October 10, 2024 by Decorah Leader

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Vol. 159, Issue 41

Decorah, Iowa 52101

www.decorahleader.com

email: editor@decorahleader.com

Heeding the call

County Supervisor Shirley Vermace encouraged local voters to not only cast their ballots during next month’s election but to engage in local politics. (Photo by Seth Boyes)

Sand, Vermace say communication, engagement critical ahead of Election Day BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR Iowa is still a purple state, according to Iowa’s State Auditor and Decorah native Rob Sand. The auditor of state was the opening speaker Sunday afternoon, during the Winneshiek County Democrats’ Politics in the Park fundraiser event in Decorah’s Phelps Park. Sand encouraged local Democrats to

approach their neighbors with kindness when discussing politics, saying he feels many Republican voters have been questioning Republican policies and actions in recent years — which Sand feels is an indication voters are paying attention to the issues rather than maintaining

Sand, Vermace

continued on page 14

phone: 563-382-4221

Price $1.50

fax: 563-382-5949

Big Canoe, Highland churches attract renowned theologian with help of modern marketing BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER Church memberships across the nation — especially in rural areas — are struggling. Winneshiek County’s population has dropped by an average of about 100 people each year over the past decade, and fewer families ﬁnancially supporting country churches often makes it more difﬁcult for rural parishes to attract permanent pastors. But the congregations of Big Canoe and Highland Churches, just south and north of High-

Rev. Matthew Becker leads the Big Canoe and Highland Lutheran congregations Sunday, Oct. 6, during his installation service at Big Canoe Lutheran Church in rural Decorah. (Photo by Zach Jensen) landville, may have found a way to overcome some of those challenges — by using a drone and video to introduce itself on the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s website — it’s the ﬁrst time such marketing tools have been used in the northeast Iowa synod. The video introduced parishioners from both congregations, described activities and toured both churches as

well as their grounds. And it seemed to do the trick. Rev. Matthew Becker was installed Sunday, Oct. 6 at Big Canoe “I looked at probably 75 proﬁles, and out of all of them, Big Canoe and Highland was the only one with a video,” said Becker said. “After watching the video, I thought, ‘Wow, these people seem like the kind

of people I’ve been serving.’ I immediately sensed a connection with the people talking in the video. I can’t explain it beyond just a sense of these are people I think I could serve, and they seem like they might be open to my pastoral ministry.”

Rev. Becker

continued on page 5

Train, tractor collision results in fatal injury

Candidate Brian Bruening of Elkader is seeking the District 32 seat in the Iowa Senate and spoke during Sunday’s Politics in the Park event. (Photo by Seth Boyes)

Bruening aims to revive ‘the Iowa I grew up with’ via bid for Iowa Senate BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR

One Section

Bruening sought support from voters as he spoke during the Winneshiek County Democrats’ Politics in the Park event Sunday afternoon in Decorah’s Phelps Park.

The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office said one person was fatally injured after a tractor and a train collided near a crossing between Fort Atkinson and Jackson Junction. The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Iowa Highway 24 and 128th Street, according to the sheriff’s office. A report from the sheriff’s office said 60-year-old Carl Kuhn of Fort Atkinson was driving a 1995 AgCo tractor along 128th Street, had crossed the highway and attempted to cross the railroad tracks — the report noted the intersection is an uncontrolled train crossing with yield signs on both sides. The sheriff’s report said the train conductor believed Kuhn “saw the train at the last second and attempted to stop.” The conductor also applied the train’s brakes but struck the tractor at approximately 30 mph. The sheriff’s report said the tractor “split at the cab/engine compartment,” and Kuhn was ejected. Multiple emergency crews responded to the scene and assisted, and Kuhn was deemed a fatality after all life-saving measures were exhausted, the report said. The collision remains under investigation by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and Canadian Pacific Railway. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

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Brian Bruening of Elkader says his entire background is rooted in the humanities, and he plans to apply that same focus to his run for the District 32 seat in the Iowa Senate.

Bruening aims

continued on page 14

‘At this point, it’s no longer an ask’ Council passes resolution ordering sidewalk repairs at Corner Bar BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER The Decorah City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday afternoon, ordering a sidewalk outside Decorah’s Corner Bar be repaired. The sidewalk stands 18 inches above street level in some places. Monday’s order comes after a number of previous requests to address the drop off have gone unfulﬁlled. “That property has gone through this request process numerous times — some even predate my arrival,” Decorah City Manager Travis Goedken said. “There were some temporary repairs made, but those have not held up.”

Sidewalk

continued on page 10

The length of sidewalk running alongside the eastern side of Corner Bar building rises 18 inches from the asphalt in some places and poses a safety hazard. (Photo by Denise Lana)

Othman jailed again after failing to charge tracking device BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR A Decorah man charged earlier this year with third-degree sexual abuse by force has found himself back in the Winneshiek County Jail after failing to keep a tracking device charged as per the terms of his pre-trial release. A 17-year-old female told Decorah Police officers on July 18 she had been raped by 20-year-old Nandoya Ramadhan Othman of Decorah her earlier that day. The officers were initially responding to a possible fight in the parking lot of the Decorah Walmart — a criminal complaint said the individuals involved in the disturbance “stated they were not

Nandoya Ramadhan Othman

ﬁghting but just slap-boxing.” The ofﬁcers observed scrapes on some of the individuals’ legs

Jailed again continued on page 5

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Aurora over Decorah

Community turns out for ‘walking supper’

Once again the aurora borealis lite up the skies over northeast Iowa this week. The top photo was taken looking north towards downtown Decorah from Upper Broadway. The vivid northern lights reﬂect off the Upper Iowa River in the photo at left, taken looking north toward the campground around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 7. (Photos by Samantha Ludeking)

Organizers were pleased with the turnout for the Community Walking Supper event Oct. 2. Participants gathered at the John Cline Elementary School playground to enjoy a free supper and a walk around Decorah. The event was presented by Decorah Community School District, Decorah Parks and Recreation, Decorah Public Library and Upper Explorerland’s Safe Routes to School as part of the Healthiest State Initiative’s annual walk. Serving up tasty walking tacos at the Oct. 2 walking supper were (from left to right) Carrie Nimrod, Julie Steffens and Trese Saar. INSETHannah Hemesath and daughters Kallie and Paige were all smiles while enjoying the walking tacos served prior to the community walk. (Photos by Roz Weis)

Turkey Valley royalty crowned Jonah Orvis and Autumn Maklenburg were crowned the 2024 Homecoming King and Queen during halftime of Turkey Valley’s game Friday night, Oct. 4. (Decorah Leader photo by Ashley Walz) Community volunteers helping serve the meal were (from left to right) Julie Dahlen, Mary Bril, Marcia Boberg, Mary Weiss, Gail Schaudenecker and Marilyn Bassford.

SALE

Laurie Emery and Judy Shuros will be making fresh LEFSE, which will also be Sat., Oct. 12 \ 9 AM to 12 PM for sale!

Annual Bake Garage Quilt

Big Canoe Lutheran Church 1381 Big Canoe Road

All baked items will be homemade: Assorted Breads, Bars, Cookies, Krumkake, Lefse & Pies

Baked Goods and Quilts will Free Will Donations for be priced. 41-2-DL-17 Garage Sale Items

Listens Communicates Fact Based Decisions Transparent

I'd appreciate your VOTE & support for my re-election campaign!

JUST ANNOUNCED

EARLY VOTING AT LUTHER COLLEGE

WHO: LUTHER STUDENTS & DECORAH WARDS 4 & 5 ONLY*

WHAT: EARLY VOTING! VOTE FOR SHIRLEY VERMACE, County Supervisor WHEN: WED., OCT. 16, from 9AM to 3PM ONLY

WHERE: Luther College Dahl Centennial Union

HOW: Bring your official I.D. and if not yet registered to vote, proof of your residency like a utility bill, an official letter from Luther, or your lease. Residents on the west side in Wards 4 & 5 may also vote at this satellite location that day. *All residents in Winneshiek County may vote early at the Winneshiek County Courthouse, Auditor’s Office on the second floor, Oct. 16 – Nov. 4 during regular business hours and on Saturday, Nov. 2 8:00-5:00.

Contact Shirley anytime: 563-419-2999 or svermace@gmail.com PAID FOR BY: VERMACE FOR SUPERVISOR CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

OPEN HOUSES THURSDAY, OCT. 10 • 4-6PM 206 E. Broadway, Decorah $265,000

Marcia Madrigal

702 Clearview Drive #4 Decorah $299,000 Janice Numedahl

903 Park Street Decorah

Jeanne Gullekson

1870 State Hwy 9 P.O. Box 8 Decorah, IA 52101 e-mail: kelly@davekelly.com

(563) 382-8406 or 1-800-246-8406

Decorah Lutheran Church Fall Craft and Vendor Market Saturday, October 12, 2024 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Social Hall and Fellowship Room, Decorah Lutheran our amazing vendors will have fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving themed items like treats, home décor, unique arts and crafts, health and beauty, and more!

Proceeds to Benefit DLC Youth Programming

Breakfast and Lunch for Purchase

VOTE DEC 10

KENT

KLOCKE DECORAH CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE

Resident of Decorah for 30+ years

Independent business owner operating with honesty & integrity for 30+ years

NICC Advisory Board for Carpentry 25 years Past Park & Rec Board for 18 years

A voice for the people that listens to the people Email Kent at: KlockeForDecorah@gmail.com Paid for by Klocke for Decorah Committee

NEWS

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

County may be on the hook to pay for some home health services as of 2026 BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER A change may be on the horizon in regards to how some of the county’s home-health clients pay for their services. Winneshiek County Public Health Director Krista Vanden Brink reported to the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors Monday morning that, in a couple years, a handful of clients who are currently paying for home-health services through the public health services contract, may become the county’s responsibility — rather than of Public Health’s. Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines indicated the potential change may be a result of the newly-consolidated Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Vanden Brink said Public Health currently serves ﬁve clients who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but also can’t afford to pay $200 or more to pay for each home-health visit. She said some of those clients require home-health services once a week, while others might only use them once every other week. “Right now, they’re at zero,” Vanden Brink said, “so they’re not paying anything, because we are billing that time and those visits to the local public health services contract, but in a

couple years, that will go away, and all of our time will be spent on public health funds and activities. We have to ﬁgure out what to do with those individuals. They can’t just evaporate and go away.” Vanden Brink said that per the Iowa Code, when the change takes place, the county will be required to pay for the home-health services for clients in that ﬁnancial situation.

In other business: • Winneshiek County Public Health Director Krista Vanden Brink announced her shelves are stocked with vaccines for RSV, shingles, tetanus and pneumonia. Her ofﬁce expects to receive COVID boosters later this week. She said she also has Gardasil vaccines available. • County Recorder Jaune Schultz proposed recording service fees be increased to $10 per page with $3 going to Iowa land records and $2 going to recorder’s documents accounts, with the remaining balance being deposited into to the county’s general fund. The current rate is $7 for the ﬁrst page and $5 for each additional page with $1 being put toward each account and the remainder to the general fund. • County Sanitarian Doug Groux reported that an abandoned well had been found on the Wellington Place property.

He said the well was most likely a remainder of the farmstead located there prior to Wellington Place’s construction. The well will be filled in. • A motion to advertise for open recycling center positions was unanimously approved. • Action on what to do about the county’s compensation board was tabled until the supervisors’ next meeting. Earlier this year, the state removed the requirement for counties to have compensation boards. Since then, counties have been tasked with deciding whether to reinstate their compensation boards or dissolve them altogether. • County Attorney Andy Van Der Maaten reported he is working with County Information Technology Administrator Jon Lubke on how to record future supervisors’ meetings. He suggested one option they’re considering is hosting a YouTube channel on which the supervisors meetings would be available for up to 24 months, while permanent copies of the video may potentially be available in the IT/GIS office. • The supervisors unanimously approved the Midwest Group Benefits flex renewal. Flex benefits are an optional employee payroll withholding, which can be used to pay for expenses such as prescriptions and deductibles that aren’t covered

Winneshiek County Public Health Director Krista Vanden Brink talks with the county supervisors Monday morning. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

by insurance. The county pays MGB to manage the service for those employees who choose to utilize it. • The 2024 Weed Commissioner’s report was unanimously approved. Doug Groux, the county’s weed commissioner ﬁelds complaints of noxious weeds and reports the relevant numbers and locations the state. The commissioner also uses the commission’s budget to purchase herbicide used primarily by the road department applicators to control and contain such weeds. County Auditor Ben Steines said the report generally

has been the same for decades with only the numbers of weeds changing each year. • Preparation for the approaches to Bridge 5, which is on Centennial Road, north of Castalia, is expected to be complete this week. • County Engineer Michael Kueny reported that County Road W14 milling operations for headers in Fort Atkinson and Spillville were done Monday, and headers in Ridgeway would be done by Tuesday. “The header is the new pavement portion of the interface between the pavement being tied into and

the existing pavement that is not being improved,” Kueny said. “For asphalt, often headers are new asphalt placed against existing asphalt that is saw-cut smooth the entire depth of the existing asphalt. This creates a control joint.” The public can request their property be included in a project email list by emailing engineer@co.winneshiek.ia.us. The next meeting of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9:30 a.m., Oct. 14, in the courthouse annex.

Council favors off-road vehicles on city streets, roads BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER

Stanley Engineered Fastening Operations Manager Al Shindelar shows community members a fastener produced at the company’s Decorah location. (Photo submitted)

Local businesses recognized during National Manufacturing Week National Manufacturing Week takes place Oct. 4 -11. The week of recognition and celebration was first started in 2011 by The Manufacturing Institute, a part of the National Association of Manufacturers, as a way to celebrate America’s manufacturing sector and all its contributions to the economy. The week will be celebrated in different ways across the country with communities and regions taking time to showcase employers, increase visibility for the manufacturing sector of work, and inspire the next generation of careers. Officials at the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce said the impact of the area’s manufacturers is far-reaching, and some have been present in Decorah for more than a generation. “We are proud to have a manufacturing location in Decorah, Iowa, and the tradition of hard work at this location goes back a long way” said Al Shindelar, director of operations for Stanley Engineered Fastening. “The longevity of our workforce really speaks to the commitment they have to the company and each other.” Chamber officials said manufacturing and construction hold nearly a quarter of the jobs in the Decorah area. In the manufacturing sector alone, there

are more than 20 businesses, including some of the area’s largest employers — Stanley Engineered Fastening, Collins Aerospace, Deco Products, Gemini, Inc. and Iowa Rotocast Plastics. Manufacturing accounts for more than 11 percent of the Decorah area’s workforce, according to 2024 date from Iowa Workforce Development. The local manufacturing sector came behind health care and social services, which makes up almost 15 percent of the workforce, and wholesale retail, which totals almost 14 percent, but manufacturing topped both construction — nearly 11 percent of the local workforce — and agriculture — listed at just under 10 percent. Jessica Rilling, executive director for the Decorah Area Chamber, said the Decorah area is stronger because of manufacturing businesses with their local and America-based production. “The manufacturing sector here sustains 2,000 jobs,” Rilling said. “The investments it makes into our business ecosystem and local community projects are a powerful force for economic health and a higher quality of life. National Manufacturing Week is a great opportunity to recognize these employers and their workforce.”

Chris Storlie, CEO for Deco Products Company, said having a manufacturing business in the area is a joy and a privilege. “Deco is literally named after Decorah,” Storlie said. “We are proud to give back to this amazing community in a variety of ways each year. We are a strong business because we are located here and being able to support community projects is both rewarding and logical.” Both the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Winneshiek County Economic Development and Tourism Ofﬁce are planning efforts to support local manufacturers beyond National Manufacturing Week. The chamber will be coordinating professional photo shoots as part of a larger promotional effort to enhance workforce recruitment materials and increase place-based imagery. WCDT will lead a work-based learning program effort speciﬁcally for the Decorah High School freshman class. In partnership with Decorah Community School District and Northeast Iowa Community College, the effort will include four manufacturing tours at Stanley, Deco, Gemini and Calmar Manufacturing during the 2024/2025 school year.

With the huge spike in local off-roading groups and trail riding clubs, the Decorah City Council voted Monday to draft an ordinance which would allow off-highway and off-road vehicles on city streets and roads. Councilman Randy Schissel led the discussion, saying off-road groups might be drawn to Decorah while out on trail rides or traversing between towns. “It’d be nice to have them stop and get something to eat in our town,” Schissel said. Les Askelson, who owns several radio stations in town, hosts fundraising rides and spoke with council Monday. He recalled a group which recently traveled from as far away as Des Moines, Burlington and southern Minnesota to participate in a ride at Yellow River Forest. “We had about 130 machines and 400 people,” he said. Askelson said he felt it would benefit Decorah if people were allowed to bring their off-road vehicles and stay overnight while enjoying the area, noting the off-roading movement could be a major economic push for community. “We’ve got the natural terrain, folks,” Askelson said Maddie Putnam-Keck with the Winneshiek County Development and Tourism Office also addressed the council and said her organization was in the process of trying to get a grant specifically for off-roading trails. City Manager Travis Goedken said most cities allow such vehicles on their roads and streets, and Decorah Police Chief Tricia Thein said modern off-road vehicles, complete with headlights, turn signals and seat belts which disable the engine is unbuckled, can be as safe as regular cars and trucks. An ordinance is being drafted and will be considered for approval during a future council meeting.

Decorah Police Chief Tricia Thein researched Off Road and Side-by-Side Vehicle usage on streets and roads, and discovered that Iowa has one of the lowest percentages of accidents in the nation. Thein said she had no statistics that would lead her to object to the usage of ORVs in Decorah. (Photo by Denise Lana)

GARAGE SALE & Bake Sale

St. John’s Church at Locust, IA

1638 Big Canoe Road, Decorah

FRIDAY, OCT. 11 9:00AM-6:00PM

Saturday, Oct. 12 9:00AM-NOON

Event sponsored by St. John’s WELCA

FUNDS FOR OUTSIDE SIGN & DEFIBRILLATOR

Decorah Leader

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OPINION

Knowledge and focus are important as hospital board navigates changes Keep the bigger picture in mind

History is not simple, but it gives us experience from which to learn. Humans have long searched for gods. The gods we have chosen, be they proﬁts or observers of nature, keep giving us wisdom that we’re all in this together and should love our neighbors, our enemies, and work toward cooperation. Life, including humans, is also desperate to survive. We are easily afraid of war, losing our place, losing our community, being hungry and crowded out. Unresolved fear and trauma lead to revenge and hate unless we “work things out” in our communities and global relationships. Wars in the world and hateful polarization make us more afraid. We tend to put our energy and thinking to protection and revenge rather than cooperative win/win solutions. The checks and balances and separation of church and state we have built into our government are there to ensure we have opportunities to build cooperation. If we want to continue a representative democratic government for all the people, we need to talk and listen respectfully to each other. Our systems of morality and government may not be perfect, but it can help us work it out. I challenge us to keep this bigger picture in mind as we elect representatives to aid us in working together. Donald Fish Decorah

Informed decisions come with thorough research

Before Nov. 5, I urge you to investigate the facts and candidates. In the Winneshiek Board of Supervisors District 4 race, special studying is very important. The record over the last two years shows that it’s essential for voters and for ofﬁce holders to thoroughly research the issues and to seek input from those with expertise in the ﬁeld in order to make the most informed decisions. Be sure to vote either early beginning on Oct. 16 in the courthouse or at your voting place on Nov. 5. Lyle Otte Decorah

I am writing to encourage the support of retaining our current board members at WinnMed Hospital in the upcoming election. Having been the past director of pharmacy at the hospital for 26 years, I have had a lot of experience working with many hospital boards in different situations. When I ﬁrst arrived, we were under a management agreement with Mayo Clinic similar to the agreement the

hospital currently is under. At that time, the board decided to transition to an independent management model, so I know from experience the hard work required for this type of change and also realize the board of trustee has ultimate responsibility for the institution. In addition to the current Mayo management contract, set to expire in June, the hospital is currently in the midst of

a multi-million dollar building project which will require guidance as WinnMed transforms its visions into reality. This is why I think we need to retain our current board members. They all have advanced knowledge of the health care system and are focused on improving quality, accessibility and safety of patient care. Doug Burks Decorah

O’Rourke claims ‘I had the audacity to ask questions’ This letter is not just about me – but silence is complicity. Change is needed on the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors. Our opportunity to make this change is fast approaching. On Monday, Sept. 30, three members of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors continued their quest to build personal power and compound their continuing failures to act in the best interests of Winneshiek County. They knew I could not be there, as I was out of the country on a long-planned trip – and they were not brave enough to hold this discussion and vote in my presence or allow me any voice. At this meeting, the three-man coalition — Langreck, Kelsay and Vick — ousted me from the Planning and Zoning Commission. Why was I “ousted?” Because in the course of serving Winneshiek County residents, I had the audacity to ask questions and raise issues – including matters related to the duties of the zoning administrator. Some examples follow. In May 2021, an item for “New Business” on the P&Z agenda was a “Blufﬂand Protection development site plan review.” What a surprise when I drove to the site prior to our meeting and found a completed structure already standing there – approved by the Zoning Administrator Tony Phillips back in April 2020 – with no review by the planning and zoning commission. The Blufﬂand Protection Overlay District was established to “preserve the scenic qualities of bluffs, protect sensitive natural features and groundwater and prevent the process of erosion” and the

ordinance provides in part that persons desiring to construct a structure “shall only do so following review and approval by the commission” or “following issuance of a conditional use permit as prescribed in this ordinance” as appropriate. This was just the ﬁrst time that Mr. Phillips did not like my questions of any kind – particularly questions that implicated the performance of his job duties as a taxpayer-paid county employee. Why had he approved this structure in light of our county zoning ordinances? More recently in July 2024, I noted the failure of Zoning Administrator Phillips to comply with Chapter 504.4(2) of the Winneshiek County Zoning Ordinance which provides: “Upon receipt of the application [for rezoning] by the administrator a copy shall be forwarded immediately to the commission for study and recommendation.” “Immediately” means at once or without delay. In my opinion, the zoning administrator fails to comply with this mandate because he does not want commission members to have time for “study and recommendation” – to conduct the research and examination needed to make an informed recommendation and act in the best interests of Winneshiek County residents. The July 9, 2024, P&Z agenda — received at the last minute, as always — had an item requesting rezoning of Winneshiek County agricultural land to general industrial zoning to accommodate construction of a large industrial biogas digester project. Zoning Administrator Phillips received the application on June 19. Phillips delayed un-

til at least July 1 to place the materials in the US Mail, knowing there would be mail delays due to the July 4 holiday. This particular project merited signiﬁcant in-depth study and consideration by commission members. All the details of this are public record, and my message to the P&Z commission chair and vice-chair are attached to the minutes of the July 2024 meetings. As the end of my term approached, I hand-delivered my written desire to continue serving on the planning and zoning commission. Mr. Phillips accepted it, but did not have the courage to tell me that he would recommend my removal from the P&Z. The board of supervisors knew that I would be out of the country on Sept. 30. They lacked the courage to delay discussion of my ouster until I could be there in person. And by the way – Supervisor Steve Kelsay made an entirely false assertion at the Sept. 30 meeting – that he had served on the planning and zoning commission with me, which never happened – perhaps to give credibility to his comments. Of course, Kelsay knew that I was not there to fact check this lie – so he could make his false statement with impunity. Led by the BOS Chair Dan Langreck, the threeman trio is too timid to notify me or hold this discussion and vote in my presence. Winneshiek County voters have the opportunity to replace Langreck with an independent voice who will listen to all viewpoints and treat people with respect. Melissa O’Rourke Rural Winneshiek County

‘If we’re going to comment on candidates…’

I feel I have to respond to Deb Keefe, who responded to my article. I’m glad she is a professional tax preparer that understands the ever changing tax laws, but her comments just proved everything I meant in my comments. All she said was a repeat of the left media talking points. She evidently has Trump derangement syndrome. So if we’re going to comment on candidates, here goes. First, I’m an independent. I hate politics because I see politicians as people that we the people put there to work for us, not themselves. So I guess the people have failed. So, as for Kamala, ﬁrst of all, she was installed without people voting for her. Second, she’s so far left she doesn’t dare talk about what she believes — also voted farther left than Bernie Sanders. Since she won’t give any interviews, then we have to look at what she has said in the past on video. Her administration does not follow the laws that are on the books currently that she took an oath to follow allowing millions of illegals in without vetting, not to mention the terrorists, criminals, child perverts and the list goes on and on. As far as I can tell, the only thing she believes in is to tax everybody to pay for her wish list, which includes more illegals, to get everything for free, including health care, food, drivers license, too many things to list, including sex changes for everyone. The one that bothers me the most is her belief of taxing unrealized capital. For those that don’t understand that, let me give you an example. Say you bought a property years ago for $50,000 and today it’s worth $500,000. So Deb should understand this one. The difference

between purchase price and today’s value is $450,000. Kamala wants to tax that $450,000, even though you don’t sell that property to me. That’s a sure way to kill the U.S. economy and make everyone broke, except the government — Communism. This is just one of the many tax increases she has said in the past on video. So, as I see it, if you love our country, you only have one choice and that’s Donald J. Trump. This is what I was thinking about in my original letter to the editor, to save our Republic. And just another example of her leadership skills is the latest weather disaster in American history. She stole money from FEMA to pay for her illegals, so FEMA doesn’t have the money to help the currently American people in distress. What a colossal failure of governing. Disgusting! Roger Henningsgaard Decorah (((EDITOR’S NOTE))) The Federal Emergency Management Agency — or FEMA — said in an Oct. 3, 2024, statement that claims of funding for FEMA’s disaster response being diverted to support international efforts or boarder related issues are false. “FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts,” the statement said. FEMA’s statement can be viewed online at www.fema. gov/node/funding-fema-disaster-response-was-diverted-support-international-efforts-or-border-related.

Women who will govern

I had the good fortune growing up, to learn the wisdom of governing by persuasion rather than by ruling with force. I learned it from observing adults; very often from strong, capable women who were family and friends. By showing compassion, listening carefully and suggesting workable compromises, they resolved conﬂicts, solved problems and made working together a rewarding habit. That is how governing should work. Men do understand the rewards of working for the common good, but too often testosterone and ego can get in the way. Work-

ing together for the common good is the way to the greatest possible stability, wealth and productivity our society can achieve. Kamala Harris, Sarah Corkery, Shirley Vermace and Cheryl Wieseler all possess the character, compassion and ability to govern fairly and to govern well. If we vote for people who believe in governing and in government, we just might get a government we can believe in. John Beard Former District 16 State Representative and former Winneshiek County Supervisor

Echoes of the Past Luther ‘illumination’ was long-standing tradition BY ROZ WEIS STAFF WRITER The long-standing homecoming traditions at Luther College are many. Rich in celebratory events, Luther’s custom of the illumination of Old Main was observed for decades. Called “one of the most magnificent sights of the year” Old Main would glow with a light in every window while the Luther College Concert Band played the spirited school songs each autumn. Locals recall it was something to be behold. The first Old Main was destroyed in a fire in 1889; and a second “New Old Main” was constructed on the same site. However, back in 1944, the illumination ceremony featured only a replica of the stately building because yet-another blaze took “New Old Main” in 1942. Here a few more glances at the past:

YEARS AGO - 1944: Plans for the celebration of the 83rd homecoming at Luther College (Oct. 13-15, 1944) are in full swing. Chapel services, coronation of homecoming queen, an alumni luncheon, the illumination of a replica of Old Main, class reunions and much more are on the schedule. …Calmar has organized a fall baseball team instead of a football team due to lack of sufficient players, according to Coach J. C. Iverson. …A section of Larson Hall on the Luther campus has been designated for women this fall. The men in the hall have returned to find portions of their dorm formerly filled with unmatched furniture, curtain-less windows and unmade beds replaced with modern blonde furnishing, frilly drapes and pastel scalloped bedspreads. …The Decorah School Board has acquired three residential properties along Dry Run to be used for expansion of athletic

grounds and playgrounds after the war.

YEARS AGO - 1954: Bev Stevens was named the 1954 Decorah High School Homecoming Queen in ceremonies at a Friday pep assembly. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Wood of Decorah. Attendants included Angie Henning, Sadie Brown, Barbara Brunsvold and Judy Cutting. She was crowned by George Running and Harold Steele, football co-captains. …Now showing at the Lyric Theater in Decorah: “The Caine Mutiny” starring Fred MacMurray, Van Johnson and Humphrey Bogart. Admission is 75 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. …Reardon’s has a sale on fresh frozen orange juice, four cans for 73 cents.

YEARS AGO - 1964: Decorah High School homecoming queen candidates

this fall are Cheryl Hislop, Julie Peterson, Kathy Omdahl and Jane Welgos. …Howard Knutson is Decorah’s newest patrolman. …Graham’s Department Store in downtown Decorah has a new look, with new ﬂooring and remodeled interior. …President Lyndon B. Johnson was the choice of more than 61 percent of the students at Luther College in a recent straw poll. He came out ahead of his Republican opponent, Senator Barry Goldwater. There was one write-in vote: for Ringo Starr, the drummer with the Beatles, who is a favorite of the teenage set.

YEARS AGO - 1974: A potential sniper situation on the Luther Campus was resolved the other evening after a student armed with riﬂe barricaded himself in his tower dorm room. He eventually yielded to pleas of his fraternity brothers and gave up his weapon.

Old Main II fire Luther College’s Old Main II was destroyed in a blaze May 31, 1942. The first Main building was destroyed by fire in 1889. (Archive photo) …A new Decorah Junior High School multi-purpose room is being constructed by students from the construction-trade classes Area I in Calmar. The new building should be completed by next fall.

…Decorah has a new electrician in Mike Voltmer, 22, who

Echoes continued on page 12

OBITUARIES/NEWS

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Obituary Rollin “Ike” Isenberger

Lifelong Decorah resident Rollin “Ike” Isenberger died Sept. 25, 2024. Ike was known for his career driving for Scenic Hawkeye Stages. He drove school bus for North Winneshiek Rollin and DecIsenberger orah School districts. He also worked and drove ambulance for Decorah hospital. His love for animals and the

outdoors was reflected in all of his special interests, which included raising rabbits, horses and dogs. He especially enjoyed his winter camping and sled dog runs. He loved driving his horse teams which started with Belgians and later drove Fjord horses. He enjoyed taking his horses and wagons to organized wagon trail rides with friends. Ike is survived by his sister Rita Rimrodt of Edmond, Oklahoma; brother Keith Isenberger of Golden, Colorado; two nieces; and two nephews. A family celebration of life is pending.

Service Notice

HARLEY JEROME REFSAL, 79, died Sept. 8, 2024, at Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home in Decorah. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. April Larson presiding. Visitation will be from 9:45 a.m. until the time of service at the church. There will be a lunch and time of remembrance following the service.

Among those who visited Washington D.C. were (back row, left to right) Jade Schneider of Manchester David Turnis of Bernard and Cody Shear of Ackley and (front row) Danielle Fulsaas of Decorah. The four are participants in the Farm Bureau’s Ag Leadership Program, and the trip to the nation’s capitol served as the culmination of a year-long program. (Photo courtesy of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation)

Local Farm Bureau members advocate for Iowa agriculture in D.C. Farm Bureau members from across the state departed their Iowa farms for Washington, D.C., Sept. 10-12, to meet with their elected officials and agency representatives. Members shared personal stories and examples of how important ag issues impact their farms, including the critical need for the Farm Bill. Other important topics and issues raised by members included protecting interstate commerce, expanding biofuel markets and growing opportunities for trade. A total of 19 members from the graduating class of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s Ag Leaders Institute, which trains members on how to represent their farms, their county Farm Bureaus and the ag industry, joined the trip. Jade Schneider of Manchester; David Turnis of Bernard and Cody Shear of Ackley and Danielle Fulsaas of Decorah were among those who participated in the trip. The graduating ag leaders class visited with Iowa’s U.S. Sens. Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst, as well as the offices of U.S. Reps. Ashley

Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra. Members stressed the urgency of passing an updated Farm Bill and shared challenges related to a one-year extension and waiting another year for congressional action. Since the last farm bill was passed in 2018, farmers have faced volatile markets related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as record-high inflation and costs to raise a crop. The farmer delegation urged lawmakers to make critical updates to the farm safety net which are needed to help farmers manage risk of today’s prices and provide certainty for long-term planning. The Washington, D.C. trip served as the culmination of the year-long Ag Leaders Institute program designed to help participants gain an extensive background on agricultural issues, develop advocacy skills and build a network of leaders across Iowa. Graduates will be recognized at the Iowa Farm Bureau annual meeting, Dec. 10-11 in Des Moines.

the

Rev. Becker continued from front Becker’s interest in the pair of generational parishes came just in the nick of time, too. After nearly four years of having an open call, congregation members were concerned their call might never be answered. Big Canoe Call Committee Chair Tammy Nordheim said the church councils had considered either consolidating into one congregation or possibly closing their doors for good. “I think that when the pastoral candidates see parishes that have gone a long time without a permanent pastor, they start to wonder ‘What’s wrong there?’ and ‘How’s their financial stability?’” said Highland Call Committee Chair Steve Langland. “It’s a whole conglomerate of things.” The challenge The two congregation’s call for a new permanent minister was made in early 2021 — after the Rev. Kurt Bockoven left, having served the parishes for five years. Prior to Bockoven, the churches had attracted several short-term ministers following the retirement of Rev. David Andreae in 2013. The Rev. Waldemar Gies, a retired minister from Rochester, Minnesota, has filled in for the congregations over the last 3.5 years. Nordheim said Gies’ job didn’t get any easier over time. The reverend’s commute was 90 minutes one way in good weather, and the distance made it impossible for the parishes to expect services in inclement weather. It quickly became evident that the Big Canoe and Highland congregations needed a permanent full-time preacher to lead them. “When we started the call process, Pastor Gies said, ‘Don’t be in a hurry, because we can take our time in this whole process,’” Nordheim said. “But, in this whole process, we did take our time, and then all of a sudden it was like ‘We can’t be taking our time — we’ve got to get going on this.’” Langland and Nordheim pointed out numerous other churches in the northeast Iowa synod were also looking for permanent ministers, adding to their struggle to find the right person to fill the pulpit. Langland said synods in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota each have openings for pastors in about 75 parishes. “That’s the life of preaching,” Nordheim added. “When your pastor leaves or retires, you’re left without a preacher for an unknown amount of time, and these days, for whatever reason, people are not considering pastoral work a career option.” Rev. Steve Brackett, assistant to the bishop for the northeast Iowa synod, met with the call committee to begin the call

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process. Nordheim said it was Brackett who had the idea to market Big Canoe and Highland through use of a drone and a video showcasing the two churches. Through Big Canoe and Highland’s video, pastoral candidates were able to view Big Canoe’s pipe organ and tour the available parsonage — perspectives the candidates would not have had if they didn’t visit the parishes in person. “The synod and the ELCA are realizing that to attract ministers to their parishes, they need to break away from tradition,” Langland said. Adding to the appeal The 117-year-old parsonage atop the hill directly behind Big Canoe is named Borgen — Norwegian for “The Castle” — and was built to show appreciation for the churches’ minister. Langland said, without the parsonage, the church would not be able to afford Becker’s appointment. Borgen boasts 2,248 square feet of living space, including five second-floor bedrooms, two full baths, solid-oak doors with brass hinges and knobs, a mahogany banister, crystal chandeliers and a large yard with century-old oak, pine and spruce trees, early Big Canoe members intended the parsonage to match the church’s majesty. But Nordheim and Langland admitted Borgen needed plenty of updates to prepare the parsonage for Becker’s arrival. Parishioner Danny Dutka volunteered for numerous jobs around the home, such as installing central air conditioning — it’s the first time in the home’s history it has had air conditioning. “We also needed a new stove, microwave, washer and dryer,” Nordheim said. “So, we asked the congregations if anyone would want to be a sponsor and buy an appliance, and members stepped up and volunteered to pay for all the appliances, window coverings — all through the grace of their own pockets. This was amazing, because we can’t afford all that. For our church budget, there’s not enough giving, but when there’s a need, they all step up, and we all come together to get it done.” The parsonage also received new carpet, new interior paint and new windows — switching out two stories of antiquated combination windows with updated vinyl windows. Becker said, if a parsonage wasn’t available, he wouldn’t have been able to accept the call to Big Canoe and Highland, because he has a mortgage in Valparaiso, Indiana, from whence he and his wife are moving — Becker’s wife will continue to reside there while finishing her degree.

Rev. Matthew Becker and his wife, Detra, in 2023 in Edinburgh Scotland. When this photo was taken, the pastor was leading a group of 36 travelers on a two-week tour of historic places connected to Celtic Christianity. (Submitted)

Answering the call Becker, an internationally-respected minister, theologian and author, had taught at Indiana’s Valparaiso University since 2004, and he planned to retire within less than a decade — that is, up until about seven months ago. “In March of this year, the administration of the university announced the possible termination of the theology program at Valparaiso, which has been historically a Lutheran university for almost 100 years,” Becker said. “So, it came as a big shock — to me and others — that the university would take such a big step in ending a program that has helped to define Valparaiso as a Lutheran university.” The pastor recalled being in a sort of daze for a short while after the announcement — wondering what was happening and what would happen next. “Over the next two weeks, my wife and I had extended discussion, and I’m at that point in life where I did not want to get involved in having to defend the program,” Becker said. “So, instead, I felt that maybe now was the time for me to go back into the parish. I had been a parish pastor for five years — from 1989 until 1994 — and I enjoyed being a parish pastor. And, even though I’ve enjoyed being a professor for 31 years, on the side, I’ve always found opportunities to be involved in parish ministry.” He and his wife decided the university’s proposed change was in fact an opportunity to leave academia and return to parish life. Becker then made himself for a call in five different areas — a swath of the upper U.S. from Iowa and Minnesota toward Kentucky, West Virginia and western Maryland. Becker said he was contacted almost immediately by several bishops who knew him and hoped he would consider their synod, but Becker felt it wise to act slowly and deliberately. He and his wife sifted through dozens of parish profiles before they came upon Big Canoe and

Highland’s profile — and the congregation’s video. “These people kind of hit my heart, and I felt a meeting of God in that moment,” he said. And the feeling was somewhat mutual, as the churches set about locking Becker in before another congregation could draw him away. “We had a couple other candidates, but when we ran across Pastor Becker, we stopped considering the other options,” Nordheim said. Becker visited northeast Iowa several months ago to visit the congregations and host a trial sermon, which helped solidify the growing connection between the northeast Iowa churches and their next pastor. With the help of his adult son, Jacob, and a team of parishioners, Becker moved his belongings — including 2,500 pounds of books — into Borgen last week, and he said he still can’t believe the local church call remained open for so long. “It seems strange to me, because I’ve lived here for just three days, but I have to say the place grows on you pretty quickly,” the pastor said. “Who wouldn’t want something like this? The people are very friendly and generous, and they’ve been very accommodating to me and my wife. Every morning this week, I’ve looked out the kitchen window, and the vistas are amazing. And, this house has a lot of character, and it feels very warm.” Becker said he is looking forward to connecting with the people of Big Canoe and Highland as well as preaching the word once again. “My top priority is to know who the sheep of my flock are,” he said. “Who are my fellow members of the body of Christ? I’m also looking forward to having peaceful mornings here and to getting back into parish ministry on a full-time basis. I like visiting people and helping them in times of crisis. I just want to be a pastor — be the German shepherd to this flock of Norwegian Lutherans.”

Jailed again and bodies, which the group attributed to their time jumping into rocky portions of the Upper Iowa River earlier that day near Will Baker Park — about 3 miles west of the local Walmart. The complaint specified the officers also saw blood on the 17-year-old girl’s pants as well as a red abrasion on her neck. Blood was also observed on Othman’s pants, according to the complaint. Police saw an open container of alcohol inside a nearby vehicle, and they cited Othman as well as others for possession of alcohol under the legal age. A pair of juvenile females in the group — one of them being the 17-year-old victim — were then transported to the Law Enforcement Center in Decorah to await the arrival of their parents, according to court documents. The girls told law enforcement they and another female had travelled to Decorah with Othman, and they had indeed PRSRT.STD CAR-RT SORT U.S. POSTAGE PD CHARLES CITY, IA PERMIT #144 ECRWS

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the

been swimming near Will Baker Park around 7 p.m. that day. The 17-year-old said she at one point went to retrieve a pair of shoes from a white Chevrolet Impala, and Othman allegedly “followed her to the car, pushed her into the back seat and got on top of her.” Court documents said a sexual assault nurse examiner performed an examination following the report and observed evidence which indicated a sexual act had taken place. The alleged assault continued until another juvenile female arrived at the vehicle and pushed Othman off the victim, according to the complaint. A warrant was issued for Othman’s arrest on July 19. Police executed a search warrant that same day, seizing a fitted sheet found in the backseat of the Impala — which court documents indicated was located at a rural address in Waukon — as well as clothing from Othman’s dormitory at Luther College. Othman was initially booked into the

Winneshiek County Jail at 9:25 p.m. the same day. Othman pleaded not guilty on July 19, and the court later agreed to release the 20-yearold on several conditions — including he be placed under pre-trial supervision by the Department of Correctional Services and not leave Decorah without the court’s permission, save for meetings with his attorney in West Union. Court records say Othman allowed the battery in his GPS bracelet to become low enough authorities could not track its signal at least five times in less than a week during the month of September. Othman’s supervising officer had noted the GPS unit’s battery was getting low again on Sept. 26 and instructed Othman to charge the unit for the required two hours. Othman told the officer he would do so, according to court documents, before charging the unit for four minutes shortly before 7 a.m. Sept. 27. The unit was no lon-

continued from front

ger able to be tracked later that same morning, and Othman’s supervisors placed another call to the 20-year-old just before 8:30 a.m. “Upon making the phone call, a message was received stating the defendant has restrictions placed on his phone and therefore is not accepting my phone call,” the officer wrote in a report entered in the case. The court issued an arrest warrant for Othman on Oct. 1 for violation of his pre-trial supervision, setting bail at $15,000. Othman was served the warrant at 2:50 p.m. the next day and booked into the Winneshiek County Jail approximately 15 minutes later. Othman is scheduled to make an initial appearance on Nov. 26 for violation his is pre-trial release. A trial regarding Othman’s sexual abuse charge was most recently scheduled for Dec. 18. As of press time, Othman was still being held in the Winneshiek County Jail.

COMMUNITY

Winneshiek County 4-H Dairy Judging this presentation. The evening theme is inspired by the musical Team competes at state, national level will also include an exhibit of “Wicked”and will be featuring

Community briefs Public invited to join Open Hub Singing Club

The public is invited to join Open Hub Singing Club eight Sundays this fall. The group will be meeting from 3:305 p.m. on eight Sundays this year — Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, Nov. 17, Nov. 24, Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15 — at the Pulpit Rock Brewing Company Events Space. Organizers said the club offers a “no practice, no performance” experience. No singing experience or training is required, and all voices are welcome. Register at https:// www.centerforbelonging.earth/ events/open-hub-singing-clubfall-series.

Trunk or Treat to be held at Lake Meyer Campground

Winneshiek County Conservation staff invite the public to dress up and join the fun during the annual Lake Meyer Campground Trunk or Treat from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. No registration is required to attend this free, family-friendly event. Participants are asked to carpool if possible and follow parking directions as they arrive in the campground. Lake Meyer Park and Campground is located at 2546 Lake Meyer Road off Highway 24 between Calmar and Fort Atkinson. Find more information at www.winneshiekwild.com.

Burr Oak Lutheran Church to hold meatball supper

Burr Oak Lutheran Church will host a meatball supper — drive-up service only — from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6. The menu will include meatballs, mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, rolls and pumpkin pie. Tickets are available for $15 at Letterwerks Sign City, Red-Roxy Quilt Co, KVIK Radio Station, Barney’s Bar and Grill, Viking State Bank and Trust, Canton State Bank, Harmony State Bank or by calling committee member Leslie Cook 563-379-4211.

Almelien to speak on Solja pins

The Sons of Norway Valdres Lodge’s Oct. 15 meeting will feature a presentation by Kathleen Almelien. Her program, entitled “Solja Pin,” will educate visitors on the silver pin worn on the bunad. Almelien will also share how to clean and protect the Solje. Attendees are asked to wear their own pins for

Happy 99th

Birthday Irma Johnson! Irma will celebrate her 99th birthday on October 16! Send cards and well wishes to: Irma Johnson 911 Ridgewood Dr. Decorah, IA 52101

Thank you for helping her celebrate!

the Almelien collection of Silver buttons and pins. The presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church — 701 Iowa Ave. in Decorah.

Decorah Parks and Recreation to host Fall Frenzy

Decorah Parks and Recreation will host its Fall Frenzy event, featuring food and games, from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at Will Baker Park. Decorah Rocks representatives will also be on hand to help attendees decorate their own unique rocks. Following this event, the public is invited to the Pulpit Rock Campground for a trick-or-treat event from 3-5 p.m. For information, email parkrec@decorah.iowa.gov, or call 563-32-4158.

Ossian Fire Department to host annual pancake breakfast

The Ossian Fire Department is hosting its annual pancake breakfast fundraiser from 8 a.m. to noon, Sunday, Nov. 3 at the Ossian ﬁre station. Pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs will be served. Carry-out orders will be available on the north side of the station. All proceeds will be used to purchase vehicle extrication equipment.

Decorah Chamber to host Witches Night Out

The Decorah Area Chamber’s third annual Witches Night Out event is scheduled to take place on the evening of Thurday, Oct. 17 in downtown Decorah. More than 20 downtown locations will participate by hosting extended hours and specials, with some establishments opting for thematic decorations and activities. Organizers said this year’s

Glinda, the “good” witch who loves everything pink, and Elphaba, the “wicked” witch who is best known for her green and black. The chamber is selling event swag bags to help attendees get in the spirit of the evening. A total of 50 “good witch” and 50 “wicked witch” bags are available for sale on a ﬁrst come, ﬁrst serve basis. Purchasers won’t know if they are good or wicked until the random pickup on the day of the event. To purchase one of the bags, visit the Witches Night Out event page at www.decorahareachamber.com

Public invited to plant trees while biking Trout Run Trail

The Decorah Public Library, Upper Explorerland’s Safe Routes to School and Winneshiek County Conservation invited the public to take part in planting trees on while biking along a portion of the Trout Run Trail. Trees will be provided by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Trees for Kids Project. Participants may meet at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20 at Miller Park in Minowa Heights. Tree planting will take place from 1-4 p.m. along the trail, with a free meal provided at the ﬁsh hatchery. Participants may cycle home from the hatchery. Space is limited, and registration is due by noon on Oct. 16. Register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2S6TY97.

Decorah sets hours for Halloween Trick of Treating

Trick or Treating in the city of Decorah is scheduled to take place between 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. City ofﬁcials said in an announcement Monday that the hours were set in cooperation with the Decorah Police Department.

Winneshiek County 4-H members recently competed in the state 4-H Dairy Judging Contest, held in conjunction with the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 7. The senior team consisted of Anders Lovstuen, Kelsey Timp, Hanna Vagts, Mara Lovstuen and Brinlee Courtney. The junior team consisted of Kennedi Vagts and Reagan Gallagher. The Winneshiek County 4-H Dairy Judging Teams were coached by Blake Courtney and Garrett Lovstuen. The senior team was named the first place team overall, first place team in oral reasons, first place team in the Guernsey Breed and first place team in the Holstein Breed. Anders Lovstuen was recognized as the first place overall individual, first place in oral reasons and received first place in the Guernsey Breed. Hanna Vagts was recognized as the fourth place overall individual, fifth place in oral reasons, received third place in the Brown Swiss Breed and second place in the Jersey Breed. Kelsey Timp was recognized as seventh place in oral reasons, received fifth place in the Ayrshire Breed, third place in the Guernsey Breed and fourth place in the Milking Shorthorns Breed. With the senior team winning first place, they advanced to the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest, with the opportunity to represent Iowa 4-H at the Sept. 29 World Dairy Expo. The junior team members Kennedi Vagts and Reagan Gallagher were also recognized following the State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest at the Iowa State Fair. Kennedi Vagts received 10th place in the Jersey Breed and was recognized

Winneshiek County 4-H Senior Dairy Judging Team with awards received at the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest. (left to right): Hanna Vagts, Kelsey Timp, Anders Lovstuen and Mara Lovstuen. (Photos submitted)

Winneshiek County 4-H Senior Dairy Judging Team and Coaches (left to right) Blake Courtney, Kelsey Timp, Hanna Vagts, Anders Lovstuen, Mara Lovstuen and Garrett Lovstuen. as 15th place in oral reasons. Reagan Gallagher received ﬁrst place in the Holstein Breed, third place in the Milking Shorthorn Breed and was recognized as 14th place in oral reasons. The Senior Winneshiek County 4-H Dairy Judging Team traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, last month to compete in the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. The trip to Madison started with a dairy judging practice in northeast Iowa and a tour of the National Dairy Shrine Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. On judging day, the team

evaluated five classes of heifers, five classes of cows and gave five sets of reasons. The team finished q0th overall, received sixth place in oral reasons and first place overall in the Jersey Breed. Anders Lovstuen was recognized as the 12th place overall individual, received third place in the Jersey Breed and fifth place in the Holstein Breed. With Anders placing in the top 25 individuals in the contest, he was recognized as an All-American. Kelsey Timp received first place overall in the Ayrshire Breed.

Ortwein to speak on founder of Spillville

Barbara Ortwein will give a presentation on Spillville’s founder Joseph Spielman and his early life in Bavaria from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 15 in the German American Museum in St. Lucas. Live music and an exhibition will also be offered. Ortwein, who hails from Germany and now resides in Prague, is a historical novelist. Ortwein’s extensive ﬁeld research work investigating Spielman’s Bavarian hometown as well as the archives of this region, have shed light on Joseph Speilman’s early years and how they shaped his later life in Iowa — a topic which was largely unknown prior to Ortwein’s research. When Joseph Spielman was 35 years old, he emigrated from Germany to the USA. For 13 years, he settled in the area of Oldenburg, Indiana, with his wife and his 5 children. In 1849 he moved to today‘s Winneshiek County with a group of other German families. Many of the descendants of these families still live in this area. Joseph

Organizers with both the Decorah Rotary Club and Sunflower Child Development gathered last week to recognize the completion of a Rotary project supporting Sunflower’s new Discovery Center. Pictured are (from left to right) Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski, Decorah Rotary Club co-presidents Phil Iversen and Mike Huinker, Sunflower Board Member and New Building and Fundraising Committee member John Schroeher, Winneshiek County Development and Tourism Board Chair Stephanie Fromm and Sunflower Executive Director Holly Benda. (Photo submitted)

Barbara Ortwein Spielman purchased a lot of land in this north-east corner of Iowa and managed to pull other settlers to this region – among them Swiss, Norwegian and especially Czech speaking people from Southern Bohemia. Ortwein will read from her new book “Joseph Spielman: A Bavarian Pioneer in Iowa,” and from her book about Anton Dvorak’s stay in Spillville, “A Summer in Spillville 1893.”

Glenwood Lutheran Church Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner with Silent Auction 1197 Old Stage Rd Decorah, Iowa Sunday, October 27, 2024 Noon-3pm Menu: Lutefisk, Meatballs, Mashed potatoes & gravy, Corn, Lefse, Rolls, Cranberries, Romegrot, Desserts

Advance tickets only

75th Anniversary!

$25 per adult $10 ages 6-12 5 and under free Last day to purchase tickets will be 10/22/24 Tickets can be purchased at: Waukon State Bank, Viking State Bank, Highland General Store & Church Office

All proceeds will go towards the church organ repair! For questions contact: Church office: 563-382-2747 or Alyce Schaller: 563-379-2151

Rotary, Sunflower recognize contribution to Discovery Center Representatives from the Decorah Rotary Club and the Sunflower Child Development and Discovery Center met at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 to celebrate the culmination of a 2024 Rotary project supporting Sunflower’s new Discovery Center facility. The Rotary Club’s additions to the Discovery Center include a large playhouse with balcony, a smaller drivethrough playhouse, indoor safety perimeter fencing and a K’nex Building Station incorporating a 6-foot-tall ferris wheel, inherited by Sunflower

from the former Donlon’s toy store in Decorah. To bring the project to fruition, the Decorah Rotary Club secured a grant from Rotary District 5970 and contributed its own matching funds to secure the $10,000 needed for the project. This contribution was recognized at the Thursday event in the presentation of a ceremonial check from the club. Rotary Club members also provided nearly 250 hours of labor and all of the detailed design and construction expertise required for the proj-

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ect. Spahn and Rose Lumber in Decorah assisted Rotary by providing discounted raw materials. The Sunﬂower Discovery Center, slated to open later this fall, will be an interactive children’s museum. Organizers said the project aligns with aspects of the city of Decorah’s Iowa Great Places Vision Plan by creating a quality gathering space for children and families — organizers said there are currently no such indoor play spaces in Decorah or Winneshiek County. The Discovery Center will have at least six themed science, technology, engineering, art/music, and math — or STEAM — learning centers. The space will prioritize active learning through movement, exploration and play, with indoor-age-appropriate playgrounds as well as active learning and exploration areas. The successful Rotary project was facilitated through close collaboration with the Sunﬂower Board of Directors, staff and numerous Rotary volunteers.

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

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The 2024-2025 State 4-H Council is made up of 40 high school juniors and seniors from across Iowa. The group, which plans the annual Iowa State 4-H Conference, includes Winneshiek County’s Grace Baker and Addison Wicklund.

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BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR Grace Baker joined 4-H later than some — she signed on with the youth organization during her eighth grade year, while many of her peers had already been part of the program for several years. “They could speak to adults, and they could go give interviews and do their project areas,” she said. “It was just crazy.” But soon she found herself developing many of the same skillsets, and she said learning to push herself beyond her comfort zone has been one of the most valuable skills she’s gained since joining her local 4-H program. Today, Baker is a senior at South Winneshiek High School and serves as 4-H State Council member alongside Decorah High School Senior Addison Wicklund. The club’s state council is made up of about 40 high school juniors and seniors from across Iowa. Wicklund, a returning member on the council, said she has greatly enjoyed meeting other 4-H members, learning new skills while exchanging ideas and sharing local-level experiences. “I feel like last year, deﬁnitely being an ambassador for Winneshiek County — and I was also ambassador for Allamakee County — gave me the

opportunity to go around and see what the different counties were doing and bring it back to the larger group of state council,” Wicklund said. Wicklund and Baker indicated prospective state council members rely on many of the skillsets they develop as part of 4-H. The position requires students to submit an application, including a resume and cover letter, and list their leadership qualities as well as community service, communication skills and their reason for seeking a seat on the council. Ofﬁcials then select applicants for further interviews before offering them the chance to help lead 4-H at the state level. Baker said her own cousins had previously served on the state council, but she herself found the application process a bit daunting during her junior year of high school. She was able to shake her jitters the following year and submitted an application, and she was later called for an interview at Iowa State University in Ames — she was offered the chance to join the council within a matter of weeks “I just decided to join because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone — because I was very in it,” Baker said. “And being part of state 4-H council has really pushed me outside my comfort zone and really helped me grow a lot as a person.”

Wicklund too said she hoped to foster her own skills by pushing herself beyond the proverbial comfort zone after joining the council. “Furthering my leaderships in 4-H and meeting with other people from across the state that have similar but different experience than you was really amazing,” Wicklund said. Wicklund went on to say the state council’s main focus each year is planning the Iowa State 4-H Conference, which invites youth in grades nine through 12 to Ames for several days in order to participate in workshops, partake in community service projects and attend presentations or other activities. The conference attracts about 500 teenagers each year, according to information from Iowa State University, and attendees need not be a member of the 4-H program. The next Iowa 4-H Youth Conference is scheduled for June 24-26, 2025. Wicklund said the annual conference also offers students the chance to connect with professionals from various industries and organizations. “I’d say opportunities in 4-H are endless,” Wicklund said, adding she feels the club offers something for everyone. “Most people think that it’s just agriculture or farming — that kind of thing — just showing animals at the fair, but there’s so much.”

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Pictured are 4-H State Council members (front row, left to right) Wesley Meyer of Jones County, Addison Wicklund of Winneshiek County (back row, left to right) Charlie Schrader of Linn County and Grace Baker of Winneshiek County. (Photos submitted) Wicklund herself said she focuses on communication workshops and projects. “That’s really helped me grow up a lot and be able to talk to adults and be able to just share the things that I’m interested in with people who might not know about them,” she said. “And I think that’s really valuable — it’s just getting your voice out there and being able to use it.” It’s a skill she hopes can be applied to promoting 4-H programs more broadly in order to highlight the club’s numerous non-agricultural offerings. Bak-

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er agreed, saying she would like to see more students in upper grade levels join the club — much the same way she did — and she hopes to attract more participants to the yearly state conference in Ames, which she called a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “From our county, we usually have a decent sized group, but I would really like to expand that and get even more kids, especially now that I’m planning it and I know we can make it awesome this year,” Baker said.

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Marilyn Larson of Decorah celebrated her 90th birthday on Oct. 8. Her children Melody, Terry and Brenda are hosting a family gathering this weekend at Eastern Star Assisted Living in her honor. If you wish to send a birthday card, please send to: Marilyn Larson, 911 Ridgewood Drive #114, Decorah, IA 52101.

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DMS students raise money for Ugandan well Each year, seventh grade students at Decorah Middle School immerse themselves in a cross-curricular project aimed at sharpening their skills while also experiencing the benefits of philanthropy. Students in Carrie Reed’s Global Studies class examined how access to water can create inequalities in societies by impacting health, education, hunger and poverty. These same students read and analyzed the novel “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park in Pamela Dambek’s language class. The project culminated with students walking from the middle school to the Upper Iowa River to collect water, which they then carried through town on their way back to school. Two years ago, the seventh grade students — the class of 2028 — raised more than $5,000 to build a well through the non-

profit organization Water to Thrive. Recently the now ninth grade students at Decorah High School received information about how their donation became a reality — a well which benefits more than 150 people in Uganda. “In addition to providing clean, safe water to hundreds of people, your well has significantly reduced the amount of time women and children spend collecting water,” officials with Water to Thrive told the local students. “Women have gained the time they need to take better care of their families and engage in income-generating activities. Children now have more time to go to school and be absent less often as water-related diseases become a thing of the past. We are grateful to have you as a partner as we commit to bring clean water to those who so desperately need it.”

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The role of a firefighter doesn’t look quite the same as it often does in film and television, especially for firefighters in rural Iowa, according to Martin Ahrndt, secretary of the Protivin Volunteer Fire Department. Ahrndt said professional firefighters are as deserving of respect as their rural counterparts, but he noted rural crews are typically made up of volunteers who give of their time to not only answer calls for help but undergo regular training — all while holding down a separate full-time job in most cases. He said few if any rural communities can afford to pay for a full-time fire department, and he said lives would surely be lost without volunteers stepping up to fill that role. “Every department could share a multitude of stories about being called out at 10 or 11 p.m., only to return in time to shower, eat breakfast and head to work with no sleep,” Ahrndt said. “Sometimes you end up having to take annual leave at work because you are still at the call from the night before and go into work late. We have all had times that we set the meal plate on the table and the tones go off — sometimes at important meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas. We leave our families to go respond to the emergency.” The Protivin Volunteer Fire Department is currently made up of 22 members, but Ahrndt said they’re actively recruiting for more to join. The department has two pumper trucks, a pair of tanker trucks and a rescue truck at its disposal as well as a UTV, which can be used to contain grass and field fires — Protivin also maintains a fire engine from 1931, which they use during parades. Protivin firefighters cover an area of about 100 square-miles across areas of not only Winneshiek County but Howard County and Chickasaw County as well. The volunteer department also covers portions of six townships in addition to Protivin itself, and Ahrndt estimated Protivin’s volunteer firefighters are paged out between 20 and 35 times each year. “The rural fire departments are also interconnected — we support each other through mutual aid agreements,” Ahrndt said. “All to say, when the situation is

extreme or when we need manpower or equipment someone else has and we do not, we respond to that call also. It is not uncommon to have five to seven different departments at a call, all working together, supporting each other. All of our departments, because we are volunteers, are also always open to new recruits — others willing to give their time, talents, and willingness to be trained and serve people in times of crisis and emergency.” Ahrndt said today’s volunteer firefighters need a broad skillset, which they develop through training sessions and courses. “Members of our department and others in this area are called to all types of emergencies other than buildings on fire, including vehicle accidents, field and equipment fires, grain bin extrication, farm emergencies, setting up landing zones when medical helicopters are needed, weather spotting, sandbagging and rescues during floods,” Ahrndt said. “We help find missing persons. We also lead presentations for students on fire safety, and assist with CRP prescribed burns. Tactics and equipment for first responders are constantly changing, and our skills and understanding evolve with that.” Ahrndt said all firefighters are required to undergo at least 24 hours of training each year, as well as an additional four hours of hazardous materials training. He said many choose to attend additional training sessions, and most put in additional hours maintaining equipment, writing grants or supporting the department in other ways. “All of this time is freely given out of the goodness of their hearts and a desire to serve others as volunteers,” he said. Volunteers in the Protivin area were successful in raising funds for a new fire station. Ahrndt said the need for a new station had been discussed for a number of years before officials were able to break ground on the $800,000 project in May of 2022 — the volunteer fire department moved into the new building in April of 2023. Townships within the Protivin fire district provided about $320,000 for the project, according to Ahrndt, and the remainder was secured through grants, fundraising events and donations from various community members, businesses and organizations.

Protivin Volunteer Fire Department

Members include (far back) Captain Chris Shimek; (standing, left to right) Lt. Jeff Meyer, assistant chief Mike Panos, assistant chief AJ Straw, Eric Shimek, Dan Vrba, Mason Vrba, Nate Mrachek, Greg Shimek, fire chief Brad Moudry; (kneeling, left to right) Corey Ellingson, Ethan Rink, secretary Martin Ahrndt, Lt. Darrin Pecinovsky, Adam Powers, Captain Dean Dietzenbach and Tim Beckman. (Photo submitted) Ahrndt said the new station allows for a more efficient response during emergency calls. The department’s former station featured only two bays, forcing crews to park trucks within inches of each other. The new station has five bays, which greatly alleviates space issues, according to Ahrndt. “The increased space allows us to take the trucks we need right away when we get an emergency call,” he said. “We no longer have to move one or more trucks

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to get to the truck we actually need for the emergency call.” He went on to say the new station also provides greater space for department meetings, training sessions and storage, such as individual lockers to ensure each volunteer ﬁnds the appropriate gear before heading out on a call. “Minutes are essential in ﬁre and rescue situations and can be the difference between saving a life or house and losing it,” Ahrdnt said.

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NEWS

Sidewalk er been any official council resolution made regarding the non-complying sidewalk. “I share the frustration of my fellow council members as well,” Decorah City Council Member Kirsten Olsen said. “We are also running into issues where weather could play a factor.” City Engineer John Hjelle said a temperature of 40 degrees or higher is typically best for concrete work, and he suggested the city set a deadline of June or July of 2025, when temperatures would be warm enough to ensure the quality of an updated sidewalk. The council considered an earlier date, but ultimately agreed with

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day vote pave rs the fallen by Tues 102-year tradition hono way for Decorah in need helping living veteransPoppies’ Friday and Saturday Schools’ proposed te ‘Buddy Local VFW Post to distribu $38M bond Thursday, September

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spring, poppy distribution in the said local VFW Post Quarter- while the VFW holds “So, In February of 1924, VFW master Mark Stockdale. in the fall. its registered the name to distinguish the Stock“Buddy Poppy” with VFW from the d a l e bonding against the incoming in SETH BOYES has the U.S. Patent said vet- BY sales tax revenue — voters Veterans of Foreign Wars EDITOR County, Pop- Office, ace r a n s , NEWS neighboring Howard been distributing “Buddy in to cording monauxiliary some of whom were recorded pies” since 1922 to raise The Decorah School District informamembers Winneshiek County, approved ey in support of local veterans. tion from to have cleared its first revenue purauxilcivilian appears and a pro- that district’s own VFW Post 1977 veterans, two hurdles on the way to by 205-42. vol- the orvolunteers will be dis- posed $38 million bond mea- pose statement iary members and civilian voters also faarea in front g a n i from Decorah standing poppies a be of will unteers Ameri- tributing Buddy school sure for the construction carry zation. vored an increase in the 5 p.m., this Friday of Decorah businesses to new elementary building. can Legion, 8 a.m. until and T h e debt service levy DecFriday of this district’s front in Tuestradition from the Saturday, on Unofficial results t e r m the VFW came out and according to Tuesday Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14. orah’s Fareway and Hy-Vee day’s election show Decorah limit, More pop- “ B u d d y ” with ‘Buddy’ poppies. three of night’s unofficial results. “In Flanders Fields, the grocery stores, outside all voters favored a pair cast in was coined The open poppy is the Bud- of Decorah’s Kwik Star stores area than 1,678 votes were pies blow” are the opening by the poppy at the polls. for dy poppy, and the closed and also inside Decorah’s All measures the approval of that proposal, — words of Col. John McCrea’s makers, who Decorah voters supported mem71 percent support poppy is for the American Vets Club at 104 State St. poem dedicated to the veterans at the the district’s revenue about just over the renewal of women were disabled Legion.” 1,829 that measure required to the veterory of the men and Funds generated through to pass. purpose statement with died time, as a tribute Post Commander Ray of the 60 percent approval come home who served, fought and difbond votes, or about 75 percent The ans who did not Koshatka said another The proposed $38 million in France during WWI. Poppies disabled or scarred — the measure needed two addithose Buddy the an ballots and require between the to ference is expected poppies have since become 50 percent to pass. The have for life. 86 cents per $1,000 of asprograms is that the Amercontinued on page 9 at least symbol of all those who purpose statement out- tional property value. A home American Legion had their “The revenue holds Legion inforican wars, district sessed first,” given their lives in lines how a given school — which established the poppies tax valued at $250,000 mation from the VFW said. will use the 1-cent sales was near the state. Cronin indicated funds received from the average home value in Decorah The Decorah School District’s — would see a tax increase of statecurrent revenue purpose per month, or $95.47 Decorah city limits ment was set to expire in 2031, $7.96 bond is paid after a general dents within extend each year until the he an- weeks before or are eligible to vote in Dec- but Tuesday’s vote will tion effective Sept 1 — the city council who The Decorah City Council nounced his intentions to do so election, and Additionally, the petition it until 2051, which Decorah School the special elec- orah. their said hold beto during Cronin before voted Tim Hadnotarized unanimously of voted Superintendent needs to be to hold in July. The remainder to end tion Dec. 10, 2024. continued on page 11 Winneshiek will allow the school to finance regular Sept. 3 meeting on ing submitted to the ley’s term, which was Nomi- the proposed elementary by Candidates wishing to run a special election to determine Dec. 31, 2025, will be completCounty Auditor’s Office. vacanfor the at large position submitwho will fill a recent of the special the ballot nation petitions must be of the ed by the winner need to complete a nomination ted by the end of the business cy on the council. One The petition is election. for petition for the seat. council’s at large positions day on Nov. 15. Iowa Code doesn’t allow Hadley 50 signatures from resinow vacant after Ross to be held four requires posi- a special election stepped down from his

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Decorah’s Municipal Building — remodel or rebuild?

BY DENISE LANA fire department and city STAFF WRITER business offices. It was initially revered for its contemporary Decorah City Manager Tra- design and unusual roof archivis Goedken has spent several years working with the Decorah tecture. Along the way, according City Council to remedy issues to archives, the building had with the city’s municipal build- several upgrades and improveing, and their work has gained ments — temperature traction in the past few weeks. control and air conditioning was The building was designed inby renowned local architect stalled in 1972, an addition was to the fire station’s single Charles Altfillisch in 1959 bay and was constructed in 1983 and constructed in 1960. Today, Decorah’s Municipal Building Remodel or rebuild houses the police department, continued on page A-8

ye ar

PUBLISHED THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 BY THE DECORAH LEADER

ion rat ope co

Saturday, September 28

New Albin, IA

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New Albin, IA

manager, who invited Corkery in place that make this to speak and introduced world ter for the next her to better for the next guy.” folks, to be the audience of about 75 Corkery, a mother of peo- sure we save some three money and school-aged ple. “It will just help us children, said her be a don’t spend it into the ground to better society in the long run.” make sure our next generations religion is kindness. Corkery said she’s running “If we can help someone, have it a little bit better we against Hinson because off than do,” she said. of three we have it. I say “If ‘Smart peo- up for someone, we can stand key setbacks she and her family ple plant trees they we do. I beknow they lieve, philosophically has experienced, including the won’t sit under.’ So, , Demowe need fact that she’s survived breast do that for our environment, to crats put safety nets in place, cancer, gave birth to for because we believe a blind our economy — a bad day for the child, and her sister died at age of the next generation. good might happen. There might be a 48 due to an immune disorder. That is day when you get cancer, or you not a fun story. We’ve had “I’m going to try to a lot go bankrupt, or make of setbacks in our you lose your lives, and this world a better place just don’t use them as excuses we job or whatever, and we need in case we’re living on to put some safety nets a day our head in the sand in place. My — we use borrowed,’” Corkery said. them as reasons to get up the Corkery “And, for me, that means run- next day and try a little harder ning for ofﬁce, putting policies — to make sure it’s a little betcontinued on page A-6

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A former Decorah man accused of murdering a teenage girl in 2017 has entered a plea of not guilty in the case. James David Bachmurski is accused of killing 15-yearold Jade Marie Colvin in late March of 2017. The 65-year-old was ofﬁcially charged with second-degree murder last James David Bachmurski month, after being extradited from Georgia earlier this summer. reported missing to the Des Moines Police Department Bachmurski is currently being on June 10, 2016. The U.S. held at the Winneshiek County Jail on multiple charges. Bachmurski A criminal complaint ﬁled on Aug. 12 said Colvin continued on page Awas 8

DECK

IS S T ACKED

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Former Decorah man charged in 2017 cold case pleads not guilty

BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR

PRINT & DIGITAL

THE

Farmers Union Cooperative is now hiring for the following positions:

decorah, iowa

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Authority.

season

ry talks abortion, taxes

Sarah Corkery (D-Cedar Falls) is running against single-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Marion) for Iowa’s District 2 seat in the U.S. House, and for two hours Saturday morning, the candidate These are just ansome of the many swered the public’s questions at keepsake tos captured during phoin Decorah. Tom the 1949 centennial parade Club 45 — which serves as the Winneshiek County Republican T. Henning took from the Weis the pictures Headquarters GMC — in downtown The pictures were location on College Drive. Decorah. submitted by Sarah of Decorah. Iversen Iversen “I’m very appreciative said, in many that names of those who ordered copies cases, the Sarah was willing to come here Iowa District 2 Congressional candidate tos at that time of the pho- and speak with us today,” — some of which Sarah Corkery said spoke to both Republicans were recorded Thomas Hansen, on the reverse and Democrats Saturday Club 45’s at Club 45 in of the original morning downtown Decorah. (Photo prints only indication by Zach Jensen) of who the subjects — are the to may be. The in photos of the Decoraheach phoand Army/Airforce ﬂoats bore no such Theaters but several others indication, 1974 did. The reverse 2024 College ﬂoat bore of the the name Will Larson. Luther courtesy of the (Photos Decorah Genealog COMMUNITY Local History Research y Family and Center)

Season Finale

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

LEADER

2024 football

Decorah, Iowa 52101

Visit us online - www.deco

U.S. House candidate Corke

Jessie Montgomery, featuring music by Howard Hanson Johannes Brahms and

DECORAH

“None of what I’m doing, from hitting the Billboard charts to headlining a blues festival for the ﬁrst time this past weekend would have happened if it weren’t for the community of support that exists here.”

BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER

l prepares for trial

BY THE

Vikings open

Residency The local performer was accepted into an artist-in-residen ce project with the Omaha nonprofit Playing with Fire. Grouws said she submitted her proposal based on what she wanted to do as an artist, and if she had the time, space and financial support to do reach her goal. Playing with Fire’s mission, according to their social media platforms, is “to champion local non-profi ts and foster connections between people across the globe, all through the magic of free live music concerts”. “They want musicians to be able to focus on their craft, and they offer a residency at The Music House as allowing this focus to happen,”a way of Grouws said. “My proposal to them focused on being able to take time to write and to enhance my skills as a player, ultimately providing a concert at the end of my residency. With a desire to have a real connection with the Omaha community, I also offered up a songwriting workshop and visits to the area schools Jeni Grouws of Decorah to speak embarks on an 8-month about music.” artist-in-residency program in Nebraska in the coming Grouws said she wants weeks. (Photo courtesy to give back Julie Simiele.) to the community during her residency. “If I’m going to live within this comthing special in her temporary munity for eight months, home. I wanted to be as she can, in a continuing She said, once she gets to sure I also gave back,” effort to beOmaha, she Grouws said. come acquainted with the will start researching an “Most exciting to me is music scene. ideal the concert at Grouws credits much of and a date for the finale concert location the end of the residency her will include to the support she’s received success keep her Decorah connections and will Omaha area songwriters.” from the updated. Decorah community. “While The Music House The area musician will residency be taking her “It’s really crazy to think doesn’t come with a stipend,” experiences from her decades that all of she said, this is happening at this in Dec“they help offset the cost orah with her, including point in my life of living by her creation of and it’s really thanks to providing a place to live. the “Jeni Grouws and Friends Decorah,” she And a truly Live at the said. “My first open mic was at T-Bock’s beautiful one at that. I can’t Winneshiek County Fair” believe that I and get to live there, and I’m Writes” songwriting workshop the “She truly grateful.” Grouws she hostDuring her residency, she plans ed with Arthaus to help her to atcreate sometend as many open mics continued on page A-6 and blues jams

To ofﬁcially kick off Decorah’s 175th anniversary celebration, Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski read the proclamation of the city’s anniversary to an audience of about 50 people earlier this June. (Decorah Leader photo by Zach Jensen)

ssible testimony as Frave

5, 2024

Suiting up on the 2024 Bucksa, Mason Decorah football varsity Avila, Will Tarwater, roster are Larson; (second Bradan Darling; Giddings; row) Hector (front row, l-r) Nick (third row) (fourth row) Lowery, Hunter Vargas Escobar, (back row) Luke Franzen,Ezra Harman-Wood, Quandahl, Bristol Parker William Assistant (manager), Anthony Putnam, Tristan Baker, Jared Tallier, Kade O’Hara, Jameson LaBelle, Coach Josh Henry Brynsaas, Ethan Pole, Pavlovec, Cash Riehle, Fenske, Assistant Archer Sims, Landon Quandahl, Jared Jackson Caleb Johnson, Pipho, Coach Alec Bucksa, Assistant Brayden Wemark, Nathan Friend, Payton Webb, Coach Matt Zwanziger Caleb Krieg,Gavin Groux, Gatlin Joshua and Jordan Kuempel, Trevor Kuennen, Adam, Cain Dahlberg, William Hahn, Sims (manager). Assistant Coach Monreal-Rice, Keaton Orris, Louis Tommy Sexton, Brian Carter Dlhy, (Photo by Kaden Noah Milburn, Becky Walz) Waskow, Head Tanner Caddell, Coach Mike Ryan Tangen, Assistant Northup, Mason Ian Vote; Coach Jesse Halweg,

Coupled with a hectic performance schedule, she’s putting her talents to work at an upcoming outdoor concert Sept. 14 at the Red Barn Campground in Lansing.

the 175th anniversary of its “On June 15, Decorah celebrated commemorate the event with a mayoral founding. It was my pleasure to substantially in its history and now proclamation. Decorah has grown and cultural development. It is has achieved signiﬁcant economic and ideologies. The history makes home to people of diverse ancestries that and to share with all the visitors Decorah a beautiful place to live enjoy what the city has to offer.” Mayor — Lorraine Borowski, Decorah

around the said didn’t do anything their relationship. Shaw spend all day call house and would Testimony tells she witnessed Fravel often games while the two days later. The now 30-year- tale of abuse names playing video with pre- Kingsbury derogatory went to daycare and old was originally charged Witnesses present at the worse after their children secdirect but he became second-degree murder and Kingsbury worked. a past trial hearing recounted was born in 2018. between daughter ond-degree murder with Kingsbury’s close friend Fravel allegedly but a and indirect incidents Katie Kolka said Friends Shaw said history of domestic abuse, Kingsbury and Fravel. Kingsbury had and neighbor her things were told grand jury saw fit to additionally shared how they met Kingsbury stated publicly Kingsbury murhim by having a baby. keep up, and charge him with first-degree State Uni- trapped 2020 so bad she couldn’t domes- in 2014 at Winona about Fravel lost his job in Kingsder with a past pattern of Kingsbury was worried murder versity and witnessed due to the COVID-19 pandemthe sole provider and tic abuse and first-degree is bury’s and Fravel’s relationship ic, and the couple welcomed a being with premeditation. Fravel Haitrial progress. son at the end of that year. currently scheduled to stand Kingbury’s college friend ley Scott, Kingsbury’s longtime Fravel afOct. 7 in Mankato, Minnesota, testified Fravel sorority sister, granted Michaels Shaw continued on page 7 toward friend and WSU ter a change of venue was allegedly of was increasingly bitter of testified that Fravel due to the high-profile nature Kingsbury in the first years the case.

SEPTEMBER

step up as

Local musician thanks Decorah for propelling her songwriti ng career

17 5 Y E A R S

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THURSDAY,

email: editor@decora

BY ROZ WEIS STAFF WRITER

Visit us online - www.deco

A Minnesota judge is expectmonth ed to decide later this which witnesses and testimony upcomwill be allowed at the who is ing trial of Adam Fravel, accused of murdering Madeline and Kingsbury — his ex-partner the mother of his two children. Kingsbury’s body was discov— a litered in early June of 2023 she tle more than two months after arrested went missing. Fravel was

Vol. 159, Issue 36

Decorah musician Jeni Grouws will launch an eight-month artist-in-residen cy in Omaha, Nebraska later this month, and her last few weeks in the area will be ﬁlled to the brim with concerts, shows and outdoor appearances. solo

RNG, which is orchestrating trouthe project, said he was sts’ bled by local environmentali concerns. “There’s strong opposition “That from the public,” he said. The Winneshiek County and unanibothers me, because Jared Board of Adjustment by I started this as an environmenmously approved a request people when and Ridgerural tal company, Full Bohr Dairy of going percome to us and say we’re way for a conditional use down come hearliquid public black 3 have Sept. to mit during a or that permit the streets of Decorah ing. The conditional use for the to to kill ﬁsh or that prepares to vote early processes going we’re chemical allows Julie Kiple Sollien of Decorah Winneshiek County Auditor’s we’re here to pollute peoples’ at the occur at the site of a proposed That’s Special School Election held Sept. wells, that bothers me. The special election was biodigesting facility. who Ofﬁce at the courthouse. Decorah Comnot who I am. That’s not annex for voters in the After presenting information shares 10 at the courthouse project, Winneshiek County Howard-Winn for Driftless Water Defenders, of Suabout the biodigester Center. munity School District. previ- James Larew, attorney Board Biodigester Ridgeway Community most of which had been the Winneshiek County cast their votes at the county his legal concerns with hearing on the rezoning 7 voters public ously shared with the 5 page on Aug. the Weis) continued Roz (Photo by pervisors during planning and zoning commisbiodigester is to be constructed. the property where the sion and board of supervisors, of Novilla (Photo by Zach Jensen) Mark Hill, co-CEO of

BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER

5, 2024

www.decorahleader.com

BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER

Court to determine admi

this edition!

Athletes

election to ﬁll council vacanc

Paid for by Hovden for Supervisor Committee

A new generation | SPORTS of Vikings EDITOR will take the ating in 2004 fi BECKY WALZ red and blue, eld this fall for the and continuing career at Luther his our coach calling with a new head young people out the plays. “I am honoredCollege. become sucHaving graduated to have the cessful adults after privilege graduation,” pounced on the West many key to help lead contributors said the new Delaware orah High the Hawks, 21-7. skipper. School Football Decthe Decorah from last season, the postseason Joining Tangen Making the gram and trek to short pro- lines for the second on am be composed football team will as assistants the side- rolled Crestwood, the Vikes year in a row. However, build upon looking forward to with 35 total over the are Matt es looking of many new facKuempel, the rich history a 54-22 touchdowns. Cadets, 34-6. regular season win to get on success of On the road Brian Waskow, and Jared a winning streak. all coaches loo East secured over Water- DHS against Bucksa, letes who history Jesse Halweg, pendence Mustangs, the Inde- with the Vikes have helped and ath- Josh Fenske, While Mike a 3-2 district bid make the program couldn’t control Decorah Decorah Greg Drew, Tangen is what it has boasts a new head Zwanziger Having spoiled record. Alec gave the It is the tempo history of success having and Bruce become. coach, he and North up the game the hope the season Clark. stranger to claimed of myself Scott was ference or the program is no the other Homecoming 21-7. having in and Reviewing district title a conserved as the Lancers as he continue coaches that was one 30 times. an assistant 2023 the highlights Last we can repaid the 2022, to bring a years, first for nine Last season favor in pearancesyear’s postseason of the season of the first round level of pasunder sion and dedication of 2024 playoffs, apas note for the started on a high Decorah won 42-0 was the with Pat Trewin Bill Post then over Mason knocking off the Vikings, 27th time school’s help the football to not only Vikes with City to open who was at of wins – 1973, helm for the a trio For the the district the all activities program, before ’74, ’78, Then the last six seasons. season, the 35-7. ’84, ’86, ’87, Vikes spoiled race. scored also played at Decorah but spoiled the run Independence ly-Shell ’88, ’89, Vikes ’91, He School 250 points, as a Viking, Waver’90, ’94, ’97, High on. The Decorah averaging gradu- serve and most importantly was 35-20. Rock’s homecoming, 25.0 points a ’98, ’03, Vikes opened ’05, ’08, ’09, contest. The ’04, the larger ty picked mission helping with a 32-6 victory at home Marion Back-to-back losses up 2,769 yards varsi- ’15, ’17, ’18, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, to and over low NEIC ’21 of total mer squad Waukon, fel- had Decorah Western Dubuque offense. The running head coach and ‘23. Forgame tallied 1,974 then the fans Bill Post the team with 795 Vikes would wondering if ing into the playoffs led more comthrough the be left out 11 air. The squad Stepping of averaged 5.34 yards up per play, Continued on page B-2

BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER

City sets Dec. 10 special

for Winneshiek County District 3 Supervisor

According to Monday’s resolution, the sidewalk at the Corner Bar — located at the intersection of Water Street and State Street — fails to meet requirements laid out in city code and must be repaired, replaced and reconstructed to meet safety standards. “I am super frustrated this is here now,” said Decorah City Council Member at Large Emily Neal as the issue came before the council. “We have pushed for this for years, and I was under the impression we had already reached the point where he had to fix it or we would make him fix it.” Goedken said, prior to this resolution vote, there had nev-

continued from front Hjelle’s recommendation and approved a deadline of June 1, 2025. City Attorney John Anderson told the council it must allow the business owner 45 days in which to appeal the decision following the passage of the resolution. The city can potentially take action to repair the sidewalk if the issue has not been resolved by June 1, and the bar would be billed for the cost of the work, according to Goedken. “After 30 days, if that invoice isn’t paid, we can assess the business’s property taxes,” Goedken said. “At this point, it’s no longer an ask.”

2479 River Rd., Decorah, IA 563-382-9691

CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Business and Professional Bulletins WinnMed welcomes Brittanee Samuelson, M.D. WinnMed recently announced northeast Iowa Brittanee Samuelson, M.D. as its new specialized hospital medicine physician. Dr. Samuelson earned her undergraduate degree from the Brittanee University Samuelson of Wisconsin-Platteville and her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. In Decorah, Dr. Samuelson will serve as WinnMed’s ﬁrst full-time hospitalist. Hospitalists are doctors who specialize in treating hospitalized patients. Their focus is to diagnose and treat patients in an inpatient setting, coordinate care with specialists and attend emergencies that may arise. “When patients are admitted to the hospital and under my care, they can expect a comprehensive and compassionate approach to their inpatient experience,” said Samuelson. “From the moment they are admitted to the hospital, they’ll encounter a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where their concerns are listened to with empathy and understanding.” She adds, “Throughout their stay, I will ensure clear and transparent communication, discussing their diagnosis, treatment plans, and any necessary procedures in detail to empower them in their healthcare decisions. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams (specialists, social work, nursing, physical therapy, pharmacists, primary care physicians, etc.) is a cornerstone of my practice, guar-

anteeing seamless coordination of care and the best possible outcomes.” Samuelson said growing up on a farm yielded ethics and principles she brings with her to the job. “Growing up on a farm instilled in me a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for the value of family and community,” she said said. “As a dedicated hospital medicine physician at WinnMed, I will bring those values, along with a unique blend of compassion and expertise to my practice, patients and their families.”

Jonathan Specht joins Miller Law Office Jonathan Specht has joined the Miller Law Office in Decorah. A native of northeast Iowa, Specht grew up on a family farm near McGregor before attending Louisiana State University and the WashJonathan ington UniSpecht versity in St. Louis School of Law — both on a full tuition scholarship. Following law school, Specht worked in Minneapolis and New Orleans before returning to northeast Iowa to live and practice law in Decorah. Jonathan has a general practice of law, including in the fields of civil litigation, family law and transactional law, including business formation, wills, estate planning, probate and real estate transactions. He is licensed in Iowa and Wisconsin and is certified as an Iowa Title Guaranty Participating Attorney.

Burns honored for 50 years practicing law The Iowa Bar Association recently recognized James Burns of Decorah for practicing law for 50 years. B u r n s graduated from Decorah High School in 1966, from Cornell College in 1970 and from the U n i v e r s i t y James Burns of Iowa Law School in 1973. He served briefly in the U.S. Airforce JAG Corps. He began practicing law at the Miller, Pearson & Gloe law firm in 1974 and is currently a managing partner at Miller Law Office, P.L.C. in Decorah. Burns is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Iowa Association for Justice and American Association for Justice. He has been very active in his community and volunteers with the Decorah Jaycees and Decorah Lions Club — both of which he has served as a past president — WinnMed Foundation Board and Low Rent Housing Agency Board. He has also been a contributing member of the Decorah Lutheran Church family as a Sunday school teacher for 25 years.He enjoys following Decorah High School sporting activities including baseball, basketball and football. Burns and his wife Kari reside in Decorah and have two adult children, Tad and Morgan. James’ practice covers much of northeast Iowa, including Winneshiek, Howard, Fayette, Allamakee, Chickasaw and Clayton Counties. He specializes in general practice, including family law, personal injury, criminal defense, real estate, probate, workman’s compensation, trials and appeals, banking and creditor rights.

Help Wanted

Gundersen Decorah Clinic welcomes new surgeon Dr. Christopher Winters has joined the surgery staff at Gundersen Decorah Clinic. As a general surgeon, he offers a broad spectrum of services including appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, hernia Christopher Winters repair, upper and lower endoscopy, Caesarean delivery. Winters received his Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the University of Iowa. He then earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Winter completed his general surgery residency at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. “I chose to pursue a career in healthcare after I started engineering school,” he said. “I grew up working in my parents autobody repair shop, and I have always really enjoyed complex problem solving as well as working with my hands. While I was in engineering school, I really missed interacting with people as a regular part of my day, and I also found myself wanting to move back to a rural community. I found pursuing a career in medicine as a way to help others through complex medical problems while being able to work within a community similar to the one I grew up in. Choosing to pursue training in general surgery was a natural ﬁt as I have always found a lot of fulﬁllment in working with my hands.” For more information, call the Gundersen Decorah Clinic at 563-382-3140.

WinnMed welcomes Masek WinnMed of Decorah recently weclomed Rachel Masek back to the community to provide full-time patient care in Wi n n M e d ’s emergency department. M a s e k was born and raised in Decorah and has most recent- Rachel Masek ly provided emergency care at Mayo Clinic Health System – La Crosse, Wisconsin. Masek earned her Bachelor of Science

in biology from Coe College in Cedar Rapids and her Master of Health Sciences degree in physician assistant studies from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program in Rochester, Minnesota. “Utilization of our emergency services has grown considerably over the past few years,” said WinnMed Chief Administrative Ofﬁcer Steve Slessor. “By adding Rachel to the team, we are bringing in her great experience and understanding of the community while also addressing our patients’ expectations of quality and efﬁciently provided services. We are excited to have her at WinnMed.”

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Decorah Community Schools 2024-2025

NEEDS:

Full-Time & Part-Time Custodians

Custodian Full-time position at the Calmar Campus. Maintain clean, healthy, attractive buildings and grounds. Handle all assigned tasks in an efficient manner. Be able to work independently and use initiative in making decisions. Be prompt and reliable. Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent. Should have knowledge in maintenance and operation of equipment, including floor scrubbers, vacuum cleaners, restroom dispensers, etc. Must be physically capable of lifting, scrubbing and painting. Must be able to clear background check of Iowa Abuse Registries.

-CODE-

NICC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

Come join our West Side Dental team!

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

NOW HIRING

LIBRARY AIDE

Our growing oﬃce is seeking a highly motivated, skilled, and dedicated

Decorah Public Library is accepting applications for a

part-time

Library Aide

Dental Hygienist

Candidates must be at least 14 years old and available to work select weekday hours, between 3:30pm7:15pm. 12-19 hours/week available at $10.50/hr, no beneﬁts.

to provide quality care to our patients.

Job description and application available at www.decorahia.org or call 563-382-3717.

TO APPLY

Please email your resume to our oﬃce at operationsmanager@ westside.dental or mail/drop oﬀ your application to: West Side Dental, 108 5th Avenue, Decorah, IA 52101

39-tf-LD-12

Duties & Responsibilities • Screening patients during checkups • Reviewing a patient’s dental history • Oral hygiene education and recommending care to patients • Performing preventive maintenance, periodontal maintenance, and scaling/root planing procedures • Taking and reviewing x-rays • Sterilizing dental instruments and trays Requirements • Must be licensed as a RDH to practice in the state of Iowa and meet other applicable state requirements • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills • Possess a professional and positive attitude

Send letter of application and resume to Superintendent Tim Cronin, 1732 Old Stage Road, Decorah, IA 52101.

39-10-DL-12

Please access https://nicc.peopleadmin.com to complete the application online. For more information about NICC and this and other position openings visit the NICC website at www.nicc.edu or Human Resources Office, 844-642-2338, ext. 1302

(Evening/Night and Day Shifts)

• Insurance Benefits, IPERS and paid time off • Shift Differential Pay of $2.00 per hour Evening/Night Shift Custodians

Send completed application to: Decorah Public Library Attn: Tricia Crary, 202 Winnebago St., Decorah IA 52101 or tcrary@ decorahlibrary.org. Applications accepted until position is ﬁlled. First review of applications will be on Thursday, Oct. 18 M/F disabled and Veteran EEO/AA Employer

202 Winnebago St., Decorah, IA www.decorahlibrary.org 563-382-3717 41-4-DL-12

Garage Sale Garage Sale: October 11th, 11 to 5, 12th 7 to 2, 13th 11 to 2 at 304 E Broadway, Decorah Household, puzzles, wine racks, lawn furniture, dishes, and much more! Some free, adding new each day, make an offer sale! 41-2-DL-pd-2

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PUBLIC NOTICES/NEWS

Echoes

Law Enforcement Decorah Police Department Martin Eric Hess, age 59, of Decorah was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of failure to affix a drug tax stamp at approximately 2:38 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 in the area of Vernon Street in Decorah. Criminal complaints indicated 119 grams of marijuana, 21.5 grams of cocaine and multiple glass pipes were discovered in Hess’ residence as police executed a search warrant that day. The Decorah Police Department and Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two-vehicle collision at 5:57 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 near the intersection of Highway 52 and Pulpit Rock Road in Decorah. Police determined a 2008 Chrysler Town and

Country driven by 83-year-old Lester Erickson of Decorah had made a left hand turn southbound onto the highway from Pulpit Rock Road, when it was struck by a southbound 2011 Chevy Silverado K3500 with a trailer attached driven by 33-year-old Joel Jepsen of Decorah. Erickson was transported to the WinnMed emergency room by ambulance to be assessed for injuries. Erickson was cited for failing to yield upon entering a through highway. Jepsen was uninjured. The Decorah Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, WinnMed ambulance and Don’s Towing service. All people listed may face charges and should be presumed innocent until their case is reviewed through the legal process.

capitalizes on his name with the slogan “Trust your volts to Voltmer!” He is a 1974 spring graduate of Luther College, and he started this business earlier this fall out of his residential garage on Water Street.

YEARS AGO - 1984: The first frost of autumn came in early last week. Temperatures cropped to the freezing point throughout northeast Iowa. …Homecoming court at Decorah High School for 1984 includes Susan Hippen, Michelle Dinger, Shelley Felke, Debbie Arneson, Joni Motley and 1984 Homecoming Queen Berit Anderson. …DHS will present the musical “Hello Dolly!” this fall. …Ruth Wicks is the new Winneshiek County Assessor’s Office clerk.

YEARS AGO - 1994: Recent activity in downtown Decorah reflects an upswing in the Decorah economy, according to several local business owners. Among the most recent developments include: The relocation of the Perfect Edge to 105 Water Street, the tripling of space at Oneota Food Co-op as it moves to 415 West Water; CopyLand opened at 213 East Water Street; Seiferts doubled its retail space in the 200 block of West Water; The Jukebox music store will open soon on Winnebago Street; Jola’s Upominki opened on Winnebago Street; the Bargain Outlet on Water Street; and Cafka’s, a coffeehouse in Decorah.

YEARS AGO - 2004: Quillin’s has signed a letter of intent to acquire K&S Foods of Decorah. Quillin’s operates eight other food stores in the region. The company has been

continued from page 4

in business for 59 years. …The Winneshiek County Courthouse will be aglow with pink luminaries next week as part of the “Luminaries for Life” project in the community. …A Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting was held recently at RI/Fresh Integrated Therapies at 521 West Water Street.

YEARS AGO - 2014: After nearly a year of operating a home-based business, Beyond the Bar Bakery has opened in its new location on Water Street. …Lisa Radtke is the new chief administrative officer at Winneshiek Medical Center. …The inauguration of Dr. Paula Carlson as the 10th president of Luther College is this month during the college’s homecoming weekend.

Public Notices Board Minutes September 30, 2024 The Board of Supervisors met at 9:30am September 30, 2024 with Kelsay, Vick, Langreck, Vermace, and Faldet present. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited, and the meeting was called to order. Barb Schroeder, Conservation Director, and Michael Kueny, County Engineer, met with the Board to discuss the road project into the Neste Valley Recreation Area. They gave an update on the project and projected the County’s matching share to be $50,000. The consensus of the Board was to have Kueny continue work on the project with the funding source to be determined. They also asked Schroeder to come back to a future meeting to present a long term plan for the Recreation Area. Kueny reviewed the fuel bids and several ongoing road projects. Moved by Vick and seconded by Vermace to approve the low fuel bids by AgVantage FS for LP, Diesel, and gasoline. Motion carried unanimously. Andy Van Der Maaten, County Attorney, met with the Board to discuss county issues. He also recommended the Board start recording their meetings specifically for records preservation purposes. Moved by Kelsay and seconded by Vermace to have IT present options on procedures and policies needed to facilitate recording meetings. Motion carried unanimously. Moved by Vick and seconded by Faldet to approve the lease with NEIA Community Action for the space currently occupied by Public Health in the Smith Building. Motion carried unanimously. Tony Phillips, Planning, Zoning, and Flood Plain Administrator, met with the Board to report the upcoming openings on the P&Z Commission and Board of Adjustments and present the applicants for those positions. Moved by Vick and seconded by Kelsay to appoint David Meyer and Paul Lilligraven to the P&Z Commission for five year terms. Motion carried with Kelsay, Vick, and Langreck voting aye; and Vermace and Faldet voting nay. Moved by Kelsay and seconded by Vick to appoint Nancy Eldridge to the Board of Adjustments for a five year term. Motion carried unanimously. Moved by Vick 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 9:30am Monday, October 7, 2024. Motion carried unanimously. Benjamin D Steines, County Auditor Daniel Langreck, Chair Board of Supervisors Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10, 2024

IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MAURICE E. HOVER DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR 016327 NOTICE OF PROOF OF WILL WITHOUT ADMINISTRATION To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Maurice E. Hover, Deceased, who died on or about July 11, 2024: You are hereby notified that on September 16, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of Maurice E. Hover, deceased, bearing date of June 5, 1984, and a Codicil to said Last Will and Testament, bearing date of March 7, 2022, was admitted to probate in the abovenamed court and there will be no present administration 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. Dated September 25, 2024. Charilyn K. Hover, Proponent Attorney for estate: Karl G Knudson, ICIS#: 0004229 110 Court St., Suite #6 Decorah, IA 52101 Date of second publication: October 17, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & 17, 2024

IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DONDI MICHAEL SHEEY DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR 016329 NOTICE OF PROBATE OF WILL, APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Dondi Michael Sheey, Deceased, who died on or about December 26, 2022: You are hereby notified that on August 30, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of Dondi Michael Sheey, deceased, bearing date of May 22, 2022, was admitted to probate in the above-named court and that Mary Jeanne Sheey was appointed 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 date of 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 October 3, 2024. Mary Jeanne Sheey 6401 Mallards Lane Coconut Creek, FL 33073 Andrew P. Nelson, ICIS#: AT0005669 Attorney for Executor Meyer, Lorentzen & Nelson 101 ½ E. Water Street P.O. Box 126 Decorah, IA 52101 Date of second publication: October 17, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & 17, 2024

IN THE MATTER OF THE GALL FAMILY TRUST NOTICE OF TRUST To all persons regarding JANET E. GALL, deceased, who died on or about July 20, 2024. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that Elizabeth Elaine Fritz is the Trustee of the GALL FAMILY Trust dated April 14, 2016. 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 2rd day of October, 2024. GALL FAMILY TRUST Dated April 2, 1997 Elizabeth Elaine Fritz, Trustee 315 Riverview Drive Decorah, IA 52101 ATTORNEY FOR TRUST: Jana Evelsizer Olson ANDERSON, WILMARTH, VAN DER MAATEN, FRETHEIM, EVELSIZER OLSON, NOBLE, NOBLE, LYNCH & ZAHASKY 212 Winnebago P.O. Box 450 Decorah, IA 52101-0450 (563) 382-2959 jana.olson@andersonlawdecorah.com Date of second publication: October 17, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & 17, 2024 IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF EUGENE DALE DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR 016330 NOTICE OF PROBATE OF WILL, APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Eugene Dale, Deceased, who died on or about September 16, 2024: You are hereby notified that on September 27, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of Eugene Dale, deceased, bearing date of May 11, 2009, First Codicil to Last Will and Testament of Eugene Dale, dated October 22, 2024, was admitted to probate in the above-named Court and that The Home Trust & Savings Bank have been 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 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 September 27, 2024. Yvonne Tourtellott The Home Trust & Saving Bank, Executor of Estate Yvonne Tourtellott, Trust Officer 828 Main St., Osage, IA 50461 Nicholas T. Larson, ICIS#: AT009361, Attorney for Executor Larson Law Office, PLLC 500 Main Street, Osage, IA 50461 Date of second publication: October 17, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & 17, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DECORAH CITY COUNCIL CITY OF DECORAH, IOWA TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that the Decorah City Council of the City of Decorah, Iowa, has set October 21, 2024, at 5:45 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 Decorah City Council of the City of Decorah, Iowa, this 16th day of September, 2024. Travis Goedken, Zoning Administrator Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10, 2024 OFFICIAL NOTICE BEFORE THE UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF IOWA TO THE CITIZENS OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY: Notice is given that Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse, Wisconsin, pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 478, has filed a petition with the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) for a franchise to erect, maintain, and operate an electric transmission line setting forth the following as the maximum voltage, starting points, routes, and termini of the existing line: EXHIBIT A 69,000V Nominal Voltage (72,500V Maximum Voltage) Electric Transmission Line Winneshiek County, Iowa The North endpoint/terminus of this line segment is an existing Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) 69,000V nominal voltage, 72,500V maximum voltage electrical transmission line switch, located approximately .01 mile South of the N¼ corner of Section 15, T100N, R9W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa. The South endpoint of this line segment is an existing Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) 69,000V nominal voltage, 72,500V maximum voltage electrical transmission line, located approximately 0.50 mile South of the N¼ corner of Section 15, T100N, R9W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa; and, the South terminus of this line is an existing MiEnergy Cooperative’s Burr Oak Electrical Distribution Substation, located in the NW¼-NW¼, Section 27, T100N, R9W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa. Commencing at a point being approximately 0.50 mile East and 0.01 mile South of the NW corner of Section 15, T100N, R9W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa, and the point of beginning of this Amendment and east circuit of the double circuit; thence South, on private right of way along the North-South centerline in said Section 15, a distance of approximately .49 mile, to a point approximately 0.50 mile South of the N¼ corner of said Section 15 and the endpoint of this segment. The total distance of this 69,000V nominal voltage line is approximately 0.49 mile. A map showing the proposed route of the electric line may be obtained at no cost by calling (608) 788-4000 or by writing to Dairyland Power Cooperative, Attn: Real Estate and Right of Way Department, 3200 East Avenue South, P.O. Box 817, La Crosse, WI 54602-0817. Orders issued and documents filed in this docket (No. E-21675) may be viewed by searching under the docket number in the IUC’s electronic filing system (EFS) at efs. iowa.gov. Objections to the granting of the franchise may be filed electronically using EFS or filed in writing with the IUC no later than 20 days after the date of second publication of this notice. Instructions for submitting an electronic filing can be found in EFS; written objections must be mailed to the Iowa Utilities Commission, 1375 E. Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319. The date of the first publication is October 10, 2024. The date of the second publication is October 17, 2024. IOWA UTILITIES COMMISSION BY: Jon Tack General Counsel Dated this 24th day of September, 2024. Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & 17, 2024 OFFICIAL NOTICE BEFORE THE UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF IOWA TO THE CITIZENS OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY: Notice is given that Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse, Wisconsin, pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 478, has filed a petition with the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) for extension of franchise to maintain and operate an electric transmission line setting forth the following as the maximum voltage, starting points, routes, and termini of the existing line: EXHIBIT A 69,000V Nominal Voltage (72,500V Maximum Voltage) Electric Transmission Line Winneshiek County, Iowa Bottom Circuit of Double Circuit 69kV Line The West endpoint of this line segment is an existing Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) 69,000V nominal voltage, 72,500V maximum voltage electrical transmission line, located approximately 0.08 mile North of and 0.27 mile West of the SE corner of Section 15, T98N, R8W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa, at a point on the city limits line of Decorah, Iowa; the South terminus of this line segment is an existing ITC Midwest LLC (ITC), Decorah Electrical Transmission Substation, located in the SE¼-SW¼ and the SW¼-SE¼ of said Section 15, Winneshiek County, Iowa, within the city limits of Decorah, Iowa. The East endpoint of this line is an existing Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) 69,000V nominal voltage, 72,500V maximum voltage electrical transmission line, located approximately 0.02 mile South of and 0.01 mile West of the NE corner of Section 24, T98N, R8W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa; and, the North terminus of this line is an existing Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) 69,000V nominal voltage, 72,500V maximum voltage Harmony Electrical Transmission Substation, located in the SE¼-NE¼, Section 14, T101N, R10W, Fillmore County, Minnesota. Beginning at a point on the east corporate limits of Decorah, Iowa, approximately 0.08 mile North of and 0.27 mile West of the SE corner of said Section 15, T98N, R8W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa; thence Southeasterly, crossing the public right of ways of the Upper Iowa River and (Ice Cave Road), in the SE¼ of said Section 15, a distance of approximately .17 miles, to a point on private property being approximately 0.13 mile West of the SE corner of said Section 15; thence East, on private right of way along the South line of Sections 15 and 14, T98N, R8W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa, a distance of approximately .55 mile, to a point on the west corporate limits of Dec-

orah, Iowa, approximately 0.03 mile West of the S¼ corner of said Section 14, T98N, R8W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa; thence continuing through the city limits of Decorah, Iowa, this transmission line begins again at a point approximately 0.25 mile West of the SE corner of Section 14; thence East, crossing through the unincorporated town of Freeport, on private right of way along the South line of Sections 13, 14, 15 and the North line of Section 24, T98N, R8W, of the 5th P.M., Winneshiek County, Iowa, crossing public roads (County Road A6W/River Road), (172nd Avenue), (170th Avenue) and (249th Street), a distance of approximately 1.22 miles, to a point approximately 0.02 mile South of and 0.01 mile West of the NE corner of Section 24 and the East endpoint of this line segment. The total distance of this 69,000V nominal voltage line is approximately 1.94 miles. A map showing the route of the electric line may be obtained at no cost by calling (608) 788-4000 or by writing to Dairyland Power Cooperative, Attn: Real Estate and Right of Way Department, 3200 East Avenue South, P.O. Box 817, La Crosse, WI 546020817. Orders issued and documents filed in this docket (No. E-22558) may be viewed by searching under the docket number in the IUC’s electronic filing system (EFS) at efs. iowa.gov. Objections to the granting of the franchise may be filed electronically using EFS or filed in writing with the IUC no later than 20 days after the date of second publication of this notice. Instructions for submitting an electronic filing can be found in EFS; written objections must be mailed to the Iowa Utilities Commission, 1375 E. Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319. The date of the first publication is October 10, 2024. The date of the second publication is October 17, 2024. IOWA UTILITIES COMMISSION BY: Jon Tack General Counsel Dated this 20th day of September, 2024. Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & October 17, 2024 IN THE MATTER OF THE JOHN L. TJOSTEM TRUST NOTICE OF TRUST To all persons regarding JOHN L. TJOSTEM, deceased, who died on or about August 23, 2024: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that Ann Kephart is the Trustee of the JOHN L. TJOSTEM Trust agreement dated February 9, 2011, and revised and restated May 26, 2015, and Amended and Restated May 26, 2020. 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 8th day of October, 2024. JOHN L. TJOSTEM TRUST Dated May 26, 2020 Ann Kephart, Trustee 1765 Birch Hollow Rd Decorah, IA 52101 ATTORNEY FOR TRUST: John S. Anderson ANDERSON, WILMARTH, VAN DER MAATEN, FRETHEIM, EVELSIZER OLSON, NOBLE, NOBLE, LYNCH & ZAHASKY 212 Winnebago P.O. Box 450 Decorah, IA 52101-0450 (563) 382-2959 John.anderson@andersonlawdecorah.com Date of second publication: October 17, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leacder October 10 & 17, 2024

Public Notice for City of Spillville Water System Improvements Project Pursuant to the requirements of Section 508 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, as amended, the City of Spillville is hereby providing Public Notice that on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the City Council will hold a public hearing at the Spillville City Hall (438 South Main Street). The purpose of the hearing will be to provide the public information concerning the progress, scope, budget and status of the City’s Water System Improvements Project. This project is being funded through a Community Development Block Grant provided by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and DNR/SRF Funding. If you have questions concerning the project, or if you require special accommodation to attend the hearing such as handicapped accessibility or translation services, you may contact the City Clerk at City Hall. Persons interested in the status of funding, or the progress of the project, are welcome to attend this meeting or submit written comments to City Hall before the Hearing. Program Contact: City Hall at (563) 3801379 or Program Administrators (Simmering-Cory) at (641) 355-4072. Julie Shimek, City Clerk Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 24, 2024

IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR WINNESHIEK COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JEROME A. UHLENHAKE DECEASED PROBATE NO. ESPR016332 NOTICE OF PROBATE OF WILL, APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS To All Persons Interested in the Estate of Jerome A. Uhlenhake, Deceased, who died on or about September 14, 2024: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on 3rd day of October, 2024, the Last Will and Testament of Jerome A. Uhlenhake, deceased, bearing date of December 20, 2010, was admitted to probate in the above-named Court and that Joshua Uhlenhake and Jason Uhlenhake 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 8th day of October, 2024. Joshua Uhlenhake 113 Bravo Drive Ossian, IA 52161 Co-executor of estate Jason Uhlenhake 8685 Adams Street Cumming, IA 50061 Co-executor of estate Dustin H. Noble ANDERSON, WILMARTH, VAN DER MAATEN, FRETHEIM, ELELSIZER OLSON, NOBLE & ZAHASKY 212 Winnebago P.O. Box 450 Decorah, IA 52101 (563) 382-2959 dustin.noble@andersonlawdecorah.com Date of second publication: October 17, 2024 Decorah (Iowa) Leader October 10 & 17, 2024

AUCTION CALENDAR SATURDAY, OCT. 12 - 8:30 a.m. The Late Carleton “Corky” Kittleson Collection & Others. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563-568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com THURSDAY, OCT. 17 - 6 p.m. Real Estate Auction, 1017 Division Street, Decorah. Midwest Property Connections, 319-240-9984. TUESDAY, NOV. 19 - Sweeney Machinery Consignment Auction. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com SATURDAY, NOV. 30 - Guns & Sporting Good Auction. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563-568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com

NEWS

DECORAH LEADER | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 | WWW.DECORAHLEADER.COM | EDITOR@DECORAHLEADER.COM | 563-382-4221

Decorah one step closer to ﬁber network

Bids to be accepted up to Nov 4 BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER City officials are taking the next step toward upgrading Decorah to a fiber network for area businesses and homes. The city is currently receiving bids for the project, with plans to open the sealed bids at 10 a.m. Nov. 4. A public hearing will be held at 4 p.m. Nov. 7 to share input with the Decorah Metronet Board as well as city staff. Currently, Decorah is home to a fiber ring through Metronet, but it is only available to the Decorah Metronet group, which consists of Luther College, city and county offices, Decorah Schools, the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds and WinnMed. The city plans to expand the available fiber optics to reach all businesses and residential properties, giving residents access to significantly faster and more reliable internet connections and phone speeds. “Fiber is the elite out there for telecommunications,” said Chopper Albert, information technologies director for the city of Decorah. “It offers no slowdown uploading and downloading, and there are no caps on usage. The current coaxial cable franchise we have was established in the 1970s or before. The service will be night and day with fiber.” When the city’s fiber group began in 2010, there were 8 miles of underground fiber. By the summer of 2023, there were around 42 miles. Some of the additions were paid for by the city, while some were covered by cellular companies and the 911 Commission. According

to Albert, numerous businesses and homeowners wanted to connect to the fiber ring but would have had to pay out of pocket for the fiber optics to be installed. Decorah City Manager Travis Goedken is working to line up the financing for the proposed build and have the residents subscribe to the service, which will fund the maintenance of the utility. According to Albert, the city will use the existing Decorah Metronet fiber network and divide the city into 10 or 20 pockets. “For example, the Flats would be one pocket. We would branch off the existing fiber where it is closest to the Flats,” Albert said. “All the fiber lines will be buried in conduit, installed in the right of way and penetrate each home. It might take three to four months to connect all the residences in that pocket. The plan is to accomplish two to three pockets per year.” A residential fiber network would allow the city to establish an automated water meter scanning system, which Goedken said would save the city time and labor. City officials also said Decorah’s water department would have a better handle on the city’s water usage and loss under the new system. “A city employee could pull up the water meter system from city hall and see every residence’s water use,” he said. “Imagine if a pipe burst in a residence and it went unnoticed — that employee could easily see it and minimize damage and water loss.”

New Minowa Players announce cast for ‘How the Camel Got Its Hump’ The New Minowa Players and director Rick Scheffert recently announced a cast of 19 children ages 7-12 for the upcoming children’s show, “How the Camel Got Its Hump.” The show will be performed at 7 p.m. Oct. 24, 25 and 26 as well as 2 p.m. Oct. 27 at the New Minowa Players Theatre at 906 South Mill St. in Decorah. “‘How the Camel Got Its Hump’ is a musical about the beginning of time, when the animals are ﬁrst starting to work for the people,” Scheffert said. “But one animal, the camel, refuses to work.” The script was written by Rick and Sheryl Scheffert and is based on the Rudyard Kipling story of the same name. The music and lyrics were written by Sheryl Scheffert. Cast members include Tay-

lor Vick as the Camel, Clara Garcia-Pratts as the Djinn, Aubriana Molokken and Marlee Klimesh-Oblander as the people. Horses will be played by Aubrey Groth, Izzy Michels, Valentina Muños-Campos, Aurora Musser-Dreaming, Elizabeth Snitker and Campbell Tripp. Dogs will be played by Holly Hurst, Yannalexi Jens, Josie Mann and Tessa Round. Oxen will be played by Mariella Molokken, Harper Scott, Charlotte Yu, Archie Weber and Louis Weber The show is directed by Rick Scheffert with Sheryl Scheffert as musical director. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available online at newminowaplayers.org/tickets and at Oneota Community Co-op.

Karen Black, professor of organ at Wartburg College, performed Dvorak’s “Prelude and Fugue in D” on the same organ Dvorak played more than 130 years prior. (Photos by Denise Lana)

Scan this QR code to view the video of Dvorak talking about the summer he spent in Spillville. The video was created using artiﬁcial intelligence. Wartburg College’s James Infelt used numerous pictures to create an animated version of Dvorak but, without any recordings of Dvorak’s voice, he improvised a voice for the musician’s animated ﬁgure.

Bohemian rhapsodies St. Wenceslaus concert celebrates Dvorak’s influence, Spillville’s Czech roots BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER Classical music aficionados gathered in Spillville Saturday, Oct. 5 to connect with their inner Czech as part of the Wartburg Community Symphony’s “Experience Dvorak’s Iowa Chamber Concert.” Rebeca Nederhiser, conductor and artistic director of Wartburg Community Symphony, visited Prague earlier this year with her students and saw the landscapes which would have been familiar to Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, and remembered learning about the famed musician’s time in Spillville. When Nederhiser returned from her travels, she visited Spillville’s St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, where Dvorak spent some of his time. “I came out here and I was just absolutely amazed,” Nederhiser said. “I saw the organ Dvorak played, and people have to experience this. It’s just absolutely phenomenal.” The world-renowned Czech composer was working in New York in 1893 and found himself homesick. John Kevarik, Dvorak’s assistant, was a Spillville native and suggested a respite to the quaint Czech immigrant village might help Dvorak feel closer to home. Kevarik and Dvorak arrived in Spillville in June of 1893, with Dvorak and his family staying in the building now known as the Bily Clock Museum. Throughout his stay — aptly called his American period — Dvorak was inspired by nature, the drums of the local Indian tribes and echoes of the pipe organ in the church. Dvorak began a new composition soon after arriving, with the complete sketch for a quartet emerging within a mere 72 hours. The whole score was finished within 12 days, and Dvorak began the sketch of a quintet several days later, still channeling the inspirations from his first work. The resulting compositions, Opus 96 or “Quartet in F Major” — affectionately named the “Spillville Quartet” by Dvorak himself — and Opus 97 — or “Quintet in E Flat Major” — became two of Dvorak’s greatest chamber works. “I know that I would never have written the String Quartet in F major, or the quintet here in Spillville, if I had never seen America,” Dvorak is quoted as saying. Nederhiser was joined last week by cellist Ruth Marshall, pianist Garret Ross and soprano Kylie Gougler as they performed a variety of pieces from Dvorak’s library of compositions. As a finale, Karen Black,

professor of organ at Wartburg College, performed Dvorak’s “Prelude and Fugue in D” on the same organ Dvorak played more than 130 years prior. She indicated the organ’s pedals were difficult to operate at times, but the sounds from the sizable instrument were unhindered. “It’s an honor to play this fabulous historic instrument,” Black said. “Dvorak is not known as an organ composer — he wrote very few works for solo organ, mostly from his student days — but they are lovely, and I think you will enjoy the sweet sound of this very historic instrument.” Attendees traversed the few blocks to the Bily Clock Museum following Saturday’s performance for a tour and outdoor reception. Shirley Francis, who worked at the museum part time after retiring in 2000, shared her surprise at how far people sometimes travel to visit the town of Spillville. “We had people from all over the world come to the museum, especially people from the Czech Republic,” Francis said. “I was amazed — they wanted to come here because of Antony Dvorak.” Wartburg College’s James Infelt used his knowledge of animation and artificial intelligence to create a video of Dvorak talking about his summer in Spillville. Infelt used numerous photographs from the museum as well as other sources and performed a high-quality restoration on the images, which were then combined to create an animated version of the famed composer — without audio recordings of Dvorak’s voice, the animated figure’s voice had to be improvised.

A violin clock with Dvorak’s likeness was hand carved by Frank and Joseph Bily in honor of Dvorak’s visit to Spillville in 1893. The piece is displayed at the Bily Clock Museum.

Rebecca Neugil, 84-year-old Spillville local, chatted with attendees while wearing the traditional Moravian dancing costume she made for herself more than 20 years ago. Neugil’s parents were full Czech, and she herself didn’t learn to speak English until she was in elementary school. “(Dvorak) kind of guided me along as I was working on this, and I tried to tell the story of his love for Spillville,” Infelt said. “It’s really profound.” Dvorak and his family departed Spillville after a three month

stay — records from that time note he was more than reluctant to leave the village he described as “an ideal spot; when I felt happy, and I should have stayed there.” Perhaps a part of him did.

Performing cellist Ruth Marshall admires a violin used by Dvorak during his stay in Spillville in 1893. The violin is housed in the upper level of the building where Dvorak and his family stayed, now known as the Bily Clock Museum.

NEWS

Sand, Vermace

continued from front

strict allegiance to a party. “This is a purple state,” Sand said. “Iowans just need to hear a little bit more about what it is that Democrats stand for and who it is Democrats are, and they’re not going to hesitate. They’re not allegoric to voting for Democrats. They just haven’t been doing it quite as much as they were before. So we’ve got to talk to them.” The auditor rattled off a number of statistics for Sunday’s audience, to support his point. He highlighted past campaigns like Democratic candidate Rita Hart’s 2020 bid against Republican U.S. Rep. Marionette Miller-Meeks, which Miller-Meeks won by only six votes — the closest congressional race in U.S. history, Sand said. He noted Democrat Teresa Greenﬁeld lost to Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst that same year by the second smallest margin in the country that cycle. Sand pointed out that he himself, as well as former Democratic Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and former Democratic Iowa Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald, secured approximately half the vote in their respective races during the 2022 election — Miller and Fitzgerald were overcome by their Republican opponents, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Iowa Treasurer Roby Smith. “This only feels like a red state because the people under the golden dome in Des Moines want you to think that,” Sand said. Winneshiek County has approximately 3,670 active Democratic voters and about 4,360 active Republican voters, ac-

Chili supper fundraiser The Decorah Performing Arts Booster Club hosted a chili supper fundraiser Oct. 4 before the home football game. Proceeds from the event will support performing arts education, activities and scholarships for K-12 students in the Decorah School District. Pictured above J.J. Johnson ladles up the bowls of piping hot chili. RIGHT- Jarita Balik-Burreson served the Viking cookies. (Photos by Roz Weis)

cording to October statistics from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office, but the county is also home to more than 3,800 active no party voters. Organizers with the local Democratic Party said they hope to get as many Democrats to vote in next month’s election as possible. The Secretary of State’s report showed about 960 inactive Democrat voters in Winneshiek County as of October, with about 560 inactive Republican voters and more than 1,500 inactive no party voters. Winneshiek County Supervisor Shirley Vermace, who is seeking reelection to the county’s District 3 seat, also encouraged voters to continue being active not only at the polls but in local politics. She noted a number of attendees at Sunday’s event have written letters to local officials, attended public meetings and in some cases filed lawsuits. “We need that,” Vermace said

Bruening aims

Pictured (from left to right) are LaVonne Munson, Dr. Lana McDermott, Karen Guttebo, Marian Rovang-Rude, Dr. Peter Blodgett, Roger Buhr and Amy Wrightsman. (Photo submitted)

Garden Club issues West Side Dental Citation for Beauty Members of the Decorah Town and Country Garden Club gathered on Sept. 10 at West Side Dental to present Dr. Peter Blodgett with a Citation for Beauty. The certiﬁcate recognizes the use of landscape annuals and perennials to enhance the dental clinic’s lot and contribute to the beauty of

Iowa’s State Auditor and Decorah native Rob Sand was the opening speaker during Sunday’s Politics in the Park event. Sand cited a number of close partisan races in recent years as evidence Iowa remains a purple state — neither fully Republican nor fully Democrat. (Photo by Seth Boyes)

Decorah. The clinic was built in 2006. The landscape features perennials which bloom during the various seasons of the year, such as red bud trees, pasque ﬂowers, purple cone ﬂowers, hydrangeas and Russian sage. Marian Rovang-Rude and Karen Guttebo, co-presidents of the garden club, presented

the award. This is the sixth year the garden club has given a Citation for Beauty. Previous winners were Gehling Chiropractic in 2019, Don Jose´ Mexican Restaurant in 2020, Culver’s in 2021, Oneota Valley Eye Care Clinic in 2022 and Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum in 2023.

health

Bruening, who currently serves as chair of the Clayton County Democrats, was raised in New Hampton before heading east to attend Boston University and later received a master’s degree in ﬁne arts from Emerson College. “The Iowa I grew up with — the Iowa I remembered — was a welcoming place and a place where people had common sense and had good relationships with their neighbors,” Bruening said. “It was a place where you could raise a family, and people wanted to come back and raise their families.” He himself returned to Iowa in 2006, settling in Elkader with his partner Frederic and opening Schera’s Algerian-American Restaurant. He said his experience as a small business owner has taught him individual success is often tied to group successes — a lesson he feels also applies at the state level. “Community interdependence is important to acknowledge, because we cannot thrive in isolation,” Bruening said. “Yet, after a decade of Republican control, the quality of life in Iowa has eroded. Their policies

of the public’s engagement. “Because there’s some shenanigans happening, and you all matter in that fight for transparency, trust and facts.” A group called the Driftless Water Defenders filed a legal petition against the county board of supervisors in August, asking a court to set aside a previous 3-2 vote from the board, which approved a rezoning request for a proposed biodigester facility near Ridgeway. The group has since filed a similar case against the Winneshiek County Board of Adjustment. Both court petitions claim the public was denied a fair opportunity to be heard during each board’s respective public hearing process. Vermace and fellow County Supervisor Mark Faldet — who is not up for reelection this year — were the two dissenting votes on the board of supervisors.

continued from front have torn apart the very fabric of our communities.” Bruening feels Republican policies have been detrimental to Iowa’s communities and public schools. He criticized the state’s Education Savings Account program — sometimes referred to as private school vouchers — and the shifts in funding for Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, on which Bruening said many rural communities rely. He went on to argue lawmakers are micromanaging Iowa’s educators and passing legislation Iowan never requested. He said he aims to repeal legislation he feels has undermined Iowa communities as well as the public’s personal and parental freedoms, if elected to the state legislature. He also criticized the state’s privatization of Medicaid services, saying individuals are being denied coverage, and he claimed hospitals aren’t being properly compensated in some cases. Bruening told Sunday’s audience Iowa has the lowest number of OBGYN providers per capita in the country, and he feels the state’s limits on abortion procedures after six weeks

leave women without options for essential care. Bruening said small towns which lose ﬁxtures like schools or hospitals ultimately suffer as they gradually lose business, residents age and their total population ultimately dwindles. “We need to reverse that trend, and we reverse that trend by supporting our schools, supporting our hospitals and supporting our small town businesses,” Bruening said. Bruening also told Sunday’s audience, if elected, he plans to introduce a constitutional amendment guaranteeing Iowans right to clean air and water. The candidate went on to call for greater regulation of concentrated animal feeding operations — or CAFOS — as well as nitrogen runoff, which he said will help protect natural resources like northeast Iowa’s trout streams. “We must prioritize local needs over political theatre,” Bruening said. “I’m committed to advocating for our people, not just in District 32, but across the state of Iowa.”

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SPORTS

Close ﬁnishes for Warrior harriers

Boys’ varsity team results 1. Sumner-Fredericksburg 40; 2. South Winn 47; 3. New Hampton 67; 4. Crestwood 68

Girls’ varsity team results 1. Sumner-Fredericksburg 35; 2. Crestwood 52; 3. South Winn 57; 4. New Hampton 93; 5. Postville 149

In the smallest meet of the season, the South Winn and Turkey Valley cross country teams competed at the Crestwood Invite Saturday morning. Taking second The South Winn boys came close to the title as the Warriors posted 47 points, behind Sumner-Fredericksburg who garnered 40, to win the title. The Warriors had an average time of 20:32 with a spread of 2:39. The trio of Hugh Conway, Brad Dahl and Cameron Einck crossed the ﬁnish line together as all three posted a time of 19:37.7 to take second, third and fourth places, respectively. Clayton Kuboushek was the next to wrap up the 5K in 22:17.4,

claiming 19th place. Rounding out the scorecard in 23rd place was Caden Tieskoetter. He had a time of 22:17.4. Levi Feickert (26th, 22:48.0) and Eli Higgins (35th, 25:33.5) also competed in the varsity race. Matthew Donovan and Henry Lensing were on the course in junior varsity action taking sixth and seventh places. Donovan had a time of 30:19.4, while Lensing stopped the clock at 35:46.8. Three in top 10 Ranked fourth in Class 1A, the Lady Warriors earned third in the team standings with 57 points. Sumner-Fredericksburg won the meet with 35 points and Crestwood placed second with 52 points. South Winn had an average time of 23:22 with a spread of 2:50. Ava Franzen garnered fourth place in 22:03.0 while Maddy Jansen came home eighth. The

junior had a time of 22:43.2. Also taking a top 10 spot was Annie Hageman. Her time of 22:47.1 earned her ninth. Lauren Ondrashek posted a time of 24:24.5, good for 21st with Tessa Phillips rounding out the top five in 24th place. She had a time of 24:53.0. Others competing the varsity race for the Warriors were Addy Conway (25th, 24:55.5) and Katie Shimek (31st, 25:49.2). Trojan recap Avery Franzen, the lone Trojan male harrier, competed in the varsity race. The sophomore finished the race in 23:16.6, good for 29th place. Three Trojanettes toured the course, led by Bella Stika who finished 11th in 22:57.0. Less than a minute later came Hazel Nieman. She had a time of 23:36.9 to take 18th place. In 28:27.0, Madalyn Vsetecka finished 39th.

Area high school and A-R-C football standings Class 4A District 2

District Decorah 2-0 Western Dubuque 1-1 Waverly-Shell Rock 1-1 Marion 1-1 Mason City 0-2 Waterloo East 1-1

Class A District 3

Overall 6-0 4-2 3-3 2-4 2-4 2-4

Nashua-Plainﬁeld North Tama Wapsie Valley South Winn AGWSR North Butler BCLUW

Last week Decorah 28, Waverly-Shell Rock 7 Waterloo East 32, Mason City 30 Western Dubuque 27, Marion 0 This week Decorah at Marion Waterloo East vs. Western Dubuque Waverly-Shell Rock vs. Mason City Next week Decorah vs. Western Dubuque Mason City vs. Marion Waverly-Shell Rock vs. Waterloo East

American Rivers Conference

Conference Coe 3-0 Wartburg 2-0 Central 2-1 Dubuque 2-1 Nebraska Wesleyan 1-1 Simpson 1-2 Buena Vista 1-2 Luther 0-2 Loras 0-3

Overall 5-0 3-1 4-1 2-3 2-2 2-3 1-4 1-3 0-5

District 4-0 4-1 3-1 2-2 1-4 1-3 0-4

Overall 5-1 4-2 4-2 2-4 1-5 3-3 1-5

Class 8-Player District 3 Don Bosco Kee Riceville Turkey Valley Central Elkader Waterloo Christian West Central

District 4-0 3-2 3-1 3-1 1-3 1-3 0-5

Overall 6-0 4-2 5-1 3-3 2-4 2-4 0-6

Last week South Winn 21, Nashua-Plainﬁeld 27 OT BCLUW 59, Martensdale-St. Marys 28 North Tama 28, North Butler 6 Wapsie Valley 46, AGWSR 0

Last week Turkey Valley 62, Waterloo Christian 26 Central Elkader 0, Riceville 56 West Central 6, Kee 36 Don Bosco 78, Midland 6

This week South Winn vs. North Tama AGWSR vs. Belmond-Klemme BCLUW vs. Wapsie Valley Nashua-Plainﬁeld vs. North Butler

This week Turkey Valley at Don Bosco Kee vs. Central Elkader Riceville vs. Waterloo Christian West Central at Springville

Next week South Winn at BCLUW North Butler vs. AGWSR North Tama at North Mahaska Wapsie Valley vs. Nashua-Plainﬁeld

Next week Turkey Valley vs. Ricveville Kee at Ed-Co Central Elkader vs. West Central Don Bosco vs. Waterloo Christian

Last week Luther 7, Dubuque 64 Nebraska Wesleyan 34, Buena Vista 21 Central 59, Simpson 14 Loras 10, Coe 43

Next week Luther at Central Loras vs. Dubuque Nebraska Wesleyan vs. Coe Wartburg vs. Simpson

This week Luther vs. Loras Coe vs. Central Buena Vista vs. Wartburg Simpson vs. Nebraska Wesleyan

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SPORTS

Decorah harriers finish second at Epworth

Boys’ varsity team results 1. Central DeWitt 44; 2. Decorah 52; 3. Epworth 100; 4. Waterloo West 108; 5. Monticello 124; 6. Wahlert Catholic 133; 7. Beckman Catholic 240; 8. Cascade 247; 9. Prince of Peace 262; 10. Easton Valley 290; 11. Maquoketa 293; 12. Marquette Catholic 329

Girls’ varsity team results 1. Wahlert Catholic 64; 2. Decorah 74; 3. Waukon 89; 4. Monticello 111; 5. Epworth 144; 6. Cascade 152; 7. Maquoketa 154; 8. Beckman Catholic 212; 9. Camanche 228; 10. Central DeWitt 234; 11. Clayton Ridge 321

Season and personal best records were last Thursday at Epworth as the Decorah boys and girls cross country teams took the course. Both squads finished second overall at the large meet.

Warrior Gavin Feickert closes in on the Huskie ball carrier in the backfield during Friday’s home district game versus Nashua-Plainfield. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Warriors fall in OT to Huskies

After a scoreless fourth quarter, it took overtime to decide Friday’s game between the South Winn football team (2-4, 2-2) and district leader Nashua-Plainfield (5-1, 4-0) in Calmar. The Warriors put up a fight but fell to the Huskies 2721. “This was a tough loss, but we still have a lot we can accomplish with our next two district contests,” said SW Coach Jason Ohrt. “We struggled getting off the field on defense and converting drives into points the rest of the game.” Fifteen seconds into the game and South Winn’s Carson Streeter was in the end zone. That was all it took for the junior to race 90 yards on the kickoff return. Putting the pigskin through the uprights, Streeter alone put the Warriors up 7-0. The Huskies retaliated with a running game that ate up a chunk of the clock in the first, scoring their first touchdown with 5:18 remaining to tie the game 7-7. The Warriors weren’t content with the even score as Braiden Todd connected with Streeter on a 35-yard pass who then had his PAT blocked, giving South Winn a 13-7 lead after the first quarter. Forcing Nashua-Plainfield to go 3-and-out to start the second, the Warriors capitalized once again as Todd maneuvered his way over the goal line with 8:04 left in the half. A successful two-point play gave South Winn the 21-7 advantage. The Huskies answered five min-

utes later with a score of their own to make it 21-14 in favor of the home team. South Winn looked ready to strike again when Nashua-Plainfield picked off a pass intended for Landon Livingood. The Huskies quickly moved down the field to the Warrior 8-yard line, where the SW defense held as time ran out. The Huskies put up a score in the third. That touchdown and PAT, combined with a scoreless fourth quarter put the Class A District 3 team’s into overtime that went in the Huskies’ favor with a final score and the win. Totals South Winn put up 251 yards of offense while Nashua-Plainfield was there for 398. Todd garnered 67 yards through the air on 4-of-11 passes. Streeter caught three of them of 58 yards while Kyle Kuboushek had one for nine. On the ground, Kuboushek led the way with 113 yards on 18 carries. Eric Greve had another 32 on six rushes, while Todd kept the pigskin nine time for 29 yards. Defensively, Carson Streeter had nine solo and three assisted tackles. Kuboushek had eight solo stops and six assists while Ayden Palafox had eight solo and four assisted tackles.

Volkman leads girls Class 3A No. 15 Wahlert Catholic led the way in the varsity girls race with an average time of 21:37 and a point total of 64. The Class 3A No. 16 Vikes came in second with 74 points, averaging 21:56 to go with a spread of 2:01 among the top five. “This was a good learning meet for us and was fun to run against different competition,” said Viking Girls’ Cross Country Coach Cristy Nimrod. Class 3A No. 9 Izzy Hardin of Maquoketa was the overall champion. Her time of 19:20.5. Decorah was led by Olivia Volkmann. The sophomore finished the race in 20:47.0, in fifth place. Crossing the line in 21:59.3 was Brinlee Courtney to take 14th place with Riley Chrisopher steps behind in 15th who posted a timr of 22:03.6. Raelyn Newhouse stopped the stopwatch at 22:05.2 taking 16th. Rounding out the scoring in 25th was Deborah Hou-

Coming up in area high school sports Oct. 10 – Dec vb at NEIC tnmt. (JV in Waukon), 4 p.m.; Dec vb at NEIC tnmt. (9th in Charles City), 5 p.m.; SW vb at Clayton Ridge (9th/JV/V), 5 p.m.; TV vb at MFL MarMac (9th/JV/V), 5 p.m.; Dec fb at Chatfield (9th), 6 p.m. Oct. 11 – Dec fb at Marion (9-10/V), 5 p.m.; SW fb vs. North Tama (V), 7 p.m.; TV fb vs. Don Bosco (V), 7 p.m. Oct. 12 – Dec vb host tnmt. (9th), 8 a.m.; SW vb at Decorah tnmt. (JV), 8 a.m.; TV vb at Riceville tnmt. (V), 9 a.m. Oct. 14 – TV fb at Tripoli (JV), 6 p.m. Oct. 15 – Dec g/b xc host NEIC meet (Luther), 4:30 p.m.; SW vb vs. West Central (JV/V), 6 p.m.; SW fb vs. Clayton Ridge (JV), 6 p.m. Oct. 17 – Dec fb at Western Dubuque-Epworth (JV), 6 p.m.; SW/TV g/b xc at UIC meet (Elkader), 4:30 p.m.

JV results The JV boys won the event with their second perfect score of 15 this season. Contributing to the win were Max Grimstad (1st, 18:35.9), Clarence Nimrod (2nd, 18:49.9), Bennett Coppola (3rd, 18:56.5), Derek Hrdlicka (4th, 19:04.0) and Oscar Grimstad (5th, 19:05.1). The junior varsity girls were also victorious, posting a score of 24. In the top five for the girls were Nora Lesmeister (1st, 23:17.9), Elsa Johnson (7th, 24:08.2), Ellie Adams (11th, 24:40.0), Grace Blikre (13th, 24:51.4) and Simone Downing (15th, 24:56.4). Complete junior varsity results are available online with the story.

Marcussen Invite team scores 1. Cedar Falls 536; 2. Bettendorf 474; 3. Waterloo 222; 4. Dubuque Senior 195; 5. Wahlert Catholic 194; 6. Cedar Rapids Washington 193; 7. Decorah 173; 8. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 163; 9. Mason City 140

The pool was busy Saturday at the 46th annual Marcussen Invite, held in Cedar Falls. The Decorah girls swim and dive team posted 173 points, good for seventh. Cedar Falls was the team champion, scoring 536 points. Liz Bucksa had the Vikes best finish of the day, placing fourth in the 50 freestyle. The sophomore had a time of 26.50 seconds. Freshman Jenna Schissel was fifth in the 500 freestyle in 5:54.79. A quartet of events earned eighth-place points. Bucksa, Bella Sailor, Liv Anderson and Jenna Schissel collected seventh in both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. In the medley the foursome stopped the clock at 2:04.88, then later posted a time of 1:51.29 in the freestyle event.

Reagan Lubahn posted a time of 1:09.27 in the 100 freestyle event at the Marcussen Invite held in Cedar Falls on Saturday. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Competing in the 100 backstroke, Sailor’s time of 1:10.78 earned her seventh. Ava Carolan also took seventh in the 1-meter diving competition with 264.30 points. Tuesday night the Vikes competed at Linn-Mar with Iowa City West. Results from the double dual will be published next week.

Varsity race results 200 medley relay – 7. Liz Bucksa, Jenna Schissel, Bella Sailor, Liv Anderson, 2:04.88; 13. Lauren Holthaus, Avalea Burns, Grace Baker, McKenna Demaray, 2:20.77 200 free – 22. Reagan Lubahn 2:36.04; 25. Kate Pattison 2:46.63 200 IM – 19. Naomi Kutz 2:46.42; 20. Avalea Burns 2:46.65 50 free – 4. Bucksa 26.50; 24. Grace Baker 32.87 1 mtr. diving – 7. Ava Carolan 264.30 100 fly – 8. Sailor 1:07.34 100 free – 18. Bridget Bentley

1:06.46; 20. Lubahn 1:09.27; 25. Margaret Hahn 2:23.70 500 free – 5. Schissel 5:54.79; 15. Kutz 6:16.35 200 free relay – 7. Bucksa, Sailor, Anderson, Schissel, 1:51.29; 13. Bentley, Adeline Bollinger, Burns, Demaray, 2:01.47 100 back – 7. Sailor 1:10.78; 19. Jena Peters 1:32.03 100 breast – 8. Bucksa 1:15.29; 11. Schissel 1:19.75 400 free relay – 10. Kutz, Demaray, Burns, Bentley, 4:31.22; 12. Peters, Erickson, Holthaus, Pattison, 4:58.53

Trojans rout Regents in homecoming blowout

F 27 21

Game stats Total yards: South Winn 251; Nashua-Plainfield 398 Passing (comp/att/yds): Braiden Todd (4-11, 67 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT) Rushing (att/yds): Kyle Kuboushek (18-113, 1 TD); Eric Grive (6-32); Todd (9-29); Landon Livingood (1-7); Yahir Macario (1-3) Receiving (att/yds/TD): Carson Streeter (3-58, 1 TD); Kuboushek (1-9) Tackles (total): Streeter (11.5); Kuboushek (11.0); Ayden Palafox (10.0); Todd (6.5); Greve (4.5); Gavin Feickert (3.5); Tristen Bodensteiner (3.0); Brandon Kriener (2.0); Y. Macario (1.5); Logan Tieskoetter (1.5); Ray Lienau (1.5); Andres Macario (1.0); Brennan Franzen (0.5); Landon Humpal (0.5) Punts (att/yds): Streeter (2-60) Kick-offs (att/yds): Streeter (4250, 1 TB, 1-2 PAT) Kick-off returns (att/yds): Streeter (2-115, 1 TD); Todd (1-15); Greve (1-10)

gen. The junior had a time of 22:05.2. Others on the varsity course as part of the top seven Vikings were Leah Garcia-Prats (34th, 23:20.5) and Amelia Wadsworth (35th, 23:20.7).

Seventh for Decorah at Marcussin Invite

Coming up South Winn will host North Tama (4-2, 4-1) Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m. After losing their district opener to Nashua-Plainfield, the Redhawks have won four straight contests over AGWSR (38-9), BCLUW (54-25), Wapsie Valley (22-13) and North Butler (28-6). 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q OT Nash-Plain. 7 7 7 0 6 South Winn 13 8 0 0 0

Eric Greve looks to haul in a reception in an open field against Nashua-Plainfield Friday night. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Two boys in top 10 Class 3A No. 5 Central DeWitt won the team title with 44 points, ahead of Decorah’s 52. The Class 3A No. 6 Vikes had an average time of 17:29 and spread of 14 seconds among their top five harriers. “The team’s overall performance was commendable with a

perfect score in the JV race and eight of the top 20 in the varsity race,” said Decorah Boys Cross Country Coach Brad Johansen. Class 3A No. 1 Quentin Nauman of Epworth was the individual champion. His time was 16:09.3. Landyn Hook was the Viking champion as he had a personal best time of 17:21.8, placing seventh overall. Garrett See came in ninth with a time of 17:25.1, with Davis Coppola just missing the top 10. Coppola’s time of 17:31.9 earned him 11th place. Grant Zilka and Mitchell Stemper finished together in 12th and 13th places, respectively. Zilka had a time of 17:35.0, while Stemper posted a time of 17:35.8 to round out the scorecard. In 17:48.9, D’mitry Lesser was 15th. Oak Pasche also competed in the varsity race, finishing in 18:01.9, good for 19th place. Others on the varsity course were William Fullhart (20th, 18:02.7) and Thomas Hammel (35th, 18:46.0).

Parker Reicks busts through a hole with the pigskin made by JD Kruse (left) and Tucker Reicks (5) on one of his three carries during the homecoming game Friday. Looking on in the background after handing it off is Trojan quarterback Logan Busta. (Photo by Ashley Walz) By Kelly Terpstra sports@nhtrib.com The Turkey Valley Trojans routed second-year program Waterloo Christian (2-4, 1-3) in their homecoming game in Jackson Junction by a score of 62-26 to remain alive for a postseason berth in 8-Man, District 3. “This was a nice game for homecoming. We were able to get all the players some playing time. The varsity starters executed very well on offense and on defense we swarmed to the ball and did a good job of covering receivers on pass plays,” said TV head coach Mark Scott. Turkey Valley (3-3, 3-1) sits in a tie for second place in the district but may have to sneak into the playoffs like it did last year to be able to extend its fall campaign with a postseason contest. With two games to go in the regular season – TV is go-

ing to have to win one of them to have a chance at making the playoffs for the fourth-consecutive year. Last Friday TV ran at will over the Regents – who started their football program just last year. TV racked up 329 yards rushing and saw junior J.D. Kruse return two punts for touchdowns. Kruse also caught the lone Trojan pass of the night for a 34-yard, over-the-shoulder grab from junior signal caller Logan Busta. That made the score 24-0, with just over four minutes into the first quarter of play. The Trojans led 46-0 after it was completed. Kruse took it to the house left sideline for his first punt return for six from 54 yards out with 6:43 to go in the opening stanza. He would strike again as Waterloo Christian lofted the ball high into the air once more on a punt, tempting fate and hoping for a better outcome.

They were wrong as Kruse busted his way through Regents’ special teamers down the left sideline again for a 52yard score on the powerful, yet speedy punt return. “I think after the second one they finally figured it out because the next one after that they just punted it right at me,” said Kruse. “They didn’t want me to touch that ball.” Kruse has hauled in 18 balls for 444 yards – which comes out to 24.7 yards per catch. The Trojans played mainly reserves in the second half and let the 35-point continuous clock roll, as it was engaged in the first quarter after Kaden Schmidt’s eight-yard TD run with 3:23 left before halftime. Schmidt, just a sophomore, averaged over 20 yards a carry en route to 133 yards on just six carries. Busta found the end zone on a 46-yard scamper and totaled

80 yards rushing against the Regents. TV led 62-0 before WC finally got on the board with 40 seconds before halftime on a five-yard run by Toby Nelson. Alex Hanson, a Trojan sophomore, intercepted a deep pass near the left sideline with 2:45 left in the first half. Hugo Busta, another one of Scott’s sophomores, fumbled on the next Trojan possession with 2:00 before intermission. That was the only time TV didn’t score in the first half. WC recovered at the Trojan 27-yard-line. Hugo Busta scored on the game’s first play as he took the opening kickoff the distance, but the standout special teams play was negated by a block in the back. The very next play Schmidt burst up the middle, cut to the left sideline and was gone for a 60-yard scoring dash. TURKEY VALLEY STATS Rushing - Caleb Kriener 14-36, Hugo Busta 7-36, Kaden Schmidt 6-133, Logan Busta 4-80, Parker Reicks 3-21, Jayden Rausch 2-21, Levi Kruse 1-2. Passing - L. Busta 1-1-34. Receiving - J.D. Kruse 1-34. Tackles - Jacob Wurzer 4.5, Caden Tiedt 4.5, J.D. Kruse 4, Tyler Forbes 3.5, Hunter Kruse 3, Kriener 3, Rausch 3, Jordan Kriener 2.5, Alex Hanson 2, Schmidt 2, Reicks 1.5, Wyatt Maklenburg 1, Eli Holthaus 1, Traejin Keel 0.5, H. Busta 0.5. Tackles for loss - Maklenburg 1, H. Kruse 1, Reicks 0.5, Keel 0.5. Sacks - H. Kruse 0.5, Reicks 0.5. Interceptions - Hanson. Kickoff returns - L. Busta 2-6.5, J.D. Kruse 2-6.5, H. Busta 1-5. Punt returns - J.D. Kruse 2-28.5. Kickoffs - J. Kriener 7-38.0, J.D Kruse 1-25.

SPORTS

Decorah spikers win streak snapped at WD

The Decorah volleyball team (15-9, 2-2 NEIC) was on a fivematch win streak entering its final battle Saturday at the Western Dubuque tournament. The Vikings entered their final NEIC match second against the league leader Charles City Tuesday night to finish third in the conference.

NEIC finale The Vikings faced an uphill battle Tuesday as they wrapped up the NEIC regular season at Charles City falling 1-3 by set scores of 21-25, 25-17, 22-25 and 20-25. Stats were unavailable at press time and will be published online when they become available. Tournament Saturday Saturday the Vikings competed at the Western Dubuque Tournament, finishing second in their pool with a 3-1 record. Decorah first defeated Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2-0 (21-16, 21-8). McKinley Massman had seven kills and served 5-for-5 with an ace. Dylin Thompson had 16 assists, seven digs and served 8-for-9 with two aces. Ellie Rolfs picked up five digs and went 9-for-9 at the service line. Western Dubuque was a battle for the Vikings who came away with the 2-1 win. Set scores were 16-21, 21-15 and 15-13. Sydney Thompson led the way at the net with nine kills on 17 attack attempts. Rolfs provided nine digs while Massman and Dylin Thompson each came up with seven. Massman also served 18-for-18 with two aces. It was another three-set victory for Decorah against West Branch, 2-1. Set scores were 21-13, 22-24 and 15-5. Leah Holland had the best game at the net with six kills and a pair of blocks to go with an 11-for12 serving performance with three aces. Massman provided five kills, 10 digs and was 13for-15 at the service line. The only loss of the day for

Decorah junior Dylin Thompson (6) recently hit a milestone of 500 assists and were celebrated by her teammates. (Photo courtesy of Decorah Viking Volleyball Facebook Page) the Vikes came at the hands of West Liberty 0-2 (15-21, 1321). At the net it was Sydney Thompson and Massman leading the way with six and five kills, respectively. Massman also provided a team-high eight digs. As a team, Decorah served 27-for-28 with Holland going 8-for-8. “Saturday was a very good day for us. The girls played relaxed and consistent all day. Most importantly, they played together very well all day,” said coach Gina Holthaus. Stats vs. Cedar Rapids Jefferson Kills – McKinley Massman 7; Audrey Essa 6; Leah Holland 3; Sydney Thompson 3; Renae Wilson 2; Sara Johanningmeier 1 Assists – Dylin Thompson 16; Ellie Rolfs 2; Massman 1; S. Thompson 1; Savannah O’Reilly 1 Blocks (solo) – Wilson 1 Digs – D. Thompson 7; Rolfs 5; O’Reilly 4; Johanningmeier 3; Ella Stille 3; Massman 2; Essa 2; Holland 1; S. Thompson 1 Serving (success/attempts) – Johanningmeier (3-4); Rolfs (9-9); Massman (5-5); Holland (5-5); Brynnah Hanson (1-2); D. Thompson (8-9); Stille (1-1); O’Reilly (6-6) Aces – Rolfs 2; D. Thompson 2; Massman 1; Holland 1; O’Reilly 1 Stats vs. Western Dubuque Kills – S. Thompson 9; Massman 7; Holland 4; D. Thompson 4; Essa 3; Johanningmeier 1 Assists – D. Thompson 17; Rolfs 5; Johanningmeier 3; Holland Blocks (assists) – Holland 3; Essa 2; D. Thompson 1 Digs – Rolfs 9; Massman 7; D. Thompson 7; O’Reilly 4; S. Thompson 3; Johanningmeier 2; Essa 2 Serving (success/attempts) – Johanningmeier (11-12); Rolfs (3-

Saturday, Decorah libero Ellie Rolfs (in red) grabbed her 500th career dig. (Photo courtesy of Decorah Viking Volleyball Facebook Page)

Goeke, Drucker, Kreitzer battle for top pigskin prize New faces took the top three spots in week four of the Pigskin Picks Football Contest. Four individuals missed just one game, three of them were just one away from the first tiebreaker of the most points scored by a single team at 63. Turkey Valley scored the single most points in a game with 62. So it came down to the second tiebreaker, decided by the most total points of a single game, which was 88 between the Trojans and Waterloo Christian. Taking first was Waukon’s Allen Goeke who guessed 83 on the second tiebreaker. Pam Drucker of Calmar guessed 78 points to claim runner-up, while Wayne Kreitzer of Cresco took third with his guess of 70. Commonly missed games were Osage over Crestwood, DikeNew Hartford dominating MFL MarMac and Upper Iowa University falling to Truman State.

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3); Massman (18-18); Holland (4-4); D. Thompson (10-12); O’Reilly (3-3) Aces – Massman 2; D. Thompson 1 Stats vs. West Branch Kills – Holland 6; Massman 5; S. Thompson 4; Essa 2; Rolfs 1; Wilson 1 Assists – D. Thompson 15; O’Reilly 3; Massman 2; Holland 1 Blocks (assist-solo) – Holland (1-1); D. Thompson (1-0); S. Thompson (1-0); Wilson (1-0) Digs – Rolfs 11; Massman 10; D. Thompson 7; O’Reilly 7; Johanningmeier 2; Holland 1; Essa 1 Serving (success/attempts) – Johanningmeier (5-5); Rolfs (2-3); Massman (13-15); Holland (11-12); D. Thompson (12-12); O’Reilly (9-9) Aces – Holland 3; Johanningmeier 1; D. Thompson 1; O’Reilly 1 Stats vs. West Liberty Kills – S. Thompson 6; Massman 5; D. Thompson 3; Essa 3; Wilson 1 Assists – Thompson 12; Holland 2; O’Reilly 2; Rolfs 1; S. Thompson 1 Digs – Massman 8; Johanningmeier 5; Rolfs 4; D. Thompson 5; Holland 2; O’Reilly 2; Essa 1 Serving (success/attempts) – Johanningmeier (3-3); Rolfs (4-4); Massman (5-6); Holland (8-8); D. Thompson (4-4); O’Reilly (3-3) Aces – Holland 1

Last week Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Vikings picked up another conference victory, defeating Waukon (1710, 0-4 NEIC) at home 3-0. Set scores were 25-13, 25-12 and 25-21. “We played well and it was nice to see all the seniors on the floor playing and having fun,” said Coach Holthaus. The Vikings had 29 kills, 84 attack attempts, 23 assists, 47 digs, four total blocks and served 71-for-73 with 12 aces. Leah Holland was strong at the service line. The senior went 19-for-19 with eight aces to go with eight digs and four kills. Massman had 10 kills, five digs and served 5-for-6. Going 16-for-16 with two aces was O’Reilly while Johanningmeier had a 12-for-12 serving performance with four digs. Dylin Thompson handed out 19 assists with seven digs and served 10-for-10. Stats vs. Waukon Kills – Massman 10; Kerndt 7; Holland 4; Wilson 4; Edyn Bateman 2; D. Thompson 1; Audrey Essa 1 Assists – D. Thompson 19; O’Reilly 3; Wilson 1 Blocks (solo) – Holland 2; Kerndt 1; Wilson 1 Digs – Holland 8; Rolfs 7; D. Thompson 7; Kerndt 6; Massman 5; Johanningmeier 4; O’Reilly 4; Brynnah Hanson 3; Ella Stille 3 Serving (success/attempts) – Johanningmeier (12-12); Rolfs (55); Massman (5-6); Holland (19-19); Hanson (3-4); D. Thompson (1010); Stille (1-1); O’Reilly (16-16) Aces – Holland 8; O’Reilly 2; Johanningmeier 1; Hanson 1

South Winn’s Kali Kleve (21) keeps her eye on the ball for a set as Kiara Bullerman (20), Ellie Knutson (7), Bailee Frana and Brianna Boyer wait to see where the ball goes during Thursday’s Dig Pink for Breast Cancer night. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Warriors dig out wins over MFL MM, Central

South Winn volleyball fans have been seeing a lot of pink lately…and wins. The Warriors (17-10, 4-1 UIC) have won the last 10 matches and 17 of the last 20 including last Thursday’s Dig Pink Night at home against MFL MarMac and Tuesday’s sweep at Central Elkader’s Dig Pink Night.

Dig Pink Thursday was a special night in the South Winn gym as the Warriors hosted multiple members of the 1994 state volleyball team during their 30-year reunion. The visiting alumni, along with coaches Paul Rael and Mary McEnaney, told the team about their experiences as part of the only state qualifying team in South Winn volleyball history. After hearing from the 1994 team, South Winn went on to sweep MFL MarMac 3-0. Set scores were 25-14, 25-21 and 25-10. “It was an evening where we were able to celebrate our past and future, while raising funds for Dig Pink and help those fighting their fight with cancer. We couldn’t be prouder of our Warrior community,” said cohead coach Ethan Adams. On the playing front, it was a scrappy evening for the Warriors as they didn’t have the best ball handling night, according to Coach Adams, but were able to function out of system well, and take care of in-system opportunities when they arose. Ivey Franzen and Bailey Kuennen had excellent nights at outside, delivering 10 and 9 kills respectively, and carrying Ella Theis to a bulk of her 30 assists. Theis went 23-for-23 in serves as well with a pair of aces to go with six digs. Chloe Wiltgen and Allison Hageman delivered 14 and 12 digs respectively and helped the Warriors separate down the stretch as well. Late kills by Kiara Bullerman from Kali Kleve helped seal the deal in set three, with the Warriors’ depth again on display. “We appreciate the MFL team wearing pink in warm-ups and as a staff to participate in the Dig Pink affair and thank our fans and student section for another great night of Warrior volleyball,” concluded coach Adams.

Stats vs. MFL MarMac Kills – Ivey Franzen 10; Bailey Kuennen 9; Alyssa Holthaus 5; Addison Timp 4; Britney Hageman 3; Kiara Bullerman 2 Assists – Ella Theis 30; Kali Kleve 2; Aubrey Hageman 1; Chloe Wiltgen 1 Blocks (solo) – Theis 1 Digs – Wiltgen 14; Allison Hageman 12; Holthaus 7; Theis 6; Au. Hageman 5; B. Hageman 3; Avery Luzum 3; Franzen 2; Ad. Timp 1 Serving (success/attempts) – Theis (23-23); Al. Hageman (7-7); Holthaus (15-16); Au. Hageman (5-7); Luzum (10-11); Kleve (1-2); Alyssa Timp (2-3); Wiltgen (7-7) Aces – Theis 2; Holthaus 2; Luzum 2; Wiltgen 2; Al. Hageman 1

On the road South Winn remains in second in the UIC after defeating Central Elkader (10-17, 3-2 UIC) Tuesday 3-0. Set scores were 25-11, 25-21 and 25-17. “First of all, the JV got control of a match they struggled with this past weekend and dominated to help set the tone for our varsity to go out and do their thing. With that momentum, we had one of our better first sets in a while,” noted Coach Adams. “I feel like we got complacent in set two and

were forced to make some good adjustments. Slow starts in both sets saw us bailed out a bit by fairly aggressive serving. While we did miss a few serves, we took them out of system the majority of the evening.” Alyssa Holthaus had another outstanding evening, with a .571 kill efficiency on eight kills. Ivey Franzen tallied 10 kills off of another great night of setting by our setters, led by Ella Theis with 27. South Winn added 51 digs, 30 of which came from Al. Hageman, Theis and Wiltgen. Stats vs. Central Elkader Kills – Franzen 10; Holthaus 8; Kuennen 7; Ad. Timp 4; Kelsey Timp 1; B. Hageman 1; Wiltgen 1 Assists – Theis 27; Kleve 2; Holthaus 1 Blocks (assists) – Holthaus 4; Franzen 2; Theis 1; B. Hageman 1; Ad. Timp 1; Kuennen 1 Digs – Al. Hageman 11; Theis 10; Wiltgen 9; Holthaus 7; Luzum 4; Au. Hageman 3; Ad. Timp 2; Franzen 2; B. Hageman 1; Bullerman 1; Al. Timp 1 Serving (success/attempts) – Theis (12-13); Al. Hageman (5-7); Holthaus (16-17); Au. Hageman (6-7); Luzum (7-9); Al. Timp (1-1); Wiltgen (17-19) Aces – Wiltgen 3; Holthaus 2; Luzum 1

Alyssa Timp (25) receives a serve while Alyssa Holthaus (11) and Bailey Kuennen ready for the next hit in front of a sea of pink during Dig Pink Night Thursday. (Photo by Becky Walz)

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SPORTS

No. 5 Decorah tames W-SR, 28-7

The Viking football team (60, 2-0) showcased why they are ranked fifth in Class 4A by the Cedar Rapids Gazette Friday night, running over Waverly-Shell Rock (3-3, 1-1) by scoring in every frame to win 28-7. “We played very well on both sides of the ball,” noted Coach Mike Tangen. “Our defense was outstanding and our offense was extremely balanced both running the ball and passing. We keep improving each week and the daily preparation by all our coaches and players has been great. We will just keep taking one game at a time and continue to improve.” A little review There was little the GoHawks could do to slow the Vikings down as Decorah marched down the field 88 yards on 10 plays in under three minutes on its first possession. The drive ended with Trevor Kuennen punching the ball in from the three-yard line. The missed PAT put the Vikes on top 6-0. Forcing Waverly-Shell Rock to punt a second time in the first, Decorah added on second touchdown on the fourth play

of the second quarter on a 20yard strike from Louis Bucksa to Noah Milburn. This time Brayden Wemark’s PAT was on target through the uprights, giving Decorah a 13-0 advantage. Later in the same frame the Viking kicker just missed a 35-yard field goal, setting up the Go-Hawks at their own 20yard line. It proved costly as Waverly-Shell Rock freshman Jayden Stephens took the handoff to the paydirt on an 80-yard touchdown run. Starting with possession of the pigskin in the third period, Decorah’s ground game dominated the clock taking it down to the 2:58 mark before Jackson Pipho hauled in a 25-yard pass from Bucksa to score for the Vikes. The Go-Hawks opened soon gave Decorah yet another chance at the end zone, punting for the fourth time in the game. Gavin Groux and Kuennen combined their running talents with a six-play, 62 yard drive allowing Bucksa to sneak into the end zone from the 1-yard line to wrap up the scoring. The Vikes caught Waverly-Shell Rock defense off guard on the PAT that turned into a two-point conversion as Bucksa swung

the ball to Noah Milburn to make it 28-7. Stats sheet Decorah dominated the stat sheet with 25 first downs, 252 rushing yards and another 207 passing for 459 total while W-SR tallied just 185 total yards. Kuennen carried the pigskin 27 times for 126 yards while Groux picked up 100. Bucksa had 11 completions for 220 yards. Milburn caught two passes for 51 yards while Tommy Sexton picked up one 48-yard reception. Kuennen, Groux, Pipho and Carter Dlhy all caught at least one pass as well. It was a collective defensive effort. Gatlin Dahlberg, Henry Brynsaas and William Hahn led the way with four assist and one solo tackles apiece. Brynsaas also had one sack. Friday night Decorah looks to make it 7-0 Friday, Oct. 11, as the Vikes travel to Marion (2-4, 1-1).

Scoring sequence 1st Quarter Decorah – Trevor Kuennen 3-yd. run (Brayden Wemark PAT failed)

Mason Avila gets hit by a Go-Hawks player during a kick-off return as Joshua Adam looks on Friday night. (Photo by Becky Walz)

ABOVE: Keaton Orris drives the Waverly-Shell Rock player behind the line of scrimmage late in Friday’s district win. RIGHT: Peyton Webb breaks up a pass to a Go-Hawks player. (Photos by Becky Walz)

2nd Quarter Decorah – Louis Bucksa 20-yd. pass to Noah Milburn (Wemark PAT) W-SR – 80-yd. run (PAT) 3rd Quarter Decorah – Bucksa 25-yd. pass to Jackson Pipho (Wemark PAT) 4th Quarter Decorah – Bucksa 1-yd. run (Milburn 2-pt. run) Game stats Total yards: Decorah 459; W-SR 185 Passing (comp/att/yds): Louis Bucksa (11-20, 220 yds., 2 TD) Rushing (att/yds): Trevor Kuennen (27-126, 1 TD); Gavin Groux (14-100); Bucksa (6-22, 1 TD); Will Larson (3-2); Tommy Sexton (1-2) Receiving (att/yds/TD): Noah Milburn (2-51, 1 TD); Sexton (148); Kuennen (2-46); Groux (3-33); Jackson Pipho (1-25, 1 TD); Carter Dlhy (1-11) Tackles (assist-solo): Groux (4-0); Pipho (1-1); Gatlin Dahlberg (4-1); Kuennen (3-1); Larson (12); Sexton (4-0); Kade O’Hara (11); Tanner Caddell (2-0); Kaden Tarwater (1-0); Luke Franzen (01); Henry Brynsaas (4-1); Keaton Orris (2-1); William Hahn (4-1); Ian Giddings (1-1) Punts (att/yds): Milburn (2-47) Kick-offs (att/yds): Brayden Wemark (5-265, 2-3 PAT) Kick-off returns (att/yds): Mason Avila (1-14)

Zilka champion; Vikes sweep titles at SW invite

Boys’ varsity team results 1. Decorah 18; 2. Waukon 50; 3. Central Elkader 106; 4. South Winn 110; 5. Nashua-Plainfield 160; 6. Clayton Ridge 165; 7. Kee 171; 8. Postville 182; 9. Saint Ansgar 240 Girls’ varsity team results 1. Decorah 38; 2. Waukon 60; 3. South Winn 67; 4. MFL MarMac 112; 5. Saint Ansgar 147; 6. NashuaPlainfield 155; 7. Central Elkader 194; 8. Postville 230; 9. Clayton Ridge 235; 10. Waterloo Christian 286

In one of the final regular season meets of the season hosted by the South Winn cross country team, squads from northeast Iowa, including Decorah and Turkey Valley, converged on the picturesque South Winn Golf and Country Club Tuesday night. The Decorah boys came close to a perfect score with an 18 to win the team title. The host Warriors finished the night with 110 points in fourth. In the girls’ race the Lady Vikes came home with the title, tallying 38 points while South Winn posted 67 to earn third. Golden Vikes The night was golden for the Viking boys who had an average time of 16:28 and spread of 41 seconds as they took 13 of the top 20 spots. Senior Grant Zilka went under the 16:00 mark with a new

personal best time of 15:5.6 to be crowned the individual champion. Grabbing silver in 16:23.8 was fellow Viking Davis Coppola. Garrett See toured the course in 16:37.2, good for fourth with Landyn Hook on his heels in fifth. Hook had a time of 16:39.1. Mitchell Stemper completed Decorah’s scoring in sixth place. Averaging 20:40 for the race with a spread of 1:02, the Decorah girls had eight harriers finish in the top 20 for a medal. Olivia Volkmann paced the Vikings to a fourth-place finish. The sophomore had a time of 20:03.5. Then came Brinlee Courtney. She posted a time of 20:30.6, good for sixth. In 20:39.8, Raelyn Newhouse earned seventh for the Vikes. Riley Chrisopher took the final top 10 spot in 21:03.2 with Leah Garcia-Prats wrapping up the team score in 11th with a time of 21:06.1. Complete results for the Vikings will be posted online.

Recapping SW The host Lady Warriors, ranked No. 4 in Class 1A, were just seven points behind runner-up Waukon, who are currently No. 12 in Class 2A. South Winn had an average time of 21:20 and spread of 1:48. Three harriers earned medals

Decorah’s Grant Zilka (far right) and Landyn Hook lead MFL MarMac’s Jacob Schellhorn and teammate Davis Coppola around the first turn of the boys’ race. More photos available online with story.. (Photo by Becky Walz)

in the top 20 with Ava Franzen leading the Warriors to the finish line in 20:26.4, good for fifth. Maddy Jansen garnered eighth place in 20:42.0, while Annie Hageman toured the course in 21:16.6 to take 14th place overall. Just missing a medal, Lauren Ondrashek was 21st in 22:01.9. Concluding the scoring in 24th place was Tessa Phillips. The junior had a time of 22:14.4. Three other Lady Warriors competed including Addy Conway (35th, 23:10.7), Katie Shimek (48th, 23:44.7) and Cloey Zweibohmer (96th, 26:07.9). Every SW boy posted a personal record in Tuesday’s race with the top five averaging 18:30 to go with a spread of 2:42. Hugh Conway was the first Warrior to stop the clock. The freshman was the lone medalist with his time of 17:21.3 which was good for 14th place. Cameron Einck toured the course in 17:56.2 to finish 25th, while Brad Dahl was just steps behind in 26th. Dahl completed the race in 17:58.7. Taking 48th was Lukas Weiss in 19:12.0 with Clayton Kuboushek rounding out the scoring in 67th with a time of 20:03.4. Also competing for SW in the boys’ race were Levi Feickert (90th, 21:10.0), Eli Higgins (91st, 21:10.3), Myles Green (97th, 21:19.2), Diego Flores (114th, 23:21.1), Matthew Donovan (127th, 25:20.6) and Henry Lensing (130th, 28:20.3). For the Trojans The trio of Avery Franzen, Hazel Nieman and Madalyn Vsetecka competed for Turkey Valley in their respective races. Franzen, a sophomore, ran a season best time of 21:23.9 in the boys’ race to finish 98th. In the girls’ race, Nieman crossed the finish line in 21:58.1, setting a personal best and taking 18th place while Vsetecka completed the 5K in 25:02.6. The freshman took 73rd.

Louis Bucksa

Louis Bucksa is the senior quarterback on the Decorah football team who is also involved in basketball and golf. Calling out the signals, Bucksa has competed 59-of-102 passes for 953 yards and 10 touchdowns this season as the Vikings are undefeated. In addition he has carried the pigskin 26 times for another 83 yards and scored three times. “His leadership and how he has been managing our offense has been fantastic. His ability to spread the ball out, as well as his decision making on the field has been outstanding all season long. He understands our game plans each week and has been executing at a high level,” said Decorah Head Football Coach Mike Tangen. Louis is the son of Jared and Alecia Bucksa.

Alyssa Holthaus

Alyssa Holthaus is a junior member of the South Winn volleyball team. The middle hitter also participates in basketball, track and softball. Coming off the Decorah tournament where Holthaus had 21 kills and six blocks, the junior provided another monster game at Turkey Valley last week with 17 kills, three blocks and a .467 hitting percentage. “Alyssa always has a positive attitude, is a pleasure to coach, and works hard. As a four sport athlete, she is also involved in choir and other school activities. She’s a contributing member to class activities and is a good student. We’re very proud of Alyssa and the way she carries herself as a teammate and student,” said South Winn Co-Head Coach Ethan Adams. Alyssa is the daughter of Mitch and Jenny Holthaus.

Sara Johanningmeier

SW’s Tessa Phillips and Viking Natalie Stevens work on the second lap during Tuesday’s girls’ race. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Sara Johanningmeier is a member of the Decorah volleyball team who also participates in soccer and National Honor Society. The senior defensive specialist has played in 64 sets and has provided 100 digs for the Vikings and has served with 92.4 percent efficiency (158-for-171) with 10 aces. “Sara has been a very consistent presence in our back row this fall,” noted Decorah Head Volleyball Coach Gina Holthaus. “Her passing as well as her serving has been a big asset for us. Sara works hard and always has a positive attitude on the floor and is fun to coach and be around.” Sara is the daughter of Scott and Kerri Johanningmeier.

Grant Zilka

Turkey Valley’s Avery Franzen ran a season best time of 21:23.9 at South Winn Tuesday. (Photo by Becky Walz)

Grant Zilka competes on the Decorah boys’ cross country team as well as his involvement in swim, track, band, speech, National Honor Society and the variety show. Throughout much of the season, the senior has been the first, or one of the first, to cross the finish line for the Vikings. He has the top time on the team this far at 16:37.00 where he finished fifth in Oelwein. “Unequivocally Grant is one of the greatest leaders I have ever worked with in 35 years of coaching,” said Decorah Head Boys’ Cross Country Coach Brad Johansen. “Grant is having a tremendous senior cross country season. He has high expectations and I look forward to seeing him meet those expectations.” Grant is the son of Keith and Jessica Zilka.

There’s no place like home.

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Viking Derek Hrdlicka works to catch South Winn’s Brad Dahl Tuesday night in Calmar. (Photo by Becky Walz)

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