June 27, 2024

Page 1

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Vol. 159, Issue 26

Decorah, Iowa 52101 www.decorahnewspapers.com

One Section email: news@decorahnewspapers.com

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This was the view looking southwest from the top of Palisades Park Monday afternoon. Floodwaters came within feet of breeching the dike behind the Winneshiek County Fair grounds. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

From drought to flooding:

County’s Emergency Management Coordinator shares the dangers of heavy rains By Denise Lana From 2020 to early April 2024, midwestern states including Iowa and Minnesota fell into a severe drought due to low rainfall. An April 25 report on Sean Snyder, drought. Winneshiek gov says 23 County Emergency percent of Management the Midwest Coordinator was still in drought, with Iowa having the most drought-affected areas at 58 percent of the state. Soon after this report was released, the

overdue rains fell and fell — and then fell some more. From April 27 to June 23, nearly 17 inches of rain fell in Decorah, according to National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration records — twice the average amount. This past weekend, a constant barrage of storms ravaged Iowa, delivering an additional two inches of rain to Decorah June 22 through 23. According to Winneshiek County Emergency Management Coordinator Sean Snyder, Decorah was lucky this weekend, because the same catastrophic storm that drowned the town of Spencer also traveled through Winneshiek County. “The storm system kept swirling and building on itself,

and it easily spanned the width of Iowa,” Snyder said. “When I look at pictures of Spencer’s neighborhoods underwater, that could just as easily have been houses from the flats (in Decorah).” The Upper Iowa River crested at 13 feet in Bluffton Monday, June 24, but as it flowed down to Decorah and lost water along the way, the river crested in Decorah at 9.71 feet, Snyder said. The last time the area had a severe flood was June of 2008, when a warm front ran across the Upper Iowa River and developed into a cluster

Flooding

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Celebrating Laura 2024 Little Miss Laura contestants posed atop the covered wagon on the museum grounds during the June 22 Laura Day celebration Saturday in Burr Oak. Pictured, from left, are: Aria Yoder, daughter of Kevin and Nichole Hotvedt of Hesper; Rose Otto, daughter of Doug and Sarah Otto of Harmony, Minn.; Melea Downing, daughter of James and Joanna Downing of Waukon and Knightley Rich, daughter of Eric and Lane Rich of Waukon. Rose is the new 2024 Little Miss Laura and the other girls will serve alongside her as Prairie Girls, attending and participating in the activities, fundraisers and parades throughout the year. (Photos by Roz Weis)

LEFTTossing cheese sticks from their parade float at Laura Day were, from left: Kolton Gallagher, Henry Balk, Jared Schmitt and Marian Elsbernd.

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School- www.decorahnewspapers Facility Committee Visit us online

Portions of the Trout Run Trail in Decorah were closed Monday due to floodwaters. Here, the trail along the Upper Iowa River, is closed next to the trail head facing the College Drive bridge. (Photo by Zach Jensen)

to issue recommendation for new school July 8 By Roz Weis The Decorah Community School District (DCSD) Board of Education is expected to receive a recommendation from the District’s Facility Committee at its monthly meeting Monday, July 8. The Facility Committee is made up of community leaders who have met multiple times over several months to consider the future of the District’s elementary facilities, currently including John Cline Elementary School and West Side Early Childhood Center.

The Upper Iowa River was out of its banks Monday and covering fields throughout the county, including this field located on Pole Line Road. (Photo by Denise Lana)

Project history Reviewing DCSD’s facility needs at the early childhood and elementary level is a pro-

cess dating back to 2008. Past and current members of the Board of Education and administration have examined John Cline and West Side and discussed potential replacement options for both schools. This process, spanning more than 15 years, has included engagement with residents about the district’s needs, multiple building assessments by architects and engineers, and the formation of committees tasked with exploring possible solutions. The district is currently partnered with Emergent Architecture as part of its ongoing planning effort. Last fall, the district purchased land adjacent to John Cline Elementary from the City of Decorah on what has been referred to as the “Heivly Island.”

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This purchase also included the acquisition of the varsity softball field and a portion of the varsity baseball diamond, land which the school district has long occupied but did not own. “Many years have been invested by many people in the pursuit of providing our youngest students with the type of environment needed for 21st Century learning,” said DCSD Superintendent Dr. Tim Cronin. “We want to thank everyone for their dedication to this shared mission, and we will continue to provide updates for the community as this process moves forward.”

School recommendation

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June 27, 2024 by Decorah Leader - Issuu