Community News Stories

Proclamation on Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, 2019

On Peace Officers Memorial Day and throughout Police Week, we express our unending gratitude to our Nation’s law enforcement officers. Those brave men and women selflessly confront danger to protect our families and defend our communities. We also honor those in blue who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty. We are especially mindful of the tremendous sacrifices of the 106 heroes who laid down their lives last year while protecting their communities.

My Administration is working on several fronts to enhance the health and safety of our Nation’s law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to promote initiatives that provide funding for bulletproof vests, active shooter training, the National Blue Alert System, and other programs that bolster the physical and mental health of those who protect us. We are making surplus military equipment available to law enforcement agencies. We are implementing the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which I signed into law last year, to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services. And when tragedy does strike, DOJ’s Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program stands ready and able to assist the families of the fallen and catastrophically injured.

The best way we can support law enforcement is to reduce violence crime. My Administration has secured $50 million in funding for one of the most effective crime prevention strategies in America, the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. This results-based and data-proven initiative is reducing violent crime nationwide by leveraging local law enforcement and community partnerships, along with strategic enforcement efforts, to arrest the most violent criminals in the most violent locations. Through the combined efforts of all levels of law enforcement, violent crime in our country is falling.

Our Nation’s law enforcement officers serve with courage, dedication, and strength. They fearlessly enforce our laws, even at the risk of personal peril, safeguarding our property, our liberty, and our lives. We owe them, and their families, our full and enduring support.

By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137), the President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each year as “Peace Officers Memorial Day” and the week in which it falls as “Police Week.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2019, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 12 through May 18, 2019, as Police Week. In humble appreciation of our hardworking law enforcement officers, Melania and I will light the White House in blue on May 15. I call upon all Americans to observe Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call on the Governors of the States and Territories and officials of other areas subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day. I further encourage all Americans to display the flag from their homes and businesses on that day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

Honoring the legacy of Tim Mason and his commitment to public land stewardship with a day of volunteer service and a special evening program at Effigy Mounds National Monument

Saturday, May 25, 2019 Effigy Mounds National Monument will host a special day of volunteer service followed by an evening program honoring the life and legacy of Tim Mason, a lifelong  conservation advocate. Volunteers are asked to assemble at the Visitor Center at Effigy Mounds National Monument at 9:00am on Saturday, May 25th to meet with park staff and spend the morning along the Fire Point Trail removing nonnative, invasive garlic mustard. Following the work, the family of Tim Mason will host a luncheon in the Visitor Center to thank the volunteers. At 7:00pm that evening in the auditorium of the Effigy Mounds National Monument Visitor Center former Chief Rangers Bob Palmer and Ken Block along with current Natural Resource Program Manager Rodney Rovang will give a presentation on Tim Mason’s work to preserve and protect Effigy Mounds National Monument and the legacy of public lands  stewardship all Americans share.

Tim Mason worked seasonally at Effigy Mounds for 19 years starting in the 1970’s. But it was his actions in 2010 as a private citizen that proved to be his greatest contribution to Effigy Mounds National Monument and the preservation of the resources of the park.

Mason alerted the Office of Inspector General to egregious violations of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Archaeological Preservation Act that were occurring in the park. His  actions as a whistle blower resulted in critical changes in both management and operations policy at Effigy Mounds National Monument, as well as changes within the National Park Service. In speaking about Mason’s actions, Effigy Mounds National Monument Superintendent Jim Nepstad stated, “I’ve long said that every park needs a Tim Mason, someone that’s truly looking out for the park and isn’t afraid to push for what’s right.”

Tim Mason passed away in September 2018, and at the time of his memorial the family asked that mourners offer volunteer service at Effigy Mounds National Monument, a place Tim loved dearly and fought to protect. In light of his tremendous contributions to:

Effigy Mounds National Monument
151 HWY 76
Harpers Ferry, IA 52146-7519
563 873-3491 phone

National Park  Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
E XP E R I E N C E   YO U R   AM E R I C A
The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. ™

Effigy Mounds National Monument park leadership organized this special volunteer opportunity and presentation in Mason’s honor.

Volunteers who wish to participate are asked to RSVP to the park by calling Ranger Alex Anderson at 563-873-3491 x122. The park will supply hand clippers and bags for the volunteers.

Volunteers are asked to bring sunglasses or other eye protection, garden gloves, insect repellent, sunscreen and personal water bottles. Close-toed shoes and comfortable work clothes are highly recommended.

Schedule for the day:

• 9:00am Volunteers arrive at Visitor Center for safety orientation. Visitors will be escorted by park staff to the work site where volunteers and staff will use hand clippers to remove garlic mustard.
• 12:00pm Return to Visitor Center for lunch provided by the family of Tim Mason
• 7:00pm Special Evening Program featuring former Effigy Mounds National Monument Chief Ranger Bob Palmer.

Memorial day is coming up quickly.

We would like to compile a comprehensive listing of all the Memorial Day services happening in our area.

How can you help?
Let me know (sooner rather than later) and we’ll get that listing on the airwaves and our social media outlets. Share the basics: Who, What, When, Where and Why via email nell@kvikradio.com. PLEASE share this message so we can share accurate information. Thanks!

A Listing of Services

Sunday May 26th

• On Sunday May 26th the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston will host a Memorial Service. The public is invited to attend. There will be music beginning at 1:30 and a 2pm Ceremony.

Monday May 27th

• The Wadena legion will be hosting their legion Memorial Services on Monday at 10:30 at the Wadena All Veterans Memorial. There will be Dinner to follow at the Legion Hall.
• Harpers Ferry/Waterville Memorial Day Parade and Program will be held on Monday May 27th. Beginning at the Old East Pain Creek Cemetery at 7;15, Waterville at 7:45, Cherry Mound at 8a, Paint Rock at 8:15, Cota Creek Bridge at 8;30, Harper Ferry Sandy Point Cemetery at 8:40. Then a memorial mass will be held at St Ann St Joseph Church at 9am, parade to follow at approximate 10am. Parade line up begins at 8:30 and transportation will be provided for those unable to March in the parade. The Legion and it’s Auxiliary will also be having a pork chop dinner at 11am.

Crowdfunding for a New Green Iowa Van
This spring the locally hosted Green Iowa AmeriCorps team launched a campaign to raise funds for a vehicle that will provide safe, reliable, and more efficient transportation for their service work.

The service group and their nonprofit host aims to raise $9,000 by May 31st through crowdfunding. Donations are currently being accepted and can be made on fundly.com or mailed to PO Box 14, Decorah.

“Getting Things Done”
For nearly ten years green Iowa AmeriCorps team have served northeast Iowa through home energy efficiency assessments and environmental education for all ages. They drive all over northeast Iowa to bring energy-saving services to the elderly, disabled, veterans, and low-moderate income folks. The First Step Energy Program evaluates air leakage, lighting, and water efficiencies in residential homes throughout the six county region.
“We really make a difference in people’s lives” says audit coordinator Katherine Hannigan. Hannigan works alongside Briana Burke, Gracie Engle, and Maddy Knutson as the 2018-19 team. So far they have served 94 residences this year. The average resident served saves an average of $120 bills annually on utility bills.

Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is defined as “the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.” This way of supporting community projects is not new to Decorah. In 2012 the Courtyard and Cellar started at 421 W Water Street in Decorah with support from 191 backers. In 2017 Luna Valley Farm used crowdfunding as a method to create a commercial kitchen space for their farm-based pizza restaurant.
“Crowdfunding is a fundraising model that is web-based and shows how many small donations can add up. ” says Winneshiek Energy District (WED) staff member Kristin Eggen. Eggen leads the crowdfunding effort with support from the 2018-19 Green Iowa AmeriCorps team and WED staff. The campaign has over thrity-five backers so far.
Another common aspect of crowdfunding is the

“Any amount helps! By supporting this campaign, backers are helping us help others.”

About the Team
Northeast Iowa Green Iowa AmeriCorps teams have served over 1,000 households since starting in 2009. Hundreds of kids and adults have participated in their environmental education activities. They partner regularly with public and private schools, public libraries, and other nonprofits.
Green Iowa AmeriCorps is an 11-month service program that is a partnership between the National Corporation for Community Service, Volunteer Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, and local hosts. The Northeast Iowa team is headquartered at the Winneshiek Energy District in Decorah (217 ½ W Water Street). For almost a decade the energy district office has housed teams to perform energy efficiency assessments and improvements to northeast Iowa Households. Learn more about the energy district at energydistrict.org.

Backers can make a contribution on www.fundly.com, search “Green Iowa AmeriCorps” or mail a contribution to PO Box 14, Decorah, memo: van.

Kristina Wiltgen was recently honored as a finalist for the Executive Director of the Year award at the 2019 MACE conference.

Executive of the Year Nominees:

• Della Schmidt – Winona (MN) Area Chamber of Commerce
• Nate Welch – Vermillion (SD) Area Chamber & Development
• Kristina Wiltgen – Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce

Della Schmidt was the 2019 award winner.

This award is presented to a chamber executive who has demonstrated a vision, commitment and passion for the advancement of their chamber and community as a whole. The recipient in this category has proven to others that they are the “gold standard” in chamber leadership and are proven to have the vision for future chamber members to follow.

The executive of the year award included nominees from around the six-state region and recognizes high ranking chamber members for their giving spirit, many successes and humble attitude. While these leaders take an active role in their communities, they are well respected among their peers, serve on many community boards, and give a helping hand whenever needed.

Mid-America Chamber Executives (MACE) is made up of chamber professionals belonging to their state chamber executive organization or state chamber of commerce in the six-state area of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. MACE is the go-to organization for chamber news, resources and networking in the Upper Midwest and is served by a board of directors.

Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC) will hold the annual Hospice ride and breakfast this year on June 9. The event is organized by WMC Home Health and Hospice in partnership with Waukon Harley Davidson. Breakfast will include egg bake, cinnamon rolls and coffee, which will be hosted in the WMC Cafeteria from 9-10:30am. All are welcome to attend and free will donations will be accepted.

“This year the ride will be focused on fund raising for needed specialized hospice equipment to make life more comfortable for patients who experience pain,” says Nancy Haberichter, director of home health and hospice at WMC. “Bernie Reicks of Cresco, IA, donated money to begin funding for this campaign in March, and we are hoping to fulfill his wishes to help benefit our current and future patients.”

On behalf of the family, Darla Reicks (Bernie’s daughter in law) shares “If Bernie was still alive he would be a great spokesperson. Bernie had cancer for 12 years, and was on hospice care for over a year. We think the world of your hospice team and truly couldn’t have done it without them.”

Bikes and cars will be taking off at 10:30am from WMC to begin the poker run. All bikes and cars are invited to sign-in at 9 a.m. The ride cost is $15 per entry and proceeds will be donated to WMC Hospice to continue to support their mission.

WMC’s Hospice mission is to provide end-of-life care that ensures quality of life, compassion and comfort for patients and their loved ones. WMC Hospice Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the counties of: Allamakee, Clayton, Chickasaw, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek.

For more information on the Annual Hospice Ride, contact WMC Hospice at 563-387-3024 or Daryl Hinton at 563-423-5564.

The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a scam in the area. The scam includes an individual calling by telephone requesting persons to verify their social security number over the telephone. When the person refuses to give their social security number, the scammer threatens that the Sheriff’s Office will suspend their social security numbers.

THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO GET YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TO BE USED FOR FRAUDULENT PURPOSES!

DECORAH, Iowa — Area fourth-grade students are proud to present an exhibit of their pioneer projects and journals at Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center! The projects were created while participating in the Pioneer Immersion Program, a collaboration between area schools and Vesterheim. The exhibit will be open in Vesterheim’s Main Building from May 13 to 19, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

There will be an Open House on Thursday, May 16, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. with free admission. “Everyone is welcome, and this is a wonderful opportunity to see the projects and journals, and meet the students who made them,” Jennifer Kovarik, Vesterheim’s Youth Educator, said.

The students participating in the exhibition are from the Decorah Community Schools and St. Benedict School, plus homeschoolers. The Pioneer Immersion Program is funded in 2019 by Barbara & Rich Amundson, Joann Voltmer, and Sons of Norway Decorah Lodge.

Each spring, Vesterheim becomes a classroom for fourth-grade students, who visit the museum and immerse themselves in the history and culture of nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century immigrants. This program uses the Norwegian-American experience as a jumping-off point for exploring the experiences of other immigrant groups.
Prior to their visits to the museum, the students create immigrant identities for themselves using immigrant diaries, documents, and often their own family stories. The students record their impressions and thoughts in their journals as they take part in activities at the museum, like packing an immigrant trunk, constructing a “log” home, and completing a series of typical pioneer chores. Along with their journals, students make a project related to immigrant or pioneer history.

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 authentic 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.

DES MOINES, IA , May 1– Iowa is one of six states selected by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to take part in a pilot project that will provide financial assistance to farmers to address ephemeral gullies on highly erodible land. Other states in the pilot project are Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Idaho and Oregon.

State Conservationist Kurt Simon said there is an application deadline of June 21 for the $5 million available in Iowa through the pilot project. He said priority will be given to applicants with tracts that were selected for conservation compliance reviews in the past two years and received variances to address ephemeral gully erosion.

Simon said the pilot will provide financial assistance to farmers to implement conservation practices such as cover crops, no-till, buffer strips, terraces, grassed waterways and others.
Ephemeral gullies are those areas in cropland fields where small gullies appear after heavy rains. Tilling an ephemeral gully to close it leaves nutrient-rich topsoil vulnerable to erosion. Fixing the gullies with conservation practices protects productivity and water quality and allows farmers with highly erodible land to continue receiving USDA benefits.

Since the 1985 Farm Bill, farmers have been required to control erosion on fields that are classified as highly erodible. Each spring, NRCS conducts compliance reviews on a random selection of highly erodible fields to determine if erosion has been adequately controlled. A non-compliance ruling can affect benefits that farmers receive from USDA agencies, including program payments and Price Loss Coverage. If erosion control issues are identified during compliance reviews, farmers may be given variances, which provide time for farmers adjust and install needed conservation practices.

“Our advice to farmers is to work with your local NRCS staff to develop conservation alternatives that will address your erosion issue,” Simon said. “We are dedicated to working with farmers and ranchers to figure out ways for them to produce agricultural products in ways that are both economical to them and respectful of the resources. This pilot provides us with additional funding to do that.”

Youth Mentoring at Helping Services for Youth & Families is hoping you are hungry on May 15! This will be a rip roarin’ fun opportunity to enjoy a tasty meal and support area youth!

Plan to place your food order between 4:30-8:30 p.m. from Pizza Ranch in Decorah. Food can be delivered, carry-out, or dine-in. This event is a Community Impact Fundraising Event sponsored by Pizza Ranch. Youth Mentoring will receive 10% of all food sales from 4:30-8:30 p.m. For customers eating at the restaurant, they will be greeted by Youth Mentoring staff and participants.

Kathy Schwartzhoff, Mentoring Coordinator shares, “We are so pleased to be partnering with Pizza Ranch once again. Our very first mentoring event was held at Pizza Ranch 21 years ago. Things have come full-circle. Get your orders in or come in and say ‘Howdy’ to us at Pizza Ranch on May 15.”

All proceeds from this Community Impact Fundraising Event will support upcoming group events hosted by Youth Mentoring. Some of these events involve: a Pets and Vets event in May, attending New Minowa Players show “Mamma Mia” at Decorah High School in June, and going to Lidtke Mill in July.

Youth Mentoring in Allamakee, Howard, and Winneshiek Counties provides an adult mentor who spends a minimum of four hours a month with a youth. Currently, 40 youth are enjoying time with a mentor, and 28 youth are waiting for a mentor. For information on how you can be part of the excitement of mentoring at Helping Services, contact Kathy Schwartzhoff or Colinne McCann at (563) 387-1720, mentoring@helpingservices.org, or online at www.helpingservices.org/mentoring.

Serving families since 1973, Helping Services for Youth & Families is dedicated to responding to current health and safety needs of youth and families through empowerment, support, and education.