescue is going to say that some days you just want to throw in the towel and call it quits,” she said. “Some days, in all honesty, are brutal, but we keep going because there are so many animals that need rescues and shelters to help them. The reward of knowing you helped an innocent animal become part of a loving, happy home is very rewarding.”

Houlihan said Heart Animal Rescue was founded in October of 2016 and mainly serves northeast Iowa but also serves southeast Minnesota and a bit in Wisconsin.

“Heart Animal Rescue takes in breeder-released pups and dogs, pups and dogs that a person may not be able to take care of anymore and unwanted kittens,” she said. “These animals go into foster homes and are cared for until they are ready to find their forever home and be adopted out. Heart Animal Rescue also has a trap, neuter, release program to help with the stray cat population.”

Houlihan said Heart Animal Rescue isn’t connected to area shelters or other rescue agencies, but the organization has established relationships with others who works in the field, allowing groups to aid one another.

“Rescue is not a one person show,” she said. “It takes a village of animal-loving people helping each other as much as possible.

The veteran animal rescuer said she was drawn to rescuing animals “because somebody has to.”

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Aven Halliday, age 11, holds a puppy during Heart Animal Rescue’s adoption event held Saturday morning at LuLu & BB’s Pet Market in downtown Decorah. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

Evy Hackman, age 3, excitedly holds a puppy during Heart Animal Rescue’s adoption event held Saturday morning at LuLu & BB’s Pet Market in downtown Decorah. (Photo by Zach Jensen) cue.”

Each year since its inception, Heart Animal Rescue has taken

in more than 100 animals, and they average 100-150 adoptions annually. The organiza-

tion, which is volunteer-only, also spends time and resources preparing animals for adoption, which includes behavioral rehabilitating, spay or neutering, vaccinating, deworming and microchipping as well as preventative measures and testing for heartworm, Lyme disease and parasites. Heart Animal Rescue also averages up to three pregnant dogs each year to whelp and raise the puppies for future forever homes.

Houlihan said, although adopting may be appealing for a number of reasons, it may not be for everyone, and the region is home to many capable breeders.

“While rescues and shelters will almost always advocate to adopt or rescue, there are many good breeders out there that really are very responsible and place their puppies in wonderful, caring, responsible homes,” she said. “It is not a matter of ‘us versus them,’ it is about putting the utmost care into the puppy or dog and taking the time to make sure the puppy or dog is going to a wonderful home that is a great fit for the pet and the owner.”

For information on the adoption process or how to help Heart Animal Rescue, visit heartrescueteam.com or email heartrescue2016@gmail.com.

Animals available for adoption can be found at Petfinder.com.

Volson kicks out the jams in Spillville Volson, a Y2K hard rock cover band from Lansing, braved the heat and performed a set Sunday afternoon at the Inwood in Spillville. The band, consisting of Mark Hagen on drums and vocals, bassist Kacey Spade, who also sings, lead guitarist Andrew McLain and rhythm guitarist player Sam Lechler, performed a free concert for several dozen fans as part of Spillville’s Summer Concert Series. Ramblin’ Ryne and the Jones also performed that afternoon. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

Flash in a Pan gets cooking at Lawn Chair Night

DAN

T C E L E HOVDEN

Winneshiek County District 3 Supervisor

Bluegrass and old-time folk band Flash in a Pan performed during the Aug. 22 Lawn Chair Night in downtown Decorah.

The Iowa City-based quartet has been playing across the Midwest since 2012 and has cultivated a significant following. Pictured above is Flash in a Pan’s banjoist Alex Flesher putting his soul into belting out a tune during their performance at Lawn Chair Night. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

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NEWS

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

A-3

County supervisors delay recommendation on proposed biodigester to Iowa DNR

BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER

Photos by Denise Lana

KVIK radio celebrates 30 years

BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER

Decorah’s classic hit radio station KVIK celebrated its 30th birthday Thursday, Aug. 22 with free burgers and shakes as well as prize drawings.

The day’s sun and heat didn’t sway the crowds, who gathered outside the KVIK building, eating and chatting with radio employees, most of whom were clad in blue shirts emblazoned with red KVIK emblems.

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association donated and grilled 500 hamburger patties and steaks for sandwiches, which were prepared and served by 2024 Winneshiek Beef Queen Lauren Holthaus and her court. Serving shakes at the Moo Mobile was 2024 Winneshiek Dairy Princess Kelsey Timp and Princess Alternate Hannah Vagts. KVIK’s General Manager Les Askelson, himself wearing a bright fuchsia polo shirt, stood apart from the crowd, and clutches of people took turns interacting with him as he told and retold bits of the local station’s history.

According to Askelson, he was the first voice on the airwaves when the station began broadcasting in 1994.

“The owner handed me the keys and told me to make it work,” Askelson said.

The station was originally located where

Don Jose restaurant is today, according to Askelson. The station was renting space at that time, and a second move was made to the building now occupied by Cozy Pie Shoppe. The KVIK team finally found a permanent home with the purchase of the building located at the corner of Water and Mechanic streets.

At last week’s birthday celebration, Askelson insisted the attention not be on him, stressing the celebration be focused on the radio’s listeners in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota.

“I’m just here to do my job on the air in the morning and sign checks,” he said, jokingly.

And at age 72, Askelson is one of the more senior staff members at KVIK, but he said he has no desire to retire.

“My doctor says I should keep doing what I’m doing as long as I’m having fun,” he said.

Work is in full swing on the site of the new Aase Haugen facility on Decorah’s north side.

(Photo by Roz Weis)

Moving dirt

Site work under way at new Aase Haugen facility

BY ROZ WEIS STAFF WRITER Work is progressing on schedule for the new $18 million dollar Aase Haugen facility near the existing independent senior living neighborhoods of Vennehjem and Nabotunet, both located on Decorah’s north side.

Large earth movers, frontend loaders and trucks are on site, completing some preliminary site preparations for the construction project.

Aase Haugen broke ground on its new senior care facility in April.

The 72,000-square-foot building is being designed to boast a variety of care lev-

els. Approximately 78 private rooms for nursing and skilled care and 12 assisted living apartments are part of the plan.

The new Aase Haugen campus will replace the existing facility on Ohio Street in the city of Decorah.

Patty Casterton, development director at Aase Haugen Senior Services, said footings could be poured within a week.

Last year, a $12.7 million low-interest loan was secured for the project through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with a $1 million Emergency Rural Health Care grant.

Casterton said more than $1.6 million of Aase Haugen’s $3 million “A New Place to Call Home” capital campaign proj-

ect has been pledged, and fundraising efforts continue.

Officials estimate construction at the new site will be complete in approximately 18 months.

Aase Haugen Home for the Aged was established in 1915 as the first senior living facility of its kind in the area. Aase Haugen, a Norwegian immigrant, was the last surviving member of her family, and she used her inheritance to build a home for community members who had no one left to care for them. The original facility was situated in a rural area several miles west of Decorah. The current Aase Haugen Home was built in 1964.

The Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors gave itself approximately a week to decide whether to recommend the construction of a proposed biodigester facility in rural Ridgeway to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The board took no action on the matter during Monday’s meeting, and the project will automatically be considered approved if the board makes no decision early next month.

Full Bohr Dairy, located at 3251 275th St., submitted a rezoning request to the county in April and, in May, the Winneshiek County Planning and Zoning Commission voted against recommending the project’s rezoning request to the board of supervisors. The board then voted 3-2 on Aug. 8 to approve the rezoning request, and they have until Sept. 6 to submit their recommendation to the DNR. However, during Monday’s board of supervisors meeting, supervisors Shirley Vermace and Mark Faldet didn’t feel they had enough accurate information with which to make a recommendation.

Vermace said members of the public who have expressed concern to the county over the project have claimed the dairy’s paperwork, including an agricultural engineer’s evaluation of the property, is full of alleged inconsistencies.

“Before I can go around this ethically, I don’t think we have enough information as a group to recommend anything until we get factual answers on some of the questions and concerns raised,” Vermace said Monday. “And, if you haven’t read through some of them, I’d encourage my colleagues to really dive into this a little deeper so that we’re not doing anything that goes against our own comprehensive plan.”

Faldet agreed with Vermace, adding he thinks the supervisors should consult an attorney before taking further action on the issue.

“If what was presented by some of the citizens is true, then obviously the manure management plan is not correct, the herd size is not correct, (and we) possibly need a (new) water application,” he said. “I don’t think we should be recommending anything that is so fraught with inconsistencies.”

Supervisor Steve Kelsay questioned the validity of the claims the application contained inconsistencies.

Winneshiek County Environmentalist Doug Groux prepared the dairy’s scoring for the state’s Master Matrix — a system to evaluate construction permits for confined animal feeding operations.

“It’s done by an engineer, and the engineer presents the matrix to the DNR and the county,” Groux said. “The county reviews the matrix, and they decide if they agree with the score

Supervisor Shirley Vermace shares her concerns about the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors’ pending recommendation to the Iowa DNR on the proposed construction of a biodigester in rural Ridgeway. (Photo by Zach Jensen) or not. A passing matrix is 440 points, and there’s three subcategories which you have to pass.

So, on the original matrix, they had 455 points, and they had exceeded all three subcategories.”

Vermace said, if she correctly understood the information she has received, the engineer in question “missed some of the errors and inconsistencies in the application.” Specifically, Vermace the operation was approved for 925 head of cattle, according its manure management plan, but she said the farm allegedly has 1,394 head.

“Just that alone makes me question, did that engineer read through that application? The numbers given are not consistent,” Vermace said.

Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines said the board of supervisors could wait one week to decide on its pending recommendation but, after 30 days, the farm’s application would automatically be approved due to inaction — that 30-day period ends on Friday, Sept. 6.

Vermace insisted it would be irresponsible for the supervisors to make a recommendation on the issue amid lingering questions of accuracy.

“I think we’re not doing our job for our communities, if we turn the other way on some private company’s issues without thinking about what the greater communities want,” Vermace said.

Further discussion and action on the matter were tabled until the Sept. 3 meeting.

Other business • Former county conservation board member and past county supervisor John Beard made a brief presentation objecting to a recent suggestion that Supervisor Chair Dan Langreck be appointed to the conservation board in order to improve communication between the board of supervisors and the conservation board.

• Vermace announced she and Kelsay and Faldet earned Iowa County Supervisor certifications.

• The supervisors board unanimously approved the hiring of Brittany Provost of Burr Oak as office staff for the Winneshiek County Veterans Affairs office.

• Discussion on the procedure

to replace a recycling supervisor was tabled until Sept. 9.

• Discussion on a settlement agreement between Jeff Peel and Winneshiek County was tabled until the board’s next meeting to give the supervisors time to discuss conditions of the settlement with Winneshiek County Attorney Andy Van Der Maaten, who was absent from Monday’s meeting.

• Following a public hearing on the county’s sale of the former Decorah Hospital, known as the Smith Building, for $1 to the Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation, the supervisors unanimously passed a resolution approving the sale.

Vermace, who also serves as an NEICAC board member, abstained from the vote.

• During a public hearing, Diana Johnson of Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission, which manages the Community Development Block Grant funds for the Festina sewer project, requested the project’s completion date be extended to April 30, 2025.

The supervisors unanimously approved the extension.

• An agreement in which the county is leasing farmland to Daryl Hovden was renewed for one year. The property consists of 40.64 acres across from the county shop in Freeport, near Decorah’s water treatment facility. Total annual rent on the property is $12,851.

• County Engineer Michael Kueny reported that subdivision data had been gathered, and a cost study will be forthcoming. He said the county needs to maintain early subdivision roads, while those installed after 2013 are maintained through homeowners association funds.

“Until 2013, there were varying requirements imposed on HOA’s that have been cataloged this summer — but not consolidated for the board and other courthouse staff to easily reference what the county, by contract, is required to do for residents,” Kueny said after the meeting.

• The supervisors tabled a discussion on a Northeast Iowa Trust Fund pledge letter until the next meeting.

The next meeting of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3, in the courthouse annex.

Happy 30th Birthday to Les and Nell KVIK! Pictured is Les Askelson and the team with Chamber Ambassadors Amanda McIntosh, Ray Rinkol, Laura Gronna, Dallas Steffen, Holly Allen, Maureen Duncklee, Joe Hammel, Lashelle Evans, Joanie Rollins, Tara McConnell, Chris Hicks and Tade Kerndt.

Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce extends congratulations to

Our sincere congratulations and best wishes for your success and continued growth in the Decorah area.

507 W. Water St., Decorah 563.382.3990 | decorahareachamber.com

OPINION

A-4 | DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Iowans likely looking to Dakotas for decision on proposed Summit pipeline

BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR A recent decision from South Dakota’s highest court

BY SETH may be the determining factor BOYES in whether portions of an $8 News Editor million carbon pipeline extend through northern Iowa.

Summit Carbon Solutions aims to construct its pipeline Summit’s pipelines would exacross five Midwest states tend to within about 25 miles to transport highly pressur- of Decorah, somewhere beized carbon dioxide to a site tween New Hampton and Lawin North Dakota, where the ler — but it was a major topic gas would be stored deep un- of discussion for Iowa’s counderground — the project was ty-level officials farther west.

Folks were worried over pitched as a way to bolster Iowa’s ethanol industry by cap- several things, but perhaps the turing carbon emissions from most prominent concerns were refineries to lower the fuel’s the potential for a pipeline rupcarbon intensity score to ulti- ture and the possibility state ofmately access low-carbon fuel ficials would grant Summit the ability to use eminent domain markets.

Now, I don’t know how of- to complete the project — that ten the topic has been brought is to say, allow the construction up here in northeast Iowa — of the pipeline across private though the eastern portions of property without the owner’s

consent. Of course, still others felt the company — and others like the now failed pipeline previously proposed by Navigator CO2 Ventures — was simply trying to cash in on federal tax credits without taking any meaningful action on climate change.

Iowans wrote their lawmakers, they attended hearings, they submitted testimony — some counties even passed local-level zoning ordinances related to such pipelines, which resulted in law suits being filed.

And it wasn’t too long ago that some Iowans were lamenting a decision from the Iowa Utilities Board, granting Summit’s pipeline a construction permit.

But the IUB included a condition on that permit — Summit can’t begin building its pipeline until it gets approval from state officials in both the

Dakotas. And at that point, North Dakota had already denied the proposed project. And as of last week, it’s not looking good in South Dakota either — Summit’s proposing to carry privately produced carbon for underground sequestration, rather than a public utility like electricity or water, and that state’s supreme court said Summit needs to prove it’s carrying something for the public before it can invoke eminent domain on anyone.

Now, I’m not that surprised that a project of this magnitude ended up in court.

What I’m surprised about is that the fate of Iowans landowners across the northern and western portions of the state may be in the hands of a neighboring state’s justices, rather than their own lawmakers.

At least two bills were proposed in the Iowa legislature last year, aimed at potential-

ly limiting the use of eminent domain, but neither made it to the governor’s desk. In fact, the more successful bill passed through the Iowa House on a 73-20 vote in March of 2023, but the Iowa Senate’s Commerce Subcommittee simply didn’t take action on the bill the following month, and the bill didn’t make the cut during that session’s funnel week.

Iowa could have dealt with this on its own, but we left it contingent on what two other states decided. Iowa could have passed a state law last year to specify carbon pipelines couldn’t use eminent domain, but lawmakers said it wasn’t fair to change the rules mid-game per say — that said, the South Dakota court would evidently say the rules were already set.

Now, I’ve told folks in the past, I’m probably the last one you want telling you whether

to support this pipeline or not, let alone whether you should allow it to cross your farmland, but I feel Iowa has deferred to the judgement of the Dakotas on a matter which has likely kept many Iowans up at night.

And now South Dakota’s Supreme Court is sending the matter back to the lower courts and, if Summit can successfully argue that transporting CO2 for the benefit of ethanol fuel is sufficient reason to use eminent domain, Iowan’s may end up turning to the one remaining state with a say in the matter.

And unfortunately, it wouldn’t be their own.

Agree with Seth? Think he’s got it completely backwards or he’s missed the point entirely?

Let your voice be heard. Letters to the editor may be emailed to editor@decorahleader.com or dropped off at 110 Washington St. Suite 4 in Decorah.

Iowa school book ban undermines the state’s mission of educating its students

BY ED TIBBETS IOWA WRITERS’ COLLABORATIVE

Praise for parklets Thank you Decorah, I want to take a moment to say thank you to the mayor, city council and city administration who approved the public parklets in downtown. They will provide a great place to sit and enjoy our downtown, especially this fall.

As someone who walks to work, already, it seems like the parklets are making walking in downtown better.

Programs like this one from Decorah Parks and Rec are a big reason why we moved to Decorah.

Thank you again, Vickie Smith

When I was a kid growing up in eastern Iowa during the 1970s, the school library opened up the world to me. I remember rushing through my homework during study hall, so I could get to the library. Like most students in school, there were classes I loved (history and English) and those I hated (math and science). But despite my misgivings about the curriculum, never did I doubt my love for the school library. To me, it was a refuge for independent thought and exploration, where nobody could exercise control over where my mind wandered. There, the world beckoned, and I eagerly dove in. The idea never occurred to me that a librarian would curb my youthful curiosity by stripping these shelves of books.

Never did I suspect they aimed to shield my eyes from discovery. I would have laughed at the notion my education was better served by exposing me to fewer books. Yet for the last year, Republican legislators and Gov. Kim Reynolds have tried to partially pull the curtains over these windows to the world. They try to convince us their book ban law is nothing more than a commonsense prohibition on books that describe

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or depict a sex act.

But what they don’t say is it doesn’t matter whether the description is graphic, explicit or subtle; if it is a single sentence or pages of gratuitous filth; their law punishes equally the books that offer no literary merit and those that are time-tested classics, Pulitzer Prize winners — even self-help guides aimed at helping young students from being victimized by sexual assault.

This lack of discretion is why the law has taken 3,400 books out of school libraries, according to the Des Moines Register.

Was there really that much filth on library shelves?

I don’t think so.

Nevertheless, Iowa Republicans won a partial victory for their year-old book ban Aug. 9.

A three-judge panel of the federal 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled that a district judge in Iowa erred last December in temporarily blocking the law after objections were filed by Iowa students and teachers, authors and publishing houses.

It was only a partial victory for the state. The appeals court sent the case back to the lower court for further review, and it rejected a key line of defense for Reynolds and company.

At the same time, the judges — each appointed by a Republican president — told the lower court “Iowa is not required to tolerate speech that undermines or is inconsistent with its central mission of educating Iowa children.”

Some see this as the court possibly hinting at the merits of the law.

I don’t know precisely the message these appellate judges were sending. But it is unfathomable to me that a law that has led to banning hundreds of

books could, in any sane context, be considered “consistent with the central mission of educating Iowa children.”

The mission of educating Iowa children does not mean, in the words of previous courts, imposing a “pall of orthodoxy” so pervasive it fails to distinguish between the maturity level of a 3rd grader and a 17-year-old high school senior who is preparing to graduate to the challenging world beyond.

The mission of educating Iowa children is not consistent with banning “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Yet, it is so.

Republican lawmakers claim their intent wasn’t to sweep this broadly. I don’t know if I believe them, but it is clear this is the effect of their law. And it’s not happening — as some Republicans suggest — because a cabal of librarians are banning reams of books in order to sow confusion.

No, it is because this law is overbroad and vague.

Well-meaning librarians across the state honestly differ on how to apply this law. That is why books are banned in some libraries, but not others. It is why lawyers and courts continue to wrestle over what it actually means to “describe” something.

The courts will decide whether this law is unconstitutionally overbroad and vague.

But it is instructive that included in the Register’s tally of the top 10 most banned books stemming from this law are: “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood about a patriarchal future society dominated by a Christian fundamentalist regime; and “The Color Purple,” the Alice Walker novel from 1982 that, according to

the Encyclopedia Britannica, concerns a Black teenager who “overcomes oppression and abuse to find fulfillment and independence.”

Are these the ideas that we want to deny 17-year-olds?

Is this the kind of speech that “undermines or is inconsistent” with Iowa’s central mission of educating its children?

On the contrary. It’s the arbitrary denial of these ideas that should offend us.

A half century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court found in the landmark decision, Tinker v.

Des Moines Independent Community School District, that students can’t be “regarded as closed-circuit recipients of only that which the State chooses to communicate”; that they do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

Seven years later, in the most famous Supreme Court case involving school library book bans, a plurality of justices added “the right to receive ideas is a necessary predicate to the recipient’s meaningful exercise of his own rights of speech, press, and political freedom.”

Through technology, most Iowa kids, but not all, have more options than I did in the 1970s to find the world beyond the windows of their school library. But Iowa’s central mission of educating its children is not served by indiscriminately limiting those ideas; it should never be the mission of Iowa’s educational system to inform students they must go elsewhere to find the broad range of expression that will shape who they become.

Even if judges don’t eventually see the wisdom in this, I hope Iowans will.

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OBITUARIES/NEWS

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Darlene Ernst

Sept. 8, 1926 - Aug. 19, 2024 Darlene Jean Ernst, 97, of New Hampton, died Monday, Aug. 19, 2024 at MercyOne Medical Center in New Hampton.

Darlene Jean Olson Ernst was born Sept.

8, 1926 to Henry Olson and Edith Darlene Ernst McKenzie Olson. She was baptized, confirmed and educated in Howard and Winneshiek counties. Darlene was a cheerleader for Cresco High School and a proud member of the class of 1945, where she excelled in dance, speech, drama and academics. On Dec. 10, 1944, she was united in marriage to Wally at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. After their marriage, Wally and Darlene farmed together for eight years, then moved to Washburn, Iowa where they lived for 14 years. They then moved to New Hampton and lived there since.

Darlene had a successful career as District Manager for Avon for over 27 years, overseeing 450 salespeople and winning numerous awards, including recognition as the top salesperson in the United States. For this achievement, she won a trip to Rome, where she was honored to have an audience with the Pope.

Darlene had a zest for life.

Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious. She made those she encountered feel special and loved. Interactions with Darlene left one feeling like a better person. She was the chief cheerleader for her family, instilling a can-do spirit in all and teaching them that life’s comebacks can be stronger than life’s setbacks. She embraced diversity and encouraged acceptance and tolerance of other’s views.

She taught her family to follow Jesus, to forgive and to be a peacemaker.

She was a loving wife to

her husband Wally for over 74 years. She dedicated herself to Wally and the family they created together, always putting their needs above her own. Wally and Darlene loved to dance. In fact, that’s how they met, and they continued to dance joyfully through life. One of their favorite songs was Ann Murray’s “Could I Have This Dance.”

Besides dancing, the couple enjoyed gardening and were well known for their beautiful roses and tulips.

They cherished time spent with family and friends and chose to follow Jesus’s example. They were very involved in their church, serving others by visiting shut-ins, delivering meals on wheels, ushering, reading, and serving communion. They loved the Lord and believed His promises.

Darlene will be deeply missed by her five children: Carole (Terry) Andreessen of Libby, Montana, Dianne (Craig) LaRue of Denver, Iowa, Patricia (Robert) Jenkins of Waterloo, Shari (Dale) Nosbisch of Ionia, Iowa and Wallace Jeffrey (Cindy) Ernst of Cresco; 14 grandchildren: Angelia (Jerry) Kelly, Michelle Vincent, Ryan Andreessen, Lisa (Mark) Sage, Scott (Susi) LaRue, Melanie (Shawn) Mastin, Andrew (Rachel) Antonuccio Jenkins, Michael (Amelia Lobo) Jenkins, Kristin (Jason) Stanford, Elizabeth (Karl) Zondo, Kirk (Tracy) Nosbisch, Sam (Jacque) Nosbisch, Jacquelyn Ernst and Emily Ernst; 27 great-grandchildren; three step great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; sister Sharon Willits; and brother Kenny Olson.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her sister Dorothy.

A private family service will be held.

Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton are assisting with arrangements.

Lowell Northrup Oct. 25, 1956 - July 11, 2024 Lowell Brian Northrup, 67, passed away July 11, 2024, in Red Wing, Minnesota after a short illness.

Lowell was born Oct. 25, 1956 in Winona, Minnesota and grew up in Decorah. In summer 1971, L o w e l l ’ s Lowell Northrup family moved to New Hampton. Lowell graduated with the Class of 1978 in New Hampton.

Lowell’s family moved to Hast-

ings, Minnesota in 1984.

Lowell is survived by his brother Brad (Maureen) Northrup; nephew Nathan (Heather) Northrup; niece Cindy (Joe) Baron; great-nephew Jack Northrup; great-nieces: Hanna Baron, Haley Baron and Ella Northrup; aunts: Helen, Romey, Janice, Maxine and Marie; and also many cousins.

Lowell is preceded in death by parents Lyle and Emogene Northrup and brother Dennis Northrup.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Service Notices JOHN TJOSTEM, 89, of Decorah, died Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 at Decorah Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Peter Kowitz presiding. Burial will be in the Lutheran Cemetery. There is no visitation prior to the service on Thursday. Attendees are invited to a luncheon in the church basement following the service to share memories and celebrate John’s life.

GARY ECKHARDT, 79, of West Union, died Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah.

Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30 at Holy Name Catholic Church, 128 N. Walnut St., West Union with Rev. Ralph Davis presiding. Burial will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minnesota at a later date. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service Friday morning at the church.

LAURA BOICE, 88, of Decorah, died Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at WinnMed in Decorah. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Peter Kowitz presiding.

Burial was in the Union Prairie Cemetery.

LELAND HOLTHAUS, 64, of Festina, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 30 at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Festina. There will be no visitation prior to mass on Friday morning.

Community Action excited to take ownership of Smith Building

crisis programs and food pantries, Head Start, low-income

energy assistance and weatherization, affordable housing,

transportation and more.”

Wilkins said members of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors contacted NEICAC earlier this year to inquire as to whether the organization was interested in taking over ownership of the property.

“While we had considered alternatives, the Smith Building has met our unique needs for many years,” Wilkins said.

“With 30-plus employees in this location, a food pantry, transit dispatch office — in addition to the need to park several transit buses — the large building and parking lot provide what other sites just couldn’t. Also, the price is right. We certainly recognize the maintenance needs the Smith Building will face, but taking ownership without an initial investment for the purchase helps to put us ahead.”

Wilkins said NEICAC currently occupies the lower two floors of the building, and it’s considering leasing top-floor office space to other nonprofit organizations. Winneshiek County Public Health is currently located on the building’s top floor and is planning to relocate to the county’s new community services building inside the former Spectrum Network building.

“The county has been very helpful in this transition,” Wilkins added. “The Winneshiek County Supervisors, auditor, county attorney and maintenance staff have all helped us navigate this decision and its process. The county has continuously supported our agency and often expresses their appreciation for the work NEICAC does for their communities.”

Winneshiek County Supervisors Chair Dan Langreck said Winneshiek County is glad the transaction worked out the way it did.

“The county is happy that we were able to provide this opportunity for Northeast Iowa Community Action,” he said, “because we appreciate their corporation and the services they provide the residents of northeast Iowa.”

is also known by several pseudonyms, such as Jose Beltriz, and the criminal complaint said the 56-year-old was in the process of making arrangements to return to Chicago with plans to leave by Saturday, Aug. 24.

Court documents showed Cortez Vertiz on a $5,000 appearance bond — other records indicated the 56-year-old was to be supervised by pretrial services if bond was posted.

Both Morales Hernandez and Cortez Vertiz were listed as residing at the same Mill Street address at the time of last month’s stabbing. The initial criminal complaint filed against

Morales Hernandez said he told law enforcement Cortez Vertiz was holding a knife and threatened to kill him that day. The complaint went on to say a witness reported the two “talked poorly to each other on multiple occasions” and “would threaten to kill one another on multiple occasions, but it was always in a joking manner.” The two were not near one another prior to that night’s stabbing, according to the complaint, and Cortez Vertiz did not approach Morales Hernandez, but the 37-year-old “went after Vertiz, grabbed the knife and stabbed Vertiz three to four times.”

continued from front “After stabbing Vertiz, the defendant left the room and went to his bedroom,” the complaint said.

Morales Hernandez remains in custody at the Winneshiek County Jail, where he has been since Thursday, Aug. 1. He is currently scheduled to go to trial in mid-December. Cortez Vertiz is currently scheduled for a preliminary court appearance on Monday, Sept. 16. Court documents said, if Cortez Vertiz violates the conditions of his release, a warrant will be issued for his arrest, and he could face a fine of up to $5,000 and a prison term of up to five years.

lend additional nuance to the discussions at hand.”

Wieseler said she fell in love with Winneshiek County after her first visit to the area, because “it’s such a beautiful and unique area with amazing people,” and she said public service is one way she believes she can give back to the community she loves.

“I would not have my business without the support of the people in Winneshiek County,” she said. “I feel that I can give back to the people of the county by being a representative who will listen to their concerns and do what I can to protect the interests of Winneshiek County and of those who live here.

When a public official is elected, that means that their constituents have put their trust in that individual. To me, that means serving with integrity and transparency. Public servants need to be objective and ready to serve all of their constituents to the

best of their ability and reject partisanship, while putting the best interests of the county and of the people who live there before personal interests as well as being fiscally responsible with the tax dollars that they have been entrusted with.”

Wieseler said she’s also running for the District 4 Supervisor seat to help restore a measure of the public’s trust in the board of supervisors.

“I also feel that there is a sense of distrust toward some of our county supervisors right now,” she said. “Years ago, I saw the board of supervisors as an impartial group who, despite political affiliations, mostly put their differences aside and worked together as a team to make decisions in the best interest of the county as a whole.

People overall trusted them and respected the decisions that they made. As a county supervisor, my goal is to regain that trust in the board and to help

BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation has rented office space in the Smith Building — Decorah’s old hospital on the corner of Montgomery and East Broadway streets — for the last 22 years.

On Sept. 3, Trisha Wilkins the nonprofit organization will officially buy the 15,000-square-foot, 110-year-old historic building from Winneshiek County for just $1. And, NEICAC Chief Executive Officer Trisha Wilkins said the agency is looking forward to the purchase.

“We are excited,” Wilkins said. “The board considered the building purchase very carefully. We’re looking forward to beginning our strategy for new agency signage and working on some projects to enhance building usage and aesthetics, while continuing to honor the property’s historical significance.”

The three-story Smith Building was built in 1914 as Decorah’s medical hospital, and it was expanded in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Today, the building boasts 15,045 square feet of space on a 2.01acre plot of land. It was added to the National Historic Registry in 2023.

NEICAC began in 1965 and moved into the Smith Building in 2002, where it continues its core mission to this day.

“NEICAC provides the support and resources to improve the stability and quality of life for individuals and families with limited resources,” information on the organization’s website said. “We assist those living in the northeast Iowa counties of Allamakee, Bremer, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek with programs serving all stages of life, including family services,

A-5

The three-story building which formerly served as the Decorah Hospital, now known as the Smith Building, was originally built in 1914 and was expanded four times by the 1960s. In 2023, the building earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. (Photos by Zach Jensen)

A number of vintage and antique fixtures still grace the interior of the Smith Building and harken back to the building’s days as a hospital. Each of these bulbs in the pictured display were matched with a corresponding room number.

When a room was occupied, the room’s number would light up on a screen contained in the installation’s door.

An antique firehose system stands in contrast to a modern fire alarm with an LED light inside one hallway of the old in the Smith Building.

Stabbing to court records. Investigators executed a search warrant for the device, and police found an explicit video involving what was described as a prepubescent girl in a sex act, which had been saved on the 56-year-old’s phone. Court documents said the video had been received through a messenger app and was dated June 9. A criminal complaint filed against Cortez Vertiz said he admitted to receiving multiple videos of minors involved in sexual acts.

He was booked into the Winneshiek County Jail at 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 21. Court documents said Cortez Vertiz

Wieseler state and local levels.

“I have always been interested in how our government works and the role that each citizen plays in that system,” she said. “Winneshiek County is my home and has been my home for over 20 years. I care about the people, the land and other natural resources here and want to do my part to preserve the health and security of both.”

To that end, Wieseler indicated attending the board meetings in person have helped her learn as much as she can about the job for which she’s campaigning.

“I have attended, listened carefully, taken notes and researched topics that I need to learn more about,” she said.

“Although I could continue to watch online, attending the meetings in person allows me to not only hear the conversation, but to also witness the interactions between the supervisors and constituents. Body language and expressions often

continued from front constituents feel welcomed at board of supervisor meetings.

Without the trust of the people, our government bodies cannot be effective.”

Wieseler also hopes winning a seat on the board will help her educate the public on the importance of being involved in the political process.

“I hear people all the time saying to me, ‘I don’t pay attention to politics,’” she said.

“My response is always that you might not pay attention to politics, but your life is going to be affected by politics at some point, so you need to start paying attention. When I get feedback from people saying things like, ‘Hey, I looked into that issue you were telling me about, and now I want to know more,’ it makes me really happy to think that maybe I’ve made a little bit of a difference. I suppose that’s still the teacher in me.”

NEWS

A-6 | DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Filing deadlines closed for state, federal elections

BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR The window for candidates to file for state and federal offices officially closed as of Aug. 24.

Voters in Winneshiek County will have a say in deciding a number of races in a matter of months. Few of the candidates on the upcoming ballot were challenged during the June prima- File photo ry, but several of them will face an opponent at the ballot box in the Nov. 5 general election.

State Rep. Michael Bergan of Dorchester met last week’s filing deadline to appear on November ballot. The Republican represents Iowa’s House District 63, which includes both Howard and Winneshiek counties as well as a portion of northern Fayette County. No other candidates filed papers to seek the District 63 seat, according to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office. Bergan was unopposed in his bid for reelection during the June primary, during which he received a total of 566 votes — 204 of those votes, or about 36 percent of Bergan’s primary support, were recorded in Winneshiek County.

State Sen. Mike Klimesh of Spillville on the other hand will have to contend with an opponent at the November polls.

Democrat Brian Bruening of Elkader has challenged the incumbent Republican. Klimesh currently represents Iowa’s Senate District 32, which includes Winneshiek, Howard, Allamakee and Clayton counties, in addition to portions of Fayette and Dubuque counties.

Klimesh faced no opponent during the June primary, when he received 3,664 votes — 209 of them from Winneshiek County voters.

The race for northeast Iowa’s seat in the U.S. House will also see a partisan faceoff in November. Incumbent Republican Ashley Hinson of Marion will vie against Democratic challenger Sarah Corkery of Cedar Falls. No candidate challenged Hinson for the Republican nomination earlier this year, and Hinson garnered more than 22,600 votes across the 22-county district — Winneshiek County Republicans cast 209 votes in support of Hinson’s election during the primaries.

The top of the ballot will be a bit heavy with options for Iowa voters heading to the polls this fall. There will be six pairs of running mates printed on the November ballot, according to information from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.

Former President Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate JD Vance are the Republican nominees, with current Vice President Kamala Harris and her pick for the vice presidency — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — at the top of the Democratic ticket. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver and running

mate Mike ter Maat will also appear on the ballot, along with candidate William Stodden and running mate Stephanie Cholensky of the Socialist Party USA. Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan will be listed on the presidential ballot as well, but the independent candidate announced last week he plans to suspend his bid for the White House and endorsed Trump.

Filing period for county offices closed this week The District 3 and 4 seats on the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors will be on the November ballot. The Winneshiek County Auditor and Winneshiek County Sheriff’s positions are also up for reelection this cycle.

Candidates seeking election to county-level positions had until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28 to file papers with the Winneshiek County Auditor’s Office. The end of the filing period fell after the deadline for this week’s edition of the Decorah Leader, and more specific coverage of those candidates will be printed in the Sept. 5 edition.

Special city council election potentially brewing A special election may be on the horizon for the Decorah City Council. Council member Ross Hadley previously announced his intention to step down from the council as of Sept. 1, but his fellow council members have yet to approve a course of action — tabling the matter once and casting a tied vote Aug. 8 on whether to fill Hadley’s seat by appointment or special election.

If the council makes no call for a special election and fails to appoint a new council member to Hadley’s seat within 60 days of the vacancy, the city clerk will be required to give notice to the county’s commissioner of elections, who will then call for a special election. City officials said, should that scenario play out, the earliest date for the potential special election will be Dec. 10. Staff at the county auditor’s office confirmed individuals interested in filling the expected vacancy cannot file candidacy papers until a special election is a certainty.

Decorah City Manager Travis Goedken said the city council can still potentially reconsider its previous tied vote on the matter.

“A motion to reconsider still applies to the resolution,” Goeken said on Aug. 14. “So any council member that voted ‘nay’ could ask to reconsider the resolution at the next two meetings.”

The city manager went on to say, if the council does choose to appoint Hadley’s successor, the public would then have two weeks to petition a special election be held.

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School Board validates bond petition

BY ROZ WEIS STAFF WRITER

A $38 million bond issue will officially be on the Nov. 5 ballot for voters in the Decorah School District.

The Decorah Community School District Board of Directors formally accepted a petition from the public during a special session Monday night and passed a resolution to hold an election on the issue. The proposed general obligation bond — which will be in an amount not to exceed $38 million — would fund the construction of a new elementary school to replace John Cline Elementary School.

School board members Cindy Goodner, Ron Fadness, Carole Sand and Aaron Zander unanimously accepted the petition.

Iowa law requires such petitions to gather signatures equal to at least 25 percent of the total number of voters in the previous election. Based on voter turnout in the last election, 673 signatures in support of the bond election were required to pose the question at the polls — Monday’s approved petition included 1,145 signatures. DCSD Superintendent Tim Cronin said arduously verified all 1,145 collected signatures included valid residential addresses.

Following the board’s ap-

proval, the final paperwork will be filed with the Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines this week. Prior to the Nov. 5 bond election, voters will also be asked on Sept. 10 whether to renew the district’s plan for using money collected through the statewide one-cent sales tax fund.

“This is a rather complex issue,” Fadness, the school board’s vice president, said.

“We need to comply with the strict requirements, which is why we are going through so many steps. But hopefully it’s something that can be made clear to the public.”

Goodner, the board’s president, encouraged voters to visit the informational district’s informational website decorahcsdfuture.org to learn more about the plan, its impact on taxes and other frequently asked questions. The site also includes a three-minute video, explaining the project. She said the site also features a comment box, which she said is monitored daily, and voters can submit questions about the project.

She reminded those attending Monday’s meeting that the $38 million figure was thoroughly considered.

“The $38 million dollar number is on this motion, and I want to remind everyone this is not a number we made up,” she said.

“This was a number that was considered, discussed and evaluated for over six months by a volunteer committee, the Facilities Committee, that worked with our architect to set a reasonable goal.”

She went on to say school officials gave plenty of consideration to the proposed figure, and higher numbers were discussed earlier in the process.

“We, through conversations, scaled back, and we felt like this was a project that met the education needs of our community without being over the top,” Goodner said.

Softball field In other business Monday night, board members approved a bid for refurbishing the district’s softball field surface. The accepted low bid of $127,317.50 from Iowa Sports Turf, a specialty sports construction and surfacing company, does not include sales tax or fencing for the area. Among the services included in the Iowa Sports Turf bid were the removal of existing outfield grass, laser-grading of the outfield, excavation work, regrading, building a home bullpen and visitors bullpen, installing new irrigation system and the installation of sod. Three bids were reviewed by the board during the meeting.

Decorah Schools recently purchased the former cityowned softball field and have earmarked expenditures for improving the playing surface.

In prior years, Decorah Schools and the city of Decorah shared the field. Decorah’s Parks and Recreation Department was responsible for maintenance and upkeep.

Decorah’s Superintendent Cronin and District Athletic Director Adam Riley agreed that since the district now owns the land, it is time to tailor the field for the Viking softball players.

“With the change in ownership, we have a new opportunity,” Decorah Schools Athletic Director Adam Riley said.

Riley said he expects the field could still be used by the city parks and rec department next summer — city officials are currently mulling over the development of a proposed city-owned athletic field near Freeport.

Riley said he anticipates the school’s softball field project will be complete in time for the 2025 season.

The school board also made changes to the school calendar, rescheduling the fall parent/ teacher conferences for Monday, Nov. 4. The conferences were previously scheduled for Nov. 5, the same night as the November election.

Aging Elementary of the building. Judy Moen, a retired Decorah school teacher who helped lead the Aug. 21 tours, said inadequate classroom space isn’t an uncommon issue at John Cline.

“Back in the day, Decorah only had two or three sections,” Moen said. “Now we’re up to five, and they’re bursting at five sections.”

Cronin said the district’s annual enrollment has been steady. John Cline Elementary has a certified enrollment of 312, according to numbers provided by the school district, and Cronin estimated the district’s total enrollment to be around 1,600 students. He said Decorah Schools gained approximately 200 students after the former North Winneshiek School District was closed in favor of full consolidation with Decorah in 2019. The superintendent noted enrollment has dropped by single digits over a period of years, which he said isn’t alarming for a district of Decorah’s size.

John Cline Elementary currently houses students from kindergarten to second grade, while the district’s pre-kindergarten classes are held inside the West Side Elementary building. Cronin said that building — built in 1939 — is underutilized with only the two sections of students to house.

The superintendent said West Side would not longer be needed if John Cline is demolished and a new elementary is built — he stressed the board hasn’t formally discussed options for West Side, but he feels it’s likely the district would consider selling the building to avoid ongoing maintenance expenses.

Feeling the heat Aside from classroom space, teachers at John Cline also have to contend with mother nature.

The building lacks central air conditioning, and the classrooms at John Cline as well as West Side were fitted with individual window units just last year at a cost of about $10,000 — half of which was donated

by Decorah Bank and Trust.

But even with the window units, teachers at John Cline said they aren’t necessarily able to run the units constantly during the school day, particularly if the chilly air is directed toward a single group of students. School officials indicated last week that many of the teaching staff run their classrooms’ AC units overnight in an attempt to stave off the next morning’s heat.

continued from front

And the air conditioners aren’t the only machines running in John Cline’s classrooms.

An air filtration unit has been placed in each classroom to bring the 60-year-old school into greater compliance with standards for air exchange.

Moen said the machines’ filters tend to fill up quickly with dust and must be replaced frequently, adding additional costs to the building’s operation.

Water issues have ripple effect on education Tour guides pointed to cracks and heaves in the building’s linoleum as evidence its foundation may be settling. Replacement parts for one of the building’s restroom wash stations are no longer available, according to Cronin, and roots have infiltrated some of the building’s sewer lines, which Cronin said can lead to septic backups if not addressed periodically.

But it’s the blistered paint on classroom ceilings and the streaked water marks along the hallway walls that staff pointed to last week as evidence of more problematic issues within John Cline.

Moen said staff sometimes arrive in their classroom after a rainy day to find streams of water flowing down their walls or puddles settling on the floor — adding another task for the educators to take on before the morning bell rings, she said.

Cronin said the building’s library had to be temporarily closed last year due to mold issues. He said the cause of the excess moisture was unclear, but the district completed what he called comprehensive air quality testing following a professional cleaning of the library space. Johanna Delaney, a second grade teacher at John Cline, said leaks have at times caused certain maintenance work, such as floor waxing, to be delayed. And Moen told the public during last week’s tour that one of the first-grade classrooms became unusable for a time as school staff hunted for the source of a leak.

Cronin, who was hired by Decorah Schools in 2022, indicated previous school officials deferred on certain maintenance issues — such as the school’s roof — for years, believing a new building was likely to be constructed in the near future.

“If we had a time machine and we could go back to 2008, maybe we’d say ‘Hey, let’s replace the roof, if we’re not go-

Retired Decorah teacher Judy Moen led tours of John Cline Elementary last week. She pointed out several challenges staff in the aging building face, including water leaks, limited space and some outdated classroom tools. (Photos by Seth Boyes) Blistering paint and water stained linoleum tiles are just some of the signs of wear within the classrooms of John Cline Elementary.

ing to have a new school in 20 years,’” Cronin said.

He said current estimates for replacing the roof of the 60-year-old John Cline facility total $500,000 — Cronin indicated that figure is a reasonable cost for the work but may not be a responsible use of taxpayer funds with the potential for an entirely new building on the horizon.

Bond issue to be on the ballot The district will pose two questions to the public next month. Area voters will head to the polls Sept. 10 decide whether to renew the school district’s Revenue Purpose Statement through 2051 — a decision the district said will allow Decorah Schools to continue using state revenue from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund. Voters will also be asked whether the school district should be authorized to levy up to $4.05 per $1,000 of taxable property value for debt services.

The question of the proposed $38 million general obligation bond measure will be on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The district said, if the proposed bond is approved at the ballot box, local land owners can expect their property taxes to increase each year by about

Air filtration units have been placed in the classrooms at John Cline Elementary to improve air quality inside the building, which was built in the early 1960s.

86 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value — less than $8 per month for a home valued at $250,000.

If the bond proposal is ultimately successful, Cronin expects the elementary project’s design phase will last 10 months, and the district will be able to call for contractor bids in September of 2025. Construction would then be slated to start in March of 2026, and the building could potentially be complete by the fall of 2027.

COMMUNITY

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

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Schmitt named 2024 Outstanding 4-H Leader Sara Schmitt of Waucoma was awarded the Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader Award for having encouraged, challenged and inspired Iowa 4-H members to reach their fullest potential.

Schmitt was honored Aug. 18 at the Iowa State Fair.

“We’re proud to honor Sara for her work to support 4-Hers,” said Emily Saveraid, executive director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation. “Her efforts exemplify the spirit of this award.”

Schmitt began volunteering in the Turkey Valley Clovers 4-H club when her oldest daughter joined in 2010. When the club leaders decided to retire from 4-H, Schmitt took the initiative and started the South County Innovators 4-H Club from the ground up. She has been the club leader the last eight years and has grown the club from just a handful of members to 15 active members.

4-H officials said Schmitt is eager to encourage youth to become involved and ensures they achieve recognition for their efforts. Many of her club members have become involved with

Sara Schmitt was recently presented with the 2024 Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader Award on Aug. 18 at the Iowa State Fair. Pictured are Executive Director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation Emily Saveraid (from left to right) Schmitt and Marty Wolske, Publisher of Successful Farming Magazine. (Photo submitted) 4-H at the county, regional, and state level.

In addition to her commitment to the 4-H Program, Schmitt serves as the foundation director for the South Winneshiek Community School District.

She leads the Junior Warriors CHEER Program, has been involved in Girl Scouts as a troop

Community briefs LifeServe blood drive scheduled for Sept. 5

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 at First Baptist Church in south Waukon. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with blood and blood products. Regular blood donors may donate blood as often as every 56 days.

Blood drives are normally held the first Monday of each month in Waukon — the upcoming drive will be held on Sept. 5 due to the Labor Day holiday.

Appointments are encouraged.

To schedule an appointment, please call the LifeServe Blood Center at 800-287-4903.

Ossian announces city-wide garage sales for this fall

The Ossian Crown Club and the city of Ossian have announced the town’s annual citywide garage sales will be held Sept. 5-7. Fliers will be available at Casey’s General Store in Ossian.

WinnMed Auxiliary to sell mums

WinnMed Auxiliary is selling pots of mums until 4 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10. The flowers are available in 8-inch pots for $8 each, while 10-inch pots are $16 each. To order and for more information, email bakkenkm@winmedical.org or call Karla at 563-387-3036. Mums will be available for pickup on Sept. 12. Proceeds from Auxiliary events support WinnMed equipment needs.

Congressional candidate Sarah Corkery to speak Saturday at Club 45

Iowa Second Congressional District candidate Sarah Corkery will meet with the public at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 at Club 45 — 208 W. Water St., Decorah — the headquarters for the Winneshiek County Republicans.

Corkery, a Democrat running against Republican incumbent Ashley Hinson, surprised some when she accepted the speaking invitation from Winneshiek County Republicans Chair Thomas Hansen.

“I have no qualms at all meeting with their group,” said Corkery. “In fact, I look forward to it. I have always insisted that I am a candidate for all Second District voters, not just registered Democrats. While we may not agree on all issues, I still believe that when it comes to the future of Iowa, we all have far more in common than our differences.”

leader, is a member of the Rosary Society and is a volunteer with the South Winneshiek FFA. The Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader Award comes with a $1,000 grant, which the honoree can designate back to Iowa 4-H through their club, county or state foundations.

Corkery said she is grateful for Hansen’s invitation, and she looks forward to the conversation.

“In spite of what often appears to be a widening political divide in this country, we are all still Americans with many shared values and concerns,” said Corkery. “Let’s have those discussions and find areas where we can break down some of those stumbling blocks in order to move Iowa and America forward.”

For information, visit https:// www.corkeryforcongress.com/.

of nutrition services for NEI3A. “Falls can be prevented, and many interventions are easy and affordable. Taking part in local events to assess your risk of falling, learning about personal strategies that you can do, and becoming more active can reduce your risk of falling.”

This event is geared toward senior citizens, their caregivers/ loved ones and anyone else who may benefit from fall prevention techniques. Resignation is open through Wednesday, Sept.

4. To register, call Janet Buls at 319-874-6850.

WinnMed Auxiliary to host tailgate party Sept. 5

Senior Center program to put spotlight on buttons

WinnMed Auxiliary will host a tailgate party from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in parking lot E on the hospital’s campus in Decorah in celebration of the Iowa-Iowa State football game. A tailgate lunch of burgers or roast beef sandwiches, served by the Winneshiek County Cattleman, along with chips and a beverage, will be offered for $8, and Iowa and Iowa State decorated cookies will be available for purchase.

Proceeds from Auxiliary events support equipment needs at WinnMed. For information on the tailgate lunch or to order cookies ahead of time, visit WinnMed.org/events or call Karla Bakken at 563-387-3036.

Decorah Butterfly Garden to host free monarch program

The Decorah Parks and Recreation Department is inviting the public to come to the Decorah Butterfly Garden from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 to learn about the monarch butterfly’s life cycle and its fall migration. Attendees will also tag butterflies for scientific research. For more information, call 563-382-4158.

NEI3A and WinnMed team up to offer fall-prevention event

Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging — or NEI3A — and WinnMed are offering a fall-prevention event for people interested in learning strategies to prevent falls in the home. The event will begin with Tai Chi at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at the Decorah Fish Hatchery and continue at WinnMed in Decorah with a homemade nutritious hot lunch and speakers on topics related to fall prevention.

“September is Fall Prevention Awareness Month and, while falls are the leading cause of injury for older adults, they are not an inevitable part of aging,” said Janet Buls, director

Dianne Peterson, Jan Hankins and Norma Edsill from the Black Hawk Button Club will present “Buttons: Something Small With A Mighty Impact” for the Senior Center’s monthly program at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Senior Center — 806 River St. in Decorah. They will present an overview of the art and history of buttons. Many examples of buttons will be displayed. The Black Hawk Button Club has 30 members, and they meet at 1 p.m. the last Wednesday of the month at St. Paul’s Methodist Church — 207 W. Louise St. in Waterloo; two blocks behind Allen Hospital. We look forward to their sharing this hobby with us.

The Senior Center program will be followed by refreshments and fellowship.

Good Shepard to host annual picnic

The public is invited to Good Shepherd’s annual Welcome Friends and Neighbors Picnic from 5-6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept.

15 at 701 Iowa Ave. in Decorah.

A free meal of hot dogs, chips, salads, desserts and beverages will be provided — the meal will include gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Organizers will also host children’s games.

Pancake fundraiser to support fairground improvements

A pancake breakfast fundraiser will be held at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds on Sunday Sept. 8. After a successful fair in 2024 Pancakes on the Patio, will be held rain or shine form 8 a.m. to noon that day at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds Community Building. The meal will consist of pancakes, scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, cheese curds, milk, orange juice and coffee. A freewill offering will be accepted, and carryouts will be available.

Envirothon Internationals 24: Front row: Allysen Lovstuen, Anders Lovstuen, Gabriel Hiner Back row: Lucas Arendt, Connor Evelsizer, Aidan Nalean-Carlson. (Photo submitted)

DHS Envirothon team performs well at international competition Lucas Arendt, Connor Evelsizer, Gabriel Hiner, Aidan Nalean-Carlson and Anders Lovstuen — all members of the Decorah High School class of 2024 — earned a trip to Geneva, New York, in late July to represent Iowa in the Envirothon International competition. This was the second year in-a-row this same team of five young men scored the highest in Iowa and traveled to the National Conservation Foundation-Envirothon annual competition. Winning teams from 50 states, provinces and countries recently gathered in Geneva, vying for top honors.

The Envirothon is a five-member team competition for high school students testing their knowledge of natural resources. Students are challenged to use their knowledge and critical thinking skills to conduct hands-on investigations, solve real-life scenarios and answer written questions covering five categories — aquatics, forest-

ry, soils, wildlife and a current environmental issue. This year, students focused on the theme of “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.”

Decorah finished in a very respectful 13th place, improving from a 19th place finish last year in New Brunswick.

“Allysen Lovstuen served the team as an invaluable assistant advisor,” said a report from the school district. “Without her help and guidance, keeping everyone on a tight schedule would have been much more difficult. As an added bonus, Lovstuen kept the families back in Decorah supplied with daily updates and photos. She also proved to be a first-class navigator to and from the drive to New York.”

After experiencing transportation issues last year, activities director Adam Riley made it possible for the team to travel to New York via school van. Driving allowed the team the opportunity to visit Ohio’s Cuyahoga

Ossian entries among top Aberdeen cattle at state fair

Municipal building

A pair of entrants from Ossian received honors in the full-bred cow/calf competition for Aberdeen cattle born before Sept. 1, 2021, which took place at the Iowa State Fair.

Alexander Holthaus was listed in the first place slot, with Anna Holthaus taking second place in the category.

Ace Bridal

continued from front officials. A facility study completed earlier this year by Brunton Architects and Engineers identified a number of significant electrical, structural and mechanical issues within the building. The suggested improvements, repairs and upgrades would cost around $9 million. The council discussed options for repairing the municipal building versus rebuilding portions, taking into consideration a third option of razing the current facility and building new. The cost of a new facility as estimated by Brunton could top out around $16 million.

Several council members noted the current building does not

y r t s i g e R

September 7, 2024 Joy Tangen & Daniel Boen ~ September 21, 2024 Briana Burke & John Habib Deirdre Christopher & Adam Kriener Michelle Halse & Noah Bailey ~ October 19, 2024 Alyssa Timp & Matthias Yungtum ~ October 26, 2024 Abby Bolson & Dane Frieden ~ November 23, 2024 Marissa Foels & Conner Ariss ~ June 21, 2025 Madison Sexton & Cole Tweten

ACE

KITCHEN PLACE 101 E. Water St., Decorah 563-382-3544

Monday-Saturday 9am-5:30pm Sunday 10am-2pm

Valley National Park, Lake Erie and the so-called “Grand Canyon of the West,” Letchworth State Park in New York.

“We are very grateful to all of our sponsors and for all of the positive support from the Envirothon family and friends,” said advisor Larry Berland. “I cannot express adequately how much I enjoy working with the Envirothon students. The number of total participants and their results indicate an awesome display on the part of our Decorah students with regard to awareness and concern of the natural environment. Living in this community is advantageous for these students because so many residents model excellent stewardship of their surroundings. A big thank you goes out to all of the administrators and faculty in the district who have helped develop these fine students. The students’ success is directly proportional to their never-ending efforts.”

take full advantage of the property, which they said is a valuable commodity in Decorah, and a new construction could maximize the land. Most council members agreed functionality outweighed the historical value of the current building, but they did not rule out repairing the current facility and making additions and upgrades.

City Manager Travis Goedken was asked to meet with Brunton officials and determine if the new building plans could be amended to lower the $16 million price tag. Discussion of the issue will continue at a future council meeting.

NORTHEAST IOWA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Fall Fest Sept. 5 » 5-8 PM CALMAR CAMPUS Fun family event!

FOOD & GAMES  LIVE MUSIC EXPLORE CAMPUS! LEARN MORE. nicc.edu/fallfest

COMMUNITY

A-8 | DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Luther College recognized for commitment to first-generation college student success Luther College has become one of 80 new members of the FirstGen Forward Network, formerly known as the Center for First-generation Student Success. Among Iowa institutions, Luther joins the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and Drake University in the 429-member nationwide network.

“We are pleased to welcome Luther College into the network,” said Sarah E. Whitley, executive vice president with FirstGen Forward. “Through the application process, it was evident that Luther College is not only taking steps to serve first-generation students but is prepared to make a long-term commitment and employ strategies that foster an environment of success for this important population.”

An estimated 21 percent of Luther’s student body last fall was first generation — those whose parents or guardians

Oneota Valley Literary Foundation to welcome ‘Spirit Crossing’ author The public is invited to join the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation in welcoming William Kent Krueger, author of “Spirit Crossing,” at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5 in the Steyer Opera House for a reading, Q&A and signing.

Krueger is the author of a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist Cork O’Connor is the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage — part Irish and part Ojibwe. Krueger’s work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last 13 novels were all New York Times bestsellers.

Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, Krueger briefly attended Stanford University — before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He’s been married for more than 50 years to a retired attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul.

have not completed a four-year college degree.

The FirstGen Forward Network empowers higher education institutions to benefit first-generation college students in many ways, such as advancing their academic and co-curricular outcomes and building more inclusive institutional structures.

“We are very honored to have been selected for membership in the FirstGen Forward Network, and we are excited to maximize the opportunities this partnership will allow,” said Kate Elliott, Luther’s dean of student success. “I want to publicly commend my team in the Office of Student Success, especially Dr. Ann Smith, assistant dean and director of disability services, and Dr. Jennifer Hanifl, director of TRIO Student Support Services.”

A commitment to first-generation college students is personal for several key Luther staff

Photo submitted members. Smith and Hanifl, as well as Provost Brad Chamberlain, were all first-generation college students in their own families. Smith and Hanifl will serve as Luther’s leadership team for FirstGen Forward.

“Because of our personal experience as first-gen students, we are especially excited about this program and the resources it will bring to help our current generation of first-gen stu-

dents,” said Hanifl.

Officials with Luther College said both Hanifl and Smith have extensive professional experience working with the first-generation population. Before Luther, Hanifl was the director of the first-generation initiatives student program at Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. As Luther’s director of TRIO Student Support Services, she serves first-generation college

Decorah Public Library expands Spanish language collection with grant funds Decorah Public Library’s Children’s and Young Adults Department was recently awarded a grant from the Depot Outlet to build a Spanish language collection for youth.

The grant supports a project to expand cultural inclusivity and break down language barriers.

Additional funds have been provided by the Baker Family Fund and Friends of the Decorah Public Library.

“We are so grateful to the

Depot for helping us provide resources to our Spanish-speaking library users,” said Children’s and Young Adult Librarian Sophie Nall. “Reading is not only educational, but should be enjoyed freely as a leisure activity. Everyone deserves access to books in their native language.”

The project is a branch of DPL’s efforts to provide more resources to Spanish–speakers in the community, including plans for bilingual signage and

library communications, as well as programming and activities for Spanish-speaking families.

The new collection is expected to contain books for all ages, including Spanish picture books, graphic novels, middle grade and young adult fiction.

Requests for specific books may be made through the library catalogue or in person at the library.

Porter House Museum to host Hultgren performance Sept. 13

The Porter House Museum will be hosting a new music concert “Craig Hultgren Plays the Iowa Cello Book,” at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. The solo acoustic concert will feature works by members of the Iowa Composers Forum, a state and regional collection of composers. Craig Hultgren will be premiering a brand-new work “Driftless Images,” by Daniel Swilley from the University of Northern Iowa. Swilley’s predecessor at UNI, Alan Schmitz is also represented on the concert with his “Three Cello Sketches.” Luther College music professor Brooke Joyce has an arrange-

ment of “Three Spirituals” on the program. There will be pieces by Paul Dice, Greg A. Steinke, Robert J. Martin and Alexander Poutous as well.

Tickets for the performance will be available for $10 at the door on a first-come, firstserved basis. Members of the Porter House Museum may reserve tickets in advance as a benefit of museum membership. Email the Porter House at porterhousemuseum@gmail. com for more information.

Cellist Craig Hultgren has had more than 300 solo compositions created for him. He now resides outside of Decorah as the farmer-cellist. Hultgren

DECORAH’S CITYWIDE

GARAGE SALE SATURDAY, SEPT. 14

Map and listing will be published in the Decorah Leader Sept. 12

Please return the form, along with $25 to Decorah Leader, 110 Washington St., Suite 4, Decorah, IA 52101 OR Call 563-382-4221 or EMAIL: classifieds@decorahnewspapers.com

ALL ADS MUST BE PAID BEFORE PUBLICATION DATE

Register by Noon on FRIDAY, SEPT. 6 to be on the map!

DECORAH CITYWIDE GARAGE SALE Mail this form along with the $25.00 fee to: Decorah Leader, P.O. Box 350, Decorah, IA 52101

25 words or less description:

___________________________ ___________________________

Name: _____________________________________

___________________________

Address: ___________________________________

___________________________

____________________________________________

___________________________

Phone #: ___________________________________

___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

Questions? Call 563-382-4221

___________________________

allow us to have nationwide support for more programming opportunities and, hopefully, funding to build out support for first-gens not in TRIO.” She envisions programming such as persistence and academic recovery workshops, community-building, mentoring and networking geared toward first-generation students.

The FirstGen Forward program has three phases. After successful completion of the Network Member phase, institutions may progress to the second phase, FirstGen Forward Network Leader, before setting their sites on the third phase, FirstGen Forward Network Champion.

“It’s all about creating community,” Hanifl said. “Luther is a wonderful community, but everyone needs a niche or group of their own. That’s what we are trying to create. Everyone needs a cohort or a family and a place that they can call their home away from home.”

Law Enforcement Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office

Alex Snitker, age 35, of Decorah was charged with public intoxication at approximately 1:27 a.m.

Sunday, Aug. 18 in the area of Main Street in Calmar. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an individual “yelling and causing a disturbance near the area of Lewis Street,” and later located the suspect near the intersection of Main Street and Highway 24. Snitker was found to be intoxicated and was booked into the Winneshiek County Jail at 2:05 a.m. the same day.

Travis McIntyre, age 50, of Eldorado was booked into the Winneshiek County Jail at 9:05 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 20 on an arrest warrant for failure to appear.

Keaton Boydston, age 21, of Castalia, turned himself in to the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office at 9:29 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 18 and was arrested on a warrant for violation of his probation.

The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single-vehicle accident at approximately 3:23 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18 along County Road B32. A report from the sheriff’s office said 56-year-old Richard Dean Druecker of Volga was traveling along the road on a 2001 Harley Davidson FXDWG, and “it is believed the driver caught ruts in the asphalt in the center lane that caused the motorcycle to loose control.” The motorcycle entered the southeast ditch, causing Druecker and a passenger — 54-year-old Kristi Jean Kenkel of Strawberry Point — to be ejected. Druecker “seemed confused and did not remember crashing,” according to the report. He sustained a laceration to his left hand and reported rib pain on his left side, and his passenger reported mid-back pain. Both were transported to Winneshiek Medical

ALLAMAKEE COUNTY

Suggested sale hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A $25 fee goes towards the publication of a city map showing the location of the garage sales within city limits and a listing of 25 words or less of the items for sale. Sales outside the city limits will receive a listing of 25 words or less and have their address printed near the map indicating the direction of the sale.

recently received a 2022 Performance Award from the Doug Davis Endowment for the video of his performance of Lukas Foss’ “Capriccio” at the Belvedere Chamber Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. A recipient of two Artist Fellowships from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, he was a member for many years of Thámyris, a contemporary chamber music ensemble in Atlanta, Georgia.

He is a founding member of Luna Nova, a new music ensemble with a large repertoire of performances. Currently, he is president of the Oneota Valley Community Orchestra Board of Directors in Decorah and also serves as secretary for the Iowa Composers Forum after completing three years as its chair.

students, as well as income-eligible students and students with disabilities. Ann Smith supports TRIO in her role as assistant dean and works directly with providing services for students with disabilities at Luther. Luther has history of more than 50 years with the federally funded TRIO programs.

Officials said first-generation students in TRIO SSS are more likely to persist in their education, compared to their peers not in the program, largely because of TRIO’s support services. Based on federal funding levels, however, Luther’s TRIO program is able to serve less than half of Luther’s eligible first-gen students.

“Of the 216 first-generation college students at Luther College in spring 2024, only 91 first-gens — approximately 42 percent — were served by the TRIO Student Support Services program,” said Hanifl. “The FirstGen Forward program will

FARMLAND FOR SALE

Sandra Halverson is offering for sale for cash a farm of 175.46 acres, more or less. Possession will be given March 1, 2025.

The current tenant’s lease has been terminated. The property is located in Post Township described as:

THE NORTH HALF OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER EXCEPT LOT ONE IN THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER; LOT ONE IN THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER; LOT ONE OF LOT THREE IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER; AND THAT PART OF LOT TWO IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER LYING NORTH OF THE YELLOW RIVER ALL IN SECTION 3, AND THE EAST HALF OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER IN SECTION 4, ALL IN TOWNSHIP 96 NORTH, RANGE 6 WEST OF THE 5TH P.M. Sealed bids may be delivered or e-mailed to the offices of Elwood, O’Donohoe, Braun & White, LLP at 101 N. Locust Avenue, New Hampton, IA 50659, Iowa by 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2024. E-mailed bids will be kept confidential and sealed bids will be opened that afternoon.

The persons submitting the five highest bids will be invited to an auction to be held at Prairie Lake Church, 2324 Sweet Pkwy Rd., Decorah, IA on September 13 at 2:00 p.m. and will have the right to raise their bid at that time.

The successful bidder will be required to pay 10% down on the date of sale. Balance of purchase price will be paid one-half on December 27, 2024 and one-half on January 3, 2025.

Seller reserves the right to reject all bids. Announcements made the day of sale take precedence. At any time after Sunday, August 18, interested parties may request all available information regarding the farm in person, at the New Hampton office, by calling 641-394-5943 or by e-mailing kit@elwoodlawfirm.com.

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Center by ambulance, according to the sheriff’s report. The two had been traveling with a group of motorcyclists, and others in the group took possession of Druecker’s motorcycle, which had an estimated $2,500 damage to its rear fender.

No citation was noted in the report.

Possible minor injuries were reported after several teenagers were involved in a three-vehicle collision around 5:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19 near the intersection of Highway 52 and Middle Calmar Road. A report from the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office said a 17-year-old male from Ridgeway was driving a 2015 Chevrolet Impala east along the highway and was yielding to oncoming traffic before attempting to make a left hand turn onto Middle Calmar Road as two vehicle approached from the rear — the Impala’s turn signal mechanism was in the left position when deputies inspected the vehicle, according to the report. A 16-year-old male from Castalia was driving a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix and saw the turning Impala, braked and “went to the shoulder instead of rear-ending” the Impala — the 16-year-old told deputies “he has power steering and brake problems.” The third vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Impala driven by a 17-year-old from Ossian, side swiped the Grand Prix and struck the rear of the turning Impala. The driver of the second Impala told deputies his cruise control was set to approximately 60 mph and he “tried to brake but was ultimately unsuccessful.” The driving of the turning Impala was uninjured according to the sheriff’s report. The driver of the Grand Prix was listed as having possible injuries and was cited for failure to stop in an assured clear distance. The driver of the second Impala sustained suspected minor, non-incapacitating injuries and was taken to WinnMed. He too was cited for failure to stop in an assured clear distance.

The sheriff’s report also listed a 14-year-old male from Ridgeway as uninjured but did not specify which vehicle the teen was inside.

An estimated $10,000 of damage was reported to the 2015 Impala which was rear-ended, about $2,500 of damage was reported to the Grand Prix and around $5,500 of damage was reported to the 2007 Impala.

Jose Maria Bernal Jr., age 25, of Postville was booked into the Winneshiek County Jail at 8:09 a.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 21 to serve four consecutive days.

Decorah Police Department

David Dwain Pipkin, age 48, of Minnesota City, Minnesota, was charged with second-degree theft after an incident which occurred around 4:44 p.m. Nov. 19, 2023 at the Decorah Walmart. A criminal complain said Pipkin “acted in concert with three other individuals to collectively push out seven grocery carts” carrying almost $2,400 of goods past the points of purchase without paying. Pipkin was booked into the Winneshiek County Jail at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21 on an arrest/bench warrant.

All people listed may face charges and should be presumed innocent until their case is reviewed through the legal process.

PUBLIC NOTICES

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@DECORAHNEWSPAPERS.COM | 563-382-4221

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Winneshiek County Area Solid Waste Agency of Winneshiek County, Iowa, has set the 9th day of September 2024, at 5:00 o’clock p.m. at the Annex of the Winneshiek County Courthouse in Decorah, Iowa, as the time and place for hearing to consider vacating the easement for a monitoring well: The Estate of Ronald R. Ludeking (Ronald R. Ludeking, deceased) is the owner of the following described real estate: A Parcel of real estate located in the Northwest Quarter of Section 16, Township 97 North, Range 7 West of the 5th Principal Meridian, County of Winneshiek, State of Iowa.

Currently there is a monitoring well easement recorded in Document No. 2010-3110 dated September 8, 2010. Julie Ludeking, the executor of the Estate of Ronald R. Ludeking, has requested the Winneshiek County Area Solid Waste Agency to vacate the easement for the monitoring well, as the monitoring well is no longer used.

You are further notified that the Winneshiek County Area Solid Waste Agency proposes to vacate said Monitoring Well Easement, and at said time and place comments will be received by the Winneshiek County Area Solid Waste Agency on the question of the vacation and easement.

At said time and place, arguments for and against vacation of the subject property will be heard and considered. Any objections that are not made at the hearing will be deemed waived.

By order of the Winneshiek County Area Solid Waste Agency, Iowa, this the 10th day of June 2024.

Mark Vick, Chair Leon Kipp, Secretary Decorah(Iowa) Leader August 22 & 29, 2024

IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF G. LILLIAN BRUVOLD DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR 016313 NOTICE OF PROBATE OF WILL, APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of G. Lillian Bruvold, Deceased, who died on or about August 5, 2024: You are hereby notified that on the 16th day of August, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of G. Lillian Bruvold, deceased, bearing date of June 7, 2024, was admitted to probate in the above-named Court and that Paul Duane Bruvold and Lila Ann Smith were appointed co-executors of the estate. Any action to set aside the Will must be brought in the district court of said county within the later to occur of four months from the date of the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice to all heirs of the decedent and devisees under the Will whose identities are reasonably ascertainable, or thereafter be forever barred.

Notice is further given that all persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned, and creditors having claims against the estate shall file them with the Clerk of the above named district court, as provided by law, duly authenticated, for allowance, and unless so filed by the later to occur of four months from the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice (unless otherwise allowed or paid) a claim is thereafter forever barred.

Dated this 19th day of August, 2024.

Paul Duane Bruvold 1665 Valdres Rd Decorah, IA 52101 Co-executor of estate Lila Ann Smith 120 N. Putnam St Algona, IA 50511 Co-executor of estate Jana Evelsizer Olson ANDERSON, WILMARTH, VAN DER MAATEN, FRETHEIM, EVELSIZER OLSON, NOBLE, LYNCH & ZAHASKY 212 Winnebago P.O. Box 450 Decorah, IA 52101 (563) 382-2959 jana.olson@andersonlawdecorah.com Date of second publication: August 29, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 22 & 29, 2024

TRUST NOTICE IN THE MATTER OF THE JULIA SOLAND REVOCABLE TRUST To all persons regarding Julia Soland, deceased, who died on or about May 27, 2024.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that Jason Soland is the Trustee of the Julia Soland Revocable Trust Agreement dated February 20, 2015.

Any action to contest the validity of the Trust must be brought in the District Court of Winneshiek County, Decorah, Iowa, within the later to occur within four (4) months from the date of second publication of this notice, or within thirty (30) days from the date of mailing this notice to all heirs of the decedent settlor and the spouse of the decedent settlor whose identities are reasonably ascertainable.

Any suit not filed within this period shall be forever barred.

Notice is further given that any person or entity possessing a claim against the trust must mail proof of the claim to the Trustee at the address listed below via certified mail, return receipt requested, by the later to occur within four (4) months from the date of second publication of this notice, or within thirty (30) days from the date of mailing this notice if required, or the claim shall be forever barred, unless paid or otherwise satisfied.

Dated this 19th day of August, 2024.

JULIA SOLAND REVOCABLE TRUST Jason Soland, Trustee 1986 Trout Run Rd. Decorah, IA 52101 ATTORNEY FOR TRUST: Andrew P. Nelson Meyer, Lorentzen & Nelson 101 ½ E. Water St. P.O. Box 126 Decorah, IA 52101-0126 563-382-3647 Fax: 563-382-2822 Date of second publication: August 29, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leacder August 22 & 29, 2024

IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RICKY NESVIK, DECEASED. PROBATE NO. ESPR 016312 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Ricky Nesvik, Deceased, who died on or about February 26, 2024: You are hereby notified that on August 15, 2024, the undersigned was appointed administrator of the estate.

Notice is hereby given that all persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned, and creditors having claims against the estate shall file them with the clerk of the above named district court, as provided by law, duly authenticated, for allowance, and unless so filed by the later to occur four months from the date of the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of the mailing of this notice (unless otherwise allowed or paid) a claim is thereafter forever barred.

Dated on August 16, 2024.

Marcia Nesvik, Administrator of the Estate 1645 140th Street, Ossian, Iowa 52161 Nathaniel William Schwickerath, ICIS#: AT0007110 Attorney for the Administrator Schwickerath, P.C. 2069 170th Street New Hampton, IA 50659 Probate Code Section 230 Date of second publication: August 29, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 22 & 29, 2024

Notice of 2024 Special School Election Public Notice is given that for the Decorah CSD in the Counties of Winneshiek and Allamakee, State of Iowa, a Special Election will be held on Tuesday September 10, 2024. The polls will be open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

All Decorah CSD residents from all precincts will vote at: Winneshiek County Courthouse Annex – 201 W Main St, Decorah, IA 52101 A public test will be held to demonstrate the Unisyn Freedom Vote voting system which will be used to count the votes. The public test will begin at 1:00 pm Wednesday September 4, 2024 at the Winneshiek County Courthouse and will continue until all tests are completed.

The polling sites are handicapped accessible. Any voter who is physically unable to enter the polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further information, please contact the County Auditor’s office at (563) 382-5085 or auditor@co.winneshiek. ia.us.

Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a regular ballot. Voters who are not pre-registered – such as voters registering to vote on election day – and voters changing precincts must also provide proof of residence. A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of identification (or prove residence if required) 1) may have the voter’s identity/residence attested to by another registered voter in the precinct, 2) prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents, or 3) cast a provisional ballot and provide proof of identity/residence at the County Auditor’s office by Noon, September 16, 2024. Election Day Registrant attesters must provide an approved form of identification. For additional information about providing proof of identity and/or residence visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/ voterid or phone (563) 382-5085.

The Post-Election Audit of the ballots cast in one precinct will be held Thursday September 12, 2024 in the County Auditor’s Office.

The ballot will contain two public measures as follows: Public Measure D Summary: To adopt a Revenue Purpose Statement specifying the use of revenues the Decorah Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

In the Decorah Community School District, the following Revenue Purpose Statement which specifies the use of revenues the Decorah Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund shall be adopted To provide funds to acquire or install information technology infrastructure (including improving buildings or sites for the purpose of accessing broadband digital telecommunications) and school safety and security infrastructure.

To provide funds to build and furnish a new school building or buildings; to build and furnish addition(s) to school buildings in the District; to remodel, reconstruct, repair, expand, and improve the school buildings in the District; to purchase and improve grounds; for demolition work; to furnish and equip district facilities.

To provide funds for the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of buildings, equipment (including transportation and recreation equipment), or technology and to repair transportation equipment for transporting students as authorized by law, to implement energy conservation measures, sharing or rental of facilities including a joint infrastructure project for the purposes of offering classes under district-to-community college programs as authorized in Iowa Code Section 423F.3(3) (c), procuring or acquisition of libraries, or opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings.

To provide funds to purchase land as part of start-up costs for new student construction program or if the sale of the previous student construction was insufficient to purchase land, and to purchase construction materials and supplies for a student-constructed building or shed intended to be retained by and used by the District.

To provide funds to make payments to a municipality or other entity as required under Iowa Code Section 403.19(2).

To provide funds for demolition, cleanup, and other costs if such costs are necessitated by, and incurred within two years of, a disaster.

To provide funds for radon testing and mitigation.

To provide funds to establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds; provide for supervision and instruction for recreational activities; or for community education purposes.

To provide funds for the payment of principal and interest or retirement of general obligation bonds issued for school infrastructure purposes, energy improvement loans, loan agreements authorized by Iowa Code Section 297.36, sales, service and use tax revenue bonds issued under Iowa Code Section 423E.5 or Iowa Code Section 423F.4.

To provide funds for property tax relief; and To provide funds for other authorized expenditures and purposes as now or hereafter permitted by law and designated by the Decorah Community School District.

It being understood that if this public measure should fail to be approved by the voters, such failure shall not be construed to terminate or restrict authority previously granted by the voters to expend receipts from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

If approved, this Revenue Purpose Statement shall remain in effect until replaced or amended by the Decorah Community School District.

Additional Information for Public Measure D: If a majority of eligible electors voting on the question fail to approve this Revenue Purpose Statement, then upon expiration of the current Revenue Purpose Statement, revenues received by the School District from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education fund shall be expended in the following order: The payment of bonds for which SAVE Revenue has been pledged; Reduction of bond levies under Iowa Code Sections 298.18 and 298.18A and all other debt levies; Reduction of the regular and voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy under Iowa Code Section 298.2; Reduction of the public educational and recreational levy under Iowa Code Section 300.2; For any authorized infrastructure purpose of the school district as defined in Iowa Code Section 423F.3(6); and For the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued under Iowa Code Sections 423E.5 and 423F.4.

Public Measure E Shall the Board of Directors of the Decorah Community School District in the Counties of Winneshiek and Allamakee, State of Iowa, be authorized to levy annually a tax exceeding Two Dollars and Seventy Cents ($2. 70) per Thousand Dollars ($1,000), but not exceeding Four Dollars and Five Cents ($4.05) per Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed value of the taxable property within said school corporation to pay the principal of and interest on bonded indebtedness of said school corporation, it being understood that the approval of this public measure shall not limit the source of payment of the bonds and interest, but shall only operate to restrict the amount of bonds which may be issued?

This notice is given by the Winneshiek County Commissioner of Elections.

Benjamin D. Steines Winneshiek County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections Decorah(Iowa) Leader August 29, 2024

Notice of 2024 Special School Election Public Notice is given that for the Howard-Winneshiek CSD in the County of Winneshiek, State of Iowa, a Special Election will be held on Tuesday September 10, 2024. The polls will be open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

For all Winneshiek County Precincts, Howard-Winneshiek CSD residents will vote at: Ridgeway Community Center – 690 County St, Ridgeway, IA, 52165 A public test will be held to demonstrate the Unisyn Freedom Vote voting system which will be used to count the votes. The public test will begin at 1:00 pm Wednesday September 4, 2024 at the Winneshiek County Courthouse and will continue until all tests are completed.

The polling sites are handicapped accessible. Any voter who is physically unable to

enter the polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further information, please contact the County Auditor’s office at (563) 382-5085 or auditor@co.winneshiek. ia.us.

Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a regular ballot. Voters who are not pre-registered – such as voters registering to vote on election day – and voters changing precincts must also provide proof of residence. A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of identification (or prove residence if required) 1) may have the voter’s identity/residence attested to by another registered voter in the precinct, 2) prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents, or 3) cast a provisional ballot and provide proof of identity/residence at the County Auditor’s office by Noon, September 16, 2024. Election Day Registrant attesters must provide an approved form of identification. For additional information about providing proof of identity and/or residence visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/ voterid or phone (563) 382-5085.

The Post-Election Audit of the ballots cast in one precinct will be held Thursday September 12, 2024 in the County Auditor’s Office.

The ballot will contain the following public measure: Public Measure Z Summary: To adopt a Revenue Purpose Statement specifying the use of revenues the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

In the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District, the following Revenue Purpose Statement which specifies the use of revenues the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund shall be adopted.

To provide funds to acquire or install information technology infrastructure (including improving buildings or sites for the purpose of accessing broadband digital telecommunications) and school safety and security infrastructure.

To provide funds to build and furnish a new school building or buildings; to build and furnish addition(s) to school buildings in the District; to remodel, reconstruct, repair, expand, and improve the school buildings in the District; to purchase and improve grounds; for demolition work; to furnish and equip district facilities.

To provide funds for the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of buildings, equipment (including transportation and recreation equipment), or technology and to repair transportation equipment for transporting students as authorized by law, to implement energy conservation measures, sharing or rental of facilities including a joint infrastructure project for the purposes of offering classes under district-to-community college programs as authorized in Iowa Code Section 423F.3(3) (c), procuring or acquisition of libraries, or opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings.

To provide funds to purchase land as part of start-up costs for new student construction program or if the sale of the previous student construction was insufficient to purchase land, and to purchase construction materials and supplies for a student-constructed building or shed intended to be retained by and used by the District.

To provide funds to make payments to a municipality or other entity as required under Iowa Code Section 403.19(2).

To provide funds for demolition, cleanup, and other costs if such costs are necessitated by, and incurred within two years of, a disaster.

To provide funds for radon testing and mitigation.

To provide funds to establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds; provide for supervision and instruction for recreational activities; or for community education purposes.

To provide funds for the payment of principal and interest or retirement of general obligation bonds issued for school infrastructure purposes, energy improvement loans, loan agreements authorized by Iowa Code Section 297.36, sales, service and use tax revenue bonds issued under Iowa Code Section 423E.5 or Iowa Code Section 423F.4.

To provide funds for property tax relief; and To provide funds for other authorized expenditures and purposes as now or hereafter permitted by law and designated by the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District.

It being understood that if this public measure should fail to be approved by the voters, such failure shall not be construed to terminate or restrict authority previously granted by the voters to expend receipts from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

If approved, this Revenue Purpose Statement shall remain in effect until replaced or amended by the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District.

Additional Information for Public Measure Z: If a majority of eligible electors voting on the question fail to approve this Revenue Purpose Statement, then upon expiration of the current Revenue Purpose Statement, revenues received by the School District from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education fund shall be expended in the following order: The payment of bonds for which SAVE Revenue has been pledged; Reduction of bond levies under Iowa Code Sections 298.18 and 298.18A and all other debt levies; Reduction of the regular and voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy under Iowa Code Section 298.2; Reduction of the public educational and recreational levy under Iowa Code Section 300.2; For any authorized infrastructure purpose of the school district as defined in Iowa Code Section 423F.3(6); and For the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued under Iowa Code Sections 423E.5 and 423F.4.

This notice is given by the Winneshiek County Commissioner of Elections.

Benjamin D. Steines Winneshiek County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections Decorah(Iowa) Leader August 29, 2024 IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WAYNE TIESKOETTER DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR 016316 NOTICE OF PROBATE OF WILL, OF APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Wayne Tieskoetter, Deceased, who died on or about August 12, 2024: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on the 23rd day of August, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of Wayne Tieskoetter, deceased, bearing date of May 16, 2024, was admitted to probate in the abovenamed Court and that Allan Schmitt was appointed executor of the estate. Any action to set aside the Will must be brought in the district court of said county within the later to occur of four months from the date of the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice to all heirs of the decedent and devisees under the Will whose identities are reasonably ascertainable, or thereafter be forever barred.

Notice is further given that all persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned, and creditors having claims against the estate shall file them with the Clerk of the abovenamed district court, as provided by law, duly authenticated, for allowance, and unless so filed by the later to occur of four months from the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice (unless otherwise allowed or paid) a claim is thereafter forever barred.

Dated this 26th day of August, 2024.

Allan Schmitt Executor of Estate 1741 Sand Rd., Ossian, IA 52161 Dustin H. Noble ANDERSON, WILMARTH, VAN DER MAATEN, FRETHEIM, EVELSIZER OLSON, NOBLE, LYNCH & ZAHASKY 212 Winnebago, P.O. Box 450 Decorah, IA 52101 563-382-2959 Email: dustin.noble@andersonlawdecorah.com Date of second publication: September 5, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 29 & September 5, 2024

MEETING OF THE CONSERVATION BOARD OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IOWA Tuesday, July 2, 2024, 12 p.m. at the Winneshiek County Courthouse Annex Bldg., Decorah, IA Members Present: Bill Ohde, Tina Hall, Steve Cornelius, Kristin Torresdal, and Tim Wagner. Guests: None.

I. Call to Order.

Ohde called the meeting to order at 1:04 p.m.

II. Public Comment: None III. Guests: None IV. Consent Agenda Approval.

Motion by Cornelius, 2nd by Hall to approve June minutes MC. The auditor’s report shows $1,413.15 of funds remaining in the 2023-2024 budget that will be absorbed into the general fund. Motion by Hall, 2nd by Wagner to approve July claims. MC. V. Action Items.

1. Consider Granting Driveway Access at Lake Meyer - Motion by Wagner, 2nd by Torresdal to deny driveway access. MC. The discussion focused on the fact that since the property is not landlocked, permission would not be required, and there are too many future unknowns. The board also didn’t feel comfortable providing a benefit of the park roadway to a private individual.

2. Approve Installation of Air Conditioning at the Lake Meyer Office – no action taken.

3. Approve or Deny the Zoning Request - The discussion focused on the underground water and methane contamination. Wagner offered to draft a letter to the Zoning Board.

No action was taken.

4. Approve Changes to the Office Assistant Job Description – no action taken.

VI. Discussion Items.

1. Trail and Project Updates. Steve St. Clair has offered to purchase and donate a sea scorpion model that could be displayed around Decorah and housed at Lake Meyer Nature Center during school field trip season. The Office Assistant position is open.

Flooding on the Upper Iowa River caused the campground to be evacuated at midnight.

Ryan Wiltgen’s need for a county vehicle was evident as he drove to the park in his personal vehicle to save time. Staff has been working on trail cleanup from the storms.

VII. Department and Committee Reports.

Staff and Director reports were submitted.

VIII. Items for Future Agendas.

Agenda items include a work vehicle for Ryan Wiltgen to drive home.

IX. Adjournment - Schedule Next Meeting.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at 1 p.m. in Courthouse Annex.

Motion by Cornelius, 2nd by Wagner to adjourn. MC. The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Conservation Board Director Barbara Schroeder Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 29, 2024 IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LELAND HOLTHAUS DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR 016314 NOTICE OF PROBATE OF WILL, OF APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Leland Holthaus, Deceased, who died on or about August 9, 2024: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on the 21st day of August, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of Leland Holthaus, deceased, bearing date of March 25, 2016, was admitted to probate in the abovenamed Court and that Pamela Drucker was appointed executor of the estate. Any action to set aside the Will must be brought in the district court of said county within the later to occur of four months from the date of the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice to all heirs of the decedent and devisees under the Will whose identities are reasonably ascertainable, or thereafter be forever barred.

Notice is further given that all persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned, and creditors having claims against the estate shall file them with the Clerk of the abovenamed district court, as provided by law, duly authenticated, for allowance, and unless so filed by the later to occur of four months from the second publication of this notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice (unless otherwise allowed or paid) a claim is thereafter forever barred.

Dated this 26th day of August, 2024.

Pamela Drucker Executor of Estate 206 N. Iowa St. PO Box 413 Calmar, IA 52132 John S. Anderson ANDERSON, WILMARTH, VAN DER MAATEN, FRETHEIM, EVELSIZER OLSON, NOBLE, LYNCH & ZAHASKY 212 Winnebago, P.O. Box 450 Decorah, IA 52101 563-382-2959 Email: john.anderson@andersonlawdecorah.com Date of second publication: September 5, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 29 & September 5, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION CITY OF DECORAH, IOWA TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Decorah, Iowa, has set September 9, 2024, at 5:30 PM at the Council Chambers in City Hall in Decorah, Iowa, as the time and place for a public hearing on a proposal to amend the Decorah Municipal Code, Sections 17.88.020, 17.100.020 and 17.108.020, of Title 17 – Zoning, currently provide regulation of principal permitted uses, as follows: 1. That Section 17.88.020 – Principal Permitted Uses, is amended by deleting said section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 17.88.020 - Principal permitted uses.

Only the uses of structures or land listed in this section shall be permitted in the C-1 district: A. Business, service or recreational uses

including, but not limited to, the following, and similar uses as may be determined by the zoning administrator: 1. Animal hospitals, veterinary clinics or kennels, provided any exercising runway shall be at least two hundred feet from any R district boundary, 2. Automobile accessory stores, 3. Automobile, trailer, motorcycle, boat, farm implement and lawn and garden establishments for display, hire, rental and sales (including sales lots). This subdivision shall not be construed to permit automobile, tractor or machinery wrecking and rebuilding and used parts yards, 4. Bed and breakfast inn, 5. Bowling alleys, poolhalls, and coin-operated amusement establishments, 6. Bus terminal, 7. Can redemption centers that are wholly contained within a building and create no offensive noise, dust, or odor 8. Car wash, 9. Commercial swimming pools, skating rinks, dancehalls, golf driving ranges, miniature golf courses, drive-in theaters and similar recreational uses and facilities, 10. Drive-in banks, 11. Food, meat and fruit stores and food catering services, 12. Funeral parlors, 13. Garages for general motor vehicle repair including collision repair work where it can be demonstrated that no dust or odors which would adversely affect adjoining properties will emanate from the site.

14. Gas stations, 15. Gift shops, 16. Liquor and beverage stores, 17. Mini-warehouses, self-storage, 18. Monument sales yards, 19. Motels and motor hotels, 20. Office buildings, 21. Plant nursery and garden supply stores and sales, 22. Plumbing, heating and air conditioning shops, 23. Restaurants, including drive-in restaurants, 24. Radio and television broadcasting stations, 25. Self-service laundry and dry cleaning establishments and laundry pickup stations, 26. Taverns, bars and nightclubs, 27. Travel and tourist information centers, 28. Travel trailer parks, 29. Truck stops, 30. Used car sales lots, 31. Medical, dental and chiropractic clinics, 32. Clubs and lodges, 33. Commercial condominiums; B. Combinations of the above uses; C. Billboards and outdoor advertising signs, provided a special exception is granted by the board of adjustment, and subject to the following provisions: 1. Billboards shall not be closer than three hundred feet to each other; 2. No billboard shall exceed three hundred square feet; 3. No billboard shall be located on a public right-of-way; 4. No billboard shall be located closer than fifty feet to a public right-of-way; 5. Must be a minimum of one hundred feet in radius from residential zoning district property line; 6. Must be erected in a freestanding design—no back bracing, guy wires or roof-mounted signs are allowed; 7. Must meet all federal, state and local requirements prior to issuance of permit; 8. Rolling and/or animated signs which incorporate in any manner any rolling, flashing, pulsating, rotating, beacons or moving lights are not permitted; 9. Lighting, when installed, must be positioned in such a manner that light is not directed onto an adjoining property or onto a public street or highway.

D. Manufacturing and processing uses that are wholly contained within a building and create no offensive noise, dust, odor, vibration or electrical interference.

2. That Section 17.100.020 – Principal Permitted Uses, is amended by deleting said section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 17.100.020 - Principal permitted uses.

Only the uses of structures or land listed in this section shall be permitted in the C-4 district: A. Automotive service stations, but not including automotive or farm machinery display or sales; B. Beauty shops and barbershops; C. Business and professional offices and studios; D. Can redemption centers that are wholly contained within a building and create no offensive noise, dust, or odor E. Grocery, apparel, appliance, hardware, toy, and drugstores and retail stores similar in nature; F. Department stores; G. Gift and specialty shops; H. Personal service and repair shops; I. Dry cleaners and laundries; J. Real estate, insurance, and financial institutions, including drive-in banks; K. Dance or music schools; L. Commercial amusements contained within a building; M. Clubs and lodges; N. Medical, dental and chiropractic clinics; O. Restaurants, cafes, and nightclubs, but not including drive-in eating or drinking establishments; P. Liquor store; Q. Public utilities, but not including storage or maintenance yards or buildings; R. Warehousing and plumbing, HVAC, electrical and other trade shops; S. The sale and outdoor display of automobile, trailer, motorcycle, boat, farm implement, recreational vehicles and lawn and garden equipment.

3. That Section 17.108.020 –Uses Permitted, is amended by deleting said section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 17.108.020 - Principal permitted uses.

Only the uses of structures or land listed in this section shall be permitted in the M-1 district: A. Manufacturing and processing uses that are wholly contained within a building and create no offensive noise, dust, odor, vibration or electrical interference; B. Wholesaling and warehousing uses but not including the bulk storage of anhydrous ammonia or petroleum products under pressure; C. Contractors’ shop and storage yard;

D. Public utilities, including storage buildings and yards; E. Truck and freight terminals; F. Building fabrication, including mobile homes, display and sales; G. Welding, machine and repair shops; H. Animal hospitals and kennels; I. Plumbing, heating, air conditioning and sheet metal shops; J. Can redemption centers that are either wholly contained within a building and create no offensive noise, dust, or odor; or enclosed with a screening fence in accordance with Section 17.108.030; K. Automobile paint and body shops; L. Automobile and farm implement display, sales, service and repair; M. Lumberyards and building materials, sales and storage; N. Adult entertainment business.

4. All interested persons may appear at said time and place to be heard for or against the proposed changes to the City’s Municipal Code as set out aforesaid.

By order of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Decorah, Iowa, this 12th day of August, 2024.

Travis Goedken, Zoning Administrator Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 29, 2024

WINNESHIEK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BOARD MINUTES AUGUST 19, 2024 The Board of Supervisors met at 9:30 a.m.

August 19, 2024 with Kelsay, Langreck, and Faldet present. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited, and the meeting was called to order.

Chris Troendle and Spiff Slifka, NEIA Housing Trust Fund, met with the Board to give a program overview. They asked the Board to consider increasing their funding and making a three-year pledge. The Board will discuss the pledge at a future meeting.

Holly Corkery, Lynch Dallas, reviewed a couple of policy questions for the revised Employee Handbook. The consensus of the Board was to leave the policies as they are at this time. The final approval of the new Handbook will be considered at a future meeting.

Michael Kueny, County Engineer, met with the Board to discuss road projects.

The timeline and procedure for hiring a new Recycling Supervisor will be discussed at a future meeting.

Moved by Kelsay and seconded by Faldet to approve the minutes of the last meeting.

Motion carried unanimously.

Moved by Kelsay and seconded by Faldet to adjourn to 9:30 a.m. Monday, August 26, 2024. Motion carried unanimously.

ATTEST Benjamin D. Steines, County Auditor Daniel Langreck, Chair, Board of Supervisors Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 29, 2024

Decorah Community School Board Special School Board Meeting Minutes Central Administration Office Monday, August 26, 2024 5:30 p.m.

Present: President Cindy Goodner, Directors: Ron Fadness, Carole Sand, and Aaron Zander. Superintendent Dr. Tim Cronin, Director of Business Services Cathy Dietzenbach, Board Secretary Darlene Woodhouse, staff, news media, and guests. Absent: Director Brian Petersburg.

President Goodner called to order the special school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Director Sand read the mission statement.

New Business: Motion: Director Zander moved, seconded by Director Fadness to approve the revised 2024-2025 school calendar moving Parent-Teacher conferences from Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to Monday, November 4, 2024, due to the election scheduled on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. The last day for the certified staff, May 23, 2025, would be reclassified as asynchronous. Motion carried by all voting aye.

Superintendent Dr. Tim Cronin presented bids to the board for upgrades to the softball field. It is the district’s responsibility for maintenance of the field with the recent ownership. High School Athletic Director Adam Riley updated the board on improvements needed for the varsity softball field including laser grading, replacement of irrigation lines and heads, dura edge aggregate, and sod. A fencing quote will be brought to the board at a future meeting. Mr. Riley stated all three companies who submitted bids have a good reputation. Motion: Director Fadness moved, seconded by Director Sand to approve the low bid of $127,317.50 from Iowa Sports Turf Management, Des Moines. Motion carried by all voting aye.

The board received a Petition with 1,145 signatures to call a special election to submit to the voters of the Decorah School District authorizing to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in the amount not to exceed $38,000,000 to provide funds to build, furnish, and equip a new elementary school building, including site improvements. The board thanked all the volunteers who gathered signatures. The Elementary Facility Committee worked with the district’s architect in determining a facility cost. The hiring of a Construction Manager at Risk will help control costs. Motion: Director Fadness moved, seconded by Director Zander to adopt the Resolution ordering an election on the Issuance of $38,000,000 General Obligation School Bonds. Roll call: Director Fadness, aye; Director Zander, aye; Director Sand, aye, President Goodner, aye. Motion carried by all voting aye and the Resolution was adopted.

Motion: Director Fadness moved, seconded by Director Zander to go into Closed Session 21.5( l )(i) Discussion to Evaluate the Professional Competency of an Individual. Roll call: Director Zander, aye; Director Sand, aye; President Goodner, aye; Director Fadness, aye. Motion carried and the board went into closed session at 6:00 p.m. Dietzenbach and Woodhouse were not in the closed session.

The board came out of closed session at 7:07 p.m.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m. /s/ Darlene Woodhouse, Board Secretary Decorah (Iowa) Leader August 29, 2024

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by staying up-to-date on recommended screenings!

Health screenings help to identify diseases and chronic conditions before symptoms occur. The CDC recommends: All people ages 13-64 should be screened for HIV at least once in their lifetime.

All people ages 18 and over should be screened for hepatitis B and hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime.

Pregnant women should be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C during each pregnancy.

Talk to your healthcare provider about getting screened! Forgot if you’ve had a screening? Ask them to check your records!

Screenings are important because HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C don’t always have noticeable signs or symptoms. Some people should be tested more often—visit the web resources below to learn more!

Scan here to learn more about HIV screening recommendations— Or visit https://cdc.gov/hiv/testing/ Scan here to learn more about hepatitis C screening recommendations— Or visit https://cdc.gov/hepatitis-c/testing/

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Scan here to learn more about hepatitis B screening recommendations— Or visit https://cdc.gov/hepatitis-b/testing/

CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS

A-10 | DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@DECORAHNEWSPAPERS.COM | 563-382-4221

Public invited to participate in For Sale: Honda Motorcycle, Twin- Moving Sale - Sat, Aug 31, 9:00 local hazard mitigation planning

Help Wanted NOW HIRING

OPERATOR

WINNESHIEK COUNTY SECONDARY ROADS

Winneshiek County Secondary Roads will be accepting applications for the position of “On-Demand Part Time Operator” at the office of the Winneshiek County Engineer, 201 W Main St, Decorah, IA 52101. Class A CDL with medical card are required at application. Applications and job description are available at the Engineers Office and at www.winneshiekcounty.org/jobs.html.

For Sale

Garage Sale

star CM200T, 1980, 320 original miles, great condition. $2,500. 563380-3082. 35-4-LD-1-pd

- 3:00: APQS George quilting machine w/table (like new), Queen Size Bedroom Set, Dining Chairs (4), Wicker Table, Wooden Side Table, Antique Dresser w/mirror, Wooden Rocker, Ladies Bicycle, Bicycle Carrier, SS Cookware, Longaberger Baskets & Pottery, Books, & more - 2340 East Ridge Rd, Decorah 34-3-LD-pd-2

FOR SALE

Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

EOE

33-13-LD-12

Engineers Office/Road Department Winneshiek County Courthouse, 201 West Main Street, Decorah • 563-382-2951 www.winneshiekcounty.org

NOW HIRING: FLOOR EXPERT

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Fridge, gas stove/oven, microwave, AM-FM radio, TV, tub/shower, outside shower, slide-out, power lift, rear hitch, awning, furnished kitchen.

Call 563-419-6625

Help Wanted

35-9-LD-12

­

2013 LAYTON JOEY 26 FT. TRAVEL TRAILER Excellent condition!

Decorah Community Schools 2024-2025

NEEDS:

­ ­

Full-Time Custodians

Decorah Community Schools needs

Director of Buildings & Grounds JOB OVERVIEW

The Director of Buildings & Grounds is responsible for the overall management, operations, and programs of Buildings and Grounds to ensure efficient operations and ensure the safety, health, and comfort of students, staff, and the public within Decorah Community School District facilities. Salary range from $70,000.00 to $95,000.00 based on experience. The position reports to the Superintendent of Schools.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES Manages and supervises all district building and grounds personnel directly or through designated lead positions.

• Determines work priorities, plans organizational structure and functions within positions of buildings and grounds.

Evening/Night & Day Shifts • Insurance Benefits, IPERS and paid time off • Shift Differential Pay of $2.00 per hour Evening/Night Shift Custodians Send letter of application and resume to Superintendent Tim Cronin, 1732 Old Stage Road, Decorah, IA 52101, by end of the day on August 23, 2024, or open until position is filled.

The Decorah Community School District is an EEO/AA employer.

-34-4-DL-12-

• Initiates all department personnel actions, including evaluations, transfers, promotions, demotions, discipline, and dismissal decisions of department staff.

• Secures and oversees the recruitment and selection of seasonal department personnel. Oversees staff development activities and training sessions.

Plans, recommends, and implements strategies and programs to accomplish department objectives.

• Formulates and establishes procedures and preventive maintenance schedules/programs.

• Plans and coordinates the district’s new construction and land development activities.

• Monitors and serves as a liaison between the district and contractors, consultants, and architects.

• Plans and oversees the implementation of remodeling projects, renovations, or major repair projects.

• Determines and monitors district-wide maintenance needs, requirements, and priorities.

Establishes maintenance, groundskeeping, security, and custodial requirements for each facility in the district.

• Inspects all school buildings and grounds regularly to determine needs, custodial/maintenance requirements, and security requirements.

• Monitors building projects and maintenance schedules to assure department standards and schedules.

• Implements security improvements.

• Responds to police reports of vandalism.

Directs grounds activities and functions • Oversees the preparation and care of playing fields.

• Coordinates the plowing of snow and maintenance activities of all district parking lots and drives.

NOW HIRING!

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Experience preferred, but willing to train. Part-time hours available, days evenings and weekends.

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206 W. Water Street, Decorah 563-382-5970 34-4-LD-12

• Plans and oversees all Health and Safety projects.

• Reviews, updates, revises, and communicates Emergency and Crisis Management Plans.

Oversees and monitors all repair, lubrication, and cleaning of mechanical systems throughout the district, including heating plants, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, air handling, and circulation units.

• Monitors department logs and records of service, repair, and maintenance.

• Monitors building energy usage.

• Visually inspects building mechanical equipment.

Plans, develops, recommends, and monitors the approved budget for Buildings and Grounds.

• Determines staffing needs and requirements.

• Meets with district administrators to assess each building’s needs, projects, and priorities.

• Develops recommendations for capital outlay needs and requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate’s degree (A.A.) or a two-year college or technical school certification or degree.

• Trade school training in HVAC, facility management, or related areas.

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Letter of interest must be submitted to Superintendent Tim Cronin, 1732 Old Stage Road, Decorah, IA 52101, by end of the day on August 26, 2024, or until the position is filled as provided for in the Agreement between the Decorah Community School District and the Decorah Education Association 2024-2025.

The Decorah Community School District is an EEO/AA employer.

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Miscellaneous The Decorah Community School District Eliminate gutter cleaning forevis an EEO/AA employer. er!-CODELeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection.

Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-913-1560

Miscellaneous Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator.

Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase.

Call 1-855-954-5087 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

10 in the Calmar Public Library public meeting room • Noon on Friday, Sept. 13 in the Decorah Public Library public meeting room • 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept.

12 in the Fort Atkinson Public Library public meeting room •7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 at Jackson Junction City Hall during the regular council meeting • 2:30 p.m. Monday, Sept.

9 in the Ossian Public Library public meeting room • 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Ridgeway City Hall during the regular council meeting • Noon on Wednesday, Sept.

11 in the Spillville Public Library public meeting room Visit the Winneshiek County Hazard Mitigation Plan website at uerpc.org/hazard-mitigation-winneshiek-county to see the current plan, related resources and contact information. The public is also asked to take a brief survey intended to gather valuable input for the hazard mitigation plan.

Confused about how to help your student plan for life after high school?

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Minimum purchase required. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Financing available with minimum purchase and approved credit. Mad City Windows & Baths, LLC. is neither a broker nor a lender. Financing is provided by third-party lenders unaffiliated with Mad City Windows & Baths, Inc., under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and such lender, all subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Any finance terms advertised are estimate only. Ask for details. With in-home estimate and product demonstration to homeowner(s). Limit one per household. Electronic gift card (e-gift card) voucher given upon completion of demonstration to be mailed in by homeowner(s).

Salespersons do not carry e-gift cards for security reasons. E-gift card valid on in-home visits only, not applicable to Virtual Sales Appointments. Offer not sponsored or promoted by Walmart and is subject to change without notice prior to reservation. Allow 2-3 weeks after demonstration to receive e-gift card. E-gift card valued at $60. Offer good while supplies last. Payment in full required.

Offer valid at original initial consultation only. Rules subject to change. Taxes, port charges and process fees not included. Must provide own transportation to and from departure ports or resort.

New orders only for appointments completed by 08/31/2024. Offer expires 08/31/2024.

Confused about about how how to to Confused Confused about how to help your your student student plan plan help help your student plan for life after after high school? school? for for life life after high high school?

Decorah, IA

AssuredPartners, formerly known as A&J Petersburg Agency, is looking to hire a motivated Customer Service Representative in our Decorah location.

We have been providing insurance services in Decorah and the surrounding communities for 90 years. The ideal candidate must have strong communication and computer skills, be detailed orientated and have the ability to multi-task.

Insurance background is welcomed, but not necessary. This is a full-time position. We offer a great comprehensive benefits package including a very competitive salary, health insurance, long and short-term disability, group life insurance, PTO, 401K with employer match, bonus program and paid holidays.

We pride ourselves on being a family-friendly employer.

Please send a cover letter and resume to Mark Lovelace at decorah.iowa@assuredpartners.com or call 563-382-3627 to discuss joining our team. We will be accepting applications until Sept. 10, 2024.

35-4-DL-12

106 COLLEGE DRIVE, DECORAH | 563-382-3627

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE IN IOWA? The Child Care Collaborative of Iowa is seeking a full-time, telecommute

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COACH

EXPERIENCE

• Knowledge of the operation of building systems, including security systems, HVAC systems, refrigeration, plumbing, and electrical work.

• Fundamentals of supervision.

• Fundamentals, concepts, and processes of planning and contracting out major renovation and new construction projects.

• District administrative policies and procedures (i.e., purchasing, HR, accounting, records, and data retention requirements).

• Grounds equipment, e.g., mowers, snow plows, blowers, and forklifts.

• Custodial equipment, techniques, and supplies.

• Federal and state health and safety codes and regulations.

• Building and construction codes and requirements.

• Office administrative and recordkeeping principles, practices, and requirements pertaining to assignment.

• The ability to transport self among district buildings and to regional and state meetings and workshops as necessary.

563-382-4221

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

• Oversees the servicing, repair, and replacement of grounds equipment.

Oversees all safety and environmental programs throughout the district to assure all sites and facilities are environmentally safe.

• Serves as the District’s right-to-know coordinator.

• Monitors and oversees all material abatement and air quality testing, removal, or improvement activities.

Call to place an ad in the Decorah Leader

Full-Time Custodians

• Initiates recruitment; screens, interviews, and selects department personnel.

• Conducts staff meetings with building heads and coordinators.

Garage Sale: Sept 5, 6, 7, 9-6, 1669 Sand Rd Rd, Ossian, Camping supplies, Tupperware, Quart and pint jars, books, 2-ice cream makers, crafts, movies, Christmas/Easter Decorations, scrapbooking supplies.

35-2-LD-pd-2

Winneshiek County Emergency Management, with assistance from Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission and a countywide Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee, is completing an update to the county’s hazard mitigation plan. This plan looks at hazard risks and identifies strategies for reducing their impacts.

Hazard risks can be natural or man-made, such as storms and flooding, hazardous materials, infrastructure, human disease and more.

Residents are invited to attend local hazard mitigation meetings in September and October to look at hazards which impact each community, to consider areas susceptible to hazards and to discuss potential mitigation actions to reduce risks. The meetings will run for an hour or less. The meetings will be held: • Monday, Sept. 2 at Castalia City Hall during the regular council meeting • 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.

The ideal coach is a uniquely qualified individual who will provide technical support and long-term financial sustainability to center and home-based child care businesses in Northeast Iowa.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, program administration, or related field.

• At least five years’ experience to include: - Working in an early childhood education setting with responsibilities for administration and fiscal management.

- Working with child care management systems and other business automation solutions.

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• Verbal and written communication skills preferred in English and Spanish.

• Travel is required.

• Reliable transportation, proof of insurance and a valid driver’s license.

For more information and to apply online, visit

www.midsioux.org -CODE-

1-800-859-2025

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Must be a MidAmerican residential electric customer in Iowa or Illinois

MidAmericanEnergy.com/appliance-recycling

COMMUNITY

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

A-11

Kickin’ It Forward tourney and pork dinner kick it out of the park

Hugh Conway gets a piece of the ball during a game.

BACK TO CLASS Nixon Lundgren places his bid for a die cast tractor toy.

BELOW- Tim Kuennen defies gravity as he leaps and catches the ball kicked by Emmy Gehling. (Photos

by Denise Lana)

Students filed down the sidewalk outside John Cline Elementary the morning of Friday, Aug. 23 ahead of the first day of class for the Decorah Community School District. Families — and even pets — tagged along to see students off on their first day. (Photos by Seth Boyes)

Preparing for the raffle are (l to r) Vivian Anbroson, Hallie Meyer, and Nicole Gibbs.

BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER Sunny skies, kickball pop flies, raffle surprises and silent auction prizes were the perfect recipe for a grand slam at the sixth annual Kickin’ It Forward fundraiser Saturday, Aug. 24 in Festina. An estimated 400 people participated throughout the day, competing in the kickball tournament, spectating, enjoying a pulled pork dinner and taking part in the raffle and silent auction.

In 2018, Festina youngster Kort Steffens was severely injured during a utility task vehicle accident and nearly lost his hand. Kort regained the use of his hand after numerous surgeries, multiple infections and a lengthy therapy process. To raise money for medical expenses, Kort’s family, friends and community held a kickball tournament. That act of kindness inspired Kort’s family to pay it forward, and in 2019, the Kickin’ It Forward organization held its first event, raising money to support other local families facing medical emergencies or illnesses.

The total amount raised at this year’s event is still being calculated, but according to Kort’s mother Nichole Steffens, this year’s fundraiser will help support at least 20 local families.

‘My Favorite Folk’ to perform at Vesterheim Commons

Academic Achievements

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced the following local honorees to the dean’s list for the spring 2024 semester: Hannah Franzen, a mechanical en-

Tournament Scorekeeper Tate Balik, 12, kicked it old-school with Festina’s classic scoreboard, hanging metal number placards for each inning’s total.

gineering major from Ft. Atkinson, and Isaiah Kruckman, a civil engineering major from Spillville.

Area students earning degrees from the University of North-

Help Wanted

IN DECORAH

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

QUALITY ENGINEER

Farmers Union Cooperative is now hiring for the following positions:

NOW HIRING

Custom Applicator - Outside Operations

The Quality Engineer will be responsible for product and process robustness through quality management system. Quality Engineer will work with other QA and cross-functional teams to lead and / or participate in solving customer concerns or issues. Demonstrates leadership skills by ensuring customer requirements are met, and by identifying methods to reduce customer complaints associated with the manufacturing and inspection of products. Responsible for the trending of quality metrics including corrective and preventative actions (CAPA). Performs root cause and corrective action and assists the Operations group in meeting goals for safety, quality, late-backlog elimination, on-time delivery, and lead-time reduction.

Be able to influence people at different levels in an organization.

Essential Skills & Experience Required: • B.S. Degree in Engineering, and/ or equivalent quality engineering experience in the manufacturing of fasteners, to be determined by management.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Demonstrated knowledge of fastener manufacturing and fastener specifications.

• Demonstrated knowledge of basic statistical quality tools (SPC, capability studies, histograms, R&R, root cause analysis, corrective action process) and 8D problem solving techniques.

• Practical understanding of ISO/ IATF16949, ISO14001 and PPAP requirements.

• Experience with the Kaizen continuous improvement, 6Sigma, 5s of manufacturing and quality processes.

• Computer literacy in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Minitab.

Preferred Skills: • Knowledge and experience of software programs of Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams.

• Knowledge and experience of ERP systems (QAD, JDE).

• American Society for Quality Certification (CQE).

• Completion of courses in Statistics and Sampling.

• Demonstrated leadership skills.

New Albin, IA

Custom Applicator - Outside Operations Postville, IA

Outside Operations New Albin, IA

Outside Operations Postville, IA

To apply and for more information, visit

farmerunion.net/career-opportunities DECORAH | FT. ATKINSON | MANCHESTER | NEW ALBIN OSSIAN | POSTVILLE | WAUCOMA | WEST UNION

ern Iowa in Cedar Falls at spring commencement include: Taylor Rankin, Castalia, BA in biology; Brooke Berns, Decorah, BA in early childhood education; Aria Duncan of Decora, BA in individual studies, sonography; Braden Elton, Decorah, BA in communication/digital media/digital journalism; Madilyn Fahey, Decorah, MA in speech-language pathology; Isabella Kingsbury, Decorah, BA in elementary education; Andrew Murphy, Decorah, BA in construction management; Kelly Sorenson, Decorah, bachelor’s of liberal arts; Ali Hoffert, Fort Atkinson, BA in communication disorders; Gabe Sadler, Ossian, BA in elementary education; Mason Peter, Ridgeway, BA in management: business administration; and Ashley Knox, Waukon, BA in elementary education: purple pathway.

Annette Leschensky of Decorah has been named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The Dean’s List recognizes undergraduate students in Pacific’s colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business and Education who earn a grade-point average of at least 3.70 and complete 12 or more graded hours.

LOOKS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY! OPPORTUNITY !

Part-time Community Assistants

Benefits: • Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance • 401(k) • Vacation 3 weeks pro-rated • 12 paid holidays • Discounts on tools, appliances, etc.

FLEXIBLE

SCHEDULING

to accommodate all types of work, school & social schedules.

Full Circle Services offers sick, vacation and personal time to our part time staff.

SCAN CODE to apply

8:30-1:30 shifts available weekdays!

Apply online at the Stanley Engineered Fastening website on the careers page.

Location: Decorah, IA • Position title: Quality Engineer

STANLEY Engineered Fastening is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

27-18-JP-12

https://sbdinc.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Stanley_Black_ Decker_Career_Site/job/Decorah-IA-United-States/ Quality-Engineer_REQ-1000030125

35-6-DL-12

Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, will host a free concert by the group My Favorite Folk at 7 p.m., Sept. 6, in Vesterheim Commons.

My Favorite Folk combines cellist Olivia Diercks and violinist Karla Colahan — from the American duo The OK Factor — with two members of the Swedish band Jaerv — Markus Gustavsson on fiddle and vocals as well as Harald Nilsson on guitar and vocals. Organizers said the group performs music from American, Swedish and other folk music traditions enveloped with contemporary sounds.

For more information, visit vesterheim.org or call 563-3829681.

Middle school students gather outside of the Decorah Middle School on their first day back to class Friday, Aug. 23. (Photo by Denise Lana)

Apply at: www.fullcircleneia.applicantpro.com/jobs/ or call Jared Morriss at 563-277-2029, jared.morriss@fullcircleneia.com

SPORTS

A-12 | DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | SPORTS EDITOR BECKY WALZ | BECKY.WALZ@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Coming up in area high school sports

Aug. 29 – Dec g/b xc at Charles City, 4:30 p.m.; Dec g swim vs. Mason City/Waterloo West (Luther College), 6 p.m.; Dec vb vs. North Fayette Valley (9th/JV/V), 5 p.m.; SW vb vs.

Dunkerton/Hudson (V), 5:30 p.m.

Aug. 30 – Dec fb (9th/V) at Waukon, 5 p.m.; SW fb at Starmont (V), 7 p.m.

Aug. 31 – Dec g swim at Dubuque Hempstead, 10 a.m.; TV fb vs. Fremont-Mills (V at WD Valley,

Des Moines), 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 – Dec fb at Waukon (JV), 6 p.m.

Sept. 3 – Dec g/b xc at Oelwein, 4:30 p.m.; TV vb at MFL MarMac (V with New Hampton), 5 p.m.; Dec vb at St. Ansgar (9th/JV/V), 5:30 p.m.; SW fb at Starmont (JV), 6 p.m.; TV fb at Gladbrook-Reinbeck (JV), 6 p.m.

Sept. 5 – SW/TV g/b xc at Charles City, 5 p.m.; SW vb at Crestwood/Waukon (V), 5 p.m.

Area teams warm up for 2024 season

Dylin Thompson (6) and Leah Holland go up in tandem for a block attempt as a Blackhawk player attempts to tap the ball over the net in Tuesday’s season opener. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Vikings spike PdC in opener Tuesday

Over the weekend area football and volleyball teams met for scrimmages to test their skills.

ABOVE: Trevor Kuennen works his way down the field by some New Hampton gridders Friday night. LEFT: Gavin Groux grabs on to a Chickasaw player for a tackle. (Photos by Bob Fenske/ New Hampton Tribune)

With temps high outside, so was the action inside Tuesday night as the Decorah volleyball team (1-0, 0-0 NEIC) topped Prairie du Chien in the non-conference opener 3-0.

The Vikes kicked off the night on the attack, leading several times by as many as seven before winning set one with that same spread, 25-18. Set two was a closer battle early on with the Blackhawks tying the set 10-10 before Viking junior Dylin Thompson’s serves and the rest of Decorah’s offense pulled ahead by five. In the end a Prairie du Chien serve error handed Decorah the 25-19 set win. By set three the Blackhawks had found their footing on the court, taking a 17-16 lead before Kelby Kerndt hammered down the ball for a kill to end the threat.

Prairie du Chien kept the match close through the set point that was recorded by a Kerndt block for the 25-23 victory.

The Vikes had 36 kills on 102 attack attempts. In addition, they served 69-for-73 with seven aces, 34 assists, 51 digs and nine total blocks.

McKinley Massman had a big night all around with a team high 13 kills, six digs and four aces as she served 17-for-19.

Dylin Thompson handed out 29 assists to go with 14 digs and served 12-for-12 for an all-around game as well.Leah Holland put down seven kills and went 10-for-10 at the service line, while Kelby Kerndt was there for five kills, five digs and two blocks. Coming up with nine digs was Savannah O’Reilly in addition to a 12-for-

BELOW: Dylin Thompson back sets the volleyball as Kelby Kerndt (left in blue) and another Viking look on.

Across the net are Turkey Valley players (l-r) Annika Bodensteiner, Kinsey Reicks and Layni Schuchhardt. FAR BOTTOM: South Winn’s Ella Theis dishes out an assist as Kiana Bullerman (left) and Alyssa Holthaus prep for an attack Saturday in Decorah.

(Photos by Becky Walz)

12 serving performance.

“Last night was a good start for us. I feel that we played really well coming out at the start, we sort of just settled in and played the rest of the match instead of taking control of it.

There are most certainly some things we need to continue to work on but overall it went well. I look forward to continued growth with this group,” said Coach Gina Holthaus.

Decorah is back on the home court Thursday as they host North Fayette Valley in a non-conference match at 7:15 p.m. Next week the Vikings take their game on the road as they head to St. Ansgar Tuesday, Sept. 3, for a 7 p.m. varsity start.

Stats vs. Prairie du Chien Kills – McKinley Massman 13; Leah Holland 7; Kelby Kerndt 5; Sydney Thompson 4; Renae Wilson 3; Dylin Thompson 2; Savannah O’Reilly 2 Assists – D. Thompson 29; Sara Johanningmeier 1; Ellie Rolfs 1; Massman 1; Kerndt 1; Edyn Bateman 1 Blocks (assist-solo) – Holland (1-1), S. Thompson (1-1); Kerndt (11); Wilson (0-2); Massman (0-1) Digs – D. Thompson 14; Savannah O’Reilly 9; Rolfs 8; Massman 6; Kerndt 5; Johanningmeier 3; Holland 2; Brynnah Hanson 1; S. Thompson 1; Ella Stille 1; Wilson 1 Serving (success/attempts) – D. Thompson (12-12); O’Reilly (12-12); Rolfs (10-10); Holland (99); Stille (1-1); Massman (17-19); Johanningmeier (8-10) Aces – Massman 4; Johanningmeier 1; Holland 1; D. Thompson 1

ABOVE: Players on the floor celebrate the win over Prairie du Chien Tuesday night in the season opener.

LEFT: Senior Edyn Batement looks for an opening around the Blackhawk blockers in set three of the season opener Tuesday night in Decorah.

RIGHT: Brynnah Hanson tracks down the ball in set three Tuesday night. (Photos

by Becky Walz)

Preseason cross country rankings

Boys’ team rankings Class 4A – 1. Dowling Catholic; 2. Cedar Falls; 3.

Ankeny; 4. Waukee Northwest; 5. Norwalk; 6. Iowa City Liberty; 7. Dallas Center-Grimes; 8. Waukee; 9. Pleasant Valley; 10. Johnston; 11. Cedar Rapids Kennedy; 12. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 13. Urbandale; 14.

Ankeny Centennial; 15. Iowa City City High; 16. West Des Moines Valley; 17. Dubuque Hempstead; 18. Iowa City West; 19. Dubuque Senior; 20. Lewis Central Class 3A – 1. Gilbert; 2. Pella; 3. Mount VernonLisbon; 4. Des Moines Christian; 5. MOC-Floyd Valley; 6. Carlisle; 7. Winterset; 8. ADM; 9. DeWitt; 10. Decorah; 11. Grinnell; 12. Clear Creek-Amana; 13. Fort Madison; 14. Washington; 15. Spencer; 16. Solon; 17. North Polk; 18. Souix Center; 19. Williamsburg; 20. Kuemper Catholic Class 2A – 1. Okoboji; 2. Forest City; 3. Mid-Prairie; 4.

Unity Christian; 5. Spirit Lake; 6. Waukon; 7. Oelwein; 8.

Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 9. Pella Christian; 10. VintonShellsburg; 11. Chariton; 12. Anamosa; 13. Sheldon; 14. Mediapolis; 15. Tipton; 16. East Sac County; 17.

Denver; 18. Jesup; 19. Clarinda; 20. Monticello Class 1A – 1. Lake Mills; 2. Earlham; 3. ACGC; 4.

Danville; 5. Ankeny Christian; 6. St. Albert (Council Bluffs); 7. Pekin; 8. Ogden; 9. Woodbine; 10. Iowa City Regina; 11. Sibley-Ocheyedan; 12. Sioux Central; 13.

Madrid; 14. St. Edmond’s (Fort Dodge); 15. Maquoketa Valley; 16. Beckman Catholic; 17. IKM-Manning; 18.

North Butler; 19. Van Buren; 20. Grand View Christian Girls’ team rankings Class 4A – 1. Pleasant Valley; 2. Dallas CenterGrimes; 3. Johnston; 4. Ankeny; 5. Ankeny Centennial; 6. Waukee; 7. Ames; 8. Dubuque Senior; 9. West Des Moines Valley; 10. Iowa City City High; 11. Indianola; 12. Waukee Northwest; 13. Cedar Falls; 14. Dubuque Hempstead; 15. Dowling Catholic; 16. Linn-Mar; 17.

Mason City; 18. Iowa City West; 19. Iowa City Liberty; 20. Southeast Polk Class 3A – 1. Pella; 2. Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 3.

Gilbert; 4. Des Moines Christian; 5. Solon; 6. Souix Center; 7. Glenwood; 8. Marion; 9. Clear Lake; 10.

Ballard; 11. ADM; 12. Decorah; 13. Clear Creek-Amana; 14. Harlan; 15. MOC-Floyd Valley; 16. Williamsburg; 17.

Washington; 18. Bishop Heelan Catholic; 19. Epworth (Western Dubuque); 20. Center Point-Urbana Class 2A – 1. Van Meter; 2. Monticello; 3. Forest City; 4. Tipton; 5. Denver; 6. Unity Christian; 7. Albia; 8. Mid-Prairie-Wellman; 9. Hudson; 10. Clarinda; 12.

Prairie City-Monroe; 13. Sumner-Fredericksburg; 14.

Okoboji; 15. Pella Christian; 16. Grundy Center; 17.

Roland Story; 18. Crestwood; 19. Union (LaPorte City); 20. Waukon Class 1A – 1. Madrid; 2. South Winneshiek; 3.

Earlham; 4. Martensdale-St. Mary’s; 5. ACGC; 6. North Linn; 7. Treynor; 8. Iowa City Regina; 9. Sioux Central; 10. Woodbine; 11. Pekin; 12. AHSTW; 13. Alta-Aurelia; 14. Grand View Christian; 15. English Valley; 16. Central Decatur; 17. Logan-Magnolia; 18. Collins-Maxwell; 19.

Danville; 20. Wapsie Valley

Cross country meet canceled Due to extreme temperatures and unpredictable weather, the cross country meet at Edgewood-Colesburg for South Winn and Turkey Valley was cancelled and will not be rescheduled.