Thursday, March 27, 2025
Vol. 162, Issue 13 www.decorahleader.com
Decorah, Iowa 52101 email: editor@decorahleader.com
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Public hears about immigrant issues from area volunteers BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR
Construction is expected to begin within the next few weeks on a new archive addition to the Winneshiek County Historical Society at the corner of Broadway and Mill Streets in Decorah. (Photo by Roz Weis)
Unexpected bequests help fund Winneshiek Historical Society’s planned addition BY ROZ WEIS STAFF WRITER The impact made by several benefactors will be felt in Decorah during the coming year and beyond. According to Winneshiek County Historical Society Board President Stacy Gossling, recent estate gifts are making a big impression on the group’s future. Gossling said bequests, totaling well over half-a-million dollars, will make the Historical Society’s plans for the addition of new archive space a reality. The new 24-by-30 addition will be constructed east of the Historical Society’s headquarters at the corner of Broadway and Mill Street. A hyphen or breezeway will connect the new construction to the existing building. The plan for a carriage house design is
meant to complement other elements within the city’s historic district. The new archival area will store photos, artifacts, records, wills, probates and other items which are currently stored on the second floor of the former Winneshiek County Jail building near the county courthouse. The historical society plans to break ground on the archive project in the coming weeks, with construction expected to be complete in the fall. Two large bequests A recent unexpected donation to the historical society from the estate of the late Lois Ann Conover totaled $440,000.
Historical society continued on page 10
Area advocates encouraged community members to mirror the biblical good samaritan in their approach to supporting area immigrants. The Decorah Human Rights Commission and the Decorah Public Library partnered to host a March 18 panel at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company in Decorah, where four area volunteers discussed their work with the region’s immigrant community. Ruth Palmer, a volunteer with the Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center, told last week’s audience immigrants often decide to leave their home countries to seek opportunities — and in some cases, false promises of employment, housing or other benefits. Palmer said Iowa’s immigrant population is particularly prevalent in certain industries, such as agriculture and hospitality. Information from the American Immigration Council said immigrants made up nearly 6 percent of Iowa’s total population in 2023, and about 39 percent of immigrants in the state were naturalized citizens as of that year. Of the state’s total immigrant population, about 31 percent, or 58,900 individuals, were believed to be undocumented immigrants — accounting for 1.8 percent of Iowa’s population, but about 2.4 percent of the state’s workforce. Palmer said she and other volunteers feel society should retire the use of the term “illegal” to describe undocumented individuals. “We firmly believe no human person is illegal — we can be fat or we can be skinny, we can be ugly, we can be beautiful, but not illegal — never illegal,” Fellow volunteer Marty Steele said, while some might claim increases in
A panel consisting of (left to right) Margaret Betteridge, Marty Steele, Kathi Mitchell and Ruth Palmer answered questions from the public regarding local support for immigrant families. Each of the four panelists has served as a volunteer in some capacity through organizations such as the Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center and its Immigration Action Network. (Photo by Seth Boyes) crime rates correlate with rises in immigrant populations, a number of studies have found immigrants are about 60 percent less likely to be incarcerated than citizens born in the U.S. She went on to say U.S.-born citizens made up about 83 percent of the country’s fentanyl-related convictions in 2023, which she felt largely debunks the perception that most immigrants are involved in trafficking the drug. “These people do not want to be noticed. They don’t want to wreak havoc,” Steele said. “They just want to put their heads down, work and take care of their families.” Some present during last week’s discussion indicated it isn’t uncommon for immigrant families to take on significant debt to fund their initial journey, and many ultimately send every other paycheck to family in their home
“These are some of our very best neighbors, and we need to do whatever we can to protect them.” - Marty Steele country. Steele said, contrary to some claims, undocumented immigrants are unable to claim many of the benefits offered through government programs, including Social Security, Medicaid,
Immigrant issues continued on page 10
Decorah food programs weather recent USDA cuts
BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER
programs have taken hits, but are determined to remain strong. Chad Elliott, nutrition director with the Decorah Community School District, confirmed the USDA cuts will results in the district’s breakfast and lunch menus offering fewer select entrée choices, saying center-of-the-plate items are expected to become more expensive. However, Elliott added the school district remains fortunate in other ways. He said organizations,
such as Iowa Food Hub in Decorah as well as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, make it possible for the school district to serve many local and healthy food items. “We have a long history of serving local foods, and we will continue to incorporate local ingredients into our breakfast and lunch menus as long as they are available,” Elliott said. The Decorah Kids Summer Lunch Club, which provides free lunches
for any child on weekdays during the summer months, is not expected to be affected by the USDA’s cuts. Shanna Putnam Dibble, who oversees the program, explained the free lunches have been community-supported for years. “Each year, we independently raise money through local grants — The Depot, 100 Women Who Care-fundraisers, and individual/business donations,” she said.
Winneshiek Farmer’s Market Board President Josh Dansdill said more than a few area vendors may feel the cuts to the USDA’s assistance programs in a deep way. “There will be effects that will directly impact the producers that have been able to utilize that program in the
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Schools, food banks, food hubs and farms across Iowa were upended earlier this month when the U.S. Department of Agriculture terminated contracts for this year’s Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchasing Assistance programs — an $11.3 million loss across the next three years. Closer to home, several Decorah food
USDA cuts
continued on page 10
Saddle Club may need to jump through hoops to access Van Peenen Park BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER The Winneshiek Saddle Club found themselves at the center of Decorah’s Park and Recreation meeting Thursday, March 20, as the park board and saddle club discussed the city’s pending Equestrian Shared Use Trail Plan. In November of 2024, members of the saddle club and the Decorah Human Powered Trails group faced off over a longstanding debate surrounding the shared use of city park trails, specifically trails located in Van Peenen Park. Ultimately, a split 3-2 vote by the parks and recreation board allowed horseback riders on 5 of the 8 miles of trails in the park, as well as access to the North 40 trail loop off of Van Peenen and Old Randy’s, The Luge and Upper Ice Cave Trails above Dunnings Springs. Thursday night’s discussion focused on the topics of potentially merging the saddle club and DHPT groups on the trails, as well as devising a set of rules and regulations and establishing a maintenance agreement with the city. Danielle Dotzenrod, representing the saddle
club, told the board, in addition to man power, the club has access to specialized equipment, such as a skid loader, a tractor with grapples, a backhoe, tree shears and a four-wheeler which could be used to maintain trails at no cost to the city. Dotzenrod said volunteers are willing to pack in saws on horseback to maintain areas inaccessible to large machinery. Local resident Karen McLean said she was glad saddle club members were willing to help with the trails. However, McLean said, when DHPT started assisting with trail maintenance, they were required to have a $2 million insurance umbrella and attend classes on trail maintenance protocols, and she felt the city should require the same of the saddle club. McLean said the equestrian trail standards in Decorah should also comply with Iowa regulations, which she said would decrease Decorah’s liability. Board member Zach Kerndt expressed his agreement. Board member Brian Fuhrmann questioned the merits of allowing saddle club members to maintain trails without specific guidance and training, emphasizing DHPT has been coordinating with the city for approximately two decades.
“I am not familiar with work that the saddle club has done in the past. Well intentioned people can do things that damage the trail,” said Fuhrmann. “I would like there to be some sort of oversight by parks and rec over the saddle club. I would want to make sure no one is given permission to do whatever maintenance they want to do without that being approved by parks and rec.”
Van Peenen Park
continued on page 12 “These types of shared trails exist all across America and they use the same widely accepted best practices. We are asking Decorah to adopt the same set of standards used everywhere. Equestrians want equal treatment on the trails. We do not want, nor deserve, to be treated as second class citizens,” said saddle club rep Danielle Dotzenrod, referring to the board’s pending task of composing trail rules which the club will be required to obey. (Photo by Denise Lana)