A salute to music in schools pg. 4
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Vol. 158, Issue 18
Decorah, Iowa 52101 www.decorahnewspapers.com
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Celebrating 15 years
ArtHaus hosts birthday party and carnival May 6
ABOVEArtHaus is located at 107 W Broadway in Decorah. LEFT- This door marks the beginning of the journey of ArtHaus, the original location on Water Street in Decorah.
By Larry Sells
All shined up for Turkey Valley prom 2023
ArtHaus in Decorah is celebrating 15 years of art, theater, writing and dance with a 15th birthday party dinner and carnival gala Saturday, May 6, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with events at both ArtHaus and Convergence Ciderworks.
Sporting their tuxes and dresses for Turkey Valley prom at Ludwig Park near Protivin are (front, l-r) Brennen Drilling, Tori Rosonke, Breanna Moudry, Carson Busta, Mia Langreck, Garrett Dietzenbach; (back) Clare Courtney, Wyatt Upton, Chase Hayek, Ryann Schmitt, Calvin Bodensteiner and Kara Reicks.
Caleb and Jennifer Kurtenbach share a mother-son dance following the grand march at Turkey Valley Saturday night.
ABOVE RIGHT: Neal Pinter spins his date Abigail Schmitt on the runway during the Turkey Valley grand march Saturday night. RIGHT: Russell Nieman (standing) and Burke Busta have some fun during a photograph session before Turkey Valley’s prom Saturday afternoon. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Becky Walz)
Winneshiek County Engineer resigns By Kate Klimesh In a surprise announcement at the May 1 supervisors meeting, Winneshiek County Engineer Lee Bjerke resigned his position. Bjerke notified the board of his resignation at the end of his weekly road matters agenda item. In his resignation letter, which was approved to be shared with the public, Bjerke cited the current board has “since Jan. 3, made statements, accusations, and taken actions, official and otherwise, that I do not agree with and I do not believe are in the best interest of Winneshiek County.” In his letter, Bjerke added, “As an engineer I am bound to work with information backed by facts, not random opinions, conjecture or hearsay. I do not wish to remain in an environment such as this where facts and truths do not seem
History ArtHaus established itself in 2008 as an art and cultural center by offering several unique-to-thearea activities at 305 W. Water Street in Decorah. Early offerings included activities, art shows, art classes, home brew, — before any of the breweries were around — language, theater classes, live music and in early days, poetry readings. Founders Lea Lovelace and Kristen Underwood had a particular vision for ArtHaus. Underwood said, “Lea (Lovelace) and I envisioned a home for the arts and quality arts education for all ages. We wanted a bright, street-level studio that would be a visible and accessible part of the fabric of downtown Decorah. From the beginning, we prioritized building a scholarship fund — another aspect of accessibility. The vision hasn’t really changed since opening in 2008, it just adapts, expands and grows. Fifteen years later, it’s still expanding and responding to the strengths of the director and the imagination of the teaching artists and the community it serves. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we feel like proud parents whose offspring is thriving!” Executive Director Shannon Dallenbach Durbin noted the vision for ArtHaus is to see generations of northeast Iowa residents to explore their creative side at ArtHaus. ArtHaus moved from its Water Street address to its current address at 107 W. Broadway three years ago. “At the old location we were open two to three days a week with three classes a week. The community asked for more hours and days. We helped to make it happen. Now at the new location we are open six days a week with classes every day and open studio every day.” Durbin further explained, “We have incorporated the clay studio and a West Music Kiosk. We have tripled the number of students, both kids and adults.”
ArtHaus Executive Director Shannon Dallenbach Durbin has been recognized by the Iowa Arts Council for excellence through service and impact in the community.
ArtHaus is open six days a week with classes every day and open studio every day. (All submitted photos)
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to be sought out or even discussed. To continue would be unproductive and not in the best interest of either party.” Bjerke noted he would make himself available for the minimum of two weeks with separation occurring Friday, May 12, unless the Board of Supervisors provides a written response requesting him to remain in the position for up to 60 days, as Bjerke has offered and is in the service contract with Winneshiek County. In his resignation letter, he noted that current Assistant County Engineer Isaac Wiltgen is licensed in Iowa and could fulfill the duties of the office as required by Iowa Code in the interim until his replacement could be hired. The board of supervisors will have this issue on the agenda for the May 8 supervisors meeting.
Visit us online - www.decorahnewspapers Event details A sold-out dinner with presentations and awards will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at Convergence Ciderworks. Following, a birthday carnival gala for grown-ups will be held until 9 p.m. featuring mini golf, cake walks, whiskey walks, glaze a ceramic cupcake and more in the ArtHaus parking lot. Also on display at Doyle G. Heyveld Gallery will be artwork of past artists who have
taught or displayed at ArtHaus over the years. For a portion of the night, attendees will have the chance to watch ceramic artists compete in a pottery throwdown featuring several exciting challenges that will put their skills to the ultimate test, including number of pots thrown in five minutes, tallest cylinder blind folded and more.
ArtHaus
continued on page 5
Emotions high as Supervisors continue IVRMP debate By Kate Klimesh Discussion again continued at the Monday, May 1, Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors meeting regarding the Integrative Roadside Vegetative Management Program (IRVMP). Decorah resident Jim Beeghley was on the agenda in support of maintaining the program. He requested, “For the immediate future, I request supervisors take a stand to preserve the remaining IRVMP. I think you should keep it alive and would like to see you resolve your support of IRVMP.” Beeghley asked the Supervisors if they thought that the old spray, mow, repeat method was better for the IRVMP. Supervisor Dan Langreck responded, “This is
purely a cost savings. With the costs, it’s impossible to run it as its meant to be run. On my own farm, we have honeybees everywhere, but when I don’t have money to put toward expensive wildflower seed, I don’t plant them, I plant grass.” Supervisor Steve Kelsay noted Dalles County utilizes volunteer labor for around 50 miles of their roadside, and suggested exploration of that for Winneshiek County may be something to look into. “We’ve approved the budget for secondary roads. It up to the engineer to disperse the labor as they see fit.” Langreck and Supervisor Mark Vick noted, “We don’t need a roadside manager to have IRVMP.” At the end of the meeting’s agenda Supervisor Shirley Vermace shared a map of areas managed
by IRVMP in the past five years. Maps showed approximately half the county roads being treated by IRVMP — mostly in the northern portions of the county — and the other half showing GPS locations of known noxious weeds or other known concerns to be treated in the future years. She once more asked Supervisors Langreck, Kelsay and Vick for their numbers they based their decisions on. Vermace asked why they would ignore statements from other counties that the IRVMP program saves them hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. “We’re not seeing any proof of savings here.” Langreck responded, “I’ve said it before, it’s a great program if you can fund it. It would be a
great cost savings eventually to put solar panels on all the shop buildings, and it will save money down the road, but do we have the money for this?” “Lee’s [Engineer Lee Bjerke] reports didn’t have anything for the two buildings, the heating costs, fuel, utility costs, insurance costs. All of those are associated with roadside management and were not in those figures Lee gave us.” Vick added, “You go back five years, when the program started, that’s when we get so far behind on graders and trucks.” Vermace reiterated, “IRVMP is a solution over time. I want to see numbers, and I want you to try to convince me that doing this to IRVMP is the right thing to do.”