Crews continue to make progress on the new VA clinic in Decorah. The clinic is expected to be complete by February of 2025. (Decorah Leader photo by Denise Lana)
-Senator Mike Klimesh
Construction of the much-anticipated Veterans Affairs Clinic in Decorah is on schedule, according to project manager Gabe Farah, with an expected completion date of Feb. 1, 2025. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Nov. 7, 2023, at the construction site for the 17,000 square foot clinic, located near the intersection of Highway 9 and 52 — adjacent to the Country Inn and Suites. The single level facility will offer an array of services, including physical therapy and ex-
ercise areas, retinal scanning, audiometry testing, hearing aid treatment, radiology, women’s health, phlebotomy, optometry, eyewear fitting and mental health services.
Decorah’s VA clinic is part of the Veterans Integrated Service Network, which serves more than 440,000 enrolled Veterans in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota as well as portions of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Find the complete VA clinic article in the October 17 Decorah Leader’s special Progress insert.
the
Hump’
‘How the Camel Got Its
The New Minowa Players children’s show, “How the Camel Got Its Hump” is scheduled to take the stage later this month. Oct. 24-27 in Decorah. The show will be performed at 7 p.m. Oct. 24-26 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27 at the New Minowa Players Theatre, located at 906 South Mill St. in Decorah. Animals and people in the cast beg the oxen to show them some magic. The oxen are played by Mariella Molokken, Harper Scott, Louis Weber and Charlotte Yu and Archie Weber. (Photo by Roz Weis)
on October 18th, 2024, after 25 years at Gemini. Diane joined Gemini in 1999, working in Building 4, and has remained a valued member of the team ever since. Initially hired to apply trim to channel letters when the product line was still located in Decorah, she later transitioned to acrylics, where she operated lasers and supported the shipping department. Over the past year, Diane has been a vital part of the laminate shipping area, playing a key role in helping the team meet its delivery and quality goals. Her expertise will surely be missed. Diane has been described by her colleagues as extremely nice, patient, and known for her attention to detail. Her coworkers share that they will miss her greatly!
“Diane has an outstanding eye for detail and is truly customerfocused by ensuring that the product that goes out the door is of the highest quality,” Jeremy Stammeyer, Production Supervisor, said. “Diane is described as patient and very nice, which is probably what makes her such a great trainer. She has had a hand in training numerous people over the course of her career and has done an excellent job in that role.”
Welcome to Decorah Community Schools
Decorah Community School District embraces student learning and well-being as our fundamental purpose. The mission of Decorah Community School District is Learning –Thriving – Creating Our Legacy. Decorah High School has been recognized as a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School. The recognition highlights schools which excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups.
Aase Haugen residents invite children
to Trick or Treat
Aase Haugen residents are excited to invite area children to Trick or Treat at the nursing home from 4-5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. “It really brightens our day to see the little ghost and goblins,” said Andrea Hexom, Aase Haugen activities supervisor. “Our residents will have pumpkins full of candy to pass out as the children wander through the main dining room and around the hall through assisted living to trick or treat with us.” The children and their escorts should enter through the main entrance of the nursing home, where they will be guided to the trick or treat area and end up exiting through the assisted living doors. The public is encouraged to attend rain or shine, as the entire event will take place indoors.
PIVO Brewery earns recognition at Great American Beer Festival
Three Iowa craft breweries and an Iowa craft cidery were recently awarded industry medals at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival competition. The best beers in 105 beer and cider categories covering 175 different styles were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals at a ceremony in Denver on Saturday, Oct. 12. Among them was PIVO Brewery of Calmar, which earned a silver medal in the Historical Beer category for its Decorah Nordic Gruit. Judges evaluated more than 8,800 entries from hundreds of breweries from all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Hundreds attracted to Touch a Truck event in Decorah
Gundersen Clinic in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The
RIGHT- Rowan Woodard-Hackler, age 2,
by Zach Jensen) Check out more Touch a Truck event photos in the October 17 Decorah Leader and online at decorahleader.com.
of Waukon takes a bite of hotdog during the free lunch at Saturday’s Touch a Truck event in Decorah. LEFT- Rebel Willie, age 7, of Cresco has fun at the wheel of Engine 10 during Saturday’s Touch A Truck event. (Photo
County conservation to host Night Eyes
Reflector Race
The public is invited to join Winneshiek County Conservation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the the Lake Meyer Campground Shelter for the Night Eyes Reflector Race. Participants will work in teams of two to six people and use flashlights to follow trails marked with reflector tape to hidden clues. When they find all the clues, they will piece them together to find a hidden treasure. All ages are welcome, and children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult caretaker. Flashlights will be provided, but participants may bring their own. This event is free, but space is limited and registration is required. Participants may register as a team or as individuals — organizers will place individuals on a team. Register by calling 563-534-7145. Learn more at www.winneshiekwild.com.
People often love to explore the uncanny and unexplained as Halloween draws near. One way to do so is to visit some of the purportedly haunted places around the world that also happen to be spectacularly beautiful. Not only is this a great way to get in some travel time, it also can elicit thrills, as one never knows what to expect when visiting the following locales.
Casa Loma, Toronto, Canada
This gothic revival castle was completed in 1914. It is built with secret passageways and hidden storage areas. Legend has it that ghosts have been spotted on the property for years. The estate is transformed into a haunted house for Halloween each year.
Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California
life on the property. Larnach’s ghost supposedly watches over the castle and is responsible for paranormal events.
Poveglia, Venice, Italy
The island of Poveglia is a short ride from Venice, and used to be a quarantine zone for people suffering from the plague. The island later housed a psychiatric hospital. Many people attest to the island being a prime spot for paranormal activity.
One if by Land, Two if by Sea, New York City
When Winchester Rifles heiress Sarah Winchester lost her husband and infant daughter, a psychic medium told her it was payback by the spirits of all of the people harmed by Winchester rifles. She was told to build a house large enough to accommodate all of the angry spirits. The Winchester Mystery House has 160 rooms, secret passageways, upside-down columns, and staircases to nowhere to confuse spirits. Visitors have experienced all sorts of unexplained phenomena within the walls of the house.
Located in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan, this restaurant once was the carriage house of Aaron Burr. The eatery supposedly is haunted by upwards of 20 ghosts, including Burr and his daughter, Theodosia.
DINING GUIDE
Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England
Within this English hall, a mysterious “Brown Lady,” rumored to be Lady Dorothy Walpole, supposedly roams. She was captured on film in the December 1936 edition of Country Life.
Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas
This historic landmark was opened in 1886 by cattle baron Jesse Driskill. It has a wellknown history of paranormal activity following the deaths of guests, which include two honeymooning women who took their own lives in the same room 20 years apart.
Larnach Castle, Dunedin, New Zealand
The lone castle in New Zealand is a beautiful building set amid misty gardens. It is rumored that the castle’s builder, a politician named William Larnach, witnessed the death of his daughter and two wives in the house before taking his own Some of the world’s beautiful, yet haunted places
Port Arthur, Australia
Port Arthur is filled with reports of paranormal spectacles. The spot originally was a penal colony in the 19th century where prisoners endured mandatory church services and solitary confinement to correct poor behavior.
Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Rose Hall once was the residence of plantation owner John Palmer and his English-born wife, Annie. She poisoned him to take control of the plantation and fortune. Annie was known as The White Witch by slaves on the property because she practiced voodoo and tortured workers, never mind killing her second and third husbands as well. It is said The White Witch, who is encased in a stone tomb on the property, still roams the grounds as a spirit and terrorizes guests.
Haunted locales dot the global landscape. Many are beautiful to behold, even while they put a scare in visitors.
Before the ballot box
Candidates respond to Q&A ahead of November election
Voters will be heading to the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots in a number of races. Locally contested races this cycle include the District 3 and District 4 seats on the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors, as well as the race for three open seats on the WinnMed Board of Trustees. Area voters will also have a hand in deciding some state and federal races, including the District 32 seat in the Iowa Senate and Iowa’s District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Decorah Leader contacted several campaigns and submitted questionnaires to the candidates facing contested races this cycle. Their responses were printed in the October 17 Decorah Leader and are available
inform voters ahead of the upcoming election.
Voters in both Winneshiek and Allamakee counties will also decide whether to approve a proposed $38 million bond, which would fund the construction of a new elementary school to replace the aging John Cline Elementary building. Officials with Decorah Community Schools have hosted several events in recent months to highlight challenges within the building and explain the bond process.
trict’s debt service levy limit — that measure saw 71 percent support, which was around 10 percent more than needed for approval. The proposed bond is expected to require an additional 86 cents per $1,000 of annually assessed property tax during the life of the bond. The bond is expected to be paid over a 20-year period, but Cronin said Decorah Schools has been able to pay off previous bonds ahead of schedule.
Voters approved two measures in September which paved the way for next month’s proposed bond. The public supported the renewal of the school district’s revenue purpose statement, which Decorah Superintendent Tim Cronin previously said will give the district a financial advantage in its ability to bond against incoming sales tax revenue. That measure gained about 75 percent support at the polls — 25 percent more than was necessary for its approval. Voters also supported an increase in the school dis-
Next month’s ballot measure will ask the public to approve the issuing of general obligation bonds in the amount of $38 million. The upcoming ballot question requires just over 60 percent to pass. If approved, school officials expect the design process for the new school building to last approximately 10 months, with a call for bids in September of 2025, construction beginning around March of 2026 and completion of the project tentatively slated for the fall of 2027.
Luther prairies and pollinators flourish thanks to years of sustained efforts
One hot and sunny May morning, Luther College senior Josie Meyer and a few friends were out on Luther College’s Jewell Prairie with a truck full of seedlings and a water tank. It was the last stage of Meyer’s year-long honors research project — part of her environmental studies major at Luther College.
“We’re planting New England aster, swamp milkweed, common milkweed, blazing star and joe pye weed,” Meyer said.
Her research, which looked into 12 years of prairie restoration efforts on this reclaimed farmland in northeast Iowa, led to this particular selection of plants.
Meyer indicated restored prairies are not only ecologically important for Iowa’s soil and water, but that they also spark a sense of pride.
“Being in Iowa, a state that’s so dominated by agriculture, it’s important to recognize that there are these beautiful, valuable ecosystems that are worth protecting and restoring,” she said. “It’s the sense of place, having pride in the natural resources around you.”
Luther students have helped uncover a rich crop of knowledge about Iowa’s original environment, the tallgrass prairie – its plants, its pollinator populations and its effect on water and soil erosion.
Tallgrass prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America because of conversion into farmland — 99 percent of tallgrass prairie has been lost, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
mer farm sites along the Upper Iowa River. The college purchased much of this land nearly a century ago from the Jewell family. The name Jewell Prairie acknowledges this family history. Robby Jewell, who graduated from Luther in 2014, still raises organic turkeys and uses sustainable agriculture practices on the family farm near Luther’s lands.
The college farmed on the land until 2011. In 2008, however, a major flood inundated the area, which made the crop fields eligible for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, a federal program which that helps communities recover after natural disasters. Jewell Prairie was seeded in the fall of 2011 and had its first growing season in 2012.
Molly McNicoll, professor of biology and Luther’s natural areas land manager, has been overseeing the Jewell Prairie restoration.
“Planting prairies and woodlands allows us to meet several goals at once, including improving habitat,” McNicoll said, referring to properties like the Dr. Donald H. Nelson Woodlands as well as Luther’s prairies. “Prairies are particularly great for soil erosion prevention, because they build soil and hold it.”
other wildlife. Luther students have made significant discoveries about pollinator species on the campus and its prairies. Luther 2024 graduates Gwen Coleman and Emmelyn Cullen worked with professor of biology Kirk Larsen in 2022 to research native bee biodiversity on campus. Their research identified 97 native bee species, including seven species of bees never before recorded in the state of Iowa. Their research also validated Luther’s efforts to increase pollinator-friendly plants in landscaped areas and prairies.
son Prairie or Gateway Prairie if they were corn or soybean fields.”
Meyer, on the other hand, studied the relationship between prairie burn regimes and plant species in the prairie. Researchers are still learning about the most effective burn regimes for prairie restorations.
“We burn in a rotation – only a third of the prairie at a time,” McNicoll said. “We can manipulate how we use fire to promote or suppress certain species.”
use different parts of a burn cycle for different purposes like feeding and nesting.”
Newly planted prairies may respond differently to fire than older restorations. The Jewell Prairie planting was allowed to grow for four years before any burning began. A group of Luther students collected the initial data about Jewell Prairie’s plant communities in 2015, before any prescribed fire was used. Starting in 2016, one third of the prairie was burned each consecutive year.
This burn regime allowed Meyer to study plant populations in each section separately. She looked at plant community change between 2015 and 2023 for each section of the prairie as well as how these changes might be correlated with the amount of time between seeding and the first prescribed burn. She completed this work during a land stewardship internship and continued it during her honors thesis work.
“The diversity of species was surprising,” Meyer said. “I can now go out to a prairie and identify more than 20 species walking through a little stretch of prairie.”
research the students have been doing.” Meyer found that the conservative species — such as golden alexander and pale purple coneflower — have increased in population during the course of the project. Student-researchers said these species are more likely to be found in higher quality sites as a result of special conditions and the restoration’s seeding mixture.
Meyer’s research will guide the prairie’s future development, as she set recommendations for the management of specific plant species — some need to be monitored for overabundance, some controlled or reduced, and others — such as milkweed, blazing star and legumes — need to be added.
“Jewell is a hidden gem,” McNicoll said. “It’s away from the highway and near the river, and you’re more surrounded by natural spaces. The diversity of the habitat as a young prairie is really coming together. It’s a perfect place to hike, walk, run or bike.”
Meyer echoed McNicoll.
The prairies’ grasses, sedges and wildflowers have deep root systems, which mitigate flooding by absorbing river sediment into the soil, McNicoll explained, adding the prairies hold the soil instead of eroding when flooding happens.
Luther College has been working to restore several for-
In addition, prairies support beneficial native insects and
“As soon as you start adding native species of plants, especially flowers, and increase the diversity of plants, they provide a ton of resources to pollinators and other native species for a healthy and functioning ecosystem,” Larsen said. “These species would not be found in Luther’s Jewell Prairie, Ander-
Burning reduces woody vegetation and creates bare spots for plants to germinate. Prairie plants have evolved around the nutrient cycles sparked by prescribed burns, and burning in sections protects species living in the prairie.
“We don’t burn the entire prairie to preserve species that are overwintering in the prairie, like insects or birds,” McNicoll said. “For example, bobolinks
In all sections of the prairie, she discovered increases in species diversity, increased establishment of the most valued or conservative species and an increase of warm season grasses. She discovered no significant differences based on the year of initial burn.
“This finding adds to our understanding of prairie restoration, indicating that the initial seeding was well established at four years old,” said McNicoll.
“It’s really special that we have this prairie restoration that’s really high quality,” Meyer said. “Looking at it 12 years later, you can see that all the things that were done over the past 12 years were worth it. The fact that we have this amazing quality site, but also there’s still things to be done. It’s something that needs active management. Doing research like this is not one and done. It’s going to look different in a couple years.”
“Burning at four, five or six years old did not alter the early years of development.”
While Jewell Prairie has not yet reached remnant-like diversity, a model used for prairie restoration, the land is returning to its native ecosystem which can prevent soil erosion.
Following Meyer’s work at Luther, she will take on a summer research internship position at Cedar Creek Long Term Ecological Research Site of the University of Minnesota. Similar to her work at Luther, she will be collecting data on longterm projects — she’s interested in restoration and conservation work broadly.
“You can’t just restore a prairie in one seeding event,” McNicoll said. “It’s a continual process. Part of that is the
Garage/Yard/Toy Sale. Miscellaneous household. Miscellaneous tires and furniture. Diecast cars and farm toys. Model kits and model trains. Sat 10/26 7am-5pm. Jeff Schon 1025 Hwy 76 SE Waukon. 563-794-1353. 43-1-D-pd-2
For Rent: 4-bedroom, 2-bath. All appliances furnished. Spillville. 563-419-5262. 41-7-LD-x-9
Josie Meyer plants native species in Jewell Prairie. (Photo submitted)
LOOKS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
FRIDAY, OCT. 25 - 9 a.m. Fall 2024 Gun & Military online auciton. Kramer Auction Service 608-326-8108 www.kramersales.com
SUNDAY, NOV. 3 - 10 a.m. Large Coin Auction, Community Center, Protivin, Ia. Shindelar Auction Service LLC 563-5698235 www.auctionsgo.com
TUESDAY, NOV. 19 - Sweeney Machinery Consignment Auction. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563-568-2464. www. sweeneyauctionservice.com
SATURDAY, NOV. 30 - Guns & Sporting Good Auction. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com
like
Pop culture costumes are bound to be
this year
tween Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. This is a perfect couples’ costume, and one that will be lavish at any Halloween gathering.
Travis and Taylor
One
team red or team yellow, dressing up as one of these action characters is certainly going to be popular for Halloween 2024.
Whirlwind romance
The last year-plus has been notable for both football fans and Swifties. Three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift became the power couple of record, earning fans from both sides of the football/music aisle. Dressing up as this duo is sure to get rave reviews.
Fans of the “Bridgerton” television series know that the third season follows the romance be-
Country vibes Beyoncé ushered in a new
era of country music in 2024 with the release of her album “Cowboy Carter.” Emulating the pop-to-country princess is a great way to turn heads this Halloween.
The “Juice is loose” It’s been 36 years since audiences enjoyed the hijinks of Beetlejuice, the star character of Tim Burton’s horror-comedy. With the release of “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,” complete with most of the original actors reprising their roles, there’s no question that Beetlejuice, Lydia and Delia costumes will be trending this October.
Political opponents
The race to the White House this year certainly has had its twists and turns. Political figures often are in fashion for Halloween costumes, and this year that is bound to be the case with individuals dressing up as the Republic and Democratic presidential candidates.
Another pink lady While “Barbie” was the chic lady in pink for 2023, thanks to the announcement of the new prequel series dubbed “Elle,” Elle Woods from the “Legally Blonde” franchise is sure to be trending this Halloween.
Wacky Wednesday
Now that another series installment is in the works, there will be plenty of people dressed up as Wednesday Addams this Halloween. Looking to pop culture yields plenty of inspiration for Halloween costumes each year.
Investment in education supports all members of the community
As members of the Decorah area business community, we are called to express the importance of investing in one of the cornerstones of a thriving community and local economy: our education system and infrastructure. On November 5th, the Decorah Community School District will ask voters to support a General Obligation Bond in the amount not to exceed $38,000,000 for the construction of a new Pre-K through Second Grade Elementary School. This vote is important to our community in a number of ways:
A&J Petersburg Agency
Agora Arts & Gifts
AJ Realty
Blazing Star
Blue Heron Knittery
Bodensteiner
Implement
Brian HuinkerAssured Partners
Bruening Rock Products
Brynsaas Sales and Service
Investing in education fosters a sense of community pride and engagement as educational facilities often serve as community hubs and enrich the lives of the many children and families within the district.
Cardboard Robot
Casper Plumbing & Heating
Champion
Chiropractic
Courtney Sales
CUSB Bank
Community Vitality 2
Schools anchor populations within the community by providing safe, welcoming, and vibrant places to learn. The support of quality educational opportunities promotes growth of new community members and the development of future populations.
Deco Products Company
Decorah Bank & Trust
Decorah Chevrolet
Decorah Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep
Dental Associates of Decorah
Workforce Development and REcruitment
Dragonfly Books
Driftless Yoga Center
Erdman Engineering
4
3 Economic Growth
High-quality educational facilities directly translate to workforce development through supporting recruitment of outside workers, creating a higher quality of living for future and current workers, and educating students to be the next generation of employees.
When current and future businesses look to invest in their local communities, the public infrastructure that supports them is critical to the decision-making process. High quality and stable education systems and infrastructure provide a business environment that supports growth and development, and in turn works to create great job opportunities for community members.
Quality educational systems and facilities have long been a part of the highly recognized Decorah Community School District. Recently, the Decorah Community School District was one of 356 schools to be named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Secretary of Education, and one of only five in Iowa. This recognition is a testament to the emphasis that this local community has placed on education. As a community, we have embraced investing in our high school and middle school facilities to support those students. On November 5th, the school district will be requesting support for our youngest students during some of their most crucial developmental stages.
Investment in education has the ability to support all members of the community.
Participating in the election on November 5th and voting on the Decorah Community School Districts’ Ballot Measure is a way for all constituents to have the opportunity to use their voice on a local matter. We encourage you to participate in the process of casting your vote on November 5th or through early voting beginning October 16th.
Friest and Associates
GundersenDecorah Clinic
Hacker Nelson & Co. CPAs
Harman Realty
Helms Funeral Home
High Point Land Company Impact Coffee Inspire(d) Media Iowa Rotocast
The Driftless Tuesday, October 22, 2024
LifeServe calls for blood donations amid national hurricane relief efforts
LifeServe Blood Center is encouraging eligible donors to help recoup the donations which have been sent to areas impacted by Hurricane Milton. Organizers said, with the United States already experiencing a blood shortage, it is critical for Americans to regularly donate blood to meet local and national needs on a regular basis as well as in times of tragedy.
LifeServe has sent more than 250 units of red cells and platelets to the areas being impacted by Hurricane Milton. The blood supply in the hurricane zone is already suffering due to Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in late September, lower
