Community News Stories

Gundersen offers drive-up lab services 

Gundersen Health System is now offering drive-up laboratory services in La Crosse as a convenience for patients and to help system efforts for safety and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Patients and families are searching for more convenient ways to obtain care, such as video visits and more accessible lab services,” says Marilu Bintz, MD, chief population health officer, Gundersen Health System. “Drive-up lab services are one of many new offerings we’ve launched or are developing that respond to our patients’ requests for a better experience of care.”

Beginning Monday, May 18, patients ages 9 and older will have the option to use a convenient, private Gundersen La Crosse Campus location to have their labs drawn without leaving their vehicle.

• The La Crosse Campus location is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Common lab services available at the drive-up include:

o   Routine blood draws

o   Specimen drop-off

o   Limited home testing supply pick-up

• Patients are encouraged to have someone else drive them to their appointment.
• Patients who drive themselves will be required to wait 10 minutes after their appointment before leaving the drive-up lab services location.
• Patients are asked to leave pets at home.

Lab draws can be scheduled by either calling (608) 775-0950 or through a referral by a patient’s primary care provider.

ABOUT US: The nearly 700 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states
serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation
sites and disaster response. Through the St. Paul District Fiscal Year 2019 $144 million budget, nearly 2,200 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional
economy as well as $221 million to the national economy. Learn more at www.mvp.usace.army.mil or visit our social media sites at:
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS – ST. PAUL DISTRICT
180 5th St. E, St. Paul, MN 55101
For Immediate Release: Patrick Moes: 651.290.5202, 651.366.7539, patrick.n.moes@usace.army.mil
May 15, 2020 George Stringham: 651.290.5201, 651.262.6804,george.e.stringham@usace.army.mil
News Release No. MVP-PA-2020-043 Shannon Bauer: 651.290.5108, 612.840.9453, shannon.l.bauer@usace.army.mil
Melanie Peterson: 651.290.5679, 651.315.4537, melanie.m.peterson@usace.army.mil
Corps of Engineers urges boater safety on Mississippi River
ST. PAUL, Minn. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is celebrating National Safe Boating
Week by urging boaters on the Mississippi River to be smart while on the water.
National Safe Boating Week is May 16 – 22.
“The Mississippi River is an amazing place to spend your time on a boat, but you need to be smart about it,”
said Jim Rand, St. Paul District locks and dams chief. “There are a lot of hazards that boaters need to be
aware of to include tow boats, dangerous currents near our locks and submerged debris.”
To be safe on the river this boating season, Corps staff offer the following tips:
– Wear a life jacket;
– Avoid consuming too much alcohol;
– Tell a friend or family member where you are going and when you plan to be back;
– Keep an eye on the weather as conditions can change with little warning;
– Take a boater safety class;
– Avoid restricted areas immediately above and below a lock and dam;
– Have an anchor on board that can be quickly retrieved;
– Monitor navigation traffic on Marine Channel 14;
– If locking through a lock, listen to the lock operator at all times; and
– Practice social distancing to ensure everyone is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information on our water safety program, please visit https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Recreation/Water-Safety/ or http://bobber.info/ for water safety educational materials.
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NEWS RELEASE

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Launches Resource Coordination Center to Assist Livestock
Producers
DES MOINES, Iowa (April 30, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced
today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has formed a Resource
Coordination Center (RCC) to support Iowa livestock producers affected by the COVID-19
supply chain disruptions. COVID-19 outbreaks in the workforce are causing many meat
processing facilities to run below normal operating capacity. That’s creating challenges for
producers who are trying to convert livestock to food products.
“COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of our lives, including our food supply chain,” said
Secretary Naig. “This is creating numerous challenges for producers and forcing them to make
unimaginable decisions. We want producers to know they’re not alone. We have assembled a
team of people who are here to connect producers with information and resources as they work
through this difficult time.”
The Department is collaborating with public and private partners to operate the RCC, including
the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), the Iowa Pork Industry Center and Iowa State
University Extension and Outreach.
“We have pulled together some of the best resources in the state to help those Iowa pig farmers
working through difficult circumstances. Decisions that will be made in the coming weeks must
be the solution that can work best for individual farm situations. We encourage those farmers to
call in with questions or go to the website to look at the resources available,” said Mike
Paustian, IPPA president and a pig farmer from Walcott.
“The creation of the RCC will allow both public and private organizations to mobilize their
resources efficiently and effectively to help pork producers make well-informed decisions during
this extremely difficult time,” said Jay Harmon, associate dean for extension and outreach for
ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director for agriculture and natural resources
extension and outreach at Iowa State.
Through the RCC, livestock industry experts, state agencies and technical specialists will help
producers explore every option to harvest livestock and meet the protein needs of Iowans. The
RCC will also connect producers with technical resources as they work through difficult and
emotional decisions, including animal welfare euthanasia and disposal.
Iowa livestock producers can call the RCC at (515) 725-1005, Monday through Friday between
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., or fill out a help form anytime at iowafarmerhelp.com.
COVID-19 has caused supply chain disruptions that are forcing producers to make emotional
and stressful decisions. If producers are feeling overwhelmed, they can call the Iowa Concern
Hotline at 1-800-447-1985 to get free, confidential support, 24/7.
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About the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Led by Secretary Mike Naig, the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship serves the
rural and urban residents that call Iowa home. Through its 12 diverse bureaus, the Department
ensures animal health, food safety and consumer protection. It also promotes conservation
efforts to preserve our land for the next generation. Learn more at iowaagriculture.gov.
Media Contact
Keely Coppess
(515) 326-1616
Keely.Coppess@iowaagriculture.gov

Gundersen Decorah Clinic offering COVID-19 drive-up testing   To provide better access to testing for patients, a COVID-19 drive-up testing site has been set up at Gundersen Decorah Clinic.  The testing site is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All patients must call to be pre-screened. If they meet qualification for testing, patients will be scheduled for the drive-up testing.   If you are experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms, call Gundersen Decorah at (563) 382-3140, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call Gundersen Telephone Nurse Advisors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at (608) 775-4454 or (800) 858-1050.   Virtual care options are also a convenient way to connect. Visit gundersenhealth.org to experience our commitment to providing care anywhere for patients

Vesterheim Begins Work on Heritage Park

DECORAH, Iowa— Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, is beginning work to transform its Open Air Division into Vesterheim Heritage Park—an educational, interpretative, and public outdoor space in its downtown campus.

The primary contractor for the project is 2nd Nature Landscaping, Bloomington, Minnesota, which has over 30 years of experience ranging from parks and commercial projects to complex residential landscapes. Other contractors involved in this project include Skyline Construction, Inc., Wicks Construction, Perry Novak Electric, and Stevenson Tree Care, all of Decorah.

This project has been made possible by a grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Vesterheim has also received funding from Winneshiek County Community Foundation for four interpretive signs. These signs will be similar in structure to the history signs already placed throughout Decorah on the Water Street Trail and the Historic District Trail.

The pathways in Vesterheim Heritage Park will be ADA-accessible and the landscape will incorporate many environmentally sensitive elements, thanks to a grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Water Quality Initiative (WQI) Urban Conservation Project.

The plans for Heritage Park will implement practices including permeable pavement, soil quality restoration, a bioretention cell, and native prairie plantings to transform a currently underutilized landscape with features that improve infiltration, reduce nutrient and sediment runoff, and demonstrate sustainable stormwater management. Large, open glades will provide space for leisure and gathering as well as for outdoor dining, arts education, performances and exhibitions.

The park was designed by Damon Farber, the award-winning landscape architectural firm from Minneapolis, MN, in partnership with Snøhetta, the renowned international architecture and landscape architecture firm with offices in New York City and Oslo. Heritage Park is part of an overall Master Site Plan created for Vesterheim by Snøhetta.

A virtual ground-breaking celebration for Vesterheim Heritage Park is planned for May 29. More information will be announced soon. Work on Heritage Park will continue through this summer and will be completed in the fall. Vesterheim is currently closed through May 29 as a response to COVID-19. Further schedule adjustments due to either the Heritage Park work or COVID-19 will be announced when available.

“This project includes historic preservation and interpretation, sustainability and land responsibility, and opportunities to offer space for community engagement,” Vesterheim’s President/CEO Chris Johnson said. “We’ve been so pleased to partner with so many fantastic organizations, and look forward to when Heritage Park can be enjoyed by all.”

With world-class exhibitions and 12 historic buildings in scenic Decorah, Iowa, Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, showcases the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts, and explores the American immigrant experience. This national treasure is also a center for folk-art education, offering a wide variety of classes in Norwegian folk art every year. For more information on the museum’s exhibitions, classes, events, membership opportunities, and ways to donate, check Vesterheim’s website at vesterheim.org, call (563) 382-9681, or write to Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, 502 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.

Becky Idstrom, Communications and Marketing Manager

bidstrom@vesterheim.org  •  563-382-9681

May 14, 2020

May 14, 2020

CONTACT:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Public Health STILL Strongly Encouraging Continued Practice of Personal Precautions Throughout the Entire County,

Allamakee County Public Health’s highest priority is the health and well-being of the community. Their health department strongly encourages everyone to follow all Iowa Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines to help prevent contracting or spreading the virus.

With the recent release of the Allamakee County COVID-19 statistics by zip code, many phone calls and reports have been received by Allamakee County Public Health by people concerned that  businesses and citizens in areas with few cases are no longer taking the personal protective precautions to keep themselves safe from contracting the virus.  Allamakee County Public Health strongly encourages the continuation of all safety precautions.

“We cannot stress enough how important it is to keep wearing the masks, washing your hands,   social distancing and frequent sanitizing of high touch surfaces for all local businesses and all citizens who are out in the public,” states  Lisa Moose, Director of Allamakee County Public Health/Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care.  “There are still many asymptomatic people that test positive for COVID, which means they show no symptoms of the virus whatsoever, yet they are contagious.  So it is important to take these precautions to help reduce your risk of contracting the virus from them and becoming ill, even though they are not.”

Public Health also explained that it is very important for anyone who has had the virus and their close contacts, to follow instructions given to them to decrease the spread of this disease.

“For these reasons, even though some smaller towns in our counties have had very few cases, or maybe even no cases, they still need to follow the precautions,” adds Sheryl Darling-Mooney, Public Health Supervisor.  “In addition, we are just entering our tourist season and any of those visiting our beautiful county  coming from other areas, bringing the virus with them as they visit.  So again, we are strongly urging EVERYONE to continue to take all the necessary personal precautions.”

Below is the Iowa Department of Public Heath recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and Allamakee County Public Health encourages EVERYONE to follow this protocol:

• Every-day prevention methods are very important:
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Stay home if you are ill.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
• Perform routine cleaning.
  • Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, countertops) with the cleaners typically used. Use all cleaning products according to the directions on the label.
• Stay home if you have any symptoms:
  • Even people who are mildly to moderately ill need to stay home and isolate themselves from others in their house until:
    • They have had no fever for at least 72 hours (three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers)

AND

• Other symptoms have improved (for example, their cough or shortness of breath have improved)

AND

• At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

Lastly, always remember to socially distance leaving 6’ between yourself and others and keep all gathering to 10 people or less.

For more information, please call Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health at 568-5660.

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https://governor.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Public%20Health%20Proclamation%20-%202020.05.13.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Luther College to welcome students back in the fall with a modified academic calendar
The plan allows for in-person learning and flexibility to respond to the ongoing pandemic

DECORAH, Iowa – Luther College will welcome students back to campus for the 2020-21 academic school year using a phased and modular approach that is flexible and responsive to the changing conditions created by the coronavirus pandemic and directives from government agencies.
“Luther College is driven by a mission that, in part, encourages students to confront a changing society while learning in community amidst the confluence of river, woodland, and prairie. We move forward with this plan because of its potential to bring us together again in this place so that we may live out that mission,” said President Jenifer K. Ward. “While we realize that nothing is certain, we step confidently and courageously into the future, knowing that the pandemic will continue to challenge all aspects of ‘business as usual’ and that we have the ability to find innovative ways of being, learning and working in its midst.”
The proposal was crafted by the Academic Planning Group, a subgroup of the Emergency Response Team and approved by President Ward and her Cabinet in consultation with faculty governance committees and the Board of Regents. This framework has also been shared with Winneshiek County Public Health. The plan allows Luther to fulfill its educational mission while taking into consideration the possibility of a local outbreak and the health of the Decorah economy, which relies on Luther students, faculty and staff being on campus.
Luther College’s 2020-21 academic calendar will include a September Term (four weeks; one course), a First Fall Quarter (seven weeks; two courses), a Second Fall Quarter (seven weeks; two courses), a Spring Semester (15 weeks; four courses) and a June Term (four weeks; one course).
“The Board of Regents reviewed the options and preliminary plan to support a return to on-campus learning in the fall of 2020,” said Wendy Davidson, chair of the Board of Regents and 1992 Luther alumna. “We sincerely appreciate the comprehensive approach to consider multiple scenarios that retain the flexibility to evolve as the situation continues to unfold in the weeks and months ahead, and to provide first and foremost for the safety of our students, faculty and staff while also delivering on the mission and vision of a distinctive Luther College education. We fully support President Ward and her team, and the faculty leadership, for the tireless work they are doing at this unprecedented time in our history.”
During September Term, only first-year students will live on campus and participate in face-to-face learning. This plan acknowledges the importance of the first-year experience with respect to persistence and graduation rates while keeping the campus population down. Pending a decision by the American Rivers Conference, fall athletes will also return to campus but sophomore, junior and senior athletes will take classes virtually. All other students will participate in online courses, internships and potentially low-residency courses in Rochester, MN while residing off campus.
All courses in the two Fall Quarters and Spring Semester will use face-to-face instruction with students residing on campus, unless shifts to online instruction are deemed necessary by Luther College in response to directives and guidance from federal and state governments or state and local public health agencies.
The June Term will focus on study-away courses (domestic and international) that were originally scheduled for January Term 2021.
Michael Osterholm, Luther class of 1975, chairs Luther College’s Board of Regents Academic Affairs Committee and serves as the Director for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Having advised the executive board of the American Council on Education and the executive team at the University of Minnesota on college openings this fall, Dr. Osterholm considers Luther’s plan “thoughtful,” “aspirational yet realistic” and “doable.”
“The creative ways that Luther College has identified to provide quality student education and the means it has considered to quickly alter those plans if conditions with the pandemic suddenly change are right on the mark,” said Osterholm. “I am confident that the students, faculty, staff and administration at Luther College, as well as the Decorah community are well served by this thoughtful approach.”
Because COVID-19 presents an unprecedented infectious disease risk for all persons, the duration of the pandemic remains unclear, and the situation continues to evolve, Luther is preparing on multiple fronts to protect individual and community health. Preparations include: coordination with local and state health authorities and systems; increased cleaning routines throughout the campus; arrangement of spaces to enable social distancing and protection of frontline workers; acquiring PPE, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, masks, and other protective items for all Luther community members who need them; investigating protocols for testing and contact-tracing methods in case of an infection on campus; establishing quarantine locations for students who may become infected; and other necessary steps.
Luther College is home to more than 1,900 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

Lake Meyer Campground to Open May 15

Lake Meyer Campground will open for camping on Friday, May 15th.

Changes to campground operation, rules, and regulations will be in effect during the COVID-19 health emergency. These changes include:

• Only self-contained units (those with internal water and restroom facilities) are allowed. No tents.
• Some campsites will be closed to ensure proper social distancing.
• Campsites will operate on a first-come-first-serve basis. Campers must self-register.
• All restrooms, playgrounds, and shelters remain closed until further notice.

A full list of adjusted policies is available on www.winneshiekwild.com. All policies are subject to change.

In accordance with state COVID-19 recommendations, all park visitors and campers are encouraged to practice social distancing by maintaining six feet between individuals. Campsites are to be occupied by those from an immediate family/household only. Groups should not exceed ten people. Campers are encouraged not to intermingle between campsites. These restrictions and guidelines will remain in place beyond when all campsites reopen.

Visitors are asked to stay home if you feel sick, wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your face, and bring supplies from home including disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and other hygiene products.

Winneshiek County Conservation properties remain open for day use, including parks, trails, river/lake access points, boat ramps, shorelines, and natural areas.

For more information about Winneshiek County Conservation campgrounds and parks, please visit www.winneshiekwild.com or call 563-534-7145. Future updates and changes will also be posted on Winneshiek County Conservation’s Facebook page.